Captain Americas

George Hincapie looks good in Stars and Stripes, or not, but he got pipped on the line by Matthew Busche of RadioShack. Busche just came off a Tour of California ride that put his teammates on the top 2 steps of the podium. He's young (only 26) and from Wisconsin AND he got 3rd in the Time Trial two days before. You may not know him know, but someday you will....when I get my picture taken with him.
Now, Dave "crazy legs" Zabriskie, everybody knows him and he's back as Cap't America...for the SIXTH TIME. He's a crazy maniac. Emphasis on the crazy.
-Star

Oy, Oy, Oy.....

I know everyone has been missing cycling, so here's comments from the opening stage race of the season, the Tour Down Under. How awesome of a sports vacation would that be, sisters? The Aussie Open & the Tour Down Under...one word - drunk!
Anyhoo, back to the race. Astana made a rookie move, they didn't bring radios to the race. So when the team leader (and defending champion) was on the wrong side of a break and didn't know it, the rest of the team was in the front and didn't know the leader didn't make the break. What? Did Johan and Lance take the "How Not to Lose a Bike Race" manual with them when they left? This is not a good sign for Alberto and the Tour de France.
Big George was looking good as Cap't America...he needs a cape.
The RadioShack kits, you can pick them out of a peloton, oh wait if Lance is racing, the camera's always on him....that's how you can pick out the Shackies.
In Europe there are guys in speedos on the side of the race, in the US it's guys with the flag as a cape....in Australia, this. I like it, just don't piss it off.
And Andre Greipel (Columbus) won the first 2 stages and is the race leader. If you were curious.
-star

Crashtastic....

that's about the best way to describe Stage 4 of the Vuelta. Take a look at the last crash, and probably one of the largest I've seen, there was many more before that. One rider ran into the back of a tanker that was parked on the side of the road....it had to hurt.
Chris Horner is out with a broken wrist :( I say he calls it a season, I think he needs a hug.
David Millar is really funny. And so is Ryder.

Hot of the wire: Big George has signed with BMC...wtf? Team BMC signed a couple big international names. I guess they're hoping for some invites to the Grand Tours. What I find interesting is Marcus Burghardt flew from Columbia to BMC, as well...Big George and Marcus were Mark Cavendish's final 2 leadout men all season. Last year it was Gerald Ciolek and he didn't stick around. I'm pretty sure that's a trend, but is it because of Cav or Columbia management?

Cycling...it was a good weekend!

For those not keeping track at home it was a good cycling weekend. In the first 2 stages of the Vuelta we had some good-looking winners. The fabulous Fabian Cancellara won stage 1 and Mr Adorable (and yes he does have cow spots on his jersey) was an upset winner of the stage 2 sprint.
In the US Championship we had Dave Zabriskie 4-peat as the champion of the time trial. He is Captain America of the time trial and put all others to shame, the second place was +40 sec back.
And the big, sexy George Hincapie is back as the champion of the road race. He looks great in a cape!!

Stage 8 - yawn another breakaway...

OK - so I didn't watch much of the stage - just the last 20K. Sounds like it was super fast, but there were no big shakeups in the GC. The big boys dropped the yellow jersey early on, but he clawed his skinny Italian butt back into it.
Lil called me out on the #6 of the drinking game, roughly translating Fabian's rant as "...help, you lazy bastards. If not, I'll ride over on the other side of the road..." Since it was only 9:35am, and we were just getting back from the Farmers Market (yea, sweet corn!), I passed on the pounding of a drink and downed the raspberry iced tea...
Tomorrow, two of the monsters of the Pyrennes in Col d'Aspin and the Tourmalet, with fast downhill/flat finish. Will the attacks fly and will we see a big shake up? Lil, if you watched more closely, please fill in the details!! -boo

OMG almost forgot... Thor is in Green!!! Cav had a few troubles getting over the mountains and arrived in the autobus as the God of Thunder was pulling on the jersey!!! he, he, he. I wish I could have translated what he said to Bernhard Eisel as he crossed 23 min back.

