Garzelli takes Tirreno-Adriatico-barely!

It was a nordic surge today at Tirreno-Adriatico. Thomas Lovquist powers Edvald Boasson Hagen to the line. There are elbows being thrown, Tyler Farrar's not happy with 6th. Cav hits the deck when he has an "busted carbon" moment. The podium was 2/3 smiles as Stefano Garzelli takes the overall over Michele Scarponi by one second and they pal around. Cadel was his usual weepy self in third. MILAN-SAN REMO Saturday!

Orbea's latest UCI illegal bike-too light to race!

Rumor is they'll sell weights that resemble a bicycle!
Image stolen from Freeman Transport blog.

Who do ya love?

Greg Lemond and Andy Hampsten are often mentioned as "clean riders". Yet it was their personalities that began my admiration for these 2 guys, not the “clean rider” status. Both Greg and Andy are men with heart; open, friendly and likable, as opposed to the cold, arrogant and egotistical pose favored by so many competitors. My 2 cent psychology tells me cheaters favor a pose of cold detachment to insulate themselves from self-doubt and as a barrier against the truth. And I propose we enjoy racing without reserve. Bike racing is a spectacle I love dearly, and no collection of doper punks can change that! Thanks to Red Kite Prayer for inspiring this post.

Generations-which are you?

Being an old fossil has its rewards, like witnessing generational changes in the cycling "community". The oldest riders among us were the wool and sew-up generation. There was NO lycra, folks! Wool shrank or stretched, soon was full of holes, but we had no choice. Leather chamois were the reason we used chamois cream, to soften hard leather, not for the reasons given these days. One had 2 choices in wheels, sew-ups or HEAVY 1 1/4" touring tires. We rode with a spare sew-up or two tied to the seat, and woe was you if you had two flats. Remember, there were no cell phones, either! The biggest change was light clincher wheels, pioneered by Mavic in the mid-seventies. Finally -tires we could repair on the road! Greg LeMond jump-started a stale cycling scene... and then there were mountain bikes. Yes, Virginia, before the early 80s there were NO mountain bikes. You rode road, BMX, or you did not ride! In the beginning days of mountain biking, we could ride anywhere, wilderness or not, and we did! The bikes had NO suspension-none! The mountain bike scene had not splintered into various disciplines, or tribes, we were all brothers, and we all partied together after the races. Alas, we all know this did not last. Then there was the road renaissance, inspired by Lance, and a counterpoint to what had become your father's mountain bike. The fixie generation is the latest, revolting against the daunting complexity of modern bikes to start a return to the drive trains of the early 1900s. Quite a wild ride it has been, and it's not over yet!

Bicycle riders are NOT a community!

Unfortunately, we do not ride bikes for the same reasons. Many cyclists have no love of cycling per se. People ride bikes for various types of ego gratification. People take up cycling to win races, or for the snobbism of having the best and costliest equipment. I've heard racers say, "When I don't win races I'll stop riding". My Pinarello was painted the same as a very expensive model. A rider on the expensive bike spotted me, and I thought he was going to smile and have a conversation. As soon as he saw my bike was not the high-priced model, he scowled and rode away! No, bikesnob, it's not a "nonplussed" look, it's a sneer! Love the sport, hate the attitude!

Life as a dog!

Did anybody see the ‘Far Side’ cartoon where a dog is in the courtroom (as the accused) and EVERYONE else is a cat? We as cyclists are the lonely dog in a courtroom full of cats! Don’t expect these ‘products’ of the motor-industrial complex to treat us fairly. And I mean ‘products’ in the worst possible way; brainwashed sedentary slaves to car culture killing the planet and killing uncounted people in their efforts to 'secure’ oil production. The murder is not just on our streets, it is global! Answer; ride a bike, live close to your job, and stop the motor madness!