Musette du Jour

by Chris... on Jun 12, 2008 2:45 PM EDT in The Feedbag

Apologies to the Virtual Musette, but it's time for the Feedbag to go native... [Oh, and credit to Sui Juris for my classy new column icon!]

Best news of the day: Pez is back online! Here at the Cafe we've been lucky to limit our one major outage to hours, not days, so I truly appreciate what a long week it's been for one of Cycling's most entertaining institutions. Don't miss their review of Dura Ace 2009, where Japan's gift to Cycling looks more like Record than ever!

No shortage of folks professed wonderment at Alejandro Valverde's ITT win yesterday, along the lines of "where did he pull that from?" Cycling Weekly tries to answer the question.

VN gives some details on the proposed Sochi Tour, set to make its debut in May, 2009. Another calendar matter: there will be no Pro Tour grand finale event for '08, as had been contemplated, but the UCI are still plotting something for '09.

Boonen-Gate updates: The headline at Tom's website reads Tom Apologizes, and you can get the whole statement, along with a note that the Quick Step team has re-upped with its title sponsor and its marquee rider for three more years. His Mom's Blog hasn't been updated in a month, but her most recent entry continues the subtext of the entire blog: that their lives are too stressful. Not to make excuses, but I suspect that if the "why Tom?" is ever answered, it will be attributed to their rather abnormal lives.

Finally, don't forget that the 2008 Tour de France Virtual Directeur Sportif Competition is open for business. Deadline (July 2) is still nearly three weeks away, so this is hardly an urgent reminder.

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Great Post! I read the piece on Valv Piti's TT progression

It was informative, if not quite answering the mystery that is Balaverde’s recent TT prowess. Oh well, we’ll see if he repeats or if this was a fluke. Tomorrow’s stage up the joux plane is going to be AWESOME!!!

If I just had one more gear, I...

by SpunOut on Jun 12, 2008 3:05 PM EDT 0 recs

We'll know

by stage 4 of the Tour.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Jun 12, 2008 3:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

Cycling weekly article on Valverde's TT was interesting

also have to remember that Evans supposedly isn’t going full out, on his website (have to click on June at the side for the latest) he said he was “ok” and felt that he wasn’t as good as he could be on the climb (and that he’d improve by the Tour) – and CN’s report quoted him as saying he wasn’t going to take any risks on the descent.

by guidemd on Jun 12, 2008 3:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

Off topic

I read that Horner is suffering an acute lumbalgia.
What is that?

by Bruce Suomi on Jun 12, 2008 3:59 PM EDT 0 recs

acute lower back pain

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Jun 12, 2008 4:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/lumbago.htm

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Jun 12, 2008 4:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

Thanks!

by Bruce Suomi on Jun 12, 2008 4:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

l'ouch

Boy does that suck. Even mild pain back there takes all the fun out of cycling.

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Jun 12, 2008 4:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

good thing

he is resting the whole month of July. This might actually work out for him.

by australopithecine on Jun 12, 2008 7:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

Valverde and Evans - TT

Well, now you’ve done it Chris. Since you’ve used the word “musette” here in the Cafe, I’m just going to have to change the name of my site.

Kidding aside, thanks for the mention and the link.

What to make of Valverde? I can’t say it’s a total surprise. It seems like a lot of the GC guys seem to make a jump in TT performances at a certain point, and I would expect the same from Cunego in the near future.

That said, all the Tour contenders should be very worried about Evans. According to this VN article he estimates his current form to be “6.5 out of 10.” Cattle is at 65%, yet still finished down by only one second to Levi! At this point, he’s got to be the clear favorite in July.

by The Team Chef on Jun 12, 2008 4:44 PM EDT 0 recs

Cunego

WOOHOO! Hopefully your prediction comes true in, oh, 26 days…

"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris... on Jun 12, 2008 6:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

No this year for Il Piccolo

If I just had one more gear, I...

by SpunOut on Jun 12, 2008 8:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Was it last year?

Did Cunego win the White last year at the Tour? Ack, it’s all running together in my mind today. Anyway, the year he won the white, he beat Fothen in the final time trial, to the surprise of just about everyone. Unless that performance was a one-off, Cunego may already be on track for better rides against the watch. Here’s hoping, because his not-so-bueno crono-ing definitely makes winning grand tours more difficult.

by gavia on Jun 12, 2008 7:02 PM EDT up 0 recs