This Weeks Twilight Crit

It was an interesting race....

It was my first time back since the accident (At Pringle Creek). And I'm glad to report that I did in fact, manage to keep the "Rubber side down". Which I was very happy about.

What I wasn't so happy about, and quite frankly a little surprised by. Was how nervous I was. I guess that would be kind of a "duh" moment. But it really caught me by surprise. I was totally fine until we lined up at the start. I had to fight the nervousness the whole race. In fact it really screwed my sprint at the end because I was to timid.

I guess the main reason it took me by surprise was that I've ridden with the Scott's group a bunch of times since the crash and never felt un-nerved at all.

Couple that with the fact that I had just re-glued my tubulars from the crash. And even though I've done it many times, the first race after I do that I always get a bit nervous (Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn't have used them at all and just taken that little extra bit out of the equation. Meh, live and learn...). Sitting in the back of my mind every time I leaned it into a corner I was thinking, "Please don't roll, please don't roll!" But they didn't. In fact they were totally fine the whole time. But I can't seem to help myself...

I did however really enjoy having a full crew (As many guys as I have bike racks for...) go with me to the race.  That was a lot of fun. Bullshitting our way down to the race. Debating the trials and tribulations of the day, tactics and any thing else that happened to pop into conversation. That's the good stuff about bike racing in my opinion.

The other guys (Brison, Adam, Thomas and Kevin) all had varying degrees of success in the race.

Kevin was pretty active through out the race. And still managed to be there for the sprint in the end. He got 8th.

I feebly tried to lead out Brison and Thomas in the final sprint. I'm not really sure how much it helped but Thomas got 10th and Brison got 7th.

I was really happy for all of them. I ended up a meager 17th. But considering it was my first time back. I'll take it. Hopefully the nervousness will subside with a few more races under my belt....

Adam did great. All things considered....  He ended up getting popped off the back of the group during one of the prime laps and couldn't regain contact. Which in and of itself is a pretty demoralizing blow (I've been there many times...)

But to add insult to injury he had to deal with three douche bags on a corner heckling him every lap. They were hanging out on with their hipster fixey bikes and their PBR in a paper bag (You know, cuz on a count they're so cool.) Supposedly those guys were racers too. But if that's the fact then those asshats are probably the most un-sportsman like racers I've ever heard of. Most everyone who races knows what it's like to suffer like that. As well as getting dropped and how that can mess with your head. But instead these guys built themselves up by beating others down. I mean really, who the hell does that!? They must feel like real men taunting people at a race. Had I known they were doing that I would have brought a water bottle full of pennies and hucked it at their heads. It's what they deserve....

Pheww...

Okay, I'm good.

Tomorrow more uplifting, feel good things. Like puppies, kittens and rainbows.

Rubber side down,

Big E

Tour Talk With Frankie and James Is A Gift...

I have been thoroughly enjoying the stage recap videos with Frankie Andreau and James Dardin (spelling?) on Bicycling.com. They are all worth watching. A lot of the interviews are very good as well. It's really nice to see Frankie being very candid with his opinions.  That's something we never really got to see when he was with Versus.

He was sacked by Versus a couple of months ago. Probably having something to do with the whole Tyler Hamilton/ 60 minutes piece he was involved in.



Enjoy.

I'll be turning the pedals in anger for the first time since the wreck at Pringle Creek tonight.

I'm headed down with a pretty big crew of Capital Velo guys. I'll let you know how it went tomorrow.

Until then...

Rubber side down (For me especially.),

Big E

Week One Of The Tour de France: Nothing But Crashes

With the beginning of the tour crashes can always be expected. The combination of being the biggest race in the world, beginning jitters and the leader board not being spread out enough. All are contributing factors to this happening.



However, if you were to tell me that Alberto Contador would be minute and half down after the first stage I probably would have laughed at you.

Then to lose an additional thirty seconds in the team time trial (TTT) on stage two puts the three time former winner on the ropes right out of the gate. I certainly don't think he's out of the running. But it's going to make him go on the offensive once we reach the mountains. Which us spectators will make for some great racing.

I do find it curious though that every time Contador has gotten in a crash that he has been mid or back of the pack at the time. Now I know that it's a cliche to say that "You need to ride at the front." Everyone knows that. And yet there is no possible way that everyone could be. However, you would think that a guy as strong as Contador would make an extra special effort to always be in the top twenty guys (Although looking at some of the crashes. Even that isn't a guarantee.)

I suspect it's Contador's team that's the problem. I don't think they have the big brute horsepower to keep him up front and safe in race that's as sketchy as the tour. To many little Spanish climbers and not enough muscle.

