I am moving my posts back to http://tourdecouch.blogspot.com/ posterous is too restrictive if you don't have the right gear.
Au bientot
"You better not take off on me like you did last time Caz." Bron said "What?" Caz asked, feeling affronted. "Well, you're SO competitive." "Am not. YOU are." My two best friends then agreed to finish together, no matter what. As they rode past the Falun Gong demonstrators - the first major bend - Bron took off and soon disappeared. "FINE!" Caz yelled after her. For 20 successful years, the Tour de Femme (TDF) has attracted the competitive rider - the elite and the not so - and the eager participant looking for fun. It's a day where the roads around Lake Burley Griffin are briefly conquered by around 600 bicycles. The likes of Oenone Wood, Alison Wright, Kim Palmer, and Tracey Gaudry have their names etched in the honour roll. Even at the height of her international success, if she could, Oenone would take part in the TDF. (That's one of the reasons why she's one of Tourdecouch's favourite all-time riders). That's what's great about it: if you're just looking to have a giggle and finish, you still feel special because you know you're riding in the same race - effectively - as Australian cycling royalty. This year, Kirsty Broun - Australian crit champion and who's had a pretty good year competing here and overseas - pipped Chloe Hosking and Jessie McLean. They covered the relatively pancake 20km parcours in 30:28. But back to my trash talking besties. How did they fare? Bron was a winner. She's pretty fit, but only got back on the bike a few weeks before this year's TDF after I don't know how long. She razored 15 minutes off her 2007 time and came 261st out of 596. She felt good, was in a zone and loved every minute of it. And Caz was a winner too. Despite her DNA, she did enjoy NOT taking things so seriously. I remember what happened the last time. They both took off on me. However, Caz didn't even start with us. She saw a friend she used to bunch ride with who happened to be clad in retro cycling gear. Caz gave Bronnie and I the once over with our clunky bikes and our daggy non-kit then quietly moved off on her light tri roadie to find a better place to start in the bunch with her friend. We were clearly holding her back. She said later about this year's TDF "I was even slower than the year my chain came off and got stuck in the derailleur. I was even slower than the obese lady on a circus bike - she kicked my arse, and her bike went squeak, squeak, squeak - I'll always remember that squeak - under the pressure as she rode past me on the final sprint. I really need to start exercising again...so much pain." But she too loved every minute of it.
Bruyneel still wonders how the American tested positive that year
"I don't know what went wrong for him...with us at US Postal, there was never a problem at the doping controls."
(RIDE Magazine, #46, p.45)
What does he mean exactly?
The article goes on to say:
....in the past decade, Bruyneel's riders have only made the headlines...after leaving his team...Landis, Tyler Hamilton, Heras, Beltran...
So Miranda Devine decided to join in the noisy din of what Cycling Central rightfully labels man bites dog.
I agree - well sort of - with her on just one point - some governments put down paint on existing roads and think this is adequate rather than building real infrastructure for cyclists. In the ACT, this is a big hobby horse of the NRMA who said something eerily similar about it just being paint on the road. The NRMA argue there is insufficient space between cyclists and drivers where these lanes have been introduced.
But while there isn't much room, the bike lanes across the ACT aren't insignificant (in size). They are also clearly signposted and marked. Surely as a driver you know these lanes are there and would expect cyclists to be in them somewhere along the road and therefore, are just that little bit more careful. It's not like we see a high incidence of cars driving along the very side of the road when these lanes aren't there on the road. Of course, the NRMA means a swerve etc..but you get my drift.
But Miranda is arguing that cyclists shouldn't expect to share the road at all. She tries to give the impression that preventing cyclist deaths is one of her major concerns and therefore why she's writing what she's writing. (ignoring the fact that drivers die on the roads too..in cars).
But despite what she says, I'm yet to see a decent argument from a non-cyclist about why cyclists can't expect to share the roads.
