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Jul. 12th, 2003 08:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redfiona99Failed my driving test again, but it was a glorious failure. And Richard Virenque winning the stage in the Tour today more than made up for it.
And even better he's now got the Yellow leaders jersey and the Polka - dotted King of the Mountains one. After the race he was declaiming that he really hadn't been trying to get the yellow one. But now he has it, he's promising to defend it.
It's because they're too professional. They're the ultimate bikers, they ride like robots. They're about as close to perfect as anyone's going to get. And yet they lack the loveable element. Which doesn't bother them one little bit (more power to them).
For instance, Pena is one of the domestiques, fair enough, but you'd think they'd show enough respect to the tradition of the yellow jersey not to use him as the water boy while he's wearing it. The man himself doesn't have a problem with it, but it kind of erks me.
And they know they're going to win so they let everyone else tire themselves out and then they're going to win by being consistant. Which is a fair tactic but gah.
On less happy news lots of people have withdrawn including Jaan Kirsipuu and Alessandro Petacchi. Just wait for Mario Chipolini's response. (His team weren't allowed in because he tends to drop out before the mountains, both of the two I've mentioned are sprinters so there will be more wrangling.)
For those following the exploits of Tyler Hamilton, he survived the stage. In fact he did better than that finished 25th. All these cyclists that were supposed to be good at climbing were falling away and he stayed with the pace the US Postal team were setting. I might think he's crazy but he's amazing as well.
Ultimate picture - there are cows wearing tops made to look like the yellow and green jerseys from the Tour. This is the good kind of madness -
http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/photo?slug=1058033008.cycling_tour_de_france_tdf148&prov=ap
Adorable picture of Virenque with his kids - http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/photo?slug=1058030255.cycling_tour_de_france_tdf139&prov=ap
And even better he's now got the Yellow leaders jersey and the Polka - dotted King of the Mountains one. After the race he was declaiming that he really hadn't been trying to get the yellow one. But now he has it, he's promising to defend it.
It's because they're too professional. They're the ultimate bikers, they ride like robots. They're about as close to perfect as anyone's going to get. And yet they lack the loveable element. Which doesn't bother them one little bit (more power to them).
For instance, Pena is one of the domestiques, fair enough, but you'd think they'd show enough respect to the tradition of the yellow jersey not to use him as the water boy while he's wearing it. The man himself doesn't have a problem with it, but it kind of erks me.
And they know they're going to win so they let everyone else tire themselves out and then they're going to win by being consistant. Which is a fair tactic but gah.
On less happy news lots of people have withdrawn including Jaan Kirsipuu and Alessandro Petacchi. Just wait for Mario Chipolini's response. (His team weren't allowed in because he tends to drop out before the mountains, both of the two I've mentioned are sprinters so there will be more wrangling.)
For those following the exploits of Tyler Hamilton, he survived the stage. In fact he did better than that finished 25th. All these cyclists that were supposed to be good at climbing were falling away and he stayed with the pace the US Postal team were setting. I might think he's crazy but he's amazing as well.
Ultimate picture - there are cows wearing tops made to look like the yellow and green jerseys from the Tour. This is the good kind of madness -
http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/photo?slug=1058033008.cycling_tour_de_france_tdf148&prov=ap
Adorable picture of Virenque with his kids - http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/photo?slug=1058030255.cycling_tour_de_france_tdf139&prov=ap
