Julich In Arlington For The CSC Invitational

Here are the members of Team CSC who will participate in the 9th annual 2006 CSC Invitational in Arlington, Va., on Saturday:

Bobby Julich, USA; Lars Michaelsen (the 2004 winner), Denmark; Matti Breschel, Denmark; Kasper Klostergaard, Denmark; Martin Pedersen; Denmark; Luke Roberts, Australia; and Andrea Peron, Italy.

Every major men’s Pro Cycling Team in North America has confirmed participation in the 100km crit.

The Shame of WADA

Do you get the impression that the World Anti-Doping Agency, the French and Europeans in general just don't want to believe that Our Boy Lance could win their precious Tour de France (OK, so it's OUR precious, too) seven times in row without cheating?

Maybe that's because since Bernard Hinault, a Frenchman hasn't been able to win the race whether he cheated or not?

Give Samuel Abt's excellent story in the New York Times a read and form your own impression of the sour grapes that continue to emerge from the WADA people and others who refuse to believe that OBL didn't dope in 1999.

"It's clearly everything we feared," WADA president Dick Pound said of a report by a Dutch investigator appointed by the International Cycling Union that appears to clear OBL of doping during the 1999 Tour de France. The report also criticizes international anti-doping authorities.

EVERYTHING WE FEARED???!!!

Does that not sound like anything someone who might be predisposed to believe OBL would say?

Where is any semblance of the benefit of a doubt?

Of innocent until PROVEN guilty?

What is wrong with these people?

Where is their sense of fairness?

Even IF OBL was to ultimately prove guilty, this whole process has been a sham. And isn't it ironic that at a time cycling may have something to celebrate relative to doping, it faces what may turn out to be its biggest scandal since Festina in 1998? You remember 1998, don't you? OBL wasn't racing that year. He had other concerns. Concerns that he champions today: the war against cancer.

Shame, shame, shame on WADA and Dick Pound.

The King Is Cleared

(Graham Watson)


Dutch report clears Lance of doping in 1999

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - Dutch investigators cleared Lance Armstrong of doping in the 1999 Tour de France on Wednesday, and accused anti-doping authorities of misconduct in dealing with the American cyclist.
A 132-page report recommended convening a tribunal to discuss possible legal and ethical violations by the World Anti-Doping Agency and to consider "appropriate sanctions to remedy the violations."

The French sports daily L'Equipe reported in August that six of Armstrong's urine samples from 1999, when he won the first of his record seven-straight Tour titles, came back positive for the endurance-boosting hormone EPO when they were retested in 2004. Armstrong has repeatedly denied using banned substances.

The International Cycling Union appointed Dutch lawyer Emile Vrijman last October to investigate the handling of urine tests from the 1999 Tour by the French national anti-doping laboratory, known by its French acronym LNDD. Vrijman said Wednesday his report "exonerates Lance Armstrong completely with respect to alleged use of doping in the 1999 Tour de France." The report also said the UCI had not damaged Armstrong by releasing doping control forms to the French newspaper. The report said WADA and the LNDD may have "behaved in ways that are completely inconsistent with the rules and regulations of international anti-doping control testing," and may also have been against the law.

Vrijman, who headed the Dutch anti-doping agency for 10 years and later defended athletes accused of doping, worked on the report with Adriaan van der Veen, a scientist with the Dutch Metrology Laboratory. EPO, or erythropoietin, is a synthetic hormone that boosts the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Testing for EPO only began in 2001. Armstrong had challenged the validity of testing samples frozen six years ago, and how they were handled.

Vrijman said a further investigation was needed regarding the leaking of the results to the French paper. He said a tribunal should be created to "provide a fair hearing" to the people and organizations suspected of misconduct and to decide on sanctions if warranted. Vrijman's statement did not specify what the alleged violations were.

The UCI said it was upset with Vrijman for commenting on the report before all parties involved in the case were informed. "Upon reception of the document, the UCI will study in details the content before publishing it in its whole," the UCI said in a statement. WADA chief Dick Pound said he hadn't received the report yet but, based on what he had read in news accounts, was highly critical of Vrijman's findings.

"It's clearly everything we feared. There was no interest in determining whether the samples Armstrong provided were positive or not," he told The Associated Press by telephone from Montreal. "We were afraid of that from the very beginning." Pound reiterated his claim that the UCI had leaked the forms to a reporter from L'Equipe and was responsible for the doping samples being linked to Armstrong. "Whether the samples were positive or not, I don't know how a Dutch lawyer with no expertise came to a conclusion that one of the leading laboratories in the world messed up on the analysis. To say Armstrong is totally exonerated seems strange," Pound said.

In a separate statement, WADA expressed "grave concern and strong disappointment" over Vrijman's reported comments. "Elementary courtesy and professionalism would have dictated that WADA should have been provided with a copy of the report before interviews were given to the media," the statement said. "WADA continues to stress its concern that an investigation into the matter must consider all aspects - not limited to how the damaging information regarding athletes' urine samples became public, but also addressing the question of whether anti-doping rules were violated by athletes." The anti-doping lab at Chatenay-Malabry has been accused of violating confidentiality regulations.

Mario Zorzoli, the doctor who gave copies of Armstrong's doping control forms to L'Equipe, was suspended by the UCI for one month earlier this year. He has since been reinstated.
The full report was sent to the UCI, the LNDD, the French sports ministry, WADA and Armstrong's lawyer. The International Olympic Committee also had requested a copy.
The accusations against Armstrong raised questions about how frozen samples, routinely held for eight years, should be used.

A Local Treat In Arlington, Va.

Granny is probably much better versed on female sprinters than I am, but I should probably be excited about defending champion Laura Van Gilder leading a long list of the USA's strongest female sprinters at the 9th annual CSC Invitational Pro/Am bike race Saturday right here in Arlington.

Mike Armellino and I will probably bike over from Vienna to watch the races, which begin at 8 a.m. The men's 100-lap race over a tight 5-turn, 1km course begins at noon. I have yet to see the field -- especially the CSC team.

The women's race will cover 50 laps. Van Gilder of TEAm Lipton (that's really how they write it!) is a two-time winner in Arlington. Other top crit specialists include current U.S. National Criterium Champion Tina Pic (Colavita Cooking Lite), Laura Yoisten (Victory Brewing), Shannon Hutchison-Krupat (Aaron's Corporate Furnishings) and Charm Breon (Diet Cheerwine).

Charm?

All of these women have had consistent podium finishes at the top criteriums around the USA this year, and have also placed in the top three in Arlington in previous years. "I love this race!" said Van Gilder. "There is no doubt it may be the hardest crit on the calendar, but good team tactics will be rewarded. Both times I've won here my team controlled the field while I was able to stay away up front."

So, should I be excited, Granny?

On A Roll

Nice column on Bob Roll on Roanoke.com.

Uh, Gracious?

That Guy Jan on the Tour de France:
"[Ivan] Basso was excellent in the Giro but the competition will be fiercer in the Tour de France."

Especially if the T-Mobile rider doesn't quit, as he did on the final climb to the finish of the 19th stage of the Giro, complaining of back pain. The Giro is plenty tough, Jan, especially when you're not treating it like a training exercise.

Pricey -- But Maybe Worth It?

There's a nice story on the Spartanburg, S.C., newspaper's GoUpstate.com website (where my friend, Tom Priddy, does some terrific multimedia work) about six cyclists, three of them from the Spartanburg area, who forked over the $8,500 to ride with Our Boy Lance on an eight-day bike tour (Lance showed up for a ride and climb through the Apennine Mountains in Northern Italy) during the Giro d'Italia.

