It’s right around this time of year when the little voice in my head that spurs me on in cold, wet, Rule #9 conditions starts getting overpowered by all my other personalities who at this stage are gathering stones and crowbars and getting ready to enforce their will on him regarding their preference for riding in nice, warm, sunny conditions. I feel bad for the little guy, too, since he helps me a lot in a climate like the Pacific Northwest; but truth be told, my fingers still haven’t regained their feeling from last week’s ride and I admit it would be nice to arrive home after a ride triumphant and warm instead of frozen and soaked like a wet rat.
It appears I’m not the only one ready for some warmer weather, and Paris-Nice traditionally holds a place of honor as “The Race to the Sun” for its timing is such that the race often starts in the French interior with rain (and possibly snow), and arrives on the sunny Cote d’Azur in Nice in balmy conditions.
With that we start our first stage race of the season, along with an opportunity to expose more bugs and logical faults in the VSP software. But never mind that; the same basic rules apply as do with one-day races, expect the stakes are a bit higher with 10 points for first place, 8 for second, 7 for third, 5 for fourth, and 3 for fifth plus two bonus points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing. Should the race be exciting enough to merit its inclusion, The Keepers may elect to include a bonus round on the VSP for one of the stages along the way. Watch this space for news in that arena.
Check the start list and watch the countdown timer as picks close at 5am Pacific on Sunday; up for grabs is the personalized Velominati Shop Apron to the contestent who wins the season-long competition. Check the Main VSP page for scoring guidelines and rules. Seeing as this is the first stage race, I strongly encourage you to enter your picks early, knowing that you can make changes all the way up until the VSP closes. If you notice something behaving strangely, please let us know and we’ll have time to resolve the issue.
Good luck.
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duvel* silly auto correct
@zac
I think Samuel Smyth is a fairly sizeable brewery in Lancashire - I have a Porter to try in the next few days - no idea what it will be like, but the Nut Brown is a beaut - a meal in itself
Luckily I have a Boozshop near my work that flogs all manner of Ales and Beers - I reckon they have over 70 or 80 different Ales in stock at any time - I'm having a ball since I went in once looking for some Grimbergen Dubbel (unsuccessfully) and have become a full convert to English bottled Ale - Owd Roger and Black Sheep Square Ale are my favs so far, as well as the Old Suffolk Strong Ale, which they can't get in in large enough quantities to satisfy my capacity to hoover it up!
I bought Chimay from them last year.....not convinced, nor am I convinced by any of the Trappist Ales I've tried so far - clearly need to acquire a taste for it through persistent testing!!
Life is good which such simplicities as a bike, a good Ale, Eurosport and a website full of daft cycling chatter
@snoov
Ouch, poor G - I bet he had his nuts in the fire all day supporting Wiggo
@Dr C
Sounds like you are ready to move onto the cask conditioned offerings...
@snoov
I rest my case.
@Dr C
Back in the day I loved some Theakston's Old Peculiar in Glasgow's Bon Accord. One of the few CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) pubs around back then. They had all the top stuff. 3-4 pints and it was stagger to the station time. Happy days.
@snoov
Fairly sure the two brothers just alternate it back & forth between each other every year. Rumour has it they start one after another & ride the course side by side and so whichever one starts second wins and then they just alternate the starting order each year.
@Dr C
Me and the missus once darkend the door of the Sam Smith Brewery in Tadcaster, it is big and very funky, I begged a few bar towels from the bartendress, like I was the very first person to ever ask. No gift shop there. They have signed a distribution deal with the devil hisself as I find Sam Smith's Nut Brown Ale in tiny stores in the jungle in Hawaii. Crazy, but good.
@Gianni
Wow, Hawaii - awesome distribution effort!
I believe the owner is a larger than life English Gentleman (Sam Smyth himself??) - jodhpurs and a hunting jacket, cigar and a permantly broken double barrel over his forearm - owns all of Tadcaster, and he drives them all mad - stubborn as hell and insists on all the traditional methods, which is probably why it tastes so good!
@Chris
Rude not to I guess....