Well I guess I shouldn't have opened my mouth because stage 2 of the ToM was just like stage 3 of this year’s Tour de Georgia with a small breakaway that had most team’s represented got so much time that the twelve riders in the break are now the GC contenders for the race.
So with a break that included George Hincapie, David Canada, Frank Pipp, William Frischkorn, and several others went the distance and Big George covered all the attacks in the final circuits to take the stage and in doing so the yellow jersey.
Notably absent form the break was Toyota-United and given the huge time gaps it looks like they will be fighting for stage wins only from this point on.
None of the domestic teams seemed to want to pull the break back but are content to try and take the yellow jersey from the select group that lead today’s stage. Personally, my money is on Disco taking George all the way home and winning all the big stage races of the US this year. I think the domestic squads made a mistake by letting the field get so narrow.
General classification after stage 2
1 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Professional Cycling 7.40.50
2 Dominique Rollin (Can) KodakGallery Pro Cycling p/b Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 0.04
3 Frank Pipp (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 0.07
4 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0.10
5 Stefan Parinussa (Ger) Team Sparkasse 0.11
6 Andrew Guptill (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 0.13
7 Michael Friedman (USA) Team Slipstream Powered By Chipotle
8 David Canada (Spa) Prodir-Saunier Duval
9 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
10 Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 0.52
11 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Slipstream Powered By Chipotle
12 Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Racing Team 2.30
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Well its tour time –Tour of Missouri that is
The inaugural addition kicked off yesterday, so let’s hope that it is a little more Tour of California than Tour of Georgia. Don’t get me wrong there was excitement at the Tour of Georgia, but letting a breakaway get 30 minutes ahead and not pulling them back is kind of ridiculous. I understand if there is a crash, bad weather, or a protest by a French trade union holds up the peloton, but seriously the whole “I’m not gonna chase ‘em, you chase ‘em” thing was a little ridiculous.
Anyway, enough of that.
Yesterday’s first stage saw Discovery help pull back a 4-man break in the finishing circuits but the sprint finish went to Toyota-United’s Ivan Dominguez over Zach bell and Kyle Wamsley. The US pro teams should have some good motivation to really push it with Discovery winning both of the other big stage races in the US this year. Let’s hope that Disco aren’t just coasting through their finale as a team.
General classification
1 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 3.05.27
2 Zach Bell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0.04
3 Kyle Wamsley (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0.06
4 Luciano Pagliarini (Bra) Prodir-Saunier Duval 0.07
5 James Meadley (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
6 Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 0.08
7 Philipp Mamos (Ger) Team Sparkasse
8 Charles Huff (USA) Team Slipstream Powered By Chipotle 0.09
9 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
10 Danilo Wyss (Swi) Prodir-Saunier Duval 0.10
Anyway, enough of that.
Yesterday’s first stage saw Discovery help pull back a 4-man break in the finishing circuits but the sprint finish went to Toyota-United’s Ivan Dominguez over Zach bell and Kyle Wamsley. The US pro teams should have some good motivation to really push it with Discovery winning both of the other big stage races in the US this year. Let’s hope that Disco aren’t just coasting through their finale as a team.
General classification
1 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 3.05.27
2 Zach Bell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0.04
3 Kyle Wamsley (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0.06
4 Luciano Pagliarini (Bra) Prodir-Saunier Duval 0.07
5 James Meadley (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
6 Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 0.08
7 Philipp Mamos (Ger) Team Sparkasse
8 Charles Huff (USA) Team Slipstream Powered By Chipotle 0.09
9 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
10 Danilo Wyss (Swi) Prodir-Saunier Duval 0.10
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Last week on the bike
I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. on the one hand it isn't too hot and not too cold yet (though it has been a might chilly in the AM) so it is good biking weather. On the other hand it is fall allergy season and this one is a doozy.
This leaves me with a tough decision. stay home and avoid allergies somewhat or go out and the combination of riding and the ever present wind kick my allergies into overdrive. I have been trying to strike a balance somewhat and take days off when my allergies get really bad or the wind has really stirred things up.
Last week I got out on mon and tuesday for just short rides do to the allergies and avoided riding all together on Wed and Thu because they were so bad. Friday I toughed it out and checked out the newly paved "diagonal trail" in MPLS. IT is a short connection route that parallels New Brighton Blvd from Stinson and dumps you out on Walnut with a short ride into Roseville business district.
Sunday was the big day because Liane & I rode the St. Paul Classic. This was my third year and we rode the 30 mile loop for the 2nd time (last year we cut it short due to the rain). As always it is a mix of fun and irritation.
Fun because it is a 30 mile ride with virtually no traffic to even think about and you are surrounded by thousands of of cyclists.
Irritation because many of these cyclists seem to only get out on their bikes for this one ride (seriously about a dozen people I passed had the little sticker you attach to your handlebars from last year still on their bikes) and thus do not have great bike etiquette (or any bike etiquette). lots of people riding all the way to the left or 4 abreast at 10 mph, kids weaving along, etc.
