SB Nation User Blog: ZoeRochelle

TdF Team Presentation LIVE

ZoeRochelle — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:15:23 -0000

looks like the Tour de France Team Presentation is tomorrow (Thursday July 2nd) at 9AM US Pacific Time, if I figured that correctly. It is at 6PM in Monaco.

Last year we had a wildly comedic, spontaneously fun and thoroughly entertaining live thread for viewing the spectacle. (Enough exaggerating adjectives for ya?)

Can any of you over there ::pointing to Europe:: see if there may be live web streaming of the presentation this year? If so, please post any information here. Much appreciated.

[Ed. note: and here we go . . . ]

Edited: should start in about an hour. Cameras ready?

Check http://www.cyclingfans.com/ and http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/ for live stream links.

Nevada City Bicycle Classic LIVE Thread

ZoeRochelle — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:13:48 -0000

SacBee.Com reports that NevadaCountyTV.Org will be streaming the Nevada City Bicycle Classic live starting at 4:45 pm pacific time on Sunday.

Click on "Watch NCTV Now" for live player.

"The inclusion of Lance made it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Gilbert Dominguez, owner of TouchDown Productions. "We are a 'go' for this event."

While there won't be helicopters and motorcycles with onboard photographers following the bicyclists, Dominguez said that the live production will give viewers a flavor of the start, finish and the pedal down Broad Street. -Gilbert Dominguez, owner of TouchDown Productions.

Got a laugh out of that second quote. As if they have the budget for helicopter shots. I was planning to go but getting in and out of Nevada City is not easy and there's very little parking. Crowds are expected to be huge due to the Lance factor. I have little patience for crowds and traffic. If I go I'll certainly take pictures and report back to the PdC.

Updated: Live video up now.

Columbia Highroad Video Rider Profiles

ZoeRochelle — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:04:20 -0000

Columbia Highroad Video Rider Profiles

Well done profiles of a 10 or more of the Highroad boys. Check out Bernie Eisel's. He's very funny. And Edvald Boassen Hagen divulges that his nickname on the team is Haagen Dazs because he likes ice cream and of course his last name.

Lance gives his take on the Milan stage protest, a riders organization and a few other subjects....

ZoeRochelle — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:52:20 -0000

Lance Update on Rest Day -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

Lance gives his take on the Milan stage protest, a riders organization and a few other subjects. Link Here if the video isn't working.

Universal Sports Changed to Adobe Flash Player 10 today

ZoeRochelle — Wed, 13 May 2009 02:10:09 -0000

for video. Yeah!!

Which means it should be a much easier viewing experience for Mac users (and Windows for those with issues.) I got video on demand to work on my Mac no problem this afternoon. It wasn't working previously even with Flip4Mac and it also the Flip4Mac plug-in doesn't give the user any control over the video. Flash does. You can rewind, fast forward and pause. That is nice.

I had been using Boot Camp to run Windows XP to watch the Giro video up until today. Not necessary any more.

If you don't have it already, you'll need to install Flash Player 10. Page is here for downloading it for all operating systems - Mac, Windows and even Linux!

Also, Universal Sports said that not all video on demand has been changed to Flash but today's Giro stage is. I just watched it.

Girbecco says: Universal Sports believes in cycling

Update: If you want to try testing it out try watching this video of today's stage. Its in flash player.

Cycling TV Paris-Roubaix Special with Magnus Backstedt

ZoeRochelle — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 05:22:10 -0000

Cycling TV Paris-Roubaix Special with Magnus Backstedt

CyclingTV is starting its Paris-Roubaix coverage at 3:30AM Pacific time on Sunday. Magnus Backstedt (2004 winner) and Martin McCrossan are going to be guests on an hour long pre-show discussing the race. Brian Smith and Anthony McCrossan are scheduled to be commentating on the race starting at 4:40AM pacific time. Yeah! They are allotting 4 hours for the race itself. That's over 5 hours of race video.

I hope I can stay awake!

2006 Paris-Roubaix - George Hincapie's steering column brakes with 48.5KM to go.

ZoeRochelle — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 04:55:05 -0000

2006 Paris-Roubaix - George Hincapie's steering column brakes with 48.5KM to go.

Attention PdC Twitterati

ZoeRochelle — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:41:06 -0000

Paul Sherwen has put out the call on Twitter for folks who want to see the Giro d'Italia on Versus to send a tweet to Joel Felicio, a producer over at Versus.

Send support to @joelfelicio he needs to know how bad u guys needs Versus Giro coverage - he's a rider & the producer @ Versus

Let the power of the cafe unite!

(Now... if only you could do something about my cable company not having Versus HD yet. Too ambitious?)

Tour of Flanders History

ZoeRochelle — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:43:46 -0000

Wikipedia in English has an excellent entry on the Tour of Flanders. After reading it, I have a much better understanding of the race and its importance to the Flemish. The entry includes a brief history on the regional conflicts and how the race was used as a way to unify the northern, Dutch speaking residents of Belgium when the French speakers were gaining control of the country.

The Tour of Flanders has it origins in a drive to bring glory back to Belgian cycling and, more particularly, cycling in the Dutch-speaking north of the country. It is the product of the linguistic, social and economic schisms that have split the country since foundation in the 19th century.

An interesting bit - the organizer of the first race, Karel van Wijnendaele, was found guilty of collaboration with the Germans during WWII because the race was still run during the war with the approval of the Germans:

The Ronde is the only classic to have been held on German-occupied territory during the second world war, a decision taken with the agreement of the German command. The Germans, says the writer Gabe Konrad, "not only allowed and enjoyed the race but helped police the route as well." That led to accusations of collaboration. De Standaard and Het Algemeen Nieuws-Sportwereld were sequestered by the state when peace returned and several general journalists, although largely not sports reporters, were punished for collaboration. Van Wijnendaele was forbidden to work as a journalist for the rest of his life, a ban lifted when he produced a letter of support from General Bernard Montgomery, confirming that van Wijnendaele had hidden downed British pilots in his house.

I think its worth taking the time to read.

Snarky and incisive post-race analysis of the 2009 Milan-Sanremo race.

ZoeRochelle — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:13:15 -0000

Snarky and incisive post-race analysis of the 2009 Milan-Sanremo race.