I don’t really like what they’ve done with the fan zone this year. The VIP area is huge such that you can’t really even see the stage if you’re not in it, and they’ve even blocked off parts further down along the barriers that they’re making you pay to access (seperate tickets from the VIP section). They’ve really stepped up their efforts to monetize this.
Also: Bini Girmay is a golden god. The entire Eritrean expat community seems to turn out for him. He’s more popular than Pogi.
I spoke with Derek this morning and asked if he would be working for Stevie and he said no, the team is riding for Woodsy.
My pops is a big Washington football fan (Hogs and Riggins era esp). I think maybe Wash has stunk for a while (haven’t watched nfl in years) - so during a recent game he was lamenting when did the wash skins/commandos last have a great q-back and/or who was the greatest.
matteo sonny jorgo was his pick. I said Theismann but that’s cuz I didn’t think he would accept Kilmer and Joe T had a restaurant in Falls Church about 800 meters from our apartment and mom took me there sometimes and i always got free sodas.
looks like Tadej/Ferris did his Ferris things but the gap seemed pretty small?
The gran fondo finished at 98.4 miles - I had no urge to ride farther (something like 10,600 elevation). Trail’s gonzo adventure (mostly solo!) seems unthinkable. nice work.
It’s funny, the move and the win were very predictable. UAE looked to be drilling it on the front pretty consistently all race and you could see when Majka went to the front the attack was coming. On the one hand you can see this as not particularly exciting, but from the roadside it was anything but. At that point in the race we were situated by the finish watching the race on the screen. The crowds were really big this year and when Tadej attacked, a huge cheer went up - it was very much like watching a stadium event for a major league sport and the home team scores.
On a day like yesterday (hot) on a course like Montreal (tough) it’s not easy being teammates with Pogi. Those guys had a hard task in front of them setting a super hard pace, and I think it’s telling that 5 of their guys DNF’d (Majka the only other UAE guy to make it over the line).
Richmond worlds 2015 - i watched from the serpentine cobbled climb (about 7k from finish?). there was also a jumbotron there with about 2000 (total guess - I don’t think the crowd was quite as big as Barcak’s inauguration (lavender? oops.)) and our cheers as Sagan busted free and soloed the last 3k were raucous and very gratifying.
Worlds 2026 is an easy sell for me after that experience!
Something I thought was interesting is that the plan for 2026 is to do the normal Grands Prix, and then a week later Worlds starts. So you’re going to have all these world tour pros over here for 3 weeks basically. I’m not sure there’s ever been a situation where you have a world tour race on more or less the same course as worlds literally two weeks before. It’ll be interesting to see where the riders go and what they do in between the various events. Montreal itself not all that great for training so I’m guessing there will be some dispersion as riders/teams head off to other environs for a while. We’ve got some good roads up here so I’m anticipating an influx of pros (and the accompanying taking of Strava KOMs).
Van Dijk (yes, just lost to Kopecky, but sentimental pick)
Kopecky
Dygert (rubber side down!)
Top Ganna bailed from the Renewi Tour, skipped the Euros, and isn’t on the PCC startlist for Worlds ITT (Cattaneo and Affini for Italy). Hope he gets himself sorted.
Sounds like ganna is in a bad way. Fatigued, but it also was reflected in some blood testing as per G’s podcast. Maybe paying the price for trying to be lean for some of the road races?
You may not know anything about cycling, or WHO Jens Voigt is, but you must admit that this is a pretty solid playlist [for the most part; you must forgive some of the picks, because he’s German & all]
Q: @BWSimons: What’s on Jens’ 60-minute playlist?
A: We asked him, and this is what he said:
Warmup:
• REO Speedwagon “Keep on Loving You”
• Brian Adams “Summer of 69″
• Journey “Wheel in the Sky”
• Air Supply “Making Love out of Nothing at All“
• Metallica “Turn the Page”
Hour Record:
• Republica “Ready to Go”
• P.O.D. “Feel So Alive”
• Metallica “One”
• AC/DC “Hells Bells”
• AC/DC “Highway to Hell”
• Farmerboys “Here Comes the Pain”
• Ugly Kid Joe “Goddam Devil”
• AC/DC “Thunderstruck”
• Black Sabbath “Paranoid”
• Metallica “Frayed Ends of Sanity”
• Europe “Final Countdown”
Cooldown:
• Metallica “Nothing Else Matters”
• Cranberries “Zombie”
• Kansas “Dust in the Wind”
• Air Supply “All Out of Love”
• Lita Ford/ Ozzy Osbourne “Close My Eyes Forever”
