The title is a little misleading, now that I think about it. I’m not racing, yet. But, here in Eastern Kansas, The Spring Fling Criterium Series is underway. It is a 5 race series, that normally starts right around now, the last weekend in February. It is a good way to get some lungs to go with all the miles you’ve tried to accumulate.
Yesterday I rode over to the start of the 1/2 race. I hadn’t seen a lot of those guys for a long time and it is a pretty easy 50 mile ride RT. My brother, who has been sick for the last 3 weeks, said he was going to race, so I rode over with him. When he got there, he said that he could barely stay with me so he had no business racing.
I only stayed for the start. It was hovering right around 40 degrees and started cooling off a little after 4, so I started getting pretty cold. One constant thing about this head injury is that I can’t seem to regulate my core temperature very well. I was hoping it would be beneficial for hotter temperature, but the other day, when it was approaching 80, I wasn’t too happy with that either. I think it is going to be a slow process, as everyone says.
I probably could have raced. I’m not too off riding my bike. I have no race fitness, but I usually get that by racing. I hate missing a bunch of early season racing. It just makes later races into that, which is much harder. But, I don’t really have much choice here currently.
If you didn’t get a chance to watch the weekend Belgian races, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad or Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne , you should watch a condensed version, at least. Both the finishes are pretty good. It is interesting that those races are over with and it isn’t even March. Peter Sagan seems to be in pretty good form.
Everyone here in Topeka has been sick or sickly. Me too, but not to the extent as some others. It is supposed to be pretty normal/nice today. Highs in the lower 50’s. We have a noon ride planned, but I think it is going to have to be pretty slow and flat. At least flat. Some of these guys haven’t ridden for over a week, bedridden, so it is going to be an effort. But, no one is in a rush, it still is only February.
The start of the 1/2 race at Perry yesterday.
This is the Cat 5 field. I like the guy in the all day-glow yellow. I had a baby blue tennis warm-up when I first started.
This is towards the finish of today’s race in Belgium. The break didn’t seem to want to have Sagan at the back towards the finish. He obliged them.
Tucker seems to sleep on this table a lot. I think it is so he can watch the squirrels in our front yard. Trudi put a pillow on the marble so he is more comfortable. Probably not a good routine to get started.
When I first started think I wore the rainbow jersey until I found out what it was and that I wasn’t supposed to be wearing it! Dork
I’m super excited for the next six weeks of classics. Love this time of year!
hey steve, whats your opinion on the racing results in the het nieuwsbald? every team owner director manager and racer was told a number of times that there is to be no racing on the sidewalks or bike paths to avoid the cobbles.. then another briefing the days before the race they were told the rules, then the day of the race, again told the rules… lol.. so it was 100% clear that if you do ride on the paths or grass or sidewalks, you’re DQ.. I seen numerous comments on this.. some said that’s the way racing , espically in Belgium has always been.. of course it was explained to the racers that if there is a huge crash blocking the road you have to ride around the crash on the grass or path but within 50 yards you’re back on the cobbles..the break a way racers raced on the sidewalk path grass etc lots of times.. they even were warned clearly espically at kilometer 148 do not race on the sidewalks to avoid the cobbles but these leaders rode on the sidewalks.. lol.. so everyone knew the rules.. the leaders clearly broke the rules but wernt DQ.. do you think the leaders should be DQ? sounds like the people in charge are a bunch of fuckin idiots, stressing all month week and the day of the race those breaking the rule will be dq, then they didn dq anyone…who are these idiots incharge.. that one director dirk demole was super pissed saying some other racer should be the winner cause he didn’t race one inch off the roads.. whats your opinion? I woud DQ these guys that broke the rules they knew about..cobbles are much harder and slower than the sidewalks or paths but that’s the NEW rules. greg van averment and segan etc should be DQ.. now along with the drugs they are all on, motors in bikes, we have cement doping now lol..
Read the race report and the video on CycingNews. Seems pretty clear they cheated. DQing doesn’t really do alot , because they will still race like usual next weekend.
Sillypuddy OUT!
What’s wrong with wearing rainbow stripes? If you’re a Sagan fan, say, how is that different than a basketball fan wearing a Lebron James jersey (no one will think he’s trying to claim to actually be Lebron, after all). I’m not arguing – just asking if there’s actually some unwritten rule on that (because cycling has way too many unwritten rules, IMHO).
sillypuddy, I just don’t get how many times they were warned.. and they I mean the owners of the teams managers directors… of course they told the riders.. I can see dirk demole’s anger knowing he watched the race on his tv in his car and watched it live while driving and clearly seen the break a way racers riding where they wernt suppose to, so I think the first racer that didn’t break any rules should be the winner.. why bark out all these new rules and not DQ the ones that broke the rules… why even have rules then? and why is it that all the $10.000.00 bikes these racers race on, why is it that every time they start to get tired, the seat gets loose?????? then its back to the team car for a 5k tow… lol… and that fuckin stick bottle bs..today I seen an 8 second bottle hand-up.. guy got slingshotted moving up 100 places just by getting a bottle… lol… love the fitness I get from this sport, but at the top level its fucked up..
My first jersey had rainbow trim. I too had no idea what it meant, I’m surprised people didn’t start calling me “champ”. That stuff is fine for training but not for racing, you need to earn it and follow the rules for wearing it in a race.
