Tough choices for GC contenders: Which race is winnable?

Are the GC Contenders finally getting it?  For years I have wondered why certain riders continue to chase the dream of winning the Tour, instead of focusing on winning the Giro or the Vuelta.  I know the Tour is THE RACE for almost every young cyclist in the world, but that also makes it an unrealistic goal for 99%  of them.  

The Vuelta in particular looks to be the race that is the most wide open.  So should riders like Wiggo, 

Nabali, Leipheimer, or Horner make this race their primary goal for 2012?  Sounds like Igor Anton has already made this decision. Don't forget everyone's favorite Op Puerto character, Valpitti, is also back in 2012.  

What about the Giro?  It can be argued this is the toughest course year in, year out, but the TDF contenders often skip this race. So this race could be won by some of those that are consistently in the top 5 of the TDF.  Van den Broeck, Gesink, and Vande Velde.  Sounds like Ivan Basso has finally decided to give up his TDF dream and is looking to win his 3rd Giro. 

In the end, it has to be a mix of chasing a dream and being realistic.  Some riders are rewarded with their persistence, take Cadel for example, and others never quite get there, like Poulidor.  So what about Andy Schleck?  Should he take a closer look at these 3 races and figure out which one he is most suited for?  After seeing the TDF route and the amount of TT kilometers, he will be very lucky to get SCHLECKnd (we make this tee so we are pulling for him on this one!) or even SCHLird this year.  I think for many fans of these riders, a pink or red jersey on the wall is better than a yellow one in a dream.  

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Fixing the Vuelta

It's that time of year again - the 3rd biggest stage race in Pro Cycling!  Can't wait to see FRANDY Schleck, Evans, Basso and others battle it out in ..... Colorado?! Who is racing the "traditional" 3rd biggest Grand Tour?  Nabali is there and others GC guys like Menchov and Sastre.  Sold yet? Cav and Boonen are there, but that only draws attention to the flat stages.

The biggest problem plaguing the Vuelta this year is the USA Pro Challenge with it's stacked start list of TDF level talent.  So we thought we would do our part to help the Vuelta get back some ratings:

•  Webcam of Contador watching the Vuelta on TV from a bunglo in Fiji.  As he does things like send a text message or drink a fruity umbrella beverage it would be considerably more exciting than watching Carlos Sastre go all out on a climb.  He might give the camera the occasional Pistolero or go swim with some dolphins to spice it up "Muie quinte!"

• Due to the location and time of year, snow can't be a factor in creating must watch TV. So leverage something this country already has down - the running of the bulls.  Let the bulls lose from a side alley as the peloton has 5k to go in a sprint stage.  GC guys will be mixing it up with Cav to avoid  El Toro! The wearer of the Leaders RED jersey will drop some serious watts to save himself.
• Let Rock Racing Team 2 in with a last minute "special invitation". Skull kits, Lambos, and strippers will lift ratings and add to the road side party! You would hear comments like this:  "I just caught a bag of Haribo candy from the caravan!" "Who cares, I just got a lapper from that Rock Racing chick, Saphire!!!"
• Carlos Sastre & Denis Menchov should be required to ride handcuffed together.  Apart these two are liking watching old men play chess in the park...chained together, they are way more interesting.

• Hire Joe Rogan to host Feed Zone Fear Factor for fun like this: Announcers in the booth,"A Crash near the feed zone, wonder what caused it?" Joe Rogan, "Looks like  Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga got a scorpion and a bull dong in his feed bag."

While we don't love the Spanish Cycling Federation, Spain is a cool country.  We also respect the history of the race, and hope it moves on the calendar or does something to lure the top talent back.

* We'd like to state one more time that we wish Levi would go back and ride the Vuelta and win the damn thing!  He has finished 2nd and 3rd and could stand on the top step if he made this his focus for the season.  Like it or not, the Vuelta has more history in the sport than ATOC and winning it would make his career.




