A Year Comes To An End

Well I've just witnessed Mark Cavendish winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.  A big deal really for him but an even bigger one for cycling as it is often over shadowed by the bigger media sports.  It perhaps shows how much his success as well as others has brought cycling more into the fore front.

I think it'll make for a good Christmas Present for him.  Talking of which Christmas looms which has meant much wrapping of presents and the usual mad plannings that go with family Christmas time.  The kids present pile seems to get bigger every year.  I'll have a few days off from training with some long rides put in while I can during the holiday period but I will not be writing my blog till the new year.

So with that, I'd like to wish all my faithful readers a very merry Christmas and a great 2012 in whatever you do.  Hope Santa brings some nice bike bits for you all!!

PS.  Want It Wednesday will return on January 11th so have a break from it till then if you like :)

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Mark Cavendish Finally Signs For New Team!!!!

So after far too long speculating I can give you an up date on the final decision.  A few hours ago Mark put on his Twitter Page 'It's............Team Sky!' So there you go.  What most people thought and probably only made complicated by journalists over speculating.  Good move, I shall wear my Team Sky kit with more pride now!!!

That'll be all!!!

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Cavendish World Road Race Champion

Caaaaaaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv!!!!!!!!  What a weekend for road racing.......well if you are British anyway!  By now you probably all know that Mark Cavendish (my favourite rider) won the very prized Rainbow Jersey, and is now the new World Road Race Champion.  Its a good time to be British.  We've had to wait a while for this mind, 46 years by my counting, the last champion being the awesome Tom Simpson. 



Cavendish in Rainbow Jeresy.  Photo: Telegraph.



We topped the Medal table with some good results all round, and a notable fantastic Time Trial ride by Bradley Wiggins who came second.  The Brit,s riding with strength of eight riders, rode a magnificent race supporting and protecting Cavendish.  But its got to be said that Mark, ever humbly crediting his own team, produced a blinder of a sprint.  He looked out of it as he was sitting near tenth and boxed in with 300 metres to go.  Yet he found the smallest of gaps down the side of the barrier and with 200 to go, launched with that trade mark turn of speed that I think many of the Peleton have little answer for.  Anyway enough of my totally bias boasting heres the last frantic minutes of the road race that you can see here.  

One question:  Whats with his helmet?  It looks horrible.  I can see its a specialised one, but it seems to have a cover on it, which not only makes it look odd but surely can't be cooling his head down very much.

So all over it has been a good year for cycling for this country.  Noticeable other achievement being Danny Harts World Downhill victory, Cavendishes Green Jersey in the Tour de France and second and third places in the Vuelta.  I'm hoping this is just the start of a victory haul.  You know what?  It good to be able to celebrate my favourite sport for once. Its good to be British today........but if I was Australian, I'd be pretty happy too.

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Bike Make Over Time

Been looking at my road bike recently.  Its looking a bit tired and worn out and a bit bland.  Its never been a real looker but its a good bike and at only 17.5lbs its light and nibble to ride.  In fairness its having a hard life, its been dragged through winter and the terrible salted roads and daily hammered hard along my route to work.  If it could talk it would probably look at me with pitiful eyes and tell me help it.

So that's the plan. Like some make over program my bike is getting a budget change.  A good start will be to clean it. Yeah I know, guilty of even the basics but often after work it gets wheeled into the shed and forgotten about.  I'm tired I want to do other things..........its a valid excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Anyway as you can see I've purchased a pair of very yellow Michelin Pro3 tires which look great and will add a splash of colour.  It'll match the decals on the frame, which are yellow and white.  The tires were something of a bargain as they were £15 cheaper per tire than normal.  So a good saving.  To finish the beautification I have matching yellow Easton bar tape and also some white Goodridge brake cables.  Lovely.......not really looking forward to taping my bars though.  Total faff. 

Next month (or the one after) I shall be getting a new chain (mine is seriously over stretched) and new cassette as well.  All I shall get after will be some white gear cables then that it done.  I'll then be more proud to take a picture and show you all!!!

Other things this week was the Hamsterley 1-2-1 which is basically a two day event.  The first day is a cross country race and on the next day you have to do a downhill race with your times on the day added together.  Fastest person wins.  Only one bike for the two days is allowed so there was a good range of bikes on show for the event.  I didn't take part although I was tempted.  Looking at the downhill course and how well people were riding it, I was probably wise to avoid it.  I may have held my own in the xc race but would have more likely wrapped my body around a tree and remained there till an air ambulance rescued.
Here's a glimpse of the days event.

looks fun doesn't it?  Maybe next year.........yes that's right next year.......I'll ask if they need help with marshalls!

