Domestic Problems........

From Jess Raphel:
Dear Sally,

I've never written to you before, but I need your advice. I have
suspected for some time now that my wife is cheating on me. The usual
signs; if my phone rings, I pick it up, and the person on the other end
hangs up. My wife has been 'going out with the girls a lot recently,
although when I ask their names, she always responds, 'Just some friends
from work; you don't know them.' I always try to stay awake to look out
for her coming home, but I usually fall asleep. Anyways, I have never
approached the subject with my wife. I think deep down, I just didn't
want to know the truth, but last night, she went out again, and I really
checked on her.

Around midnight, I decided to hide in the garage behind my bikes so that
I could get a good view of the whole street when she arrived home from
her night out with 'the girls.' When she got out of the car, she was
buttoning up her blouse, which was open, and she took her panties out of
her purse and slipped them on. It was at that moment, crouching behind
my Cervelo, when I noticed that the Carbon stem appeared to have a
hairline crack right by the handlebar mount. Abby, is this something I
can fix myself, or should I take it back to the bike shop where I bought
it?

Signed,
Milo Framebender

What we all hate to hear.......

Ed Farrar (Tyler’s Dad) was involved in a head on bike/car accident today. He is alive, but early prognoses aren’t good. I have heard (through the grapevine – and not yet ‘published’) that he fractured his T-5, and has two cervical spinal fractures. In this first day, the worst is expected…paralysis and career-ending.

The accident happened at 7:15 this morning (Oct. 22nd); and he was out of surgery this afternoon. Complete with steal rods, halo and what-ever else ‘they’ do.

Ed is SUCH a prominent figure and contributor to their community. He is simply extraordinary – and the news has rippled through leaving everyone feeling so devastated.

Send some thoughts his way-

Ho hummmmm.... I'll have fun when they drink his blood - is that doping?

PARIS - Lance Armstrong could still race next year's Tour de France, as long as the race organizers make him feel welcome, Astana team director Johan Bruyneel said Tuesday.

"For the moment, we are going to determine his program based on where he is really welcome and invited ... and we will see about the rest," Bruyneel told The Associated Press. "So the main thing is that he is definitely not excluding riding in the Tour, but it would have to be in an atmosphere that is serene and respectful."

The seven-time Tour champion, who is scheduled to race the Giro d'Italia for the first time in 2009, expressed doubts last week over whether he would try for another Tour title because of the problems he may encounter with "the organizers, journalists and fans."

Bruyneel said the stance of organizers ASO would have to soften somewhat for Armstrong to come back.

"At the end of the day, I always go to a party I'm invited to," Bruyneel said in an interview at a hotel in Paris ahead of Wednesday's unveiling of the 2009 Tour route.

The 37-year-old Armstrong is returning to cycling after three years in retirement, and he wants to draw more attention to his global campaign to fight cancer, a disease he survived before winning seven straight Tours from 1999-2005.

Armstrong has feuded for years with Tour officials over drug-testing issues, but Tour director Christian Prudhomme has said he and the Astana team will be allowed to race next year — as long as they avoid doping problems. Astana was banned from this year's Tour.

Bruyneel, who helped guide Armstrong on each of his seven Tour wins, said Prudhomme should have been more welcoming.

"Prudhomme said immediately that Lance would be welcome ... but there was always a 'but,'" Bruyneel said. "(Prudhomme said Armstrong) will have to comply with all the tests and regulations. That is definitely something that was not necessary to say. They (ASO) create that controversy, and ultimately it's in the interests of everybody that that controversy goes away."

Armstrong retired after his seventh Tour win in 2005, and a month later French sports daily L'Equipe, which is owned by ASO, reported that Armstrong's "B'' samples from the 1999 Tour contained EPO, a blood-boosting hormone that enhances endurance.

Armstrong, who has always denied doping, said at the time that he was the victim of a "witch hunt" and a Dutch lawyer appointed by the International Cycling Union later cleared him.

