Feb 21, 2006 0
He is from Argentina, but he gave the newest American team their first win. Draped in the stars and stripes the only feature giving away Juan Haedo as a non-US citizen would be the Flamenco-style sideburns.
Feb 20, 2006 2
Here is the official announcement as seen in Daily Peloton:
http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=8902
See if you can guess which rider is the Velochimp 
New New York Regional Team Announced
Colavita-Spokepost.com
SYRACUSE, NY — The newly formed amateur cycling team, Colavita-SpokePost.com CNY Region bike racing team, has announced it’s roster for the 2006 racing season. The team consists of riders from a variety of categories whom are based throughout the Central New York Region near Syracuse, NY.
“We would like to build a solid support structure in the Syracuse, NY area to help grow grassroots amateur cycling in a similar manner to what we’ve seen happen in the Rochester and Buffalo New York regions over the past few years. Racing is really thriving, in Rochester especially, thanks to the efforts of GVCC and people like Todd Scheske who are putting together fantastic racing programs. Essentially, I feel like we’re the beginnings of a support system for the greater Syracuse area. We hope our excitement of having our new sponsor, Colavita, can translate into a successful road and cyclocross season.”, said team member Matt Howey.
Feb 20, 2006 4
The Devil has been a cycling fixture for many years. The German cycling fan has been paying his own way to races around the world to ride next to pro cyclist at key moments. Now, Specialized is looking to give their riders a bit of good luck or protection by having their own Specialized Angel superfan.
It is not know if the fetching Angel is indeed a cycling superfan who happens to be paid by Specialized or simply a lovely model dressed in an Angel costume. Velochimp doesn’t care either way and wishes for more roadside attractions such as the Angel at cycling events.
Specialized has a writeup on the the prologue of the Tour of California that includes a few shots of Levi and the Angel.
The fabled Angel was reportedly sent from heaven to bless and protect the riders as they race across California. While many question her existence, or explain her appearances as delusions existing in the minds of dehydrated, over-exerted cyclists, the Specialized Angel is in fact real. A beautiful winged creature, she appears most often at the tops of long climbs, offering riders inspiration and a reward for making it to the top. While she seems to have a special place in her heart for cyclists on Specialized bikes and equipment, she shares her beauty and positivity with all cyclists, regardless of equipment, skills or cycling ability.
Wonder how long this will last? Will we see the Angel in the Tour de France? Will she get along with Diddy the Devil? Is that guy with the the bull horns and football helmet going to be at the Tour this year now that Lance is retired?
Better shot of the Angel: Flickr
General ToC pics from Flickr: Flickr Photos Tagged with Tourofcalifornia
Feb 20, 2006 0
The rise in gas prices and the fattening of many waistlines have lead to increased bike sales througout the US. A certain Mr. Armstrong may have helped spur along the visibility of the bike too.
Now, where do you park your bike? The Cool Hunter shows a very modern designed bike rack that also sends a message. Shaped like a car, the Car Bike Rack can fit in any parking spot. The humorous and witty use of space is cool, but I wouldn’t want to park my bike in the street where someone will clip my back wheel.
Feb 20, 2006 3
Race websites vary in their quality. The Tour de France website has been the best so far because of their great design and real-time race updates in just about any language you like. The Tour of California’s website now trumps any other cycing race website ever created. With the backing of Adobe and Google a great website has to be the result.
Google Maps
The ToC website uses Google Maps to show the location and layout of each stage. This may be considered a lazy way of showing the stage maps since you can easily map out the courses, but it is actually very useful. In the past race websites would show a course route as a stand alone map. The result is a lone squiggly line with little to no idication of side streets. You could not get any idea of the actual neighborhoods they would traverse or the actual streets they would pass by. The Tour de France and Giro D’Italia have extensive guides that tell you when and where the race is expected to arrive with variations for speed. The ToC doesn’t get down to that level, but the Google Maps do allow you to get a very solid idea of where to go if you want to see the race.
Video
Who needs to wait for the ESPN2 coverage at 2am? I DVR’d the coverage last night and probably will not watch it tonight or tomorrow. That coverage is pretty much useless to me and I am a huge cycling geek/dork. If I was half interested in cycling I wouldn’t even bother to watch and the ToC would not even be on my radar. So how do we get video of the site at a decent time? The ToC website has a live race tracker that includes video of the race. Adobe bought Macromedia (makers of Flash and Flash Video) a while back and since they are a major race sponsor, they are showcasing Flash Video. Google, YouTube and countless other video sharing sites are using Flash Video as the default video player because of the ubiquity of the Flash plugin and ease of playing Flash video within a web page. The result is smooth video of the day’s highlights with a quicker turn around time than a major sports network. I will try to use the race tracker to follow today’s stage and will report back on what actually happens during a road stage.
Feb 20, 2006 0
Alessandro Petacchi is pumped from is 2-1 edge over World Champion Tom Boonen in the recent Rute del Sol. AleJet’s eary season form is showing that the team is gelling to his liking. Erik Zabel’s string of second place victories is showing that the once formidable sprinter just doesn’t have the extra snap needed to get the win. Therefore, the Milram totem pole is set and Petacchi is placed squarely at the top meaning that for the big races, he will have the team’s full support.
