SB Nation User Blog: plinytheelder

Contador, Armstrong and Schleck to form super-team!

plinytheelder — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:01:35 -0000

Contador, Armstrong and Schleck to form super-team!

I know, I couldn't believe it either!

Armstrong makes reference to "the guy who won the Tour this year" on a football pre-game show,...

plinytheelder — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:02:56 -0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmwzsB0JCmA

Armstrong makes reference to "the guy who won the Tour this year" on a football pre-game show, starts at about 1:45. Bit of fun? Prediction? Obsession? Gamesmanship? Flapjacks?

Armstrong Tour blood values blah blah blah

plinytheelder — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:06:50 -0000

Armstrong Tour blood values blah blah blah

This seems kind of specious to me but the comments are kind of funny, "either doping or pooping his pants" was a highlight. Hmm, strange that there's not already a post up, perhaps people commented on it in one of the other threads? If so, sorry, I've been running around all day. Or perhaps it's all a hoax? I was recently taken in by a hoax, damn I felt like an idiot. Vagabundo!

swrve cycling apparel

plinytheelder — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:31:29 -0000

swrve cycling apparel

I feel a bit weird posting this as it's just a link to a cycling apparel company, plus you've probably already seen the ads since they're advertising here. But the reason I'm posting is that it seems like a cool company (in their words a "tiny upstart company") and their prices seem quite reasonable. It's not really my style - they seem to cater more to the fixie crowd - but hey, any cycling clothing company that's not trying to gouge its customers is worthy of attention in my opinion.

pro cyclist salaries

plinytheelder — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:38:28 -0000

pro cyclist salaries

Interesting article from Le Monde on salaries of pro cyclists, and specifically the disparities between the stars and the others. A few tidbits: Contador makes 2-3 million euros per year between salary and image rights; Chavanel's the highest paid Frenchman at 700,000. Maxime Bouet, on the other hand, makes 1,700 euros net per month, though in 2008 he also made 7,000-10,000 in prize money. Salaries are on the rise - average has gone from 70,000 in 2002 to 136,000 this year. Pro Tour minimum is 2,750 gross per month (2,250 with less than 2 years experience); for continental teams it's 2,292 and 1,916. According to Cedric Vasseur, president of the cyclists' union (btw does anyone know anything about this union? I don't), 30% of pro cyclists make the minimum salary.

Leipheimer out of Tour with broken wrist.

plinytheelder — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:47:00 -0000

Leipheimer out of Tour with broken wrist.

So reports Armstrong on his Twitter account.

radios, love 'em or hate 'em? plus awesome poll

plinytheelder — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:45:30 -0000

I got the idea for this post from a discussion in yesterday's post-stage comments, in which a few people voiced their opinions for or against dropping radios for 2 stages of the Tour. For my part, and yesterday's boring stage aside, I like the idea of losing the radios - to my mind, it just makes thinking a more central part of racing, and I also think it favours attacking cycling. However, the fact that so many of the riders and teams opposed the experiment makes me second-guess my opinion on the matter - it seems like there are some real safety concerns, for example, and frankly I tend to give the riders the benefit of the doubt when it comes to safety.

Anyways, now that we've seen a stage without the radios, and in all likelihood still have one to come, what do people think?

Poll

Radios - love 'em or hate 'em?

Turn up the radio, Raheem

8 votes

Turn off the damn radio

11 votes

Senseless question - video killed the radio star

4 votes

I'm on a Mexican radio whoa whoa

4 votes

I only use earplugs to sleep, or to ignore the other riders

2 votes

Tune in Tokyo

3 votes

32 votes | Poll has closed

Theo Bos suspended 1 month

plinytheelder — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:39:22 -0000

Theo Bos suspended 1 month

suspension to take effect 15 Aug.

Joe Parkin, "6 Years in a Rain Cape"

plinytheelder — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:17:44 -0000

Joe Parkin, "6 Years in a Rain Cape"

Seems Joe Parkin, author of the excellent A Dog in a Hat, now has a new blog, in collaboration with Competitive Cyclist if I understand correctly. The title refers to the time he spent in Belgium, where he came to own a vast array of rain capes, from the heavy-duty one he used on crap days, to the light one he put in his jersey pocket for sunny days (since it would inevitably start to rain). Anyways it looks like he posts very regularly and fields daily questions. I highly recommend him, he's funny and really colourful.

Why not me? Fabian Cancellara

plinytheelder — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:44:46 -0000

I heard the mountain stages weren't too bad on this Tour. Hmmm, reminds me of another Tour I just won. Perhaps you all missed that one? I can't wait to send my lieutenant Schleck (sehr schlecht) up those mountains and watch puny Evans and Contador try to follow. Then I make my move and POWER STRAIGHT UP LIKE IT'S A TT BABY! ok ok so maybe Armstrong or Menchov take a few seconds out of me on the Ventoux. That's ok because I take 20 minutes out of them on the TTs! Do the math people!

Why I'll win: I'm the man! Auch bin ich der schweizer König, wusstest du nicht? I speak this awesome German no one outside my country understands. I have plenty of experience in the yellow jersey even if I'm not a machine. My motivation comes from the fun I'll have snickering at the Tour-appointed interpreter who botches all my words at the presser after each stage (see especially 2:10-2:35 for hot laughs). I've had a nice relax all spring long while these other fools (whom I pity) rode too many miles. I've been training with Frinkster or Frinster or whatever his name is in Holland for the last week and he says I'm awesome. I'll be wearing this rad red Swiss national champion jersey and will tell all the Spaniards that the leader's jersey is red this year just like the new Vuelta - causing them to panic and over-exert themselves while I go flying by (hasta luego!). I go really really fast and I have a big butty like Raúl Alcalá - all muscle. That's right people, I'm one big muscle. One big Tour winning muscle, ready to flex.

Why I'll lose: Get serious. Did I mention I'm the man?