French Anti-Doping director Pierre Bordry recently offered Armstrong a chance to retest the 1999 urine samples, but Armstrong rejected it.

Bruyneel said Armstrong has nothing to prove by gunning for an eighth Tour win.

"One thing has to be sure, clear. Lance does not need to win an eighth Tour de France, that stands above everything," Bruyneel said. "Of course, if he is making a comeback he would like to compete at the highest level. But he can do without it."

Bruyneel said Astana's training program starts in December in Tenerife, Spain, and Armstrong is for now only certain to race in the Jan. 20-25 Tour Down Under in Australia, the Tour of California and the Giro d'Italia.

"There has been a strong interest from the Giro to have Lance in the race," Bruyneel said. "Normally he would do a program of racing to get ready for the Giro and some recon in the mountains because he never did the Giro."

Since his retirement, Armstrong has kept in shape running marathons and more recently mountain bike racing. Bruyneel is surprised by Armstrong's physical shape.

"If we compare his condition now in the month of October compared to the years he was preparing the Tour ... he is a little bit better, because he was out of shape on the 20th of October in those years," Bruyneel said, laughing. "It all depends on how he can do that extra few percent."

Whichever race Armstrong enters — the Giro, the Tour, or both — Bruyneel would not rule out another win.

"I think if he's determined about a comeback it's because he thinks there is possibilities at the very highest level," Bruyneel said. "We don't know exactly how high that can be, but I think he can be competitive." - AP

Now, pace your bets at: https://fr.unibet.com/ He he he he....

Good Job Larry! no Frickin Great Job!!!!! More Rainbow Stripes - Gonna Have to Wear Long Sleeves!

UCI Track Cycling Masters World Championships - CMM

Sydney, Australia, October 14-19, 2008

Day 2 - October 15: Individual pursuit qualification and finals

Results

Men's 2000m pursuit finals

50-54 For gold 1 Lawrence Nolan (United States Of America)             2.20.1
2 James Host (United States Of America)                 2.23.9

For bronze
1 Steve Darracott (Australia)                              
2 Bernardo Figueroa (Colombia)                             

God Damn It!

Days after news broke that he had tested positive, Austrian Bernhard Kohl, who won the mountains jersey and finished third in the Tour de France, admitted that he doped with EPO CERA. He spoke of his offenses on Wednesday evening in a press conference in Vienna, Austria.

The 26 year-old Kohl accepted responsibility for doping and said in a statement that he was withdrawing his option to have his B samples tested. Two of Kohl's A samples had tested positive after testing by the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD).

"I want to clean the slate," said a tearful Kohl in a conference broadcast by Austrian television.

The AFP reported that he began doping following a crash at the Dauphiné. Kohl said his team, including Gerolsteiner manager Hans-Michael Holczer had no knowledge of his doping, which he undertook on his own. Kohl also apologized to Holczer, who had previously said he felt "betrayed" by Kohl's actions.

"I succumbed to temptation. The pressure was incredibly strong. I am only a human being and in this exceptional situation, I showed weakness," Kohl said.

Kohl had previously announced that he would speak at a press conference on Thursday in Vienna, but instead he talked on Wednesday evening to the ORF and other media at Viennese airport.

Kohl faces a possible suspension of up to two years plus a fine of one year's salary and presumably the return of his winnings from the Tour de France. Prior to news of his doping, Kohl had signed a contract with Silence - Lotto, the team of Cadel Evans, who finished second at the Tour de France.

Riccardo Riccò became the first pro cyclist to admit doping with EPO CERA earlier this summer after he was caught doping following testing of his urine samples from the Tour de France. In the interim, Stefan Schumacher and Leonardo Piepoli have also tested positive for the same substance.

I thought this was about guys?

