The First 100 Miles

Track 101

I think it's great to see that there are people out there interested in learning more about track racing.  It's a whole side of cycling that many of us fans know far too little about.  I wouldn't even begin to pretend that I'm any kind of expert in track racing but, as I said yesterday, it's utterly thrilling to watch.

Thanks to Nikki (and welcome, glad to hear that Theresa pointed you in our direction, I hope you'll stick around and tag along with our little group here) and others who posted links to sites with good info on track racing.

Also, there's a fabulous book written by Lori-Ann Muenzer called "One Gear, No Brakes" that really gives the reader a great overview of the world of track racing and even a look behind the scenes.  Muenzer won the gold medal in the women's match sprint at the 2004 Olympic games at the age of 38!

So far, across the pond in Manchester, it's been an event for the Brits.  Bradley Wiggns followed up his gold earlier this week by leading his team to another gold and a new world record in the men's team pursuit.  And, Shanaze Reade and Victoria Pendleton took the gold (and another new world) record in the women's team sprint.

The second part of the Bobby Julich interview with Velo News is up and it's interesting to hear his take on the battle between the UCI and ASO and what it's doing to the sport as a whole.

Have a great weekend everyone. It's warming up in my area of the world - time to get the bike in for a spring tune up!

Track World Champs

We don't talk that much about track racing here (except when Theresa fills us in on the status of Brad Huff) but it's a discipline that I actually find really thrilling.  The track World Championships are going on in Manchester, England this week and things are already off to an exciting start.

First, the bad news. Dutch rider Pim Ligthart and former world champion Rob Hayles of Britain withdrew from the event earlier this week after the hematocrit readings from their blood tests registered too high potentially indicating some kind of blood tampering.  Not a great way to kick things off.

But yesterday Britain's Bradley Wiggins from Team High Road wasn't letting the bad news about his teamate bring him down as he successfully defended his title as World Champion in the individual track pursuit event.

It's a great accomplishment for Wiggins who's been having a difficult time lately dealing with the sudden death of his father (former pro Gary Wiggins) and also getting hit with the stomach bug that was going around at the Tour of California.  But things are looking up for the British rider who won three medals at the 2004 Olympics and is now in a great position to deliver a repeat performance in Beijing this summer.

Want to win $10,000 cash?  Over at my other home, Ride-Strong.com, Tyler has launched the Beta version of his new site RoadBikeRides.com.  The site allows riders from across the country to upload their favorite rides including maps, photos, video and tips on rest stops and the best places for a post-ride meal.  In order to encourage people to visit the site and post their rides they're holding a contest and the person who posts the most rides will win $10,000 cash.  No joke!  I know there are some readers around here who could easily be contenders to win this.  Head over to RoadBikeRides.com and start winning some money! 

And finally, American Idol.  Well, I predicted that it was Chikezie's time and I was right.  He seems like a sweet guy, but I'm not too sad about his departure from the show.  You know how you have the few contestants that you really like and are excited to watch each week and then there are the rest that you just have to sit through until your next favorite comes on?  Chikezie was in that latter category for me along with Kristy and Ramiele. 

Quick Thoughts

Busy with Easter weekend and work piling up.  I haven't had any time to think about blogging.  However, just to keep things moving here are my quick thoughts for the day.

Floyd's final hearing before the CAS finished up this weekend but they have announced that they don't expect to have a decision until June.  It must be incredibly frustrating for Floyd to have to wait so long for the final word and the end of this chapter of his life.  But better, I think, that they take their time and examine everything before making a decision rather than rushing.  This is his last chance.  This is not the time for rushing.

Astana is, once again, not invited to the ASO party.  The Amaury Sports Organisation announced the teams that they're inviting to the Spring Classics this year and, surprise, surprise, Astana was not on the list.  Slipstream will be there though as will Team High Road (go George!).

Interesting interview with Matt White who used to ride for Discovery and is now a new rookie Director Sportif with the Slipstream team.

Love 'em or hate 'em.  Rock Racing has been named the most popular pro team in an online survey conducted by Bicycling magazine.  Get the full story over at US Cycling Report.

And I don't think that I'm the only one doing a little happy dance inside over the fact that the UCI is suing Dick Pound for being an idiot - oops I mean for "continual injurious and biased comments" - same difference. 