It's nice to know that Trek went through with the trip, even though it was supposed to max out at 20 riders. Ah, if only the Crankset had that kind of disposable income!

Photo is John Cash of Spartanburg with OBL.

No Scandal Here

Let me first pay proper respect to the men and women who've died for our right to freely publish blogs and live in this great country of ours. To them we owe a lifetime of gratitude and then some.

While we all enjoyed this marvelous weekend here and abroad, I'm happy to announce that there will be no EPO scandal emerging from the streets of Lancaster County, PA. At least not from my camp anyway. You see, EPO allegations usually come on the heels of 9+ min leads and sub human ascents over 15KM. Not here, not today. Why you may ask?

I suspect that while I did manage to work the front of Saturday's 4/5 race for nearly 2 laps and manage to put together a feeble break with my teammate, I did what every bike racer fears next to crashing...

I bonked and I bonked hard.

Yes, Granny give me all you got. After razzing you about proper fueling and calorie deficits, I hit the wall and kept going right through it. After working with a 15 yr old teammate that possibly will go pro (I'm not kidding here), I completely pulled my ripcord in lap 6. We're talking not turning the crank here. Meanwhile, this kid is 15 and working the front of 4/5 races 6 out of 7 laps. He's awesome and provided he's coached properly, we may be hearing about him on the domestic circuit.

Last race 6th, this race? You got it, dead last. I even started to pull over to quit the race but Lance's words clanged in my head: Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever. I kept going. With each painful stroked I was reminded of my new training lesson: Rest 3 days before a race. IT WORKS.

Either way, it looked to be a great cycling weekend for all! Well, except the entire pro peloton maybe.

Cheers.

A 'Must Read' In The Times of London

"Mired in depravity, riddled with deceit and seemingly oblivious to the consequences, cycling is at the brink of a precipice of its own making."

-- Matthew Syed in the Times of London

Chicago Four Years Ago

That actually IS me, in front of (obviously) Wrigley Field, four summers ago during my Chicagoland bike tour of the city. The bike is a Unavega hybrid I bought in 1993 -- the bike that got me back on two wheels. Wish I could have been out there with you, Granny (see item below), on Sunday, but you would have enjoyed my ride (see two items below) along the Potomac! And what was 53rd Tooth doing?

It's Not The Eiffel Tower, But...

Granny Capturing the Scene Before Throwing Down

One day out of the year, Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation close down the normally car laden Lake Shore Drive for 5 glorious hours (from 5am to 10am). Everyone and anyone on two wheels is invited (for a moderate fee) to participate in one of the nation’s biggest bicycle rides, and a morning of peaceful, car-free riding while taking in amazing views of Chicago's lakefront and skyline (like the one above).

Bike The Drive benefits the nonprofit Chicagoland Bicycle Federation's efforts to make communities better for bicycling and thereby improve the quality of life in the region.

The ride itself is a mixture of recreational riders, hardened touring veterans, and enthusiasts. With the expansive 4 lane (each way) drive, there is ample room for those who want to hammer to fly by on the left, while strollers can roll by and stop for the occassional (more like frequent) photo op. To follow a local colloquialism, it makes being "on LSD," an entirely different scenario.

Sunday Ride

OK, so that isn't me, but I was cycling along the Potomac River in Rosslyn and Alexandria Sunday, starting out in Vienna and cranking out about 50 miles in temperatures in the mid-80s. Took it nice and easy (you can't crank it up on the path because there's a lot of traffic); I got a good sweat and an even better workout.

The OLN Boys Don't Pussyfoot Around

Yours truly with Phil Liggett in Lourdes at the 2003 Tour de France

I was impressed as hell today when Phil Liggett began the "Cyclysm Sunday" recap and final-stage coverage of the Giro d'Italia by talking about the sport's latest doping scandal. Liggett called it a sad day for cycling and predicted that the story was only "in its infancy."

Bob Roll called it "a huge scandal" that, if the stories emerging proved to be true, would be of the proportion of the 1998 Festina doping scandal. And Paul Sherwin compared it with the San Francisco Balco steroids scandal. No shying away here.

Ivan Basso had to wait his turn, even though it was his day.

Danica's Ride

Maybe Danica Patrick should have ridden a Trek Sunday in the Indianpolis 500!

Zoom Zoom Zoom

He's running in the New York City Marathon, so why not drive in the Indianapolis 500 someday?

"It's just a question of time," Our Boy Lance said Sunday. "I've been invited to every race school, but I don't have the three or four days to go do that. But I will one of these days."
Golly. What next?

Pride And Shame In Cycling

On the day that a new king of cycling, Ivan Basso, is crowned in Milan, this should be a happy time.

It is not.

That is a shame for Basso, who's 9:18 margin of victory in the Giro d'Italia is the largest in 41 years.

Remarkable.

But there is a shadow hanging over cycling today. "Everybody is under suspicion," writes Samuel Abt in the International Herald Tribune. "Did a rider outdo himself, or did he find a better doctor? Who gets credit for an unexpected victory, a rider or his pharmacist? Who are the riders involved in the ongoing doping scandal in Spain?"

There is a list circulating inSpain with 200 names on it. Basso is not among them. Jan Ullrich's is.

Simoni causing trouble again
And Gilberto Simoni, just as he fanned the flames of controversy in 2004 when his then teammate, Damiano Cuenego, won the Giro, is breathing fire again.

After the finish Saturday, he Simoni accused Basso of asking him to slow down on the descent from the Mortirolo and not leave him behind, hinting that there would be a payback.
"Basso said to me, 'Don't drop me on the descent,' so I thought I had a chance to win today," Simoni said. "If I had thought Basso was going to do that in the finale, I would have played my cards differently."

It was then that Simoni heaped false praise on Basso:
"I've never seen anyone dominate like him, never seen anyone that strong. He seems like an extraterrestrial."

Abt, who knows cycling unlike few others, writes that "extraterrestrial" is a code word, first applied admiringly to Miguel Indurain a decade ago in the a Tour de France after a particularly impressive time trial. The word "extraterrestrial" has a different connotation now, Abt writes: that no rider can be so strong naturally.

Basso, of course, was upset.
"I don't like to be called an extraterrestrial or a phenomenon," he said. "In this Giro, I have always been honest and played fairly."

Said Simoni:
"It's a Giro I would rather forget. I don't want to make up with Basso, whom I no longer consider a friend. All I want to do now is look to the future. I'm hoping to compete in the Tour de France with David (Millar). After that I will ride for another year if (team manager) Mauro Gianetti agrees."

You have to wonder how many friends Simoni has left.

In praise of Basso
And you want to believe in Basso, who always has a smile on his face, even during the toughest stages.

You want to believe him, just as you want to believe Our Boy Lance, who was far away in Indianapolis driving the pace car to begin Sunday's face auto race, the Indianapolis 500.

So, what shall we believe?
Who shall we praise at this yet again precarious moment in cycling?

Basso, who is just 28 and in position to dominate the sport for years, won three of the 21 stages of the three-week race; his CSC team also won the team time trial. It was a show of strength that reminded many of Lance Armstrong.

Spain's Jose Gutierrez of the Phonak team finished, Simoni third at 11:59. "This was a very hard Giro and so it was important to ration your energy and know when and where to gain time. There were seven key stages and I think I rode well on all of them," Basso said.
"In the last two years I've finished on the Tour de France podium twice and even made Armstrong suffer. I've been the same Basso as always, but with a year's experience and improvement in my legs. "There were days when I suffered but I manage to hide my pain when I riding and so fortunately my rivals didn't take advantage."

