Hey Race Fans. Since most of you are probably going through a similar bit of post-AToC depression, please enjoy the following running diary from the VS coverage of Stage 8 from Rancho Bernardo to Escondido. This may be a bit free form and not exactly tense-specific in any way, so bear with me if I [...]

Understanding that the Rose Bowl has played host to events such as the Super Bowl and World Cup, I really didn’t think that it would be too crazy at the finish of Stage 7. Needless to say, I was wrong. It wasn’t just a little crazy, it was completely Gary Busey-level insane. In a scene [...]

If Solvang, California were a food, it would be a sweet, jelly-filled Danish pastry. If it were a bike race, it would be the Amgen Tour of California. And if I were more creative I would be able to come up with a better way to start this post. Anyway, I love this freaky little [...]

Okay, it is officially “normal” at the Tour of California now. After days of rain, crashes and breakaways the sun has returned and Mark Cavendish is racking up stage wins. With a second victory in as many days Captain Cavman made his boss proud as he took the “hometown” honors just up the road from [...]

Just in case anyone was wondering how to lead-out a sprint in bike racing, take a look at the tape of the Cervelo Test Team in the finale of Stage 3 in Modesto. After making a late catch of the day’s breakaway remnants, the field basically just had to watch as an English-speaking chariot delivered [...]

It’s not often that the biggest bike race in the country traces a portion of one’s commute to work. Consequently, it’s not often that one can watch the best professionals in the world make the hardest part of your daily ride look like, well…an easy neutral zone warm-up. Thousands of Bay Area cyclists are probably [...]

So…as many of us familiar with February in NorCal had feared since the race was first announced five years ago, the rain and weather have been less than pleasant. I know bike racers are tough but there must have been a lot of complaining going on between Davis and Santa Rosa. Apparently, Chris Horner was [...]

Well, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California has officially begun and looks strikingly similar to last year. Fabian Cancellara continues to perform the best Motorcycle impersonation, Levi Leipheimer shows that he is firing and Slipstream narrowly misses another win. Yup, pretty much like 2008. Although, after viewing the recorded VS coverage I did find some [...]

Let’s be honest. Although the Amgen Tour of California field is bursting with big name riders, there really are only a handful of legitimate contenders who make the event a top priority. But as Jacques Anquetil said, “There are no races. Only lotteries.” Considering this and the fact that weather may play a significant role [...]

Schadenfreude Rage: Schadenfreude is generally understood as pleasure taken from observing the misery of another. A slightly more detailed definition is the “largely unanticipated delight in the suffering of another, which is cognized as trivial and/or appropriate.” It should be noted that I was a fan of professional baseball before I even knew what professional [...]

Some people go to church every Sunday. Others may ride or race their bikes, watch sports, go shopping or even spend time with family and friends. For most, Sunday is a day of comforting rituals, both public and private, allowing for reflection on the past week as well as anticipation (or fear) of the next. [...]

While cruising the InterWebs recently, I happened upon a chat room for individuals who have returned to their respective professions after various periods of inactivity. With the causes of these competitive breaks ranging from pseudo-retirement to drug suspension and even outright felonious behavior, the current and former “pros” logged into the chat room represented many [...]