I’m kind of more tweaked from falling twice last weekend than I initially though. I wonder why that is? Funny you think you would be hurt the most right when it happens, then it would only get better. That isn’t how it works.
Robin Carpenter winning the Tour of Alberta was super. I ride with Robin every time I am in San Diego and he is a super nice guy, really talented, and his aggressive racing style is paying off now. He has had some super results, but this stage race win brought that to a new level. Congratulations.
I can’t say I’m too happy that Francesco Mancebo won the final stage in Alberta. I thought his self-imposed banishment to the middle east was perfect, that is if he has to keep racing, but making his way to North America, to win races, is total bullshit. That guy needs to go claim his 20,000 bags of blood from Operation Puerto and retire into his dungeon and live off of it.
Some of the big classic guys are in Canada for the two World Tour races there. Trudi flew up there on Sunday and is hanging in Quebec City. She sent me a picture of GVA’s bike, painted up gold, since he won the Olympics in Rio last month. I guess he left his medal at home.
Man, Aldo Ilesic showed how fast he is last weekend in St. Louis. I’d been behind the dude when he was leading out Daniel Holloway, but his finish speed is pretty unreal. I saw a video he made of the Sunday race at the Gateway Cup. It was a seatpost camera. Early on, maybe 20 seconds in, I am maybe 10 riders back and you can sort of see me running into John Purvis and falling in the first corner. But, that isn’t the point. The point is that he came out of the last corner with Holloway on his wheel and just rides him off of it and passes the whole UHC train to win convincingly. Pretty impressive stuff. Here is the link to the video.
I’m liking Chris Froome more and more, which is sort of a hard thing to do. But after he said that the Tour of Spain should have enforced the time cut rule and got rid of more than half the field, including his whole Sky team, I have to give him some credit. He said that he would have just ridden the rest of the race alone. Now wouldn’t have that been something fun to watch.
Time cuts are tricky and aren’t written in stone, so they can be extended, but that group just gambled on the odds that they were so numerous, that the race didn’t have the balls to kick them out. And they were right. But now they are all back racing. Jempy Drucker, BMC, who won the very next day, was in that lollygagging group. Think it is right to pretty much take a day off and then win the next day? I don’t. That is one of the reasons for the time cut. Plus all the Sky guys are back, available for setting tempo for Chris Froome, with the extra energy they have from not racing that stage. They should have booted them all.
The crowd funding site for helping out Danny Chew, who was injured in a accident a couple days ago is doing pretty well. Nearly $40,000 has been raised. That isn’t going to be enough considering his injuries. Here is the link if you feel so inclined.
Okay, it is supposed to rain some the next couple days here in Kansas. I am sort of hoping it is during the ride. I’m thinking about taking a day off. I don’t do that every often, but am not really motivated for it right now.
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is starting tomorrow in Lawrence. Dan Hughes, Sunflower Outdoor and Bike, in Lawrence, always brings them back for a show at Liberty Hall in Lawrence. This year it is three days. I’m thinking I’m not going to be around for the weekend, so am hoping to go tomorrow. If you have a chance to attend one of the shows that travel the country, don’t miss it. They are wonderful.
Robin Carpenter winning the overall at the Tour of Alberta.
This guy needs to quit coming over here and stealing over rider’s life experiences.
The BMC bikes lined up for the World Tour races in Canada this week.
Olympic bike.
Greg with his gold bands on his kit.
Our cat, Naomi, died yesterday. She was our oldest pet. She was a very good kitty, super loyal. She and Bromont were buddies, so I buried her next to him. I’ll miss her.
Did u race Monday in St. Louis?
I was in Edmonton when Manchebo won and was terribly disappointed to see it happen.
Like you say, I wish he would just go away.
OTOH, the whole team (Holowesko-Citadel) rode really well to defend Carpenter so that was good to see.
Good guy and a great team.
The race set the tone for ALL future races by not booting all of those guys out.
Rules exist for a reason.
The race organizers and jury have no balls.
Great photos of the bikes(s). Any Dino rider can see the saddle / top of the handlebar differential deserves some ‘credit’ for the demise of bike handling in the peloton.
So sorry to hear of Naomi, she looked very sweet.
Sorry for the loss of your kitty. Cats give us a different kind of love and relationship than dogs. I’m glad to have both.
