TDF '07 - Place Your Bets

Even thought it is hard to get excited i still like gambling on the TDF. My bets and odds below...

My money is going to...

• Valverde ($15) - Cause he's definitely doping
• Rasmussen ($10) Long shot but possible, its not like he races in anything else
• Cadel Evans ($10) I momentarily bought into the hype, but now i think i just wasted $10.
  
• Levi ($10) its now or never and he looks hungry every time he's in a TT.
  

Odds from Sportsbook.com

• Alexandre Vinokourov 7-4
• Andreas Kloden 4-1
• Andrey Kashechkin 12-1
• Cadel Evans 10-1
• Carlos Sastre 10-1
• Christophe Moreau 40-1
• Cyril Dessel 40-1
• Damiano Cunego 40-1
• Danilo Di Luca 20-1
• Denis Menchov 12-1
• Frank Schleck 12-1
• George Hincapie 40-1
• Iban Mayo 40-1
• John Gadret 40-1
• Levi Leipheimer 10-1
• Markus Fothen 40-1
• Michael Rasmussen 40-1
• Michael Rogers 20-1
• Oscar Pereiro 20-1
• Samuel Sanchez 40-1
• Tom Danielson 20-1
• Vladimir Karpets 40-1
• Yaroslav Popovych 40-1
  

Sigh... i wish i could bet on American D3 Racing.. that would make it wayyyyy more fun.

Put Your Shirt On

Not So-Pro!

The Rock Says....

I was a cynic, I was a skeptic, basically...i became an unbeliever. My soul was crushed last July when Floyd got busted, I lost interest, stopped blogging....but just when you think cycling is going totally down hill something comes along. The new cool thing? Rock Racing! These guys are bringing some danger back to the sport!

The cool factors
1. The change their jerseys every race (supposedly)
-Every time i see them they have something different on, that is cool, not even Euro's do that.

2. Escalades - While i don't dig SUV's and their gas guzzling ways, a bunch of guys rolling up in pimped out mobster rides is pretty cool.

3. They can race!

• 1st CSC Invitational
• Spring 07 Results
  
• Kayle Leogrande - check out the ink! This guy is a crit machine...
• Rahsaan Bahati - No longer a flash in the pan! (he's the 1st at CSC)

Let's just hope they are the cool guys in black and don't sport too much attitude when we see them out on group rides.

Basso states "I smoked pot but didn't inhale"

"I smoked pot but didn't inhale"b y Captain Dan

So let me get this straight. Basso wins Giro by 9 minutes, over Gutierrez (who has never done this well in a 3 week stage race and is subsequently implicated in OP). Then is implicated in Operation Puerto and can't start '06 Tour. He denies any association with Dr. Fuentes. He and CSC part ways (significant buy out clause paid by CSC), then signs multi million $ contract with Discovery and Nike.

Evidence exists that his code name is Brillo (his dogs name that he denies is true) including blood and payment records going back to 2004. He quits Discovery and yesterday confesses his involvement. Then today says it was only "just in case" and for the tour he didn't get to compete.

This is F&$king hilarious. What a putz. How can he cheat, lie, take a ton of money, spit on our sport, and then expect anyone to believe this pile of shit!

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/12220.0.html

Captain Dan Dan

Operation Don't Crash Out Lance

Ol' Webcor Pro Greg Drake wrote up this story.... Its a great first person account of a Neo Pro's first big race.

So I was racing in the 2002 SF Grand Prix, with Lance or course. I was completely intimidated by everything around me. I had been a Cat 2 for a couple months, a Cat 3 for a couple months before that, a Cat 4 for a month before that, and a Cat 5...well you get the picture. I hadn't been racing road bikes very long.

Anyway, I spent the whole night before the race waking up every hour or so with nerves raging. The little sleep I got was punctuated with dreams of crashing out Lance.

In the morning I tossed aside all my delusions of soloing in for the
win and decided that my one overarching goal (besides clipping in
properly at the start) was that I did not want to be That Guy Who
Crashed Out Lance.

Since Webcor was a major sponsor of the race our team was called up
to the start line, along with Postal. Operation Don't Crash Out
Lance was going to have to start a bit earlier than anticipated but
so be it. I managed to stage at least ten feet away from Lance at
this point so I was feeling some early success. After the gun went
off I clumsily clipped into my pedals and we were off.