Basso will now prepare for the Tour de France, which starts in Strasbourg on July 1. "I can't celebrate and rest too much because the Tour is not far away," he said. "This Giro has been hard but leading the race for 15 days has taught me a lot. "I know the pink jersey is not like the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, but now I feel ready to face the pressures of the Tour. I've never said I can win the Tour, but I'm going to try."

In praise of Team CSC
CSC, meanwhile, has emerged as the dominant team in cycling.

"This wonderful achievement in my own native country would have been impossible without the skilled support of my dedicated teammates," said Basso in a Team CSC press release. "They repeatedly sacrificed their chances for individual glory to help me keep the lead in ways that were vital to victory -- a victory shared by all nine of us. It is my hope that this win sets the stage for our performance at the Tour de France.

"Each stage of the race was its own little drama as members of my team chased down breakaways, rode tempo at the front of the main bunch and controlled the flow of the race. I was both humbled and energized by their support."

Said Bjarne Riis, manager of Team CSC:
"Basso's win proved he was the strongest rider in the race and that he had maximum support from the strongest team at the Giro. Teamwork is always at the core of our values, which we put into practice everyday, and look forward to applying at the Tour de France.
"Our German attacker Jens Voigt dominated the early stages of the Giro for the team and could have very well won a stage or two, as could have Carlos Sastre who was second in the 2005 Vuelta a Espana. Giovanni Lombardi was a key rider acting as Basso's 'bodyguard' throughout the race, helping to steer Ivan through the chaotic and sometimes dangerous bunch sprints at the finish. Ivan could often be found glued right on Lombardi's wheel in these situations, protected from other riders in the tightly grouped peloton or from the sometimes harsh elements."

And Bobby Julich, another teammate, praised Basso, too.
"Riding in support of a man like Ivan is rewarding. Not only because he achieves consistently strong results, like this Giro win, but he also has so much class. Our respect for Basso, and each other, is what drives this team and makes us push to be the best each day."

Team CSC in Arlington, Va.
Now, here's a treat for the Crankset:
Next Sunday, June 4, is the CSC Criterium in Arlington, Va. Who will Riis send? Julich has ridden the past two years.
Stay tuned (and there will be pictures!).

"Extraterrestrial"?

What's a major stage race without a little controversy?
There's absolutely no controversy about who's going to win the Giro d'Italia Sunday when the tour concludes Sunday in Milan. Ivan Basso won Saturday's difficult 20th grueling, 211km 20th stage up the Gavia, his third stage win of this Giro, to put the finishing touch on the most dominant Giro win in a generation, according to Andrew Hood of VeloNews. The difference of 9:18 to second-place José Enrique Gutiérrez is the widest margin since 1965, when Vitorrio Adorni won in 11:26.
An angry Gilberto Simoni called Basso an "extraterrestrial" for his crushing performance and accused him riding unfairly by asking him to ride easy on the perilous descent off the Mortirolo, only to leave him stranded on the final hump to Aprica.
Answered Basso:
"This is the most beautiful day of my career, let me enjoy it. What I did today was proper and I did my work in the stage, but I don't like it when someone calls me an extraterrestrial. People have to remember I was the only rider strong enough to follow (Lance) Armstrong at the Tour de France. I've worked hard for this moment."

OBL Doesn't Want To Hit The Wall

As you may recall, Our Boy Lance is driving the pace car Sunday to start the Indianapolis 500.

And while he rarely hit the wall as cyclist, there's a different kind of wall he wants to avoid at the Speedway.

Said OBL (during his Speedway press conference): Even as freaked out as I was today, it’s going to be a whole another level. Coming out of the last turn at 120 mph, that was tougher than I thought. And not really knowing where the wall is, they’re like, ‘Get up closer to the wall.’ I’m like: ‘No, I’m not getting closer to the wall. No, I’m going to stay away from the wall!’ It will be a whole another feeling, and when you put that many people in the place it narrows up real quick."

Lance Armstrong stands next to the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Pace Car and in front of the field for the 90th Indianapolis 500 and special Indy 500-edition Trek road bikes.

More Joy For Ivan Basso

Ivan Basso's second child, Santiago, was born before the 19th stage of the Giro d' Italia began on Friday. "In these situations, cycling comes second. My happiness was unbelievable this morning," he said.

Sportsmanship In Cycling

Here's why I love cycling.
Spaniard Juan Manuel Garate won the 19th stage of the Giro d'Italia Friday.
German Jens Voigt could have.
But Garate should have, and Voigt understood that.

Garate was part of a long breakaway and rode the final few kilometers with Giro GC leader Ivan Basso's CSC teammate Voigt. Garate is a better climber than Voigt and worked harder on the steep road to the finish. Voigt, a stronger sprinter, returned the favor by tapping Garate on the back a few hundred meters from the finish, indicating the Spaniard could have the victory.

"I didn't deserve the victory today. He worked for it," Voigt said.

Garate covered the grueling 221km (137-mile) stage from Pordenone to Passo Di San Pellegrino, which included four major climbs, in 7:13.36 for his fifth career win. "I didn't have the legs this year to be with the top riders and I really wanted to win a stage," said Garate, who rides for the Belgian Quick Step team.

Voigt finished four seconds behind.

Basso finished 2:15 behind in eighth, just behind Gilberto Simoni. Basso leads Jose Gutierrez Cataluna by 6:07, with Simoni third overall at 10:34.

Please Rise For The Honorable Jens Voigt

Well this "feel good" story might not be enough to counter-balance all the negativity (doping scandals, riders dropping out with 2 stages to go, crashes, allergies and colds) coming out of procycling these days, but when a person stands up and stands out shouldn't that be recognized?

Juan Manuel Garate (Quick Step-Innergetic), the Spanish National road champion, crossed the finish line first today after a long and hard Stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia, but the real victor (and class of the field) was Jens Voigt. The 34 year old German, who along with teammate Bobby Julich (CSC), was up in the 22 man break to cover any possible moves for race leader Ivan Basso. Although Voigt, by far the stronger sprinter, reached the final meters with Garate, he waved the Spaniard forward to take the victory. Why?

According to Procycling, "because, in the German's eyes, his contribution to the 22-man break which characterized today's stage didn't merit first place."

"I wouldn't take a victory like that," Voigt declared at the finish-line. "It would have been a victory without honour because I didn't work for it. I said to myself that if I got to the top [of the San Pellegrino] and hadn't worked, I wouldn't sprint. I hadn't done any work all day and no-one moaned or shouted at me[...] No, if I'd have attacked I'd have felt as though I'd flicked Garate."

"While Riis admitted that he didn't wholeheartedly agree with Voigt's decision, Garate paid tribute to the his sportsmanship. "It was a nice gesture," said the Spaniard, who has now won stages of the Tours of Spain, Italy and Switzerland. "I imagine that it didn't feel right to him to win having not done much work on the front. I don't know whether or not his gesture changed the result, but i thank him anyway."

How's that for a class act? Today's stage could have been a nice anecdote for Voigt to pass along to his grandchildren someday, but for a man with an already impressive palmares, it proved to be just another arbitrary and unnecessary notch on his belt.

Google Earth To View The Tour de France

It's the next best thing (or one of them) to being there.
The complete route of the 2006 Tour de France has been mapped in Google Earth. You can zoom in to the Paris finish or pan/tilt around the mountain roads. When the race starts in July, Google Earthers can track individual racers as they complete the daily stages.

Here's what you do: Go to this link and download a "network link" for your computer (Mac or PC) . Place that link in your existing Google Earth folder (if you've already downloaded the application). Once the link loads, you will see the route details for each stage.

