The new racing season

After all the races earlier this year from far away Australia, the Middle East and in the Far East, the European cycling season is now going full blast!

Before, there used to be two types of riders- the leaders and the domestiques. Now, there are three: the classic riders, the grand tour (GT) riders and the domestiques.

Since the classic season starts in the early season (Feb-April) than the GT’s, the classic riders like Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara, George Hincapie, are already honing their form for their first major rendezvous, the Milan-San Remo (3-20), by doing the semi-classics in Italy, Belgium or Holland. High on their agenda are the queen of the classics, the Tour of Flanders (4-4), Paris-Roubaix (4-11), and Liege-Bastogne-Liege (4-17). Semi-classics are about 200km long, the Classics are not less than 250km while Milan-San Remo is the longest at 295km! Classic events last on average seven hours in the office, or on the saddle.

Then the classic riders will take a few weeks of rest and get ready for the 3-week races, the GT specialists, like Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador or the Schleck brothers, are reconnoitering the high mountains where most GT’s are decided or are doing the shorter stage races.

Before 1990, there were no such delineations as classic or GT riders. All riders rode full bore from February to October, the semi classics, the Classics and the GT’s. Bernard Hinault was the last champion who rode both the classics and the GT’s with great success. He won the TdF five times and almost all of the major one day races.

But Greg Lemond changed all that in 1990 when he used all other races he rode as training races and put all of his eggs inside one basket called the Tour de France. A European cyclist following the Lemond blueprint could get severely criticized but for the American fans and sponsors, Lemond could win all the races but if failed in the Tour, he’d be considered a failure. 

This year is going to be better than last year. Armstrong, at 38yo, will obviously be in better form than last year but he is downplaying his chances against Contador. It’s not mind games but a fact. If you’re a betting man, you know where the chips will fall between a 38yo vs 27yo rivals. We’ll just hope that all the favorites will be able to avoid injury going into July. (BTW, since our cable TV provider sucks, just go to to www.steephill.tv, you’ll get links to live video streaming of all events!)

That longest stairs

The road to Lugo from Danao used to be the best stretched of tarmac when you go out to train. These days, its one, long mini-stairs. Yes, mini-stairs!

You may not notice it if you go over the place by car (not yet) but if you’re riding on a vehicle with an inch-wide tire, you’d feel it right away. You see, the cemented roads, which are partitioned every 3 meters or so, is sinking unevenly, making one end an inch (on average I guess) lower than the previous partition. As you ride over the “stairs”, it feels like somebody is hitting your wheels with a paddle every second. Its not only uncomfortable but irritating! Hopefully, the concerned people will take care of the problem soon.

Finally, don’t forget to bring your patch kit (or taxi money) when you go out. Its not nice to have a flat in the middle of nowhere without it…… Since when are armored cars beyond traffic laws?...... – THE FREEMAN