I was pretty much hanging on for dear life after the gun went off so
I wasn't necessarily oozing with cogent reasoning. I quickly
reverted to a non-Lance subgoal which was to NOT be The First Guy
Dropped.

Luckily there were an unlucky Schroder Iron guy who dropped a chain
up Fillmore the first time up so I checked that one off my list.

But just as I was basking in the shadenfreude at the top of Fillmore
and reverting to my overarching race goal, I unwittingly became The
Jerk Who Let A Gap Form. Fortunately a guy from Cippolini's team who
was barking some really cool sounding Italian phrases gave me a
really hard push on the rump that literally flung me up the road. I
almost closed the gap - well not really. But at least I kept
pedealing. Another Italian with yet more incoherent, yet undoubtedly
profane Italian phrases came around me and mopped up my mess.

Now fast foward to lap two or three and we're on the flats out by
the Marina. I guess a break went up the road as things apparently
mellowed out with guys easing up a bit, grabbing drinks and
chatting. I say apparently because I was still hovering at lactate
threshold and I just couldn't relax, tailgunning it in the back of
the pack with a death-grip on the handlebars.

All of a sudden I see Lance kind of drifting back a bit throught the
pack to my right. And then I again remembered overarching goal
numero uno. In my foggy state I decided that the safest place for me
would be right behind him. I couldn't take him out and figured
others would feel the same way, maybe creating this small protective
oasis where nothing bad could happen. I just had to make sure I
braked early and often and everything would be just fine.

I then noticed several other Postal teammates drift back so I just
dangled several feet behind Lance as we rounded the north end of the
course and meandered back toward the climbs.

I must have been concentrating too hard or maybe just not paying any
attention all, because suddenly the Postal boys and I were slightly
off the back. I didn't panic because after all, I was following
Lance. What could possibly go wrong?

I found out as I'm staring at the ground and and see water droplets
near my front wheel. I looked up and yeah, I was the Rookie That Got
Peed On By Lance.

And this time, I closed the gap to the pack all by myself.

-Greg Drake

New D3 Teams in 2007

I love figuring out the new Teams. This year there is only one weird wild card... but here is my take on all the new guys on the block.

BMC Racing - I like these guys, Jackson Stewart, Sayers, Moniger, Schmatz and Alexander Moos. These guys should be one of the new powerhouses out there.

Kelly Benefits - McCook, Perras, Spinelli, and Bouchard-Hall who dropped off the radar for a while. This Baltimore team is going to a whole new level. They shoudl rock the crit scene with McCook and some strong leadout guys.

Rock Racing - These guys are fascinating. No roster, no website, just a link and a contact name. The contact is a coach from LA with a business called RadSport. Both the names on the website are involved with a project called Las Vegas City of Sports, an ambitous sports related casino complex in Nevada. The primary source, Haldane Morris, is an ex racer and was apparently funding some of Rashan Bahti's comeback. While researching this some one Pro dropped his salary info in a post... $14k, if you don't want to go looking for it. Anyway... more on this group as it comes available.

Team Slipstream - They are not new, but they are going big time. Now that we know they are funded by a rich dude from NYC, who is not Mengoni, perhaps they will have enough dough to pick up Landis. Either way thise guys look good on paper... Pate, Eusar, Lewis, McCarty, and a few euro pro's for good measure.

Uhhh...I got a game for you

I don't know if they ran the right tests. Pick Tammy Thomas, 2001 US Track medalist, recently in the headlines from this line up.

The Real Meanning of Cross Mas!

Cross Mas has come of an gone.. but the spirit lives on. I don't have cable, so when my wife is watching a crappy movie i can't stand its time for CROSS VIDEOS! Here are some selections friends have helped me discover

• 2006 US Nationals - Select Shorts from NorCal Cross Guru John Funke
• 2006 World Cup Highlights - Free from Cycling TV! Click Highlights
• Old World Championships - free highlights from 1996-2000
• You Tube - I just browse some times
  
• And of course... the weird
• Richard Goes to Nationals

The big Belgian Christmas Cross Week starts on 12/23 and ends on 12/31.

dec.23: Wachtebeke - Bel
dec.26: World Cup #9 - Hofstade - Bel
dec.27: Sylvester Cyclo-cross Torhout - Bel
dec.28: Azencross Loenhout - Bel
dec.29: Cyclo-cross Middelkerke - Bel
dec.31: Superprestige #6 - Diegem - Bel

(Full Calendar) There is a race every day for the next week! I am currently trolling for some streaming Belgian TV stations since i don't think any of the normal sources have the coverage. Try Beeline TV which lists a lot of free streams or one of the Belgian TV station websites...sometimes i get lucky with highlights and stuff.

