Today was a pretty strange day in the sport of cycling. What was up with the Giro? I can’t think of a time in a Grand Tour when 1/3 of the field rides up the road and the race leaders and their teams just let it happen.
And Cyclingnews.com had this story about media speculations of motorized doping? Is this an April Fools day I’m not aware of?
Then there is another report that Cyclingnews.com received a letter from Floyd Landis describing some sort of drug use before he won the Tour de France. A pretty broad topic, but something that is going to shake up the sport of cycling. Again.
I’ve been involved in this sport a long time and all three of this things are pretty strange in the sport. The Giro happened. Done and over. I’ll never figure it out. I’m sure alot will be written about it. And fingers pointed. But, in the modern era of cycling, with today’s high powered teams, there are no excuses that would be acceptable. But, on the upside, it might make the rest of the race pretty exciting for us spectators.
The last two? Motorized bicycles in UCI professional races. Very doubtful. Unless someone has come up with some sort of ultra powerful battery that weighs much less than batteries that I’m familiar with. Though, Cadel did make an inexplicable bike change on the “muddy” day in the Giro.
And the Floyd letter. It is going to be earth-shattering. I’m guessing that lots of important names are going to be “exposed”. Ugly. But, it should be interesting in the days/weeks to come. I guess truths, nowadays, can only be kept quiet for so long.
Cancellara's bike in Flanders and Roubaix?
I hate it when I'm at a race and they announce that Floyd was the winner of the Tour de France. I feel sort of embarrassed for him for some reason.
Wow… Crazy days in & out of the saddle. I’m curious about Floyds thing too. Guess he has nothing left to lose at this point so why not?
So its OK for Dewy to dope but not Floyd?
Hey Steve,
How are you? I remember those days we had in chemistry class at Topeka High School circa 1977.
Amazing what they are doing with chemistry these days.
I wasn’t much of a student of chemistry as you know, I remember you having a much better handle on it.
As an artist, not a bike racer, I started blogging a bit a few years ago, as you know, about the bike scene and the obvious over the top drug culture. Nothing new. But interesting that I did get Velonews to start talking about the drugs in the USA, year 2004 with a letter about the Balco case to Monique Ryan. They have been covering drugging reluctantly at first and now somewhat with gusto ever since.
Not bad for an artist.
Got to give old Floyd a hand, he is finally coming to grips with something. Have quite a bit more respect for him now. Good on ya Floyd.
It going to be a long dirty fight to expose the king of course, will anybody be listening, will anybody care?
Hope you and Bill and doing well. Give him my regards. Enjoyed being training fodder more than ten? years ago.
We have been living out in Belfast, ME for a year. Next year Deborah is going to work at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora. It is a five top academic high school in the nation. For Deborah the culmination of 13 years of hard work. So will will be moving to Chicagoland in about a month.
Our son Graham is doing well. He is four years old now. Quite tall and thin. Opposite build from myself. Long red hair.
Good to see what you and Trudi have been up to the past couple of years.
Just started checking out the sight this spring.
Anyway a year since we talked. I finished the Courier du Bois out in Steamboat 90K ski at altitude. Nine hours and 27 min. I was happy to have made it as a stay at home dad. No drugs. Longest ski session that winter 3hrs. 20 min previously.
Looking forward to meeting in the midwest again.
Can anyone say Birkebeiner? Always wanted to do that one.
Kermit
Those Motorized bikes are all they are talking about here. They say there’s no way he could have ridden Boonen off his wheel like that. Do you remember the bike change in Flanders? Those little motors in the down tube give you about 100 watts, for not a long time, but enough. My friend talked on the National broadcast about it… it’s funny stuff.