The Tour De Farce, and other Bicycle related anomalies
My Brother-in-law Daniel is a manager for a bike shop in Toronto. He has managed to get the Haggis and I some pretty spectacular deals on spiffy road bikes and related accessories.
The result is that we have become far more interested in things like the Tour de France. For those who are wondering, the “Tour de France” is a premier bike race that takes place (surprise surprise) in and across France.(this year it started in London just for kicks)
Spanning three weeks and covering over 3000 km, the race is run in twenty stages (one stage per day) with only two rest days. There are two individual time trials, eleven flat stages (ranging from 168km. to 236km.) and eight mountain stages ranging from 159.5 km. to 218.5 km. The mountain stages can see 14km climbs at 8.1% grades.
How steep is that? If you are familiar with Toronto think of the intersection of Yonge and York mills road. Think of traveling south on Yonge street up the hill passed the “Jolly Miller” tavern.
Yeah, that one.
That is about a 7% grade and is only 600m or so long.
Imagine trying to ride your bike up that hill.
Imagine that hill is slightly steeper and 23 times longer.
Suffice to say that the tour is hard. Really Really hard. The riders are under not only under the stunning physical pressure of grinding through a grueling course day after day, but also under the mental pressure of trying to perform for companies who are funding them. Millions or dollars of sponsorships are on the line every time a “Tour” rider steps in to his toe clips. So really it’s not so surprising that four tour riders got nailed for doping.
Spanish rider Iban Mayo tested positive for the endurance-boosting EPO during a rest day in the final week of the Tour. He was suspended by his Saunier Duval team pending analysis of the B sample. Italian Cristian Moreni tested positive for testosterone and his Cofidis team also left the race. pre-race favourite Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan and his Astana team mates forced out when he tested positive for a banned blood transfusion after winning the 13th stage. Yellow jersey holder Michael Rasmussen, was kicked out by his own team amid accusations that he lied about his whereabouts to evade doping tests before the tour.
Not surprising, but very sad.
Raymond (one of my coworkers) and I were talking about the tour the other day. He summed it up nicely by saying, “Cycling in the soap opera of the sports world”.
Sigh.
So you have this fancy pants bike, why are you so slow?
That would be because I am sane.
It infuriates me to the number of cyclists in this city who have a near suicidal disregard for the rules of the road. Cyclists who blithely roll though red lights and stop signs. Who cut off cars, buses, pedestrians and (occasionally) other cyclists. Who don’t bother to signal there intentions and don’t use (or horrifyingly) don’t have a bell. If some one wants to kill themselves that all well and good by me, but this sort of behavior looks bad on cyclists who are trying to ride safely and share the road nicely with cars.
If your going to survive riding in this city, there are some things your should do. (and not do)
Do not cut off other vehicles. In a contest, even a little Honda civic is going to win against you and your mountain bike.
Stop lights are for you too! See above!
For the love of the gods where a helmet!
Signal! Dammit! The guy behind you is not a mind reader and neither am I.
Get a bell and use it! The car you are sneaking up on can’t see you in his blind spot. Yes, that pedestrian is too stupid to look both ways before he/she/it crosses the road.
Drivers?
Signal Signal Signal.
Did I say signal?
Please, for the love of the gods look in your rear view mirror before you open your doors!
If you hear my bell, whistle, screaming, please acknowledge, even if it’s just a moment of eye contact
Do you have to drive that close? I mean really, I hardly know you….
Oh yeah, did I say signal?
The result is that we have become far more interested in things like the Tour de France. For those who are wondering, the “Tour de France” is a premier bike race that takes place (surprise surprise) in and across France.(this year it started in London just for kicks)
Spanning three weeks and covering over 3000 km, the race is run in twenty stages (one stage per day) with only two rest days. There are two individual time trials, eleven flat stages (ranging from 168km. to 236km.) and eight mountain stages ranging from 159.5 km. to 218.5 km. The mountain stages can see 14km climbs at 8.1% grades.
How steep is that? If you are familiar with Toronto think of the intersection of Yonge and York mills road. Think of traveling south on Yonge street up the hill passed the “Jolly Miller” tavern.
Yeah, that one.
That is about a 7% grade and is only 600m or so long.
Imagine trying to ride your bike up that hill.
Imagine that hill is slightly steeper and 23 times longer.
Suffice to say that the tour is hard. Really Really hard. The riders are under not only under the stunning physical pressure of grinding through a grueling course day after day, but also under the mental pressure of trying to perform for companies who are funding them. Millions or dollars of sponsorships are on the line every time a “Tour” rider steps in to his toe clips. So really it’s not so surprising that four tour riders got nailed for doping.
Spanish rider Iban Mayo tested positive for the endurance-boosting EPO during a rest day in the final week of the Tour. He was suspended by his Saunier Duval team pending analysis of the B sample. Italian Cristian Moreni tested positive for testosterone and his Cofidis team also left the race. pre-race favourite Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan and his Astana team mates forced out when he tested positive for a banned blood transfusion after winning the 13th stage. Yellow jersey holder Michael Rasmussen, was kicked out by his own team amid accusations that he lied about his whereabouts to evade doping tests before the tour.
Not surprising, but very sad.
Raymond (one of my coworkers) and I were talking about the tour the other day. He summed it up nicely by saying, “Cycling in the soap opera of the sports world”.
Sigh.
So you have this fancy pants bike, why are you so slow?
That would be because I am sane.
It infuriates me to the number of cyclists in this city who have a near suicidal disregard for the rules of the road. Cyclists who blithely roll though red lights and stop signs. Who cut off cars, buses, pedestrians and (occasionally) other cyclists. Who don’t bother to signal there intentions and don’t use (or horrifyingly) don’t have a bell. If some one wants to kill themselves that all well and good by me, but this sort of behavior looks bad on cyclists who are trying to ride safely and share the road nicely with cars.
If your going to survive riding in this city, there are some things your should do. (and not do)
Do not cut off other vehicles. In a contest, even a little Honda civic is going to win against you and your mountain bike.
Stop lights are for you too! See above!
For the love of the gods where a helmet!
Signal! Dammit! The guy behind you is not a mind reader and neither am I.
Get a bell and use it! The car you are sneaking up on can’t see you in his blind spot. Yes, that pedestrian is too stupid to look both ways before he/she/it crosses the road.
Drivers?
Signal Signal Signal.
Did I say signal?
Please, for the love of the gods look in your rear view mirror before you open your doors!
If you hear my bell, whistle, screaming, please acknowledge, even if it’s just a moment of eye contact
Do you have to drive that close? I mean really, I hardly know you….
Oh yeah, did I say signal?
Labels: Cycling
posted by veronica at 9:32 PM
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