After waiting for six months, the Stage 12 TT has come and gone. I guess, as is the case with most things you wait six months for, it wasn't all I hoped. Menchov and Levi both rode well, Lance rode well, there were surprises both good (Garzelli) and bad (Rogers), but all in all it held form and the guys that were supposed to rise to the top did. I would have really liked to see what Fabian could have done on this course, but since he abandoned yesterday, it was not to be. I think there must be a story there, I hope it comes out. Why would the worlds best time trialist abandon the Giro on the day before the epic TT stage?
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Meanwhile, back in the real world... It's fun to talk about the mental challenges involved in a three week bike race, but seriously you want mental toughness? Go here. It will give you an entirely different perspective on life, health, and the fucked up system that is Health Care in America.
Limbaugh hasn't had a natural erection since the Nixon Administration; think he's compensating for something? Now, I wouldn't pick on him for any of this stuff, not his blubbiness, not his man-boobs, not his inability to have a natural erection -- none of that stuff -- to me, off limits until! until! -- Mr. Limbaugh, you turn that sort of gun on somebody else -- once you start doing that, you're fair game, fat boy. Absolutely, you jiggly pile of mess. You're just fair game, and you're going to get it, too. [Laughs] You'd better watch what you say, Limbaugh, because it can come back the other way.
“It has been our plan all along for me, that I would be taking it day by day in the Giro. I'm very happy with the part of it that I have raced and the atmosphere here at the Giro is always really special. I'm very fond of this race and I've always felt extremely welcome here. I'd like to come back in one of the next seasons and if it fits in my program I would love to make a result here. I wish the rest of the team the best of luck for the rest of this great race”, says Fabian Cancellara who now looks forward to next goal up ahead.
A perfect sprinters' stage, a perfect sprinter's lead-out, a perfect sprint - at least for one man and his team.
Damn. Just- Damn.
I've been looking forward to tommorows stage for months. Precisely to watch Fabian destroy it and leave others floundering in his wake. Now I'll have to try and find another reason to get excited about it. Maybe Lance will step up? After Levi's crash today, I'm not sure how well he'll do- and this really wasn't a course for him anyway.
The Giro has been great to watch. Lot's of people upset by yesterday's protest. Lance posted his thoughts here. I thought this take was pretty much how I feel about it. I've read more than a few people who want to call the riders pussies for not riding because it was too dangerous. Whatever, sometimes it take more balls to stand up for what you think is right instead of just doing what you're told.
I haven't seen anything to make me change my pick of Levi winning it. Thursday's TT will be the key. Some of the TT monsters (Cancellara, Zabriskie) haven't done anything yet, so maybe they'll show up fresh and put on a show.
Lucero rocked Slim's on Saturday night. Probably as good a show as can be seen there. Maybe next time they can book the Independent.
I did the Modesto RR yesterday. I had to drag my ass out of bed at 5am to drive to Modesto. Glad I did to, it was a fun race. I gave it what I had, and I felt really good, which caused me to spend too much time on the front and do too much work for the shape I'm in. So I faded in the end, but it was still a good time. I found out today that they missed me crossing the line, so I officially got a DNP, but really I was the "Unidentified Rider" in 34th. I've sent an email to see if I can get it changed, we'll see.
First race in the new kit, it's mighty fine looking if you ask me.
I never saw any of the Eurovision 2009 Song Contest. I'm sure if I did, I would have voted for Ukraine.
A Maryland woman involved with a group described as a religious cult pleaded guilty in the starvation death of her son, but insisted that the charges be dropped when he is resurrected.
There's so much funny stuff out there about the whole Miss California thing. I was going to link to some funny videos about it, but it's just not that important to me. Buy if you want to laugh, Olberman and Jon Stewart are the ones to look at.
The Giro is playing out according to script so far. Lance lost 3 minutes today, Levi and Horner still look good. I don't expect much to happen til the big TT next Thursday.
The Giro starts tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I've never been this excited about the Giro before, but this edition has a lot going for it. It's the Centennial addition, which makes it kind of special. There is no clear favorite, though my money is on Levi. It seems, from what people are saying anyway, that a lot of the favorites are racing to win instead of using it as a tune-up for France. I'm also pretty excited to see Lance return. I have no idea what to expect from him, but nothing would surprise me.
It's going to be shown live on the web, and delayed on tv. Thank You Universal Sports!
The Team Time Trial tomorrow should be telling. I think there will be teams (Liquigas) that find themselves in a bit of a hole.
Other big stages are Stage 12 and Stage 17. I think those two stages will decide the race.
Following up on the last post, the Project Rwanda site has lots of opportunities to do some good.
Nice Liz Hatchvideo. Always nice to see locals doing well.
Alexander Vinokourov is trying to get back in the game. I have mixed feelings on this. He was one of my favorite riders, and there isn't anyone else like him in the peloton. But he cheated, more than that, he cheated at a time when cycling really needed a clean race and, to me, he did more damage than any of the other idiots that got caught.
The Obama administration will retain a Bush-era rule for polar bears, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Friday, in a move that angered activists who noted the rule limits what can be done to protect the species from global warming.
It's just so much easier to blame people for doing bad, than it is to do good. Newly released CIA documents revealed that the Speaker of the House of Representatives was aware of the methods' deployment and not just their existence, as she had earlier claimed.
