Favorites ascending. Photo: Gruber Images.
As many of you know, I write a monthly column for Cyclist Magazine where I answer Dear Abby-esque questions, and the most recent query pertained to whether I consider the Tour the best race of the year, or whether it’s an over-publicized circus. The question made me realize something about myself: I have a weariness around the Tour de France not unlike a romantic whose heart has been broken one too many times.
The fact is, as much as I prefer a race like Paris-Roubaix or the Giro d’Italia to the mid-summer shit show that is the Tour de France, nothing gets my anticipation going quite the way the Tour does, which is undeniably the pinnacle of the season; all the classifications and stages are prestigious enough that racers of all sorts are all arriving at the start in peak form. There is a promise of hard racing from day one, but the first week consists mostly of me worrying about the big favorites crashing out. As soon as we get through that mess, my heart is usually broken on the first day in the mountains, when the favorite takes a decisive lead and the rest of the race is most about stages than the GC.
At least, these are the dreads of a man who lived through the Indurain and Armstrong eras of racing.
Nevertheless, the Tour always manages to seduce me, and this year is no different. Maybe this year, she won’t be such a cruel lover. And, maybe this year, I won’t make horrible picks in the VSP. Just maybe, just maybe. You know the drill; get your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero, and you get some swap options on the rest day. Good luck!
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@Ron @wiscot I'm sure there'll be haters but hopefully not here.
The abuse Cav and his family have received suggests it'll be inevitable. I hope not.
@Phillipa York Chapeau and all the best. I still look forwards to your columns.
@RobSandy
Even with his whole team he'll never catch up. Not now they've lifted the road closures.
@chris
Indeed. For all the fun we have at our own and each other's expense around here, I like to think we keep things a bit more mature than some other sites that invite postings/comments.
I'll be very, very disappointed if we get any Pippa haters on here.
@chris
I understand correctly he left for Monaco with his wife? He might not want to come back.
Been away for a spell, haunting but not posting-
Given the amount of betting and monies on the line I do not find it at all odd that some in power would find it to their advantage to remove Sagan while Cavs dressings were still fresh- two main sprinters out in one swoop....gosh, I'm sure other teams buses that night were secretly counting their blessings as they went to bed that night(along with countless bookies).
Race organizers need to shoulder some of this blame also; barriers that were state of the art in 1930 still being used, roads from WW I still in use that would cause mayhem during a fondo then throw in a 70 KPH sprint. Even when the race was being run without "lead-out" trains the roads were dangerous at best, but as the races, teams, tactics and speeds got better- so did the risks. Organizers have the responsibility to negate those risks. How many riders have to end up in the back of ambulances before barrier material is used to enhance rider safety not add to the injury?
Its a dangerous sport to begin with, no need to add fuel to the fire of the public's cry for blood.
ride safe guys-
@chris
Arrr, tis be a joke you scurvy sea-dog!
@wiscot
No Phillipa hating from me, just a question/observation...
Her interview in The Guardian referred to her life and achievements as Robert Millar being in a box which is now in the past, as a way to say she wasn't trying to change history. FWIW I think it's a good thing she addressed that to head of any stupid ideas that records need to be revised.
But clearly the fact that she's doing commentary on ITV and writing columns for newspapers and magazines is because of the achievements of Robert Millar not Phillipa York.
Obviously her knowledge and insight remains unchanged so to be very clear I'm not questioning whether that should continue, my thought is just about the name change.
Many women continue to use a 'professional' name even if they choose to change their surname when they marry. Particularly if they have had a career up to that stage and people know them professionally, especially when identity is a key factor. My wife for example was a TV and radio presenter and reporter - although she legally changed her surname to mine (entirely her choice, I didn't mind) she kept her maiden name in her work.
I can understand there may be some issues for trans-gender people to make a definitive statement. I guess it's a way of saying 'I'm not that person now'. And yet, in the sense that we are made up of the experiences of our lifetime she still is partly that person.
Why shouldn't someone still be called Robert or George and turn up as a woman? If gender is a state of mind then the social construct around a name should be irrelevant.
@RobSandy
You need to change your username and icon thingy if you're going to carry on with this piracy malarkey.
Although I'm not sure how you'd keep it cycling themed. @Seaman Sandy's Scratchy Chamois?
@ChrisO
I'm sure Cycling Weekly would have preferred the name Robert Millar to be used, purely for promotional purposes.
Obviously I have no direct experience but I'd imagine a transition of this kind is much more of a 'whole life change' than getting married, so any link to the previous part of one's life (even if just by a name) probably feels like a negative one.
I don't know but I can see why Phillipa has made this choice.
On another, related note, I remember reading rumours about this a long time ago. Hopefully Phillipa has an easier and happier time now it's been made completely public. I think she's been very brave, it's clearly not a decision that's been made lightly and I wish her all the best (but I will continue to remember her days as a badass racing cyclist with fondness).
@Dean C
Now that is an interesting thought for sure. Recall when Dale Earnhardt had his fatal wreck racing NASCAR and the idea behind barrier and wall design and all kinds of other safety devices changed. His wreck was in to a hard concrete wall. And ultimately it was steel and foam energy reduction (SAFER) barriers that were installed in race tracks, starting at Indy. Use of the Hahns device become far more prevalent after his accident as well (and ultimately in many instances were required I believe). There are more ex's too of safety design that stemmed from this wreck and resulted from NASCAR taking a much more proactive approach.