According to Google Earther Frank Taylor:
"In the 2005 Tour de France there were some attempts to actually track some of the biker's in real-time using network links in GE. I hope we'll see more of that. Also, I was hoping someone will link to web cams at strategic points showing the racers."

Have Another Donut, Jan

How will the record book report on Jan Ullrich's first attempt of the Giro d'Italia?
It won't.

Their Man Jan pulled out of the Giro during the last few kilometres from the finish of the punishing 221km 19th stage from Pordenone to Passo di San Pellegrino (isn't that soda water -- with bubbles?) on Friday. TMJ consulted with team director Rudi Pevenage, then climbed into the T-Mobile team car. So much for Ullrich's 42nd place in the overall standings, 45:31 behind leader Ivan Basso when he abandoned.

Said Jan:
"I feel a bit tired after three weeks and don't want to endanger my build-up of form ahead of the Tour de France. The (Giro) penultimate stage (on Saturday) will be really tough and I didn't want to overstretch myself any more."

The Germans Sum It Up

Zabel, Holczer and Wüst comment on the Spanish affair

"I find it good that Spain has instituted a new policy of 'zero tolerance', said Erik Zabel, one of Milram's top sprinters, to Eurosport. "Now we have to wait and see what the reports say. If there is something in there, it should be laid on the table. It is too bad that cycling is making negative headlines again, but it also gives a chance to all the riders who try to do things the honourable way."

Hans-Michael Holczer, Gerolsteiner team manager, came down hard, saying, "If the allegations are right, then the affected persons must be removed from cycling for many years."
Marcel Wüst was similarly disappointed by the affair, telling Cyclingnews, "It seems that police and government pressure are the only things that work. A sad day for our sport, especially when people pretend to accept the anti- doping rules, and then continue to cheat. It will be harder and harder to convince fans and sponsors that cycling is a great and fair sport."

History In The Making?

Just how good is Ivan Basso (photo by Graham Watson)?
Given Basso's brilliant Giro d'Italia performance with just three stages remaining, CSC team manager Bjarne Riis, a former Tour de France winner, makes this assessment: " Basso is clearly the strongest rider this year in the Giro. Basso is at the level you see at the Tour de France, and it´s obvious the others are not."

Of Basso's second Giro victory in Stage 16, Riis said:
"What Ivan did out there today will most likely pass over into history as one of the great stage wins in the Giro. He proved that he's the strongest rider in the Giro and probably one of the greatest riders in the sport at the moment."

I would point to the 8th stage as the moment in history when Basso declared himself. That's when he rode away from Damiano Cunego, Gilberto Simoni and Paolo Savodelli. Barring a disaster, the Giro belongs to Basso.

How many times in the past have said that about Our Boy Lance?
And what will we be saying in July?

History awaits the answer.

Say It Ain't So, Jan ...

The Spanish doping scandal may get a whole lot worse before it gets better.
Now, it seems that police have found lists with the names of more than 100 top-level athletes who allegedly used the services of doctors offering doping procedures.
And among those names: Jan Ullrich, according to Cadena Ser radio, quoting "sources close to the investigation."

Says Jan on the T-Mobile website: "I never worked with (physician Eufemiano) Fuentes."
Adds T-Mobile physician Lothar Heinrich: "It's the first time that we've heard of this and there's no truth to it."

Ullrich is currently 42nd in the Giro d'Italia after 18 stages.

A report in the newspaper El Pais said that the names of elite foreign cyclists (not just Spaniards) were on the lists. Five people were arrested in this week's raids, including Manolo Saiz, a major figure in Spanish cycling and director of the Liberty Seguros team.

Police have filmed athletes arriving at a Madrid apartment building apparently to have blood extracted for doping purposes or to pick up performance-enhancing drugs. Police seized large amounts of steroids, hormones and the endurance-boosting substance EPO, as well as 100 bags of frozen blood and equipment for treating blood. They also found documents on doping procedures performed on cyclists.

Former Spanish cyclist Jesus Manzano, who triggered a probe two years ago by alleging widespread doping in the sport, said he was among those using the blood doping treatments and had done so while competing in a Vuelta. Manzano said he ran into Olympic athletes and soccer players at the doping clinic. "Spanish sports has a cancer," he told TV station Telecinco.
Liberty Seguros announced that it is ending its sponsorship of the team, saying the arrest of Saiz hurts "our name and the name of cycling."

Blood doping is a procedure in which blood is extracted from an athlete, centrifuged to extract a concentration of oxygen-rich red blood cells and then injected back into the athlete before competition to boost performance.

Now here's what I just don't get:
Is doping still so widespread that cyclists believe it is worth the risk? After all, recent scandals have included Roberto Heras and Tyler Hamilton, both major figures in the sport. And the rumor mill just won't leave Our Boy Lance alone. And now, we hear Jan Ullrich's name.

What are we to believe?

Are the athletes and team leaders of this wonderful sport so stupid as to think they can avoid detection, or is doping really the norm?

And if it is the norm, why do we continue to care about these athletes and this sport?

How high does this have to go before the athletes will learn that cheating won't be tolerated by the public?

Or perhaps we, the public, tolerate the cheating, which enables to athletes to continue doing it.

Who is guilty here?

Where's Waldo?

Or in this case, can you spot Ivan? (photo by Graham Watson)

Will Work For Food

Man with a country, but without a team

The detentions and arrests of several members of Liberty Seguros-Wurth cycling staff/administration has forced the main sponsor, Liberty Seguros, to invoke an out clause (a zero tolerance clause placed in the contract after the 2005 Roberto Heras EPO ban) and pull their support effective immediately. Given that their support was roughly 80% (or 8.5 million dollars annually) of the team's total budget then its unlikely that they will be able to continue racing this year. What's that mean for the riders? Essentially, it could mean that if they want to keep racing, they will have to find a new home which can't be a good thing for a Tour contender like Alexandre Vinokourov.

Ring, ring...could that be Johan calling?

Next

Il Terribile
It's a moniker that makes Ivan Basso sound like a WWF/WWE type or a prize fighter, but on the heels of yet another Armstrong-esque performance in Stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia, it certainly looks as if he has applied the "sleeper" or knockout punch to his Giro opponents. "The Smiling Assassin's" dominance has inflicted not only a physical carnage (as seen in the time gaps), but a mental one as well. Whether his opponents have officially conceded or not, it surely is playing out that way, both in words and in pictures.

Damiano Cunego (after Stage 13)

"Well, it didn't go that bad, but the weather ruined all my plans. I just tried to defend my position. I realise that now I can't win Giro."

You know you're done when:
You're riding with a guy who is using this race for PRACTICE!
Jan to Damiano, "Look, one handed."

Gilberto Simoni (after Stage 13)
"As for me, I went up at my own speed, and now, it's getting almost impossible to beat Basso. To stop him...you should perhaps shoot his legs (laugh)! That's the only way to block him! Seriously, it seems difficult...although I went up in the overall ranking, I'm even farther from the Pink Jersey."

My wrestling coach, Bob Stoll, always used to tell us that the mind will give out way before the body ever will, so if you're in a good state of mind, you can push your body to levels beyond your perceived limits. So for the athlete, a physical beat down is more tolerable and workable ("I got beat by the better person today, but I'll work harder and come back") than a mental one. Have you ever wondered why an animal when stuck in a body of water, too far to swim to shore, will tread water until its body just gives out? Whereas a human in the same predicatment will, somewhere along the line, "choose" to give up well before the body does?

