All Hail Cadel.

March 14, 2008 · Filed Under Cadel Watch 08 · Comment

As predicted, it looks like Stage 4 of the Paris Nice has played out to be the stage to watch. This morning it’s all about Cadel Evans on cyclingnews.com and other related sites. I had hoped but didn’t post it in my Paris Nice 2008 that Cadel would take the line honours on the stage from Montélimar to Station du Mont Serein Mont Ventoux.

It turns out that the Mont Ventoux climb is the first big test for the climbers in the 2008 season. It’s looking good for Cadel having tested his legs and taking the days win.

Tags: Cadel Evans

Cape Argus Cycle Tour

March 13, 2008 · Filed Under General · Comment

It’s time to reflect on the past.

Well it’s been just over a year since I attempted my second run The Cape Argus Cycle Tour. The ‘07 run at the flag was a bit different from my first go in ’05. The key differences were I had three mates heading over with me and on race day the Gail force winds known as "The Cape Doctor" did not blow until the late afternoon on race day.

The Cape Argus Cycle Tour is the largest timed cycle race in the world, well that’s what the marketing tells us, I’m not one to go against the proper-gander. Plus it’s a good quick ride around a great course. Here a hint, drive the race course first, that way when race day come around you don’t find yourself looking at the landscape and not focusing on why you are there. Too pedal!

The pressure was on… I had to achieve a time on the 109km course that would not have any of my mates eclipsing my time on the day. In no time at all the Tour Itinerary was put together, research had been completed and the next thing I knew I was an "International Tour Guide" (the poor bugger, if only they knew I hadn’t a clue).

To have ones friends travel to the country of your birth and technically take you on, on what was once your home soil adds to the level of “I Must achieve a good time aspect”. Training would be the key to me “Saving Face”. Now I had to train to “A:” improve my first attempts time and “B:” somehow not be beaten by my mates. The challenge lay ahead.

The team or cycling junkies soon signed up, although a last minute “I’m coming” had things rushed to have all team shirts, bags, bottles and tour packs completed. The groups was small but just enough to see that we had our own space when required. Check out the Tour Updates Page, it’s good to reflect back on good time.

In the end I managed to hold off the mates and sneak in a best time of the traveling crew on the day, taking out non other than Jan Ullrich (less his usual training aids I’m tipping) and Greg Lemond, then making the well photoshoped cover of "World Cycling"

Generally it’s a must do event as cyclists from around the world flock to ride this yearly race. It’s a must do in my book.

The Positives.
Cape Town, South Africa is a scenic part of the world. Sitting at sea level, with mountains to ride and Cape Dutch style winerys with some average and some great wines to drink in. It’s a laid back location for a with countless “look at that moments” and you’ll be sure to have the camera snapping.

The Cape Dutch Style Winery

Race Day:
The atmosphere is all around you, from the time you arrive in the city on race day, the entire city has bicycle fever. You roll into you start pen, yes people they put you in a pen. There are 35000+ riders on race day so the only way to start this number is in groups. The music is pumping and from the start to the end (well almost) the streets are lined spectators cheering you on. Cape Town is an awesome place to visit, and around Argus time it really is all go. The Waterfront is full of cyclist having drinks (not so serious types that is) and there are countless places to visit. The restaurant are fantastic, well the ones we went to where great.

The Negatives: (with good there could be some bad)
If you are an international entry with no qualifying time the race organisers to take into consideration you’ll be sent to the back, well near enough to the back. The down side to this is that there are thousands of slow riders and you find yourself getting nowhere fast. As far as South Africa goes it is and it isn’t a safe place. Please look after you’re belonging and don’t go into dodgy looking area. Have a chat to your hotel staff and they’ll keep you on the right track. You’ll have a ball.

Tags:

Paris – Nice 2008

March 10, 2008 · Filed Under Cycling · 2 Comments

And so March is upon us, before we know it Europe is rolling out of winter and into spring. Spring is in the air and the Paris – Nice is underway, the pro tour peloton has started it’s long road to the grand tours later in the year.

The single Prologue and 7 stages, I’m looking forward to Stage 4 with the only stage to end on a mountain top, my question is who will have the best legs on the day the 176km stage from Montélimar to Station du Mont Serein Mont Ventoux should see the final Paris – Nice winner come into the leaders Jersey.

Cycling’s Black Cloud:
This year race has been clouded with controversy as the Paris-Nice is to be run under the rules of the French federation. The organisers, the ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) decided last Friday not to run the race as a Pro Tour event "instead of running the event under UCI sanctioning".

Interesting.

Is this the way forward to avoid the UCI from not allowing teams to race in events?
Is Pro Tour coming to this?
Will we see any teams sign up to the Grand Tour this year?
If not… why does the UCI not change it’s stance on the Drug issue and come up with a solution to the problem?

I’m one confused cyclist sitting on this end reading all the data coming out of Europe at the moment. Will there be any team left by the end of 2008 to race at all? I hope so! The UCI appears to be tearing pro cycling apart in my book.

Tags: 2008, Cycling, Drug Issue, Paris Nice, Pro Tour cycling, UCI

This Years Gear

March 8, 2008 · Filed Under General · Comment

As it’s well into 2008 and all pro teams now have their 08 designs with the teams, it’s time for me to revisit the older kits I have and re-prioritise the lycra collection.

