Ronde Van Knoxville

Yikes, Boonen and quickstep worked the Discovery boys over again at the Flanders hootenany. Instead of Quickstep's picture perfect teamwork delivering uberstud (getting his strength from the armadillo in his trousers... well, just click here and here for the photographic evidence) Boonen to the line victorious, Leif Hoste attacked on his own, perhaps to the surprise of the only guy in the final group who might (might that is) been able to pip boonen in a sprint. Having Hinky doing teamwork and then sprinting for third should not have been an option in discovery's plans. Bah...

My worst nightmare for the upcoming paris robaix is that hincapie-hoste-hammond for discovery were pitted against Boonen-Bettini-Bozatto (for alliteration's sake) for quickstep over the last few bits and quickstep take advantage of discovery team infighting and sweep the podium. At least with Hammond out for a week or so following his crash at flanders, there is one less possible podium seeker amongst Hincapie's flock. Bah indeed. Hopefully the discovery team can figure it out, they have the Ghent-Whelgem on Wednesday followed by the big cobbled enchilada on sunday. if quickstep wins all three I will be mighty depressed.

Anyhow, last week in knoxville, my buddy G and I took to the south knoxville Ronde-like course on fixies and he worked me over but good. A reprise of a memorably brutal fixie ride with Mark and G back in ought four, just before I left knoxie. 30 miles of the brown road loop ending with the beautious Burnetts Creek Road and lots of mini walls, rr crossings, one lane roads and the like, perfect for a hard hard fixed gear workout or the best of south knoxville in one ride. Paved singletrack it is, mmmm good stuff. Probably my first ride over 20 miles in 6 months, but no bonk and my legs were good enough for an evening ride 10 miles over to the shop for a couple beers.