Saturday, July 28, 2012

Buum...BUUM...Buu-Buu Buu Buu Buu Bum-bidy bum-bidy bum-bidy bum-bum-bum bidy-bum bum BUM!

In case you don't understand my Bum-bidy-bum language, that's OBVIOUSLY the opening sequence to the OLYMPIC tune...and QUITE stirring I might add!

YES, it is ONCE again that time...where we get to be enthralled with sporting events of OLYMPIC caliber!

This morning was the road race, and I ended up going out running errands, but I did check back in and zoom to the end, and WHAT an end! Not in a million zillion years would I have predicted THAT! Serves ALL the sprinters teams with the exception of Great Britain right that their sprinters didn't get a chance at the gold. They all said NO, let GB handle it all and we will just jump in at the end when they are all too tired and Cav won't have a shot. LOVE it that they ALL lost out, and how awesome for Vino to go out of cycling with an OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL! I'm actually happy for him, though I would lave loved to see Tyler get a chance...but it wasn't for the US to pull the break back, as we had a man in the break (VERY VERY SMART!!) So Gilbert, Goss and all the rest of the wanna-be's totally lost out due to them and their teams being too tactical (ie: STINGY!) for their own good.

If I were on GB's team I would have pulled my guys off the front much earlier and shown the rest that they'd best step up NOW if they want even a remote chance. They did a LOT of work cuz nobody else would.

LOSERS!!!!! TOTALLY serves them right!!!

And I was very sad for Fabian...didn't see his crash (I'll go later and watch to see where he lost it in the turn...I did hear about it and also saw him come in alone dead last I think)...such a shame...but he overcooked a turn and that's what happens. I was also really rooting for Horner to have a great day, and that he would be in the break with a chance to win. I mean, if Vino can win it, so could have Horner! I was just amazed at the other guy up with Vino...shows how young and inexperienced he was that he took his eyes off of Vino for even a MOMENT that close to the line, and Vino pulled off his attack PERFECTLY! Nobody can take that away from him.  Brings me back to that tour a few years back when we were all rooting for Vino...he would be spectacular one day, then crash and be horrible the next...(and then was pulled out for blood doping not long after that). Not a bad way to go out I must say...Olympic Gold...that will surely be a life-long treasure for him!

And so...the TT is on Wednesday....lots of potentials...Wig'O' is the natural fav...but so was Cav in the road race, and look how that turned out. I will be rooting for Spartacus (as well as the Americans of course)....Think it would be cool to have Fabian win gold.

And swimming...sheesh...Ol' Michael Phelps slipped into the 400IM final by the skin on his teeth! That last heat w/ his nemisis Lockte lit up the pool and Phelps's out-touch that other dude by a few hundreths of a sec were all that got him into a final he surely was supposed to be in...again, playing it tactical...thinking he can back it down and it almost cost him a shot at the final! I didn't see much else of the swimming tho...I'll have to record tonight so I can see the finals...I would also like to see the cycling podium ceremony...

OK. Here we go...Olympics are in FULL swing! Woo-HOO! Hang onto your hats! It's gonna be a WILD RIDE! Will Phelps get his next gold tonight to be come THE most decorated Olympian EVER? Or will it be another night? I can hardly wait!

Enjoy the ride!

Cheers!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Turn out the lights, the party's over

Or actually, I think the party has just BEGUN...at least for Team Sky!

And so...can you  BELIEVE IT? The 2012 Tour is OVER! I'm in shock...what am I going to do with my spare time? Oh...that's right...OLYMPICS start THIS WEEK! I guess this year I won't have too long to grieve in my post Tour depression. Next weekend we get Olympic Cycling!!!

I'm sure I'll forget tons, but I'd like to recap and such my thoughts on this years TDF. At the end I must admit I was warming some to Wigg'O'. I did love it when he would be out front pulling Cav as a lead-out man (who just happened to be wearing Yellow and was going to WIN the overall race).

I think it's sad about the riders who weren't there to contest his dominance. Surely Andy on his best day would have had a hard time taking enough time considering how AWESOME Wigg'O' was in the TT's...he surely proved he was indeed the champion in the final TT...he was incredible! That is a serious exclamation point on his win. I would have loved to see how Alberto would have fared this year...I think it would have REALLY been interesting. And I can only hope that next years route has TONS and TONS of mountains, and a Team Time Trial, and maybe ONE Individual TT (and maybe a prologue). THAT will change Wigg'O's chances considerably. Assuming Andy and Alberto will both be there next year, AND that maybe Froome will be on a different team, and Nibbles will have been working on his weaknesses....I can only say it should be a tour of tours, and I'm already excited thinking about it!

