another random Tuesday squeakered in
... shyte, gotta rush this out before the whip cracks over my back~
- Ben Delaney is the new Editor of VeloNews.
hmm...
I knew Ben back from the day in Nuevo Mexico. He was a strong racer, damn dapper dresser, had a bit of the euro-biscuit good looks, and was one helluva funny guy. I know he loves the sport. And his work these past years with Bicycle Retailer must have given him an ear to the ground to what the US business end of the sport needs and wants.
I think he's going to improve VNews. I think he's going to have an idea that the online version can be profitable in a much more significant manner than what they're taking advantage of currently. I think he's going to not do shit like throw one of the most exciting NRC weekend's (CVC) into a byline on the website, while putting a goofy-ass JP Nazon's mug up on the splash page for winning a stage of Paris-Nice.
You wanna grow the sport? Grow the homeside heroes. Highlight the US based pro riders for both the men and women on that prime real estate of the frontpage ... the text was there (thanks K.Reid), just call up the organizer and ask for one of the 6000 pics available of the racing.
JP Nazon's stage 1 win at Paris-Nice?
that's a byline if i ever heard one. NOT a front page splash.
Change that shit around, BenD. You sexy little package. - Racing Tactics:
What was wierd about the CVC crit for us geriatrics last weekend ... was that ~ how it played out? ~ was one of the lowest probability scenarios our team had talked about in prepping for the event.
Realistically, we knew that the odds were very, very long to overtake the top two riders in GC. But, we BagBoys were sitting 3rd (c'est moi) and 4th (Ron Reade) in GC ... so, we were willing to take whatever came our way.
In our minds, our most probably tactic was going to be to try and focus the Disco Geezers and Spine rider's attention on me ... and then sneak away Ron to get as much time as he could later in the race ... maybe overtaking 2nd, and if the top step showed itself to him, have him try and take that, too.
But, the race offered us something else.
Racing tactics have to be fluid and dynamic, in my opinion. When riders have an intimate understanding of their team's strengths and weaknesses ... then they are better able to make the many small decisions that pop-up in front of us during races.
Do i let this gap open up?
Do i chase this immediately?
Is this move dangerous for my team?
Do i attack now, or would that be a waste of effort?
etc,etc,etc...
And the more you know about the strengths and weaknesses of the rest of the field your racing with ... the better your decision making will be.
But, you have to decide. And you have to commit.
And you have to suffer for it.
... this silly sport really is beautiful.
7 comments:
no OV, you are beautiful! I can't believe what you did in that crit - you are truly a legend.
Can you direct me to a complete race report on this thing? Did you win the GC?? Sorry for being slow...I can't find any info on the final day of the race.
RB - CRC
silly sport dot com (edy)
RB -
GC was given to me after it was all said and done. The field was small, but pretty damn hardcore.
The Disco Geezers had Roemer, Anderson, Hellman, Nolan, and Wiesel all in good form. Spine had Clinty Gaver, John Ford350, and Hutcheeson. Marked individual powerhouses were guys like Henri Za'Kramer of the big motor and Don "all of a sudden i can climb" Langley, and Lombardi's big horse Sumner. EMC and VOS had good squads, as usual ... and there was a Bobas rider who showed a lot of power out there, too.
Long story short, we BagBoys lucked out with a move going away early in the crit and the field not quite reacting quick enough. We nailed it and banked enough time for the win overall, with Nolan taking the stage.
CVC is definitely worth a look next year. Quality courses, incredibly good vibe for the crit (but difficult!), and a very supportive organization.
hit it up, yo.
~m
I might drive out just to watch next year. Were the fans setting fire to buildings and flipping parked cars after that one?
A big nod to you and the squad on that W.
RB
The disparity of coverage between the up and comers and the smaller players vs. the big names in cycling has always bummed me a little (especially when watching televised Tour coverage during the Lance era). You can't get an audience committed to long term interest in a sport when they only know who Lance is. Even pre-doping trouble Tyler getting 4th wasn't given much time in the mainstream US sports press.
Sounds like that Olaf is so sexy right now! Crit crusher. Keep it up.
I was on pins and needles for the whole race, mostly because of the undercarriage chafing I took in the TT...
Couldn't believe my ears when they were announced you had the GC on the road. I kept thinking AMD was going to start hitting it and maybe we could sneak up on Langster (BTW, MS needs another Brokerage-Backed Mountain in the 45's like...well, they just don't).
Silly me. Next time we turn the Marine loose and let come what may. At least VOS can get some air time.
That was huge. And deserved.
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