Whenever I tell anyone that I raced, the first question is almost a sure thing:"Do you shave your legs?!"I have to sheepishly admit that yes, I, too, went for the hairless gams. And believe me, 1,500 years of eastern european ancestry do NOT make that an easy task.So, why do racers shave their legs? I'll answer to the best of my ability. I've never gotten a straight answer from anyone, but lots of racers and serious recreational riders will likely agree:
NOT Because I'm FasterI guess that, in the strictest terms, shaving your legs will make you a bit more aerodynamic. But c'mon. You can get a bigger advantage by taping your ears back. So forget that one.Note: In water, it's a different story. Hence swimmers' all-over shave, which for me would be a Greek tragedy (shudder).
NOT Because It's CoolSome folks suggest that it's just because other racers do it, and we're all joiners. Maybe, but I gotta tell ya, I'd rather do 3 hours of intervals after eating lasagna than shave my legs. It's a miserable experience. And did you ever try explaining to your friends why you, a college-aged male, have a 3-inch long gash on your calf from a shaving accident?It's not cool. Trust me. And ladies, I have the utmost respect for those who shave strictly for fashion's sake.
NOT Because It Shows MusclesOK, sure. Maybe a shaved leg shows those bulging calves and quads. But trust me. It just ain't worth it. See above.
YES Because It's More TreatableIf you race regularly, you get little muscle injuries: Pulls, bruises, slight strains, or just overtrained soreness. Every masseuse I've ever spoken too tells me that it's easier to do a good job working the lactic acid and injuries out of a smooth leg than a fuzzy one.
YES Because It's CleanIf you've ever crashed on pavement, you know the term 'road rash'. Sadly, pavement is rarely clean, and that nasty half-flayed section of your leg will have to be cleaned of grit, etc.. If you're hairless, that can often be accomplished with a soft cloth. If you're hairy, out comes the scrub brush. I'm not kidding. Leg hairs don't help you feel macho when you're screaming 4 octaves above normal. I'll take the razor, and the soft cloth, please.Also, if you get splashed with dirt, grime or a seemingly impossible quanity of bird poo (yes, it's happened to me), your hairless legs will dry faster and are easier to clean while in motion.
The SkinnySo, there you have it. In my opinion, you shave your legs out of self-preservation. No amount of glamour, glory or coolness would ever make it worth it.

But where does one stop.........

So if asked, just tell um "cuz your wife likes it"!

Downhill skateboarding in the East bay!

Sent in from a viewer yesterday - funny, I know the film maker.... Small world if you can stay alive! Watch how they pass the camera back n forth on the run!!

There's Some New Players up in Dem Hills...

Sent in from Taude:

last Friday I road my bike up Loveland pass (tops around 12,000 ft) and ran into these guys with longboards on top. I asked them "are you guys really going to fucking ride down Loveland pass on a skateboard!" The reply was "yes, we usually hit easily over 50mph". I could not believe it – I asked a series of questions and found out there are only about 10 guys in Colorado that do "big mountain long boarding", it is illegal (a CO State Trooper had just given them a warning so they were going to try the other side), they slow down by power sliding or dragging a foot (at 50mph btw), and crashing is part of the experience "hence the leather suits" they said. The guys also wore full face helmets.

Sure enough a few minutes later totally un-announced two of them jumped out of the truck and kicked full speed right down Loveland Pass (for those of you who have been here this is the road you use instead of I-70 and it drops into the A-Basin Ski resort). It is super steep and has several 15mph hairpin turns. Anyway, I jumped back on my road bike and quickly pedaled to follow them directly and watch the carnage that was surely about to unfold. I hit 47mph on my bike but could not catch them, they were gaining on me the whole time - it was fucking nuts – I have no idea how they made the turns faster than I did or how they kept gaining but they did. I followed and watched their whole 7 mile ride and they never crashed – this was for sure one of the sickest things I have seen in person before.

What Was Once an Elite Club is Now Open to the Public...

Brought to out attention by the New Tony!