The Discovery Gambit

I am impressed with Discovery Channel. They have focus, and they have smarts. Sure...as cycling fans we all look at the Basso signing and say WTF, but we miss the point. The fallout is coming... but who cares if they get banned by the ProTour Team Federation, Tour of Denmark, and Tour of Germany. Discovery wants one thing... Win the Tour de France by all means necessary. All other races are irrelevant, especially to Americans! Its not like they will get banned from the Tour De Georgia/Utah/California etc, etc, etc. Sure... Basso is deffinately a doper, but do Americans care? Not a bit... even after Armstrong, Floyd, and Hamilton. Its not like the doping rules in other US sports like NFL, MLB, NBA are enforced, so who cares as long as Discovery wins. Everybody loves a winner... look at Lance!

The Best Podium Shot Ever

Cross Mas 2006 & Other Anouncements

Cross Mas Party

Do not forget that this Sunday is my Cross Mas party! What is Cross Mas? It’s my annual holiday party, but I have mine at a cyclocross race… its like Belgian tailgating, a bike race instead of football. Cyclo-cross is a little nutty and was recently featured in the NY Times: Cyclocross Article. It is good viewing in sunny or inclement weather.

Details below...

Host: Ted Burns

Location: Coyote Point
Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo, CA View Map

When: Sunday, December 3, 11:00am

Phone: 650 464 3753

First Annual Cross-Mas Party!

I'm celebrating the close of the cyclocross season and the start of the holiday season.

Racing starts at 8 AM, and my race is at 9:20 but I recommend coming by at 11 AM to have a beer and watch the Pro's at 12 PM and my friends in the B group at 2 PM.

Tent and a few chairs will be available but bring all weather gear if you want to stomp around the course to watch the race.

Snacks and beer will also be available at my tent (which i should have according to my master plan.)

Location of the tent will be direction on the course if I can swing it so we can hoot and holler at the poor guys racing.

Finding my Tent (or car with a cooler)
- Call once you get there 650 464 3753
- Look for a green flag with a white cross (like the one in invite below)
- Walk around and shout my name (TED? TEEED?)

Bring a cow bell if you have one....i have a few to give out.

Directions

When coming to Coyote Point from the north (San Francisco), use Highway 101 South. Take the Poplar Avenue exit. Turn right onto Humbolt until Peninsula Avenue. Turn right onto Peninsula Avenue. Go over the freeway, and then circle around and into the Park.

When coming to Coyote Point from the south (San Jose), use Highway 101 North. Take the Dore Avenue exit. Immediately turn left onto North Bayshore Boulevard. Turn right onto Coyote Point Drive to the park.

Map to the vicinity of the course

Announcement # 001
New Years Resolution #1 for 2007
I will try to post at least once a month in the new year!

Finally! Coming Clean

After the Floyd TDF debacle i kept thinking "Somebody just needs to come clean and spill the beans!" well in a post United sacking period of self reflection Frankie Andreu has done just that.

Andreau Statement

The more interesting bit is that the New York Times is covering it and has corroboration from another former US Postal Teammate from 1999. I am glad that they papers are starting to take a real run at the situation

New York Times Article

Check out the roster from '99 and see who you think it is...

• ARMSTRONG Lance - No way it is him, too much on the line
• ANDREU Frankie - Came clean
• DERAME Pascal - Doubt it HAMILTON Tyler - He's denied this far, he faces lifetime ban if he admits now.
• HINCAPIE George - Still racing, and doing well. No way he'd admit it after USPRO champs.
• LIVINGSTON Kevin - Had a tough going over after he left US Postal, but still has some cycling ties.
• MEINERT-NIELSEN Peter - Doubt it
• VANDEVELDE Christian - Still racing, and just starting to win.
• VAUGHTERS Jonathan - Admission would jeopardize the entire TIAA-CREF program but he does want to make the sport clean.

