You know the old saying about the word assume. Yesterday, I assumed somebody else would show up in Columbia. Giuseppe made it know he would not be there but I don't know where the others were. Patrice may have been in Champaign for the holiday weekend. The weather was chilly and skies were not friendly but never threatening rain.

When no one showed up by quarter after I set out on my own ride. I took the solo time as an opportunity to set my own pace and route. I stayed on the flats down to Valmeyer and back. Nothing special. The sun did peek out for about 15 minutes in the Valmeyer area and provided some terrific lighting for photographs. But, I did not bring a camera so you will have to take my word.

I kept the ride shorter with the thought of checking out Columbia City Park. For a couple years I have ridden by the park and thought it looked like it could be an interesting place for a cross race. The park did not disappoint. There is a little bit of everything. The land offers a nice mix of flatter ground and a healthy amount rolling hills.

Among its features are:

A sandpit
A few trail-like sections in semi-wooded areas. These 'trails' are not single track.
A steep hill with stairs to run or just use the hill if you dont want to use the stairs.
A low-lying area that runs alongside a small creek.
A couple of other hills are rideable but if you approach the hill too slowly or are tired I could see where you might have to run.

It's a course where you might have to make decisions whether to run or ride.

My mind was racing at the possibilities as I rode around the park, mentally designing a course in my head. I wonder how receptive the city would be to a race?
-------------

Today's race at Queeny could be a little messy. We had light covering of snow overnight. That snow won't last once we start racing over it but it might soften the ground a bit. Queeny Park seems like a park that would drain well so I don't see much of an issue. There might be a slick spot or two.
--------------

The pro field riders in Europe are exchanging a few words. Erwin Vervecken won the World Cup race in Koksijde and his Fidea team took four of the top five spots. Nys was the only non-Fidea rider and finished second. If you were to read Cyclingnews you would think everything is rosey in the cross world. Bart Wellens, however, was not happy.

Wellens was happy for his teammate but said he was not the strongest. He claimed that Nys did not want him to win. Wellens was particularly upset that Nys took a very short pull on the pavement after Wellens had been in the lead for a full lap. Wellens said Nys told him he could not go. Two of Wellens teammates were slightly ahead and Wellens felt it was not his place to chase them. Nys eventually did chase the two Fidea riders down. Wellens said Nys purposely risked finishing third or fourth just to keep Wellens from possibly winning.

Wellens claimed "I'm the only one who broke open the race, really. Either I have bad luck or this happens. I think it unsportsmanlike. There is still an account open. I will answer Nys one day with my pedals."

Then there is Nys' viewpoint. "I have no problem with Erwin Vervecken to win this race," responded Sven Nys. "Erwin and I were the best men in the race. I think it is nice that Fidea have played the game fair. They each had a try at breaking away." The funny thing is that, despite the loss, I had maybe my best race of the season. My attacks were sharp, my explosion was good

I am late but some mention should be made of this past weekend's races. Saturday was our first local night race. Naturally, it was among the colder days of the season and, obviously, no sun to make things feel a little warmer. Still, the temps were bearable. My toes and fingers still went numb. Been there, done that. The worst part is when you stop racing.

The newly contructed stairs/ramp made their return. The good news is that it was a new and improved version with a longer platform up top. I wasn't going to complain about the previous version but 8' was just WAY too short. The newer 12' (I guess) was much more comfortable. The course was very flat. The terrain was not very inspiring but you work with what you are given. The course was still fun and allowed for small groups to form and have a little bit of tactical racing.

This was a fun race, mainly because of the large crowds that came out to watch the maniacs riding in the cold darkness and screaming crazily. My 13th place finish was about normal for this year.

Sunday's race was in the same location although it was changed a bit. We ran mostly in an opposite direction and the sand volleyball pit was swapped for some bumpy terrain on the north end of the area.

My start was so-so but I was my usual self and started picking riders off as the race progressed. I thought things were going pretty well when I kept Sven in sight. He gradually pulled away and I had a good battle with a Mack rider that people were calling Robo. I will find out who that is when I look at the results. He was good on the stairs and the pavement and I would reel him in on the remainder of the course. It made for a good battle and I give him credit for his aggressiveness. He was often out of the saddle trying to lift the pace.

Various other people moved in and out of our group. I remember Bob, at least that's what everybody was calling him, caught our group. At one point, he moved around me and was left to chase Robo's wheel. I saw the gap opening and had to speak up. I said something like "C'mon Bob. Stay with him". He promptly moved over and asked me to chase. Thanks a lot! Thankfully, I had enough to close the gap down.

I would have been pissed if Bob had just followed my wheel but he must have been hurting and did fall off the pace a bit. I never could quite chase down Robo and had to contend with an Effeto Coniglio rider making a late charge. There was no relaxing until the finish. That's okay in my book.

