I believe I said Tuesday that the soreness in my legs would last for a couple more days. Well, three days later and the pain is gone.

Beautiful bright sunny day today. The air was crisp and burned the lungs when a hard effort was done. After spending all week off the bike I needed to a little riding. Today was a relatively short 45 min ride down to, and along Meramec Bottom until Hwy 21 before doubling back before taking a detour into Suson and through the subdivisions. I spent the whole ride in my 53x17 and 16. Pushed a larger gear to try and simulate the larger effort of riding through the grass of a CX race. Thats the idea anyway.

I went pretty hard especially going out to the turnaround. I'd call it zone 4 work with several accelerations. My body could feel the effort. Coming back I took it a little easier but the return trip is tougher since you climb out of the valley over a series of hills.

News Item of the Day: Although Damiano Cunego's team manager Claudio Corti wants to keep the young talent away from the Tour de France until 2006, Damiano himself is said to be interested in starting next year's Tour. 23 year old Cunego won the Giro d'Italia this year as well as finishing the Vuelta a España and placing well in the World Road Championships. Next year, Cunego wants to combine the Giro and the Tour along with Gilberto Simoni in the new Saeco-Lampre team.

Viewpoint: I'm surprised Simoni has stayed with the Saeco team after Cunego emerged this year. The proposed Pro Tour might well be the reason now that teams must compete in all three grand tours, thus giving Simoni sole leadership for a tour or two during the season. You would think Cunego would learn something by watching Simoni the past few years try to do the Giro-Tour double. Your effectiveness in the Tour is greatly reduced. Maybe he just wants to do the Tour for the experience so that he will know better what to expect in the future.