The early success has prompted Petacchi to plan big for 2006.
After the early success I am convinced that I should race the Giro, Tour and Vuelta with the goal of winning at least one stage in each race. –Petacchi
The first victories in February at Donoratico and in the two stages of the Ruta del Sol inf ront of the Rainbow clad Boonen confirms to me that my form is good. In Milan San Remo Erik Zabel will be ready to help me repeat the success of last year. The Tour of Flanders and Gent Wevelgem are my main objectives for April. Then of course in May I will try for a victory in the Corsa Rosa.
The Giro is not easy with a very difficult parcours. This is the same case for the Tour and Vuelta. To repeat what I did in 2003 when I won stages in all three Grand Tours will be a great challenge for me yet again.
Feb 19, 2006 0
I could also title this entry as No Respect I Tell Ya.
The Tour of California TV coverage….what can I say…no respect.
Tonight as the images of Levi Leipheimer storming up to Coit Tower make their way onto TVs of insomiancs everywhere, I will be tucked into my bed snoozing away as my DVR hums along recording the action. As I write this report ESPN2 is showing some Poker tournament. It probably gets better ratings than the Tour of California would get in the same time slot…I woud think.
I am still surprised that folks watch poker being played on TV and so many channels have glommed on to the wave of popularity. With the oversaturation of Poker on just about every channel I would expect that the popularity of the showings to be waining. Apparently, that isn’t the case, who would have thunk it?
I would totally understand if ESPN2 was showing College Basketball. I actually love College BB, but not so much this year as my Syracuse Orange is a bit sour.
Read the rest of this entry »
Feb 19, 2006 0
Looks like Levi Leipheimer has been training to win the first edition of the Tour of California. Levi stormed up to Coit Tower using his big chainring just about the entire way until 500 meters to go. Leipheimer’s final time of 4:53 was 5 seconds better than second place Bobby Julich. That would be a significant margin for a one week stage race, especially as Leipheimer seems to be in great form. Leipheimer may have found the key to winning since his tough victory in the Tour of Germany in August where he beat an in-form Jan Ullrich on home soil.
The most impressive aspect of the prologue has to be the top five finish of American riders. Each of them may be able to take the win. The first foreign rider is Fabian Cancellara who is a prologue specialist. It could be forgiven that Fabian did not take the win in a race in February. After all everybody is shaking out the legs in what is for some the first race of the season. But this is the Tour of California, the first edition which is more special especially with so many American contenders looking to be the first winner.
Leipheimer has made his intention known that he would like to be the first winner, but it looks like he may have a tough time keeping the lead with Phonak, Discovery Channel and CSC breathing down his neck. The top ten has four Discovery Channel and three CSC riders in the mix.
Discovery Channel look well placed to cause havoc in the next two road stages with so many riders in striking distance of the lead. CSC may be looking for an opportunity to switch to team-time-trial mode with riders such as Cancellara, Julich and Zabriske in the mix. Tuesday’s second stage may be upset be either of these teams looking to shake up the Gerolsteiner lead.
The buzz around the start line is already focusing around stage 2, from Martinez to San Jose, and its finishing category-1 climb up Sierra Road. Riders who have reconnoitered the route report on its steepness, but question how it may affect the general classification, given its summit almost 20 miles from the finish. — Velonews
I would expect either Discovery or CSC to try an shake up the peoloton in this stage especially if there are any major cross winds or funky weather. Riis and Bruyneel have been know to catch the peloton sleeping in these types of stages, so it may actually affect the overall placing more than expected. The only caveat to this strategy would be the impending individual time trial on stage 3.
Feb 18, 2006 0
Sorry, this title had to be used at some point. The Tour of California starts Sunday with a prologue Time Trial in San Francisco that sweeps along the Embarcadero and finishes at the famous Coit Tower. The first edition of the hopefully long running Tour of California will kick off with plenty of American riders willing to take the first win.
Velonews has a bit of history about the Tour of California along with news that Amgen will sponsor the race for 5 years.
CSC has lots to gain from this race since the title sponsor CSC is based in El Segundo, Cailfornia. David Zabriske is one of the CSC men who is most “on form” at the moment. He beat Ivan Basso up the Mont Serra climb in Italy a few weeks ago. That climb wasn’t simply a ride up the mountain, but a CSC free-for-all where each rider tested their fitness. Ivan Basso actually bettered his time from last year. The surprise came from David Zabriske who beat his team captain. Zabriske’s form is sharp ealry this year presumably to have a strong showing in California.
Feb 16, 2006 2
Tom Boonen got on the board in the Petacchi V Boonen supersprinters duel. The fifth and final stage of the Ruta Del Sol showed that Boonen took the win ahead of Petacchi. No foto finish was necessary as the win was taken by 1/2 wheel. Final vicotry went to Spaniard Carlos Garcia Quesada (Unibet.com).
The two sprinters will face off next at Milan San Remo. Boonen will head north to race in Het Volk and Kuurne Brussellls Kuurne while Petacchi will stay in Spain racing in the Vuelta Valenciana before heading back to Italy for the leadup to MSR.
