I kind of wanted to ride again today after work. Great 70 degree weather but windy as hell. As it turned out I was at work 30 minutes later than normal and then there were a few drops of rain on the way home with some threatening skies so I bagged it. Tomorrow I ride, probably on the trainer. It's supposed to rain I think. Then a nice spin Friday and be ready for Saturday.
News Item of the Day: After the suspense over whether he'd ride the Tour de France this year, comes the buzz over whether six-time winner Lance Armstrong will retire at the end of the season, one year early. "If I were you, I'd come to the Tour of Georgia. I've planned an important announcement," he told L'Equipe. "You'll see..." added the 33-year old Armstrong, leaving the French press to speculate that he could announce an early retirement at the April 18th press conference.
Armstrong's two-year contract with Discovery Channel stipulated that he must ride the Tour in at least once in 2005 and 2006. He cut short suspense by announcing he would ride this year's Grande Boucle just before Paris-Nice. "I'll be there. I swear it... And it will maybe be my last," he said after finishing Tuesday's Paris-Camembert in preparation for the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.
"The hardest part for me when I'm in Europe is to be seperated from my kids who are in Texas," Armstrong told French newspaper Le Figaro adding that he felt "like a stranger who's come from a faraway land for cycling." Armstrong said that he felt "old for an athlete, but young for a man."
Austin's most famous denizen not only broke the record for most wins on the Tour last year, he also became the oldest winner since 1980 and the victory of 34-year old Joop Zoetemelk.
Armstrong also told Le Figaro that he there are two races he would have loved to have won, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Lombardy. I have to admit that it will never happen. "And then there's the hour record which is so far removed from what I do normally. It remains a possibility, but I'd have to think about it. This record, it's a fascination, not an obsession."
Viewpoint: I'm doing a little research for my Ronde picks today. There are some riders that immediately come to mind as favorites but this looks like it could be a wide open race. Looking at the podium positions over the last 10 years, only 10 riders are in the race this year and one of those is retiring in 10 days. Two riders are still racing but are not in the race. One rider is serving a drug suspension. One rider is dead and the remaining seven riders have retired.
Then you have many possible favorites hurting. Freire has a bad saddle sore and may not ride, Hondo is sick and will not ride, Boonen cut his hand up pretty badly a couple days ago, Hoste crashed out in San Remo.
In a day or so I'll list my favorites.
News Item of the Day: After the suspense over whether he'd ride the Tour de France this year, comes the buzz over whether six-time winner Lance Armstrong will retire at the end of the season, one year early. "If I were you, I'd come to the Tour of Georgia. I've planned an important announcement," he told L'Equipe. "You'll see..." added the 33-year old Armstrong, leaving the French press to speculate that he could announce an early retirement at the April 18th press conference.
Armstrong's two-year contract with Discovery Channel stipulated that he must ride the Tour in at least once in 2005 and 2006. He cut short suspense by announcing he would ride this year's Grande Boucle just before Paris-Nice. "I'll be there. I swear it... And it will maybe be my last," he said after finishing Tuesday's Paris-Camembert in preparation for the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.
"The hardest part for me when I'm in Europe is to be seperated from my kids who are in Texas," Armstrong told French newspaper Le Figaro adding that he felt "like a stranger who's come from a faraway land for cycling." Armstrong said that he felt "old for an athlete, but young for a man."
Austin's most famous denizen not only broke the record for most wins on the Tour last year, he also became the oldest winner since 1980 and the victory of 34-year old Joop Zoetemelk.
Armstrong also told Le Figaro that he there are two races he would have loved to have won, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Lombardy. I have to admit that it will never happen. "And then there's the hour record which is so far removed from what I do normally. It remains a possibility, but I'd have to think about it. This record, it's a fascination, not an obsession."
Viewpoint: I'm doing a little research for my Ronde picks today. There are some riders that immediately come to mind as favorites but this looks like it could be a wide open race. Looking at the podium positions over the last 10 years, only 10 riders are in the race this year and one of those is retiring in 10 days. Two riders are still racing but are not in the race. One rider is serving a drug suspension. One rider is dead and the remaining seven riders have retired.
Then you have many possible favorites hurting. Freire has a bad saddle sore and may not ride, Hondo is sick and will not ride, Boonen cut his hand up pretty badly a couple days ago, Hoste crashed out in San Remo.
In a day or so I'll list my favorites.
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