Podium Cafe 2008: The Year That Was

by Chris... on Jan 1, 2009 10:37 AM EST in Housekeeping Comment 76 comments

Happy 2009 everyone! I don't want to give an emotional speech about what a great year 2008 was for the Cafe; you guys know I love you. So, some statistics... and you know what they say: statistics always tell an important story.

1,054: the number of posts
1,170: the total number of fanposts, fanshots and diaries (PdC1.0-speak)
112,257: total number of comments
596: number of registered members. I never had statistics under the old platform, but I believe we began 2008 with some 200 members. Not sure that the site is three times as popular; perhaps we just gave lurkers three times as much incentive to register.
2.0: probably the most important number of all. To get all misty-eyed, go here.
3 milion: historical page views milestone, crossed in the last week. We should hit a million visits this year, approximately sometime between the Valkenberg and the Muur van Geraardsbergen.
227,288: number of page views in July alone.
1,324,771: pictures of Daniele Bennati. Are pictures like chocolate? Is there a point where you've seen so many that he stops being good looking?

2009 will contain a few more milestones. Our one millionth visit -- somehow we need to figure out a way to determine who it is. We will also convene the first official Podium Cafe Meet-up and kegger, in Los Olivos, CA, a block from the Solvang Time Trial course. During the Solvang Time Trial. Mark your calendars; details to follow. The Virtual Directeur Sportif will likely be transformed into a modern form, though this is akin to sprucing up the Sistine Chapel. And so on.

I've said many times, this site has become exactly what we hoped when we created it in February, 2006: a community effort by a real community of people. Bravo... and roll up your sleeves for 2009.

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Congrats Chris

Happy New Year to you and all the Podium Café-ers.

Sometimes I wonder...why is that Frisbee getting bigger?...and then it hits me.

by bethie on Jan 1, 2009 10:46 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Right back at ya

#84

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Jan 1, 2009 11:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

#84? Are we the new Spectre?

If so I’ve got dibs on the separating yacht/speedboat.

Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets

by Jens on Jan 1, 2009 11:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Village

Possibly. One you land here you never leave.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner

Chris is #2? lol

by ursula on Jan 1, 2009 11:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

heh

nope #6

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Jan 1, 2009 12:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

hee (such geeks!)

I wish I were important enough to have a number but #6 is good for Chris… :)

by cg. on Jan 1, 2009 12:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That's true.

6 it is.

by ursula on Jan 1, 2009 2:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I just wanted the bike.

by JFS_PGH on Jan 2, 2009 11:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But I miss one statistic..

How many country’s are represented?

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Jan 1, 2009 11:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

well

the sitemeter registers 23 countries, plus 2.5% of the traffic to “miscellaneous,” which could be maybe another dozen countries or so?

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Jan 1, 2009 11:56 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

that's a good question

(and useful answer, from Chris)

One of the (many) things I appreciate about this place is the worldwide distribution of the community. It improves the experience for everyone, and I hope we’ll keep building this global community.

by Sui Juris on Jan 1, 2009 6:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah.. but 23?!?

That’s 10 more than I though.. When iIcounted I came up with 6 countrys..

1 USA 2 Netherlands 3 Canada 4 Great Brittain 5 Australia 6 Sweden..

So how are the other 17?

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Jan 1, 2009 6:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

here is the page

can you see this? might just be for me…

http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=stats&s=s18podiumcafe&r=83

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Jan 1, 2009 7:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Where's the "Sweden

domination of Norway in the sitemeter" comment from Jens?

by itswells on Jan 3, 2009 4:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think it's clear

from the fact that I am not pelted with fermented lutefisk whenever I leave my house that there aren’t many norwegians who have found this site yet, God knows I have written enough to deserve it.

It’s a bit strange since they are crazy going nuts for cycling in Norway these days (as proven by the fact that we were all able to mooch of their daily live coverage of the Giro). I have no explanation.

Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets

by Jens on Jan 3, 2009 5:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

China and Taiwan

for sure (oh, wait, did I just create an incident? Suck it, Beijing.). Portugal, Switzerland, and France all get regular representation on here, too. I also know of Dubai lurkers, for sure (c’mon, D.!) I’d really love to draw more people out into opinionated participation – I suspect we’ll see more of that this coming year.

by Sui Juris on Jan 1, 2009 8:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

hm

not seeing China, though my friend Steve is there, and reading. The Middle Kingdom must be one of the “miscellaneous.” Boy, that would go over well…

Others: Estonia, Poland, Japan, NZ, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Belgium (yay!), Italy, Spain, Greece, Belarus, Korea, Argentina and the Philippines. There are lots of others, albeit more rare.

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Jan 1, 2009 9:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We have Kiwis posting for sure (Shades and a couple of others)

And Japan (not including when I popped in from Japan) and Germany and of course Portugal (Semprenaroda). Estonia? Who knew? Now I’ll have to stop making Estonian language jokes. But seriously, they have some good cyclists. Heck, if they google their own names, they’ll get here.

by JFS_PGH on Jan 2, 2009 11:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just a little test....

Picture number 1,324,772 confirms it: he’s still good looking.

by Albertina on Jan 1, 2009 12:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

have to agree :-)

Happy New Year all!

by gavia on Jan 1, 2009 12:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

hard to argue

by cg. on Jan 1, 2009 12:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Does chocolate ever stop being good looking?

And you know, not all of us prefer Italian. Some of us would rather go Dutch.

Google is my domestique.

by majope on Jan 1, 2009 12:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hmm...

Credit: CorVos.

No it doesn’t.

by Josenka on Jan 1, 2009 2:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Heey..

I’m Dutch.. and single.. ;)

Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.

by Frinking on Jan 1, 2009 6:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And you have a wonderful site

Which you have mis-spelled on your PdC profile page, more’s the pity. (Been meaning to tell you that—figure you’ll check back here to see what response the previous comment gets [wink]).

by JFS_PGH on Jan 2, 2009 11:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh really? Tee hee ;-)

by Albertina on Jan 3, 2009 6:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Dekker, my favourite Dutch man...

We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950

by CycleGirl on Jan 1, 2009 10:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

....and some prefer those wonderful Spanish boys!!

I think I can put 1 million plus of Valverde this year -grin-

by steph- on Jan 2, 2009 6:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

:-O~......... Oooo Alejandro!

by Albertina on Jan 2, 2009 7:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And now to look forward to this:

Credit: Roberto Bettini.

by Josenka on Jan 1, 2009 2:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Credit: Roberto Bettini.? Really? Is that to his credit?

First item at the to-do list at Katusha camp: Beat riders with ugly-stick.

Also I’m not to sure I’d love the symbolism ofthat Latvian Champ’s jersey (if I were from Latvia). The Kremlin towering over the Latvian flag? That’s got to bring back fond memories?

Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets

by Jens on Jan 1, 2009 3:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Latvia? Is that not Pfannberger?

But yes, if it were Latvia, unfortunate symbolism indeed….!

by Albertina on Jan 1, 2009 4:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It's not Latvia, the Latvia champ is Lasis Normunds

who is racing for some continental team this year, I’m also guessing that is Pfannberger.

"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt

by Phil H. on Jan 1, 2009 4:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

reason # 2,736

to love the PdC: people who know who the Latvian champ is.

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Jan 1, 2009 4:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I looked it up on CQ

I don’t think I would be all that proud if I had so little reason to live that I knew who the Latvian champ was.

"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt

by Phil H. on Jan 1, 2009 5:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure the identity of the Latvian champ is very important to Latvians!

Pretty sure that is Pfannberger…it looks remerkably like him and it’s the right team!

by Albertina on Jan 1, 2009 5:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But I'm not Latvian, so I don't care all that much who the Latvian champ is

and yes the jersey looks like the Austrian champ jersey, so that must be Pfannberger, Ivenov with the Russian champ jersey is aslo in there.

"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt

by Phil H. on Jan 1, 2009 5:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Katyusha

is so not going to win any hotitude smackdown this year.

by Katiek on Jan 1, 2009 5:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Even Pozzato looks bad in that picture.

