*The title of this post comes from Phil's comment when the first three riders crossed the finish line. It was hilarious. I'm not sure who else would've described the finish quite like that. Phil and Paul are the best commentators.
1. I almost predicted the winner of the stage. I thought Saxo Bank would win the stage, partly for Jens. They seen like a team who would honor their teammates. But also because they needed to do something to put time into others. The Schlecks are the only guys who can stay with AC in the mountains so it would have to be one of them. I had the right last name, but I didn't think Frank could do it. He stayed with them and he deserved the win.
2. A fantastic ride in the peloton came from big Thor Hushovd. I might be a Cav fan, but that was an awesome ride by Thor. Breaking away on a mountain stage while wearing the green jersey is the sign of a champion. I'm glad he responded to Cav's comments and took the jersey in a way that the DQ didn't matter. A great ride by the god of thunder.
3. I really dislike Garmin but Christian Vande Velde had a fantastic ride as well. He's a bit too American although I do like his interviews because he actually answers the questions, even the stupid ones. He really left it all out on the climbs and deserves some respect for that. As Paul said "He has dragged himself up to the front and is now turning himself inside out."
4. Franco Pellizotti got some matching shorts! No more color clashing.
5. Garmin boy was dropped. Good.
6. I don't understand why everyone's freaking out about AC's attack that dropped Kloden. Everyone's saying he's a bad teammate but I think he wanted to get Kloden with him off the front to put time into the Schlecks (which would help the possible Kloden podium) and possibly get Kloden the stage win. If that happened, everyone would be saying how great a teammate he is. AC probably thought that Kloden could go with him because he had been sitting on someone's wheel and looked good. But then Kloden is an experienced rider and knows how to hide the hurt. Even if the group had made in down together, he would've had to sprinted against the Schlecks, and by the way he fell off so quickly, I'm not sure he could have. By the way AC was looking back all the time, I think he realized that the move didn't work and that he had made it worse for himself. I don't think it's right to blame him though, Kloden couldn't keep up. And I like Kloden. He hasn't been getting the respect he deserves because of the rest of the Astana boys.
7. Another rider who hasn't been getting respect is Contador himself. People have been saying he's a bad teammate but really, what has his teammate done for him especially since Lance came back? Shoved him off to the side. And yes, Lance played teammate today. But AC doesn't seem to trust his team and I can understand why. He knows he won't be riding with them after this. As for the whole podium sweep, I thought JB just wanted yellow. And what if he asked Lance to help his domestiques to get on the podium. Lance would've said "sure but you better make sure I'm on the top step". AC is saying "sure, but I'll make sure I'm on the top step." He's looking out for himself first, which is understandable because everyone seems out to get him. Which makes me like him even more.
8. As I was making the rounds on Twitter and reading some online articles, I lost some respect for Johan Bruyneel, Lance, and Levi. If a rider doesn't follow team orders and the team is angry, talk to the rider. You don't tell the media/tweet and make AC seem like the bad guy. Don't ruin his Tour. If JB has a problem with the move, you talk to the guy. You keep it within the team. The worst comment, tweeted by Levi and followed up by Lance was "If Andreas finishes 4th in GC by less than 2' from third, we know where he lost it..." Kloden lost that time hauling Lance up Vierber. They need to keep their problems within the team, not telling everybody. Real classy guys. You could learn something from Saxo Bank.
9. The devil was spotted on today's stage. I've been wondering where he's been.
10. Jens Voigt might have had the most epic crash but Denis Menchov seems to be winning for most crashes.
11. Kenny Van Hummel crashed and is out of the Tour. I have a lot of respect for this guy who rode 190/200km by himself and managed to finish within the time cut. I think we all wanted him to make it to Paris. He has certainly gained some fans.
12. One rider who has really impressed me is Vincenzo Nibali. Although, is his name said Na-ball-ee (like Phil and Paul say it) or Nee-ba-lee (like Craig Hummer says it, although he's the same man that misprounounced Hincapie for an entire July). I'm liking Nibali, not only for his cool name. He can climb and TT. His descent down the last mountain today was pretty awesome. He was certainly going fast and surprised Lance. When they crossed the line though, it looked like Lance was this huge giant and Nibali was some skinny little kid.
13. Maybe I've been listening to Phil and Paul too much, but I think AC is actually dancing on the pedals. Or "tickling the pedals".
14. Saxo Bank has clearly mastered the "grimace of pain" or "mask of pain". Their workhorses drag the peloton up mountains and always seem to be on the verge of blowing up. Their faces show the effort they are putting in. Jens Voigt has obviously mastered it, it's common for him to be wearing the "mask of pain". Except Jens Voigt can't be in pain because he is Jens Voigt. The Schleck brothers showed a good example on the last climbs. They must be practicing with their teammates. Their expressions do let you know that they are giving absolutely everything. Another reason I like Saxo Bank.
15. As for the time trial, Go Spartacus!
Showing posts with label lance armstrong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lance armstrong. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
STAGE 15 AND 16
Stage 15:
1. Wow. Contador is simply amazing at climbing mountains. He makes it look as though he's not even trying. Phil and Paul were calling Andy Schleck a pure climber but he was suffering as he crossed the line. AC was not. AC looked like he could do it all again. He showed us why he is going to win the TdF.
2. Once Andy learns to time trial, it's going to be a great battle between him and Contador. I'm not sure which one I like better though.
3. It was good to see Fabian Cancellara in the break. Honoring the Swiss jersey he's so proud of in his country was awesome, as was all the giant Swiss flags that were flying or being used as capes by maniac fans.
4. Not sure what his name was, but the Lampre rider who was in the break was great. He didn't make the time cut in one of the last few stages but the directors let him stay because of cars/weather/something. He did a great job thanking them using his legs.
5. Much as I like Lance, I'm getting a little tired of all the fuss about him. Contador deserves so much more respect than what people are giving him. As do the other riders.
6. That being said, I can't say I was that upset when Lance got dropped. He needs to be put in place once in awhile.
7. I like seeing AC smile. And knowing that he completely and utterly destroyed everyone else.
8. Best Phil and Paul comments:
-2nd place, after Fabian Cancellara was in the break but then is pulling the remanents of the peloton up the mountain, Phil was asking Paul if he'd have anything left. Paul replied "never underestimate Fabian Cancellara". So true.
-1st place, "big" Jens Voigt was in the front giving everything he had. Paul said, twice, "Jens Voigt is trying to asphyxiate the peloton".
Stage 16:
1. As a tribute to Jens and his epic crash, I ran a more than 8.5 mile long route that consisted of all the hills around my neighborhood, in the pouring rain. I was going to do a 6 mile flat route but then I asked myself "what would Jens do?"
2. Jens Voigt is okay!!!!! I have watched the crash over and over, seen the infamous bump, the sparks flying because Jens Voigt is actually a terminator, and it still scares me. Jens Voigt says the greatest quotes ("shut up body and do what I tell you") and people say the greatest things about him. He's on a different level because of his strength and the respect he commands. It's sometimes hard to remember that he's just a skinny guy with a cool accent who likes to ride his bike and just happens to be completely and utterly amazing. Seeing the picture of him just lying on the road, that was hard. He's a great person and cyclist. Get better quickly Jens.
3. Wow. Lance was pretty good. Bridging the gap by himself that quick was impressive. I think he even surprised himself. But it makes me confused on who to cheer on. Because as much as I want AC and the others to beat Lance, I found myself urging him on. I don't want to see him on the podium though, unless he's on the top step. I don't want him being second best, but he's not going to be AC. I don't want Lance being dropped either. I would like to see Andreas Kloden show off his skills.
4. What is with Franco Pellizotti's hair? And if he's going to wear the polka dotted jersey, he needs matched shorts. The color combination did not look good.
5. Mikal Asterloza wins his first ever road race and it's at the TdF. Pretty cool. Plus it's also good to see the breakaways win because of the genuine happiness on their faces. And it's great seeing the Euskadel-Euskadi riders get a stage. I like the Basque boys especially with all the work they've been putting in on this Tour.
