Omloop het Nieuwsblad is fast approaching on March 1st, Strade Bianche goes off the next weekend; finally, ladies and gentlemen, we have a season. For me the racing season really has to start in cold, wet Europe. I like the Tour Down Under just fine, I watch it, but it’s too early, too sunny and too hot to signify the start of the racing season. The races in the desert, though I’m sure they are windy and tough, hold no interest for me. Camels and embrocation do not compute. The endless speculation about Faboo’s lack of perfect February form only means every reporter is bored and has no real stories to write.
The most interesting thing about the racing in the Middle East was seeing that Tom Boonen is whippet thin and ready to bring the pain in 2014. Knowing that Boonen is back lets me sleep better at night. He is lining up for Omloop, his team is ready to rumble on the Taaienberg, all is right with the cycling world. Please let it rain, but don’t let Tommeke get hurt.
I need to see some racers with every bit of wet weather gear on, riding into a hell storm off the North Sea. Cold and wet and in Belgium; that is the way we start the season.
The other thing that is great with the cycling world is the Strade Bianche the following week. A gravel race for the professionals? The race is new, not even ten editions have been raced, but it seems so right. San Gimignano to Siena, rolling up and down across the Tuscan countryside, many secteurs of white gravel, this is a stroke of Italian genius.
Another reason to be excited is Peter Sagan. The wheelie poppin’ curb jumpin’ bad boy comes into this season a year wiser. He has watched both Fabs and Tommeke ride away from him in different editions of the Ronde but they aren’t getting any younger and Sagan is only getting better. The younger generation of riders would like to topple the reigning twin kings of the Spring Classics but Boonen and Cancellara are still there because they are the two best Spring Classic riders of their generation. They aren’t going to go without a battle.
If no one breaks bones in the feed zones or gets infected elbows, this all portends a beautiful spring.
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@Gianni
What article?
@ChrissyOne
Thank you
Merckx let this be the year that Tommeke and Faboo fight it out to a punch-drunk standstill. Was never a huge fan of Frandy, but still less a fan of watching someone's life disappear down the gurgler of depression and pain, so I really hope Schleck the younger finds something, somewhere this year. A repeat of the galibier would do nicely. Bon chance for the VSP, hopefully I manage to get it together this year for a full season...as in life, etc...
Sigh. Got all nostalgic watching that MSR clip, Roche bridging up, then Millar, and finally Moser riding them all off his wheel and holding them off with that combined raw power and patented position. If ever there was a rider whose position I wish I could emulate, it's Francesco Moser. Soooo awesome.
We're on day 3 of solid snowfall here in suburban Vancouver. It's almost MARCH for fuck's sake. I'm itching to ride, the days are slowly growing longer, and cobble season looms. Goodbye, Old Man Winter, and FUCK YOU, too.
@starclimber
You said a mouth full right there. Moser got down to it with his position. I agree, I'd like to look like him for just a ride or two before I expire. That would be cool.
@Daccordi Rider
Last year I could watch Oman and Qatar for free but this year it was on a premium channel, so it's even easier for me to say it's rubbish.
Abandy, jesus, he is so not built for those races, huge crosswinds, flat. Hey, he finished so there is something. But yeah, durty schleck love shall remain dirty and depressing for 2014.
@Gianni
Even on the summit finish stage he finished 34th, behind such noted climbers as Daryl Impey and Cameron Meyer. Cancellara appears to have paced him up the mountain. Trek must desperately be hoping Faboo delivers.
As for the desert events, even though I got to go to one of them and see it at close quarters I can't disagree. The whole thing felt like a bit of a training ride for the teams. Which is not a bad thing - it means they turn up for the spring classics with some decent racing miles in their legs and makes it more competitive.
@Gianni
Just checked the listings and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is only on Sky Sports (Premium) rather than Eurosport. Bit of an arse, I'll have to make do with Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and the Tour of Langkawi to lift me out of my February Bloating.
@Chris
you two are aware of this thing called the internet, and on this internet people are able to access streamed versions of sports being broadcast on channels you don't have access to?
@Mikael Liddy
The racing is inside the computer?