The news about Floyd testing positive after the tour really tarnished the 80$ I won on him at 7/1 odds. Despite the circumstances of how the information was released the Floyd incident really put me off Pro cycling for a while hence my lack of posting or even reading about races, I mean they are all doping at this point...doesn't it seem like it? That said, WADA and Dick Pound are worth a whole other post, I'm reading his book now so I will share the dirt when i am done.

Odd's on Basso - Time to Ante Up

Get your money down @ http://www.sportsbook.com!

There are some good deals here... Jan at 12-5, Floyd at 8-1, Cadel at 20-1. However, since i and the bookies don't really think any of them have a chance i put my money on Basso which is pretty crappy at 11-10! Anyway...i have $20 on basso and $9 on floyd. All money is made from Lance at previous tours.

Alejandro Valverde 7-1
Alexander Vinokourov 8-1
Andreas Kloeden 40-1
Andrey Kashechkin 80-1
Bobby Julich 100-1
Cadel Evans 20-1
Carlos Sastre 100-1
Christoph Moreau 100-1
Damiano Cunego 25-1
Denis Menchov 30-1
Eddy Mazzoleni 100-1
Floyd Landis 8-1
Francisco Mancebo 50-1
Georg Totschnig 100-1
George Hincapie 30-1
Haimar Zubeldia 80-1
Iban Mayo 80-1
Ivan Basso 11-10
Jan Ullrich 12-5
Joseba Beloki 60-1
Levi Leipheimer 45-1
Michael Rasmussen 40-1
Oscar Pereiro 50-1
Paolo Savoldelli 40-1
Santiago Botero 100-1 V
ladimir Karpets 60-1
Yaroslav Popovych 18-1

End Bad Cycling Handshakes

WRONG

We have all fallen victim to trying to shake somebody's hand while riding. After a race, or on a group ride, what ever. I am here to ask you to stop. It just doesn't work. Next time you need to great or congratulate somebody do the fist bump. If we all work together we can end the sad little papal ring kissing attempts that give all cyclists a bad name.

RIGHT

Simoni

I know this has nothing to do with american's except for my last quote. I just love Simoni's whining though, he is such a satisfying guy to hate. This was almost too easy. He talks a lot of garbage... Also check out the Simoni Cars web site, its not related but wouldn't it be great if it was?

"I went to the dentist that day and he gave me an injection but I did not ask him what products were in it. When I left him I went to see my aunt and on returning to my hotel I was confronted by two people from the World Anti-Doping Agency." [on testing positive for cocaine in 2002]

"Armstrong definitely doesn't frighten me on the climbs, and he knows it." VN 2003

On the 2003 Tour De France "I feel really bad, I just want to go home,I came here hoping to win the race but my morale is in my boots. I've never liked the Tour anyway. I want to go home. I'll be carrying on, and we'll see what happens. But it's really difficult when it's like this."

"I didn't enjoy the Tour; there's little space to express yourself as a rider with so much domination by Armstrong. The Giro is totally different."

"I don't want to have any further contact with (Ballerini)...I focused on racing at the Worlds for nine months. If (Ballerini) wasn't interested in me, there must have been something else behind it. Now to add insult to injury, (because of public comments about Ballerini) I have a problem with the (Italian Cycling) federation. But no matter what, I'll never wear the (Italian) national jersey again. I don't want to change my nationality but it's not really my choice. I have to do this if I want to race in the World Championships again."

"You're a bastard...you are really stupid." To Cunego at 2004 Giro

Following Cunego's Saturday-morning press conference, Saeco riders and staff dressed in pink to pose for a picture - except Simoni, who refused to join the love fest. VN

"I was upset that Damiano wanted to win in such a dominant fashion this Giro, I didn't think that was necessary when Damiano accelerated in front of me in Friday's stage. It did annoy me, but that's all finished now."

"What happened that day at Bormio has never happened to me before, when Cunego wanted to win the stage. There was an agreement that day. In my career, I've let other riders win and I've won myself, but I've never gone back on my word. And before Bormio, no one ever did it to me."

"If Armstrong rode both the Giro d'Italia and then the Tour de France, we'd see how good he really is, for better or worse, He has said he wants to ride the Giro at least once during his career, and this could be the right moment to do it. Next year the Giro finishes at the end of May, and the hardest stages of the Tour de France are in late July, so he'd have enough time to recover."