Maybe that’s what Katyusha does to people….

by Albertina on Jan 1, 2009 6:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow. I had to look three times to find him.

Apparently, Russian hair gel does not stand up to a good sea breeze.

Google is my domestique.

by majope on Jan 1, 2009 6:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Here he is

up close,. With the team’s budget perhaps they could afford to add some proper gel, and a stylist or two.

by Katiek on Jan 1, 2009 7:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yikes

The Hair definitely needs work.

Crikeys, that’s a small frameset.

by gavia on Jan 1, 2009 8:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

However

Gert’s looking good.

Google is my domestique.

by majope on Jan 1, 2009 8:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

truly

though he looks a little worried…

by gavia on Jan 1, 2009 8:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Karpets' mullet is out of control

by Jimbo... on Jan 1, 2009 11:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He looks very odd generally.

The hair is very unfortunate. Perhaps his alarm clock malfunctioned and he didn’t have time to do it? I feel sure that this can be the only explanation. He looks rather peeved; perhaps he’s annoyed that his shoes got covered in sand? And that bike….surely a very odd fit there?!

by Albertina on Jan 2, 2009 8:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

the bike?

It probably fits fine, he’s just riding the smallest possible frame size he can. Pros tend to do that. Do not try this at home ;-)

by gavia on Jan 2, 2009 11:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It is very small....but if he's comfy, who's to argue?!

by Albertina on Jan 2, 2009 11:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

they look like transformers

by JFS_PGH on Jan 2, 2009 11:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thats is so true...LoL

Now are they Autobots or Decepticons??

We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950

by CycleGirl on Jan 3, 2009 2:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm impressed that you know the difference!

by Albertina on Jan 3, 2009 6:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Of course it is, my brainfart

Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets

by Jens on Jan 2, 2009 1:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

How about some Jens!...

…to erase this memory? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjefafbeT74&feature=channel_page) Plus, there is some Julich in the background.

by Josenka on Jan 1, 2009 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I feel violated by Vladimir Karpets mullet

Can I sue him? Or it?

Bork, bork, bork!

by TheFigurehead on Jan 1, 2009 5:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

dunno

It might have its own sovereign immunity. Me, I wouldn’t test it.

by Sui Juris on Jan 1, 2009 6:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Things I've Learned From American Pop Culture #754:

Anyone and everyone named Vladimir is a vampire.

Don’t mess with him.

Google is my domestique.

by majope on Jan 1, 2009 7:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm...

Maybe the Katusha unveiling was really a vampire convention since Putin showed up at it.

by Josenka on Jan 1, 2009 7:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Paging Palin, line . . . uh. . .

by Sui Juris on Jan 1, 2009 8:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If you zoom in

you can see her house in the background, right next to Vlad’s mullet

by Jimbo... on Jan 1, 2009 11:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

They look frozen and miserable. Or that's how I'd look in the cold.

by ZoeRochelle on Jan 1, 2009 9:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Is that a Russian beach?

I wouldn’t want to be on one of those in the winter!

by Albertina on Jan 2, 2009 8:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The real question is...

How are they going to get the sand out of their cleats?

by itswells on Jan 2, 2009 8:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So true.

I use a muddy path as a short cut to my back gate…I can so empathise with mucky cleats. Ugh.

by Albertina on Jan 2, 2009 8:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Guten Ratsch!

Everyone, have a “good slide” into 2009!

Chris, buddy, my sincere thanks to you (& your cohorts) for creating such a fun place to hang. Only 56 days to Het Volk!

by Ruthann on Jan 2, 2009 2:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Look at you poppin' in here. I thought you were in WI with hubby for a few days.

We’ve got live 6 day action going on over in the fanshot section. Sweet stuff.

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

by nikki on Jan 2, 2009 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

WOW Chris--

The “”http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=stats&s=s18podiumcafe&r=79&d=13&md=1&pg=1&v=200" target="new">100 most recent visits" is cool. Looks like the Canary islands and the Azores, even. And who’s that far north in Canda???

by JFS_PGH on Jan 3, 2009 12:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs