Friday Fun: If You Could Turn Pro For a Day...

I’m gonna go with Runitout just cuz he/she said it so nice, and say Strade Bianche. Usually I’d say LBL, but there’s something nice about a “smaller” race like this, I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about but that’s my answer.

If I’m going pro for a day, it’s going to be for a long time. And without any pesky mountains or cobbles.

I rode the MSR last summer (actually, the MSRM…Milan-SanRemo-Monaco) and it has everything. It’s got fast flats, gentle climbs, steep climbs, tricky downhills and the best part is the scenery. Riding down that coast line is amazing. To do it in a peleton would be sublime.

I felt like I could ride 500km’s that day…so I think I would be in the right mindset if I were a pro for one day. Although I’d be so taken at the finish.

Maybe I should pick a race I could win as a pro…..

In an instant. No doubt about it.

I love everything I’ve seen about the region, it’s some of my favorite terrain to ride in, it fits who I am as a rider.

Why isnt anyone mentioning
an Ardennes classic? Wind hills and a pub at the base of the finishing climb. I am sure being sponsored by a beer companyay have it’s rewards for the winner

In my opinion, there is no better feeling then being absolutely crushed after a ride, and I don’t see any race that would crush my soul more than PR.

…with about a 4 hour head start so I can enjoy the rainbow stripes all year long afterword…

(okay, I would need about 6 hours and a tailwind…but a boy can dream)

the Omloop because you could probably taste the energy and buzz in the start area on the way to opening the Belgian season plus it is more or my style
or
If it was non-Euro, it would be Philly. No matter what happens to that race, it will always be Philly.

cause I live here and would smoke them fools that aren’t used to the altitude…bring it the Lance. Oh it’s not going on anymore? Well then I’d say the Giro Lombardia, that’s some beautiful scenery.

And as an added perk it would be in Lombardy with a finish atop the Ghisallo. The awards ceremony (of course, I take the Gold) would be next to the Coppi/Bartali busts.

Why? It’s my fave single day race (especially when it’s a hilly course).

Three weeks in Italy on a bike. The weather is fantastic in Italy in May. Nice and easy pace until the end of each stage. Of course, the transfers are a b*tch, but I’m dreaming, right?

Just to make it to the Kapelmuur in front of the fans and with the bells going off….

Bastille day – on a mountian stage, wearing polka dots

Because I’d get a vacation of a week with all the cool riders to boot.

It’s a day, in a race.

one of the joys of getting older is saying, “Well, in my day we didn’t have [xyz].” soooo…the last day in which the TdF passed over the unpaved col du tourmalet. that is a true bragging right.

a close second would be riding a kermesse in the rain, not closed to traffic and with joe parkin.

to say worlds, or one of the monster alpine stages of the Tour or Giro… but I have to say, the Sausalito-to-Santa Cruz stage of the ToC. Those are my home roads, and some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere. And with very few straight level miles, super exciting to ride. Plus, I just love this race even if it’s only a lowly Cat. 5 in VDS.

My first thought was Lombardia, but the weather is likely to be too good—I can’t go so far as to pretend I like exertion in the heat (or really, anything much over 60 F). I need cold, preferably rainy weather, so it’s got to be Belgium in the springtime. Let’s say de Ronde.