Greg's cap looks familiar. Available 2016!
We made it to the new year! Bicycles have not been outlawed so things are looking up. Yet, the state of Cycling could always be much better and here are a few hopes.
Women’s Cycling- If anyone is racing on passion alone it’s women cyclists. God knows they are not doing it for the money as they don’t get any. Professional cyclists need to unite to get more of a share and women need to be there for the wrangling. The Women’s Cycling Association (WCA) is a great beginning. In Europe, another association, Strongher, is here to raise women’s cycling profile. I don’t know enough about women’s racing but I do know they are racing their asses off. They get little press, little money, little respect but anyone who watched the Women’s Worlds in Richmond knows how hardcore the racing is.
Men’s Cycling- The men are making good salaries, the prize money is impressive but the basic professional structure is teetering over a giant pot hole. Teams need more financial stability which will promote longevity and more sponsors. Can’t Gianni Bugno use his abundant Italian charm and good looks to fix all this, FFS? Frankly I’ll never have an informed opinion about this so I just hope someone gets it together. I’m calling for a strike damn it! See, I just said I no informed opinion.
Professional men’s cycling, like most professional sports where money is the driving force, is always going to be imperfect. And by imperfect I mean cheating by degrees will always be there and professional riders have always been negotiating the results while rolling down the road. There is no reason to think any of this will ever change so take your professional cycling with a small glass of skepticism.
UCI’s Technical Changes- It is likely the UCI will lower the weight limit for racing bikes in 2016. There maybe a trickle down effect for us civilians but I hope I can just lose some weight on me in 2016. It would be cheaper.
The disc brake experiments this year will be interesting. A soaking wet Amstel Gold or Roubaix would be a good litmus test. We all know soaking wet carbon rim brakes suck something awful; it’s the only time I fantasize about the discs. And speaking of soaking wet Roubaix, is that not on everyone’s list this year? This has to happen. And a snowy L-B-L while we are praying for miracles. Baby Jesus, make it so.
Velominati Goals- In 2016 I think we all hope for the time and health to train so as to crush our enemies and to hear the lamentation of the women (second part is optional). Getting older is no excuse when Rule #5 is on our crest, so Vive La Vie Velominatus, people. And yes, maybe finalize the V-crest this year too.
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@RobSandy
He's telling to moto to get the fuck out of the way because Mr. Kelly is bearing down on them with full force and fury. Short of doing a Nibali "handshake" with the moto, Greg and his wheelsucking companion Mario Beccia are shit outta luck on this one. Greg must be wearing a new cap given to him during the race as his bike, face and jersey are filthy but the cap is pristine.
@wiscot
I didn't spot Kelly first time around. If I looked around to see Shaun Kelly chasing me, looking like that, I think I'd shit my pants on the spot.
@RobSandy
Here's the tape: https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=1986+milan+san+remo&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-003 The Greg hand gesture is at about 1:48. He and Beccia were getting blocked but once Kelly bridged up, things got better. IMHO Kelly got Greg and Beccia onto the podium. Once on the finishing straight, there was only one order to the finish.
@Gianni
My Felt FC is the same look, i.e., a little more "traditional." Yes, @frank, I know I left my lights on for this pic.
I know black is where it's at, but I do love the Focus Izalco Max Team AG2R bike.
@Geoff Milan
YES! We definitely need more peter. And just so the video is forever part of this thread.
@chuckp
Maybe, it's just me, but the Olivia Newton John character looks a wee bit like Andy Schleck in drag . . . I think we should be told. Other than that, I agree, Saggy is a breath of fresh air and I hope he has a great 2016.
@wiscot
Uh ... it's his wife, Katarina.
Bicycles haven't been outlawed, but a few local fuckface politicians are seriously hunting cyclists here in NC.
One old dude is pissed because his country road is closed for a few hours twice a year for a sanctioned road race. His wife can't get to church and he's trying to get all sorts of insane new laws put on the books. No more riding two abreast, no more taking a lane ever, even on something like a narrow two-lane bridge, and something along the lines of cyclists having to pull over and stop off the road to allow cars to pass. Oh, and letting decisions at the state level trump what a certain county or city votes on (more bike lanes, low maximum speed limit, etc.).
I wanna scream, "You fucking idiots, we have some serious fucking problems in this state. Stop worrying about 40 dudes who do a competitive ride for 2 hours on Saturday."
What they are proposing is actually so crazy I almost can't be bothered to advocate against it, but I have to as some of it really might become the law. And gotta love the failure to see enforcement of reckless drivers is vastly more necessary than new law regulating cycling.
The one good part - the old dude posits that cycling on public roadways is a leisurely choice, not a right, while church is definitely not optional.
Since it looks like my calendar has conspired to prevent my participation in the local Test of Metal dirt series I shall have to get my competitive dirt fix on in the Fall. CX here I come.
@chuckp
Chuck - You're in DC? I didn't realize that. I went to graduate school there and lived and worked there for a bit too. Now I'm south of ya.
Revolution Cycles - I used to frequent their shop on M St. because I lived around the corner. Still using some PI gloves I got there around 2005 and also bought a bike there too.
And didn't realize one of your co-workers rides a Tommasini. Me too!