Lovin' the Giro

[jobob]

Ah, the joys of satellite TV and TiVo, which lets me record the 'live' coverage of the grand tours on OLN (the Outdoor Life Network) to watch whenever I please in the comfort of my home (and zip through those pesky commericals) ... life is good this time of year.

So I've been glued to my TV set early mornings the last couple of weeks watching the Giro d'Italia (or, on days that I have to get into work at a "reasonable" hour, I must wait until I get home ... oh the suspense).

I love listening to Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin (P&P) ramble on about the minutiae of the sport. Their British accents are so charming, and every now and then Phil blurts out a little aside that cracks me up. On the other hand, disliked Bob Roll last year, but since then he’s grown on me, like a fungus, I suppose. I suspect he’s deliberately mis-pronouncing Tour DAY France just to piss people off, hee hee. And I'm waiting for the day when he ties his fingers up in knots whist wildly gesticulating to make a point. Maybe someday I’ll know enough about the sport to find them all inane and annoying and flat-out wrong most of the time (which is what I experience whenever I watch figure skating on TV- be advised that "Richard" Button (oh too funny, the nickname he commonly goes by is censored out - which is fine because I consider him a **** anyways) is a blithering moron whose commentary is about 30% accurate on a good day; and Peggy Fleming is only a wee bit better ), but for the time being my ignorance is bliss.

The other day during one of the mountain stages P&P (Bob is ‘on assignment’ this week, bummer) were mentioning that some of the racers were riding the mountain passes, with gradients of 15% and up, with "huge" 25 tooth rear cogs . And during the flat stage yesterday P&P were talking about how some of the top sprinters reach speeds upwards of 40 mi/hour on a 52t front chainring with an 11t rear cog - I don't think I could turn the crank one revolution in that gear, unless maybe I was going downhill... It just shows these racers are a breed apart from the rest of us mere mortals.

I really enjoy it when the underdog wins, so the mountaintop stage the other day was a treat. A very very young first-year pro named Emanuele Sella accomplished the unimaginable in his very first Giro, he broke away and led the field over the mountain passes and kept that lead to the finish. Those in-the-know were certain that the super-climber Gilberto Simoni and his Saeco team would swallow him up at any moment, until it eventually became apparent that this break was for real. The joy on that kid’s face when he realized he won a stage of the Giro was beautiful …
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...llaarrivo-1040

And a few days earlier, sprinter Freddy Rodriguez pulled off an enormous upset over the nearly-unbeatable Alessandro Petacchi. Freddy supposedly lives in my neck of the woods during the off-season so it’s fun to root for the homeboy. I’d been reading about Freddy’s potential so it’s very cool to see that potential fufilled. http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...hp?id=stage9/5
The diva Crazy Jane summed it up quite well, I think … http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=6238

Lord a mercy, Bradley McGee is simply everywhere. He’s finishing high up in the sprints, finishing high up in the freakin’ mountain stages, kicking a$$ and taking names in the prologue, and, I assume, has done the same in today’s individual time trial (I do not know yet, the OLN broadcast is on tape delay on weekends (boo-hiss) and I’m going to try to wait until then and not be ‘spoiled’ – altho I won’t have a hissy if someone else mentions the outcome of the TT before I see it on TV). He’s a real contender for the GC win, or at least a podium finish, you Aussies must be so stoked!
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004...features/mcgee

Ah yes, and then there’s the glorious Italian scenery. Allow me to be shallow for just a few moments (Melissa’s probably muttering, geeze it’s about time…). I am simply delighted by the near-absolute domination displayed by Alessandro Petacchi in the flat stages, not only on account of his amazing sprinting prowess (he was clocked at over 70k/hr in yesterday’s stage win – that's about 44 mph, ye gods) but also because, quite frankly, he’s not at all painful to look at – he’s getting a lot of quality time in the broadcasts and in the photo opps which just gladdens this lecherous old girl’s heart to no end.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...p?id=stage8/24

Yes indeedy, luuurve that Giro

[kpc]

I keep flipping over to OLN and it's always grubby old men playing poker or shiny young men fishing. When are you seeing all of this? The photos in your post are so pretty. I use these sites to set my background on the computers, very, these scenic young muscular men! Much appreciated by my coworkers in the nursing home. But it would be cool to actually know who they are. I would LOVE to see a European bike race in person. Maybe some day.