6. Cadels Evans has disappointed me. And I don't even like him. He was down a lot of time but he gave up during stage 15. When you give up, it doesn't matter if the legs are there, because you aren't going to try. I thought he was better than that.
7. I love the crazy fans on the mountains. When people talk about crazy fans in other sports, I always wonder the flag cape people and the naked guys are, among others. They can be dangerous but cycling would be missing something without the fans.
8. The Tour is awesome.
1. Wow. Contador is simply amazing at climbing mountains. He makes it look as though he's not even trying. Phil and Paul were calling Andy Schleck a pure climber but he was suffering as he crossed the line. AC was not. AC looked like he could do it all again. He showed us why he is going to win the TdF.
2. Once Andy learns to time trial, it's going to be a great battle between him and Contador. I'm not sure which one I like better though.
3. It was good to see Fabian Cancellara in the break. Honoring the Swiss jersey he's so proud of in his country was awesome, as was all the giant Swiss flags that were flying or being used as capes by maniac fans.
4. Not sure what his name was, but the Lampre rider who was in the break was great. He didn't make the time cut in one of the last few stages but the directors let him stay because of cars/weather/something. He did a great job thanking them using his legs.
5. Much as I like Lance, I'm getting a little tired of all the fuss about him. Contador deserves so much more respect than what people are giving him. As do the other riders.
6. That being said, I can't say I was that upset when Lance got dropped. He needs to be put in place once in awhile.
7. I like seeing AC smile. And knowing that he completely and utterly destroyed everyone else.
8. Best Phil and Paul comments:
-2nd place, after Fabian Cancellara was in the break but then is pulling the remanents of the peloton up the mountain, Phil was asking Paul if he'd have anything left. Paul replied "never underestimate Fabian Cancellara". So true.
-1st place, "big" Jens Voigt was in the front giving everything he had. Paul said, twice, "Jens Voigt is trying to asphyxiate the peloton".
Stage 16:
1. As a tribute to Jens and his epic crash, I ran a more than 8.5 mile long route that consisted of all the hills around my neighborhood, in the pouring rain. I was going to do a 6 mile flat route but then I asked myself "what would Jens do?"
2. Jens Voigt is okay!!!!! I have watched the crash over and over, seen the infamous bump, the sparks flying because Jens Voigt is actually a terminator, and it still scares me. Jens Voigt says the greatest quotes ("shut up body and do what I tell you") and people say the greatest things about him. He's on a different level because of his strength and the respect he commands. It's sometimes hard to remember that he's just a skinny guy with a cool accent who likes to ride his bike and just happens to be completely and utterly amazing. Seeing the picture of him just lying on the road, that was hard. He's a great person and cyclist. Get better quickly Jens.
3. Wow. Lance was pretty good. Bridging the gap by himself that quick was impressive. I think he even surprised himself. But it makes me confused on who to cheer on. Because as much as I want AC and the others to beat Lance, I found myself urging him on. I don't want to see him on the podium though, unless he's on the top step. I don't want him being second best, but he's not going to be AC. I don't want Lance being dropped either. I would like to see Andreas Kloden show off his skills.
4. What is with Franco Pellizotti's hair? And if he's going to wear the polka dotted jersey, he needs matched shorts. The color combination did not look good.
5. Mikal Asterloza wins his first ever road race and it's at the TdF. Pretty cool. Plus it's also good to see the breakaways win because of the genuine happiness on their faces. And it's great seeing the Euskadel-Euskadi riders get a stage. I like the Basque boys especially with all the work they've been putting in on this Tour.
6. Cadels Evans has disappointed me. And I don't even like him. He was down a lot of time but he gave up during stage 15. When you give up, it doesn't matter if the legs are there, because you aren't going to try. I thought he was better than that.
7. I love the crazy fans on the mountains. When people talk about crazy fans in other sports, I always wonder the flag cape people and the naked guys are, among others. They can be dangerous but cycling would be missing something without the fans.
8. The Tour is awesome.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
2009 TOUR COMMENTS
This tour is pretty good so far. And now, since I can't discuss these things with my family, here are some comments I have.
1. I love watching breakaways succeed. Watching guys who may never have a chance to win a stage again and may have only dreamed of the moment, it's incredible to watch. They are always some of the happiest stage winners. Thomas Voekler was certainly happy today. After he won the stage and was waiting to hug his teammates as he stood with his hand in their air, it was hard to keep from feeling glad for him. He was so incredibly happy on the podium, it made me smile. He definately deserved the win. And he won it in a very sweet breakaway fashion. Going in a breakaway at the beginning of the stage, the peloton so close with 15km to go, and then winning it solo, enough time for a fabulous victory salute as the peloton rides hard in the background.
2. Fabian Cancellara is amazing. I like him not just because he is awesome in time trials, but because he does what you wouldn't expect. He sprinted to a stage victory while wearing the yellow jersey one year in the Tour. In the Beijing Olympics (which I stayed up till 5 a.m. to watch but it was worth it) he won the bronze in the road race when everyone thought he would get his medal the next day by winning gold in the time trial. And then he won the Tour of Switzerland. Now, in this year's Tour, he basically does all the work in the team time trial. Everytime they showed Saxo Bank on Versus, it seemed like Fabian Cancellara was in the front. He basically dragged the team to the finish. Then, on today's stage, he's riding at the front of the peloton. He's pulling the peloton along when he's wearing yellow. That was pretty awesome. But Fabian Cancellara does not do the expected and that is why he is a beast. Plus, it's so much fun to listen to his interviews and watch him pull on yellow.
3. Ben Stiller should not have been giving out the yellow jersey. It was hilarious watching him give it to Fabian Cancellara. I could almost see him thinking "where's Lance? This is not Lance". I doubt Fabian Cancellara knew or cared who he was. He did care about that jersey though.
4. Lance wanted that yellow. Like he could time the .22 seconds to stay out of it. And really, Lance taking yellow would make another great chapter in his story. But as the 5th man over the line, it's all his fault. I have to say that I did want him to take the jersey until I watched Fabian Cancellara's reaction to keeping it. Then I realized that Lance can share.
5. It's a great Tour for the conspiracy theorists.
6. Much as I dislike Garmin they did a nice job in the TTT. Riding with only 5 for most of the way and only having 4 pulling would have been hard. Them getting second made me laugh though. Not a fan of them at all. I did like the Christian Vande Velde interview though. When the guy asked him if dropping half the team was the plan, he responded very well. VdV is a bit too American though for me to like him.
7. I love Cav. Seeing him in green is awesome. I like how he talks trash but then backs up his side. And he's always making sure his teammates get the credit. He seems to really enjoy it though, he's always having fun. He acts like a kid, which is not a bad thing.
8. The voices of the Tour for me will always be Phil and Paul. The people of BF are always complaining about them but I could (and do, in July) listen to them for hours. Where else can you hear someone say "around about"? Or say "completely and utterly" about 5 times in 2 minutes. When Phil was talking about Lance "dancing on the pedals" in stage 4, it reminded me even more that this is the Tour de France. And then after the TTT, when they were commenting on Fabian Cancellara's performance, Paul started saying "but Phil, remember what you always say about riding wearing the yellow jersey".....and I could recite "it makes you ride like two men". They say the weirdest things but I love listening to them because you can tell they love the race.
9. I love Lance and all, but really. The little jersey on the screen for him at Versus, along with the important jerseys? Little overboard.
10. This tour is incredibly exciting.
1. I love watching breakaways succeed. Watching guys who may never have a chance to win a stage again and may have only dreamed of the moment, it's incredible to watch. They are always some of the happiest stage winners. Thomas Voekler was certainly happy today. After he won the stage and was waiting to hug his teammates as he stood with his hand in their air, it was hard to keep from feeling glad for him. He was so incredibly happy on the podium, it made me smile. He definately deserved the win. And he won it in a very sweet breakaway fashion. Going in a breakaway at the beginning of the stage, the peloton so close with 15km to go, and then winning it solo, enough time for a fabulous victory salute as the peloton rides hard in the background.
