Categories: Racing

Let the Season Begin

Omloop Finish photo:cyclingweekly.co.uk

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.

Gianni

Gianni has left the building.

Next Raining in My Heart »

Previous « Guest Article: All the Bikes in my Life Have Come from my Father

View Comments

unversio says:

Feb 25 2014 at 7:28 pm

Another take... the gap after Sagan's hop and roundabout surge. Uran chasing Sagan.
GeeTee says:

Feb 25 2014 at 8:12 pm

@Nate
and the classement .. whatever that is.
Teocalli says:

Feb 25 2014 at 8:16 pm

@Beers

Can't fuckin wait. I might actually try to keep up with VSP this year.

So help me with the international time thing. Just as a simplified example - If I'm at UTC-9hrs and the race time zone is UTC+3hrs, and the race starts at 10am 1 March in that location, then I watch at 10am-9hrs-3hrs = 10pm on 28 Feb?

If you have a smart phone just set the timezone as an alternate clock and it will do it for you.
Nate says:

Feb 25 2014 at 8:57 pm

@GeeTee

@Nate
and the classement .. whatever that is.

I haven't noticed that Kelly-ism. Now I'll have to keep an ear open for it.
ChrisO says:

Feb 25 2014 at 11:05 pm

@Puffy

@Gianni

I'll maybe get up at 2 am to stream Strade Bianche but I'll be sleeping through Qatar and Oman.

If only. I'm not getting up a 2am to watch 3 hours of racing. I've got a training ride leaving from my front gate at 4:30am.

There is something that prevents me from paying for televsion, it just doesn't seem right. Sort of like paying for sex. It might be good, even better than the free stuff but it leaves you with dirty feeling (so I am told). Besides, think what extra cycling goodness can be bought with the money paid for pay-tv.

If free sex meant you got a wobbly partner of dubious quality who stopped just before the crucial moment to tell you all about how to consolidate your debts and what car you should buy... I'd pay.
Chris says:

Feb 26 2014 at 1:15 am

@ChrisO

@Puffy

@Gianni

I'll maybe get up at 2 am to stream Strade Bianche but I'll be sleeping through Qatar and Oman.

If only. I'm not getting up a 2am to watch 3 hours of racing. I've got a training ride leaving from my front gate at 4:30am.

There is something that prevents me from paying for televsion, it just doesn't seem right. Sort of like paying for sex. It might be good, even better than the free stuff but it leaves you with dirty feeling (so I am told). Besides, think what extra cycling goodness can be bought with the money paid for pay-tv.

If free sex meant you got a wobbly partner of dubious quality who stopped just before the crucial moment to tell you all about how to consolidate your debts and what car you should buy... I'd pay.

+1 and nipple lube. I suspect porridge is going to be much arder to get out of my keyboard than coffee.
Chris says:

Feb 26 2014 at 1:21 am

@Gianni

@Darren H

Will be interesting to see how Sky get on after abandoning their ill fated 'classics' build up of last year - but can't see past Boonen, Fabio, Stybar and Sagan for the big ones (can't wait). If Wiggins is genuinely on it and as motivated as he would have us all believe, could he be in the mix at P-R?

Wiggo...I've been thinking long and hard about his chances at P-R and I don't like them. In his favor: he has done the race a bunch of times, he has a huge motor, he understands the full gas concept for each secteur. But, those skinny-ass twiggo legs, something about them that makes me think he will get the shiet bounced out of him, and not be able to float (no one is floating) over the stones. Cancellara has intimated that the grand tour riders are too light for P-R. I hope Twiggo proves me wrong. I usually am.

Der Boss Hogg should be killing it at P-R, he seems a better man for that race. Was he not the great white hope a few years back?

I was of the impression that he was planning to bulk up a bit as part of his shift back to the track for the Rio Olympics.
Mike_P says:

Feb 26 2014 at 2:53 am

@Gianni

@Darren H

Will be interesting to see how Sky get on after abandoning their ill fated 'classics' build up of last year - but can't see past Boonen, Fabio, Stybar and Sagan for the big ones (can't wait). If Wiggins is genuinely on it and as motivated as he would have us all believe, could he be in the mix at P-R?

Wiggo...I've been thinking long and hard about his chances at P-R and I don't like them. In his favor: he has done the race a bunch of times, he has a huge motor, he understands the full gas concept for each secteur. But, those skinny-ass twiggo legs, something about them that makes me think he will get the shiet bounced out of him, and not be able to float (no one is floating) over the stones. Cancellara has intimated that the grand tour riders are too light for P-R. I hope Twiggo proves me wrong. I usually am.

Der Boss Hogg should be killing it at P-R, he seems a better man for that race. Was he not the great white hope a few years back?

I suspect that if any of the Sky boys are going to do something at P-R it's going to be Geraint Thomas. He seems to love the race, has got previous form there and looks to be going pretty well. Boss Hogg seems to have parked his huge early potential and settled for domestique duties. Shame really, cos although his baby face kinda freaks me out and I hate his almost effeminate victory salutes, he was shaping up to be a hell of a rider. It'd be interesting to see what he did with another team.

No-one is mentioning Hushovd these days. Lurking quietly in the wings or lost forever???
Chris says:

Feb 26 2014 at 3:12 am

@Mike_P

No-one is mentioning Hushovd these days. Lurking quietly in the wings or lost forever???

How can you say that, he had a storming year in 2013, winning the Arctic Race of Norway.
Mike_P says:

Feb 26 2014 at 3:15 am

@Chris

@Mike_P

No-one is mentioning Hushovd these days. Lurking quietly in the wings or lost forever???

How can you say that, he had a storming year in 2013, winning the Arctic Race of Norway.

Sorry, I'm clearly not keeping up with the most significant race results of the season.