You couldn't see the rain for the rain last night. Voigts turned up and sat in hope that no one else would appear and he could ride the fantasy ride he has been dreaming about but alas other cars started pulling up, mostly to go to Burger King it transpired. Pooley appeared on a bike and Louise from the later bunch. This had potential to develop into a whole different other kind of fantasy.....
Pooley was straight in there admiring Louise's daisy dukes. Opting for the shorter short Lou was working on the premise that skin is the most waterproof breathable membrane on the planet, thus why cover it with lycra. Not quite how Menchov approaches his abuse of shorter shorts and passion for the budgie smugglers! But who am I to disagree with their reasoning both of them have their merits!
So the fantasy was there to behold, a night on the front and no attacks that I couldn't handle! It was wet, so we cut the ferry out and climbed over the back towards Houston with a drag race along the George, there was always only going to be one winner as both Pooley and I sat in and watched the legs.
A brief sighting of Schleck was reported on the George, riders sucking his wheel couldn't be identified but no doubt they will declare themselves in due course.
Voeckler and Hushovd stayed indoors playing on their turbos/spin bikes. Their loss!
Thursday 11 August 2011
Wednesday 10 August 2011
A.DUGAST - ridden by G3R.
Dugast are the industry leader in cyclocross tubulars, having been around in pole market position for years.
Dugast used to reflect it's founder - Monsieur Andre Dugast's little company in a shed, known amongst the pro cogniscienti and not many others. Famous (amongst those in the know at least) in Europe on both the road and the cross scene, the best riders would beat a path to his door for their handmade weapons of choice, a situation which remains unchanged even in todays sponsor obligated pro circuit. Brother Nys and his adversaries still pay for their own tubs, though probably at a discount as long as they do not upset 'Old Man' Richard Groenendaal who part owns the company now!
Andre Dugast in his workshop
The other owner, who bought the name and the moulds for the treads is Richard Nieuwhuis, one time and possibly still-time mechanic for the Dutch National Team and certainly Groenendaal's partner in crime on the Euro scene. The two Richards have modernised the business, keeping the look but upping the production numbers for a wider market. It seems to be widely acknowledged that the quality has gone down accordingly as production increased, but Dugast are still special and still a cut above anything out there.
The ranges:
Dugast
The Heid's - the range topping elite Scottish racers tub of choice....
Typhoon - the classic tread pattern also used by Grifos. Suitable for most mixed courses.
Pipistrello - white diamond pattern for sandy, frozen or very dry courses. Old model had side knobs, new does without.
Rhino - knkown as a specialist mud tire primarily, though they work well on most other surfaces. Reduced clogging and great grip due to aggressive side knobs.
Flying Doctor - in Typhoon or Pipistrello versions. Softer white tread (than a normal Typhoon) but with a stiffer casing to allow lower pressures but higher speeds. Best on faster courses with less mud.
Start saving now!
Friday 5 August 2011
Wasabi -WTF?
Not many things in life get better the smaller they get but we have a few in the peleton who are becoming small and strong, just like wasabi. These are our Ninja warriors or our wasabi riders; Voeckler and Cippo. Spurring each other on like two robins fighting over a worm they have steadily been dropping weight in some form of competition. Cippo to climb the Stelvio and Voeckler as he wants to inflict some pain on Schleck.
No POTP or Pozatto meant that there was going to be trouble from the off. Starting late at 6.05 13 of us took off. The Orange bike would have missed the off if we had been on time :-).
So Cooke, verging on a wasabi, Pooley, Voeckler, Cancellara, Schleck, Hincapie, Pic, Voigts, Cippo, Ullrich, English work shy hairy leg student boy, man on orange bike AKA David Lindsey or DL for short and young Mark.
Despite a poor forecast the sun was out. A brisk start saw Cippo hitting the front and then deciding the error of his ways and seeking a wheel. The ill advised move to the front of the peleton so early in the ride would put pay to his quest for world domination in the sprints, thus off he went to the back a full 10m after leading us out the car park. Schleck and Pooley took the front, the fastest mixed pair in the bunch. It set the tone for the evening! A gentle ride to the start of the Ferry saw a few new faces being a bit quite and hence the hand signals and shouts were few and far between, POTP where are you when we need you. Self policing has not reached the south as yet!
The gentle rise through Bishopton combined with the beautiful aroma from the Indian caused a few of the rouleurs to salivate and they sought salvation from their gels and bottles as they approached the ferry. A tail wind pushed the big boys to the front and Ullrich and Voigts hit the front on the descent to the ramp. Toys were getting thrown out the prams as Ullrich wound it up and dragged Voigts kicking and screaming up the ramp. Cancellera who was extolling the virtues of additional resistance and aerodynamic edge by running mudguards jumped to the front and lifted the level again. It felt like the final 100m of a flying lap rather than a 5 mile burn and we were already doing 34mph! The bunch reformed and normal sense prevailed until the rise after Finlayston. Young Schleck hit the front with a gentle bang. Not an in your face BANG, but more a graceful whimper, classy type of language, long and drawn out baaaaanggg as he accelerated up to cruising speed shredding the bunch. English work shy hairy leg student boy (EW) upped the pace and took his wheel. Voigts set up a camp 10m off acting as a base camp for those to come round him and bridge the gap. Cippo, Voeckler, EW and Schleck danced off into the sunset with one can only assume young Schleck taking the prize. Wasabi boy Voeckler attacked on the climb like a 5 year kid who had been sucking on an EPO lollipop all day and dropped the lot. Schleck was too busy tweeting and trying to sort out signing Cav after he heard about the demise of HTC to notice and he got dropped.