All the great ones, the Ali's, the Jordan's, the Armstrong's, had one thing going for them before they even stepped onto their respective fields or arenas...a mental edge. How many times during his tenure at the TDF did we hear Armstrong's opponent readily admit they were riding for second, before the race actually started? It's definitely too early to place Basso in this pantheon of greats, but you wouldn't know it by the way his Giro opponents are talking (and acting).

At this moment in the Giro, Ivan Basso has gotten so far into the heads of his opponents that if he lined up at the start line tomorrow with his daughter's tricycle, his opponents would still believe he could ride away from them in the mountains.

Although I hate to end on a negative note, but with the seemingly ubiquitous cloud of doping that looms over procycling (and with the recent events with Liberty Seguros-Wurth), how long will it take before Dick Pound starts knocking on the CSC bus? (since he'll never readily admit that a dominating performance, such as Basso's and before him Armstrong's, could actually mean that someone has just worked harder).

Going Backwards?
There are many who have pointed to Tom Danielson as the next great American rider (Armstrong even kidding him by nicknaming him "The Great White Hope," recently shortened to just "Great White"), and he still may be. Some felt that this Giro was a proving ground as much for Danielson as its shown to be for Basso. For a climbing specialist like Danielson, these last few stages have to be a humbling experience as he's either not been able to keep up with the race leaders (including his own in Paolo Salvodelli, not noted to be a great climber) or he is being held back by Assistant Director, Sean Yates, to help Salvodelli. There has been some speculation that his lack of results have stemmed from the latter, but Johan Bruyneel has stated that is not the case.

"As for what happens, it's really a matter of communication between the two riders and their directors. I think there's a bit of a misconception in that Tom has not waited for Paolo yet. On Stage 7 both men stayed together and then on Stage 13 Tom came back up to Paolo to work with him."

And according to Salvodelli, Danielson has had his blessing to play his hand. "Danielson is a guy who came here to help me, but he's very good. Although he's so light, he can climb fast and can do good time trials too. My team believe a lot in him, and his weak point is just that he doesn't have a lot of experience, as he's been racing for only a few years. He isn't at his maximum yet, and if he wants to try something in any escape, he will have carta bianca."

With the podium seemingly lost for Salvodelli and Discovery, as it seems highly improbable that Il Falco will be able to climb with Gibo Simoni, it only seems sensible to send Danielson up the road. If he's to be a Grand Tour rider for the future, a Grand Tour stage win or perhaps an overall in the Best Young Rider Classification (not kept for the Giro) should be his first order of business, especially with the way Bruyneel is talking (before Stage 16) about him for the future.

"I'm really satisfied with Tom Danielson's way of riding. Where he is right now is a big step forward and he's definitely a Top 10 contender for the Giro final result. His progression is like we hoped and there's more to come. He's consistent and reading the race very well, and his endurance has also improved. Assuming he finishes the Giro like he's doing now, he will be our team leader this year at the Vuelta Espana and will be on the Tour de France team next year. "

Team leader? In a Grand Tour? Is this where I'm supposed to say the line, "some men are born into greatness, while others have greatness thrust (bestowed) upon them?"

Knowing When To Fold Em'

One of the classiest riders in the women's peloton, Lynn Bessette (T-Mobile), has decided to hang up her cleats. Although she planned to ride through the 2008 season, a series of injuries (none career ending) caused her to rethink her present situation. "I always said I'll go step by step and if one day I don't feel like it, I'm going to stop. Of course, the injuries in the last couple of months accelerated my decision. I'm really thinking about my body now and I've crashed a lot and I'm scared. Once you've crossed that line, it's impossible to keep going."

The 31 year old from Knowlton, Quebec (Canada) had previously ridden with Quark and Saturn, the latter where she met her husband Tim Johnson (Health Net-Maxxis).

Career Highlights
Canadian Champion 2004
Canadian Champion time trial 2003
Two-time participant Olympic Games (2002, 2004)
2nd Tour de l'Aude 2003
2nd Fleche Wallonne 2002
1st Tour de l'Aude 1999 and 2001
Canadian Champion road and time trial 2001
2nd Montreal World Cup 1999

Amber (Not That One) Again

Frankly, whether it be from the lack of interest from sponsors (several races being cancelled this year, like the Primavera Rosa, female equivalent of Milan-San Remo) or from spectators, women's professional cycling just hasn't caught on this side of the pond. But last week, Amber Neben (Buitenpoort-Flexpoint) was crowned the champion of the 22nd Tour de l'Aude (France). The 31 year old has now won the 10 stage race, touted as the biggest women's cycling stage race, in back-to-back years.

Neben (forefront) with teammate, Swedish National Champion, Susanne Ljungskog

Final General Classification
1 Amber Neben (USA) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 24.25.40
2 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 0.14
3 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 1.25
4 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Univega Pro Cycling Team 2.13
5 Edita Puncinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas 2.36
6 Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Buitenpoort-Flexpoint Team 3.47
7 Judith Arndt (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 4.29
8 Claudia Hausler (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 4.59
9 Svetlana Bubnenkova (Rus) Fenixs-Colnago 5.50
10 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) French National Team 9.47
11 Kimberly Baldwin (USA) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 11.10

Stage 17: Uh, Where Are The Riders?

Photo by Graham Watson

How OBL Dealt With Sheryl

Our Boy Lance says he found coping with the news that his ex-fiancee Sheryl Crow had cancer as difficult as coming to terms with his own cancer diagnosis.
Armstrong split with Crow, who has now recovered from breast cancer surgery, just weeks before her diagnosis in February.
Says OBL:
"They caught it really early, that was a great thing, and the course of radiation went well. It's just odd timing -- break-ups are never easy, and then something like that three weeks later was tough."

A Wet Rag

All the hyperbole that accompanied Stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia from its inception a year ago, by some sadistic organizers, amounted to nothing more than a wet rag, literally, as weather not only diverted the riders away from the penultimate climb, the Passo della Erbe, but also caused organizers to take out the steepest and final 5km of the Plan de Corones (the section whose "grooming" has been monitored by everyone). The shortened stage was won by Leonardo Piepoli, (great first name, if I do say so myself) who also won earlier on Stage 13.

Said a somewhat surprised (though delighted) and frozen Piepoli after the victory, "Now that I've warmed up I can talk. I don't like this weather at all, but I've had two of my best wins in this weather. I usually don't ride well in the cold and rain like this, but I have to thank Simoni even more today than last time [in La Thuile]. Simoni said to me 'Go, go!' a few times and so I did. For sure, it was him who gave me the motivation to attack today."

Photo: Graham Watson

Of note: It looks as if the final podium has been decided as none seem to have the legs to keep up with Basso, Gutierrez, and Simoni (especially when you have such a mountain goat in Piepoli to help you).

Overall, after 17 Stages
1. Ivan Basso (I) CSC), 67:56:31
2. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp) Phonak, at 5:43
3. Gilberto Simoni (I) Saunier Duval), at 10:34
4. Paolo Savoldelli (I) Discovery, at 10:58
5. Franco Pellizotti (I) Liquigas-Bianchi, at 12:30
6. Wladimir Belli (I) Colombia-Selle Italia, at 13:00
7. Sandy Casar (F) Francaise des Jeux, at 14:06
8. Damiano Cunego (I) Lampre, at 14:48
9. Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Phonak, at 16:40
10. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Sp) Discovery, at 17:48

17. Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery, at 21.23

Insult To Injury

How's this tidbit from the Cervelo Newsletter regarding inquiries about Ivan Basso's ride from some very sharp-eyed spectators.

