Micheal told me that he is reading a book Slaying the Badger, a story about Hinault and Lemond in the ’86 Tour. Here is a review from RKP. Michael said the book starts out kind of gross with Lemond having diarrhea and using a box full of Benard Hinault postcards for something involved.

That made me think of the very first day I raced in Europe. I was on the US National Team and we were doing a PRO-Am race called the Tour de-Vaclouse. It was in the Provence area of France with a stage climbing Mount Ventoux. Anyway, Bernard Thevenet, who was on the tailend of his career, but had won the Tour de France a few years earlier, was the team leader of Peugeot. And it was all the Pros against the Russians it seemed.

I was so nervous for the start of the first stage. It was in the city center of Avignon. We rode to the start and I was so sure we weren’t going to be able to find it. Greg Demgen had raced in Europe a couple times and was the leader. We got to the start and I couldn’t believe how many people were there. I needed to go to the bathroom seriously. So, I rode over to a small bar and went in to find the W.C. I walked in and it was something I’ve never seen before. A small room made out of porcelain with a hole in the floor. It was a squatter. It was super dangerous. I was having issues. Trying to keep my balance and not soil my cycling shorts, but not completely slide out and end up in a pile in the corner. I was trying to use the wall as a balancing point, but my cleats on the porcelain keep slipping.

Anyway, I was so perplexed about the whole scene, that I hadn’t even noticed there wasn’t any toilet paper there. It was a nail hammered into the wall with newspaper torn into 1/4 pages stuck on the nail. I’m pretty sure that was the first time I’d used newspaper to wipe. But, I wasn’t complaining. So, I take the first sheet of newspaper off the nail and on the backside is a headshot of Bernard Hinault. I couldn’t believe it. I was going to be wiping my butt with Bernard Hinault’s face. In France. Thinking back upon it now, I would probably have folded the paper up and put it in my pocket and used the next piece, but that didn’t occur to me at the time.

When I finished I pulled the chain hanging down and a huge flood of water came from everywhere and completely soaked my leather cycling shoes. When I went back outside, the race had left. I was completely paniced. But, everyone watching pointed me in the right direction and everytime I came to an intersection, they would tell me where to go. I caught up with the back of the caravan just a little ways out of town, just when everyone in the race, the riders, the drivers, the mechanics, everyone was having a nature break before the real start of the race.

My European cycling experience started off a little haywire that day, but it left a lifetime memory.

You can see how it would be a little tricky in cycling shoes.

Just rip into 1/4 sheets, and voilà, toilet paper.

It is official, Philippe Gilbert has signed with BMC for the next three seasons. I kept reading everywhere that Gilbert would be stupid to do just that, but I disagree. It is going to be nearly impossible for him to repeat the season he had this year. That just won’t happen. I think that having Thor, Greg Van Avermaet, and even Cadel helping him in the classics will definitely give him a great chance of winning more often. I’ve never been bummed having the best guys in the peleton on my team, so I can’t understand why he would. Three seasons goes to show that BMC is in it for the long run, which is very good for the sport.

Riding yesterday, I was thinking that it will be kind of boring when all these positives for doping disappear from the sport, thus the media. I hate to say it, but when there isn’t a good race going on, I kind of look forward to the “gossip” of who’s been caught. I know that sounds bad, but it is just how it is. That being said, I would gladly put up with the everyday, boring, cycling press if we’d all get our shit together and put all this drug stuff in the past.

There was a huge storm here last night. I don’t know how much it rained, but it was coming down in buckets. The streets were full, gutter to gutter. Tons of branches down. We haven’t had electricity since last night. It is strange how much one depends on that. I had to go and use my car to charge my cell phone this morning. It is weird not being able to just get on the internet, or use the refrigerator, stove, etc. I have no idea when they are going to get around to fixing it. I wonder how long stuff stays frozen in the freezer? Guess I might find out.

There are two races this weekend in Missouri. A criterium in Sedalia on Saturday night at 9pm and then the Otterville Road Race at 9 am the next morning. It kind of a short turnaround, but both the races are fun and on good courses. I’m 90% in. The other 10% is leaning towards heading to Colorado. Maybe I’m closer to 70/30. I might check to see if there is anything going on out there for races on Sunday.

Team mates for the classics, Gilbert & Thor.