So winter has arrived her in Montreal.  The snow is falling, the ice is freezing and I am spending many many hours on my trainer.  And I noticed something during a 4hr (yes i'm showing off) marathon earlier this week: my legs are not the same length.  My right leg is perfectly happy all the time, while my left leg gets figity and I have to slide way back in the saddle to stretch out my knee.  Now, I understand that this is fairly normal...but are there things that can be done to reduce the strain on my knees?  I've heard the concept of shims (sp?) being tossed around...but I don't really know what that is.  Anyone care to edumacate me?

According to Velo News (why yes, I am scrounging for words) Robert Julich (also known as Bobby Julich) has joined Riis and company as "rider development manager".  In this role he will be involved in helping out with material, time trialing and rider development.  I for one am delighted that we are not going to loose this guy from the pro scene.  But how long before we see all the new kids at Saxo riding these?

Or Ivan's, or Stevic's or Hilton Clarke's or Spare's.  That's right,you too can now own the steed that Dom galloped into San Luis Obispo on (maybe), or that Hilton Clarke won the US Crit finals in Vegas on.  You can even own the massage table that they were rubbed down on.  Or the rolling coolers that their drinks were carried in. 

in case you have no idea what I'm talking about, Toyota United is selling everything that they own...yes, everything.  Down to the dishes and carpet cleaner from the bus and the cash register, ladders and giant tents for expo displays. They even have a full line of technical and casual clothes and sunglasses.  Everything must go!!

If you're interested go here and download the spreadsheet with all the detail.

That's right, there is a mafia in cycling.  This is from an excerpt form and interview with the new American road champion, Tyler Hamilton.  He would say more but he's worried about getting banned from more races.  He talks about being accepted in the racing community following his suspension and the strain that his suspension has put on his marriage.  And he also talks about why he joined Ball at Rock Racing:

I’m not trying to be a rebel or anything. I’ve always enjoyed having a bit longer hair, not so high and tight. And Michael Ball has allowed me to feel that way, to relax a bit, grow some shag, wear some glasses you want to wear. That’s what it’s been like — fun.

I'm certainly not his number 1 fan.  But I always appreciate seeing the human side of cyclists.  If anyone sees the full interview, I'd be interested in any other gems.

That's right, Lance is not the only who can stage epic comebacks.  Yup, Lance's former teammate (aka mulit vuelta winner) has returned to competition in Oxforshire this past weekend.  He was competing in the Brompton  world championship.  For those not in the know (such as myself up to a few minutes ago) this is the folding bike world championship.  Heras was (unbeknownst to Heras) beaten by local cyclist Alastair Kay.  Apparently there was a frantic checking of the results by Heras upon this revelation.  The results stood. 

via www.cyclingweekly.co.uk

That was the question posed to Svein Tuft after winning the silver in todays worlds ITT. 

However, Schmalz over at Velocity Nation has pre-empted that question for one of the younger members of the US RR team.  I've gushed over the interviews that schmalz has done before, and he keeps up the standards in this interview with Lucas Euser.  TFor those who don't know:

Lucas Euser is a 24 year old pro riding for Garmin/ Chipotle. He recently finished 4th at the USA Cycling Pro Championship road race, and shortly thereafter, he won the Univest Grand Prix. He will be on the US team for the upcoming world championship road race.

A couple of teasers from the interview...

my personal favourite question:

schmalz So having the older guys on the team this year, like VandeVelde and Zabriskie, have they told you anything that you can quote specifically that's helped you out? Have they given you specific information, like 'don't get between Pozzato and his mirror', or 'this guy's gassy in the peloton"?

They even are able to ask the most cliched queestion ever in an inovative manner

schmalz I don't know if you know this, but the Chinese calendar for 2009, is going to be the year of Lance Armstrong. How are you going to celebrate?

I'm not going to give away the ansers, but seriously, got check out this interview.  This Lucas fellow is being added to the list of riders whom I'm a fan of.  I dare you to read this interview and not come away liking the kid.

It appears so.  Backing up yesterdays speculation, CW is reporting that Mr. Wiggins himself has confirmed that he has signed a 2-year deal with garmin-Chipotle. 

On why he is leaving Columbia:

“They are building a team around Cav [Mark Cavendish] and rightly so. Columbia is going to be the Cav show and who can blame them.

“But I don't want to go to every race leading out Cav every day. It was good fun doing that for him at the Giro, but I don't fancy that for the next few years. I still have ambitions myself.

“The problem is that the stages when I can go for it and try to get in breaks are also the ones when Cav can win, and my job would be to be by his side.

He said that the reason that he signed with Columbia (then T-mobile) was that they could garantee that he would ride the Giro and allow him to prepare for the Olympics (which seems to have worked out fine - two gold medals)

His goals for next year?

“I hope to do well in the Tour for myself next year. The peloton is getting slower and slower and I reckon I will have some chances.”

And the prologue in Monaco of course.

BSNYC has implored that blogs and websites cyberspace wide join his fight against driving while distracted

via 1.bp.blogspot.com

This campaign began with this observation:

...driving while using a cellphone is still a major problem here in New York, and a high percentage of the drivers who cut me off, back into me, stop abruptly in front of me, or slowly merge into me like they're trying to perform reverse cellular mitosis are also doing something with a cellphone. (Usually, that involves cradling them lovingly in the folds of their neck fat.)

Then BSNYC's local photoshop wiz whipped up the above image leading BSNYC to proclaim:

Because when you're driving, the only thing that should be stuck to your head is your gooey, gelled-up hair. (And I shouldn't even have to mention driving drunk. When you're driving, the only thing that should be plastered is your hair to your scalp.)

I felt that this is a cause that PdC can get behind.

It's vacation time for Hons, and I'm seeking advice from the PdC crowds for soon to be obvious reasons.  I'm heading down to LA for a couple weeks in July and will be taking my (new!!) bike with me.  My girlfriend (long time lurker) and I are planning on doing a fair bit of riding while I'm out there.  We will be based in LA (Westwood) but would like to venture out of the city as well.  We were thinking of heading towards Solvang (California travel and tourism eat your heart out) or perhaps San Louis Obispo. 

So lets hear it...where is the best riding in greater greater LA? 

And yes, I plan on watching the tour while I'm there.  It's great in fact, I won't have to worry about jet lag seeing that I will be waking up at unheard of hours to watch the stages.

Updating to see if this gets bumped back up to the top...and because I'm ridiculously excited to be flying out tomorrow!!!

And there is our answer...if you update and click 'Update and modify date and time' it reposts it as new.

This was discussed briefly on the live thread today but I thought I would link a new LA times article on the issue.  It reports that the driver was taken into custody on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon and released on $30,000 bail.  Is this a first?  I can't recall felony charges being laid in vehicular-cyclist incidents before...but I'm sure that many of you have 'longer memories' than I.  Also

Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who represents the area, said he had called for a meeting within the next two weeks of residents, cyclists, traffic engineers and police to discuss the issues and to reinforce the fact that "cyclists have the right to travel safely and free of fear."

If any of you are in the area, I'm sure many here would be interested in the discussions that happen at that meeting. 

The LA times article also links to the LAist piece.  A warning though, the pictures included are a little gruesome.  They also have an update here with more photos.

I response to Kevin "I hope when the cyclist prevented him from leaving, it was done with gusto." According to third person accounts, the second rider (the one who did not go through the window) sat on the cars hood till the paramedics got there. 

I know that the PdC community stands behind me in hoping for a speedy recovery to the two cyclists and many years of jail time to the perp.