The theme of the week is that there is no theme this week. All at once, the Cycling World is reeling from the Classics season, trying to focus on a beautiful stage race in Switzerland, and getting pumped for the Giro d'Italia. There are post-Classics transfer rumors, Jan Ullrich body fat updates, pre-riding reports... you name it. I never thought that my winter base miles would become essential for blogging, but the physical demands of keeping up with all this cannot be misunderestimated. And no, I am not drunk right now...
- TC started one of my favorite debates below: is the Giro cooler than the Tour?
So much more on the flip:
- Eurosport kicks off the major tabloid subplot of the TdR: Jan Ullrich's waistline. Ullrich himself doubts his form and is just here to train, and his middlin' result today confirms this. Yet he's T-Mobile's team leader, nominally at least. On Saturday's big mountain stage, will Jan be the first team leader in a pro tour event to be eliminated for falling outside the time limit? Hasn't he suffered enough?
- Speaking of Ullrich, Pez delves into who knows the best way to Paris, Basso or Ullrich? In fairness to Jan, his knee is screwing up his calendar. That said, which team -- CSC or T-Mobile -- knows how to plan better? Um...
- This is partly personal, but SportsNewYork is picking up on Cycling, at least on its website. The personal part, for disclosure: the author, Steve Berthiaume, is a childhood buddy who actually introduced me to the sport, and gave me my first leadout to a prime win in 1986. Skipping ahead... he raises an interesting point in his "Free Tom Danielson!" discussion.
- Ever wonder what Saunier Duval boss Mauro Gianetti thinks? Watch out, there's more.
- Along similar lines, are you bored enough to wonder what acting USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson thinks? No offense, TC.