2. Fabian Cancellara is amazing. I like him not just because he is awesome in time trials, but because he does what you wouldn't expect. He sprinted to a stage victory while wearing the yellow jersey one year in the Tour. In the Beijing Olympics (which I stayed up till 5 a.m. to watch but it was worth it) he won the bronze in the road race when everyone thought he would get his medal the next day by winning gold in the time trial. And then he won the Tour of Switzerland. Now, in this year's Tour, he basically does all the work in the team time trial. Everytime they showed Saxo Bank on Versus, it seemed like Fabian Cancellara was in the front. He basically dragged the team to the finish. Then, on today's stage, he's riding at the front of the peloton. He's pulling the peloton along when he's wearing yellow. That was pretty awesome. But Fabian Cancellara does not do the expected and that is why he is a beast. Plus, it's so much fun to listen to his interviews and watch him pull on yellow.
3. Ben Stiller should not have been giving out the yellow jersey. It was hilarious watching him give it to Fabian Cancellara. I could almost see him thinking "where's Lance? This is not Lance". I doubt Fabian Cancellara knew or cared who he was. He did care about that jersey though.
4. Lance wanted that yellow. Like he could time the .22 seconds to stay out of it. And really, Lance taking yellow would make another great chapter in his story. But as the 5th man over the line, it's all his fault. I have to say that I did want him to take the jersey until I watched Fabian Cancellara's reaction to keeping it. Then I realized that Lance can share.
5. It's a great Tour for the conspiracy theorists.
6. Much as I dislike Garmin they did a nice job in the TTT. Riding with only 5 for most of the way and only having 4 pulling would have been hard. Them getting second made me laugh though. Not a fan of them at all. I did like the Christian Vande Velde interview though. When the guy asked him if dropping half the team was the plan, he responded very well. VdV is a bit too American though for me to like him.
7. I love Cav. Seeing him in green is awesome. I like how he talks trash but then backs up his side. And he's always making sure his teammates get the credit. He seems to really enjoy it though, he's always having fun. He acts like a kid, which is not a bad thing.
8. The voices of the Tour for me will always be Phil and Paul. The people of BF are always complaining about them but I could (and do, in July) listen to them for hours. Where else can you hear someone say "around about"? Or say "completely and utterly" about 5 times in 2 minutes. When Phil was talking about Lance "dancing on the pedals" in stage 4, it reminded me even more that this is the Tour de France. And then after the TTT, when they were commenting on Fabian Cancellara's performance, Paul started saying "but Phil, remember what you always say about riding wearing the yellow jersey".....and I could recite "it makes you ride like two men". They say the weirdest things but I love listening to them because you can tell they love the race.
9. I love Lance and all, but really. The little jersey on the screen for him at Versus, along with the important jerseys? Little overboard.
10. This tour is incredibly exciting.
Monday, July 6, 2009
2009 TOUR DE FRANCE: TTT
The team time trial is tomorrow in le tour. I love TTT's. But then I love just about every stage in the Tour so that doesn't really count. I have a slight problem for the stage though, who do I cheer for? I'm really not sure.
Saxo Bank is a good team. I like most of the team, such as Fabian Cancellara (love his name) and the beloved Jens Voight. There are some on the team that I'm not particularly fond of, like Andy Schleck who has yet to impress me. I actually do like most of the team but not their leader.
Liquigas has a cool name. And cool jerseys. I'm liking Roman Kreuziger. He's impressed me more than Andy Schleck because he can time trial. Liquigas probably won't win the TTT but they will probably do well.
Garmin is probably the team I dislike the most. Last year's tour was full of Jonathon Vaughters, his sideburns, and sweaters. I do not like Jonathon Vaughters. He doesn't seem like a cyclist. I also don't like some of the members of the team such as David Millar who is so full of himself. The team actually seems to be full of overrated time trialists such as David Millar, Bradley Wiggens, and Dave Zabriskie. They're always talking about what great a team it is. I can't stand the team. Sure, they're American but countries don't matter as much in cycling. They're a team that seems overrated. I was so glad when Columbia beat them in the TTT in the Giro. Cav in pink and my least favorite team just losing to my favorite team. That was a good TTT.
Columbia Highroad is wonderful. I love the team. When Discovery disbanded, I was looking for a new team to follow. I did not want to cheer for Astana because they had no right to try and reconstruct the DC team. Most of the DC boys were going to Astana but there was one that wasn't. I followed George Hincapie to the team that changed from T-Mobile to Highroad to Columbia Highroad to whatever they are called now. I really liked the whole idea of the team. They seemed to fit together very well and were a true team. Everybody had a chance to ride for themselves but they would also ride for others. They had a good anti doping program. They had a lot of young talented riders but they also had George Hincapie and now Zabel to mentor them. Bob Stapleton seemed to know what he was doing and had some really good ideas. And so, I fell in love with the team before they showed everyone else how amazing they were. I liked Cav before the world liked Cav, before he was the fastest. I liked the team when they didn't have a sponsor or those awesome results they have since achieved. It really feels like they are my team almost. They've given me a lot of talent to cheer on. I actually have someone to yell for in the sprints but in the other races as well. What they did in stage three was awesome. But what is even better is after they win the races. Seeing Cav hug his teammates after he wins, hearing them continually thank each other. That's why they're my team.
Astana is a team that I'm unsure about. I don't like Levi, I used to like Contador but now am undecided about him, I like Kloden because he is overlooked, and I like Popo, but not when he was on Cadel's team. I don't like the idea of the team, it's like another Discovery only not as good. The team has a lot of talent but they don't have the opportunities to use it. I decided I didn't really like the team and then Lance came back. I first watched the TdF when my dad turned it on one day a couple years ago. Lance is the reason I began following cycling. I loved Lance. And yet, when he announced he was coming back, I was mad. It's a long story and involves many reasons, but basically, I didn't want him to come back. I'm still angry that he did it, but I'm more okay with it. He has made it more difficult to follow cycling. I can't cheer against him, he's Lance. Lance Armstrong, who I have cheered on for so many days as he rode in France. Lance Armstrong, who made me love cycling. I want him to win but I also don't want him to. Somebody else should be able to win. But this is about the TTT. As much as I love Columbia and would like to see them win, I would also like to see Astana win it. Lance's team wins the TTT and Astana may be a different team but they are Lance's team. I have to cheer them on.
Saxo Bank is a good team. I like most of the team, such as Fabian Cancellara (love his name) and the beloved Jens Voight. There are some on the team that I'm not particularly fond of, like Andy Schleck who has yet to impress me. I actually do like most of the team but not their leader.
Liquigas has a cool name. And cool jerseys. I'm liking Roman Kreuziger. He's impressed me more than Andy Schleck because he can time trial. Liquigas probably won't win the TTT but they will probably do well.
Garmin is probably the team I dislike the most. Last year's tour was full of Jonathon Vaughters, his sideburns, and sweaters. I do not like Jonathon Vaughters. He doesn't seem like a cyclist. I also don't like some of the members of the team such as David Millar who is so full of himself. The team actually seems to be full of overrated time trialists such as David Millar, Bradley Wiggens, and Dave Zabriskie. They're always talking about what great a team it is. I can't stand the team. Sure, they're American but countries don't matter as much in cycling. They're a team that seems overrated. I was so glad when Columbia beat them in the TTT in the Giro. Cav in pink and my least favorite team just losing to my favorite team. That was a good TTT.
Columbia Highroad is wonderful. I love the team. When Discovery disbanded, I was looking for a new team to follow. I did not want to cheer for Astana because they had no right to try and reconstruct the DC team. Most of the DC boys were going to Astana but there was one that wasn't. I followed George Hincapie to the team that changed from T-Mobile to Highroad to Columbia Highroad to whatever they are called now. I really liked the whole idea of the team. They seemed to fit together very well and were a true team. Everybody had a chance to ride for themselves but they would also ride for others. They had a good anti doping program. They had a lot of young talented riders but they also had George Hincapie and now Zabel to mentor them. Bob Stapleton seemed to know what he was doing and had some really good ideas. And so, I fell in love with the team before they showed everyone else how amazing they were. I liked Cav before the world liked Cav, before he was the fastest. I liked the team when they didn't have a sponsor or those awesome results they have since achieved. It really feels like they are my team almost. They've given me a lot of talent to cheer on. I actually have someone to yell for in the sprints but in the other races as well. What they did in stage three was awesome. But what is even better is after they win the races. Seeing Cav hug his teammates after he wins, hearing them continually thank each other. That's why they're my team.