But besides Contador we've seen the exit of Levi out of GC contention because of a crash on stage 6 and then he loses even more time on stage 7. He seemed to be in good form too. We haven't gotten to the "real" mountains yet but he was always up in the mix and out of trouble.



Radio Shack's Janez Brajkovic wasn't as lucky. He went down badly in stage 5 and had to be taken away by ambulance with a broken collarbone and a concussion.



Poor Tom Boonen was taken down in a nasty little crash on stage 6. He ended up finishing the stage but abandoned 60 km into stage 7. It was pretty plain that he had a head injury.

Bradly Wiggins went down in a crash that ended his tour early as well with a broken left collarbone. It was a large pile up with about 35 km to go. Unfortunately Chris Horner and Levi were caught up in the same accident as well.



Horner had some pretty serious head trauma. And quite frankly after watching the video of him after the race. I can't believe the race doctor and Johan Bruyneel let him continue. I would also like to go on record as stating that if he is at the start of the race tomorrow I will personally go over and punch Bruyneel in the neck. (I since see that he didn't start the next day.)




It's pretty scary stuff....

Then on Stage 9 things seemed to get worse. A horrendous crash with the abandon of tour hopeful Jurgen Van Den Broeck along with his teammate. Poor Dave Zabriskie broke his wrist. Not much of a consolation prize for working like a dog for the first week. Alexander Vinokourov having to DNF because of a broken pelvis (Ouch!).

 As well as the completely idiotic (The driver, not the riders) accident involving a media motorcycle and Juan Antonia Fletcha and Johnny Hoogerland. Hoogerland ended up with some terrible lacerations from his hips down. But he did end up with the KOM jersey. Unfortunately I don't think he's going to be able to defend it with his injuries.



I really hope with the rest day coming up. That everyone gets a chance to lick their wounds and come back a little sharper and hopefully a lot safer.

Rubber side down guys,

Big E

The Tour De France Is Here!

The 2011 Tour de France starts tomorrow. It's hard to believe it's already here. Seems like last week I was talking about Paris-Roubaix...Crazy.

But here it is. And it's here to stay. Well, at least for the next three weeks. I'm going to do my best to watch all the stages. Or at least the highlights.

So I wanted to go out on a limb and try and give my predictions for the main categories of the race (Just like everyone else and their mother has been doing.) And I'm sure, for the most part. I'll be eating my words (Just like everyone else.) But, what the hell. It's all for entertainment.



Podium in General Classification:
1. Contador (Like that's a surprise to anyone. Unless he implodes or crashes. It's his to lose.)
2. Andy Schleck (He is a tough call. His form has been terrible so far this year. But that could be a rouse.)
3. Levi Leipheimer (I think his team will see him through. If he has good TT's I think he'll still be in it at the end.)

Dark horses: Chris Horner (I'd love to see him on the podium.), Bardly Wiggins (He's got a good team and I think his prep has been better this year. But in reality. I think 4th or 5th is where his best will put him.), Samuel Sanchez (He could be the guy that could surprise everyone.)

Guys I wish were going to do better: Ivan Basso ( I think his wreck really screwed him up. But he's got a good team. So who knows...) Tom Danielson (I think he's got the engine. But I don't know if it will go the whole three weeks without breaking.)



Green Jersey:
Mark Cavendish (After they changed the points rules to favor him more I think he'll finally get it. He's also looking quite lean and ready.)

Alternate~ Thor Hushovd (He's a really classy rider. And a fighter through and though.)



Polk-a-dot:
Jurgen Van den Broek (He is a great climber. And I think just off the radar enough that people will let him go on a long solo break where theres a lot of points to be had.)

Alternate~ Antony Charteau (He did it last year. He's not a threat. And If he gets in an early break on a  mountainous stage he could do it again. Besides, the French need someone to cheer for.)



White Jersey:
Tejay Van Garderen (He's young, super talented and an American. So he's in like Flint.)

Alternate~ I don't really know.... (?)

Team:
Radio Shack (They are getting long in the tooth. But they're super strong and I think will have two to three guys quite high in the overall.)

Alternate~ HTC (I think between Cavendish and how strong the team is as a whole they could very well be in the mix.)

So there they are. Such as they are.  I'll probably look like a fool by the end. But I think that's kind of par for the course.

I'm pretty pumped to get a chance to see some sweet racing every day. I'm also pretty sure my lovely Wife is not (or the kids...). But that's just the price they're going to have to pay to be around me. Hey! At least I don't watch any other sports, right?

Rubber side down,

Big E