Broken Frame

Ok, ok ok ok ok.  My four readers, I'm up to four! Have spoken and want something to get them through the morning water-cooler talk, meeting, or bathroom break.  I do appreciate the shouts on twitter last night -I do listen.  Things have been going crazy here at the Belllap press/brewing/riding.  Work is going strong and I am learning everyday, and I love the people that come through our doors.  People who ride bikes and the ones that are going to ride bikes are special people, some more "special" than others.  

In other news, I've been riding my bike a lot, a lot for me.  I was on a relaxing recovery ride with a friend and hit a tree.  No, I was not mountain biking.  No, I was not drinking.  No, I was not paying attention.  Yes, I was wearing my helmet.  The next time someone says "It's only RiverParks" I will give them a punch in the face.  Yes it is only RiverParks and you probably don't ride that fast, I wasn't (15mph), but your head doesn't care to much about speed.  Unless you are talking about 9.8m per second squared.  This is the speed at which your head will contact the ground just by the force of gravity.  Eat it!  It's gonna hurt if you hit your head.  Wear your helmet.  You can style your hair, you can't fix your brain. 

Broken helmet, Broken frame, pretty messed up back, but I'm alive and not in a wheelchair or in a vegetative state.  Is that like New Jersey?  They are the Garden state.  I wake up sore and pretty immobile and old.  I'm getting a new frame which I will piece and part together for the next ten years.  Helmet is going to be replaced with a shiny new model coming out in July.  I do have a back-up helmet, no way would I be riding without.

One of the guys I ride with is in the Specialized/Strava hill climbing challenge.  If you don't know who this guy is, take the time to do some research.  And.  If you think you know who this guy is take a second look at what he is doing in the challenge.  It changes daily -it is a competition after all.  So I am not going to post where he is in the challenge, but I will say that he is a solid top ten.  Overall, not age group, Overall.  Oklahoma is flat, and he is trading face-punches with guys from Utah (not flat) and other mountainous regions of the world.  The challenge comes to a close next Monday the 30th.  He and I are headed to AR for some new scenery and to climb Gaylor.

Side note:  Dennis (we will call him Dennis) was how do you say "bigger" than he is currently.  I have seen this guy go through jersey sizes in a weeks time.  His climbing accomplishment is great and pretty awesome, but it is nothing like the physical transformation that he has done to his body.  I feel privileged to have been a part witnessed cycling change someone.  You always hear stories about this happening, but until you have seen a transformation first hand it is just a story.  To make this "real", we are having a super informal no-reservations get-to-gather at the BlueRose Monday the 30th after MNR, 7:30ish to whenever, and possibly beyond that.  Take Tuesday off because your head will be pounding.  Come out and celebrate Dennis, but more importantly celebrate cycling and what it can do for people's lives, you might meet someone who is totally different from you -but thinks just like you do.

Gloves off

Easter is right around the corner, and Paris - Roubaix is just two hangovers away.  With the smell of Belgian frites and Ale, that is more alcohol than water, wafting in the air it is a good time to start a fight.  Roubaix is in France -if you did not know.  It is flat, but it is super long and the roads are, for lack of a pretty word, Crap.  Made by conquering Romans millions of billions of years ago out of big freaking rocks.  Let's ride bikes on them.  Great idea.  Vlaanderen is in Belgium, and is not flat and has crappy roads also.  Vlaanderen has a kick arse flag.  Roubaix has a concrete velodrome.  Vlaanderen is long and has crazy wind.

Which is the "harder" race?  That will start the verbal fists flying.  I love them both.  I have a favorite, so I am biased out the wazoo.  I think that Vlaanderen gets so overlooked because people "just don't know".  Roubaix is way more popular and gets a ton of press.  Both races are hardman races.  One has to be a different breed of rider to win these contests.  Merckx, Museeuw, Vlaeminck, Moser, Boonen are a few names that have turned themselves inside-out, broken themselves down, and crushed souls over the harsh roads of Northern France.  Who is the Best Roubaix winner?

Who is your favorite for this edition of the race?  Is it going to be a new winner of l'enfer du nord? Or are we going to have a repeat?  Will the winner of Vlaanderen have that special touch and be able to pull off the Vlaanderen - Roubaix double?  Can George pull off a top 100? 50? 25? 15?  Is it going to be another win by a darkhorse?  Are you bold enough to make a prediction?  Who is going to be standing at the side of the road waiting and waiting and waiting for the team car?

