OK, I'll admit, a Versus Tour de France T-shirt is not exactly an all expense paid trip to the 2009 Tour de France, but still it's a thrill to win something given all the promotions and fantasy games I enter.

A couple of years ago I won a Graham Watson coffee table book from Velonews.com for guessing Paolo Bettini as the winner of a race.  Since I guessed Paolo Bettini as the winner of every race I guess I just got lucky that time.

So far this year I am playing

The Podium Cafe VDS year long game

The Points Competition at Cyclingfever.com (Thanks DZI)

The Kenda Cycling challenge on versus.com

Also on Versus I am playing

The unscramble word game (this is the one that I won the T-shirt on, expecting it in 4-6 weeks woohoo!)

The Who Am I game

Saab fly to the finish game, BTW you can enter up to three times each day there are three ways to get a codeword.

If you click Take Back the Tour in the versus sidebar you can enter to win a Felt Bike and a trip to the 2009 tour.

Is anybody else entering the contests?  What other contests are out there?

I'm having really mixed feelings about versus channel's takebackthetour.com ad campaign.   The first commercial that aired, showing little Tommy Voeckler climbing was  OK, but the new one that is showing today (June 22nd) during Cyclism Sunday is a bit disingenous I think.  I think what I most object to is that last shot of David Millar, who is shown in his Saunier Duval kit.  IIRC, Millar was riding for Cofidis when he was busted for using PEDs.  So why not show him in his Slipstream kit if he wants to be made example of?  I think it's unfair of Versus to cast aspersions on Saunier Duval, especially since they were the team who gave him a chance to come back to the pro peloton.

Cycling is chock full of nicknames for riders, even if they have one sometimes someone here at the Café will coin a new one.  One of the earliest ones from here that I remember is "evil Cricket" for Paolo Bettini who is fondly known in Italy as il Grillo, or the Cricket.

Alberto Contador became "The Accountant" because of a babelfish translation of a news story that contained his name, (I think.)

Tony Montana, aka Fabian Cancellara is almost self explanatory.  Then he became Spartacus to his fan base, and was even rumored to have that name on his bike helmet.

My husband and I call Tyler Hamilton "The Muppet" because of his riding style.

Someone here at the Café coined the nickname "Bubble Boy" for Tommy Danielson, that gave me a good laugh.  Another one I saw here the other day was  "Mr. Excitement" for Levi Leipheimer.

When I was putting together my VDS team for this year I was reading rider profiles on Wikipedia (I was surprised at how many riders actually have a Wikipedia page) and saw that Heinrich Haussler's nickname is "Beans."  Made me think I would not like to be riding behind him in the Peloton.

You can post your favorite rider nickname in this thread, or ask about why a rider has a particular nickname.  Someone may know the answer.

For most of my life, I was a cigarette smoker.  I'd tried a lot of different ways to quit, since will-power was not a viable option; gum, lozenges, patches, hypnosis, acupuncture, nothing worked for me until I tried this new drug from Pfizer called Chantix.  WIthin seven days I had given up the habit for good!  

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According to velonews, Alessandro Petacchi will not be riding the tour this year, and CONI has recommended a one year suspension.

Well, the Brits have done it again.  In an effort to promote cycling as an alternative to motor driven vehicles, some 200 folks set off on a nude bicycle ride.

Let's hope the Tour organizers don't decide that this is one way to ensure clean cycling for the prologue in London.

This may be old news to some, but I've only been on this site since May, so pardon if I'm repeating.

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I have a great deal of respect for Phil Liggett.  Here is his perspective on the Landis doping allegation.

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Chris asked for Diaries and since I haven't been on a bike in, well let's just say a number of years, I don't really feel qualified to take up any of the great subjects he posed in his thread.  I know there will be some marvelous feedback on those subjects and cannot wait to read everyone's input.  That said I decided instead to present here the second annual Bethie's Best and Worst of the Tour.

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Hat tip again to my husband for finding this gem.

Part of the enjoyment we get from watching the Tour de France is the commentary by Phil and Paul, with  "stamping on the pedals in anger" and "suitcase of courage" being two of our favorites.

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