Astana is a team that I'm unsure about. I don't like Levi, I used to like Contador but now am undecided about him, I like Kloden because he is overlooked, and I like Popo, but not when he was on Cadel's team. I don't like the idea of the team, it's like another Discovery only not as good. The team has a lot of talent but they don't have the opportunities to use it. I decided I didn't really like the team and then Lance came back. I first watched the TdF when my dad turned it on one day a couple years ago. Lance is the reason I began following cycling. I loved Lance. And yet, when he announced he was coming back, I was mad. It's a long story and involves many reasons, but basically, I didn't want him to come back. I'm still angry that he did it, but I'm more okay with it. He has made it more difficult to follow cycling. I can't cheer against him, he's Lance. Lance Armstrong, who I have cheered on for so many days as he rode in France. Lance Armstrong, who made me love cycling. I want him to win but I also don't want him to. Somebody else should be able to win. But this is about the TTT. As much as I love Columbia and would like to see them win, I would also like to see Astana win it. Lance's team wins the TTT and Astana may be a different team but they are Lance's team. I have to cheer them on.
Friday, July 3, 2009
TOUR DE FRANCE 2009
Because I am just so super excited for the Tour de France to begin, I feel I need to make predictions that will probably be terribly wrong.
1. I used to think that nothing would stop Alberto Contador from winning but now it seems like everyone else has the same opinion. I don't think he will completely dominate the TdF. He might win, but there will not be domination.
2. Cav is going to dominate. This is partly because I like him so I want him to win but...he's still awesome and will beat everybody.
3. Fabian Cancellara is going to win the time trials, such as the one that starts off the Tour. He's too fast.
4. Luis Leon Sanchez is going to surprise everyone in a good way.
5. Lance Armstrong will surprise everyone. In a bad or good way.
6. Cadel Evans and Levi Leipheimer will be wheelsuckers. I still won't like them because of this.
7. Garmin will suck. Astana won't do as well as they should. Saxo Bank will do well.
8. Someone will be caught doping, more than one from a team. Probably roommates.
9. Frank Schleck will beat his brother Andy.
10. Jersey winners:
Yellow: Alberto Contador
Green: Mark Cavendish
Polka Dot: Carlos Sastre (I really don't know)
White: Luis Leon Sanchez (Andy Schleck is overrated)
1. I used to think that nothing would stop Alberto Contador from winning but now it seems like everyone else has the same opinion. I don't think he will completely dominate the TdF. He might win, but there will not be domination.
2. Cav is going to dominate. This is partly because I like him so I want him to win but...he's still awesome and will beat everybody.
3. Fabian Cancellara is going to win the time trials, such as the one that starts off the Tour. He's too fast.
4. Luis Leon Sanchez is going to surprise everyone in a good way.
5. Lance Armstrong will surprise everyone. In a bad or good way.
6. Cadel Evans and Levi Leipheimer will be wheelsuckers. I still won't like them because of this.
7. Garmin will suck. Astana won't do as well as they should. Saxo Bank will do well.
8. Someone will be caught doping, more than one from a team. Probably roommates.
9. Frank Schleck will beat his brother Andy.
10. Jersey winners:
Yellow: Alberto Contador
Green: Mark Cavendish
Polka Dot: Carlos Sastre (I really don't know)
White: Luis Leon Sanchez (Andy Schleck is overrated)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
THE WAR IN CYCLING: PART TWO
The War in Cycling (Continued)
A severe crash prevented Jan Ullrich’s teammate and veteran rider, Alexandre Vinokourov, from being an opponent of Lance Armstrong during 2004 (Coyle 205). Coyle writes in Lance Armstrong’s War, how Vinokourov’s harsh life growing up in Kazakhstan made him a stronger rider (57-59). He continued to improve and by 2007, he had become a prerace favorite for the Tour. According to race officials, this Tour de France was going to be cleaner than the previous year in cycling. Instead, doping again racked the Tour. Vinokourov tested positive for blood doping after a remarkable comeback from serious injuries sustained during the race (“Vinokourov” par. 1-5). His teammate, Andrey Kashechkin, also tested positive for blood doping, and as a result, their team Astana, withdrew from the Tour (“Kashechkin” par. 1-2).
Iban Mayo, a quiet Basque climber, was the last of Armstrong’s 2004 rivals to be brought down by doping. On July 30, 2007, it was announced that Mayo had tested positive for EPO during the 2007 Tour de France, which had been completed only days earlier. He refused to confess, maintaining his innocence but was convicted and received a two year ban (“Hold the Mayo!” par. 1). It is unknown whether he will attempt a comeback but has dropped out of the cycling world. Mayo has been relatively forgotten about although most cycling fans agree he is guilty of doping.
The positive doping tests of many successful cyclists have put other riders under speculation. This includes the man who was at the center of David Coyle’s book, Lance Armstrong. He has split riders, directors, and fans over the belief of whether he did or did not cheat using performance enhancing substances. Armstrong has passed every single doping test yet has been continually plagued by rumors. Former employees of his team have accused him of doping and the positive tests of his ex-teammates have only helped the accusations. Armstrong remains as one of cycling’s biggest heroes and his 2009 comeback is well looked upon by many fans.
I believe that Lance Armstrong rode clean. My theory maintaining his innocence is a mix of other’s opinions but comes also from the man himself. He has simply too much to lose. If he cheated, Armstrong would become the biggest cycling and American doping scandal. Not only would the sport be affected, but also everything he has built up outside of cycling, such as the LiveSTRONG foundation. Critics have acknowledged this but say Armstrong could not have predicted what has become of his wins after he came back from cancer. Yet he was a talented rider before he had the disease and cancer could have made his mindset even stronger. Various tests have proven that Lance Armstrong has a physical advantage over the other riders, creating less lactic acid, recovering faster, and having a larger lung capacity. In Lance Armstrong’s War, teammates describe him as training harder and longer than anyone else, in hopes of getting just a little bit better (Coyle 167). Armstrong was meticulous in everything he did; he sought the best equipment and tried to perfect even the smallest of details (Coyle 76). Yet what gave him the extra edge was his focus, his drive to beat everybody else no matter what happened. Armstrong won the Tour de France seven times. He was tested more than anyone else because of his victories but if he was cheating, he would have had to somehow evade the tests.
Doping has tainted cycling in the races, the records, and the results. No longer is an unexpected and outstanding result met with congratulations. Instead it raises suspicion and the performance falls under the always prevalent question of “is he doping?” Critics laud the races as drug filled and the media is full of articles questioning the credibility of the sport. Fans no longer know which riders to believe and as a result, sponsors have discontinued their teams. Operación Puerto has been once more opened up and two successful riders have been linked to the scandal. Among the chaos, are the cyclists themselves; some are outspoken against doping, but many are quiet in the midst of the fighting. Most would prefer to just ride their bikes, although they do support the effort to clean up their sport. Three professional cycling teams have implemented extreme anti doping programs to try and reclaim cycling as clean. Cycling may be the sport most connected with cheating but that is because cycling is the sport that has done the most to find the cheats. No other sport has such extreme testing or long term bans, but cycling has the image of being the dirty sport because so many abusers are caught.
Amidst all the mayhem in cycling, among the questions about the riders and the races, loyalty is no longer strictly to a team or a cyclist, but to the sport itself. It comes off as a laugh to the general public and there is always a difficulty in understanding why people would bother following the sport. These same people do not realize how hard the races are and the bravery is sometimes in simply finishing the race, such as the Paris-Roubaix or the Tour de France. Daniel Coyle reveals in Lance Armstrong’s War what it takes to be a cyclist, the intense training, the constant pressure, and the always prevalent danger of crashing. He describes the magnificence of a solo mountaintop win, the crazed fans who line the roads, the pain on the faces of the cracked riders, and the glory of winning a single stage. Yes, it’s hard to see races torn apart because of doping, and faith in the sport wavers. Something continues to bring you back however and doping will not drive away the real fans among us. Cycling reveals the true champions in the midst of cobblestones, 40mph sprint finishes, rolling hills, and mountains.
