I have to say, I loves me the pro cycling. It is a maddening sport of late. I hate the doping, but I also hate the inept press and the reactionary cyclists=dopers backlash from the public at large. Look America, if your 138 lb euro-pro cyclist is doped to the gills, do you really think your football players are not? At least most of the cyclists are multilingual. But anyway, this is not a doping post.
I think I was saying I loves me the pro cycling. I like to watch them suffer. I am occasionally fit enough that I can pretend that I know what it is to suffer on a bike. In reality, I don't. But I like to try anyway. I like to watch the tiny bike men climb the high mountains and suddenly attack, or suddenly loose 5 minutes in two kilometers. But I really like to watch the slightly less tiny bike men power through the rolling hills and cobbles of the spring classics.
I also like two cyclists a lot, because they are both merrican, both about my age and they both have been rolling at the upper echelon of cycling since I have been paying attention. The first is Lance Armstrong. Yes, Lance E. Poo and I have a complex relationship, what with all the innuendo and whatnot, but I have to say i am a unabashed fanboy. Go lanciepoo! My first lance memory came when I was 16 or so. I was a hot shot runner, I had the engine to turn the bike decently and I was a pretty good swimmer, so I could usually win my age group in a local triathlon. After podiuming in a Coors Light Biathlon in upstate NJ, I thought I was the stuff. I checked out inside triathlon, or some other tri rag, to see who the national ranked competition was, and there in bold print as the number one 18 and under tri-geek was Lancie Pants himself. Thus he was on my radar for the last 20 years or so, can't help but cheer for the guy.
The second guy is George Hincapie. Not so big george. Sure he is taller than me, but I am pretty sure I could out rassle him. But anyway, he is a big guy on a bike that was riding for some NE junior pro development team around when I was paying attention. It helps that I sort of look like him if I was to grow three inches and lose about 30 pounds. Big george my ass. Big Maggie Backsteld, now that was a big feller. But anyway, slim georgie is one of my favorite cyclists. He sort of can sprint, he sort of can roleur, he sort of wins alot, he is always there turning the pedals. If I was a pro cyclist, I am pretty sure I would be a rolleur. So go slim george!
Anyhow, Georgie wins pretty often, but in reality he is like the Chicago Cubs of the pro cycling circuit. He never wins the big one. Roubaix. We love you anyway george, but whats with roubaix?
So anyway. I clicked on an ad on velonews and watched this excellent trailer for a movie called a ride with george:
The best part is where the interview shouter says "I don't understand why the f$#^ you haven't won roubaix, I don't get it", yeah me neither. I really like the trailer, but am worried it will be more "the tour baby" rather than "the fog of war" but we will see. I am pretty psyched for it anyway.
Anyone see this yet and have a review before I go ahead and buy the DVD?
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These days I have a keen appreciation for what it's like to get dropped. I used to watch races on TV and think "Come on, it's only a few metres. You can do it!" Having seen firsthand the gaping chasm of a few metres from your bunch, I now know better and I can even sort of sympathize with the poor guy.
Roll on Le Tour!
Hincapie was riding for TOGA or something? I have the Winning magazine in a bin in the basement about him when he was an emerging talent or whatever...
Crud! I checked the basement bin, it is empty as I have taken all cycling related print media to my bike shop, damn me for opening a bike shop! I think the team was Toga or Ticonderoga #2 or Tortuga or Tiagra or Tioga or something. Anyways, I remember reading about how Hincapie won 18 junior races in a row or something ridiculous like that. I was hooked. I don't care if he ever wins the ruby, he is a bad-ass, and he has been for a loooooong time. Cavendish is lucky to have him. Really lucky.
Bonus elbow-rubbing hearsay, local fast man Jason has been called, by George himself, the strongest rider on the Discovery team, when that was a team. Which is cool. Anyways, I am with you on the George.
But Tarik, my multi-sported friend, you are on your own with Lance, I can't help but be amazed at his career, wow is the word, yes, and even now. But I think he is a conniving stinkeroo who is totally full of shit. Even if he wins an eighth tour (not gunna happen) I will do like me grampy - or was it Lou Reed? - taught me and only believe half of what I see and nothing I hear.
Lance, Lance go away, run for president someday.
I won't vote for you, jackass.
(Oh yeah, I have not seen the movie, just the trailer, but I think you should get it and then ship it to Iowa)
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