I just read Chris Horners blog and kind the real story behind his non selection.  Basically it come down to Bruyneel being a pussy and not taking control of his team ans Contoador prefering to have his pal rather than someone who will actually be able to help him win A Tour of France. What a giant tool.  I am officially a Contador hater now, I have been sitting the fence for a while put no more.  I am now really hoping that Lance has the legs to take a page out of the Hinault play book and attack his team mate.  Sergio Paulinho?  Are you kidding me?  I really don’t think Contador even wants to win with choices like that.

I blame Bruyneel for all of this.  He is allegedly the boss so why is he letting his riders pick the team?  Not even in the most backward ass parallel unviverse is Paulinho a better pick for a Grand Tour than Horner. Bruyneel should be picking a team that can win, not a team that will keep a spoiled baby from crying about having no one to spoon with at night. At the very least Bruyneel should have released Horner so he could find another team. I am sure Lotto realizes how bad they dropped the ball letting Horner go in the first place and would love to get him back.

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I really do not know how Bruyneel can justify leaving Horner at home this July.  I know he has been hurt but every race he has done this year he has been killin’ it.  If this is the year that Kloden finally turns up “non negative” then Johan is really gonna look like a chump.  Oh an Contador and Armsrong to lead?  Yeah that should work out well.

As long as I am ranting, lets compare the new cyclingnews.com to Metallica.  The old site would be “Master of Puppets” and the new site would be “Load”.

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Is it just me or is the usual build up to A Tour of France especially crazy this year?  First we have the Astana show.  Rumors came out this week that Contador was going to Slipstream.  Can’t really say that I blame him.  Bruyneel has been incredibly wishy washy with regard to who is the real leader of the team (Lance) for A Tour.  I think Contador and the rest of the team deserves a solid answer, other wise it is going to look like a Cat 4 road race with team mates chasing each other down.  Actaully that might be worth watching.

Looks like Boonen will be staying hime this July, maybe.  As any of my regulars know I am a big Boonen fan.  I really want to see the guy get his shit in a pile again and go back to what he does best.  Spring Classic ass whoopin’.  For now though dude has some issues to work through.  If you are drinking yourself to the point of blacking out and snorting everything in sight then it is time to step back and answer some serious questions about your life path.

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If your LBD doesn’t have it then help support Big Ring and get it from RealCyclist.com

Pro cycling is starting to sound like the glory days of Studio 54.  A panel of “experts” concluded that Boonen only had indirect contact with Peruvian Marching Powder while in an alchohol induced blackout.  WTF?  What is indirect contact?  The coke just fly up his nose while he was “Leaving Las Vegas” drunk?  That makes it ok?  Who are these experts, Tom Sizemore and Linsay Lohan?

I guess the above story makes sense when you consider the latest  bit of knowledge dropped by the UCI.  They announced today that they approved a ban of race radios for Stages 10 and 13 at A Tour de France this year?  I am all for banning race radios but why only 2 stages? Don’t be such pussies. Ban them completely or don’t.  Maybe it is time to see what the UCI is smoking?  They are cleary under the influence of something.

Hey retired pro downhillers give me a call and lets talk about a retirement plan that does not end with you doing time at Club Fed.  I guess Missy did not pay attention in Drug Dealing 101 when they went over the part about not moving massive weight through a narc. 10 year minimum sentence, damn.

Coming to a race near you.

Here in the 801we have had a shit ton of rain this spring.  By this time of year my lawn is usually brown, this year I have friggin’ mushrooms growing on it. WTF? So needless to say riding in the rain has become a much more common occurance this year.

Judging from the comments on Facebook and Twitter it seems that a lot of my 801 brethren are have a hard time finding the motivation to ride in the wet. To them I say when faced with the decision to ride outside and get a little wet or flog away on a trainer you just need to ask yourself, “What Would Eddy Do?” (W.W.E.D?)