Fighting words:

My favorite: Tom Boonen
2012 Roubaix winner: Not bold enough, want to see Tom make it a double (2005) again and to get his 4th.
Best ever winner: Sorry Eddy, Vlaeminck did it 4 times
Ronde van Vlaanderen is the harder of the two in my opinion

Belgium's finest

Champions are formed and Men's souls are crushed

Ronde van Vlaanderen recap

Let me start off by saying that Ronde van Vlaanderen was everything that I had wanted and then some.  Not to say that I wanted Fabian to crash out with injuries, I wanted the battle to be one of pedals turned in anger.  Tom even said that it would have been better to win with Fabian still upright.  Seeing Langeveld collide with what was surly a tourist, a Belgian would have know better, was sickening.  His front wheel exploded off the fork and was sent tumbling.  Except for the carnage and injury, this was a beautiful race and a fantastic ending.

I would love to say that Boonen was my "pick", but I was never bold enough to come out and choose my favorite.  I did want him to win, so I guess it is a win win situation for me.  Omega Pharma QuickStep is a Classics force, always have been, and put three riders in the top ten.  Steegmans, Chavanel, Terpstra all rode an incredible race in support of Tom and made it his to lose.  At one point I thought that if Tom faltered, Terpstra was sitting in a pretty good position to take over.  And, my boy Chavanel was so impressive yesterday, he and Boonen look to have kissed and made up.  Last year Chavanel looked stronger than Tom, but yet had to ride in support.  Yeah, that would make any mortal angry.  All is good in the OPQS camp and the cross-hairs are set on Roubaix.

I have always been a fan of Pipo, but he has been very unimpressive the past few years.  This year he has found that new spark and seems to be riding better than of old.  Pozzato was a negative racer in the past and would just place himself in Tom's pocket or just become a shadow.  As of late he looks to have changed his style and seems to be taking more risk.  He is still shadowing Tom, but isn't everyone?

I bad-mouthed Ballan just a few days ago and now have to eat my words, his move became the winning move.  BMC is less than stellar and Ballan has been part of the lack-luster.  Yesterday was the exception.  Ballan and teammates looked to be riding in support of the once stellar Gillbert who never materialized.  Van Avermaet has always impressed me and yesterday once again I think BMC is riding for the wrong guys.  Yes he is young, but he can ride.  Let him loose and ride for this guy already, he will win you races.  He finished just off the podium behind Ballan.  I'll give BMC a little credit for getting a podium and fourth.

1	Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep	6:04:33
2	Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
3	Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team	0:00:01
4	Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team	0:00:38
5	Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
6	Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
7	Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha Team
8	Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
9	Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team
10	Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
11	Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan
12	Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Katusha Team
13	Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
14	Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
15	Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team

Can't forget the likes of Peter Sagan.  22yrs old and a horse, a really strong fast horse.  He looked really strong, might have been a little tired from racing most of last week.  Liquigas doesn't have much of a Classics support team (besides Ted) that can really do work for this kid.  Put a OPQS like team around Sagan and he would crush, or should I say will crush.  Tommy Voeckler.  Where did this guy come from?  Is he still on form from last year?  You have to love Voeckler for his bdassery, this guy is tenacious.  It was good to see him doing work, and then get a top ten.

One of my dark horse favorites, Leukemans was able to squeeze out a top 15.  Gregory Rast of Radioshack was the only bright star for them after Fabian went down with injury.  Rast is one to watch out for the next couple of weeks.  Always always good to see Freire battling it out, he and Paolini could be dangerous.  Big losers on the day have to be Sky.  All that firepower and nothing to show for it.  EBH?  Where are you pal?  With Cav out of the line-up, throw Bernie a bone and work for that guy.  I don't think we will ever know the true strength of Bernie the super domestique.  Heck work for Flecha, that guy can finish when put in the set-up.  Garmin?  We are going to work for Vanmarcke.  You guys have problems, putting Tyler in the early break?  Why?  If I saw Tyler in a break I would not have my team work. Useless.  You work for Vanmarcke and Haussler finishes better, you work for Haussler and Vanmarcke-Vansummeren finish better.  ????????? Come together on this and get a team of monkeys to formulate a plan.

U So Crazy!

