Vuelta stage 9

6 categorized climbs, it hurts just typing that. Six, because 5 yesterday was just not enough. Can I get a ...REALLY This has to be one of the days that a pro looks as the profile and thinks that riding a bike for a living IS a job. At what point does the fun leave? Category 3 climb? Category 2 climb? Do they have fun? After all they are riding bikes. Last place has to be thinking "I get paid to do this."

Fifteen guys got into the initial break and did some damage until Barrado was the "virtual leader", Euskaltel needed to do some work to keep Anton in red. With a 15 man break you can do some damage, but there is also a lack of defined leadership and teamwork. The break usually is unorganized and several attacks will form another break. Which it did.

David Lopez one of the Caisse d’Epargne riders who is not a GC favorite was in the break within a break and he attacked at the right time. Sometimes timing is what wins the stage, and David was a Swiss watch with his attack. With 1k to go it was in the bag. Nine stages and 9 different winners.

The GC group came in and there was some racing in there to change the red jersey, but across the line nothing changed.

Petacchi had to abandon the stage after his brush with the pavement yesterday. He said that the legs were coming around and he was disappointed to leave la Vuelta. He is coming off a win in this Vuelta and 20-something total for his career. I will miss him in the future flat stages, if there are any.

Vuelta stage 8

As promised Gilbert lost the GC, but not without a fight. You have to give it to the big man. Five, count 'em 5 categorized climbs on stage 8. Not an easy day in the saddle. Omega did a great job protecting their leader for the days that he was in the jersey. I like Gilbert, and enjoyed seeing him win a stage and wear the leader's jersey.

Team Sky has had a rough go at la Vuelta and Friday evening Txema Gonzalez, a team Sky soigneur died of a blood infection. Sky has had several riders abandon la Vuelta due to a virus not related to Gonzalez's infection. With this news and all of the abandons Sky pulled out of the race.

What's up with Tommy D? So far the dude is looking like he should have three years ago, or is it just a matter of time before he implodes and ends up in the team car headed for the hotel? I've been disappointed by him in the past, but I always end up coming back and rooting for him. Only to be let down. Go Tom!!!

Tejay is still hanging in there, all 22years. The commentators were talking about his chances of lasting the full three weeks. Age does have a great deal to do with the rider, but sometimes, sometimes it makes no difference. I would like to see a product of our USAC kick some ... in his first Grand.

David Moncoutié wants a third KOM of la Vuelta, and he went for it today, not only did he work his way up the standings he also took home the stage win. Not a bad way to start a campaign for the dots. This should be a crazy crazy crazy race for the KOM, seems like every stage has at least one climb.

New Ride

I picked up my new bike Friday. How excited was I? I think I have to use the term "giddy". I felt surreal seeing the bike built-up and waiting to go home with me. It's like being at prom and seeing your date and thinking that they are too good for you. Seriously, that is MY bike?

I got the bike home took all the reflectors, the warning stickers, and pulled the cassette so that I could take the donut off. Spun on some pedals, adjusted the seatpost, and began the scientific test ride (ride around the front yard on and off the curb) to adjust the fork and shock. Done with the set-up I made plans for a morning maiden ride.

Didn't sleep too well, a little excited to get that first ride. Crazy dreams, none about bikes.

When the knobbies hit the dirt for the first time the newness started to wear off. The ease of climbing came with a little confusion. Really? Am I just excited? Adrenalin rush? No, this thing can climb, it can descend, and it rails corners. Does it have any weaknesses? Yes, the rider.

Vuelta stage 7

Questions, questions, questions? What's up with Cav? Is he missing Renshaw? I am. Is he tired, sick, injured? He has not looked like himself at all in la Vuelta. Bad for him, but good for watching. It has been totally unpredictable, betting lines have been thrown out the window. We get a new stage winner every day. It's a stage winning Christmas.

187k of racing and of course it followed the program to a T. One categorized climb that even the sprinters made it over. So no worries there, the peloton pulled in the break right about 5k to go.

Petacchi had a lead out train and used it textbook style. Cav was there, but looked a little boxed in. Is he saving for Worlds? Petacchi took the stage and Cav took the green jersey from Anton, so there is a little up-side for the Manxman. Bad news is that he only leads Tyler by a few points. The battle for the points leader's jersey has begun. Speaking of jerseys, Gilbert should lose the GC today.

If you have a chance to watch, today would be a good day if you like pain and suffering. The climb today, I'm not even going to try and spell it much less say it, is going to be a separator, and we should see a big shake-up on GC. I think it is even going to hurt to watch.