The fact that cyclists don't pay registration (and/or aren't required to be licenced) for their bicycle is not that decent argument. And you can bet this old chestnut was brought out and roasted over and over on comments' pages everywhere this week. As cyclists, we know the arguments against this cliche: registration doesn't totally cover the up-keep and building of new roads...we pay registration if we have a car too..the benefits to the environment, health and therefore the economy..footpaths are built for non registered walkers.....yadda yadda.
But what if we did pay significant registration would: a) governments build us better infrastructure b) non-cyclist drivers shut the hell up? Because seriously, if that happened - bring it on!
Otherwise, it remains a stupid argument. Why pay if we won't get what cars do? Which at the very least is respect.
But as an income tax payer, rate payer, car registration payer, fuel tax payer and land tax payer, I'm already being ripped off - I'm getting a shitty deal as a cyclist.
I miss my bike. I miss my couch. I miss my flat. I miss Canberra.
For various reasons,we haven't fully moved our stuff. Until then,I probably won't feel more at home in this temporary rental property I jokingly call Disney Dad Bachelor Pad.
And for a couple of weeks too we didn't have a set top box so I missed One's broadcast of the first highbrow moment.
Cadel. Cadel. Cadel. Of course I stayed up late for the tweets and later read all the reports but until I saw the last ten minutes on YouTube and him driving it those closing kilometres,I didn't comprehend just how awesome it was. I don't think I've seen a sweeter ride,well,at least not that I can remember right now in my patriotic haze. It was perfect execution by the team: Rogers in a breakaway, Gerrans (10th himself) there til almost the end,Stuey bringing Cadel back to the front. It was also good to know Gilbert helped him stop Fabian-sucked in,take that,that was for your throw the rattle out of pram moment at the TDF.
Cadel is highbrow for other reasons too. E.g. for the podium at the Vuelta. After seemingly twhingeing for days,I didn't think he'd pull himself together as he hasn't much in the past when he's in a huff. But he did! Then he paid back Gilbert by riding for him at Lombardia. Looks like he and Silence are learning a lot about a)winning b) teamwork.
More highbrow:
TDF Organisers: For the 2010 route.Firstly,thank goodness there's no TTT. I like TTT but did not like what it did to 09's TDF. Secondly, COBBLES!! Lastly, lots of Tourmalet.
Cyclingtips blog for the two posts on the Magda situation. Balanced. Also,for personal insight into the HST and the Rapha team. Now THAT's bringing the racing to us fans.
CyclingCentral: honourable mention for Magda piece. Talked too about what will bring real change.
The Low-brow
Magda-for taking the Spearman Experiment gig. Otherwise she wouldn't have been pimping herself on GNW as directed by the Ten publicity department and participating in a scripted topic for improv-the cycling rant. It was quite obviously a joke and I didn't feel incited against like some would've by Alan Jones around the time of the Cronulla riots,nor do I think people will open their car doors on me in the name of Magda,but it doesn't matter.
She was wrong and offended people; those who can't ride anymore because of mirror attitudes out there and those who are afraid they won't be able to ride anymore. She was wrong,let's not get all 'we're soooo PC these days' and say it wasn't as bad as black face.
Cycling Twitter lynch mobs: a)your reactions dont make me feel safer on the bike b)Did Dennis Ferguson move into the neighbourhood?
Maybe cyclists hear such things in places like T-Mobile booze cruises. Kohl is the next low brow. Not just for his insight into life with Vino (what? boys out together drink lots? No?!), but for his insight into cycling generally. Apparently, cycling is (insert Elmer Fudd voice) very very hard. In the cold,AND in the heat. Oh yeah, and he also revealed that domestiques are important for GC TDF riders. Hold the phone!
Acronyms-dopers are still the winners when UCI and AFLD publicly embarass themselves. Extra mention for the whole 'there are more TDF08 dopers...hang on,no there's not,but isnt a coincidence we scheduled this con-ference around the launch of the TDF2010 route' thing AFLD had going on.
Cluedo-esque behaviour of Le Monde et al- it was Lance,in the hotel room,with the syringe full of Michelob Ultra.
New doping product on market,same shit different name.