Still in the end it is great to see so many on their bikes and the route is great with a couple of nice hills and lots of flat.
I had a little unwanted excitement about 20 miles in however.
All of the sudden my front wheel skipped and kicked to the right and down I went in a heap. Next thing I knew I was on the ground under my bike with a big rip in my full length tights. no one ran into me however and I was able to rinse off the road rash and after a quick bike check was back on the road. I have never hit the decks while riding before so I was a little tentative for the rest of the ride but I figure after 1000 miles once slight crash isn't too bad.
Miles will probably be light until I can put arm and leg warmers over the road rash, but by next weekend I will be back up to normal.
Weekly Total - 54
Season Total - 1258
This leaves me with a tough decision. stay home and avoid allergies somewhat or go out and the combination of riding and the ever present wind kick my allergies into overdrive. I have been trying to strike a balance somewhat and take days off when my allergies get really bad or the wind has really stirred things up.
Last week I got out on mon and tuesday for just short rides do to the allergies and avoided riding all together on Wed and Thu because they were so bad. Friday I toughed it out and checked out the newly paved "diagonal trail" in MPLS. IT is a short connection route that parallels New Brighton Blvd from Stinson and dumps you out on Walnut with a short ride into Roseville business district.
Sunday was the big day because Liane & I rode the St. Paul Classic. This was my third year and we rode the 30 mile loop for the 2nd time (last year we cut it short due to the rain). As always it is a mix of fun and irritation.
Fun because it is a 30 mile ride with virtually no traffic to even think about and you are surrounded by thousands of of cyclists.
Irritation because many of these cyclists seem to only get out on their bikes for this one ride (seriously about a dozen people I passed had the little sticker you attach to your handlebars from last year still on their bikes) and thus do not have great bike etiquette (or any bike etiquette). lots of people riding all the way to the left or 4 abreast at 10 mph, kids weaving along, etc.
Still in the end it is great to see so many on their bikes and the route is great with a couple of nice hills and lots of flat.
I had a little unwanted excitement about 20 miles in however.
All of the sudden my front wheel skipped and kicked to the right and down I went in a heap. Next thing I knew I was on the ground under my bike with a big rip in my full length tights. no one ran into me however and I was able to rinse off the road rash and after a quick bike check was back on the road. I have never hit the decks while riding before so I was a little tentative for the rest of the ride but I figure after 1000 miles once slight crash isn't too bad.
Miles will probably be light until I can put arm and leg warmers over the road rash, but by next weekend I will be back up to normal.
Weekly Total - 54
Season Total - 1258
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
cyclist struck from behind by bus
The star tribune had this little blip today about a cyclist getting hit by Metro Transit bus.
Luckily they were not killed but it doesn't say how badly injured they were.
they did say however that:
nice.
even if they didn't have lights how do you hit someone from behind?
Luckily they were not killed but it doesn't say how badly injured they were.
they did say however that:
The bicyclist was riding when he was struck from behind by the bus.
nice.
even if they didn't have lights how do you hit someone from behind?
Monday, September 03, 2007
Last week on the bike - late edition
a little late here; this time not due to laziness, but out-of-towness.
went up to the in-law's cabin in Ely Thursday through Sunday and got in a couple of good rides up there.
Friday Liane & I rode out of Ely and around Shagawa Lake for a nice 15 mile loop with a few rollers in the mix.
Saturday we did an out and back from Ely to Babbitt that was about 31 miles and fairly rolling as well. Perhaps the worst part about it though was the headwind out that was just hard enough that you couldn't really coast down the hills once you climbed them. on the plus side however the way back was a breeze and we rode the route 15 minutes faster for a grand total of almost exactly 2 hours.
otherwise I only got in a short ride up the cemetery hill route at home earlier in the week due to school beginning and other commitments.
I'll be hitting 1000 miles on my road bike alone this week and it looks like I should have no problem hitting 1500 for the year.
week total - 52
Season total - 1204
went up to the in-law's cabin in Ely Thursday through Sunday and got in a couple of good rides up there.
Friday Liane & I rode out of Ely and around Shagawa Lake for a nice 15 mile loop with a few rollers in the mix.
Saturday we did an out and back from Ely to Babbitt that was about 31 miles and fairly rolling as well. Perhaps the worst part about it though was the headwind out that was just hard enough that you couldn't really coast down the hills once you climbed them. on the plus side however the way back was a breeze and we rode the route 15 minutes faster for a grand total of almost exactly 2 hours.
otherwise I only got in a short ride up the cemetery hill route at home earlier in the week due to school beginning and other commitments.
I'll be hitting 1000 miles on my road bike alone this week and it looks like I should have no problem hitting 1500 for the year.
week total - 52
Season total - 1204
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