Sprinting for Signs: Fabian Cancellera

Friday, 29 October 2010

Paris Roubaix, Cancellara and Sportives

I haven't been to see Roubaix live in ages, yet much of that day from when I last saw it is still clear in my mind. I can remember what I had for breakfast, how cold it was standing by the Roadside and how fast the riders are over the cobbles. I'd made the decision after Flanders this year that I wouldn't be back to watch it in 2011. I've managed it for the last three years, and to be honest it will be strange not watching the Ronde in Flanders. But I knew I had to visit the Queen again, she was calling loud and clear and both races are Super Special.

With the rumours that have been flying around and the now recent announcement that ASO would be holding a Sportive version for amateurs the day before. Unlike Flanders where having 17,000 people trample over the bergs before the Pro's is likely to do little damage, but may actually help clear the course, the same can't be said for Roubaix. I wonder if it may make the Stones worse. Details are sketchy at best, so we really don't know how much it'll cost or how many people will be able to enter. We do know that it will be 135km in length and the date is the 9th of April.

So I'd like to take part, and I'm sure I won't be alone in thinking that it'll be a great day, but I expect it to be tough. Unlike the June version run off every two years, the one the ASO are proposing will get the full Pro effect being the day before. I love Pave, and the more I ride it the better I get. So if I get in this will represent my first goal this year, and the training will have to start, or I'll never get fit in time. I've just watched these excellent videos from Michael at the www.theroaddiaries.com and it makes me want to have a go at it even more. I am sure it'll be a big challenge, and if the weather is shit a big ask. But it really appeals and I'm hoping to gather a little Team of people so we can ride can tackle the pave together. If I can't get in, I'll be hitting Belgium instead.

The race winning bike, although I'm unlikely to use a Specialized but I love the idea of using Sram, Zipp and FMB tubs. Not afraid of carbon on the cobbles as I won't be hitting then at 50 kmph+.

I'll be happy to finish, much in the same way I was chuffed to finish my first Flanders. Goals and going for a good time can happen on the second edition!

Posted via email from Sprinting for Signs's posterous

Sunday, 4 July 2010

TdF The Prologue

Shit I couldn't believe it, I was following the race on the net and I heard that it had started to rain. On any road stage racing on wet roads can be tricky, on a TT or Prologue course it can be treacherous. Add into the mix that it was on the roads of the Netherlands, famed (and often quoted in the Classics) as having more street furniture than Ikea. This was going to mess up a few peoples rides, as some riders just don't like riding in the wet. Brad Wiggins had opted to go early in the day swaping places with Flecha (which in hindsight was a bad move). The weather forecast had been brewing and was predicting rain, but having ridden in Belgium a few times I am constantly amazed how the morning can be an absolute shitter lashing it down with rain and then the afternoon baked in glorious sunshine.

I'm not going to bring a full synopsis on the race, there are better people out there to do that, and from what I am reading on Twitter the Eurosport Team seem to have had it nailed yesterday. I was following Phil Sheehan posts as he is a producer on Five Live (http://twitter.com/5livecycling), he's also a bike racer and a bit of a Tech geek for his road stuff so where many producers may miss something he also has a fans eye on the Tour. And for the record Phil, I'll pinch some photos that you tweet up (hope that's ok).

So who are the winners and losers today. For sure Fabian, and for me it was important for him to quash the rumours of mechanical doping, which is funny as nobody throws the PED's accusation at him, so a more complicated theory had to be created. With Armstrong bagging a few (5) vital seconds over Contador the first battle in the war has been won. Many commentators are saying that these could be vital, I'm not so convinced unless the next three days through the Benelux throws up a mistral. As we have seen before that Mr Contador isn't too good in these situations, whereas ALL other GC riders will have some riders who can look after them. Brad's placing is certainly a bind and will make the journey from 4th place last year to podium place this year a bit more of a challenge and he'll (and SKY) will need to take it on the chin. A gap of 52 seconds to Armstrong is a mountain to climb, but it's day one and with 23 days of racing left there is a lot of kilometres left to make up the time (I hope)