"Some people have been contacting us as they are confused about Ivan’s bike choices for the mountains. Ivan won the first real mountain stage on his Soloist Carbon, then rode an R3 for the second mountain stage, his Soloist Carbon again for the third mountain stage and an R3 for the fourth. As we are in touch with the team almost on a daily basis during big races like the Giro, we thought we would give you some insight into what’s happening.

Ivan rode the R3 in a couple of stages largely as an experiment. He had never ridden an R3 but had heard Cancellara and Kroon talk about it, so he wanted to try one out himself. It's not a very useful bike for him as it falls below the UCI weight limit so he needs to add weights. Ivan's Soloist Carbon is put together at a hair over 6.8kg, just to be on the safe side of the UCI weight limit (if your bike is weighed and it comes in at 6.799 instead of 6.8kg, it is an automatic disqualification, and you never know how accurate the scale will be). "

Just as the clothes don't necessarily make the man, the bike doesn't necessarily signal how good the rider. But for Basso to "experiment" on a bike he's never ridden on some difficult stages, of a Grand Tour no less, speaks volumes about the confidence in his condition while also saying something about his supposed competition.

Yeah, It's In There...

As my Crank yanker teammates are so painfully aware, my techno abilities are, shall we say...limited. Nonetheless even the unconvertible have hope. I have recently acquired the Garmin Edge 305 GPS cyclecomputer. Again with big props to In Gear Cycling & Fitness (Hummelstown, PA).

Dare I say that this hunk of plastic and circuitry is actually fun? Beyond the now hum drum yawners like speed, HR, cadence, zones, averages, calories burned, this baby packs a lot in a small package (kind of like me). The added knowledge of elevation, including real time grades (CH, Blue MTN hits 24%), real time course recording, a virtual training partner option and downloadable data with charting makes this piece worth every cent. Of course knowing that a satellite is following me only furthers my paranoia about Big Brother but I'm over it.

My conclusion? Fancy-schmancy technology still has yet to eliminate lactic acid. Cheers.

The Diminishing Tube

It wasn't that long ago that OLN-TV televised the entire Tour de France, Giro and Vuelta.

Those telecasts sparked my interest in cycling and resulted in making Trek Travel's first pilgrimage to the Tour de France in 2003, where I met my Crankset teammates.
OLN still blankets the Tour, although it won't have Our Boy Lance to follow around anymore.
That's probably just fine for the purists among us, who can point to any number of storylines to follow.

In fact, the Crankset will probably be cranking out lots of Tour speculation over the next month or so as we fire up for start of the Tour July 1 with a 7.1km time trial in Strasbourg.

Americans aren't the only ones who are suffering from a lack of blanket coverage of all three major stage races and the pro tour. According to an article by Matt Seaton in the London Guardian, "To get the Tour highlights these days, you either have to subscribe to Eurosport or watch ITV2 at dead of night. Only if you have satellite TV in North America can you get C4's old team of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen "in exile" for Canada's Outdoor Life Network."

Sorry, Matt, but except for "Cyclism Sunday," it ain't much better here. This Sunday, for instance, we'll get live coverage of the "who cares?" (but triumphant) final stage of the Giro, when what we really want is Wednesday's difficult 17th stage.

Adds Seaton:
"Given cycling's resurgent popularity, terrestrial and freeview broadcasters may be missing a trick by virtually ignoring the Tour de France. But even more frustrating and inexplicable to the cycling tifosi (fanbase) is the apparent media ban on the Tour of Italy -- the Giro d'Italia.

"But you will hunt in vain to find any trace of what the Giro has to offer in the sports pages (including in this paper). Is it merely a case of special pleading to ask whether the reams of copy devoted to, say, the playoff for premiership promotion might be just a little myopic and insular?"

OLN offers online coverage of the Giro, of course, for about $20, but the online screen is no more the TV screen than the TV screen is the big movie screen. That experience will only continue to improve, but right now, it's not my preferred avenue for video.

So, at a time when the pro tour may be more exciting and interesting than it has been in years, we get less coverage on television.

A sad state of affairs, as Seaton concludes.

Any Questions?

This is the week that the Giro d'Italia was supposed to separate the men from the boys.
Well, boy oh boy, is Ivan Basso proving to be THE MAN.
On the 173km 16th stage from Rovato to Bondone's summit, Basso was nearly a minute-and-a-half faster than his closest pursuer, Gilberto Simoni, and he's now more than five minutes ahead in the GC.
Said Basso (photo at left by Graham Watson):
"I wasn't trying to make a statement. It's not often I get to win so I have to take advantage of it when I can. It was more special to win in the maglia rosa. That's something I can remember from this day. It's one of the most beautiful wins of my career. But this Giro is not over. There are still some hard days and I won't do anything out of the ordinary. I won't be the winner until I get to Milan."
Discovery Channel's Paolo Savodelli is still third, but he now trails Basso by more than nine minutes:
"I already knew any chances for winning were finished even before today started. I am still having trouble breathing and I was at the red line right at the beginning of the climb. It's frustrating and I am trying to find the motivation to keep fighting."

Results - Stage 16
1. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, at 173km in 4:51:30
2. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saunier Duval, at 1:26
3. Leonardo Piepoli (I), Saunier Duval, at 1:37
4. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp), Phonak, at 1:37
5. John Gadret (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, at 2:40
6. JulioPerez Cuapio (MEX), Ceramica Panaria, at 2:45
7. Wladimir Belli (I), Colombia - Selle Italia, at 3:12
8. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, at 3:25
9. Giampaolo Caruso (I), Liberty Seguros, at 3:27
10. David Lopez Garcia (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 3:27

Overall, after 16 stages
1. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, 64:35:17
2. José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp), Phonak, at 5:24
3. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, at 9:17
4. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saunier Duval, at 9:34
5. Wladimir Belli (I), Colombia - Selle Italia, at 11:07
6. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, at 11:59
7. Sandy Casar (F), Francaise des Jeux, at 12:40
8. Damiano Cunego (I), Lampre, at 13:55
9. Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col), Phonak, at 14:59
10. Danilo Di Luca (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, at 15:18

Everybody Needs A Goal

Our Boy Lance has a simple goal for his first New York City Marathon on Nov. 5: finish within an hour of the winner.
“They’ll already be off having lunch,” OBL says about those marathon sprinters.
Armstrong said he’s competing in the marathon just for the fun of it.
Or, as Jan Ullrich says below, for the pain of it.

Feel My Pain

Younger German athletes are soft.
Says who?
Says Jan Ullrich.
Jan, who won the Tour de France back in -- when was it? -- oh yeah, 1997, told the German magazine Max that Germany's younger generation of athletes lack the courage and committment to succeed in sport.
Said Ullrich: "We're always playing down our pain. Those who judge me have no idea how much pain we go through every day. They would scream for three years non-stop if they only got a feel just once for the pain we endure every day."
OUCH!

Manolo Says...Busted?

According to cyclingnews.com, Manolo Saiz, Director Sportif, of Liberty Seguros-Wurth (formerly the once powerful ONCE Cycling team) has been detained along with several team physicians and staff. For what you may ask...DOPING! We'll follow-up and give you a more thorough explanation.

That flapping sound you just heard: Roberto Heras' possible law suit against doping allegations during the 2005 Vuelta a Espana flying out the window.

Can't Phalt The As-ses

There has been much written about the parcours of Wednesday's Stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia. After seeing the intial pictures of the Plan de Corones, it was easy to see why so many people were paying attention to it. Although everything seems to be falling into place, I'm amazed, no dumbfounded, at the nonchalant attitude in regard to venue preparation that seems to accompany so many major events that occur in Europe (I'm reminded of the last minute constructions of the various Olympic venues, from Munich in 1972 to Athens in 2004).