In the end, I thought I may gotten top 9 or 10 but surprised myself with a season-best seventh place.

This season's cyclocross World Championships are in Hoogerheide, Netherlands. The official website is up and has a rather funny story about their home nation's star, and current World Champion, Lars Boom. I think the writer has a crush on Lars. Check out the glowing descriptions of Boom in the first couple paragraphs.

Lars Boom is 192 centimetres of Dutch pride with his blond hair and strong body. The rainbow jersey of the Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Treviso does not cover a slender climber's chest, but clings to a muscular torso. The cycling shorts tightly cling to his thighs the size of beeches. Lars Boom, 22 years old, is the Dutch world champion embodied, with a mission: becoming cyclo-cross world champion on 1 February 2009 in his own country, in Hoogerheide in Brabant

When he is testing a nasty, steep climb from the World Championships track, it looks as if he is cycling through a meadow on a sunny summer's day. Pure power varnished in suppleness. That is the climb that he can use to give the pack a real beating. Grass and weeds seem to bend aside for the world's best cyclo-cross rider. On top of the hill, he looks like a predator that has just spotted a prey. It's his track.

Did I ever mention crossing paths with Lars in the restroom of J. Bucks?

After work, I drove by tomorrow's Bubba in the Dark venue to see what was in store. To my surprise, a good number of stakes were already in the ground so walked the course.

The course is mostly as I expected in terms of the terrain. There are a few tiny undulations but nothing of any consequence. The grass is somewhat high and should slow the race down a bit. The ground by the boat house is not particularly smooth, either. Not all of this area was staked so I can't say for sure where the course will actually pass but there were several good sized holes that could be treacherous.

The section nearest the beach will be the toughest part. We will come off the pavement going quickly, then slightly downhill toward the lake and plunge onto the beach for a short section. Then turn left onto the grass and up a little grade. Make a U-turn and plunge downward across a volleyball pit. After getting through that sand, turn left onto the grass alongside the volleyball pit. After going beyond the pit, make another U-turn and into the pit again. This time going with a right-hand turn while in the sand. How that last section is staked will determine whether it will be rideable or a running section.

The terrain is not difficult and there is more pavement than we normally have in our races. CX is never easy, though. The grass will make you work and the sand will cause some problems. And, of course, the stairs and ramp will spread things out and may cause a little carnage.

2008 was an curious year for team photos on the ProTour website. Many of the same trends from last year were still popular in '08. Aside from the more traditional lineups, a couple teams continue to have their photos taken indoors and the overhead photo remained popular. Water remains a common trend in team photos.

Let's review this year's team photos,

First, a couple teams that had their own unique take on the team photo.

Because HighRoad did not yet have a real title sponsor they did not seem to put much thought into the team photo. They just snapped a couple shots while the riders were on stage at the team presentation. The photographer did not even bother to say "Cheese". Riders are looking down, right, left and all around. I look for some improvement next year.


Cofidis chose to photoshop their team onto a cartoon-like background of grassy fields and puffy white clouds. It all seems so typically French. Why didn't they just include butterflies and cute little puppy dogs, too. Is it any surprise that 5 Belgians are leaving the team for '09. What self-respecting, frite eating, beer swilling, cobble riding, rain and mud covered Belgian wants to be a part of Cartoontown.

Team vehicles

Credit Agricole gets the award for being most proud of their team vehicles. They threw the team sponsors name out there as much as they possibly could by including two team cars and a bus. Despite their best promotional efforts, Credit Agricole said 'Thanks for the memories.' and has left the sport.


Rabobank put one of their team cars in the photo. I'm not sure why. They chose to stand six guys in front so that you can hardly see the car. In fact, the positioning of the car makes it look like a runaway vehicle that ran over the second row of team members.

Motel lobbies

For the second year in a row Liquigas has chosen to pose in the lobby of some fancy-schmancy 5-star hotel lobby. Throwing a couple bikes far off in the background does not do much to lessen the awkwardness of having twenty-nine lycra clad weenies hanging around the Palazzo dello Tranquilo.


Francais de Jeux seems to know that cyclists should not be loitering in the lobby of hoity-toity hotel lobbies. Instead they appear to be using the lounge of a Hampton Inn. You just know there is a continental breakfast buffet barely out of camera view.

Traditional lineups

QuickStep is like a well-oiled machine in Classic one-day races. Their team photos the past two years indicate a similar precision. They once again have tight, clean rows with a focus on their national and world champions. Very classic. However, I cannot help but be distracted by the wood paneling and stone foundation of the wall behind them. It looks like they may have walked outside and stood next to the side of their hotel for the picture.


