upcoming mayhem

On the world scene ~ there's that spaghetti-basket of a bike race ... the Giro coming up. I do love this race ... everybody attacks anybody and some of the best catfights are within the teams themselves. And, we've already got a bit of gossip to start off the show:

Wladimir Belli will not race the 90th Giro d'Italia as reported yesterday. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian from Bergamo had been given the green light by (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Selle Italia Team Manager Gianni Savia to race with Tinkoff Credit Systems, however, there was not time for Belli to be fitted to the Italian-Russian team's gear.[CN]

- not enough time to get the Tinkoff kit fitted.

yeah.

can anyone say, mis-timed the doping protocol?
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Who's the favorite for this year's Giro? Oh, who cares. I'd just like to see some good old fashioned attacking. I'd love to read about heroic breakaways and boys sacrificing for their team. I'd like to hear about the powerful cracking and somehow finding the courage to come back strong the next day that has nothing to do with nutsack patches or chain-of-custody protocols fukked with.

But, if i had to lay a bet ... i think the little prince, Cunego will win it this year.
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In the USofA, there's that Joe Martin race down Arkansaway. There looks to be a nice three-way amongst the women (mmm...) with Aarons, Webcor, and Cheerwine bringing out full guns.

It's a close to flat-cake course, or as they say in Arkansaw speak ~ "a challenging couse with demanding climbs ... 23-mile loop that features over 1,500 feet of climbing per lap!" [sic]

So, the GC will likely be decided on the 2.5 mi uphill TT. That's got Webcor written all over it - but Aaron's Felicia G has been sparkling up the stopwatch ... so, we'll see if she can push her way into the jersey.

For the men, it's a full field of do-gooders and might come to the TT, as well. But, the racing in the men's circuits this year has been pretty damn no-holds-barred. So, i wouldn't be surprised to see a break get away on one of the road stages, sticking it for a GC winner. We'll see.
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And locally, there's the Norcal Classic Berzerkely Hills Road Race on Saturday (as well as a couple local crits to choose from after ... you know where i'll be, baby). Prognostications?

In the Prosey race -for shits and giggles, i'm gonna throw all my hopes on BigWicketts to take one away from the clean cuts. I think it'd be a hoot if a crosser put the spank down on all them pure-breds. But then, to do so he'd probably have to ride smart and patient and all roadie-like.

screw that.

For the femmes ~ it's an open race this year. With a few of the big dawgs laying hurt from mishaps and hit'n'runs ... it's anybody's game in bigbrainville. I'm going to predict that the Minty's will be on the attack with a little help from Tibco and VAC's Brown ... but Despot will chase everything down while Maria Monica gets a free ride to the final hill and jumps away for the win.

And (sigh) us Geezers?

meh ... who cares. Of course, our race will have 235 attacks in it. It will be exciting and tactical, with blood boiling and legs exploding spectacular from the quickdraw earthquakes we unleash upon each other.

but, it's the same crews doing the same things. and i find it's that time of year to look for a few new stomping grounds to gnash teeth and sow oats upon.

Hood ... more and more i think it has to be visited. But, Tuesday thru Sunday? That's a lot of vacation to be burning through. But, it does end up being an 8-day stage race when you factor in Mt. Ham and the Memorial Crits that Sunday and Monday before.

mmm ... now that's worth getting excited about.