Before I start, I was dwelling, it's funny how quickly people forget, after Lance's stunning ride last week, post-ride chat last week focused not only on how Lance is beyond question the greatest rider of all time, but how he was also riding as well as he has ever done in his career and could even win a race this year!
Then, with Lance losing a couple of wheels to lowly riders like Voigt's and Ms Cooke and young Schleck coming to the fore with a win on the George so impressively that suddenly we're all celebrating a new era of dominance for the young star.
We're all guilty of it - having short memories - and it's part of the charm of the sport.
That's because there's something in the nature of the bunch that seduces us all. When the riders are on their best form, they tend to look so convincingly unbeatable that we find it impossible to imagine them losing. A purple patch for the likes of Hushovd, Ullrich, Pozatto or even Hincappie makes us see a run of form as a step up to the next level; it lifts us all and a good week for Schleck or Voigts makes us want to ignore the evidence and believe that the impossible is about to unfold before our eyes.
The truth will ultimately be more prosaic: Lance is brilliant, but ageing; Schleck has a long way to go before he can be said to have thrown off his mechanical worries; and Pozatto and Hushovd have both been in the waiting room of greatness for so long now that you have to start wondering if either will ever make it through the door.
Cancellara cited 'personal reasons' for pulling out of the ride tonight, leading to plenty of speculation about why he wouldn't be turning up. After making the final cut last week it suggests that he is clearly in some of the best form of his life. Vino was a no show and Pooley another citing personal reasons using the night no doubt for secret training. Menchov and Cippo had larger purses to chase on the continent no doubt whilst the elusive Evans continues to evade the bunch. Davies had an evening off and finally Voeckler was off to work on his tan in sunnier climes to lose his "petit blanc" tag.
We're all guilty of it - having short memories - and it's part of the charm of the sport.
That's because there's something in the nature of the bunch that seduces us all. When the riders are on their best form, they tend to look so convincingly unbeatable that we find it impossible to imagine them losing. A purple patch for the likes of Hushovd, Ullrich, Pozatto or even Hincappie makes us see a run of form as a step up to the next level; it lifts us all and a good week for Schleck or Voigts makes us want to ignore the evidence and believe that the impossible is about to unfold before our eyes.
The truth will ultimately be more prosaic: Lance is brilliant, but ageing; Schleck has a long way to go before he can be said to have thrown off his mechanical worries; and Pozatto and Hushovd have both been in the waiting room of greatness for so long now that you have to start wondering if either will ever make it through the door.
Cancellara cited 'personal reasons' for pulling out of the ride tonight, leading to plenty of speculation about why he wouldn't be turning up. After making the final cut last week it suggests that he is clearly in some of the best form of his life. Vino was a no show and Pooley another citing personal reasons using the night no doubt for secret training. Menchov and Cippo had larger purses to chase on the continent no doubt whilst the elusive Evans continues to evade the bunch. Davies had an evening off and finally Voeckler was off to work on his tan in sunnier climes to lose his "petit blanc" tag.
But enough of the preamble, what happened tonight to make it so memorable? A performance that justifies legendary status and 2 near misses!!
Eight riders, smooth in pairs, all on summer bikes, Lance, Schleck, Pozatto, Cooke, Hincappie, Hushovd, Ullrich and Voigts. A controlled ride took us all down to the start of the ferry with a good average aided somewhat by the tail wind no doubt. Voigts showed some restraint for once as the bunch rolled onto the Ferry, staying together the shout of "one lane" was heard, Pozatto dominated the road through the roundabout and took an unusual line from out to in where young Schleck was heard to squeal! Perhaps in excitement of smelling Pozatto's Jo Malone, but more likely as a result of fear. Adrenalin pumping the legend that he is becoming saw Schleck follow the wheel of Voigts as he attacked at Finalystone and then lift the pace a notch again, almost as if to say "don't start what you can't finish". Schleck drove the bunch well tonight only occasionally not taking the wind as riders tried in vain to pass. The bunch thinned towards the Clune, with Schleck, Lance, Pozatto, Ullrich and Voigts sucking the wheels.
The climb brought a welcome rest for the speedo as it finally dropped below 27 mph and the bunch climbed and regrouped for the ride home. A relentless headwind seemed to spur Schleck on to greater things as he attacked the road with venom. The bunch fought for his wheel and shared the wind from behind as we rolled down towards Bridge of Weir and homewards towards Houston. Ullrich dropped off the back and Hushovd backed off only for Pozatto to decide it was an appropriate time to see if he could invent a new type of hub brake as he rammed Voigts from behind riding into his hub. A manoeuvre he could only dream of doing if he tried, he made contact with the hub with the front of his tyre causing Voigts to come to an abrupt stop knocking his wheel out of true and upsetting his own new setup and loosening his headset!! A sympathetic Voigts understood Pozatto's oxygen debt and duly sorted his headset and fixed his own wheel. The bunch had kindly waited, perhaps because of the wind, perhaps because of the shelter Voigts gives but more likely to recover from the pain Schleck was inflicting. The relief was only temporary as no sooner was the bunch up to speed than it started again with Schleck driving us home. Ullrich and Hushovd made some brave attempts to lift the pace, but these were short lived!
The sprints were taken by Pozatto no doubt aided by his plentiful supplies of adrenalin.
The VW reception committee was there to greet us on our return and Voigts got off to check the rubbing on his hub, a cute black rubber stripe across the hub for his fight tonight to show as a war wound! Probably not a patch on the stripe Pozatto has on his shorts!!
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