You know it is super cool for US cycling that a race of the caliber of the Pro Challenge comes to Colorado every August now. That being said, I’m not really that much into watching bike races live. Honestly, and a ton of you are going to hate this, I wish they would put in a hard circuit race, maybe even a really hard criterium. At least use the old Morgal-Bismark course where the riders come by 7 or 8 times. The most common comment I hear from non cycling fans is, “Is that it?” Michael Aisner was a visionary with the Red Zinger and Coor’s Classic. The sport has legs on it’s own now, but to keep it growing, the spectators need to be entertained.
Today is the time trial. If I don’t really like watching live bike racing, then you can figure how much I like watching a live time trial. I’m not going to do it. It is amazing with all the climbing in this event that 3 guys can be less than 30 seconds apart in the overall. It should make for a very interesting finish. I’m going to be riding up on the Peak to Peak Hwy. above Boulder when it’s going on.
It is amazing how much better I feel riding at 5500 feet than 9-10K feet. There is lots more air down low. I rode over to Golden and up Look Out Mtn. yesterday with my friend Vincent, who lives in Arvada. I’m getting okay miles in here, but am putting in no intensity. I’m going to St. Louis for the Gateway Cup next Friday-Monday. It is 4 criteriums, so I hope that gets me back up to speed.
Tonight I’m going to meet Trudi at a party at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver. It is called Living the Ride and is an event that features Jim Ochowicz and a reunion of the 7-11 team and current BMC team that is racing here. You can click here to get information. I think the tickets are pretty steep at something like 250 bucks, but it is a kind of unique event. It will be nice seeing Andy Hampsten, Davis, Dough and all the other old members of the 7-11 team. When they get together, it is always an interesting time.
Here is Vincent with the city below. He’s always had a pretty unique riding style, but it seems to work well for him.
I’ve been having this problem with my hand for almost a year, so Vincent’s wife, Lisa, who is a physician helped me out. Hopefully it is a permanent cure and not just a band-aid.
This was the scene in Golden a few hours after the start. It was pretty cool, a big screen showing the race with a pretty dramatic backdrop.
I went to dinner in Boulder and walked the Pearl Street Mall. This vending machine was in front of University Bicycles. I’ve known Doug Emerson, the owner, for a really long time. This is a very unique way to supple after hour repair supplies. I’ve never seen it anywhere. It is a great idea in a town like Boulder.
The vending machine has all size spare tubes, quickfils, tools, and blocks. I’d be really interested how much the sell here.
I’m sick of everyone trying to mislead us with sneaky small print. It seems to be common practice where it is advertised one way, and then there is small print telling the rear story. These bottles of water are in my hotel room. One says complimentary and the other has nearly the exact same label and it is $3.95. It reflects a sad state of our society when we have to fool each other for extra pennies.
How is your shoulder feeling? You haven’t mentioned it lately. With cross season coming I hope it is better.
I also think a circuit or a criterium would be a great idea. I would not want to deal with the hassle of spectating a large race like that to only see the riders come by once.
Better make sure that cortisone is out of your system before you race next weekend. If that is what the shot was.
I agree; the race needs Morgul Bismarck or a couple of stages along the front range.
Unfortunately the UCI prohibits criteriums (as we know them in the US) from being included in UCI sanctioned stage races. This is one reason why the criterium is a separate pre-event race at the Tour Down Under.
The Vuelta had a circuit race stage a few days ago, which makes for better on-site spectating. So do small finishing circuits.
Tell Vincent, I like his bike. I have one like it here now.
Steve,
There are similar tube/repair parts vending machines in Belgium. In fact one of the small shops in Mol (where we raced the Masters CX WK) has one.
you have to ask Och some tough questions, too
Looks like the beginnings of Dupitren’s Contracture Syndrome. It’s a bitch of a thing with no real cure as of now.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002213/
The biggest appeal of track cycling is that the spectators can see the whole race, how it plays out, who’s good, who’s dumb, etc. I’d much rather watch track races than road races.
I’ve been to a couple of road race finishes. I was bored out of my mind. Watching the race on TV is great because the cameras follow the acction along the road. In person it was boring though – I waited an hour, they finally roared across the finishing line and that was it. I saw maybe 1/4 mile of the “race.”