The Wednesday Session
Welcome to this week's edition of the Wednesday Session. Is it really Wednesday already? Impossible. This week we talk about bike races. And more transfers. And yes, we even draw with crayons. The Wednesday Session is full-service, super deluxe, and whatnot.
There appears to be a great deal of bike racing going on at the moment. Francisco Mancebo won today's stage of the Tour of Utah and took over the race lead. Francisco... who?
Farrar en Fuego. Meanwhile, in Benelux, a country not found on my map, Tyler Farrar took the win in a chaotic sprint at the Eneco Tour and now wears the jersey of race leader. Farrar who also won last weekend's German one day classic, Vattenfall Cyclassics. That Farrar, so hot right now. The Garmin-Slipstream rider will also race the upcoming Vuelta a España, where he will hope to win his first ever grand tour stage.
Moving on to France, Samuel Dumoulin won today's stage of the Tour du Limousin and will rock the leader's jersey tomorrow, while in Italy, Giovanni Visconti of ISD-Neri took a rare race win at the Coppa Ugo Agostoni. The Coppa is one of the three races which comprise the Trittico Lombardia. Mauro Santambrogio of Lampre-Ngc finished second by a matter of centimeters. Santambrogio won't be too sad with that result, since he won yesterday's Tre Valli Varesine, which is, you guessed it, or maybe you didn't, the first race in the Trittico Lombardia. Santambrogio fun fact! The Lampre-Ngc rider has a tattoo on his bicep which reads: "I carry Jesus within me, no one will be against me."
On the subject of Italy, Franco Ballerini is busily plotting and scheming. Ballerini, as you may recall, is the lucky devil responsible for putting together the Italian National team for Worlds. I use lucky in the loosest possible sense of the word here. Ballerini believes that this year's worlds course with its constant climbing and descending will be very difficult to control. In a recent interview, he called it the "hardest course I've seen since 2001." The Mendrisio course has more more climbing per lap and shorter laps than last year's course in Varese. Ballerini believes that a conventional team set-up with one leader and several support riders may not prove ideal. He refused to name any names, but said he will try to construct a team with several strong riders. Alessandro Ballan, Damiano Cunego, and Vincenzo Nibali are all likely to receive the nod. Filippo Pozzato, the new Italian National Champion, may not. "He continues to talk, but does not show anything," said Ballerini of Pozzato. Is it me, or did Ballerini just call Pozzato a poser?
Zombie alert! Liberty Seguros wants to return to the pro ranks. Where's my De Lorean? I need to get back to the future! Actually, this Liberty Seguros is a completely different team than the old Liberty Seguros, which dissolved after the Fat Man was caught in the Cafe with the Bag of Money and the Thermos of Blood. Registered in Portugal, the Liberty-Seguros amateur team has celebrated 22 victories this season, including the recent Tour of Portugal, and has a roster of 16 riders. Americo Silva, the team manager, dreams of seeing his team ride the Vuelta a España and hopes to secure a ProContinental license next season.
Staying in Spain for a moment, Carlos Sastre will not ride the upcoming Vuelta a España. The Cervélo TestTeam rider raced both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France and has decided two is enough when it comes to grand tours. José Angel Gomez Marchante will take over the responsibility of leading the team for the Spanish grand tour, which actually starts in the Netherlands.
Good thing about all that bike racing, because we all needed a break from the silly season speculation. Wait... we did? Certainly Team Astana seems to think so. The Kazakh-sponsored team declared in a press release last week that Alberto Contador was totally absolutely positively not going to a new team next year. "A transfer is not negotiable and we will honor the signed contract," declared the team's press release. The press release temporarily quieted the headlines connecting Contador with Caisse d'Épargne and Quick-Step. Still, it's hard to escape the feeling that Astana doth protesteth too mucheth.
Alessandro Petacchi is not happy with his LPR-Brakes team. Not, not, not. The Italian sprinter wants to ride More Important Races, and is presently shopping for a Team Upgrade, which is something like a Girlfriend Upgrade, only different. Anyway, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, Petacchi is currently negotiating with Lampre-Ngc, though it's unclear exactly what stage those negotiations have reached. Team manager at LPR-Brakes Fabio Bordonali, meanwhile, needs the Sponsor Upgrade, as reportedly LPR will stop its sponsorship at the end of this season.
