I don't know, maybe it's because I'm subscribed to the Giro's facebook feed, but that race of all races is always on my mind. I've already done one post on the Giro, fan-gushing, and will surely do more when the time comes. This one's...a bit more somber.

I haven't found any especially recent information, but it looks like the previously-announced plan to withhold dossard number 108 is still going to happen. On the whole, I find myself agreeing with the Belgian federation, when they came out last year amid the multitude of races holding the number out (patently silly) and said that it would not bring him back and would only serve to continually remind us all of...that awful day. They issued it for last year's Belgian national road race championship, though ironically the man who would have worn it (Sep Vanmarcke) had to pull out with an injury.

There comes a time when "RIP Wouter" and "We will never forget you Wouter" are mutually exclusive. And I feel a bit bad for coming out and saying this, but Weylandt's career as a cyclist would have hardly merited the (seemingly?) perpetual remembrance in life that he'll be getting in death.

At the same time, though, I can understand not wanting to be the next person to put that number on his back, especially in the very next edition of the race when, rightly or wrongly, this is still very much going to be in everyone's thoughts. WW108 has featured in some of the promotional materials for this year's Giro (which is...kind of uncool, but I digress), I doubt it will next year.

So what do you think on the particular issue of race number 108 - hold it out from the Giro forever, hold it out this year and bring it back next, or issue it like normal?