Required Reading: Slipstream Piece at ESPN

by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 6, 2008 4:15 PM EDT in News

Bonnie Ford's writing has frequently saved ESPN from embarassing itself to cycling fans, and today her work reaches a whole new level of awesome. She posted her latest installment in the year-long Slipstream/Garmin Chipotle series, and this one -- a day-by-day Tour diary -- is an utter home run. It's long, and I'm only up to Magnus Backstedt's hors delai (can I get a hankie? for real), but I had to stop to write this post. Also lunch is over. Anyway, read it when you can. Huge PR score for Vaughters and co. If Columbia don't invite her into the inner sanctum next year, they're nuts.

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Great article

thanks for the link.

by Katiek on Aug 6, 2008 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed

This was a very good article. I finished reading it all the way through earlier. It was definitely a huge PR score for JV and the boys. It put a human face to the team and makes it damn near impossible not to cheer for these guys when they race. I’m sure Nikki will have memorized this article by this evening. Columbia would be wise to do the same. They have a team with many of the same likeable, down to earth personalities that will go over well with fans.

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

by SpunOut on Aug 6, 2008 4:44 PM EDT reply actions

Ha ha :-)

I love the job Bonnie has done with her articles on the team. I found them all very well done. At this point, I know a few of the guys well enough as a friendly fan that there’s no memorization needed but I truly enjoy a good read on them! :-) Great article and it’s worth the time to read for those that haven’t yet.

"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."

by nikki on Aug 6, 2008 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Absolutely

Columbia had a fantastic Tour and needs to let people know there’s another American team with a strict anti-doping philosophy racing in Europe.

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

by Drew Davis on Aug 7, 2008 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Question

The article refers to a unique Garmin device that they scrambled to prepare for the team. Anyone know what it was? I found one article from someplace near their home in Kansas, saying they were Edge 705s, but there’s nothing new about those. Did they resize them, cut weight or something??

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

by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 6, 2008 7:10 PM EDT reply actions

I think they had more

capability than the current 705’s. I will dig around and see what I can find out.

"...The mind has to rule the body and tell the body, shut up and do what I tell you to do..." Jens!

by Clydesdale on Aug 6, 2008 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Excellent!

Our man on the scene in Olathe…

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

by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 6, 2008 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions

should add

they had power meters on them, and they downloaded data specific to the Tour stages. But you can do that with the current 705s.

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

by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 6, 2008 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions

It looks like it was some specific software tweaks for the saris power meters....

From the Garmin Blogs:

As Team Garmin preps to compete on cycling’s biggest stage, they’ve had a support crew of sorts here at Garmin. Many folks are working to ensure the team has course mapping, Edge 705 bike computers with the latest software and nüvi 770s to guide the team bus and support vehicles. In fact, one of our software engineers who has worked on the Edge series since its inception made a house call last week to take care of some details. David Downey traveled to Girona, Spain, home of the team’s European offices and training facilities.
There, he worked with a representative from Saris to update the power hubs on the riders’ wheels so that their power meters will display power data on the Edge 705. Over two days, they cranked through about 100 wheel sets, then traveled to La Molina, Spain, where riders David Millar, Christian Vande Velde, Danny Pate and Ryder Hesjedal were training in the hills. Downey — an avid cyclist who’s been testing the Edge 705 with various power meters for several months — got to meet the riders before updating their wheel sets. He also met with the team’s sports physiologist, Allen Lim, to get feedback on their training thus far with the Edge. He also met rider Dan Martin, who recently took first in the final stage of the Route du Sud. After the updates were complete, David and the Saris rep did some riding to test the power application, logging a 90km ride to the coast. ...

Team Garmin gets on-site tech support from our engineer

"...The mind has to rule the body and tell the body, shut up and do what I tell you to do..." Jens!

by Clydesdale on Aug 6, 2008 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

ANT + SPORT

I believe they were adding ANT + SPORT (a wireless network protocol) to the Powertap Hubs so that the data could be displayed on the 705’s. They’ve announced that this update will be available to the general public in the not-too-distant future as well, for people with a wireless Powertap.

by Noah on Aug 6, 2008 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions

The article

has an email address for the author: bonniedford@aol.com

If you’ve enjoyed the series, you might want to let her know. Too often the only feedback writers get is from the people who have a problem with their articles.

by Katiek on Aug 6, 2008 7:57 PM EDT reply actions

I had written her a thanks

after the first one or two and she actually responded. It was a while later but she was appreciative of the praise.

"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."

by nikki on Aug 6, 2008 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions

the article

Haven’t read the previous articles, but WOW what a piece!!! BRAVO BONNIE FORD!!!

by Meylina on Aug 6, 2008 8:21 PM EDT reply actions

I loved the stuff about...

Ryder Hesjedal waves Canadian flag, especially as Christian Meier has now gone to Garmin.

The way this team comes off in the article is congruent with how they seem in any media situation. And Matt White simply rocks. It’s nice to have a genuine feel-good moment in the midst of all the controversy in cycling.

by nicknorco on Aug 7, 2008 10:44 AM EDT reply actions