As of Monday, May 22, the organizers have decided to simply cut short the course route depending on how much work is completed up the final climb. I'm sure there will be no arguments raised by the riders as their legs and lungs will certainly be burning after tackling some of the 24% graded portions. However, the possiblity of Stage 17 becoming the gem of the 89th edition shouldn't be dependent upon the skill or motivation of pavers, but rather that of the cyclists.

Update: (via Jered Gruber's Pezcyclingnews.com EuroTrash column)
"Tomorrow's stage to the much-feared Plan de Corones has turned into a complete nightmare for the organizers. Giro organizers tried to pave the final super-super-steep kilometers in the last days, but the weather has been less than cooperative, so the newly paved road has not been drying well at all - reports are that wheels sink a few mm's into the surface!"

Finally, A Win For Bettini!

This time, Paolo, you really can raise your arms in victory!
(photo by Graham Watson)

STAGE 15 GIRO D'ITALIA RESULTS:
1, BETTINI Paolo, ITA, QSI, 4:15:42 (44.583 Km/h)

To Jan Or Not To Jan, That Is The Question

Who is that domestique?
(photo by Graham Watson)

So, what are we to make of Jan Ullrich?
Supposedly plagued by a recurrent knee injury and familiar weight problems this spring, Jan Ullrich seemed surprisingly svelte as the Giro began.
“Who knows?” Ullrich friend and former professional, Marcel Wust, said over the weekend. “Maybe there weren’t any serious knee problems. Ullrich has shown that you don’t necessarily have to ride a lot of races to get in shape. Hard training is sometimes more effective.”
Ullrich beat out Giro GC leader Ivan Basso by 30 seconds in the TT, and while he continues to lag in 40th place, 28:21 behind Basso (so much for those 30 seconds), everyone knows that Jan is pointing to the Tour de France.
Could a race really be shaping up?

New Leif (Same As The Old Leif)

Leif circa 2004

As reported and speculated upon previously, Leif Hoste is returning to Davitamon-Lotto after 2 1/2 years with US Postal/Discovery Channel Pro Cycling.

Dr. Lance

That "I'll show you!" streak was in evidence Sunday when Our Boy Lance picked up an honorary degree at Tufts University.

"For a guy who barely made it out of high school, I find it incredibly ironic that I am standing up here as a doctor," Armstrong said. "I would just ask that somebody send the photos to the principal at Plano East Senior High and let them know that I, in fact, graduated from Tufts and he has to call me Dr. Armstrong now."


Otherwise, OBL was right on message:
"Be active. Be involved. Be heard. Be aggressive. Be smart. Don't be afraid."

Same Sport But....

For illustrative purposes I would like to share with you the same faces of agony "post sprint". Of course this is where the similarities stop. My race was 18 miles in length this Saturday past and the pro was 125. Somehow though, I seem to be in the exact same amount of pain.

Catch The View At The Giro

Passo del Grand San Bernardo (photo by Graham Watson)

The scenery is spectacular on the 14th stage of the Giro d'Italia; you can check it out for yourself on Graham Watson's wonderful website.

As for the GC after 14 stages:
1, BASSO Ivan, ITA, CSC, 55:28:25
2, GUTIERREZ CATALUNA José E., ESP, PHO, 3:27
3, SAVOLDELLI Paolo, ITA, DSC, 5:30
4, BELLI Wladimir, ITA, CLM, 7:35
5, SIMONI Gilberto, ITA, SDV, 8:00
6, CASAR Sandy, FRA, FDJ, 8:01
7, PELLIZOTTI Franco, ITA, LIQ, 8:14
8, DANIELSON Tom, USA, DSC, 8:35
9, CUNEGO Damiano, ITA, LAM, 8:58
10, DI LUCA Danilo, ITA, LIQ, 10:36

Triple Crankset Teammate At The Giro

Dan McCormack was the Triple's teammate during the final week of the 2003 Trek Travel trip to the Tour de France.

A strong rider from Austin (of all places!), Dan has returned to Europe with Trek Travel for the final weekend of the Giro d'Italia. Depending on his Internet accessibility, he'll be filing some reports for the Triple!

Here's his latest note:
"Well, I’m off to Italy today!! Tons of mountain riding ahead with Trek Travel. I got on Google Earth yesterday and looked at some of the geography where we’ll be in northern Italy (in the Dolomiti Mountains mostly around Trento and Alleghe. I fly to Chicago, then Frankfurt and then to Milano, Italy (and get a 3-hour train to Trento to arrive late Sunday night). We ride mountain stages Tuesday through Saturday, and then watch the final stage in Milano Sunday. Fly home Monday, May 29th; you know the drill: Lots of ‘suffering terribly’ ahead for a great time!!"

Yes, the Triple knows the drill and is terribly jealous.
Happy riding, Dan!

Devil's Den

The real question:

Will Diablo make it to the TOC next year?

By The Numbers

102 The number of posts that the Crankset has cranked out in a 2 month period.

5:30 The deficit in minutes of the closest rival (Salvodelli) to Ivan Basso's overall lead after 13 Stages

27 The number of seconds that a true climber, and supposed contender to this year's Giro (Simoni) lost to Basso on Stage 13.

1 The number of weeks left in the Giro d'Italia

Even with one very ardous, mountainous week remaining, barring any catastrophic events,Ivan Basso should win the 2006 Giro d'Italia. With time gaps like these (below), it'll take a Herculean effort to displace Basso as none seem to be able to keep up with his tempo and place any pressure on him and team CSC. As the crazed Red Sawx fan, Wild Bill, would say, "This thing is O-V-A, ovah!"

General classification after stage 13
1 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 49.53.36
2 José E. Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 3.27
3 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 5.30
4 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni 7.35
5 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 8.00
6 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 8.14
7 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 8.35
8 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 8.58
9 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 10.36
10 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Phonak Hearing Systems 11.12

Say Provolone!

Need I say amore? I mean, we're talking EVERY picture, the man has grin on his mug. Have you ever seen a more poised professional in your life? For but a fleeting moment (and no more) he actually makes it seem possible to race right along with him. As if 12 stages at an average of 25+ MPH and 140BPM average is no thang! Were there a "Style" jersey, he's ALL over it.

Despite his incredible poker or Bocci face (when in Rome), he made it quite clear that the race is forcing him to dig deep today. Of course strategic positioning aside, this further proves that he will be stretched come July.

Bring on the slopes!

Let Graham Watson Tell You The Stage 12 Story

That's Roberto Laiseka in pain (photo by Graham Watson)

There were crashes, attacks and a surprise winner (yet another name Granny probably knows but I don't) in the 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia Friday.
Spaniard Joan Horrach (Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears) was the last cyclist standing from a 15-man group that tore away from main bunch in the 171km stage along Italy's spectacular Cinque Terre coast. I could tell you, but I'll let Graham Watson show you with today's pictoral treat.

OBL A Hero (didn't we already know that?)

I wouldn't mess with Julie Pike's lead on this one in the National Ledger:
Tour de France champ Lance Armstrong apparently changed into his super hero costume recently as one published report [OK, so it was in the Enquirer] says the cancer survivor is also a crime fighter.
A report claims [Journalism tip: NEVER use the word "claims"] Lance turned into a one-man police tour de force recently, according to the Enquirer.
The supercyclist was biking with a pal near the beach in Santa Monica [isn't that near Malibu -- see item below], when a mugger pushed down a woman and sprinted off with her purse.
Lance reportedly turned around, raced after the scruffy bad guy [all bad guys are "scruffy," right?] and bumped him to the turf with a crafty front-wheel whack.
The reports says Lance snagged the purse from the sprawled perp [do you just love this?], who reportedly then beat feet and ran off. The report then claims that Armstrong cycled the snatched satchel back to its owner and resumed his recreational ride.