A few years back I was sitting in a pub in Dublin watching a stage of La Vuelta on the TV.  I was talking to some locals about racing and riding in Ireland.  Of course Sean Kelly came up, alot.  They asked me what American though of King Kelly and I told them how he was revered as the toughest of the tough.  Their response? ” You Yanks think he is tough which is true from of all those pictures of him riding in the rain and mud.  Have you noticed the weather here?  Every Irish pro is hard by American standards, even the poofs!”  I thought about that a lot on that trip and they are right.  To be a pro in Ireland (or anywhere in Northern Europe) you have to really really like riding your bike.  The weather is shit, the roads are shit and the competition is cutthroat.  Rain and wind are your training partners.  When we watch a rainy edition of Flanders or Roubaix we call it “Epic”.  For the real hardmen, The Flahutes it is just another day on the bike.

So next time the weather is a little sketchy ask yourself W.W.E.D?, slather on the embrocation, grab your rain cape, and get out the door.

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Big Ring

-Ina Teutenburg calling the men pussies at Philly and then winning, again.(Thanks DrX)
-Bissel and the young guns at Mt. Hood. Mach 1.
-Cadel rips the TT in Dauphine.
-Team Columbia-Highroad hogs the podium in Philly.
-Chris Baldwin finds a real team and his old form.

Not

-Hinault off his meds? (he is right about race radios)
-Katusha riders wont sign anti-doping contract. Really?
-Felt pulls plug on MTB team. Hey Kashi, we can hook you up with some sweet socks.
-Timing chips. 801 riders know what I am talking about.

TOCBR: Why should people come race the Gap?

SK: Rumor has it that Lance is dropping out of the GIRO now that LEVI blew it. He will be at the GAP!
Because the gap is probably the best damn road race in Idaho or Utah. The roads are in great shape. A cool climb, no POT HOLES…. And it isn’t an out and back. It is a LOOP that finishes on a climb. The best rider will win. If you have the balls to ride off the front you might just pull the wool over the climbers eyes.

TOCBR: Is the Gap “Big Ring”?

SK: Marco Pantani rode it in the drops 55/11… back in 1996. He was juiced to MAX but it can be done.
That gap can be ridden in the big ring. Most riders will probably ride in their small, but I will give $5! bucks to anyone that pedals it in the 53! I heard when LOUDER raced it he rode the 53/16 for most of the climb!

TOCBR: Will there be beer?

SK: I will provide a cooler of PBR. Just look for a green Honda!
OR …..BYOB…. It is a stellar climb and most categories will finish before the 1-2’s so bring a beer and watch them suffer to the finish! Oh yeah… it is in Idaho so you can pick up some good beer at the SINCLAIR gas station at the base of the climb!

Great race being put on by some fellow BIG RING folk up in Idaho.

http://gardencreekgap.blogspot.com/

ONLY 5 days till the GAP!
200+ racers attended last years Garden Creek GAP!
2009 is going to be a great RACE.
The weather looks STELLAR!
This is one of the best courses in all of UTAH and IDAHO.

Please Pre-register to avoid long lines at registration.
https://new.sportsbaseonline.com/events/index.xhtml?categoryId=6371

Mark you calendars Brothers and Sistes and plan on making the journey to Montana.  Our Big Ring slinging bretheren in Missoula have planned an old fashion revival.  Go forth and give testimony and the Gods will reward you with good racing and libations. This is not one you will want to miss. Bookmark the web site to stay up on all the latest news in Big Ring Country: SingleSpeedMT.blogspot.com

Considering Menchov has won the Veulta twice I don’t know why I am surprised to see him in pink at the Giro.  Levi had a good ride and it still very much in the race but I gotta think he was hoping to get a lot more time than he did today.  At this point it looks like a 3 way showdown between Menchov, “The Killer” and Levi.  Basso does not seem to have the form he had back when he was “considering doping” and I don’t think Rogers will hold up in the big mountains.  They will have to try and contain Di Luca in the mountains which based on what we have seen so far will not be easy.  Whatever happens this Giro has been some of the best Grand Tour racing I have seen in a long time.