Silence-Lotto gets good marks for their fine team photo. They use the team bus to good effect by having the sponsors name big and bold behind the riders. Look at the uniformity of the legs on the front row. Perfect unison. Compare the team unity in the photo with how the team was scattered in disarray all over the mountains of France during the Tour. What happened?


Didn't the Astana team listen to their mothers when they were kids. I can hear their mom's screaming "Don't play in the middle of road!" I'll be damned if standing on the yellow line didn't pay off for them this year. In a strange twist of fate, their not-so-pure past got them uninvited to the Tour but allowed them to dodge the figurative doping 18-wheeler that rolled through the Tour de France this year. Astana was left smelling like a rose and smiling smugly at the ASO.

Waterworld

Lampre gathered at the beach on a bright sunny day, symbolic of a solid season of racing. The season was topped off with end of year wins by Ballan's World Championship title and Cunego's 3rd Lombardia title.


Bouyges Telecom, on the other hand, gathered near the sea in northern France on dark, damp and dreary day. Their tough guy, hands on hips and arms crossed poses fooled no one. Their season turned out to be as dark and dreary as their photo. Was there a more futile team in the ProTour? Did they win a race this year?


If it was not for a slightly different jersey, Ag2r could nearly have used their 2007 photo in 2008. I swear they are standing in front of the exact same river. Let's see a little originality. But, please, no cartoon characters.

2007

2008

Euskaltel chose to stand behind the water and in front of... ummm... what exactly is that thing? I would say it is an elevated bridge but where would a ship go? There is a set of steps (and a cycling team) in the way.


CSC posed on a lovely wooden pier surrounded by water and sail boats. For the last half of the year the team found themselves surrounded by doping allegations and suspicions. Yet, somehow, they sailed scott-free. Ironic?

The Look Up

Who are the two guys on Caisse d'Epargne that didn't get the memo and showed up wearing black shoes.


Could Milram's photographer have gotten any higher above the team? The team probably had to go to the chiropractor to work on their sore necks after the photo shoot. Then again, Milram has a lot of practice looking up at their competitors standing on the victory podium.


Saunier Duval took a unique approach to the team photo by standing as far away from each other as possible. My guess is no one wanted to be standing too close to Ricco or Piepoli when they got busted.


In addition to looking up at the photographer, Gerolsteiner looks as if they are crammed into an imaginary elevator. The only explanation for this pose is that if Gerolsteiner had used a traditional team photo, Stefan Schumacher's enormous forehead would not have fit in the picture.

So, there you have it. Until next year...

Riccardo Ricco is now appealing his 2-year ban for using CERA, to the CAS. Frankly, his ban should probably have an extra month tacked on to the suspension simply for wearing this hat.

VS coverage of cycling can often be frustrating. More so, if you are a follower of the sport. We always like more complete coverage, less editing, fewer commercials, etc. As bad as VS can sometimes be, NBC's Jeep World of Adventure Sports coverage of the Tour of MO may have been the worst piece of garbage I have ever seen.

My expectations were low to begin with since it was only a one and a half hour show that was going to cover multiple 'adventure' sports. Despite my reservations, it's hard to imagine that NBC could put together such an awful production with 2 months of preparation. There was so much that was wrong that I don't know where to begin but lets give it a shot.

1) On a non-cycling related topic, the show had a segment with a snowboarder droning on about what a good person he was for not using snowmobiles, etc when going to his videoshoots. At one point, I think he dislocated his environmental shoulder while patting his own back.

2) In an ironic twist, Mr. Environmentalist Snowboarder was preaching his "I'm so good" gospel on a show sponsored by Jeep with commercials of 4x4's bounding about on sand dunes and forests.

3) Back to the Tour of MO. Everyone's favorite cycling expert, Al Trautwig, was narrating the Tour segment.

4) The most decisive stage of the race was virtually ignored except for showing Danielson leaving the start house. Then they interspersed video of Zabriskie in full TT mode with video of Vandevelde soft pedaling while on a solo training rid with leg warmers while riding a standard road bike. Meanwhile Trautwig's narration gave the impression that he was actually time trialing like that.

5) The city of Rolla was pronounced Role-a.

6) Hermann was called the bavarian town of Hair-mon. You're trying too hard to be Euro, Al. With two months of post-production, is it too much to ask for the towns to be pronounced correctly.

All this ignores the horrendous editing that would completely confuse anyone that did not follow the race back in September.

It is an earth-shattering day of news.  Two stories have rocked worled of cycling:
 
1)  Franck Vandenbroucke (aka Francesco Del Ponte) has signed for his 53rd professional team in the last 6 years.  The Cinelli-Endeka team has signed Vandenbroucke for '09.  Or, at least a portion of '09 until Vandenbroucke is injured, has a mental breakdown or gets embroiled in investigation of an 8 yr old doping story
 
2)  Martin Tsallingii of Silence-Lotto has been voted one of Holland's sexiest vegetarians.  Frankly, I think it is because his name sounds like linquini.
--------------
On a lighter note, young hotshot crosser Niels Albert has said a few interesting things about why he prefers racing cross more than the road.  Albert noted that there is no mud and you don't have to jump on and off the bike.  That is easy.
 