Dishin' The Dirt

John Stamos

Because we know you care:
According to THE World Entertainment News Network (sounds reliable to me), ex-OBL girlfriend Sheryl Crow is seeing actor John Stamos.
Crow, who is recovering from breast cancer surgery, broke off her engagement to Our Boy Lance earlier this year.
According to WENN, a source told Life & Style magazine (sounds reliable to me) a mutual friend set up the celebrity pair (makes sense to me).
The couple had their first date a few weeks ago in Malibu (where else?), where they walked around the Malibu Country Mart shopping center and stopped for a coffee (sounds serious to me).
The source told the magazine: "They've been talking a lot and plan to have dinner together soon. They're really into each other, so it could blossom into something more."
What more do we need to know?

OBL's March on Washington

How many billions for the war in Iraq?

How many billions to protect Mexican border?


How many billions to find a cure for cancer?

Our Boy Lance wants to know.
I want to know.
The former hockey coach at the University of Maine, the late Shawn Walsh, would have wanted to know.
So does my dear friend, Paul Regan.

So OBL was on Capital Hill Wednesday on Livestrong Day.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation was there, too, with two people from every state. Many of them were cancer survivors or caregivers.
They were there to lobby Congress for more cancer research funding.
They want to find a cure for cancer.
"I have the history, the passion, the time and the army," said OBL. "We want the hard questions asked.
These are the numbers: 600,000 Americans die every year from cancer.
"And remember, we vote," said Lance.

Wait A Minute...

If we weren't sure that today's 11th Stage of the Giro d'Italia didn't go through Pisa, then you'd swear the following was created in Photoshop...its real, honest!

BOOYAKASHA! RE-SPEK!

I was going to leave this one for 53rd Tooth, but I figured there would be plenty of room on this blog for his comments. Anyway, to the heart of the matter...what cycling feat could elicit such a headline? Only Jan Ullrich dusting the competition in the long (50km) and flat ITT of the Giro d'Italia's Stage 11.

Photo: Graham Watson

Stage 11 Results
1. Jan Ullrich (G), T-Mobile, 58:48
2. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, 59:16
3. Marco Pinotti (I), Saunier Duval, 59:49
4. Serhiy Honchar (Ukr), T-Mobile, 59:57
5. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, 1:00:07

Overall After Stage 11
1. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, 0:00
2. José E.Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp), Phonak, 2:48
3. Serhiy Honchar (Ukr), T-Mobile, 3:24
4. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, 3:26
5. Tom Danielson (USA), Discovery Channel, 5:38

*Big loser today, Damiano Cunego who was passed by Basso, losing more than 5 minutes on the stage. A tidbit from Gordan Cameron on Pezcyclingnews.com, "rumour has it that Basso and Simoni are more or less on the same page when it comes to thoughts about Cunego, so that was probably a pretty sweet feeling for the CSC head honcho." Interesting...

**Check out the overall ride by Tommy D. Does Sean Yates send him up the road in the mountains, as Basso will clearly be marking any moves by Salvodelli? Stay Tuned...

The Road (Gravel) Ahead

For those of you who weren't lucky enough to have watched the 88th Giro d'Italia, it produced one of the most exciting stages in not only Giro history, but in Grand Tour history with the penultimate Stage 19 and the climb up the unpaved, gravelly Colle della Finestre, an 18.5km monster, with an average gradient of 9.2%.

The organizers (sadists) of this year Giro have dug into their bag of tricks and unearthed something seemingly as (or more) insidious as the Finestre with the mountain top finish on the Plan de Corones (Stage 17, Wednesday May 24th). How could it possibly be worse than the Finestre? The last 5.5kms of the climb are unpaved and some sections are graded out at 24%. Presently, the organizers are having the gravel refurbished (not paved) with a cement-like mixture and packed down so that these sections will be passable come next Wednesday, at least after they've been cleared of snow. (For the most recent album of the last 7kms of the Corones, Click Here)

Nice Switchback!

(Is this a NORBA Event?)

Just What The Pure Climber Requested - A Climbing Wall

So mark your calendar, set your VCR or TiVO, fork over the $19.99 for the LIVE internet broadcast on Cycling.tv, or just wait anxiously like a kid 4 days away from Christmas for the OLN Cyclysm coverage the following Sunday, because this is one stage that shouldn't disappoint.

Grab Bag Thursday

The Unofficial Jersey (and t-shirt) of the TripleCrankset
If you're tired of the generic styled mono colored cycling jersey or the multi-colored sponsor filled one as well then the boys over at Twin Six just might have something for you. Twin Six, was started by two designers who also just happened to love riding their bikes. From their Wear-To-Go Manifesto, they believe "that the time is overdue for better cycling jersey graphics" with a "goal to be the alternative to everything else."

And wouldn't you know, one of their designs captures the true nature of the Crankset. So we've adopted this jersey as the unofficial jersey of the Triple Crankset. If your local Twin Six dealer doesn't have it, you can find it at REI or Arcvelo.com. The jersey retails for $70.00.

Bonkers Rejoice
In the past, Granny bonked so much that I could've earned the nickname, Bonkers. But the people at Gel-Bot have come up with something to help prevent that from happening. Is it a new energy drink... a new gel? No, but a delivery system to get you either one or both at the same time. The Gel-Bot is the first water bottle with an integrated gel cannister/flask. Depending upon how far the spout is engaged, then you can enjoy just gel (in the closed position), gel and water (or whatever drink you fill it with, spout pulled open halfway), or just your drink (spout fully open). The 24oz. bottle with gel flask (claims to hold up to three gels) retails for $15.95 and can be found at their online store or at Eastern Mountain Sports.

Abt-ly Speaking

Samuel Abt, the outstanding cycling writer for the International Herald Tribune (and the New York Times), has a new dispatch on the Giro d'Italia.

Snipit: "If Basso doesn't fold, we can already give him our congratulations" on a Giro victory, said Danilo Di Luca, the Italian leader of Liquigas.

Dropouts

Great Close-Up of Axel Merckx

(Click to Enlarge)

Two dropouts during the rest day before Stage 11 of the Giro d'Italia: Axel Merckx and Bradley McGee. From Eurosport:

After suffering a disappointing end to Stage 10 on Tuesday, Phonak's Merckx said:
"The next few stages are guarded, I'm going to pull out. There may be other stages that suit me, but not in the last week, because I won't be there." (Why is it that there always seems to be something lost in the translation?)

And here's a warning for Ivan Basso:
"This Giro is too hard for those who want to achieve something at the Tour [de France]."

As you Giro fans remember, the Belgian was out-ridden in the final 150 meters of Stage 10 on Tuesday by a chasing group lead by eventual winner Franco Pellizotti after having held them off following his attack 17k from the line. "At 300 metres, I still believed in it [the win] because they were late in reducing the gap," said the 33-year old Belgian.

How does he feel about the near miss a day later?
"Bad, very bad, I thought I had a chance. I went from the feeling of hope to utter rage, but that's cycling, you have to accept these things."

As for McGee, he has never really recovered from his fall in the Criterium International in late March, according to Martial Gayant, sporting director of Francais des Jeux (sounds like a breakfast drink to me!). "The pain is still present, it goes from the base of his back upwards. He's worried because the Tour de France is near."

The question is: Is Basso worried?