German cyclist Stefan Schumacher, a double stage winner at this year's Tour de France, has tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin), according to L'Equipe website on Monday.
Gerolsteiner rider Schumacher is the second rider named Monday to be caught using a new generation of EPO called CERA (Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator) at this year's race.
Earlier Monday the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) announced that Leonardo Piepoli, who won the race's 10th stage to Hautacam in the Pyrenees, tested for CERA.
Piepoli, a specialist climber, was a key helper of former Saunier Duval teammate Riccardo Riccò, who last week was banned for 20 months after testing positive for CERA at the Tour, where he won two stages.
Schumacher caused a minor sensation at this year's race when he won both time trials, both times leaving Switzerland's two-time world champion Fabian Cancellara in his wake.
According to L'Equipe, Schumacher's urine samples from the Tour were suspect although it took a recently-pioneered blood test for CERA to prove his guilt.
One test was carried out at a laboratory in Lausanne, the other at the laboratory used by France's national anti-doping agency.
The German recently left the Gerolsteiner team to sign with Belgian outfit Quick Step.
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Three riders from this year's Tour de France have now tested positive for CERA; Riccò, Piepoli and Schumacher.
If reports are confirmed, Schumacher will find himself in a second drugs scandal inside a year.
He was allowed to race at the Tour despite testing positive for amphetamines, only he was not banned because the test was carried out by police while he was driving.
After pulling on the race's yellow jersey in July after his victory in the fourth stage time trial the German claimed he did not take amphetamines, a stimulant which can be found in many over-the-counter medicines.
During the Tour de France only four drugs cheats were snared. Spaniard Manuel Beltran, of Liquigas, and Barloworld rider Moises Duenas, also of Spain, tested positive for EPO.
Italian star Riccò then joined them in exiting the race in disgrace after testing positive for CERA. On the race's final day Dmitri Fofonov, a Kazakh who rides for Credit Agricole, tested positive for a banned stimulant.

I Used To Think a Bike Could Save Anyone..... not anymore...

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A 7-year-old boy broke into a popular Outback zoo, fed a string of animals to the resident crocodile and bashed several lizards to death with a rock, the zoo's director said Friday.
The 30-minute rampage, caught on the zoo's security camera, happened early Wednesday after the boy jumped a security fence at the Alice Springs Reptile Center in central Australia, said zoo director Rex Neindorf.
The child then went on a killing spree, bashing three lizards to death with a rock, including the zoo's beloved, 20-year-old goanna, which he then fed to "Terry," an 11-foot, 440-pound saltwater crocodile, said Neindorf.
The boy also fed several live animals to Terry by throwing them over the two fences surrounding the crocodile's enclosure, at one point climbing over the outer fence to get closer to the giant reptile.
In the footage, the boy's face remains largely blank, Neindorf said, adding: "It was like he was playing a game."
By the time he was done, 13 animals worth around $5,500 had been killed, including a turtle, bearded dragons and thorny devil lizards, Neindorf said. Although none were considered rare, some are difficult to replace, he said.
"We're horrified that anyone can do this and saddened by the age of the child," Neindorf said.
Alice Springs police said they are unable to press charges against the boy because of his age. Children under age 10 can't be charged with criminal offenses in the Northern Territory. His name was not released because of his age.
Neindorf said he plans to sue the boy's parents.

Alright! - Who's Next?......