A severe crash prevented Jan Ullrich’s teammate and veteran rider, Alexandre Vinokourov, from being an opponent of Lance Armstrong during 2004 (Coyle 205). Coyle writes in Lance Armstrong’s War, how Vinokourov’s harsh life growing up in Kazakhstan made him a stronger rider (57-59). He continued to improve and by 2007, he had become a prerace favorite for the Tour. According to race officials, this Tour de France was going to be cleaner than the previous year in cycling. Instead, doping again racked the Tour. Vinokourov tested positive for blood doping after a remarkable comeback from serious injuries sustained during the race (“Vinokourov” par. 1-5). His teammate, Andrey Kashechkin, also tested positive for blood doping, and as a result, their team Astana, withdrew from the Tour (“Kashechkin” par. 1-2).
Iban Mayo, a quiet Basque climber, was the last of Armstrong’s 2004 rivals to be brought down by doping. On July 30, 2007, it was announced that Mayo had tested positive for EPO during the 2007 Tour de France, which had been completed only days earlier. He refused to confess, maintaining his innocence but was convicted and received a two year ban (“Hold the Mayo!” par. 1). It is unknown whether he will attempt a comeback but has dropped out of the cycling world. Mayo has been relatively forgotten about although most cycling fans agree he is guilty of doping.
The positive doping tests of many successful cyclists have put other riders under speculation. This includes the man who was at the center of David Coyle’s book, Lance Armstrong. He has split riders, directors, and fans over the belief of whether he did or did not cheat using performance enhancing substances. Armstrong has passed every single doping test yet has been continually plagued by rumors. Former employees of his team have accused him of doping and the positive tests of his ex-teammates have only helped the accusations. Armstrong remains as one of cycling’s biggest heroes and his 2009 comeback is well looked upon by many fans.
I believe that Lance Armstrong rode clean. My theory maintaining his innocence is a mix of other’s opinions but comes also from the man himself. He has simply too much to lose. If he cheated, Armstrong would become the biggest cycling and American doping scandal. Not only would the sport be affected, but also everything he has built up outside of cycling, such as the LiveSTRONG foundation. Critics have acknowledged this but say Armstrong could not have predicted what has become of his wins after he came back from cancer. Yet he was a talented rider before he had the disease and cancer could have made his mindset even stronger. Various tests have proven that Lance Armstrong has a physical advantage over the other riders, creating less lactic acid, recovering faster, and having a larger lung capacity. In Lance Armstrong’s War, teammates describe him as training harder and longer than anyone else, in hopes of getting just a little bit better (Coyle 167). Armstrong was meticulous in everything he did; he sought the best equipment and tried to perfect even the smallest of details (Coyle 76). Yet what gave him the extra edge was his focus, his drive to beat everybody else no matter what happened. Armstrong won the Tour de France seven times. He was tested more than anyone else because of his victories but if he was cheating, he would have had to somehow evade the tests.
Doping has tainted cycling in the races, the records, and the results. No longer is an unexpected and outstanding result met with congratulations. Instead it raises suspicion and the performance falls under the always prevalent question of “is he doping?” Critics laud the races as drug filled and the media is full of articles questioning the credibility of the sport. Fans no longer know which riders to believe and as a result, sponsors have discontinued their teams. Operación Puerto has been once more opened up and two successful riders have been linked to the scandal. Among the chaos, are the cyclists themselves; some are outspoken against doping, but many are quiet in the midst of the fighting. Most would prefer to just ride their bikes, although they do support the effort to clean up their sport. Three professional cycling teams have implemented extreme anti doping programs to try and reclaim cycling as clean. Cycling may be the sport most connected with cheating but that is because cycling is the sport that has done the most to find the cheats. No other sport has such extreme testing or long term bans, but cycling has the image of being the dirty sport because so many abusers are caught.
Amidst all the mayhem in cycling, among the questions about the riders and the races, loyalty is no longer strictly to a team or a cyclist, but to the sport itself. It comes off as a laugh to the general public and there is always a difficulty in understanding why people would bother following the sport. These same people do not realize how hard the races are and the bravery is sometimes in simply finishing the race, such as the Paris-Roubaix or the Tour de France. Daniel Coyle reveals in Lance Armstrong’s War what it takes to be a cyclist, the intense training, the constant pressure, and the always prevalent danger of crashing. He describes the magnificence of a solo mountaintop win, the crazed fans who line the roads, the pain on the faces of the cracked riders, and the glory of winning a single stage. Yes, it’s hard to see races torn apart because of doping, and faith in the sport wavers. Something continues to bring you back however and doping will not drive away the real fans among us. Cycling reveals the true champions in the midst of cobblestones, 40mph sprint finishes, rolling hills, and mountains.
THE WAR IN CYCLING: PART ONE
For one of my classes, I was required to read a book and do a research paper on a topic from that book. Because there was basically no restrictions, I was able to choose a topic that I enjoyed and read Lance Armstrong's War by Daniel Coyle. I loved the book and really liked writing the paper because I learned so much more about cycling. Not all of my research was strict though, Bike Forums isn't the best resource, but I really tried to represent and defend the sport. I had to change the paper a little bit to fit with the guidelines and let the average reader understand it but I really like how it turned out. This is what I wrote.
The War in Cycling
Cheating has been entwined with the Tour de France for decades. During the second year of the race, the top four riders were disqualified for a variety of offenses such as riding the train, sabotage of other riders, and being towed by a car (Barnett par. 4). Cheating has become more refined over the years and is no longer visible to the human eye. Various forms of doping are now the chosen form of cheating, and only concrete evidence, extreme doping controls, and extensive laboratory tests seem to be catching the fakes. Yet it’s not enough, as more riders continue to get away with cheating.
In Lance Armstrong’s War: One Man’s Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de France, Daniel Coyle takes a look at not only Lance Armstrong, but also his rivals during the 2004 Tour de France and the sport of cycling itself. Although the book requires some knowledge of cycling and the riders, it is extremely entertaining and interesting. Coyle offers a look into the world of a cyclist, the training involved in becoming a world class rider, how the teams evolve, and how each one differs from the other. The book concentrates on a simpler time in the sport in which doping and cycling were not synonymous. Coyle briefly mentions doping in his book but this form of cheating was not a well known public issue at the time. In the four years since Lance Armstrong’s War was written, doping has affected the careers of Armstrong, his chief rivals, and many other riders as well.
The controversy of doping has turned the world of cycling upside down. To fully understand the issues one must first know a little background about the doping itself. One of the first most widely used forms is blood doping. This is the practice of transfusing oxygen-carrying red blood cells in order to enhance aerobic capacity and endurance. An outside source or the cyclist’s own red blood cells can be used, although both are dangerous because of the risks involved such as infection and blood diseases. Urine and blood tests have been created to detect evidence of this form of doping (Fiedler par. 1-2). Erythropoietin, or EPO, is possibly the most popular drug used by cyclists who cheat. Injection of EPO increases the growth of red blood cells and has a similar effect on the body as blood doping. Blood and urine tests have been used since 2000 to detect EPO. New “generations” of this drug have been created so tests continue to evolve (Asplund par. 2-4).
