Le Tour: Rider Diaries
by Jen See on Jul 2, 2008 9:49 PM EDT
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Tour time means rider diaries galore. Always, there are far too many rider diaries and expert opinions for any one cycling fan to find. Good thing there's more than one of us here at the Cafe. Find a fun rider diary? Read an entertaining expert? Got links? Post them here.
I'll put this post in the features, so it stays all close by and handylike, and update it with a nice tidy list as the links come in. One stop shopping. So convenient.
List below the fold...
Romain Feillu, French language
Harry Pearson, The Guardian
Jérôme Pineau, French language
Tour day Schmalz, nyvelocity.com
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Will Frischkorn - Team garMEN
Will is going to be doing his Fresh Korn entries brought to you from his unit (his blackberry) and in between he’ll be updating his blog on missing saddle which has great stuff already. Here’s the main page and today he wrote about the pre-ride of the TT course. Enjoy!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
We all know it is really Garmin as in GarMin-ny
I think its funny. Made myself laugh anyway.
Just here for the view
It was supposed to be "the unit". Damn typos.
Good giggles though!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Quality judgments are much appreciated, too
All personal takes are worth some interest, of course, but some are real standouts. Evening ignoring the usual fanboy/girl praising of him, I don’t think anyone who listened to DZ’s podcasts from the 06 TdF could have come away without feeling like they’d had a frontrow seat to the heartbreak of the Tour. Not an easy thing to convey, I think.
DZ Podcast
Dave Z’s 2006 TdF Podcasts are still around if anyone wants to listen.
Just here for the view
Hincapie video diary
According to George Hincapie’s newly redesigned website:
Exclusive video interviews will be conducted daily by VeloNews prior to each stage of the Tour, and we’ll be posting them right here at GeorgeHincapie.com. George will give you a candid account of what is happening in the race, granting you unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the Tour. Tune in every day to see what he has to say.
There is already an 8 minute pre-tour video up. Direct link
George’s new PR firm (H30- also sponsors Slipstream) has done a great job of marketing George via his website. Its much better than it used to be and is updated frequently by George.
It sounds like Magnus Backsedt will do the same type of video diary. They are also available on VeloNews.tv.
Just here for the view
Julian Dean - Team garMEN
Julz updates during the tour and when he’s busy his wife is good about dropping a note.
Here’s his diary page. Recent one says he’s ready. Not thrilled with the last race he had to do though.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Ryder Hesjedal - Team garMEN
Here is Ryder’s main page. He’s started his Tour notes as well. I think he’s usually pretty good at dropping updates every few days so hopefully he will continue with Le Tour.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Look out Dutch!
Bram Tankink, http://www.bramtankink.nl/columns/column/52/Tour_2008*.html
Don’t know if ist updated regular. Just a few other riders how mhave this kind of thing but I post them if their are regular posts on it
Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.
Geraint Thomas
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A37840386
You may have to look around for newer entries as they come in.
Scratch that one
He’s not riding the Tour after all. I could have sworn that he was but never mind.
Stuey! HTFU stud has a diary for CN
Now that I’m officially unproductive this afternoon, I went looking for stuff.
Found Stuey’s first one here. Yeah.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Love this!
Here’s a sample…
CSC has a very strong team and we could have picked two Tour teams – our depth is so good. The Schleck brothers will be strong this Tour and Jens (Voigt) will be in every breakaway there is – you can bet on that one with the bookmakers!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
French ones
And more on Velo magazine (not sure how often these will be updated) including
Jerome Pineau
Not a rider diary, but certainly entertaining
Tour Day Schmalz has his preview up on the NYVelocity site. Look for daily entries as well.
How can you not like this commentary on Menchov:
He sat back and watched Razzy jump into the lead of the team. Not exactly the sign of a Tour winner. A real winner would’ve added extra sponsor stickers to the frame of the gram obsessed Razzy and watched as he shrieked to the mechanics about the added weight, and of course he would’ve also punched him in the mouth as he reached for his salad at the team dinner and said, "Listen, Nosferatu, I’m leading this team, and if you think you’re going to ride away from me, you’ve got another thing coming!" And if this were the movie "Top Gun", they would then kiss passionately, but I’m not sure, as I haven’t seen Top Gun in a while, but I think that’s the way it happened.
Another good piece
from Harry Pearson which might make some think that he pops in here from time to time. Even so, there’s nobody who puts it quite so well.
Just noticed that Devolder is reported to be writing for CN
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. - G. Marx
Simon Gerrans of Credit Agricole
doing a Tour blog for the Sydney Morning Herald, first entry is here (and the headline is actually “First Stage Finish Suits Evans’s Rivals” so cutting the headline short for the URL gives the entire opposite meaning ;-) ).
Bonnie Ford with ESPN has a nice write up on Pate and Frischkorn
If you liked her last few, you will like this one. If you didn’t you probably won’t.