Girls Rock

The big news yesterday was that Mario Cipollini is leaving the Rock Racing Team.  There wasn't much reason given by either party but Cipo seems to say it was his decision while a statement from team claimed that they were behind the split.  Whatever the reason, I'm not really that interested in the story.  I've never cared that much one way or another about Cipo.  I wasn't overly excited that he was back and I'm just as uninterested in the fact that he's gone again.  Best of luck and all that but, whatever.

That being said, I do have a Rock Racing-realted topic to discuss and that's the Rock Racing Women's Team.  Seven strong, atheltic, sexy women from California who - like every other female pro cycling team - get zero media coverage and deserve to be recognized. 

As the mother of a young girl I look at this picture and I pray that when my daughter gets old enough to have non-animated idols it's women like this that she chooses to look up to and emulate.  If I can get her to believe that being a hard-core athlete can be cool, and if a poster like this one can take the place of the Hillary Duffs and the Paris Hiltons of the world on her wall, I will be a happy mom.

The Awareness Test

Most of you have probably seen this already.  It's been bouncing around the web for the last few weeks on every cycling-related site out there.  But it still freaks me out.  If you haven't seen it already, check out The Awareness Test.  I think you'll be surprised.

Just A Flesh Wound

One of the first pieces I ever wrote about pro cycling - with the help of the lovely Ms. Mehl - was a profile on Chris Horner for the Daily Peloton.  I remember researching the article and reading about how Horner hit the road on Stage 2 of the 2005 Tirreno-Adriatico race.  Pain shot through his leg but he got back on the bike, pushed past it and finished the stage.  He started again the next morning but the pain was overwhelming and after coming in third-last on the next stage he abandoned the race.

Horner was disappointed by his experience in Italy and, despite still feeling pain from the crash, vowed to do better a week later at the Setmana-Catalana race in Spain. He made good on his vow and scored two top-10 finishes before ending the race 16th overall.

A week later, still unable to shake the pain, Horner finally saw a doctor and found out that he had raced the entire Setmana-Catalana on a broken leg.

I remember being so amazed by the physical extremes that these athletes put themselves through for their profession and I was reminded of that never-give-up attitude today when I read about young Linus Gerdemann of Team High Road crashing on Sunday at this year's Tirreno-Adriatico and breaking his leg in two places.  His response?  "I will do my very best to be back on the bike as soon as possible and I will fight to become part of the 2008 Tour de France."

Being a professional cyclist is anything but an easy job.  In what other profession do you break your leg in two places on a regular day at the office and have to get up, dust yourself off and immediately start working with your doctor to figure out exactly when your bones will be healed enough to get right back to work? No whining. No complaining. No excuses.

I'll never forget little Linus Gerdemann and his amazing stage win at the Tour last year.  Overnight he went from being just one of those fresh young faces on the T-Mobile bus that no one had ever heard of, to having his name and face known by everyone in the sport. He's part of that fresh crop of young riders who represent a break with the past and carry the hopes of all cycling fans for a brighter future.

I wish him a speedy recovery and I certainly hope we see him back on that bike before July.

Seriously?

Happy St. Patrick's Day and I do apologize for the lack of posting lately but it was all I could do to keep up with the whirlwind that was March Break at my house last week.  Anyway, back at my desk now and trying to tackle the mountain of work that has grown during my week of neglect. 

I stopped by Cycling News this morning to try to catch up and was truly horrified to read this story about Belgian cyclist Kevin van Impe of the Quick Step team who was visiting a crematorium recently to attend to the unthinkable task of making funeral arrangements for his infant son who passed away shortly after being born premature.  While struggling through what must have been one of the worst days of his life, van Impe was met by a drug tester who demanded that van Impe provide a sample on the spot or risk a two-year suspension for failing to comply.

Who is this guy and please tell me he doesn't have a job anymore.  It's amazing enough to me that professional cyclists have to submit themselves to the humiliation of having to "drop and give me a cup" at any moment of the day or night, at home, at work, even on vacation.  But while preparing to bury your son?  Surely that's too far.  Surely there was a line back there somewhere that we crossed without noticing.

Happily the Flemish Minister of Sport did concede that the timing of this particular request had been in bad taste stating that, ""I can well understand the rider had other things on his mind at the time of the test," and promising to find a way to continue random tests while trying to avoid these kinds of unique circumstances.

Amazing. 