People who just don't know are always saying how dangerous it is to ride bikes.  Listen here grandma bluehair, bikes are not dangerous, that gas exploding engine driven deathmachine you call a car is dangerous.  I will admit that riding a bike can be dangerous, dangerous in the fact that it can be habit forming and possibly addictive by nature.  Really?  Is it such a bad thing?  I ride bikes because the alternative would be self-destructive and illegal.  Drugs.  Yes I will admit that I have formed a habit that is borderline addictive, screw-it I am addicted up to the eyeballs.  My track-marks are road rash scars, shaved legs and awesome tan-lines.

It's a healthy addiction, right?  Eat-sleep-dream-ride bikes.  Healthy?  No, I'm sick and I have a fever, a fever and the only cure is more...bike.  You know who you are, and if you are shaking your head yes you have it to.  Thinking about the WNR makes your pulse race, looking at Italian bikes on the internet is almost lewd behavior.  You are shaking your head, is that a yes sir or a yeah sure?

I don't care what it is, but there is always that guy or guys that take it too far.  The ones that have to drink too much, have to jump off the third story balcony into the kiddy pool, and pour gasoline on the campfire.  Boom!!! Hitting a little too close to home?  We in society have a word for you..CRAZY.  Crazy can be used as a noun, verb and those other things adv, adj something or others.  The way we use crazy is usually a term of endearment or respect.  You did what?  That's crazy!  We don't think you lost your mind, at least not all of it, but we say it because we would have to be crazy to do what you accomplished.  Yes, you can probably smell the jealousy coming off the comment. 

I have the opportunity to ride my bike with all kinds of people, all of them are crazy.  There are a few standout certifiable, should be institutionalized, padded cell, hug yourself jacket people in this group.  You know who you are.  You are crazy and I have much love and respect for you.  Keep doing what you are doing and enjoy it to its fullest.  Remember the crazies are the ones who run the asylum.   

The next time someone calls you crazy, consider the source and context.  They might just be paying you a huge compliment.  Next time your coworker says you are crazy for riding your bike, what they are really saying is "dang, I wish I could do that". 

Is it tornado season?

Tommeke is looking good.  Fabian says that Tom is the favorite for Ronde and Tom says that Fabian is the one to beat.  Taking a look at the top 15 from Sunday's Gent - Wevelgem

1	Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep	5:32:44
2	Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
3	Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team
4	Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Katusha Team
5	Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
6	Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan
7	Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
8	Steve Chainel (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
9	Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
10	Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team
11	Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin-Cervelo
12	Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team
13	Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan
14	Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling	0:00:03
15	Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	0:00:04

There are some pretty stand out names in this list.  Three time World Champ Freire has gone back in time and found his legs.  Sagan is a hoss, he an Cancellara made what now looks like a stupid move, if it had gone the other way they would have looked brilliant.  But for Sagan to challenge for the win is true testament to the strength of this rider.  This guy is in his 20's.  Sick.  Breschel, finally on a team that will use him the way he should be used, doesn't hurt that he is Dutch on a Dutch team, now does it?  Earth calling Garmin.  Vansummeren is the real deal when it comes to the Classics.  Yes, he may be 8' tall and look like the missing link (wait that's Ten Dam) he is tall, and can ride a bike in the roughest toughest conditions.  Who's the man now?  That brings me to one of my favorites, Pipo.  Pozzato has struggled the last few years with team issues injury and too many tattoos.  Looked like he was going to repeat the cycle this year with his broken collarbone just last month.  Dude went under the knife is back on the bike and is looking to come into form, -with a hand full of top tens in his pocket. 

Gent was a great race, would have liked to see it whittled down to a smaller group, or have the break stick it.  Anyway what a race.  People are saying how strong Tom is right now, I do not disagree, but is he?  Tom is older, and I think that he is riding so much smarter plus he is such a strong rider to begin.  This is a deadly combo.  Brains and brawn.  Let's not discount the fact that he has a team around him that is so dangerous, anyone of them could go up the road and beat you.  Tom was not the strongest rider at Gent, I think it was Sagan, but he rode a very smart race, got lucky in the sprint and came out with a three time win.  Sound the sirens there is a tornado coming.

Can't wait for the weekend and Ronde van Vlaanderen.  Watching Three Days of De Panne Stage 1 right now with 40km to go.  These guys are taking turns punching each other in the face up the climbs.  Oh, how I love the Classics.