Christmas time

I never got a bike for Christmas, but I do remember getting my first bike. Cherry Red Stu Thompsen bmx bike. Man, I loved that bike. Wish I still had it to hit some dirt jumps...yeah right. I had a department store bought bike and my friends had LBS purchased bikes. The birth of bike envy. I rode bikes for two or three years and then I just stopped.

I started skateboarding a few years later and that was the "gateway drug" to my snowboarding addiction. Had it so bad that I moved to Utah. Somewhere in my short stay in Utah, I decided that drinking by the pool was not good enough for summer training. It usually took me a month to "get back" to where I was the previous season. So there I was having a "man soda" in the pool, and I had a realization. Utah has mountains, same mountains that I snowboard on, and you can ride bikes in them there hills. Who knew?

So being a snowboard bum, I had my parents buy me my first MTB. Still have the frame in my attic. That is where it all started. I rode that bike all over SLC and even rode some in the mountains on the most beautiful trails I have ever ridden. The rest is history, and I have owned a few bikes since then. Now I have a new bike being built-up and I feel as though it is my first bike all over again. To be honest, every new bike I get is "just like my first bike."

I went to the shop yesterday and saw my new ride out of the box and ready to be built. Anticipation is a killer and I am a victim. Hope the build is done today, and that the trails dry out for this weekend. Because I can't wait. Worse case scenario, trails will be too muddy and I will have to wait a day or two. Hope to see you on the trails this weekend.

Vuelta stage 6

I have still yet to be disappointed by la Vuelta. I will admit that it does follow the typical Grand Tour format, it is a Grand Tour. The attack happens early, forms a break, the leader's team does the work keeping the gap down, sprinter's teams take over for the catch and bada bing bada boom we have a stage in the books.

Sure sounds great on paper, now throw in a cat 2 climb and soften up those sprinter's legs. Only climbers, rouleurs and hard men can make that kind of climb and still have the legs to sprint it out after 151k. OK, scratch the climbers on the sprinting, but at least they are still there in the end.

Now that we know what kind/type of rider is going to be at the finish we can now take auditions for the finish. Cavo, Tyler sorry not your kind of day...have a seat in the autobus. Alright, who is left? Oh yeah we have Pozzato, Thor, Bennati, Gilbert, and some others. Mix these guys together and you have a classic, Fabian was in the autobus with the sprinters (who's wanting some rainbow stripes this year?).

After the catch was made it was a free-for-all, with the sprinters MIA there were no trains leaving the station today. It was "a stage hunting we will go." Gilbert had a lead out of one, and he put on a good show, but with Thor et al on your wheel you are pretty much doomed to no-podium. Thor took full advantage of the lead out and scorched the field. Thor may not be the straight-up sprinter of Cavo and Tyler, but he is a classics guy who can light it up in the sprint. Head to head Cavo can take Thor, but if Cavo is 12min back it is no contest. I was pretty harsh on Thor in le Tour, so I have to give him credit where credit is due. Impressive

So here is something to "talk amongst yourselves": Best sprinter...is it the guy who is most consistent, or is it the one with the most wins? Consistency is taking points in intermediate sprints and finishing in the top 5. Most wins, hope you can figure that one out on your own. So which is it going to be?

fitness, lack of

I was sick for about three weeks off and on with something, let's just say it was not fun. This started in Hays, KS on the way to Copper Mnt Co. I know, lucky me. I did salvage the trip by getting two days of lift served MTB, and the fact that I was there with my crew, that helped keep me from curling up into the fetal position and crying.

So last week I got back on the bike, and I have been doing some rides and some MTBing, that being said tonight was the "WNR" or Wednesday Night Ride. I rode from the house to get some extra miles in to try and make up for lost time. I rode with the team and they worked me over. I was getting schooled, HR in a different zone yet to be discovered, and I was having out of body experiences. Here is the sad part...They were out for a casual ride. I was on a hammerfest and could not keep up.

Thankfully I am part of a great bunch of teammates and when I was dropped (repeatedly) one or two would come back and bring me back into the fold. Thank you Guys, and G. -You rock. Thanks for the post ride "recovery 'man soda'" G.

My point to all of this is how fast we loose fitness from sickness, travel, work, TV, Kid Taxi, etc. It is so fickle, it takes so long to build it and then it is so easy to lose. Poof it's gone like a bad magic trick. I'm throwing in the towel on this season. As Juels said "I'm in a transitional period", I'm not going to "walk the Earth" but I am going to take it easy and enjoy the fall.