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Stage 8 of the TDF: Provoking thoughts about Vino, Basso, and cycling fans

So I awoke from my codeine cough syrup fog (I have bronchitis, I'm not using it in a Lil' Wayne fashion) to see the final 10k of today's TDF stage.  When I tuned in, Twitter was a buzz with Vino hate! Stuff like "I hope that Doper Vino doesn't win", etc..

I have to say I have been on two stages of the TDF that he won with his balls out style and I dig the way the guy races his bike.  I was on 2003 Stage 9 into Gap and 2005 stage 11 into Briancon and they were both awesome to watch.  As I have stated in the past, I do give these "sporting school" kids of the eastern block a bit of a doping pass.  If you were getting the needle since age 10, it would tend to throw off your moral compass.  I'm not sure when or how they were supposed to realize it is wrong.  There past was full of coaches, teachers, and mentors telling them it was part of the sport.

Vino got busted, served his time and now is free to race and win if he can.  I see WAY MORE negative social media going on around Vino winning a one day race or attacking on stage, than I do around Basso winning the Giro.  This has led me to ask the question, "does it really just come down to who we like?"

Basso won the 06 Giro in "ET" fashion by 9 minutes. He then got caught up in Operation Puerto, caused his dog quite the identity crisis, had his "Clintonian" style admission/non-admisson. Then re-enters the peloton, and goes on to win the Giro in 2010 and it is seen as a "come back" story?  So what gives?  Is it really because he a good looking Italian fellow that makes really bad Sidi commercials for Eurosport and could not double as a Bond villain? Umm...Yeah pretty much!

This Tweet from @podiumchic really got me thinking about the lense we view the sport through: "I do think #Thor is as clean as any, but NO1 has even wondered about him keeping Yellow this long?Just saying our "like" keeps us from ?ing"

Can anyone but Thor know if he is clean?  No not really.   We can believe, hope and think but we don't ever really know.  You can't prove anyone is clean.  It doesn't take many degrees of separation with anyone in the peloton to tie them to a doping team, teammate, director, coach, doctor or training buddy.  I even had someone send me a nastygram about my pick for this year's TDF, Cadel Evans, based on the BMC low level associate being caught with doping product prior to the TDF.  You name them and they have been, or can be linked - Levi, Horner, Fabian, Christian, George, the Schlecks, DZ, Cunego, Cadel, and even Jens.

I have come to this conclusion: It really comes down to belief that those you root for are clean and those you don't like are doing everything dirty to win.  Just filter for a second before you Tweet/FB about their "doping ways". Your guys can have the same thing thrown at them.  These riders are turning themselves inside out, giving their best, and risking their lives.  If they are in the race, they have as much right to win as the next guy.  Yes, although it pains me to say it, even Contador! If and when they get busted...then fire away.  As far as generally making fun of their kits, things they say, riding style etc..GO FOR IT!


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Cadel Evans has a SPLEEN OF FURY!

Have to admit, for many years I was not a fan of Cadel Evans.  It was really several things that led me in that direction.  It was his lack of desire to attack and his following of wheels that drove me nuts.  He would ride and hang on, but never put his nose out in the wind. I remember dropping this comment during a group ride which almost resulted in Nuun water coming out the nose of a fellow rider, "Cadel doesn't really ride a Ridley, he rides a Hoover; all he does is suck wheels" This in addition to the tears when he pulled on the yellow jersey (mid race, not in Paris...man card deduction even if it was Paris, but at least you won the entire race).

Plus you had some media moments like this one:

I just thought he was a 2nd place holding jerk. Fast forward to Worlds 2009....Holy shit he owned that race!  I was stunned he attacked and even more stunned that he stayed away.  Cadel then went on to honor the Worlds jersey in a way no one has in years.  Some say that one race did not change him as a rider, I disagree.  He was no longer scared to take a risk and lose the podium.  2nd place was no longer a pleasing position to him; he wanted the top step. He has quickly become one of my favorite riders to watch.  No Andy Schleck here, this guy has a Spleen of Fury that does not go away in 24 hours. Now, he will cut your head off if you try to take his yellow jersey!