When asked whether cross was easier than road, Albert said that you only have to train for longer periods on the road.  He suggested that if you have trained well and you tires are properly inflated then you will arrive in Paris.
 
Albert said doping is the main reason why he does not race on the road.  He said you cannot win a tour on the road without "products" but stated that crosses can be pure.  You go an hour and then it is done.
------------
The origin of the the Dutch word veldrijden has piqued my curiosity for a while now but I never took the time to investigate.  While reading the news story on Niels Albert it finally dawned on why veldrijden is Dutch for cyclocross.   Rijden is Dutch for ride.  Veld is Dutch for field.  So, literally, veldrijden is field riding.  It even sounds similar.  Now it seems so obvious.

---

Get 5 GB of storage with Windows Live Hotmail. Sign up today.

I think the Cardinals chances for next year's pennant took a hit when Pujol signed with the Cervelo test team. The move puzzles me. Pujol is rather chunky and I don't see him being much of an aid to Cervelo's cleanup hitter Carlos Sastre in the mountains. Perhaps, Cervelo intends to use him in races like Roubaix and Flanders where his power will be more useful.

Nothing much to brag about at today's race. The C race ended a little sooner than I expected so I snagged a prime last place starting spot. I did not have a bunch of urgency at that point and just took my time moving up through the field.

Today's race was also the unveiling of the new stairs that Jay decided to build. I pussed out most times once I was at the top. That descent was a little scary looking when you were up top and the platform was shorter than what is ideal. Thank goodness Jay decided to make the ramp 2ft longer than originally planned. It would have been crazy steep otherwise.

Despite the awful start and not so great handling of the stairs/ramp I managed to move through half the field before finding my equilibrium point. Those behind were no really gaining ground, yet I couldn't gain any ground on those ahead and finished 14th out of 29 finishers.

Here is the last lap of today's World Cup race in Pijnacker.

Video of the Day
John Lee Augustyn had his adventure of riding off the Col de la Bonette this year. Jan Ullrich rode off the Col de Peyresourde in '01. The most significant miscue, however, was probably back in 1951 when Wim van Est, chasing a breakaway, rode off the descent of the Col d'Aubisque while wearing the yellow jersey.

The descent on the eastern side of the Aubisque is not long, it is not steep and there is not even a single hairpin that I can recall. It is, however, a corniche. A road built into the side of mountain. Thus, the road twists and turns with the mountain with sheer dropoffs to your left and no barriers at all, except for a couple small sections. This road only drops about 300m after cresting the Col d'Aubisque and connects the Aubisque with the Col du Soulor 10km away. That 10km is known as the Cirque du Litor and is a beautiful ride with cows and sheeping roaming the mountainside.

This video is old and rather choppy in its editing but I like it. Mr van Est was one lucky man.

Today's CX race was at Faust Park today. Faust is probably my favorite location to race and not because I do particularly well there. The terrain is mostly rolling but with some flattish areas and even has a small little wooded area. Typically you have to be strong and have a clean race technically. This year was no exception and even had a section that made you decide whether to just run or try and ride.

I went into the this weekend feeling pretty confident and was going to try and get a good starting position and make try and tussle with the top guys. But, the day just never went very well. I woke up feeling a little off but got better as the morning progressed. Then, I started my warmup a little later than I would have liked. After five minutes on the trainer I noticed that my shoe was slopping around in the pedal but everything looked normal. Eventually I realized my left crank was loose. I stopped and tightened it up. A couple minutes later it was loose again. This routine was repeated about four times before I decided to go to the pits and see if they had a wrench that would allow for more leverage. They did not, so I just did the best I could.

By now, my heart and mind were not in the race. I felt certain the crank would be loose again after a lap or two so I only lined up mid-pack so I would not interfere with the race too much if things should go wrong.

My start was sub-par and the field had not thinned out much by the time we reached the tight and twisty wooded section. There were at least two crashes and we creeped through the section. The pack eventually began to thin out after about a lap. Remarkably, my crank seemed to be holding up and it was time to get down to racing. I did okay after that and passed at least twelve people that I can think of off the top of my head. The total was probably closer to 20 if not more for the whole race.

In the end I finished 14th. Not bad but I wish that I had more faith in the crank at the start of the race and not gotten mixed up with argy bargy in the first lap. Still, it was a beautiful, albeit a bit warm, day. It is hard to complain too much.