I realize on my last post I did Chris Horner a dis-service by NOT mentioning how AWESOME he was in stage 18 (and yes, the ENTIRE tour!)...he hung in there with the "Heads of State" right until the final push by Froome to catch Valverde. Oh...and one thing that just entered my mind....would anybody like to hazard a guess at how many times the word "penultimate" was used by P&P this year? I'm guessing dozens in the last few days...(no, I don't have an answer, but I was chuckling every time I heard it).

I also liked it when George (and Chris) rode on the very front as they entered the Champs...that was pretty awesome! So I take it that means Chris is retiring too? I'm not sure I heard that (for sure anyway)....how utterly sad for me...they are two of my three fav riders! (Fabian rounding out the top 3, not in any specific order). Thank god Spartacus is a young'un!

And can't take anything away from Cav...he and his team came thru in the clutch...gosh, I really thought that break w/ Jens might just make it this year! But they were caught on the last lap...he sure gave it a HUGE effort though...good on him! (as of next year he will be in my top 3, assuming he returns for another year).

Well...I'm sure there is so much I left out...but I'm tired and need to get some SLEEP! I'm always quit sad when le Tour is over, but I'm thankful for the Asylum and all of my inmate friends out there.....as that is where we all came together OH so many years ago over at 'He who shall not be named's place...until we were evicted for being inane. Ahhh...funny how things work out.

And one final thing...my Fantasy Tour team finished in a whopping 10,353rd place with an ASTOUNDING 2311 points! Holy cow...I was only a bit over 3000 points off the lead...I was THAT CLOSE! Maybe next year! 

I now bid you happy memories of another Tour that is relegated to the history books, with Great Britain's first EVER overall winner. Great ride Team Sky! And I would be remiss to not say GREAT RIDE Team Radio Shack/Nissan...winning the Team category, and with only 6 guys too! And a GREAT ride by Haimar...top 10! NICE!

Sleepy time. Goodnight Gracie! Turn out the lights when you leave please.



Friday, July 20, 2012

Home Stretch

Well...the mountains are past and Sky/Wigg'O' have maintained their world-domination and GC positions. Today I thought for sure Froome could have taken a huge time chunk away from Wig if he dared...but he played the loyal teammate which was good to see. Not sure what Wigs really had left in the tank in each of the big Mt stages, but it appeared Froome could have dropped him on every one. But we will never know how it COULD have turned out...only how it did.

And poor Cadel...fighting on to the end, but losing more time today. And I can't understand why Nibbles dropped back after catching the breakaway...surely nobody in the break wanted him up there, but it would have been the MOST pressure Sky has seen...maybe Valverde promised him something...(or threatened his family for all we know....just kidding there, but I sure would like to know what was said between those two before they shook hands and Nibs backed off).

Nice to see that the KOM jersey didn't change today ...I have become a real fan of Voeckler in recent years...he is just SO animating and unrelenting in the mountains! I'm glad he didn't lose it...and did you see the polka dot bike he was riding today? He is SUCH a character! I've never seen so many faces from one man. Next year no matter what I'm picking him for my fantasy team!

What else...oh..CAV! Boy...it's like he was rocket-propelled when he passed the two final men in the breakaway...gosh he went by them SO fast it was unbelievable! Not another sprinter in sight...(though I see they gave the same time to all of them...I thought he had a big enough gap to earn a seperate time, but I guess not).

Actually tonight I watched yesterdays AND today's stages as I worked late on Thurs and got home in time to eat, feed the kids and hit the sack...I was beat. So tonight was a double...whew...that's a LOT of tour for one evening!

And so...it's almost over...a TT and the ride into Paris...anybody think Cav won't be up for the win on Sunday? I think we saw a glimmer of the Cav from prior years today...and I think he'll be on fire in the home stretch and free to fly, what with Wigs pretty much a lock for yellow barring an asteroid strike or some equally horrific catastrophe.

Ahhh...relish the final days...soon it will be in the history books, with only the OLYMPICS to console us for the next MONTH! E-GADS, I'm going to be dead tired by the time they are over!

Take a deep breath...and enjoy the tail end of the 2012 Tour. It'll soon be in our rear-view-mirror.

Viva le Tour!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

And then there were Seven

Seven days left in the 2012 TDF that is...can you believe it?