Happy to help boo.

A break got away, and stayed away for the win. Going up the third & final climb of the day it looked like the yellow jersey had cracked, dropping off the lead group because of attacks by the Shlecks (unable to tell beanpoles apart, yes I realize they wear different colored jerseys, so I guess it a matter of caring). VdV in post-race interview said he though the Shlecks wanted the yellow to go to Astana & force them to defend - interesting (also excellent move by VS shooting from non-mole side, for you star). However, the yellow got back, paced by teammate Stéphane Goubert -nominated for best name in peleton!- at that point the lead group was like -whatever *eye roll* lets just finish, big day tomorrow.

Big G (le sigh, le swoon) was in the break until the end of the final climb up Col D Angés and tried to descend like a banshee to get back. But was unable-so he sat up and waited for the peleton. This is notable because it meant lots of happy eye time. FYI - he was drinking Fanta in post-race interview. Oh George, you are so awesome.

Also, Little Al was definitely not at the Astana cool kids table today. Always lurking a couple riders behind LA/Levi/Kloden. Not so happy times in the turquoise bus. Also, why the jersey zipped up the whole way Al? what are you hiding? your tiny little bird chest?

Cadel may/may not have the form, but he's certainly more aggressive this year. VdV, Millar & Wiggins finished in leaders group- good work argyle! I don't know what movie they were showing in the autobus today, but it must have been good 'cause it drew a big crowd. I like to picture the autobus as sharing snack packs of fruit chews, baby carrots & juice boxes.

Ooo nice George picture. All the other pigeon chests are jealous. And yes, I do realize I would not technically have to translate Cavendish, but he does talk kind of funny.

Love the Gorgeous George pic, I think that is the only shirtless cyclist we will have on our blog....the others would be frightening. -star

Tour de France Preview One Final Time

Tom Boonen was not going to race because of testing positive for cocaine twice in the last year. But now he's in. So we'll see tomorrow if he is at the starting gate of Stage 1. I'm looking forward to seeing the big Belgian.
But Tommeke will have to battle Mark Cavendish in all the sprint finishes. It should get interesting.
The rider I'm really, really looking forward to seeing in big George Hincapie. Yep, I'll enjoy seeing him again.
Although I'm excited to see Jens Voigt race. He is my favorite racer that reminds me of a Malmo farmer.
I'm not sure how much time and effort I want to devote to the continuing saga that is life in Astana. The latest rumour is that Alexander Vinokourov has got the Kazakh backers to bump Johan & Lance out of the organization, and make the team up of Spanish and Kazakh riders starting with Alberto and Vino. How many times does Johan have to say that the team is united for it to actually be so?
I think we should just start racing!
-Star

Giro Update (stage 9 & rest day) by star

There wasn't a race for stage 9, but there was. The riders neutralized the stage after the first circuit, but then sprinted for the win. No points or time cuts were made. A wise man once said "If you're not first, you're last", yesterday was a perfect example of that.

I'm not a cyclist and don't know how dangerous the stage was, but I'm glad the cyclist stood their ground. Race organizers keep trying to make races more and more difficult, but want the riders to race clean. I would think that any race is as hard as the riders make it. Ok stepping down from the soapbox.

Observations from week one:
-Columbia-Highroad & LPR like to win. A lot.
-Cycling is not for the faint of heart.
-I would be totally digging Columbia if George Hincapie was there. He's so cute.
-I got a lot of funny looks at work when I mentioned the Giro.
-Tommy Voeckler likes to be on TV.
-Chechu is the best looking cyclist in the peleton. Oh wait, I observed that long before this week.
-Nothing against Universal Sports, I'm happy there's coverage of cycling, but really, really, really I miss Phil & Paul. And Bobke!

Can't wait for stage 10 & 12!!!

Go Gilles!!