[Threadjack alert: original title was "How to convince Versus, Cycling.TV, etc. to carry the Giro and MSR" -- but midway through the conversation it emerged that C.TV has just announced it will indeed carry MSR for North America. Story here. No point in starting the conversation over.]

PdCers batted around a few ideas a few days ago, but perhaps it's time to get serious about lobbying for someone to provide North American coverage of these great races.

Enlisting the Livestrong Army via Twitter is one good idea. How about Chris/Gavia writing to VS, cycling.tv, RCS, etc. on behalf of the substantial economic, diplomatic, and military (shhh - don't let them know we have little to no military strength) power of the PdC community?

I know the dude over at cyclingfans.com is working some top secret deal in France (does he not know these races are in Italy?), but I'm not sure we can wait any longer.

Perhaps a phone call to cycling.tv (anyone have their number offhand?) as well as a powerful email from the PdC behemoth will convince the powers that be to give us some Italian cycling.

Anyhoo, ideas welcome - but make it fast! Clock's winding down on MSR.

A bit early yet for the first "real" race of the season (meh!), so join RTBF for the local news. Live coverage  on in about an hour & 15 minutes, per cycling.tv & steephill.com. Now, if I can only come up with the remaining words... Hmmm, what to say, what to say.  Guess I could debate whether c.tv will actually work this morning.... Or I could brag about my current ranking in VDS. Or not.

What's the deal w/ Bubble Boy? [ed: Tom Danielson] From a broken shoulder & ruptured disc in last year's Vuelta (and a long history of other injuries - hence the nickname) to being overweight and undertrained earlier in the year, to talking about how his power meter was smoking on one of the Route du Sud climbs during training to finishing the mountain TT more than 4 minues in arrears to being a no-show in today's mountain stage, I'm left wondering whether the "Great White Hope" tag should be changed to "Great White Hype."

I understand if his divorce earlier in the year had a huge impact on his training. And I understand that there may be reasonable explanations for the other negative points. But it just seems to me that the optimism we always hear from/about him hasn't met reality, and I wonder if he'll just disappear quietly in the near future and start selling cars or something. I really like him (or do I just like the hyped version of him?), but I also really wonder sometimes if he's in the right line of work.

Thoughts, anyone?

CVV wins the TT - only 2 seconds behind Tommy V in the overall w/ 2 stages to go. Can we say time bonuses anyone?

Link here

I've spent quite a bit of time around here, and this should be a helluva race!!!

www.tour-of-arkansas.com

According VN, the following teams are in:
Astana
CSC
Gerolsteiner
High Road
Saunier Duval-Scott
BMC
Slipstream-Chipotle
Symmetrics
Bissell
GE-Marco Polo
Health Net-Maxxis
Jelly Belly
Jittery Joe's
Team Type 1
Toyota-United

I'm not a happy camper. Wanted to see all the hubbub that Rock brings.