Gosh, what a week of racing...we've seen most everything that can possibly happen happen I believe, including Fabian abandoning the race the other day to head home for the birth of his 2nd child (can't blame him, but I have him on my Fantasy team....RATS!) Oh well...congrats Spartacus! I'm happy to see that you know what's REALLY important in your life!

And now...SPOILER ALERT! I'll be talking about todays stage now!

Sagan just continues to amaze me...that he was able to drag himself over those two hard climbs today and finish THAT close to the win is just amazing! And can't take anything away from LL Sanchez...he knew there was to be no finishing WITH Sagan and having a chance...and he did what he had to do for the stage win....HUGE kudo's on that, and a well deserved win for Rabobank (which is another decimated team...only FOUR guys left in the race!)

But what about the sabotage on the road today?  Tacks at the top of the climb...and it was like Cadel was a magnet...he sucked in the tacks like they were meant for him and him only! What hard luck for a guy who is really fighting for even a podium finish. Barring disaster in the Pyrnees for Sky, there is no way Cadel can bring back enough time to take the yellow, especially with the longest TT the day before Paris. And watching Wig'O' lead out BosHog yesterday in the bunch sprint, well...never seen THAT before either! He was a real force closing down that gap, too bad Hog couldn't pull off the win, but it was pretty impressive nevertheless. I always love to see when the Yellow gives back to a teammate when the opportunity arises.

And I certainly can't say anything bad about Team Sky....it brings back memories of Postal/Discovery...a team custom built to STILL be with their leader when the going gets tough. We'll see how the two remaining big mountain stages go, but so far Sky has had NO problem whatsoever supporting Wig'O in the high mountains, where-as poor Cadel is riding alone quite often much like last year. I certainly can't fault TJ for riding away when Cadel flatted at the top of the last climb...it was madness and you could see him look at Cadel and then the other way (presumably looking for other teammates)...there was no way he could just stop being as he was over on the left side of the pack and Cadel was already heading off the road to the right...(and, it makes no sense to give away the white jersey at this point being as it's obvious Cadel is in no position to challenge for the yellow...the team might as well keep at least that small token of high placement).

I was surprised there were no crashes coming off the 1st descent on that tiny WET road...they all are to be commended for that. And also I have to commend Team Sky for not taking advantage of BMC's unfortunate situation with the flats...sure they had to chase down Rollins, but then they slowed it up and waited for Cadel to join prior to the finish.

What else? Gosh I had a TON to talk about and now that I'm at the computer my mind went blank. HATE it when that happens...a senior moment for SURE! (just the other day at work I ended up in a room and had no idea why I went there...which is quite embarrassing to say the least!) I'm going to have to start taking notes I guess. Oh well..it will come to me and I'll just slip it in the comments. Just peeked in at my fantasy team...I had both Sagan and Martin Velits as starters today, so they were my only two points earners. I'm now UP to an amazing 9426th place with today's points! Wow...(not sure how many are behind me, can't be TOO many, that's for sure!) I say this every year, but THIS year a day or 2 before Paris I'm going to print out the teams of the top 10 teams or so...just so I have something to go by NEXT year in picking a team. Looking at the top few, every single rider they have has points...I can't say that for MY team.

OK...on with my Sunday. I WAS going to go for a ride today, but I'm feeling lazy. Had a hard Mt bike ride yesterday, and this morning so far the marine layer (ie, FOG) is heavy on top of us and I just can't get myself out the door, and it's already 10:30am! I was able to watch the entire stage uninterrupted for a change! What ever will I do tonight? Go to bed EARLY....hmmm..that's a thought! July is my sleep-deprivation month every year, and with the Olympics hot on the Tour's heels, it will go right on into August.

And so...hope everybody who is actually having summer are staying cool...we don't get that here...I fight to get warm (I have to go inland to find hot weather to ride in...it topped 100 on my climb yesterday and hovered in the high 90's most of the ride...it was AWESOME!)

Hope your day remains Tack-free (which Cadel can't say)!

Viva le Tour!

Oh, just thought of something....I have this link to add that I got from over at Rants (courtesy of AustinCyclist, thank you very much!). It's about the USADA / Lance thing, and it's from a Congressman from Wisconson...it's HIS letter to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and it's basically asking them what's going on over there at the USADA and for them to do an investigation into how they (USADA) use their tax dollars. I LOVE IT! Hope this makes Travis Tygart's blood boil and veins pop out of his head!  Anyway, here's the link, it's worth a read:

http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=303025



Friday, July 6, 2012

And we head to the MOUNTAINS!

