2014 Spring Classics ScreenGrabtion™ Contest -- Info & Rules

We are celebrating the 2014 Spring Classics campaign with the ScreenGrabtion™ Contest. You'll have the chance to win awesome prizes from Ritte Bicycles, Road Magazine & TrainerRoad.com.


WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:

ONE
'Like' us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Entries from listeners not following us on Twitter or liking us on Facebook will not be eligible.

TWO
While watching coverage any of the Spring races*, keep an eye out for any unusual moments. Be quick, snap a screen grab of it or take a photo with your smart phone. The grab may be taken during the race, or during pre or post coverage in any channel. Write the perfect caption to go with the image.

THREE
Email the image along with the caption to SpeedMetalCycling-at-gmail.com
Include:
- the image
- the caption in the body of the email
- the name of the race and what channel the grab is was from
- your Facebook name and/or your Twitter handle
- your name and city

The best three entries will be picked by the SMC staff and announced on the podcast after the deadline of April 29th, 2014 at midnight EST. Two runners-up will receive awesome prize packs** from Ritte. Road and TrainerRoad.com, and one winner will receive a grand prize**, including swag from our sponsors.

DEADLINE
All entries must be received before 12:00am EST April 29th, 2014.

Have fun, make them awesome and as always good luck to all.

________________________________________________
* Includes any televised professional race taking place between March 21 and April 29, 2014 

**Prizes will be awarded based on the decisions and choices made by the Speed Metal Cycling staff and are final. Prizes will differ depending on availability.

Episode 64: Little Queen of Love Armchair

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Pink Camel Toe-mania

 WTF WERE WE TALKING ABOUT?

- Intro and outro music by Dimmu Borgir
- The Gong Show
- Cycling Inquisition post about Betancur
- Speed Metal Cycling post about Betancur
- Write-up about Adam Hansen's shoes
- RAI Sport video of the Giro podium ceremony
- Little Queen of Love Armchair in Candy Pink?

  

We thank Mike for his keen eye. Apparently Hansen has diversified into the automotive industry.

GET IN TOUCH
Email:
SpeedMetalCycling [at] gmail [dot] com

Links:
Gage+Desoto
Cycling Inquisition

Twitter:
Speed Metal Cycling (@SpeedMetalCycl)
The SkullKrusher (@TheSkullKrusher)
Gage+Desoto (Mike Spriggs) (@GageDesoto)

Other:
Speed Metal Cycling on Facebook
SkullKrusher on Instagram
Speed Metal Cycling YouTube Channel

La Ronca vs. La Ronca

Left: Helenita "La Ronca de Oro" Vargas. Right: Carlos "La Ronca" Betancur.

A couple of days ago I ran into an interview with Carlos Betancur in a Colombian magazine where they flat out ask him which nickname he likes better "Bam Bam," "Bananito," or "La Ronca." Betancur says he doesn't know why Bananito became so popular, but in cycling he's always been known as La Ronca, and that's the nickname he prefers.

Who am I to argue? La Ronca it is. But what does La Ronca mean?

The word ronco as an adjective means hoarse. The verb roncar means to snore. As a noun the word means the hoarse, throaty, or the raspy one. The -a ending means that the noun refers to a female. So, literally it means "the woman with the raspy voice."

The nickname comes from his throaty voice and how it sounds like a very famous and beloved Colombian singer from the 60s and 70s named Helenita Vargas. Her throaty voice earned her the nickname La Ronca de Oro. She had a very long and successful career singing everything from boleros and racheras to tangos and baladas. Helenita died, age 76, in 2011.

Below I compare Las Roncas for your reading entertainment. It should become apparent very quickly that their nickname is the only thing they have in common.

Helenita "La Ronca de Oro" Vargas Full Name: Sofia Helena Vargas Marulanda Date of birth:  March 3, 1934 Place of birth:  Cali, Colombia Known for: Her beautiful, romantic, yet raspy voice Career Highlight: Her collaboration with legendary Nicaraguan composer Carlos Mejía Godoy in the 1970s, to record her greatest hit "María de los Guardias" Liked by: My gramma and her sister

Carlos "La Ronca" Betancur Full Name: Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez Date of birth:  October 13, 1989 Place of birth Ciudad Bolívar, Colombia Known for: Having braces well into his 20s Career Highlight: Winning the Young Riders classification in the 2013 Giro d'Italia Liked by: My brother and I

So, there you have it. Same nickname, two totally different Colombian celebrities. In case you want to compare the voices, here's two videos for you to watch. One is from 1979, the other from 2013. Enjoy!

A few pictures of the 2013 CX World Championships

As some of you may know from listening to the podcast, or reading my posts here, I'm not a really big cyclo-cross. However, a UCI World Championship happening an hour from where my mom lives was too much to pass up. Besides, my brother Klaus had a media credential, so I knew we'd be living large. By "living large" I mean we got to park kinda close to the venue.

I had an awesome time and took a few pictures with my iPhone. That's why they are so crappy. You may have seen some of these on my Twitter or my Instagram. Still, I thought I'd share. Hope you enjoy.

2012 Cycling Team's Promotional Pictures

As I write this, there's still many teams that have not released official pictures of their 2012 squads, but I could not contain myself. There's just way too many lulz to be had. I promise to do another post with the remaining teams, if I see pics that are worthy of my ridicule. Let the aforementioned ridicule begin.

Van Der Sande (in heavy Flemish accent): "Oh Got, pleez dohn't lett ouar sponzer be ahngry that vee tahke pihctur on black und vait, zereforr undermahining zee hole ideea of sponzerchip."

Horrible stock image of "modern city:" Check! - Third rate Photoshop work: Check! - Cancellara as the champion of Luxembourg, instead of Switzerland: Check!



Photographer to his assistant: "The ugly one with the unbelievably long neck, what's his name? Ah, ok." - Photographer to Wouter Poels: "Mr. Poels, you go in front. You will pose in front of this green screen that will later be replaced by a picture of a manor in Massachussets. In order to make the picture look fake, the background image will not match you guys' image in color, saturation or angle, ok? Now, gimme Blue Steele, guys!"



2012 Omega Pharma QuickStep Synchronized Swimming team



It wouldn't feel like January without a new version of this shot.
Boonen, to himself: "I'm so glad I still have a job, after last year's horrible debacle of a season."



Freire is excited to be part of the cast of The Road 2, Electric Boogaloo



"BroStashe?"



Oh, c'mon, now! Vacansoleil doesn't have a budget for Photoshop so they are doing silhouhettes in MS Paint?



Can't really hate on this pseudo-inspirational picture. I actually really like that jersey.



I guess Michael Matthews has been hanging out with Rosie O'Donnell.



Madrazo: "Welcome to my awesome Lego sand castle"



Cavendish: "Kiss my arse Wiggo, for I am king of this team! My train will reign supreme in July!"
Wiggins: "Fuck, there goes my bloody 2012 season."



Submitted without comment.



I guess my brother Klaus (Cycling Inquisition) isn't the only Colombian who sports adult braces.



He, he. There's an eagle coming out of his pants. He, he.



Caja Rural presenting their new signing, Mani (short for Manuel) Quin.



Bill Clinton getting ready for another season.



"If YOU have any races for sale, look no further! We buy races! Call 1.800.VINO.BUY!"



I don't think that Astana making fun of the retarded is very nice.



Appollonio's hair looks just like my co-workers. My co-worker is a 54 year-old half Jamaican woman with serious mental issues.



Of all the terrible, horrible, unforgivable effects Glamour Shots offers, the "Black and White/Color" one has got to be the worse. Just looking at this picture hurts my eyes!