IMDO

We are elbow deep in the Classics season and the big monuments are just around the corner.  Yes, everyone is sucking at the teat of Paris - Roubaix, and fail to see the beautiful brutality of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Gent Wevelgem, E3 Harelbeke, and Dwars door Vlaanderen.  Don't get me wrong and all misquoted, I love Roubaix with the Trouée d'Arenberg, and all the sectors of cobble.  BUT.  I'm a big fan of the quick steep climbs, muurs, bergs, whatever you wish to bestow upon them.  It's Belgium.  It's cycling at it's toughest.  It is so beautiful and brutal.

I am a fan of the dark horse, or more importantly the work horse.  Last year Vansummeren winning was poetic, and Nuyens crossing the line first made me a believer in my own religion.  Breakaways that stick, the solo that gets away...this is The Classics.  Terpstra won at Dwars just the other day.  Not a superstar.  Love it.  Did you see the winning move?  Was it when he got in the break or when he attacked his breakaway companions?  You tell me.  Bunch sprints are for Grand Tours, Classics are supposed to be won by men who have not broken or have been broken the least.  This is a hardman's race.  Today was E3, and a Tom Boonen won it out of the bunch, a small bunch that had been whittled down, strung out, and broken down.  Tommeke almost got taught a tough lesson by Freire at the line.  Don't get caught sleeping and don't celebrate too soon.  Wake up Tom and throw the bike, you got lucky this time.  Millimeters lucky. 

BMC.  What the ____ guys?  Superstar team my____.  What a bunch of overpaid comfortable well fed, okay I've got to stop there.  I know BMC has a winner on their squad, and his name is... Greg.  Don't scratch your head.  Greg Van Avermaet.  Kid can outride anyone on that team, just give him the chance put those "superstars" to work for him and you will have a magic show that you can take to Vegas.  Gilbert, what the heck happened there?  Too much money and now you can't pedal a bike?  Ballan, I don't even know what to say about Ballan, when he had the Rainbow Stripes he only won like a second tier race.  Now what?  Thor, are you just getting too old?  Or are you on the wrong team?  This guy is a Green Jersey machine and an all around bdass, but where did he put his cape?  George, I love you George.  Drop some knowledge on these fools and get them to work.  Hang up the cleats and get in the car and win some races with the real talent on this team.

Why why why is Garmin squandering their talent?  Vansummeren can win races, go to work for him.  Sep Vanmarcke is also a great talent that is being overshadowed by lesser riders.  Let 'em loose and see what they can do.  They can work in the Grands, but let them have their day in the Classics on their home soil.  Haussler, the man with a nationality confusion, are you German-Australian, Australian-German, or just Australian?  Just ride your dang bike already.  We know you have the ability, or you lost it drinking and driving, and changing nationalities. 

Don't know how many time I have to say it, but Chavanel needs to have his leash cut and given full gas.  Let him go, he has proven his loyalty time and time again when victory was in sight.  Green light this guy, stop making me yell at the screen and get all angry.  It is so frustrating to see him pulled from a break to come back and help Tom.  Love Tommeke, but give Chavanel his due.  Give him Roubaix.   I have to say that OPQS is my new favorite team.  Brian Holm is in the car, 'nuff said.

Cancellara.  Is he beatable?  Did you see him get taken out today?  What was that?  Then some dude stole his front wheel.  You will burn in a very hot place for that one.  Fabian gets taken out during a wheel change gets up back on the bike and chases back on.  He even passes his teammate that came back for him, drug him back up to the bunch.  I'm not a fan of Cancellara, but this guy scares me anytime he toes the line.  Said I was not a fan, didn't say that I did not have much respect for the guy. R E S P E C T. 

Guys to watch in the Classics.  Vacansoleil's Devolder, Leukemans, and Hoogerland are tough as nails.  Devolder is one of my favorites, although he has done nothing in the past few years.  Once a teammate of Boonen, he was the Champ of Belgium and a winner of Ronde van Vlaanderen.  I still have hopes for him.

Leif Hoste of Accent Jobs-Willems very very very dark horse, but could surprise.  Or Not.  In other news Jens Voigt is racing Criterium International for like the 100th time, as of this morning he is in 12th.  You know he can taste it, he has won this race like six or seven times???