Here’s the linky. I think it’s a good write up.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Bobby Julich
Looks to be writing for ESPN through out the tour. I think this is his first entry.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
David Lopez (from Caisse d'Epargne)
during Dauphine he wrote almost daily and it looks like he is going to do the same for the Tour. Enjoy, he is a superdomestique!
Cadel Evans
his website wasn’t working earlier today, but seems to be up and running now with new diary entries from both him and his wife, plus a race report entry after the stage today (he’s usually pretty good about doing those, even if it’s only a few sentences).
His wife is also apparently writing daily columns for Het Laatste Nieuws, but I can’t find anything at their website as of yet (which could mean that it’s only in the print edition, or that she hasn’t started yet).
Bjarne Riis
Bjarne has a column in the online version of danish newspaper B.T. In danish of course…... Jörgen Leth, filmmaker, ex TdF-commentator and maker of the best cyclingdocumentary ever ( A sunday in hell) also has a blog on the same page ,
(I will post some translations of interesting stuff )
by Jens on Jul 6, 2008 5:13 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
David Millar has a new post up after Stg 2, and it's a beauty.
You all know of my addiciton to all things Jens!, so forgive me for posting this, at the end of his diary:
I do have one funny little anecdote though from yesterday:
I found myself next to Robbie McEwen for a minute in the bunch. We exchanged pleasantries and that obviously led to the weather, which was incredibly windy and storm like.
RM: ‘I bet there isn’t one guy racing today who woke up and looked out the window and thought, "YES, YOU BEAUTY!"’
ME: ‘Yep, this is shit…’
We both pause.
RM: laughing ‘Well actually, Jens probably did.’
Then we both start laughing and say at exactly the same time,
RM + ME: ‘YEAH, HE DOES THAT EVERY DAY!’
RM: laughing ‘Animal.’
ME: laughing ‘Freak.’
That had us chuckling for a few more minutes and says so much about the man, the machine that is Jens Voigt.
One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor. - George Carlin
I thought of you as I laughed while reading!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Adam Hansen - Columbia
I was hoping he would write and he has! Yeah. :-)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Dario Cioni (*Lotto)
Cioni has a somewhat sporadic diary at Pez, there’s a new entry up mostly about stuff leading up to the Tour. Not any new insights about the 2 stages already completed, but some bits and pics about the *Lotto training camp at the Stelvio that I’d read elsewhere seemed to be good team-building.
Tour de Schmalz 2007, just can't resist
sharing it because I laughed so hard when I re-read it.
This is Schmalz on Stage 17, following the devastation by Vino, Rasmussen, Moreni, Sinkewitz:
“Jens will have to drop Bennati and his teammate to have a good shot. Not out of the realm of possibility. Jens stops by the side of the road, converts some water to wine and continues on the stage.
“It will be game time soon. 29k to go. Jens’ palms start bleeding for no apparent reason.
“Jens will have to drop Bennati and his teammate to have a good shot. Not out of the realm of possibility. Jens stops by the side of the road, converts some water to wine and continues on the stage.
“Jens urinates on the side of the road and fragrant flowers sprout wherever his urine settles.
“Jens offers Fothen a drink from his bottle – Fothen’s cold sore suddenly heals.
18k to go. Millar attacks, Jens counters to drop dead weight. Blessed are the aggressive, they shall get kissed by two French chicks at once.
“They catch and counter, Millar looking weak. Now the lead group down to four.
Prudhomme goes up the front group, trying to clip Bennati with his mirrors.
Millar trying to catch back on. Tosatto watching Millar’s butt arrow – obviously mesmerized.
“Jens mentions in passing that one of his breakaway companions will betray him, and it will be better that he’d never been born.
“They show Jens beating Pereiro last year; I do enjoy watching Pereiro getting beat. Does that me a bad person? Forgive me, Jens.
“9k to go. How will Jens drop Bennati? Maybe make it rain frogs? They never expect the raining frogs.
“Does anyone not want Jens to win? Anyone?
“5k to go. Front group working together. Millar and caboose 2:15 back.
“4k, Jens attacks!
“Bennati follows, earning 60 days in purgatory.
“Jens goes again, causing a split. Jens flicks his elbow at Bennati, clouds part.
“They’re back together. Only Bennati can follow Jens’ accelerations it seems.
“2k to go, Jens at the back – to attack soon.
“Jens sitting on Bennati. C’mon Jens!
“Fothen jumps – there’s 90 days in purgatory.
“Bennati chases, good for Jens. 500 meters, c’mon Jens!
“Elmiger on the front. Jens 3rd wheel.
“They jump, Elmiger puts Jens into the barriers – 129 days in purgatory
“Bennati wins – loses soul.”
I've been watching for this one -
C is writing with the Chicago Tribune. Here is the first of hopefully several. :-)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
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