One of the first opponents of Lance Armstrong that Coyle mentions in his book is Tyler Hamilton. An American with a history of bad luck of crashing in races, Hamilton also had a reputation for being polite and respectful. In fact, the chapter in Lance Armstrong’s War about Hamilton is titled “The Nicest Guy” (Coyle 36-37). He was a former teammate of Armstrong’s on the U.S. Postal team, but left to become the leader of a rival team. He created a family sort of environment on this team which focused on forming strong bonds between the riders (Coyle 40-41). This, along with his gracious personality, made it hard to believe the two positive blood doping tests at the Olympics (where he won gold) and the Vuelta a España in September 2004 (Coyle 307-310). After an initial outpouring of support from his American fans, Hamilton was convicted and received a two year ban. He continues to deny the charges, even blaming an undeveloped twin for the foreign blood found by the test. His denials have made him a joke among many cycling fans which, along with race exclusions, have made his subsequent comeback difficult (Jones, “Tyler” par. 1-8).
Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso, considered by Coyle as Armstrong’s biggest opponents during 2004 (6), were caught up in the scandal of Operación Puerto. On May 23, 2006, members of the Astana- Würth team were arrested for having connections to Dr. Fuentes. A sports doctor, Dr. Fuentes had been arrested for helping athletes enhance their performances illegally by using such methods as EPO or blood doping (Jones, “Saiz” par. 1-3). The case included many types of athletes but only road cycling was focused upon. Names of riders who had connections with Fuentes began leaking to the press, but it wasn’t until June 29, only two days before the Tour de France, that the full list of 58 cyclists was revealed (Jones, “More” par. 1-3). Mass suspensions and arrests rocked the cycling world in the biggest doping scandal to hit the sport. As a result of those charges and Armstrong’s 2005 retirement, none of the riders who placed in the top 5 of the 2005 Tour de France, raced in the 2006 version. Jan Ullrich was suspended and fired from his team because of the doping accusations. DNA evidence later confirmed these speculations and Ullrich retired from racing in February 2007 (Kröner par. 1). Ivan Basso, a young rider with an impressive reputation as the only cyclist to successfully keep up with Lance Armstrong in the mountains, was also indicted in Operación Puerto. In May 2007, he admitted to contacting Dr. Fuentes with the intent to dope, but maintains that it was only attempted doping (Brown, “Basso: ‘It” par. 1-3). Basso received a two year ban and began his comeback to professional racing in late 2008 (Brown, “Basso Ends” par. 1). Despite their doping charges, Ullrich and Basso continue to be adored and respected by their countries and cycling fans.
Operación Puerto suspended many riders suspected of doping from the 2006 Tour de France, but doping still shook the race. Floyd Landis, an American and ex- teammate of Lance Armstrong, was a former Mennonite and mountain bike racer. Daniel Coyle describes Landis as someone loyal to his team but still desiring to strike out on his own (157-166). Coming in as a dark horse favorite in 2006, he would get his chance to be a leader. Suffering from a hip injury, Landis lost over eight minutes on a mountain stage during the 2006 Tour. In what has been called one of the most epic rides in cycling, he made up most of that time the next day on a 128km solo ride (Decaluwé, Tan, and Kröner par. 1-7). Landis won the Tour de France, but it was later announced that he had tested positive for testosterone after his impressive stage. The news shocked the cycling world, not only because many of the cheats were thought to have been previously removed, but also because of Landis’s personality and the type of performance enhancing drug used. Testosterone is used to gain muscle in sports that require bulking up. In cycling, riders try to remain as light as possible in order to achieve a better power to weight ratio, which makes climbing mountains easier. Landis denied doping and has continually maintained his innocence. His book, Positively False, explains his side of the doping scandal. On September 22, 2007, Landis was officially stripped of his Tour title and given a two year suspension (Bass par. 1-8). He has now returned to cycling but is not completely respected by fans because of his refusal to confess.
The War in Cycling
Cheating has been entwined with the Tour de France for decades. During the second year of the race, the top four riders were disqualified for a variety of offenses such as riding the train, sabotage of other riders, and being towed by a car (Barnett par. 4). Cheating has become more refined over the years and is no longer visible to the human eye. Various forms of doping are now the chosen form of cheating, and only concrete evidence, extreme doping controls, and extensive laboratory tests seem to be catching the fakes. Yet it’s not enough, as more riders continue to get away with cheating.
In Lance Armstrong’s War: One Man’s Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de France, Daniel Coyle takes a look at not only Lance Armstrong, but also his rivals during the 2004 Tour de France and the sport of cycling itself. Although the book requires some knowledge of cycling and the riders, it is extremely entertaining and interesting. Coyle offers a look into the world of a cyclist, the training involved in becoming a world class rider, how the teams evolve, and how each one differs from the other. The book concentrates on a simpler time in the sport in which doping and cycling were not synonymous. Coyle briefly mentions doping in his book but this form of cheating was not a well known public issue at the time. In the four years since Lance Armstrong’s War was written, doping has affected the careers of Armstrong, his chief rivals, and many other riders as well.
The controversy of doping has turned the world of cycling upside down. To fully understand the issues one must first know a little background about the doping itself. One of the first most widely used forms is blood doping. This is the practice of transfusing oxygen-carrying red blood cells in order to enhance aerobic capacity and endurance. An outside source or the cyclist’s own red blood cells can be used, although both are dangerous because of the risks involved such as infection and blood diseases. Urine and blood tests have been created to detect evidence of this form of doping (Fiedler par. 1-2). Erythropoietin, or EPO, is possibly the most popular drug used by cyclists who cheat. Injection of EPO increases the growth of red blood cells and has a similar effect on the body as blood doping. Blood and urine tests have been used since 2000 to detect EPO. New “generations” of this drug have been created so tests continue to evolve (Asplund par. 2-4).
One of the first opponents of Lance Armstrong that Coyle mentions in his book is Tyler Hamilton. An American with a history of bad luck of crashing in races, Hamilton also had a reputation for being polite and respectful. In fact, the chapter in Lance Armstrong’s War about Hamilton is titled “The Nicest Guy” (Coyle 36-37). He was a former teammate of Armstrong’s on the U.S. Postal team, but left to become the leader of a rival team. He created a family sort of environment on this team which focused on forming strong bonds between the riders (Coyle 40-41). This, along with his gracious personality, made it hard to believe the two positive blood doping tests at the Olympics (where he won gold) and the Vuelta a España in September 2004 (Coyle 307-310). After an initial outpouring of support from his American fans, Hamilton was convicted and received a two year ban. He continues to deny the charges, even blaming an undeveloped twin for the foreign blood found by the test. His denials have made him a joke among many cycling fans which, along with race exclusions, have made his subsequent comeback difficult (Jones, “Tyler” par. 1-8).
Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso, considered by Coyle as Armstrong’s biggest opponents during 2004 (6), were caught up in the scandal of Operación Puerto. On May 23, 2006, members of the Astana- Würth team were arrested for having connections to Dr. Fuentes. A sports doctor, Dr. Fuentes had been arrested for helping athletes enhance their performances illegally by using such methods as EPO or blood doping (Jones, “Saiz” par. 1-3). The case included many types of athletes but only road cycling was focused upon. Names of riders who had connections with Fuentes began leaking to the press, but it wasn’t until June 29, only two days before the Tour de France, that the full list of 58 cyclists was revealed (Jones, “More” par. 1-3). Mass suspensions and arrests rocked the cycling world in the biggest doping scandal to hit the sport. As a result of those charges and Armstrong’s 2005 retirement, none of the riders who placed in the top 5 of the 2005 Tour de France, raced in the 2006 version. Jan Ullrich was suspended and fired from his team because of the doping accusations. DNA evidence later confirmed these speculations and Ullrich retired from racing in February 2007 (Kröner par. 1). Ivan Basso, a young rider with an impressive reputation as the only cyclist to successfully keep up with Lance Armstrong in the mountains, was also indicted in Operación Puerto. In May 2007, he admitted to contacting Dr. Fuentes with the intent to dope, but maintains that it was only attempted doping (Brown, “Basso: ‘It” par. 1-3). Basso received a two year ban and began his comeback to professional racing in late 2008 (Brown, “Basso Ends” par. 1). Despite their doping charges, Ullrich and Basso continue to be adored and respected by their countries and cycling fans.