The water stop saw the bunch regroup only for Cancellara to put in an insane attack towards Kilmacolm. The recovery had been short lived. Not to be outdone Voigts dug deep in Kilmacolm, his home village, a privilege afforded to him by the bunch to massage his bald ego. Through and off and then an unsteady rumble towards Bridge of Weir due to the road surfaces.Voigt's bunny hop saw him clear a leaf and a twig.
The descent to the Houston roundabout was fraught with danger and we should agree to ride this in a single line and try and maintain a line, one for consideration POTP, or at most 2 abreast. The bunch worked together (sort of) along the George although there were a few work shy individuals in the bunch, EW and Mark need to learn to pop and not to suck. As the line approached Schleck made a break and took the tape again.....
Round the top and regroup for the sprint where Cippo pipped Ullrich to the line in the ultimate dual of the legends. Ullrich might of won if he hadn't stopped short of the line in order to attempt to snort it!!
Pozatto and Lance you were missed!
No POTP or Pozatto meant that there was going to be trouble from the off. Starting late at 6.05 13 of us took off. The Orange bike would have missed the off if we had been on time :-).
So Cooke, verging on a wasabi, Pooley, Voeckler, Cancellara, Schleck, Hincapie, Pic, Voigts, Cippo, Ullrich, English work shy hairy leg student boy, man on orange bike AKA David Lindsey or DL for short and young Mark.
Despite a poor forecast the sun was out. A brisk start saw Cippo hitting the front and then deciding the error of his ways and seeking a wheel. The ill advised move to the front of the peleton so early in the ride would put pay to his quest for world domination in the sprints, thus off he went to the back a full 10m after leading us out the car park. Schleck and Pooley took the front, the fastest mixed pair in the bunch. It set the tone for the evening! A gentle ride to the start of the Ferry saw a few new faces being a bit quite and hence the hand signals and shouts were few and far between, POTP where are you when we need you. Self policing has not reached the south as yet!
The gentle rise through Bishopton combined with the beautiful aroma from the Indian caused a few of the rouleurs to salivate and they sought salvation from their gels and bottles as they approached the ferry. A tail wind pushed the big boys to the front and Ullrich and Voigts hit the front on the descent to the ramp. Toys were getting thrown out the prams as Ullrich wound it up and dragged Voigts kicking and screaming up the ramp. Cancellera who was extolling the virtues of additional resistance and aerodynamic edge by running mudguards jumped to the front and lifted the level again. It felt like the final 100m of a flying lap rather than a 5 mile burn and we were already doing 34mph! The bunch reformed and normal sense prevailed until the rise after Finlayston. Young Schleck hit the front with a gentle bang. Not an in your face BANG, but more a graceful whimper, classy type of language, long and drawn out baaaaanggg as he accelerated up to cruising speed shredding the bunch. English work shy hairy leg student boy (EW) upped the pace and took his wheel. Voigts set up a camp 10m off acting as a base camp for those to come round him and bridge the gap. Cippo, Voeckler, EW and Schleck danced off into the sunset with one can only assume young Schleck taking the prize. Wasabi boy Voeckler attacked on the climb like a 5 year kid who had been sucking on an EPO lollipop all day and dropped the lot. Schleck was too busy tweeting and trying to sort out signing Cav after he heard about the demise of HTC to notice and he got dropped.
The water stop saw the bunch regroup only for Cancellara to put in an insane attack towards Kilmacolm. The recovery had been short lived. Not to be outdone Voigts dug deep in Kilmacolm, his home village, a privilege afforded to him by the bunch to massage his bald ego. Through and off and then an unsteady rumble towards Bridge of Weir due to the road surfaces.Voigt's bunny hop saw him clear a leaf and a twig.
The descent to the Houston roundabout was fraught with danger and we should agree to ride this in a single line and try and maintain a line, one for consideration POTP, or at most 2 abreast. The bunch worked together (sort of) along the George although there were a few work shy individuals in the bunch, EW and Mark need to learn to pop and not to suck. As the line approached Schleck made a break and took the tape again.....
Round the top and regroup for the sprint where Cippo pipped Ullrich to the line in the ultimate dual of the legends. Ullrich might of won if he hadn't stopped short of the line in order to attempt to snort it!!
Pozatto and Lance you were missed!
Wednesday 3 August 2011
Chaos theory
There is no place in our bunch for chaos. I have been reflecting on the ride over the weekend and how our bunch works. It works cause we have riders who care about each other but also about themselves. It might seem strict at times and even anal but without our rules and order it wouldn't function and the people that ride wouldn't ride together. The glue is the POTP and that's why he has that title.
A tiny difference in initial parameters will result in a completely different behavior of a complex system. So don't mess with it or try to change it.
The Uncertainty Principle prohibits accuracy. Therefore, the initial situation of a complex system can not be accurately determined, and the evolution of a complex system can therefore not be accurately predicted. So ride until you pop, someone may be stronger tonight than you. Be honest.
Complex systems often seek to settle in one specific situation. This situation may be static but that's the way we like it.
Thank you POTP.
A tiny difference in initial parameters will result in a completely different behavior of a complex system. So don't mess with it or try to change it.
The Uncertainty Principle prohibits accuracy. Therefore, the initial situation of a complex system can not be accurately determined, and the evolution of a complex system can therefore not be accurately predicted. So ride until you pop, someone may be stronger tonight than you. Be honest.
Complex systems often seek to settle in one specific situation. This situation may be static but that's the way we like it.
Thank you POTP.
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