(that’s me 4th in line)
…even though one of them crashed me. Just kidding (other-other John). My fall down was totally self inflicted. The other-other John, Ryan Gamm (Inferno), and I were throttling it at the front of Wednesday nights final Ault Park Criterium/Points Race – a.k.a. “the ultimate battle for world domination of Greater Cincinnati – where grown men race all out for $10. Teammates Jeff, Pete, Mario, and Tom had just finished lining out the bunch as step 1 of our game plan to launch the other-other John and myself (Gamm invited along for his potential power contribution) in our bid to lap the field and pick up mega points. I had missed the previous 2 of the 6 total races and was down a bit in the standings, but teammates Eric, Pete, and Jeff had the top 3 spots sewn up. The evening was mine. The attack went. It looked good. O-O John was ripping through the top part of the course with me on his wheel. I thought he was swinging off, so I came through on his inside while simultaneously glancing over my shoulder to assess our gap. O-O John was not pulling off as it turned out. I felt him come into me/me into him. My 129 lbs. vs. his 185 lbs. was an unfair match. I went down fairly hard and was run over by Gamm. A few other guys got tangled in it but I thing I was the only won who hit the pavement — sorry guys, my fault. Anyway, O-O John got me back around to the s/f for our free lap. When I got back in I was bleeding and FIRED UP. Especially after myself and another rider engaged in some childish smack talking re. the crash — sorry Chris C., I was being a tool. Adrenalin, fury, and the sweetest lead outs ever by my teammates combined to allow me to win the night. Not too bad. A crash then a victory!
The Other-Other John says, “Voila, the idiot who crashed himself.”
I think I am going to need a new skin suit. Notice the chainring marks where Ryan Gamm ran over me.
July 11th, 2008 at 7:55 am
My crit-racing crash led to me spending the next most of the race way off the front of the pack. I didn’t have it, though, and got caught with like 1.5 to go. Oops. There’s not much that compares to that shot of adrenaline.
Glad you weren’t hurt.
July 11th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Awesome! I like to see a bloodied champion. How does your wife feel when you come home. After my crazy mtb rides I have to give mine the damage report. Yes, does look like it’s time to retire that skinsuit.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Wear that jersey at next years Masters, you’ll scare the hell out of ‘em when you role up to the line!!
July 11th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Re: Bikefool (”How does your wife feel when you come home??)
I think that the woman who is really upset about the amount if riding her husband does has not yet fully realized the potential for allowing the ’silver lining’ to shine upon her! Let’s face it, isn’t he in a great mood when he returns and doesn’t he often feel/act rather generous? Furthermore, do we actually want them home, wandering around all morning, listlessly drinking coffees, and glancing at the garage door, every weekend morning??? No offense guys…
July 11th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I just sit at the garage door and bark when I want to go out. Sometimes she lets me out, sometimes she puts the leash on. I’m beginning to pine for a new set of wheels. I’m claiming I’m flea bitten, bank account says otherwise…although there seems to be a lot of new stuff in the house that has nothing to do with riding, hmmm…
DD
July 11th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
And the winner is…..Liquigas, not Gerolsteiner for having the first POP of the Tour.
And it’s another one of Armstrong’s posse, Triki Beltran. Hmmmm…
July 11th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
damn! another skin suit bites the dust . . .
a little off topic, but for those of you watching the tour on versus, which commercial are you the most sick of? I don’t know what I’m going to do if I hear that repetitive saab commercial one more time . . . thank god for mute buttons . . .
“For the perfect balance of fuel efficiency and power, we take energy from exhaust and recycle it.”
Arrrrgh!
July 12th, 2008 at 4:57 am
Yes – The Saab one is the worst! I’m glad they got rid of the “DR Chipper” ads from years back. They need a Liz Hatch ad for something. Anything.
July 12th, 2008 at 7:34 am
yes the saab one is definitly sucking…you would think they were the only ones making turbos… What happened to fitness celebrity John Basedow? Or Marla Streb running herself into a tree? Those were all awful, but none bother me as much as those Michelob Ultra ads, has anyone tasted that? & the whole corporate model workers playing hard at lunch & partying after work… I’d like to see one where a guy & girl ride their recumbents on lunch hour- but what beverage would they drink?
