A few months ago, I saw this bit in our local paper, about an upcoming exhibit in June that would feature paintings of the Tour.   I didn’t initially recognize the artist’s name, but then realized that Toti had done many paintings/prints of our city that are well-recognized and appreciated, such as this “Street Performers” one showing a summer festival in Edmonton’s downtown.  So, I was intrigued to read that she’d done paintings of the Tour:

"Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme told me no artist in the tour's 104-year history had captured the tour the way Toti has," says Lewis (her husband).

But then I forgot about it. 

Until mid-June, when I remembered again, looked up the information on the Alberta Gallery of Art website, and realized that the short exhibition was almost over.  (Had I remembered earlier, maybe I would have tried to get media credentials for Podium Cafe to attend the “special preview and reception” for free ;-) ).  I convinced my husband that we should go see it on a Saturday (2 weeks ago today), the last day.

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CyclingFever is quite proud to announce a 'joint-venture' during this Tour de France with Dave Shields, writer of 'The Race', 'The Tour' and the story of Saul Raisin, 'Tour de life'.

Quite a few of you already know CyclingFever (and Dave Shields probably) and play your extra VDS-competition there, but for all others: Here's where you'll find Dave Shields' blogs from an American point of view.

http://tour.cyclingfever.com/dave.html

Hope you'll enjoy it, we do!

'cause not like he has any other big races to do during July :-( .  So, in addition to the Cascade Classic (along with Levi I believe), Horner will be riding in several races in the Vancouver BC area in July - the Tour de Gastown (July 16), the Giro di Burnaby (July 17) and the Tour de White Rock, July 18-20.

(I'd been contemplating trying to get to Vancouver for at least the Gastown race ... this might have some influence, though staying home with easier TV and internet access to the TdF is also a factor).

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Hi, all.  I'm sure I'll be terribly embarrassed at the schoolmarmishness of this tomorrow, but right now I'd like to just post a brief reminder that it's important to (at least) credit photographers when posting their work.  I know this is the web, that everyone else is doing it, etc., but it takes a lot of work (time, effort, and money) to get a lot of those shots.  The very least we can do is make sure that they're recognized for the work they've done.

Ideally, when you repost a photo here, you'll have the permission of the photographer (you'd be amazed at how easy that is to get).  If that's too much, at least link to the original source and credit the photog.  Many many thanks.

(BTW, this is just a personal request.  Nothing more. )

-Photo titled You're Doing It Wrong.

Today, Patrick Lefevere announced that:

Our sponsors don't see why they should stay in the ProTour as we could see our invitations to some leading races turned down

Add this to Cofidis' confession that:

Today, having a ProTour licence means making big investments which are not always financially viable because it takes the Cofidis team to more and more countries in which it has no operations

(read that as "No, we really don't care about the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya).

So is this it?  is there any point of a pro tour if in addition to the big races, the big teams don't participate?  Is Lefevere the canary in the coal mine?  Or has the tunnel already collapsed and we just haven't realized that we're trapped inside?   Can you hear Prudhomme cackling from where you are?

Especially this year, tour watchers will need to be aware of an unfortunate, and often overlooked fact about the Tour: at least one gc favorite will be eliminated, for whatever reason, during the first week.

2001: Frankie Big-House, capo di Fasso Bortolo and a rider who blocked out every gear above 16 on his bike, has to be towed back to the field repeatedly during the early stages.  K-Boom.

1999: Passage au Gois.  Forget Sestrieres and the time trials.  Armstrong won his first tour here when Zulle crashed and lost six minutes in the ensuing chase down.

And then there's the stage one Haselback (can that be a word like doodsmack?) in '03 that took down Hamilton and Leipheimer.

Who can forget Iban Mayo's introduction to cobbles and echelons in '03?

And, last (just like this one), who can forget a big reason that Lemond was able to come back in 1989--Pedro Delgado's inexplicable two-minute delay in getting to the start house for the prologue?

I'm sure I'm forgetting others, but here's the point: at least one of the gc contenders will be removed from contention in the first week.  Question is: who?

Sorry VeloNews, but this is just weak. Usually I'm a fan of your work, but this is embarassing.  Between the mentions of Jullich, questions about Team High Road's leader Mick Rogers health, and the superb support that Valverde will get from Karpets it certainly seem to me that this preview was written between 6-8 weeks ago...come on guys surface mail is so 1990's.  Here, let me give you a hand....take a look at this before you write your preview next time.

weak, weak, weak, weak, weak, weak, weak, weak, weak, weak, weak, weak...that should do it.

  You and I know that Cycling is the best sport on the planet but it suffers from PR problems. Doping. Lawsuits. Political infighting:  all distasteful and they drive potential fans away from the sport.

What to do? Here's a sure-fire way to increase the exposure of Pro Cycling.  Everyone loves how Brazil plays the Beautiful Game, right?  And everyone loves those one-names maestros as they weave through hapless (mainly Itaian) defenders on their way to yet another eye popping goal. So what I propose is to Give the riders Brazilian soccer names!!!!!!! 

Can you think of a better idea?  Of course not! ASO is looking into this AS I AM TYPING THIS!!! (Expect an announcement in a day or two!)  Ah, you ask: we are not Brazilian!  We don't know how to give the riders the appropriate names!  What do we do?  Fortunately we can turn to our friends over at Brazilname to help us out.  For instance our cultured eyes know the GC contenders but how does anyone like Stuart Scott Al Trautwig know the difference?  With Brazilian names they would know!!!  Check out these names:

Cadel Evans-Cadildo, 

Carlos Sastre-Carlson

Samuel Sanchez-Sancha

Haimar Zubledia-Zubeldiinho

Alejandro Valverde-Valverdiano

Kim Kirchen- Kildo

Juan Mauricio Soler-Solao,

Roman Kreuzinger- Kreuzigandro, 

Damiano Cunego-Damianisco

Stijn Devolder-Devolda

Christophe Moreau-Moreaa

Dennis Menchov-Denson

Riccardo Ricco-Riccarda

Every name is a winner!

Oh yes. My name in real life, Brazilianized: Skisco. How cool is that?

Google has put together a "street view" map of the 2008 Tour stages. Street view in Europe is new. It has been available in some US cities. It is very cool.

Street view is an actual view from street level in full color of the place you click on. It is the view you'd have when "walking" the street or road. You see a 360 degree view.

Find the TdF stage map here. You can find help in using street view here.

For those doing stage previews on PdC it is possible to embed the street view map into a web page. For instructions on embedding maps click here.

I am trying to reach 75 words. Anything else I can include?

Everyone celebrating - have a safe Fourth of July and drive sober! <-- very important