The wonderfully Weekly

Long term readers of this blog will know that I have a contempt for a certain Weekly Cycling magazine (I'm not going to tell you which one of course). It's not simply the fact that it hoiks it's price up before during and after Le Tour or even the often pithy editorial comments. It's just that it's a bit stuck in the 80's and continues to have the irritating us and them attitude about those that pedal and those that don't (get over it!).

However, I'll be the first to admit that I by it religiously and almost as religiously I laugh at it's gaffs. And this week's is so good that I feel the need to transcribe -

Page 30

WIN a signed team Sky jersey and Gatorade hydration pack!

Gatorade, the world’s most researched sports drink, has recently become a key supporter of cycling in the UK, becoming the official nutrition partner to Team Sky, British Cycling and the Great Britain Cycling Team. Gatorade is also fuelling the Sky Ride programme – a series of mass participation cycling events which aim to get one million more people cycling regularly each month across the UK.

Gatorade has been fuelling Team Sky at the tour this year and prior to the race have been working with Team Sky’s Nutritionist, Nigel Mitchell to ensure the team have the best products, means of delivery and support, including support from Dr Ian Rollo of the Gatorade Sports Science institute.

To mark Gatorade’s work with Team Sky and their phenomenal efforts during the Tour de France, Gatorade have teamed up with Cycling Weekly to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a signed Team Sky tour jersey signed by the entire tour team and all British riders, as well as a Gatorade Hydration Pack and Team Sky TT bottle and carbon fibre bottle cage.

To enter simply answer the following question

Who is Team Sky’s team nutritionist?

* Dr Ian Rollo
* Nigel Mitchell
* Bradley Wiggins


Now, all pretty straightforward and I have to say very tempting. Now for the punchline - where might one send their entry for said SKY competition I wonder? Well, and no word of a lie (it's in print) -

Cervelo Test team competitions entries, Leon House, 233 High Street, Croydon, CR9 7HZ

Genius!! (I'll let you know if I win)

The ride of my life

At about half four yesterday I got a text from Dan to alert me to a BBC4 programme that was being shown in the evening called The Ride of My Life.

Normally with telly about the things that you hold dear they can be a let down - I wouldn't have done that, you don't do it like that and so on and so forth. But I have to say that within the space of one hour Rob Penn made one of the best cycling related bits of television I have ever seen.

The premise is that he is building his dream bike and travelling the world to find the dream kit for it but, whilst doing this, he also manages to give a potted history of the bike from it's inception right up to today. Every single thing he picks up on from a Chris King headset (got one) to a Campag groupset (check) all the way to riding with the original Marin County mountain bikers (one for Dan) is spot on.

If you missed it thank your lucky stars for the iplayer.

Chapeau Monsieur Penn, chapeau Le Beeb et chapeau Dan for the heads up

Don't say it's over

It simply wasn't the same tonight - coming home, bouncing futurestar around until I got fed up with him (only jesting my dear) and then flicking on ITV4 in the knowledge that, even though it was on, it wasn't really on - it was over.

It's been a great 3 weeks but a little tainted due to my woefully poor blog to stage ratio. So, rather than go back to my usual colour scheme, I am going to keep the magic alive by sharing a few more pics of the mini road trip.

First up what was probably the best stage in many, many years - the road to Roubaix. Enjoy as much as we did. Sigh.


Ryder on the storm


Rabobank take up the pace


Proof that Team Sky did actually do something!

The shame of it

This is not the scheduled post but, even though it pains me, I feel I must share it with my loyal reader.

Tonight, whilst cycling home on my usual route, I cruised up towards Denmark Hill and timed my run up just right to catch the change of lights and pass the fellow pedalistas waiting at the lights (a trick that never fails to satisfy). As I did my best 'Schleck in the saddle' pose up the hill I was aware of a passenger on my tail and gave a little glimpse over my shoulder to spy the wheelsucker. No sooner had I done so than said sucker pulled up alongside me to compliment me on my bike and it's wonderful carbon fibredness (I should point out that due to futurestar's constant infringement on 'me' time I have taken to treating myself to a weekly ride to work on the Colnago lest it think that I am neglecting it).

Now, back to the point. Being complimented on one's 2 wheeled loveliness is not a bad thing I hear you cry and, yes, you're right. However, being complimented by somebody as you are on the steepest part of the hill and giving it your best Schleckism (seated don't forget) and said complimenteur is RIDING A FUCKING BMX!!!! is not so nice. He wasn't even puffing - the precocious little shit. What made it doubly bad was that he had been trackstanding (oh, how I wish I could) at the lights - he'd caught me from a standing start!

Naturally I exchanged pleasantries and then cruised away with an inward grimace and my tail so firmly between my legs that I could feel it chaffing.

Oh, the shame of it!