"I don't want to think about the Tour. I've been racing for 20 days, and all I want to do is go home and see my family. After that I'll come up with some plan to conquer the world."

"I have to go into this Giro like a crazy man. We'll see if I'm crazy enough to win it."

"Cunego is now a captain on his own and he can't hide behind me anymore,"

"Basso asked me to wait for him on the descent. If I had known he was going to do that, I would have used a different tactic. Obviously, there are no gentlemen in this game,"

"I've never seen anyone dominate like that, never seen any one that strong! He seems like an extra-terrestrial,"

"Five kilometres from the finish of the stage Basso asked me for money in exchange for him letting me win, I've never asked for charity or for the stage win and when Basso asked for money it really hurt me. I've never done anything like that during my career."

"Basso deserves his Giro win but he doesn't exist for me any more,"

Armstrong on Simoni
"For sure he was impressive in the Giro and since then he's been talking a lot, but talk is cheap as they say."

Paris Roubaix - I am a little disgusted today

First of all it was won by a time trial specialist. (Check the Sweet video) That's just wrong.

Second his name is Fabian. Call me old school but Tom or George seems like a more appropriate name for a Paris Roubaix winner. Fabian Cancellara should be at the Circuit de la Sarthe or something.

Third, what the hell is up with this train thing. And all those guys that got DQ'd for crossing before it came?

Fourth, I know it is not his fault but I am annoyed with Hincappie for getting smoked. I bet the component guys are all freaking out cause his forks broke.

Fifth, Saul Raisin better get well and back on the bike. Its starting to look like he is the only hope for American cycling.

Sea Otter - I don't get it

I don't really get the Sea Otter Cycling Classic.

It's a festival, its a race... it's a trade show, it's a charity ride. It's a mountain bike race, its a road race, it's kind of confusing. What the hell is it? In addition to all that they run all the races on a race track. I guess it might be fun to camp out for the weekend.

The primary emphasis seems to be on the trade show/market place component. Check out the map of the area. Regardless, the Aussie contingent, which seems to get bigger every year, dominated the finish with a 1-2-3 showing.

The cork screw looks pretty fun. It's the only turn the race track won't provide footage of.

The Bisceglia Affair

So the USA Cycling CEO got fired which judging from reactions is a sudden and not terribly popular move. Why is this interesting? Because it looks like it is a conspiracy to keep Lance Armstrong and company out of the line of fire.

A guy on my team sent a great article about how USA Cycling is controlled by Tom Weisel (pictured on the right), Lance Armstrong, and their cronies. It is pretty well put together. I am going to have to get Weisels bio. I think the french would love to add this layer of complexity to the Armstrong/L'Equipe story. It would be great if there was a master plan and villain in this story.

G-DUB this Wednesday

(The Kemmelberg)

I am rechristening The Gent Wevelgem G-DUB. Since it is the closest thing to a Spring Classic us American's can win, it should have a good American monicker. So... from now on, it will be known as G-Dub (or GW). A few more Americans are entered or listed as reserves.
1. George - He's won this one before, looking good right now, boonen will probably take it easy.
2. Aaron Olson - didn't finish the Ronde, welcome to the big leagues
3. Fast Freddy - will probably get bumped by a Belgian
4. Guido Trenti - The Italian America, he'll finish and bust his but for somebody good, like say Boonen or Bettini
5. Bernhard Van Ulden - is listed as an alternate for Navigators, way cool! I hope he rides.
6. Canadians - Walters is pretty old, Barry got smoked on Sunday, Dionne didn't finish Sunday

KBC Driedaagse De Panne - Koksijde is the club that puts the race on. Check out the Organization link (my flemish is getting good) thoe dudes in the brown jackets are the guys that run cycling in Belgium, i love it.

No Surprises - Belgian, Belgian, Hincapie

Video of the Finish: Click text next to video, it is pretty choppy.
1. Tom Boonen (B), Quick Step 6:24:26 (40.414kph)
2. Leif Hoste (B), Discovery
3. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery, at 1:17

Interesting thing is Hincapie sounds pissed, I bet Hoste screwed him to get second.
"My legs were great today," Hincapie said after the finish. "Probably better than ever. And I wasn't really able to show that."