[jobob]

this should help ....

http://ww2.olntv.com/htmlpage.asp?htmlid=24

- Jo, just in from a ride, now about to pull up to the TV with a nice up of tea to see the individal TT. Go Bradley !

[kpc]

After I posted, I went to the TV and lo and behold, there they were in all their glory. Racers and riding. And cobbled streets and muscled thighs. Thanks!

[Veronica]

I changed out my tires while watching the time trials today. Was reminded of the final time trial in TdF last year. Those skinny little tires just don't do very well in the wet!

V.

[jobob]

Bummer that the rain started to fall during McGee's TT, he placed second but I thought he could have done better. Rain and TTs do not mix, so it goes. Two Ukranians I had not heard of before (but that's just a reflection of my ignorance, not of their relative obscurity) now hold the top two spots on the GC, followed by McGee, followed by Simoni ... that's all bound to change when they reach the serious mountain stages. Or so the conventional wisdom says, which has been wrong as much as it's been right!

[kpc]

Well, I watched a lot of biking stuff yesterday and now I'm a Tyler fan. The Lance chronicle just made me feel like he's become shallow. Tyler was gutting it out and he's less cocky. It is very cool to see these reports!

[massbikebabe]

kpc- I am with you...I LOVE TYLER, and I even think he is cute!!
He looks so little when he is on the podium. Tyler is a "local"
Massachusetts boy, and his home town always has a parade for him after the tour. I am going to have to go this year!!

Jo: I DETEST Bob Roll!!! I hate when people ask serious questions about cycling and he gives his dumb a$$ answers. I remember last season when a viewer wrote in asking why do cyclists shave their legs and Roll gave the dumbest answer...it was really a discredit to the sport. I am bummed now that Mario
Cippo is out of the race.

Did anyone see the Lance Chronicles this week? Did you see at the end when Lance was doing the photo shoot and had pulled
down the straps on his shorts and they were spraying him with
water??? HOT HOT HOT!!! Cheryl is one lucky lady!!

karen

[jobob]

I am bummed now that Mario Cippo is out of the race.

I am too! I suppose it would have been a longshot for him to win a stage at this point, but still, I love his flamboyance. That skinsuit he wore in the prologue was a trip. What a diva
I do hope he gets over his disappointment and rides in the Tour

I was screaming at the TV cheering Freddy R. at the finish today, he came achingly close to another upset ...

And now "Ale-Jet" is gunning for a modern-day record 8 stage wins, and if he does it, it will most likely be tomorrow.

[Veronica]

P and P are getting their ancient history wrong. They kept refrring to the amphitheater at Pula as being built in 300 BC by a Roman emperor. Sorry - no Roman emperors until Augustus and that was sometime around 30 BC. And no mention of the fact that Augustus actually destroyed the place when he came to power since they had sided against him during the civil war after the assination of Julius Caesar.

Okay so I'm probably the only person who cares.

It always make me sad when the peloton catches the breakaway.

Veronica

[kpc]

I care! And what scenery and enthusiastic crowds. Am still learning the strategy, but I was expecting the breakaways to win, apparently that rarely happens. So why do the breakaway dudes bother? Cool finish, tho'

[jobob]

It seems to me the breakaways rarely work on the flat stages. In the mountain stages (which are basically all the remaining stages except for the very last one) the solo or small group breakaways seem a lot more likely to stick.

So V, you'll be a lot happier from now on. And thanks for the history lesson

[Veronica]

The guys in the breakaway do it for the airtime for their sponsers. And you never know - the peloton may be napping. Something could happen to keep the sprinters from catching them.

V.

[Veronica]

Is Petacchi even human? How does he stay so calm? Never mind that he can hit 42 miles an hour as he crosses the line! Man! He's easy on the eyes too.

V.