Switzerland's Gotthard Pass
We are opening the rolling metal door to the VSP generator and warming it up for this weekend’s start of the Tour de Suisse. As usual, the big hitters of the Tour are riding the Dauphine; I should be more excited about that race but, yawn, not so much. The Swiss tour is longer, more climbing, generally a more awesome race and with any luck they will climb the Passo San Gottardo. The Swiss don’t fool around with their roads, tunnels or cows. Here is your start list.
OK, everyone knows the drill here. Delgado-ing is right out, this starts on Saturday, you have been warned. Prizes, rules, go to the VSP pages for the specifics.
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Pinchy wins today again. Did not have him in my top 5, am getting worried here.
And he's leading now, wearing the yellow jersey although I prefer the worldchamp's white. There should be some hierarchy here.
So much for the Curse, eh??? Dude fucking KILLED it with CLASS!!! The Man has certainly honoured this jersey so far this season!
@Buck Rogers
Also in a be realistic way; if you think it's going to be all free time and fun, fun, fun, your expectations are too high, and frustration and trapped feelings will ensue. Far better to understand early that your life is now not your own, and that being busy will be the norm - I believe this keeps you much happier in the long run.
@Buck Rogers
massive V to leave the reduced bunch on the final climb and bridge solo to Albisini and Dillier, who were driving to the line together, then unsuccessfully attack them, and have to ride them in, and take the win.
@KogaLover
Don't worry, Switzerland has some big arse mountains & I don't see him revisiting last year's ToC efforts with le Grande Boucle just around the corner.
@Buck Rogers
Also, how much better is it to see a rider who actually looks like an athlete (e.g. has an upper body) compared the frail birds of the GC classification who look like they'd snap if they were caught out by an unexpected gust of wind?
I know he's still tiny in comparison to your rugby & football types, but much like Tornado Tom in 2012 at P-R, it's good to see some upper body definition on a rider.
What a pleasure to watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TTEaB-TJec
So what was going on with Van Poppel today?
The video shows an amazing save on the final corner but it had started as they came into it.
There's a photo of his bike with the back wheel rearing up into the air and that's what causes him to then go wide - did he just jam on the front brake too hard?
In which case it's a bit harder to credit him with amazing bike skills.
@Oli
If kiddo's don't make their parents smile/laugh at least once a day then the parents are not paying attn.
Now… for the kids sharing the love of the bike… having to maintain three mtn bikes over a race season? Let's just say that the bikes haven't been kept as spotless and perfect as when it was just my bike needing maintained. But that's okay. I consider myself a lucky father. Cheers