In other transfer news, Levi Leipheimer will reportedly ride next season for Lance Armstrong's new team, The Shack. Rumor has it that the team has signed twelve riders for next season so far. That just leaves about ten more to go. Up-and-coming U23 rider Taylor Phinney likely will not be joining the new team, because he prefers to remain in the amateur ranks for an additional season. Phinney won the U23 edition of Paris-Roubaix this year. The American will skip the Tour de l'Avenir, though, as he does not feel ready for the competitive stage race.
So, we've all heard about the new Shack branding. The Shack is a Hug. Actually, allow me to correct myself. After riding by my friendly (well, I assume they are friendly, I can't say I've ever put it to the test) neighborhood Ra.. er Shack, I discovered that the Shack is not only a Hug, it is a Big Hug. My apologies for the error. I would hate to mislead my loyal readers in any way. Well, as I rode along, I got to thinking about What The Shack Means To Me. Because really, I have nothing better to do while riding my bike. Anyway, this very difficult question sent me on a desperate search for just the right way to communicate my feelings. After much serious thought, I had the following vision:
And that is the end of this week's Wednesday Session. B'bye now...
With thanks - or apologies - to the good people at NY Velocity for the unauthorized appropriation of their Levi joke. Really, I couldn't resist.
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42 comments
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Comments
crayons are the best!
George bunny-hopped my bike somehow. He's like a cat. -- cvv
by cg. on Aug 19, 2009 9:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't think there's enough communication by crayon
I applaud your efforts.
It has me in mind of other long-forgotten ways to get the message across.
Maybe some of the recent spats between riders could have been written in crayon, or maybe fake blood, or invisible ink.
Perhaps they could have been in glued letters cut out from random magazine headlines.
by Drongo on Aug 19, 2009 9:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Seeing as it's cyclists
why not coloured chalk on the road? Then they could read as they go.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
by Seahorse on Aug 19, 2009 9:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol
but it could smear. imagine the possibilities for misunderstanding ;-)
by gavia on Aug 20, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Chalk doesn't last long in my experience.
A few cars and my beautifully realised marmot was toast.
"If I were World Road Race Champion, I would wear black shorts. That probably has more to do with me being on the wiser side of 30 and understanding better that the decisions I make now never really go away. White shorts would not be something I'd be proud of...." - David Millar, in Rouleur.
by Albertina on Aug 20, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
if you check
the Cycling Quotient rankings, Liberty Seguros has results and a squad for that level, only missing the status, and the money.
by semprenaroda on Aug 19, 2009 9:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yes indeedy
they have done a good season this year. still odd to see the name in the headlines. very determined sponsor there, which is a good thing. i’d have expected to see them long-gone by now.
by gavia on Aug 20, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm just blown away by Gav's...
(like my cliffhangers?) … ability to draw with crayons with such an authentic childlike look. Proof I think, that someone has held onto their inner child in a beautiful way.
No horn, watch for finger.
by sminer on Aug 19, 2009 10:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Speakinng of Tyler and of tatoos...
Tyler farrar recently got a new tatoo on his forearm.
“About the tat; its a mantra that says ‘May all be happy.’ It’s written in Pali, an Indian language.”
http://www.slipstreamsports.com/
Not a really good look at it but it’s a look. Don’t worry, Be happy
The first cyclist to stand up to him. And he did it in silence.
by flying dog on Aug 19, 2009 10:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Crayon = Genius
Also, I’m wondering if this is one of those cases where the no girls sign works because no girls in their right mind would want anything to do with what the sign is forbidding them anyhow? Those are always good little moments of pre-pubescent dramatic irony.
You see how calm Vaughters is? That’s because he’s really one giant seething ball of Evil inside. With like, extra Evil.
by Ed K on Aug 19, 2009 11:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Wait you're telling me to trade my Nikon gear for a Big Box Of Crayola?