JK in NC
July 12th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Trying.. to.. be.. nice.. Promised.. not.. abuse.. recumbents.. for.. while…
Whew, that was an serious anerobic effort.
Anyone else sick of the Trek ads with the doper in chief?
July 12th, 2008 at 11:57 am
To avoid the commercials…employ the DVR. I’m able to get through 4 hr telecast in about 2.5 hours and can skip the commercials and rewind all the crashes.
Does anyone else think Kirchen is burning too many candles too early in the race? I don’t think he will ride into Paris in yellow, but certainly he can time trial well enough to podium. I highly doubt he will keep the green jersey either. I, however, am impressed with his tenacity but I think he will pay for it later in the race. I hope I’m wrong.
JK, great pick with “The Prince” or is it “The Princess.”
Cunego is getting dropped on Cat 3 climbs!!! Wait till they hit the mountains. He skipped he Giro and apparently forgot to train for Le Tour.
Speaking of recumbents, we had a sighting on the group ride this am. The guy was hammering. 25 mph down a slight decline. We were riding steady and he stayed ahead of us until the road leveled out. No beard, but he did have a goattee. He was rather smug that we didn’t catch him on the downhill.
July 12th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Yes, it stands out, so much so it must be a management decision. Sprinting for the finish line, attacking for sprint points, putting the team on front all day and then forming a sprint train for Ciolek and Cavendish. Help, I’d like to understand the logic.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:45 am
We don’t have the SAAB ad in Australia but an equally annoying Skoda commercial where they remind us every 10 minutes that you can drive the tour in 3.7 tanks of diesel.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:28 am
That is nothing, our skoda advert shows 4 guys carring a roof rack of bikes running up a mountain, following a rider, with the slogan ‘It wouldn’t be the same without us’.
Grrrr.
July 14th, 2008 at 7:12 am
How about the Autozone ad telling me I don’t have to ride a bike anymore since I fixed my car?
July 14th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Skinsuits at Ault Park? All-time homerism…
No show at Louisville Jul 12-13, 100 miles away? $3500 for 40+ over two days…
But you did go all the way to Bloomington to do a $200 total purse crit and a suspect ABR race?
July 14th, 2008 at 10:13 am
As always, Bike Racer, I am glad to see that you are keeping such close tabs on me.
My racing schedule is that tricky balance of not neglecting the family too much while racing as much as possible. This past Saturday myself and about 50 other local cyclist took the ashes of a recently deceased friend and fellow rider on his last ride to the cemetery where he was interred. Sunday we hosted a pool party. What can I say? After dragging the family to L-ville for 3 races the week before, I had used up my credits. As for the Bloomington race, my wife’s parents live there and we combined a visit with an opportunity for me to race. In the future I will be happy to vet all of my racing plans through you.
Re. the skinsuits – point taken, but now I don’t have to worry about it because mine is shredded.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Tabs? Isn’t it all here in the blogosphere? A little slack will be cut for funerals and family/wife trips, but ABR races, pool parties, and no money masters races (such as Nationals), not so much.
As you would do, calling it like I see it (and trying to perhaps guilt the Ault Park Championship of the World racers into expanding their ten mile radius of racing).
See you at the races!
July 14th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Bring on the Alps.
I want to see CSC and Ricco rip the legs off of Evans (who is STILL a wheel follower).
I don’t think he’s got the team strength to keep the jersey…
Any thought?
July 15th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Hmm, it’s going to be close. There’s about 20 million Aussies who would be happy to have a ‘wheel following’ TDF champ if he can make it to Paris…
It’s been good so far though hasn’t it. Big Jens ripping it up the Tourmalet…leaving Valverde and Cunego in a world of hurt, and of course, Ricco is a freak of nature. Begs the question of how Contador would have gone if Astana were riding.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Check out http://www.cycleto.com and scroll down to “Video of Beltran bust”
Pretty interesting.