Cycling made a stride forward yesterday in pop culture. There was a Jeopardy category on bicycles. I waited patiently as the three contestants chose every other clue on the board until they were finally forced to get down to a subject I knew something about. As the clues were revealed, it became apparent that there was some “promotional consideration” involved. Trek must have given Alex a Trek Madone as Trek employees read most of the clues and Trek bikes were prominently displayed.

They got the $200 question correct. Who is Lance Armstrong? You knew that was going to be one of the answers. They missed the questions about bikes made from carbon, frame rigidity and the track being called a velodrome. There was controversy. They showed a picture of a Trek fixed gear bike and wanted to know what type of bike it was. The first contestant said fixed drive. Alex said that was incorrect. The next contestant said fixed gear and was awarded the points. Upon further review, they accepted fixed drive and the first contestant was given an updated score.

This is the closest I have ever come to the dream of scratching and clawing my way through Jeopardy! while smarty pants next to me answers all the opera and Shakespeare questions correctly. When we get to final Jeopardy and Alex reveals the category “Tour of Flanders History.” As the brainiacs next to me stare blankly at the question, I grin and write, “Who is Edwig Van Hooydonck?”