Operación Puerto suspended many riders suspected of doping from the 2006 Tour de France, but doping still shook the race. Floyd Landis, an American and ex- teammate of Lance Armstrong, was a former Mennonite and mountain bike racer. Daniel Coyle describes Landis as someone loyal to his team but still desiring to strike out on his own (157-166). Coming in as a dark horse favorite in 2006, he would get his chance to be a leader. Suffering from a hip injury, Landis lost over eight minutes on a mountain stage during the 2006 Tour. In what has been called one of the most epic rides in cycling, he made up most of that time the next day on a 128km solo ride (Decaluwé, Tan, and Kröner par. 1-7). Landis won the Tour de France, but it was later announced that he had tested positive for testosterone after his impressive stage. The news shocked the cycling world, not only because many of the cheats were thought to have been previously removed, but also because of Landis’s personality and the type of performance enhancing drug used. Testosterone is used to gain muscle in sports that require bulking up. In cycling, riders try to remain as light as possible in order to achieve a better power to weight ratio, which makes climbing mountains easier. Landis denied doping and has continually maintained his innocence. His book, Positively False, explains his side of the doping scandal. On September 22, 2007, Landis was officially stripped of his Tour title and given a two year suspension (Bass par. 1-8). He has now returned to cycling but is not completely respected by fans because of his refusal to confess.
Friday, February 13, 2009
TOC PREDICTIONS
Earlier this week, somebody was talking about February 14th and they asked me if I was doing anything special. I couldn't figure out what they were talking about. February 14th? That's the day the Tour of California starts. This person doesn't know anything about pro cycling so I was even more confused. Then they helped me along by reminding me about Valentine's Day. Um, who cares? The prologue is going to be raced for the ToC and that's much better.
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More predictions might come later, it depends. I can't wait to watch, or I guess read, the race.
Fabian Cancellara is going to win the prologue. He's just super amazing. He's also one of my favorite riders, so I'm a bit biased, but since he's like the greatest time trialist, I think he has a good chance. I also wouldn't be surprised if Lance won. He's awesome like that.
Although I don't like him, I think Levi Leipheimer is going to win the whole race. He's a boring rider and he's not cute so I'd rather have someone else win but.....it's his race. Leipheimer is from California so he especially wants to win this race and with his team, he'd almost have to throw it away.
George Hincapie is going to win the hardest stage. He excels at those type of stages.
More predictions might come later, it depends. I can't wait to watch, or I guess read, the race.Sunday, January 25, 2009
MY QUESTION
On Thursday I ran in shorts. In January. It was a balmy 38 degrees out and as an Iowan, I know that you shouldn't pass up chances like this. I mean, it was over over 60 degrees warmer than last Thursday. Plus there's almost nothing better than shorts in January. To take advantage of this opportunity, I ran 7.3 miles, over a mile more than I was going to do. I wasn't going very fast but I enjoyed it a lot although my shoes were soaked throughout the run. But the sun was out and birds were singing on this unusually warm day which I very much liked.
Yesterday it was 6 degrees during my 3.24 mile run. I was bundled up in my cold weather gear but I was still cold. I certainly had the right to be; a 32 degree drop in two days. My throat was sore and I have developed a cough so the cold air just made me more miserable. I was glad I had done my long mileage earlier in the week so I did not have to run far. I did the same route today but it was warmer at 14 degrees. It was still chilly though. Although they were tough, I put my miles in for a grand total of 30.3 miles this week. Half those runs were long runs so I think I did a pretty good job. As long as the weather gets better, I might be able to keep this up.
As I went through my chilly run, I asked myself why I was doing this. Why was I running when most sane people would be inside? What was the point of pushing myself till I wanted to walk or till I couldn't feel my cheeks because of the wind? Why was I making myself run when I didn't feel good? Why did I run?
It wasn't a fabulous runner's high day so there was no easy answer to my question. Before I left for my run however, I looked at a picture hanging on my bulletin board. It's a photo from a newspaper from the 2004 Tour de France Team Time Trial that U.S. Postal Service won. It's not this famous photo, more like this one with the team in the rain, although not that exact picture. It has the title "Armstrong Territory" at the top and it helped answer my question today.
Lance rode for his team as evident in the winning team time trial. I run for my team, to help in the relays and to make others better. He rides to do his best, I was running so I could do my best in races. Lance was riding in pouring rain but that didn't stop him or his team. Cold weather was not going to stop me. He rode for his his coach, his family, and others who supported him. I was running to make those who support me proud. He was riding for himself, to make himself stronger and faster. My training run was only making me stronger and faster, to do better in other runs. Most of all, Lance was riding and has comeback to riding because he loves it. And that is were I found the true answer to my question.
Why was I out there running? Because I love it. I love running. This answer has kept me going on multiple runs, it has made me do more than I though I could. It's the reason I ran on the famous blue track at Drake were multiple Olympians have ran before me. It is also the reason I made varsity in xc. I hope this answer can make me keep running. Sure, it's cold and my throat hurt, but maybe I can overlook that.
Days like this when I run, sometimes I have to look for the answer. It might take me longer some days more than others. Sometimes I don't even have to ask. Other day's I will look and look and look. But I always find the answer.
Yesterday it was 6 degrees during my 3.24 mile run. I was bundled up in my cold weather gear but I was still cold. I certainly had the right to be; a 32 degree drop in two days. My throat was sore and I have developed a cough so the cold air just made me more miserable. I was glad I had done my long mileage earlier in the week so I did not have to run far. I did the same route today but it was warmer at 14 degrees. It was still chilly though. Although they were tough, I put my miles in for a grand total of 30.3 miles this week. Half those runs were long runs so I think I did a pretty good job. As long as the weather gets better, I might be able to keep this up.
As I went through my chilly run, I asked myself why I was doing this. Why was I running when most sane people would be inside? What was the point of pushing myself till I wanted to walk or till I couldn't feel my cheeks because of the wind? Why was I making myself run when I didn't feel good? Why did I run?
It wasn't a fabulous runner's high day so there was no easy answer to my question. Before I left for my run however, I looked at a picture hanging on my bulletin board. It's a photo from a newspaper from the 2004 Tour de France Team Time Trial that U.S. Postal Service won. It's not this famous photo, more like this one with the team in the rain, although not that exact picture. It has the title "Armstrong Territory" at the top and it helped answer my question today.
Lance rode for his team as evident in the winning team time trial. I run for my team, to help in the relays and to make others better. He rides to do his best, I was running so I could do my best in races. Lance was riding in pouring rain but that didn't stop him or his team. Cold weather was not going to stop me. He rode for his his coach, his family, and others who supported him. I was running to make those who support me proud. He was riding for himself, to make himself stronger and faster. My training run was only making me stronger and faster, to do better in other runs. Most of all, Lance was riding and has comeback to riding because he loves it. And that is were I found the true answer to my question.
Why was I out there running? Because I love it. I love running. This answer has kept me going on multiple runs, it has made me do more than I though I could. It's the reason I ran on the famous blue track at Drake were multiple Olympians have ran before me. It is also the reason I made varsity in xc. I hope this answer can make me keep running. Sure, it's cold and my throat hurt, but maybe I can overlook that.
Days like this when I run, sometimes I have to look for the answer. It might take me longer some days more than others. Sometimes I don't even have to ask. Other day's I will look and look and look. But I always find the answer.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
2008: MY YEAR IN CYCLING (PART I)
On August 10, 2007, the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team announced they were disbanding because of the lack of a large sponsor. To me, the Discovery team was cycling. I followed them devotedly during the Tour de France in July and had watched them win over and over again. I loved all the riders on the squad and pretended I was racing them when I rode my bike. The Disco boys had helped me find a new passion in professional cycling and now they announced they were leaving.
The Discovery Channel team, previously called the U.S. Postal Service team from 1996-2004, had changed cycling by winning 8 Tours in 9 years. During this unprecedented level of success, they also won or placed in other races. They had signed Lance Armstrong, the most successful Tour cyclist ever and were the team of countless other stars. The DC team was given more media exposure than other teams and had reenergized American cycling. Every cycling fan had an opinion about them, and if they didn't like them, they definately admired the team. Discovery had done more for cycling in recent years than any other team yet they couldn't find a sponsor in the U.S.