The older kits will be moved into the “Wind Trainer Collection” and a budget need to be set aside for the “08 collection”. As you all know, you might as well look good when you’re in great pain trying to hang onto the bunch or keep the gap in a break away.

I’m calling on everyone’s assistance in the “08 collection”. At this stage I have two of the three kits locked in, these are Silence-Lotto and Quick Step. If any reader out in the cycling community of bloggers has any insight or contact that can put me onto any wholesaler or retailer at has the Team HealthNet 2008 kits, I’d appreciate it if you leave a comment or shoot me a mail on the Contact page. I’m not begging yet but I will be soon. International cycling favours (within Reason) will be on offer for any assistance.

Tags: Cycling Kits

When Head meets Pavement.

March 3, 2008 · Filed Under General · 1 Comment

What I do Remember:
I had Just moved to a new townhouse, this was back in 2000, didn’t know the area. I looked up the local bike paths in the area, dusted off the then Cannondale F500 MTB and went for a ride. I didn’t go too far as I was getting to know the area and hadn’t ridden for a while. Yes I was unfit (AGAIN), seems to be a theme for the author of PrimalOdyssey.

The next day went out and decided to go a bit further. I headed out the in the same direction as before, this time thought I’d studied the map enough to be a bit more confident. Did about 15k’s before it started to get dark, it was early winter and night fall come quick around here. Heading back in the dark along the bike path and got a turn wrong heading home.

As there was no-one around I decided to turn off the bike path and find myself someone for directions, I found a few shops and asked for directions, the shopkeeper told me the way home. “Over nothing but hills”. At the top of the final hill and on a windy part of the road with bad road lights a car backing out of the drive nearly takes me out.

I hear some abuse but continue on the with Shopkeeper directions. Turn left as instructed, there is a vehicle behind me but I’m not sure if it’s the same vehicle with the abusive driver. I headed down a steep hill (pictured below). The last thing I remember before impact was “At the bottom I’ll get onto the footpath encase it’s the abusive driver behind me” Angled the bike towards the footpath at speed. Next thought was “I think that looks like a wheel chair ramp, No need to bunnie hop it”…. Lights out!

Trust me, it’s steep! The Decent that changed me.

To this day I don’t remember from about 20 meters before the footpath until I started to come round.

Coming Around:
On the footpath trying to get to my feet but not being able too. I think someone was saying something to me like “Here’s your bike” and “Are you ok?” I was being aggressive towards them… this is a very vague memory but I do recall someone walking a dog near the bottom of the hill before contact…. light out again!

Back to reality:
And I’m standing with the MTB on the side of a major street and a traffic roundabout, by this time it’s around 6-6:30pm and it peak hour. So I manager to cross the road, the main aim was to get to what I thought was a police station. Turned out to be a police vehicle depot,

Time for a sanity check.

Q: What is my name?
A: Aarh…. Good question!
Q: Where do I live?…
A: No idea!

Ok so I was a medic in the Defence Force while serving a 12 month National Service. I knew I was in a bad way.

At this stage I had assessed a few issues with the body. Potential Head injury (you think?), right wrist is not feeling too good. Right so I have no name, no address and I’m lost in the world. A bloke walks out of the Depot and (remember at this stage I still have no idea it’s a Depot and I ask him for help, well to be honest this part of the night I can’t really remember what conversation took place. I do recall talking to a dude, being told it was a Depot not a Police Station and there are no police here. I think I was after a lift to the hospital.

In my daze I headed off up the road, still unsure of where the hell I was or where I was going.

Next memory is standing at a rail road level crossing looking for trains, this is about 400meters up the road from the Depot, don’t remember crossing the level crossing. I do recall walking from the crossing to a shopping centre which was closed. I sat on the wall trying to work out Who I was, at this stage, which must have been 20 mins, I knew I was close to where I lived, but still no idea of my name.

The name came back to me as I sat there sipping on the water bottle and something told me to walk down the road opposite to where I was sitting. Then took a left turn and walked another block. The set of units look familiar to me. Now remember I had only just moved into this townhouse two weeks before this incident. Turns out it was where I lived. Basically the key opened the door of the townhouse I thought was my place so I figured it must be.

So I peel off the riding kit, The injury list reads as follows:

· Concussion (The next morning I noticed that the Met helmet I was wearing had taken such a hit on the right temple area that I helmet had been compressed from about an inch thick to 1 centimetre, I showed the bloke at the bike shop the helmet and he said That explains the damage to the handle bars… but not that why you are standing here showing me this!”

· Injured wrist (Not broken)

· Two broken ribs

· Deep road rash to both knees, Right Shoulder and the scars to prove it today.

I had a shower tried to call some friends but couldn’t recall anyone off hand so I went to bed. Ribs took around 8 weeks to heal to the point where I could take a deep breath again, The wrist still plays up all the time.

I was later told by family and the doctor that going to bed was the worst thing to do. So people the lesson here is, if you fall on your head… go to hospital. I returned to the scene of the fall today to take some pictures to demonstrate what had happened. The Intersection is no longer a roundabout but a huge intersection with a set of lights, the building on the left is no longer there so I turned to Google Maps, You guessed it, the old map was there.

The Google Map Pic, The Decent it top right, Depot is the Large Building and level crossing is at the
bottom centre.