Well I've also been occupied with watching snippets of the Vuelta.  Its been hotly contested at the front between Cobo and Froome.  Bradley Wiggins since my last post has lost his red jersey to Cobo and has fallen over a minute and a half behind.  Which sucks.  However Chris Froome (pretenda brit) is only 13 seconds down so he could still snatch it.  He tried so hard the other day winning a great stage with an awesome gutsy ride but it was still not enough to shake his rival.  Its probably not possible now but hey ho that's racing for you.  Next time guys when you race up a big steep git of a hill take a leaf out of Cobos book and use easier gearing on your bike rather than labouring over your bike like a three legged dog!

oh and yes Mark Cavendish will be racing in the Tour of Britain.......and no I still won't be able to go see him race.

Well Its the weekend now and so hopefully I'm going to get some riding done.  About bloomin time too.

Happy Riding

Jez

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Back from My Holiday!

Well I'm back!  Yes sorry for my absence, but I've been on a much needed holiday and have had a very cycle free week.

Bradley Wiggins http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/

Anyway, I thought I'd start back this week by looking at what is happening in the cycle world.  I suppose racing is a good place to start and the Vuelta a Epana.  I've not been able to watch any whilst on holiday so haven't been kept up to speed.  I was sad to see Mark Cavendish out of the race, but maybe another grand tour wasn't the best thing for him.  He had slug his guts out trying to get around the Tour de France, and only just making it over the mountains.  How the hell was he expected to survive a challenging hilly Vuelta course?!  Still, being British (and I apologise to my American followers for bleating) its not all bad.  Bradley Wiggins is top of the pile and looking dashing in red with Christopher Froome in second.  I'm not used to seeing one rider at the top list of a grand tour let alone two!!!  I had to double take when I read the news.  Go team Sky.......erm also British.......OK I'll stop gushing now, but I'll just keep the smile to myself and of course fingers crossed.  Well Tomorrow will be an interesting stage as the riders have to ascend the Angliru.  A nasty climb of about 8% average before ramping up near the end.  The stage is shorter at 144km to limit the damage a stage like this could make but all the same it could make or break some riders.  If last years winner Vincenzo Nibali wants to retain his crown then he needs to seriously kick butt, or at least shift off his own arse, currently lying in seventh place isn't going to win him 'that' Jersey.

Well here the other talk is of the Tour of Britain.  Well the local magazine is.  I'm just gutted that once again it fails to go past my area.  I loved watching it when it did.  Mingling with the Pros before they set off was great and I got all snap happy.  It was strange that I could sit in a cafe and be joined by members of Garmin and Rapha Condor.  I regret not going around asking for every signature, hair, breath that I could but then again the wife may have had something to say so I restrained.  Got some nice pictures that I'll dig out some time and show you all.  Word is that Cavendish will race but that's pending a ruling of him quiting the Vuelta.  Apparently if you leave a major race then you can't race in anything else whilst it continues.  Sometimes you can if you appeal.  Obviously with the World Champs coming that would be ideal.  Yet I'm going to strop like a teenager because I won't get to see him in action.  Just not fair!!  (storms off shutting door behind him loudly, playing music at high volume)

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News From The Week

Well I thought I'd see what was happening out there in the cycling world and what news I can report on.  First up is the start of the Vuelta e Espana, one of the three big grand tours of the year starts next Saturday.  I'm not sure I share the same excitement with this tour as say the Giro d'Italia or the Tour de France but, if its on my TV I shall be watching whenever I can.  If not, I'll probably just wait till cycling weekly come out and read on it then.  I thought that instead of me telling you about this race, I'd guide you to Lizzies Blog page, who writes up on the happenings of these races.  She seems more informed on these thing than myself, I know too little about this tour.  Anyway click here to read more.

For the Mark Cavenndish fans out there, its bad news I'm afraid as Mark Renshaw, Cavs main lead out man is off to join the orange and blue ranks of Rabobank.  This is mainly in order to be given the chance at winning stages for himself and gain the glory for once.  Can't blame the guy really, he may have been crucial to the HTC outfit but when people look back through the record books its only winners that counted.  On a negative point this is not such good thing for our Cav.  Renshaw is such an excellent lead out man that he'll be hard to replace and is no doubt a big reason for Cavendishs' victories.  With the collapse of HTC, we still await the news of where Mark Cavendish will actually go.  Large speculation is he will go to Sky.  Seems logical as he is British and its a British team.  But who will lead him.......I just can't see it working somehow.

Further moving news is Thor Husvovd is going to BMC.  This seems like an interesting move but already there is some grumbles from the camp as this is Cadel Evans team and apparently he is not prepared to share the leadership with a sprinter.  The news here is that despite Thors great ride in this years Tour de France he will possible not race in it next year.  He will be there to boost victories in the classics instead. Odd.  But I feel this also won't work. Am I becoming a bit negative here?