Deals With The Devil

It sounds as though before the month is out Floyd Landis will have played his last card in his fight to have his name cleared and his win in the 2006 Tour de France reinstated.  The Court for the Arbitration of Sport (CAS) told the Associated Press that the hearing would begin on March 19 in New York and is expected to last six days.  It is not yet known when the arbitrators will give their final ruling on the case though so we could still be in for a long wait before we know the end of this chapter of Floyd's story. 

Unlike the previous hearing that Floyd went through in California, this one will be held behind closed doors so we won't be able to get as much information as we'd like - unless our friend Paula over at TBV gets the inside scoop for us as she so often does.

In other news, former T-Mobile rider, Patrick Sinkewitz has again done as he was told, this time agreeing to give up his plans to appeal the $61,000 fine that was handed down to him along with his one year suspension for using testosterone just prior to the 2007 Tour de France.  As a result of his continued co-operation the German authorities have agreed to abandon their plans to take more court action to prevent him from racing again.   

I get that the goal here is to do as much as possible to reduce doping within the sport (I don't suppose anyone thinks it can be done away with totally) but something just doesn't sit right with me when it ends up meaning that you can cheat, admit to cheating, and then all you have to do is co-operate fully with authorities, roll over and do exactly as your told, serve up as many others as you possibly can, and you get away with a slap on the wrist.

Sinkewitz is going to be racing again - assuming he can find a team to sign him (Rock Racing probably still has a few slots open) - by July of this year.  July! He basically just misses out on the early part of the season.  Guys miss more time than that after a nasty spill on the road.

I don't fault Sinkewitz here particularly.  He's just playing the game as it's been designed around him.  He's just trying to keep making a living.  And, obviously, in order to break the cycle of doping within the teams you must get your hands on the information you need to get to the root of the problem somehow.  But this just feels wrong to me.

Would Floyd have been racing at the Tour last year if he'd rolled over and done what he was told? 

The TTT Is Back Baby!

First of all, thanks so much to everyone who commented on my clipless pedal post with your own tips, do's, don'ts and hilarious stories of personal embarrassment.  I have taken them all to heart and hopefully I'll be able to learn from some of your experiences and not hurt or embarrass myself too badly.  I will definitely keep you all posted on my early progress once the weather warms up here and I can get out for that first trial run.

Next, I need to talk about how excited I am that the Tour de Georgia has decided to include a Team Time Trial at this year's race.  Man, how long has it been since we've seen a good TTT?  The Tour de France did away with it this year, the Tour of California opted against it.  Thank you to those kind folks in Georiga for going old school and giving us fans a little extra thrill this year.

When I think TTT I can't help but remember the days of the Big Blue Train of Discovery barraling down the road with Lance on the front gritting his teeth against the pain.  Ah, those were the days.  I really missed the event at the Tour this year and I'm really looking forward to seeing it again in Georgia.  Astana will be the new Big Blue Train and with Levi at the front it's going be just like the old days. I can't wait.

Third, I can't tell you how bummed I am to hear that my Blake was on AI last night.  I never watch the results show because it takes Ryan Seacrest an hour to give me four names that I can just go online the next morning and find in two minutes.  But if I'd known that Blake was going to be on I would have at least taped it so that I could just watch him.  Bah!

And lastly, I'm pleased to announce that, after some nudging on my part, my mom has finally joined the world of blogging.  I think I've talked before about my mom being a very successful writer, and a huge inspiration for me in my writing, and I had a few questions here about her books and what genre she wrote in, etc.  So, if you're interested, check out her new digs www.barbarakyle.typepad.com and if you know any budding writers out there, pass it on, they just might get some inspiration.  Her new book, The Queen's Lady, is coming out in July of this year.

I Did It!

Okay, it's confession time.  Those of you who have been around for a while already know this about me, but others will no doubt be shocked and appalled. 

I have never ridden with clipless pedals.

I know, I know, it's ridiculous.  I watch cycling, I write about cycling, I love to ride myself.  How sad is it that until today I've been too nervous to make the move to clipless?

But, it's a new day in the Best household.  Last week I did it. I went and bought new, clipless pedals for my bike and lovely Louis Garneau shoes to go with them.

Now, up here in Toronto we still have knee-deep snow around but as soon as things warm up I'll be out on the road, clipped in with super-efficient power transfer like never before.  I have been practicing because the shoes that I got also work on the spinning bikes in my spinning class so I'm getting used to that but I have to admit that I'm still a little bit terrified about that first ride out on the road.

Do any of you expert clipless riders out there remember when you took your first clipless ride?  Give me some tips here.  Dos?  Don'ts?