Steve, it is good to see you proceeding with caution, your body will tell you what you can and can’t do. At least you have a few months to figure out the temperature regulation before the really hot weather gets here.
Two weeks before my first Crit of the year, up in Wisconsin.
It’s still early and still a chance for disciplinary action. Now im gotta run a gas line to my new pizza oven. Way more important.
Sillypuddy OUT!
don’t blow up your house man…. gas lines are for the experienced workers…just eat frozen pizza… pizza all tastes the same anyway…just like chineese or Mexican… all tastes the same.. anyway, the top brass in charge said theres gonna be no action… lol.. then why new rules then if they aint gonna inforce them..
mike crum out!!!! lol
Well Mr. Crum(if thats really yr name?) I am experienced. I was trained as a plumber in my dads business but now work as a steamfitter. I deal with gas on a daily basis. You maybe right about the rules, but not about pizza. Maybe crap like Pizzahut and Dominoes taste the same but not even close to a real pizzaria. Frozen pizza? Thats like eating a wooden frizbee, except without all the great taste. Now if u’ll excuse, this wont take but a minute(hopefully)
Sillypuddy OUT!
My question would be, why does anyone want to wear a Lebron jersey??
To show that you know who he is?
To show that you know how to spend money on an over-priced piece of apparel.
To somehow show you are a fan?
One should NEVER wear a jersey of merit that they have not earned. The people who have earned it deserve to be special in the clothing they wear. In cycling that is a rainbow jersey.
If people wear a jersey of distinction that they didn’t earn that is fine, just know that you are a FRED.
Mike,
For God’s sake, please take a writing class where they teach you about grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, and separating thoughts. Your post might be good but your delivery is beyond bad.
Thanx
You J Hawkers are tuff. I see VOS in Phx is already over. They used to have a Crit in Juarez this time of year I remember Bostick, Frey, and Bush picking up All the Pesos and they paid Mucho Grande but that race ended a few years ago cause all the Cartel bullets was a flying, heck you need a Frikkin Passport just to get back into El Paso now if That Wall aint built yet?! Sagan suckered Trentin into hitting the front of His Race at 500 meters to go today, Peter lookin knarly n Musseau Thick!!
Jim: Completely agree with you on grown men wearing other guys jerseys – weak. The worst is when you see the husband and wife team both wearing their favorite pro athlete’s jersey. But, when you start throwing around the word “Fred” it kind’ve screams roadie attitude. Aren’t 99% of cyclists out there (minus the ones actually getting paid to ride) pretty much “Freds”? Spending $10K on a bike to win the local Masters crit? I guess my best “Fred” move was showing at my first fast group road ride with my 90oz Camelbak on. My guess is that we all have a few. Most Americans who start cycling have no f’ing clue what the rainbow jersey is or even the yellow one for that matter.
Jim,
Wow, relax, buddy. Go to any arena or stadium in the US or abroad (Premier League, La Liga, etc), and you see people wearing the athletes’ jerseys – hardly unusual; more just people having fun. Watch the TDF on TV – on the climbs, the roadside is lined with people wearing polka-dot jerseys, team jerseys and yellow jerseys, and I don’t think they “earned” them in any way other than just being enthused fans.
PS, I love “Fred” as the universal insult of one cyclist to another. But unless you’re a pro, you’re pretty much a Fred, no matter how many times to you try to convince yourself you’re not. If you find yourself calling other guys Fred, you’re probably a Fred. If it worries you you just might be a Fred, you’re a Fred. My name is Fred, so I’m definitely a Fred!
Ironically, those people in the sports jerseys laugh at we “grown men” in Spandex – meaning you, me and all the other riders over about the age of 28. We do look the fools. So ya gotta lighten up just a touch!
Freddie
just signed up for one… tutor coming over my place after I get off work..starting in two weeks…gonna effect my training cause its right after work… I normally ride, lift or go to mma right after work..now it’ll be a few months of this crap, but I think I need it. maybe in the long run it will help…I misspell a lot of words and reread some of my older posts and I see a few mistakes.. maybe more..on one hand I don’t give a shit, cause I have a good paying job with a great company… I’m set.. but on the other hand having more knowledge is way better…just hope the tutor is as pretty as she sounds…be nice to have nice looking lady teaching me.. maybe ill keep misspelling and fucking up so shes gotta spend more time at my place..lol.lol..maybe ill have that sillypuddy guy send over a few “gourmet pizzas” he seems to know so much about… NOT!!! (pizza is pizza)ill get a few six packs(not naturaly lite sillypuddy) but maybe a few 6’s of stag or colt 45… maybe this tutor will like the beers the brothers drink.. no way I would get wine.. wine is for pussys.. I like beer.. a mans drink.. and not that most interesting man in the world shit either.. those commercials are cool, well, the older ones, but that beer is bad.. I like his one commercial, the most interesting man in the world….. he bowls overhanded.. lol.lol.lol.. there are all good, but a few are awesome. his mom has a tattoo that says son.. lol lol. ok, I gotta go..
Hey Jim , you want my tutors number ? The word Thanks dosent have an x in it.
comment of the day! 🙂
“and that fuckin stick bottle bs..today I seen an 8 second bottle hand-up.. guy got slingshotted moving up 100 places just by getting a bottle… lol”
Mike,
The word “thanx” does have an x in it.
The word “thanks” does not.
Look closely and you may see it.
jim, I called my tudor. thanks is spelled thanks.. not thanx… want her number?