Alexander Vinokourov is planning to return to the peloton in 2009. "I think I have my place at Astana," he said in an interview with the Belgian TV show Sportweekend, to be broadcast Sunday evening. The Kazakh rider this summer finished a one-year suspension for blood doping, after testing positive at the Tour de France 2007.
The 35 year-old said that he does not plan to ride the Tour de France. "My first goal is the Giro," he said, according to sporza.be.
Vinokourov announced his retirement in December after receiving a light one-year suspension from the Kazakh Cycling Federation. He was reported to be training for the Beijing Olympics, but this summer denied that he was planning to return to racing.
"I want to return because I don't want it to end this way," Vinokourov said. "I built my image and career bit by bit and I don't want it to stop this way."
He would like to ride for his former team Astana, although he has not yet held talks with the team. "But my fans would find it strange if I rode somewhere else," Vinokourov said. "The team was made for me because I wanted to win the Tour."
Astana cycling spokesperson Philippe Maertens told Cyclingnews Saturday that the team had no comment since Vinokourov had not contacted them about his comeback or a place on the squad.
Vinokourov may run into some obstacles to his planned return. UCI president Pat McQuaid said the rider would have to complete a two-year suspension. "There is no way he comes back until he agrees on the two-year suspension," McQuaid told Reuters on Saturday. "The UCI had a case pending with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which we only withdrew because he announced he was retiring."
If the case were reactived and Vinokourov were to serve a two-year ban, he would not be eligible to race until late July of 2009.

Paaaaaaaaaaaaa-lese!

They Don't Retire.... They Just Turn Into Dirty ol Men!

From: Ams

Sayers transitions to 'cross with SterlingWins!

Long-time road professional Mike Sayers is making the transition into cyclo-cross after retiring from the road after the Tour of Missouri this year. Sayers will be races as part of the team 'SterlingWins.com presented by Leopard Bikes', based in Northern California.Team manager Matt McNamara is happy to usher Sayers into the sport. "I'm honored to have Mike on the team. His leadership and approachability will be great assets to our young team," said McNamara. In addition to Sayers, the team boasts several top tier athletes including multiple State Champion Liza Rachetto, promising juniors Matt Valencia and Anthony Delivannis, several speedy Masters and a quartet of Elite B riders looking to move up. The team's most inspirational member, Chris Carroll, received a heart transplant in 2002.Sayers is looking forward to 'cross with the team. "It's going to be really nice to be a part of this program. I'm sure having fun is the name of the game." The team is focused on rider development through an innovative program that provides each rider with a personalized coaching program, weekly training rides, event and equipment support, and camaraderie. The team will focus on the Northern California calendar including the Bay Area Super Prestige Series, Central Coast and Sacramento Series, with a couple of National level events likely. The team will ride the brand new, 1100 gram, Carbon Fiber Leopard CX1 bike adorned with Ritchey WCS components, and SRAM drive trains.

.....and then there's This!

Armstrong v LeMond or Doper v Dope or Baseline v Freebase or....

2009 is gonna be off the hook!

How to Undermine Ones Legacy... But Whose?

Former Tour de France champion Greg LeMond has claimed that he was threatened by fellow American Lance Armstrong for having criticised the seven-time race winner's association with a doctor implicated in doping affairs.
LeMond, who won the Tour de France in 1986, 1989, 1990, said that he had come under pressure from Armstrong and his circle of friends after saying in 2001 that he was disappointed at the Texan cyclist's association with Italian sports doctor Michele Ferrari.
LeMond said Sunday that the threats continued after 2001.
"Lance threatened me. He threatened my wife, my business, my life," LeMond told French sports daily L'Equipe.
"His biggest threat consisted of saying that he (Armstrong) would find ten people to testify that I took EPO," said LeMond, who was the first American to win the Tour de France.
LeMond hit out at the international cycling union (UCI) for their failure to deal with the problem of doping.
"This problem goes beyond Armstrong. The Spanish scandal (operation "Puerto" which revealed a system of blood doping last month) is another example, the entire system is corrupt," said LeMond, who also referred to the Vrijman report, named after the expert commissioned by the UCI to probe the accusations of doping against Armstrong.
"The report should have come from the world anti-doping agency (WADA, who have criticised the report) or the French Ministry of Health. But it doesn't change anything if you catch a rider because Lance is now retired and it continues," added LeMond.
The 34-year-old Armstrong won seven straight Tour de France titles between 1999 and 2005 before retiring last year.
Armstrong dismissed as untrue reports Saturday that he told a doctor treating him for cancer in 1996 that he had previously taken the banned blood booster EPO, testosterone, growth hormones and cortisone.