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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Spanish civil wars

It's not many who will care nowadays ... but, la Vuelta begins as September does.

holee pumpkin patch, charly brown, it's almost time for the leaves to turn and the lap cards to be flipped on another year.

it do pass, don't it.

The Discovery Troupe is lacking in money-bags come 2008 ... and there are a number of fellers involved in the Spanish Tour still looking for security and maybe a bigger hand to swat negotiations with.

The real boy on the bubble is poor TommyD. Count Brajkovic is already touted as a grand tour contender with his lust for power and waifer thin climbing prowess. And STick Devolder is too talented a classics rider for teams not to be setting claws in each other for a chance to gobble him up with a fat contract. But Danielson?

Pressure is a strange force of nature ... it can forge coal into diamonds, or smother a life quiet and forgotten.

Tom Danielson has been regarded as a huge talent for a number of years now. He's shown small steps of improvement and significant setbacks in health and performances under pressure. Some have said he lacks the killer instinct, some have said he lacks support at the crucial moment, and some haven't given two shits either way.

But ... I have a soft spot of admiration for him. Maybe it's because his wife's about as sweet and chill as a glass of southern iced tea. Maybe it's because he's always been the underdog, always been questioned. Maybe it's just because he's got that silly-ass grin on his face most the time and it makes you think he's enjoyed a toke once or twice in his life.


Regardless, this Vuelta is the end-game for TommyD. It's a race that will decide his future as a professional bike racer. If he throws off the shackles of expectation and pressure and performs with the freedom and abandon that his body and his fans have desired for years ... he will rocket himself into stardom and secure another European adventure next season. If he rides anonymously and untested ... then, he should come home to the States and sign with a domestic team. There is no dishonor in that ... the US racing scene right now is as bristling with talent, if not dollars, as it ever has. EVER.

Would it be a step-back? To some, yes. But, in racing in the States ~ he would have home back on his side ... and i think that might be all the guy needs.
- - -

About the same time those Spanish are flyin ... back here we'll be having the US PRO Road and TT Champyships.

Of course, I'm hoping that BJM takes the TT jersey ... but, this year it's going to be a fist full of big-ring swinging wide for the title in Greenville ~ so who can predict what will happen.

Last year we were witness to one of the most amazing displays of bravado since David called Golaith's stone-less. Bajadali was the MAN up against those burglers Hincapie and Leipheimer in the Road Race.

When it was patently obvious that those two were working together, Bajadali threw everything at the both of them ... killing it like any good samurai should ... risking everything for the win.

It was an amazing display of pride and guts and ... balls.

I was a fan of jellybelly before because of Candy's chops ~ but, from that day forward, i was a fan because of Baj's stones. He could have chosen to play the conservative card and race for 2nd, knowing full well that in the final few kilometers they would have 1-2'd him to death.

But instead, he hit them hard and repeatedly in an all-out effort to take the glory from them. And in my mind, he did.

that's admirable.

stubborn, but admirable.
- - -

Anyway, tomorrow morning i go in for the knife work. I'll be off-line until Thursday because of the overnight slumber-party with the sickos.

yay-frickin-ay.

talk ya'll later.
~m

15 comments:

imike said...

good luck, hope it all turns out ok

mike

Rye said...

damn I wanted that Ti upgrade... Heal up quick! I can't wait to hand up a bike swap for you at the cross races!

PAB(a.k.a.CID) said...

hey, i just got back from my first post-op appointment with the surgeon. he liked what he saw and i liked what i heard. the stitches came out, and i can go ahead and get the area wet--showers will be so much easier.

he said i can put a little weight on the arm when i am on the trainer now. that will make it way more comfortable. and of course, he gave me more exercises to do and is sending me to PT.

So, 12 days after surgery and i feel like a normal person again. you will recover faster than me...you had far fewer days between your injury and your surgery. your muscles will not wank out near as much as mine did.

so good luck tomorrow. take a book. a big book. and just try to relax and let them do their stuff. you will feel so much better after they put it all back together.

just don't get c-diff....

X Bunny said...

mike (as in irishmike)

you need to change your blog name to "imike"

just the popular consensus

no peer pressure or anything

Anonymous said...

good luck with the mending tomorrow and hopefully we will see you friday night or saturday.

X Bunny said...

oh, and hope you get a good roommie at the loony bin

e-hugs till we see you

Anonymous said...

If you don't already know. Tommy D and Levi signed with Slipstream. Check out theprosstuff.com/gossip
and Danielson has posted some stuff on his facebook (the new myspace) about his new teams training camp being in Boulder next year

Ron Castia said...

Best wishes from Liverpool!

imike said...

ok, imike it is.

Lorri Lee Lown -- velogirl said...

good luck tomorrow!

Big Bad Wolf said...

In the end, I rather see small steps of improvement each year than leaps and bounds. That way at least you can assume TommyD is reasonably clean.
I like the Vuelta, shorter stages but still sufficiently long enough to provide us with great action, at least on the mountain stages. I think Devolder is a force to be reckoned with this year. Looking forward to it.

Anonymous said...

funny how the anonymous posts are from the same person, all of them.

and they could be so much more clever.

i know who the anonymous writer is. it is mrs. anonymous.

funny how i know all.

i am all knowing.

yet still remain anonymous.

i know all the anonymous posts are by one person who pretends to be everyone.

i know this is the case

i just know

dr-nitro said...

OV, are you already hopped up on the drugs, getting ready to go under the knife, and getting delusional posting bizzaro posts under the anonymous tag? Anything for attention. Although, now that I think of it, it is probably just H. Kramer after a few too many red wines.

Anyway, best of luck with the chop chop tomorrow.

California Giant Cycling said...

Hospital Food Rules!!!

EB said...

Good luck! Good luck good luck good luck.

With a cherry on top.