Ok off to Ebay…
by Fred Marx on Aug 19, 2009 11:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
No, no no... that's ok... no need for eBay...
… I, through my utter devotion to you and Gav, and my love of the Cafe… will be happy to take your gear from you…
oh shit… did you say Nikon? Never mind…
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
by crashdan on Aug 20, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol, well, we could trade
you can have my crayon box, and i’ll take the nikon.
i think it would work great :-)
by gavia on Aug 20, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
on second thought..
Crayola would be impossible at 45 mph riding er uh bitch…
by Fred Marx on Aug 20, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I always thought Mancebo was a no talent doper (think Hamilton or Landis)
But he’s been very successful since going to Rock Racing. And if someone is willing to give Vino and Basso a chance why not Mancebo too? How about you Lampre…
by La3000 on Aug 19, 2009 11:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Why should he go anywhere?
“Rock’s Not Dead”!
"I had a cameraman filming me on the back of a bike, I rode up to him and
said: 'hey, this is a pretty shitty situation, why don't you just leave me alone with my misery? I was close to punching him off his bike … but I didn't, of course."" Jens!
by jsallee00 on Aug 20, 2009 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I seem to recall reading that on a crotch somewhere...
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
by crashdan on Aug 20, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Radio Shack allows girls...
it just doesn’t allow non-nerds!
Speaking of which, I was in the Shack two weeks after the announcement. I was looking at some electrical stuff for my home and happened to see the store manager. I asked him if there had been any impact since the news broke about the cycling team. His eyes got really big and he said with emphasis that the Shack had a whole new clientelle. They had never seen these people before, but they were tech-savvy and perfect customers. I kid you not, he was positively enthused. Good for the Shack!
by dheadrick on Aug 20, 2009 12:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I was confused
I jumped ahead to the picture and saw “the shack” and the “no girls”…
Without reading the story I thought you were saying the were no girls allowed in the Gav-Shack, which was a head scratcher. But then I read the article, and it all made sense.
"I had a cameraman filming me on the back of a bike, I rode up to him and
said: 'hey, this is a pretty shitty situation, why don't you just leave me alone with my misery? I was close to punching him off his bike … but I didn't, of course."" Jens!
by jsallee00 on Aug 20, 2009 12:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If you were a girl... and you had a sweet shack like that...
… wouldn’t you WANT to only invite the likes of Basso, Bennati and Cassani? Hell, my shack would have a big sign on it saying “No Dudes” or “No Swordfights”
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
by crashdan on Aug 20, 2009 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
sword fights, ha!
that’s what i should have added. but it would be hard to have a sword fight and wave the american flag. i was striving for realism and all.
by gavia on Aug 20, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Phew
Glad you didn’t draw the kind of sword fight to which Dan was alluding.
by tedvdw on Aug 20, 2009 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Family site????
Sheesh—NOW you tell me!
Throughout the stage all I kept on thinking was: ‘don’t finish second, you can’t finish second again’.--Heinrich Haussler
by majope on Aug 20, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol
i use that term in the loosest possible sense.
by gavia on Aug 20, 2009 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
cue Sly and The Family Stone...
come on you all know it…
ready..?
“We are fam-ily..”
by Fred Marx on Aug 20, 2009 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
gak
black shack shark shackles
attacks tacky crap trickles
lick spittles no hugs
by Steno on Aug 20, 2009 12:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
OK, this is OT here...
… forgive me….
But… “Harden the Heck Up”…? WTF? What’s wrong with “Fark”?… Or “Farque”, if you like? Or even four random symbols… but “Heck”? What the ^@#% is “Heck”?!
Sorry, it appears that I have a serious problem with that word being used as a substitute for a word which is perceived to be more profane. I have no idea why. I am curious, but I doubt that I shall devote any energy to contemplating the matter. We are all allowed to have our little foibles and peculiarities, no? ;-)
by Lou... on Aug 21, 2009 1:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
awesome rant
Indeed, heck does lack a certain… forcefulness.
by gavia on Aug 21, 2009 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sounds like something Margie would say
in Fargo.
by Ruthann on Aug 21, 2009 12:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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