I feel like I am watching ITU with the roadbike/aerobar combo. This is weird.

I'm quite surprised how many riders have Garmin 305/705s on their bikes (aside from Garmin-Slipstream). It seems like they might actually be using them for navigation.

Ken

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

I think it's hilarious watching the best cyclists in the world on road bikes with aero bars, with all sorts of wheel and helmet combinations. It looks like a triathlon transition area. I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone use bar-end shifters on their aero extensions, and drop bars with brake levers that have no shifters on them.

What's up with the huge number of mail Italian spectators cheering in short shorts? I just don't get Europeans sometimes...;-)

Ken

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

Where are you guys watching? Why (as a bare minimum) are some these guys not wearing aero helmets? Too hot? Too heavy?

i remember sitting down to eat in a resturaunt in venice and an italian couple sat down and lamented loudly in italian about the fucking tourists (us)

I was thinking, really? In venice? have you ever sat down next to someone who WASNT a tourist?

lol

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Go to http://www.cyclingfans.com and then click the Universal Sports link about half way down the page on the right hand side. Pretty good coverage.

Ken

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

I think they must have seen Chrissie Wellington and Craig Alexander in Kona and thought aero helmets were all hype! ;-)

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

Menchov is not even using aero wheels.

if the course has dangerous descents, I can see people prefering to run the wheels whose handling they are most comfortable with.

gaining yourself a minute in the TT may not be worth the risk of dying, or crashing, depending on what your GC plans are.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

This TT makes you wonder if the pro riders know something we don't.....or if they're more purists when it comes to cycling.

Road bikes with clip ones is a good idea, but i expected slightly more aero wheels and aero helmets.

I guess I have not felt like a semi aero wheel (404, bora, aeolus 5.0) is any worse on a decent, but I probably don't decend like these guys either.

I think the above is correct. Why on earth would ST folk think they know more than veteran pro cyclists. I don't know the reason why they're not wearing aero lids but I'm sure it's for a good reason.

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

But some are wearing them.

I'm sure it's a riders personal choice. Some might not get "hot headed" while riding and not feel the maximum effort require more cooling. Others might not mind 12" of helmet waggling behind them while attacking a climb out of a saddle. I don't know the reason but I'm pretty sure that they all considered them and there were pros and cons.

Ken

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

Well, ST folks (Slowman for example), knew more about Time Trialing than veteran pros. Trigeeks were using aerobars for 3 years before Lemond beat Fignon. Just cause one is a pro cyclist, does not mean they know more about a skill that triathletes use over 50% of the time (riding a TT bike)....whereas pro cyclists might only do this <5% of the time. That being said, the smart pro cyclists and teams know that this 5% of the time is where podiums in stage racing are disporportionately impacted!

I don't doubt for a second that an aero helmet would make them faster for a duration but there are more things to consider than pure aero in this particular time trial. 95% of the riders in this race are out of GC contention anyway so they probably don't care about giving away 30 seconds. What will be interesting is if Lance and/or Levi miss the podium by 2 seconds (which could have been the difference an aero lid made) and if Levi misses leading the GC by a few seconds. At that point I would be kicking myself for not wearing the aero helmet.

This might be the classic ST argument of leaving no detail left to chance. I.e. motor versus P4C.
Ken

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

Looks like Lance won't be anywhere close to a podium. I think you have a point on Levi

Seems like this would have been a great course for electonic shifting. Having them on the bar ends and drops. Of course hoping they didn't malfunction. :)

Wow! I stand corrected -- Lance is riding better than Basso! Better than Wiggins, as well. If he keeps this up, there's going to be some fireworks at the Tour. 6th place, so far.

Also, I'm glad to see Levi having such a great ride. GO LEVI!

better than wiggins?
this is strange math!

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

I'm going by what I saw on Universal Sports.

I love the commentary on Universal sports. Step aside Phil and Paul, there's a new commentator in town!

"Here's Sastre. … … … Sastre … … Biking up the hill. … …"

And he just called Basso as Carlos Sastre. WTF?

levi is gaining!

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Levi just CRUSHED the last climb!!!

Another gem "It will be interesting to see where Armstrong compares to the others at this next time check."

No shit...