Oh, on a lighter note its good to see Jan Ulrich back.  Well OK not in a pro racing capacity but in a more down to earth Sportive event.  He'd apparently signed on with a different name "Max Kraft" (Max Power), not sure of what reception he'd get.  His shoulder got tired from all the taps he got and handshakes!  Bless.  All is forgiven Jan.......you blood doping cheat.  Well who wasn't then? Good to see you are over your 'burnout symdrome' big man.  Now there's an excuse I might have to try out for work one day......

Mountain Bike racing always seems to go under the radar a bit.  But the European MTB championships took place last week.  That super lady Gunn Rita Dahle Flesjaa won her fifth title.  Hasn't she been around for a long time now?  She's still totally awesome......and to prove a point shes a mum too.  Where the hell does she find the time to train.  Much respect.  In the men's race Julian Absalon was pipped to the post by Czech rider, Jaroslav Kulhavy.  I'm starting to think that the domination that has been Absalons rule is finally coming to an end.  Although it looks like he can't be written off just yet!

That's all the news from me for the time being.  Happy Riding Bloggers

Jez

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Its All Over

Wow.  That was THE best Tour de France ever.  Mark Cavendish in Green and his third win in Paris.  First British rider to win the green and the our first jersey since Robert Miller won the polka dot jersey in the 1980s.  Cadel Evans at the age of 34 (my age!) wins his first French tour after many years of trying and coming so close.  First Australian to win it too.


Its been a year of great sprinting, mountain climbing, big attacks, terrible crashes, highs, lows.  The close rivalry between the GC contenders has made it a very interesting race for once.  So far its also had the bonus of not being over shadowed by drug tests and positive results, particularly when its the actual winner that is under question.

So that's it for me and tour commentary (which you may be glad to know!)  I've a few things planned in the pipeline for this blog site instead though.  Obviously my regular ramblings on what I get up to and like will be on here.  I'm planning on getting fit again and perhaps start training again with the intention of doing either a few races or the very least a 24hour race!

I'm got some plans underway for doing bits on good places to go riding, with my first one on Hamsterley including videos under way.  I'm going to continue with the occasional reviews as well, my next one being on my new crank bros eggbeater pedals.

I'm hoping to start a Linkie party as well for Wednesdays called 'Dream Bike Wednesday'.  The idea being that you join and every Wednesday post up a picture of either your own dream bike, pieces of bike kit or something bike wise that you'd loved to own if you had the money!

Hope you've all had a good weekend, whatever it is you've done!

Jez

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Mark Cavendish - Stage 15 Tour de France 2011

Mark Cavendish wins in Montpellier after another great sprint



Photo by Robert Bellini http://www.cyclingnews.com/

 Another great victory from the 'fastest man on this planet' at stage 15.  The manxman once again showed not only how great a sprinter he is but also what a fantastic team he has in HTC-Highroad.  The 187km stage from Limoux to Montpellier
was always going to be a tough one, especially with the strong winds that were blowing across the roads.  It was thought that this could be won by the sprinters but it was also a great chance for a good break away. 

On the day, the breaks that were made were all in vein, HTC-Highroad dominated the front powering on despite the winds and obvious tired legs from the days in the Pyrenees.  The last 20km from the end were as tense as ever with the teams fighting for position but ultimately it wa
s Marks team and his own ability to sprint well that led to his win.  I love watching Cavendish sprint.  Its like nothing else, he has such an explosive sprint even from 200metres out he accelerates with such speed.  This is now his 19th sprint win as a professional, proving that he is currently the best out there right now......and best of all he is British!  It is so good to see that we finally, after years of watching the tour, have are own national riders out there that we can cheers for, who are capable of winning. 

On the day Mark was probably not the fastest sprinter, Farrar nearly caught him on the line, but the fact he is holding onto the green Jersey this year with over 30 points ahead of his nearest rival is just fantastic.  He is often humble when winning always crediting his team for victories and often feeling disappointed when he lets them down.  His twitter page simply congratulated the team but I always like the way straight after the race he goes finds his team mates and thanks them.

Picture by http://www.mirror.co.uk/

I dearly hope that he gets to hold onto the green Jersey and even better wins the last stage in Paris.  He really does in my opinion deserve it.  I'd like to think that this kind of victory would make him more known in the media but somehow doubt it.  The Tour de France maybe the second biggest sporting event in the world (second only to the football world cup) but people in this country just don't get it.  Still don't think many people know who Lance Armstrong is!!!  Which is a shame.  But notably cycling popularity is on the rise in this country, perhaps after some sterling efforts from the British Track cycling team.  I think Mark in green won't turn many heads but to those that love cycling he will be a hero.  He to me already is.  All we need now is for someone British to win the Yellow Jersey, surely its our turn now!  All eyes are on you Bradley Wiggins........next year maybe......next year.  

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