Image from chrispeters.com

Regardez mon booty

Warning - this post is not about my Beyoncé-like posterior (sorry to disappoint)

Le Tour does seem to bring out a myriad of emotions in a grown man. From the fist pumping, screaming fool that fleetingly showed on Eurosport (we stood by a distinctive tree on the Tilloy les Marchiennes section of pavé so that I would have the best chance of seeing myself on the telly - it worked!) to the tongue tied pit lane loiterer at the Wanze départ.

However, all of these characteristics pale in comparison when it comes to the tat obsessed thug that wants to claim every single piece of jetsom from the caravan. Large PMU foam hand - I NEED IT! Cheap floppy Skoda hat - GIVE IT TO ME! FdJ jersey - I BEG YOU YOUNG TEENAGE PROMOTIONS GIRL, THROW IT TO ME NOT THE 8 YEAR OLD BOY WITH ONE LEG (he'd never get the use out of it like I would). So a hearty couple days worth of leaping, pouncing, elbowing and snatching resulted in a rather large pile of tat that, when in Rome, brought me a great deal of satisfaction but, when in home, made me wonder why I have added to the growing mound of tentatively cycling related 'memorabilia' that I am amassing. And I don't even want to start on the new addiction I have to Haribo liquorice.

Here's what I got -


This constituted a nice late lunch.........


....always support les flics........


.......utterly pointless 'pop out' disks seemed all the rage this year......


.......these are the uninflated clackers that always look as if they are going to hit a sprinter full in the face at 70km/h........


.......chapeau le tat!

My mate Jonny

What a day's racing. Adieu Lance, it's time to move on. As for Andy - Schlecktastic, can we dream of yellow? Anyway, high on the altitude of it all I logged on to facebook to see if I had any friends and low and behold there was Jonny on chat (Jonny to me, Mr Bellis to you mortals). At this point I should confess that I have been trying to collect cyclists as friends and have had moderate success which I will try and tap into for future posts. Well, thinks I, no time like the present to have any impromptu bit of 'pro talk' and this is how it went (with what I was thinking in brackets -

5:01pm Me
what a stage!! au revoir Lance - but a shame about Wiggo (READ AS - 'Hello Jonny, please talk to me)

5:02pm Jonny
yep, didn't think wiggins would do anything like he did last year so no surprise there

5:03pm Me
no, but 8 minutes? to be honest he has looked miserable the whole week. Should have been a DS this year (READ AS - my God he's answered me and I need to keep this going - throw in a little pro talk like DS and he'll think I'm a pro too!)

5:04pm Jonny
yeh, oh well.. still a chance for a stage win

5:06pm Me
mmmm.....doubtful in my opinion. too many good riders and I don't think he has got the legs for the mountains anymore, unlike your team mate - classy ride (READ AS - err, I'm still talking about Lance here)

5:07pm Jonny
yes i know that.. there is always the breakaways or tt `s

5:08pm Me
we'll see . hope the next two weeks are as good as this one. hope you are continuing to get stronger too. have a good evening (READ AS - look mate , if you won't talk about Lances 'defaillance' I'm off - futurestar is getting fussy and I simply don't have the time to talk at cross purposes)

5:09pm Jonny
yep we will.. cheers (READ AS - is this the royal we?)

Anyway, hopefully we'll chat again and be on the same page but I did notice that he hasn't put anything on his blog about me - maybe next time?

(pic courtesy of bikeradar.com)

La belle de Spa

She stands 'sur la balconette' with an air of mystery. La belle de Spa what secrets do you know, what places have you seen, what fantasies do you dream? (don't answer that last one please)

Here are a few other pictures of the natives (from Spa and Wanze) for your delectation


Standing on the balcony they could see something approaching.........


...so they called the priest........


...who called the armed guard.......


...to protect them against the Gros Gourmand de Wanze.

Cav makes his mark (finally!)

Here are a few pics of the man and the machine taken before the start of the epic stage from Wanze to Arenberg. What a day, what a trip. So much to say and no time (yet) to say it. Keep checking in as things will be appearing over the next few days / weeks telling the tale and showing the evidence of another brilliant 48 hours of Le Tour.

And, whilst he may have blown his chance of green the outpouring of emotion after today's victory just goes to show that he's not complacent. Chapeau Cav!


The bike...........


the feet..........


the man.

Le jour est venu, encore

Procycling guide - check (the best - end of)

Cycling weekly - check (comparing the favourites to fish? it's simply not funny)

Eurosport installed - check (she's not happy)

Camera charged - check (I will continue to try)

Car insured - check (good boy)

Directions printed out - check (as if it will help)

Hotel in Wanze booked - check (well, about 3km outside to be truthful)

Well, in that case IT'S TOUR BABY, IT'S TOUR.

The Correspondent and I will be heading to Spa, Wanze and Arenberg to witness first hand what is possibly the most exciting ever early stages of Le Tour. As with Barcelona pics will surely flow but until then content yourselves with my little mini makeover - yellow for Contador, green for Cav, red and white for a Schleck and white for....who knows (Martin?, Fugslang?)

L'amener!