Cadel has paid his dues, had injuries (multiple c-bones in one season), worn and lost the jersey, had horrible mechanicals (Vuelta 2009). He has been bested by a few Spanish doper types at Grand Tours and I think he has a score to settle.  He is not only due, he has set his whole year up to peak at the Tour.  If Contador comes to the race with only 5 bullets in his Pistol then I think we could see Cadel hang close enough to pass Conta, Basso, and Schleck in the final TT.  He is my pick for the win in July.*

*or August/September if Conta wins and gets it taken away in court

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The curious case of Andy Schleck

Let me start off by saying that I will be rooting for Leopard Trek to have some glory at the Tour this year.  I could not have been more impressed with the way the team handled the death of a teammate.  They are a class act, and I hope they keep Wouter Weylandt in the front of everyone's mind.

HUGS make "Angry" Tummies all better

That being said, let's talk about the Tour:

I have to ask the the question, can Andy Schleck win the Tour de France?  Can he beat the likes of Contador/Riis, Evans, Basso and the rest?

After watching races all year, all I can wonder is....WTF is up with Andy Schleck and his form/racing tactics/media comments?  I can understand some of the events of the year like racing ATOC with a heavy heart.  But as I am looking at the entire season, you have odd moments all around with the "Schleck Bros towing service" of Phillipe Gilbert at Amstel Gold.  Most recently, getting dropped at the Tour de Suisse and then being pleased with a 2nd place to Thomas De Gent the next day. Andy, you lost the stage to Thomas De Gent, not the ghost of Fausto Coppi, why are you happy with that showing?  Do you expect to see De Gent on the big climbs next month?

I think some good points are made in the recent VeloNation article: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/8779/No-panic-for-Andy-Schleck-despite-poor-Tour-de-Suisse-performance.aspx  but, I think one point is missed.  Last year his results were similar prior to Le Tour, but he had Bjarne Riis in the Team car.  I know many wondered what Riis was really up to last year with Schleck vs Conta etc.. but you can't deny Riis knows how to win (by rook or by crook) and wanted the TDF for his resume.

I'm not sure who is in Andy's ear piece this year. From watching the races, I would assume it's a combo of Forrest Gump, Alan from the Hangover and Michael Scott.

Heard over race radio during Amstel Gold "Don't attack him, he is a nice Walloone!"

There are athletes that are "killers", they just have that IT quality and they know how to seize the moment. Cyclists like Merckx, Hinault, Lance and Conta have it.  In other sports you have Tom Brady, MJ, Kobe etc..

You also have the "Never gonna get it" club: Lebron James, Karl Malone, the Buffalo Bills, etc.  This has nothing to do with how good a person they are, or what they do out of their sport, they just CAN'T win the big one.  Last year for about 17 hours, I thought Schleck was the MAN and had found IT!  He was so pissed he had his "Stomach full of anger" and wanted his revenge.  Apparently he took a Pepto flavored GU because by the time he crossed the line his tummy was all better. He got played (and he didn't really care) on the Tourmalet. So I just can't picture him owning his moment in 2011, if and when it presents itself.  He has even said this Tour isn't about revenge and he is looking past last year. Funny,  the GREATS wouldn't be looking past it; they would be thinking about it 24/7 until they WON!

The other challenge for Andy Schleck in the 2011 Tour is his bro Frank Schleck. Last year some felt not having Frank was a disadvantage later in the race.  I disagree.  Every time I see them race together they are looking for each other and waiting up for each other. This could work out if they had the tactical ability of even Donald Rumsfeld but we know they can't take advantage even when it's 2 on 1.

I will bet on Conta, Evans, Basso, Gesink and Van den Broeck but not on the very likeable, kind, nice (but soft) Schleck brothers.  They could totally be bluffing Edward Norton style and if they come on strong and show no mercy, then I will be the 1st to admit I was wrong:

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