In this edition of TOUR TALK, we discuss the insanity of the first week AGAIN! Holy CRAP what a crash 25k from the finish today! I know Frank probably didn't have a REAL shot at a top podium spot, what w/ all the TT's this year, but I was rooting for him anyway, hoping he was sandbagging his excellent form and just waiting to jump out like a snake in the grass come the high mountains.

I was also REALLY rooting for Ryder...and I'm devastated that he is also WAY out of the hunt. DANG DANG DANG! Not to mention all the people who are HURT! And poor Cav...yesterday he looked rather shell-shocked as he sat on the road, and today AGAIN losing his shot at one of the few remaining sprint stages...that's pretty brutal. But Sagan sure took advantage of the situation...not too shabby for a 22 yr old in his FIRST Tour!

And gosh...Poor Tommy D looked like he couldn't believe it as he sat there wondering if anybody got the license plate number of the truck (that hit him). Same for Tyler...(and I agree that yesterday it APPEARED to be his own fault...from what the overhead video shows he was fighting for a spot that didn't exist when the others came over from the right...and it was the guy in white on his right side holding his position in THEIR leadout train that Tyler tried to move over (unsuccessfully I might add). From what I could see that guy didn't do anything wrong...but I wasn't there so maybe there was more than meets the eye...Tyler was sure hot after the finish when he went to their trailer!

I forgot how TIRED I get in July, as I still get up EARLY all week for my fundraising, but then need to stay up late to TRY to watch the stage every day...it's a brutal schedule I tell ya!

I'm just glad they head into the hills so these disastrous crashes can slip into the background for a while. Tomorrow is Saturday...the tour is now ONE WEEK gone by....boy it sure goes FAST ever year! It seems it just gets started and BAM! They are near Paris!

And HEY! I LOVE the zany Bobke commercials! I've seen like 5 or 6 now....seems like a new one each stage? They are AWESOME!!! (I was explaining to Jeannie why the one where he's standing on the deserted road looking both ways over and over, then goes to relieve himself and suddenly vehicles are zooming by in every direction! That's how it works (which is why it's so funny!) Tonight I saw the one where he stole the golf cart for the first time. I wonder how many they've made? I love it that they include other cyclists too! That one w/ George eating cereal STILL cracks me up every time I see it!

OK....on with the weekend! I must get to bed early so I can get up early! And also need to go for a ride BOTH DAYS! (Jeannie is studying, so it's a great opportunity for me to be NOT hanging around the house..woo-HOO!)

GAME ON!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Happy Birthday America!

Birthday wishes go out to the entire country today! Always a proud day for someone who has been in the military...and being as I spent a good part of my life in the Navy I feel pretty patriotic! My flag is up and proudly flying, and I look forward to some fireworks tongiht.

And speaking of fireworks, let's talk about Peter Sagan! Holy mackerel!  That kid (KID!) is amazing! I was wondering if the Tour of Cali wins were some kind of a fluke...like he was on a one-of-a-kind hot streak or something. That appears to NOT be the case, he is for REAL! (Glad he's on my Tour team!)


As to watching stages, sheesh....I'm TWO stages behind already, and it's only Stage FOUR! Monday I had a 14 hour work-day...then Tues was only 10, and now today the 4th of July Jeannie had me out all morning, and then I was Mt biking all afternoon...so finding time to somehow watch a FOUR HOUR stage is hard right now...especially the flat ones (3 hours and 50 minutes of SHEER BOREDOM, followed by 10 minutes of agonizing excitement!)

It's now Weds evening past 8pm, and I JUST finished watching Stage THREE! Haven't even read all the comments yet from today, cuz I'm hoping to SEE who won and be surprised! However I'll go back after I ZOOM thru the stage at most likely about 60x on the DVR and see what the discussion is all about.

Just thought we should have a new playground...be doing this every few days for the duration...hate the comments to get too long.

OK...for those who DO NOT have to work tomorrow and Friday, you SUCK! (just kidding...that's pure jealousy talking there!) I don't actually HAVE to work, but I need to save my vacation so Greg and I can go backpacking in late Aug/early Sept. And it SHOULD be somewhat quiet...I'm hoping to see tumbleweeds blowing thru the ghost-town (meaning I can get done what I NEED to do for a change..we have been SO busy lately!)

I'm off to watch today's stage! Happy Forth of July everybody!