I didn't read the full story until I went on Paceline, the home site of the team, and looked at the articles and forums to see everyones surprise. All around the cycling community, it was a feeling of shock. The most successful cycling team ever was breaking up because they didn't have a sponsor amid other reasons. If they couldn't get one, who could? Other teams have since gained or lost sponsors but it seems there's always a sponsor for European teams. This isn't always true, Credit Agricole had to disband in 2008 but they also had doping problems. Because Discovery was an American team, they had a harder time finding someone simply because few American companies want to sponsor a cycling team. The sport doesn't get much coverage in the U.S. and the sport is more popular in Europe. But this is a team that won the Tour 8 times since it began as the U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team and changed to the Discovery team. Alberto Contador, who looked to be one of the next biggest cycling stars, won the Tour in 2007 yet less than 3 weeks later he was searching for a team. The lack of money was penalizing my favorite team in one of my favorite sports.
When Discovery announced they were disbanding, I searched the internet for articles and videos about them. In a way, I wanted to find them before I lost them. During the countless hours I spent on Youtube, Paceline, and other various websites, I found that I didn't really know my team. Sure I watched the Tour de France devotedly every July to cheer them on, but I couldn't tell you the results of their other races, much less most of the names of the actual races. I knew some of the basic, more famous races but I didn't know how Discovery had fared while riding in them. It was almost like I had betrayed my team; they had inspired me so many times but I hadn't given back. I should've loyally followed their every move but I was only there in July.
I decided that the end of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team would mean the beginning of cycling for me. I owed the team something and I was going to give back in my own way. I wouldn't make the mistake of putting my favorite team off to the side again. In 2008, I would follow cycling. Not just the Tour de France or the Grand Tours, but every race. I would be there (mostly on the Internet) because I hadn't always been there when my team was. Now I would be there to watch the now dispersed members fully become the stars they would be.
The last race the DC team fully participated in was the Tour of Missouri, a race in its first year that became a farewell to Discovery. I wanted to be there so much, to stand among the crowds and say goodbye to the great team that had inspired me so many times, the team that had made me discover cycling. Fans lined the streets to say goodbye to the most successful cycling team ever. That race was chosen to be the last to give American fans the final farewell from a multinational team that had been fully embraced as our own. In a fitting end to the most amazing team, George Hincapie won the weeklong Tour of Missouri. All the stars from Discovery came but in the end it was the always there and ever loyal Big George who captured the final crown in the tribute to the team.
My team was now gone and just a legend, but cycling was moving on. The riders had found new teams and wore different jerseys as they rode alongside teammates that used to be the opposition. They were starting a new journey in the cycling world, but this time I would be there by their side every step of the way.
The Discovery Channel team, previously called the U.S. Postal Service team from 1996-2004, had changed cycling by winning 8 Tours in 9 years. During this unprecedented level of success, they also won or placed in other races. They had signed Lance Armstrong, the most successful Tour cyclist ever and were the team of countless other stars. The DC team was given more media exposure than other teams and had reenergized American cycling. Every cycling fan had an opinion about them, and if they didn't like them, they definately admired the team. Discovery had done more for cycling in recent years than any other team yet they couldn't find a sponsor in the U.S.
I didn't read the full story until I went on Paceline, the home site of the team, and looked at the articles and forums to see everyones surprise. All around the cycling community, it was a feeling of shock. The most successful cycling team ever was breaking up because they didn't have a sponsor amid other reasons. If they couldn't get one, who could? Other teams have since gained or lost sponsors but it seems there's always a sponsor for European teams. This isn't always true, Credit Agricole had to disband in 2008 but they also had doping problems. Because Discovery was an American team, they had a harder time finding someone simply because few American companies want to sponsor a cycling team. The sport doesn't get much coverage in the U.S. and the sport is more popular in Europe. But this is a team that won the Tour 8 times since it began as the U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team and changed to the Discovery team. Alberto Contador, who looked to be one of the next biggest cycling stars, won the Tour in 2007 yet less than 3 weeks later he was searching for a team. The lack of money was penalizing my favorite team in one of my favorite sports.
When Discovery announced they were disbanding, I searched the internet for articles and videos about them. In a way, I wanted to find them before I lost them. During the countless hours I spent on Youtube, Paceline, and other various websites, I found that I didn't really know my team. Sure I watched the Tour de France devotedly every July to cheer them on, but I couldn't tell you the results of their other races, much less most of the names of the actual races. I knew some of the basic, more famous races but I didn't know how Discovery had fared while riding in them. It was almost like I had betrayed my team; they had inspired me so many times but I hadn't given back. I should've loyally followed their every move but I was only there in July.
I decided that the end of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team would mean the beginning of cycling for me. I owed the team something and I was going to give back in my own way. I wouldn't make the mistake of putting my favorite team off to the side again. In 2008, I would follow cycling. Not just the Tour de France or the Grand Tours, but every race. I would be there (mostly on the Internet) because I hadn't always been there when my team was. Now I would be there to watch the now dispersed members fully become the stars they would be.
The last race the DC team fully participated in was the Tour of Missouri, a race in its first year that became a farewell to Discovery. I wanted to be there so much, to stand among the crowds and say goodbye to the great team that had inspired me so many times, the team that had made me discover cycling. Fans lined the streets to say goodbye to the most successful cycling team ever. That race was chosen to be the last to give American fans the final farewell from a multinational team that had been fully embraced as our own. In a fitting end to the most amazing team, George Hincapie won the weeklong Tour of Missouri. All the stars from Discovery came but in the end it was the always there and ever loyal Big George who captured the final crown in the tribute to the team.
My team was now gone and just a legend, but cycling was moving on. The riders had found new teams and wore different jerseys as they rode alongside teammates that used to be the opposition. They were starting a new journey in the cycling world, but this time I would be there by their side every step of the way.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
MIRACLES CAN HAPPEN
Tomorrow I will believe in miracles. Not that I don't today. I have a chance tomorrow to make my own miracle. That might be exaggerating a little but that's almost what my team needs to go to state. Tomorrow is my district cross country race and to qualify for state we must get in the top 3. The first 2 places are basically decided, so everyone is trying for third. What we need to get third, is for about 3 other teams to not have a good day and for my team to run an almost perfect race.
The weird thing is, my coach didn't say anything negative today. He told us what we would need to do to qualify for state, not times but places. In his words, he, in his way, gave us hope that we could and would make it to state. He usually doesn't do this, so I think he is going to believe in miracles tomorrow.
I am going to run with hope, hope for a miracle. I want so much to go to state, I have worked so hard. Miracles do happen though. Lance Armstrong won 7 consecutive Tour de Frances. Emil Zatopek was able to come back in the 5000m race at the 1952 Olympics. Michael Phelps won eight gold medals in Beijing. Because these things do happen. I am going to make it happen when I run. I am going to give everything (while pacing myself, if I manage to do that). This is going to be my race, my team's race, our race because we have worked hard for it, and deserve it. We want to go to state and make my coach believe in miracles. So when its below 50 degrees, possibly raining, and very windy, I will be running as fast as I can. I will do everything I can, I will pass those girls. I will do this. Because miracles can happen.
The weird thing is, my coach didn't say anything negative today. He told us what we would need to do to qualify for state, not times but places. In his words, he, in his way, gave us hope that we could and would make it to state. He usually doesn't do this, so I think he is going to believe in miracles tomorrow.
I am going to run with hope, hope for a miracle. I want so much to go to state, I have worked so hard. Miracles do happen though. Lance Armstrong won 7 consecutive Tour de Frances. Emil Zatopek was able to come back in the 5000m race at the 1952 Olympics. Michael Phelps won eight gold medals in Beijing. Because these things do happen. I am going to make it happen when I run. I am going to give everything (while pacing myself, if I manage to do that). This is going to be my race, my team's race, our race because we have worked hard for it, and deserve it. We want to go to state and make my coach believe in miracles. So when its below 50 degrees, possibly raining, and very windy, I will be running as fast as I can. I will do everything I can, I will pass those girls. I will do this. Because miracles can happen.
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