Close the polls. Shut the books. No need to tally the votes. It’s only three weeks into the new year, but folks, we may have already witnessed the V Ride of the Year.
While the Euros are trying to escape the bitter chills of winter, the Aussies and Kiwis were turning up the heat with their National Championships being contested last weekend. And both races threw up some true hard racing, and produced two outstanding rides for the titles. Here in NZ, it was a hardass masterclass from HTC’s Hayden Roulston, but the ride that has everyone gushing came from Garmin’s young gun Jack Bobridge.
We know this kid’s got talent, already a World Champion on the track plus a road U23 time trial gold, but the way he decimated a ProTour rider-laden field in the hills of regional Victoria was the stuff of legend. To wait for the ‘right’ break to form, and then leave it to the last minute to attack or sprint from the group is one thing, but to bridge across solo to the early break, drive it for hours to breaking point, then decide to go it alone for the last 30km, well that’s a whole other deal; Merckxian, if you will.
“Just… sometimes, things click”
We received an impassioned email this week from one of our Aussie contingent, Matt, imploring us to dedicate a post to Jacky Bobby’s win. Well Matt, we’ll gladly doff our caps to young Bo Bridges, but leave the final words to you…
“I believe there may be a new champion of The V Cause. Jack Bobridge won the Australian Open Road Cycling Championships last week with what can only be described as a true ‘hardman’s’ ride.
Although it wasn’t mud, sleet and cobbles, 160km around Buninyong (featuring 16 laps up a 2.2km, 6% climb) off the front of a bunch featuring half of the Sky and HTC teams (among others) is harder than most riders will ever be.
Hopefully in a generation they will describe Jacky Bobby by some nickname like ‘The Animal’ (as ‘The Cannibal’ has already been taken!)
Until then, I’ll be enjoying him attacking everybody all the time.”
A-Merckx to that, Matt, so will we…
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On a completely different subject, can anyone tell me why I would have lost a ranking? i.e. I was so happy a few days ago I had gone from a level 4 Velominatus to a level 3. For some reason I have reverted back to a 4, me sad......
@mightyninja
Not sure on why you lost your ranking but you did stuff up the name of Stephen Hodge.
Ooops! Comes from working with a person with that same name. I'll try harder next time
@mightyninja
Did you change your email address? I noticed someone else dropped in status as well...that's the most likely reason. (Levels are tracked by email address.)
You'd have to make a bigger mistake than misspelling someone's name to get an official demotion. Like, for instance, calling Belgian beer "pisswater" or something egregious like that.
If not I will investigate.
that's absolutely correct (changed e-mail address not Belgian beer being pisswater, quite like it myself!).
So I'll have to continue making as many profound contributions as I can then to regain my status/level
I'm using the "logic" that if Bobridge (who is widely regarded as a poster boy for drug-free cycling) can do it clean it's entirely likely that Boardman could in the Superman position. Just sticking up for the man from the Wirral for no real reason...
@Oli Brooke-White
Well I hesitate to say this Oli, but the extension and reversal of that logic damns your (and my) poster boy Lance.
If Lance beat all of his competitors who were doped, ergo he must be doped too???
Eek, don't go there!!
@Marcus, @Oli Brooke-White
You guys should check out the Sports Illustrated article, although if you really, truly believe he was clean (do you really?), you will likely dismiss it. So maybe don't read it.
@Frank, @Marcus, @Oli Brook-White
Have you read this interview with Landis yet? http://nyvelocity.com/content/interviews/2011/landiskimmage