By any other measure a poke and 2 nudges would be a good night

This is a few weeks old, well from the 16th actually.  It has been bouncing around in my brain/laptop for a week or so as have a few others so here goes the start of a new blogging season....

Alas, it wasn't that good a night.  Nope, a poke from Lance and two nudges or even pushes from Voeckler to aid my ascent put me on the back foot for the rest of the night.  The sun was out and with it came a happy bunch of 12 riders.  Young Schleck joined us briefly sporting his newly coiffured hair, and freshly shaven legs.  Must have had a special offer on two for the price of one or even buy 2 get one free, but worry not we didn't get to see the freebie!

A couple of riders had brought their weapons of choice to the gun fight with one or two TT bikes appearing in the bunch and nothing wrong with that, but it does seem to aid their attacking ability or perhaps it embarrasses them into attacking, i.e. can't bring a bike like this along and not have a go off the front.  Pozatto's love child is now a firm member of the bunch and at 17 rides beyond his years.  A funnier sight couldn't be seen as when he paired up with big Jens and his entire body looked to weigh about as much as one of his legs!

Mulhern policed the bunch and Lance was his usual helpful self; offering some advice to the younger and older members alike.

As it is the bunch seems to be getting stronger, or perhaps more even as it has collectively stayed together for a few weeks.  The absence of young Schleck has perhaps aided this as he is the only one at the present time who is able to ride off the front.  I am sure a career will change that!

Pozatto and Ullrich seemed to be fighting for the Green jersey and Pozatto alleges that he won.  We will never know the truth.

Clash ot the titans

Two of the club's oldest and most distinguished members are to go head to head tomorrow at Loch Ore.

In the green corner - we have Gordon "George Best trained me" Durnan.  In the blue corner David "your not doing that right" Ogg.

The record books show that Ogg has been the regular victor over the years but you have to look back a number of years to see that domination. More recently he has declined to race the steadily improving Durnan citing injury and love.

The bookmakers still have Ogg as favourite due to his fish like tendencies, but you never can tell on race day.  Follow the progress of the race on Sky 1 HD tomorrow as it is being televised live.

Race report to follow.

Tyre Levers

Perhaps if you punctured over the weekend you might want to invest in some of these....

New chain

For the sake of £30 I think it is the best money I have spent in a long time.  Not too sure of the science and I am sure someone will post a comment but I haven't changed my chains as much this year, but a bit of free time last week and I changed a few over. I have one of those chain tools to see if they are stretching and they were close to needing a change so I did it and I swear it has made a difference to the drive train. I guess it saves wearing out the cassette and chainrings as well.  So if you need a wee boost treat yourself to new chain.

The cape may have slowed him down....

Super man uses a specially impregnated lycra cape to resist wind and bullets, Leitch; well he just uses a double woven 100% wool blanket and relies on beer as a sports drink.


If may have slowed him down on the bike as his cape caught the wind but it didn't prevent him from coming first in his age group (25-29) and getting an eleventh place overall. Being interviewed by our sister blog 220 and commenting on his great achievement he commented "I was crap though".  As I said, I think he can put that down to the blanket.

You might not see this again.....

Every summer someone in the bunch usually gets a new bike and here is the first of the year....  Nice carbon mech hanger......

Looks like a girls bike, I wonder who is riding it....