Guessing Froome was more calling out his teammates for leaving him exposed than by expressing a wish to continue on without them for the rest of the race
Real sorry about your cat! I know how that feels
You gonna call out Mancebo but not BMC.
Mancebo did and does what 99% of the pros do.
I’m not completely sold on that. Greg’s not a bad handler, Sagan’s differential is not that different, and I can think of plenty of examples from past riders who were capable bike handlers with extreme positions. Michele Bartoli comes to mind I think it may be a race culture thing to some degree. As Steve has called out, people don’t give each other respect anymore. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_atrK-jBKJKY/TUdnAmRvvKI/AAAAAAAAOwo/9zhow9sQB8s/s1600/Bartoli%2Baltair%2B3.jpg
Why would you support a doper’s team (Hincapie), but then hate on a doper (Mancebo)? Hypocrite much?
Can’t speak for Steve, but I can for myself. Your comment utilizes faulty logic. One guy is a proven cheat, and the other guy is just a kid who races for a team operated by a proven cheat. There is a difference there. And since there are next to no pro rider jobs available on the domestic scene I personally can not fault the young man for chasing his dream.
euro – I’m not sure whether you are saying I support BMC or Robin’s team, that is sponsored by Hincapie? Either way, it doesn’t matter, I don’t “support” either, so I don’t think I’m a hypocite at all. I like Robin Carpenter and think he is a talented rider. Because he rides for Hincapie doesn’t mean that is close to fair to compare him what Mancebo has been proven to do over his career. Mancebo had 20 bags of blood in Puerto. The most of any rider. And he is still racing bikes way too close to my home turf against my friends. It is total bullshit. At least he should have done his 2-4 year timeout. That wouldn’t make it right, but at least he would have an argument to justify still racing.
I am not sure if you are directing your comment at me or to Steve but he replied about as well as I can.
There is a huge difference.
Carpenter is a good kid, good rider, and (as far as I know) has NEVER done anything that would justify what you write.
I am not a fan of George but I am a fan of the fact that he is involved in domestic pro racing sponsorship. Actually, I think it is more of his brother’s project than it is George’s.
Mancebo, not so much. He was a cheat of the highest order, never served any sort of punishment for it, and is still racing because team owners are stupid enough to hire him.
He won that race (on Sunday) after not being able to get out of his own way on just days earlier (like 11 minutes down and in second to last place on stage 2).
Just don’t get the Olympic Gold accessories. I think Bettini did it first, Hamilton had the rings on his skin suit at the Vuelta that year, Sanchez kept it going. IOC controls the logo and won’t let it be used which I get, but just get a tattoo like the swimmers all do and call it a day. Roubaix and Flanders are bigger races and you don’t see those winners changing their jersey. I get the big deal of winning the race, but it is still not that important in the history of the sport to wear gold bands.
Pascal Richard was the first I remember.
How about relegating riders who finish after the time cut to one place back the next stage? i.e. 1st gets second, and so on for those that didn’t make the cut previously…. The winner would have to have made the time cut. Just an idea, it would be something, rather than just letting it slide with tacit approval, and it takes some reward out of it.
Or make the those who were outside the time cut start at that time interval. Now that would be entertaining.
Jim-I was referring to you. I personally would NEVER have raced for anyone with such a dirty and untrustworthy past as Big George. He was about the last guy to fall besides Lance. Supported him for many years without saying a word. Then he refused to admit his doping past until a Federal subpoena forced him to do so. He made all his money based on a “career” of cheating, doping and lying. If Carpenter is such a talent, he should easily be able to find a spot on a number of other teams owned and managed by clean riders/managers.
Well, my gosh, you have “standards” don’t you?
You would “NEVER” ride for a team affiliated with George?
Well, I would call BS on you.
If you were racing in the same time frame and at that level, there is no way to know what you might choose to do to keep your job. If you think otherwise, you are deluding yourself.
If you were that good and needed a ride, you would do the same as everyone else and jump at the chance. The only one fooled by what you write is you.
Apparently you read what you want to see and ignore the rest.
I said that I am no fan of George but I am glad that up and coming riders get a chance to show themselves. The whole process has to start somewhere and the team gives them that chance.
There are a couple of riders that spent time on this team and are now on Pro Tour teams. You would deny them that opportunity?
Robin Carpenter is such a talent (as evidenced by his success this whole year) and who knows what the future holds for him. You should enjoy his success here and now rather than having such a hard on for someone you don’t know.
Out.