Reasons to be cheerful (an optimistic post)
Published by Halverde on 8/21/2006 at 21:51.
So the season has nearly finished, and what have we to show for it? A billion banned riders, no more team sponsors, and George fucking Hincapie leading the ENECO Tour. But fret ye not, there's still plenty of opportunities for redemption left this season (and we're not referring to rubbish cyclo-cross).
5. Tour de l'Avenir (August 31st to September 9th)
The winner of this prestigious event always goes on to do grand things later in their career. Like... you know... that guy who finished 20th in the Tour? And Bradley Wiggins outsprinted Saul Raisin to win a stage a couple of years back, so it's not just an event for breeding misplaced hope in those crazy riders from mainland Europe. Don't worry, we're just playing it for laughs -- the list of past winners includes Gimondi, Zoetemelk, Lemond, Indurain and Fignon. So pay attention; it's an ideal event for wannabe know-it-alls.
4. The Tour of Lombardy (October 14th)
A race that's always exciting viewing, largely because it's contested almost entirely by charismatic Italian riders who haven't won a thing all season and are looking to get their contracts renewed with their teams. It might as well be called the Tour of Ride Very Hard Or You'll Be Racing For Barloworld Next Season.
3. The Tour of Britain (August 29th to September 3rd)
The Tour of Britain is more than Britain's ONLY national tour, it's Britain's BEST national tour. Don't believe us? The level of competition has improved every year since it started, no mean feat considering that the first edition boasted both Tom Boonen and Andreas Kloeden. In fact, we're already salivating at the prospect of seeing so many fabulous riders dossing around on the hills and still managing to drop the best riders our fair country has to offer. If we can get hold of a press pass, there's going to be plenty more written about the ToB on these pages in the next few weeks.
2. The Vuelta a Espana (August 26th to September 17th)
Will Carlos Sastre turn up on the start line to ride his fifth consecutive grand tour? And, more importantly, will this be the fourth consecutive grand tour with the prospect of having its winner stripped of his title? The only certainty with the Vuelta is that a) the Americans always take a kicking; and b) the second and third weeks of racing are always rivetting. That's good enough for us.
1. World Road Championships (September 19th to 24th)
This is the big one. And there are so many questions that need answering: Is the Spanish squad far, far too talented for its own good? Can Nicole Cooke finish the season as world number one, World Cup winner, Women's Tour de France winner AND World Champion? Will this be the year the world realises that Michael Rogers isn't actually that good at time-trialling, you know, when you think about it? Come September 25th, we'll all know the answer to those questions (as well the names of several East European female riders, which we'll forget within a week). It's going to be sad not seeing Tom Boonen in his rainbow jersey next year, but we'll have to get used to it because HE'S NOT GOING TO WIN THE WORLD CHAMPS THIS YEAR. Unless he finds his Ronde Van Vlaanderen form, that is.
5. Tour de l'Avenir (August 31st to September 9th)
The winner of this prestigious event always goes on to do grand things later in their career. Like... you know... that guy who finished 20th in the Tour? And Bradley Wiggins outsprinted Saul Raisin to win a stage a couple of years back, so it's not just an event for breeding misplaced hope in those crazy riders from mainland Europe. Don't worry, we're just playing it for laughs -- the list of past winners includes Gimondi, Zoetemelk, Lemond, Indurain and Fignon. So pay attention; it's an ideal event for wannabe know-it-alls.
4. The Tour of Lombardy (October 14th)
A race that's always exciting viewing, largely because it's contested almost entirely by charismatic Italian riders who haven't won a thing all season and are looking to get their contracts renewed with their teams. It might as well be called the Tour of Ride Very Hard Or You'll Be Racing For Barloworld Next Season.
3. The Tour of Britain (August 29th to September 3rd)
The Tour of Britain is more than Britain's ONLY national tour, it's Britain's BEST national tour. Don't believe us? The level of competition has improved every year since it started, no mean feat considering that the first edition boasted both Tom Boonen and Andreas Kloeden. In fact, we're already salivating at the prospect of seeing so many fabulous riders dossing around on the hills and still managing to drop the best riders our fair country has to offer. If we can get hold of a press pass, there's going to be plenty more written about the ToB on these pages in the next few weeks.
2. The Vuelta a Espana (August 26th to September 17th)
Will Carlos Sastre turn up on the start line to ride his fifth consecutive grand tour? And, more importantly, will this be the fourth consecutive grand tour with the prospect of having its winner stripped of his title? The only certainty with the Vuelta is that a) the Americans always take a kicking; and b) the second and third weeks of racing are always rivetting. That's good enough for us.
1. World Road Championships (September 19th to 24th)
This is the big one. And there are so many questions that need answering: Is the Spanish squad far, far too talented for its own good? Can Nicole Cooke finish the season as world number one, World Cup winner, Women's Tour de France winner AND World Champion? Will this be the year the world realises that Michael Rogers isn't actually that good at time-trialling, you know, when you think about it? Come September 25th, we'll all know the answer to those questions (as well the names of several East European female riders, which we'll forget within a week). It's going to be sad not seeing Tom Boonen in his rainbow jersey next year, but we'll have to get used to it because HE'S NOT GOING TO WIN THE WORLD CHAMPS THIS YEAR. Unless he finds his Ronde Van Vlaanderen form, that is.
