Nys is a nobody

Cyclingnews news might need to hire a fact checker. How did this gem about this weekend's World Championships in Sankt Wendel slip through the cracks?

Nys has not won anything this year, nor has he ever won the Worlds title, in contrast to his Belgian teammate Niels Albert, who won the title in 2009, and has won three World Cup races and the national title this season.

Nys has not won any World Cup races this season but that is a far cry from winning NOTHING. Then, I thought perhaps the writer meant that Nys had not won a race in 2011. Also, not true.

Even more embarassing is saying that he never won the World title. Not only has he won one championship, but Nys won his title in Sankt Wendel. The location of this year's race.

F U

The Spanish Cycling Federation's (RFEC) verdict on the Contador case:

F U, Fuyu

Too bad you're not Spanish, Fuyu Li. You would not have gotten a two year suspension

Un-Skil-ed

Skil Shimano cycling team just had their team presentation. They have had one of the finer kits in the peloton in recent years. Distinctive, easy to recognize and good basic colors. This year they get a new sponsor, Argos Oil, and the whole thing goes to hell in a handbasket.

They go from this...



To this...

adding quite a bit of green to the red and blue. And not just a basic green. A hideous, pastel green. The pro peloton did not need pastel green shorts rolling around Belgium and France. Trust me on this one.



And why is Kenny Van Hummel (center) wearing briefs under his shorts?

Did I miss something

Argentina's Tour de San Luis, not to be confused with the Tour of Saint Louis, is currently taking place. I'm sure the Tour de San Luis is a fine race but currently it is mostly getting headlines for being the first Pro race in a long time to not have race radios.

The riders from Liquigas, Movistar and Ag2r staged a lame protest by wearing their radios to the rider sign-in then promptly removed them before the race. Ooooh, that will teach the UCI a lesson.

Maybe I have missed some news but I have heard of no major mishaps or crashes during this race. That hasn't stopped Gianni Bugno, head of the CPA, to fire off a letter to the UCI complaining about the riders safety in this not-so-sternly written letter

Dear Mr President,

Since you told me that you would like to discuss with me the problems I see in the cycling movement I have decided to write to you this letter concerning the new earphones UCI rules.

I’m at the Tour de San Luis now where I had the chance to see every day the effect of the new regulation during the race.

I have seen with my eyes that every day the racers are in serious danger because they are not previously advised about obstacles, accidents and problems, etc. that may occur on the road.

The sanctions of the new UCI disposals can obstruct the development of the race, damaging the interests of sponsors and organisations, especially in those countries where we want the growth of cycling.

For all these reasons I’m asking you for a meeting between UCI and all the International Associations (CPA, ADISPRO, AIGCP, AIOCC) so that we may all explain to UCI our different point of view and – maybe -find a better solution.

Mr. President I really hope you will understand my point of view and that you will consider this letter as the beginning of a good collaboration between us about these important issues in the cycling movement. The racers security is very important and a part of this movement that we should all try to continue to improve.

Gianni Bugno

Curiously absent from this letter is any detail of these "serious dangers". I can only presume Mr. Bugno is referring to the riders having to think on their own and being able to understand race tactics.

TDU Young Rider

Wow! This Young Rider jersey at the Tour Down Under is so....



...1980's. Not to mention UGLY

Snub

Geox-TMC, the successor to last year's Footon-Servetto team, have been snubbed in the selection process for both the Tour de France and Paris-Nice.

My hunch is that ASO feared another clothing disaster like Footon-Servetto.



If only Geox had not put off their jersey presentation until January 31st. Obviously, it is hideous and they were trying to hide the kit from the ASO. The plan did not work.

Geox is a shoe company. They will probably replace the footprint on the old kit with a shoe print.

New Catlike helmets?

The Catlike Whisper helmet has been a polarizing design. People either liked its uniqueness or thought it was ugly.



Count me among those that liked the design and wished he could have one.

But, while looking at photos from the Tour Down Under this evening, I see Eukaltel Euskadi not wearing their usual Catlike Whisper. Instead, they were wearing something entirely different, but equally unusual. I'm not yet sure whether I like it. I assume this is still a Catlike helmet. Their website shows no helmet like this, however.

And the award...

And the award for best Euro Hair and the Team Leopard-Trek team presentation goes to...


Stefan Denifli

Wowza

Did we just flash back 20+ years to glorious days of neon in cycling?

If this is a true color representation, Kelly Benefits should be easy to spot in the peloton.

Team photos

This is the time of year when teams start to release various team and sponsorship photos. Team photos can be interesting at times but what I have found in recent years is that some of the sponsorship photos are borderline frightening.

It is bad enough that the guys are posing in their kits, but photographers often put the riders in odd, even bizarre, situations. And, dare I say, not the most manly of situations... not that there is anything wrong with that.

This most recently came to light with the recent release of QuickStep team photos. QuickStep's secondary team sponsor is Innergetic, a mattress and pillow company. As you can imagine, a mattress and pillow sponsor can result in some unfortunate photos.

When I hear the name Tom Boonen I would prefer to think of a tough guy. He's been a bunch sprinting, coke snorting, cobble riding strongman for close to 10 years. Is cuddling up with a pillow any way to showcase Boonen?


Even worse, Boonen's "soft" side has spread throughout the rest of the team. Does QuickStep have a "Dont ask, dont tell" policy?


QuickStep's pillow photos are bad enough but I sure as hell hope there is a good explanation for the Italian Colnago-CSF Inox team making three of their rider's carry a giant sausage.


More to come, I'm sure. I will be looking.

New starts

2011 marks a fresh start, hopefully, for this site. 2011 also marks a new chapter in my cycling "career". For 18 years, from 1993 through 2010, I rode for the same team. Sponsors changed a little over the years, but there was one continuous line from Rockits, to Big Shark, to Michelob Ultra/Big Shark.

My time has been long, satisfying, frustrating, sometimes painful but ultimately a lot of fun. Why else would I have stayed for 18 years. But, sometimes you need a fresh start.

I now move to a small team mostly made up of people with whom I have ridden with varying degrees of regularity over the past years. We are all older riders, maybe a tiny bit wiser and can hopefully use our smaller team size to work cohesively and create opportunities for ourselves. Or, maybe we will get squashed like a grape by a Surly Pugsley.

Let the experiment begin...

2011

I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions but, this year, I resolve to pay more attention to this blog. Last year, I never took the time necessary to write much of anything. I had plenty of ideas in my head, but no desire in my gut. I would always find more worthwhile things to do such as sleeping, laying down trying to sleep and thinking about laying to sleep. As you can see, I was very pressed for time.

I actually did have some things in my life that distracted me writing from as much but will try to balance those out and maybe incorporate them into the blog.

With a little extra desire, I will follow through on some of the topics I wanted to write about last year. And, surely, the passage of time will provide plenty of other ideas to scribble on this electronic chalkboard.

Wish me luck...