I know a bunch of you are Jens Voigt fans...did you see where a bee stung him on the lip during the race and he supposedly chewed it up and ate it?
Actually, I heard that after the bee stung Jens he decided to crawl into his mouth and die a quick death vs the slow, painful and certain death that awaited him because he touched the Blood of Jens.
Joe D hangin' tough. Four minutes down but it's time to climb. Lawson Craddock of Bontrager Livestrong is only a minute and a half! Next two stages Big Big Big!
I'm really pulling for Dave Z now. Would be a great to have him win this, after finishing second so many times, and his performance is a great prelude to the Olympics.
That cat is DIALED into how to ride very, very aero...on a close course...but you can see how he's always thinking about how to hide from the wind.
"In the same stretch of road in the chase group one minute behind, Robert Gesink dropped a bomb on the bunch, jettisoning Zabriskie and only Danielson could respond, while Van Garderen and Joe Dombrowski (Bontrager-Livestrong) trailed just behind. Dombrowski, one of the revelations of the US peloton, left the BMC man behind. while up ahead Gesink ditched Danielson and reached and passed Horner."
Me and three friends rolled from my house at 9a, met more people at a park and then rode to the base of GMR. I tempo'ed up, not a pure TT effort, and was 9' faster than an embarrasing effort in earlly March...but still 9' off my "on crack" TT in 2010 while training for Everest Challenge. Anyway, we then rode across the ridge to Baldy. Seemed like 75% of all of the "real" cyclists in a 70mi radius of LA were riding with us. Pretty awesome to see so many riders on this ridge and basically owning the road.
We found a spot midway up the Baldy KOM, that the race hits at about mile 15-20 or so of the race. Saw Jens and another RS rider pullinger Horner up the hill in the breakaway, followed a few minutes later by the rest of the peleton.
Descended into Baldy to refill water bottles, slam a couple cokes, then climbed up to the ski lifts. Thousands of fans cheering us on and an awesome party atmosphere the whole way up. This year I was able to ride all the way up to and through the finishline, snapping a pic with Brendan Shannon, EN member, and Rebecca "Bob" Adams, local strong chick
Descended back down through the craziness to Mt Baldy Lodge to refuel with fries, chips and salsa, cokes, and fries, before watching the Tour come through again. Awesome!
We then rode back across the ridge, now deserted, down GMR and home. My phone exploded with texts as soon as I hit the bottom of GMR, including notification from Mike Allen of Patrick's IMTX performance!
I watched the stage when I got home and the cadence and speed of Gesink is just crazy. The 1k Kenda banner for the stage is at the steepest part of climb, 14-16%, straight up. I'm killing myself to turn maybe 45-55rpm and he's just hammering. The ToC really lets you put into perspective how strong these guys are how not-strong we mortals are.
Watching today's stage on NBC sports (don't worry, no spoilers), and they just had the little broadcast part called "Nissan innovation for all", and it was a q&a session with our man Jens voigt. One of the questions was "how do I get my legs to shut up"? Hilarious!!
And gesink absolutely hammered it up that climb yesterday...impressive to say the least!!!
Chris emailed the profile or whatever of Joe Dombrowski on Strava for the Baldy Stage.
The number that means the most to me is his time up GMR -- 31:21
This is the exact same route that I've TT'd many, many times. Totally fat and out of shape in early March this year. I went 56:xx (embarrasing). I did 46:55 on Saturday, tempo not completely hammering. Probably coulda been in the 43's otherwise. Last year when racing Marc Robards during the stage I went 40:xx. I've had a couple times in the 39:4x's and in 2010, a few weeks before Everest Challenge, I went 38:45. I've done TT'd it in full-on IM fitness, as it's very tough to work at TT like this into IM training, just for fun . But I figure from SWAG'ing w/kg I would likely be in the low 37's? This is for a full on, eyes bleeding, TT and ride home ride.
This little bastard puts up a 31:21 in the middle of a friggin' race, then goes on to set PR's all over the damn map. Just crazy!!
Strava Activity Report - May 21, 2012
Hey Chris,
Your friends on Strava put in some miles yesterday:
I haven't watched today's stage yet - spoiler alert, Chris. But it's another testament to the value of setting firm goals far in advance - he knew last November he was Garmin's man for the Giro, and has been training with that in mind for 5 months.
What may be equally impressive is Guardini's sprint victory yesterday. Perfect sprinter's course, perfect leadout from Sky, and the young Italian beats Cav head to head to the line - that happens in a Grand Tour, oh, maybe once a year?
Watching Kreuzinger, Hejsdal, Rodriguez, Uran turn themselves inside out - very inspiring. Basso, not so much - he just doesn't know how to hurt that extra little bit. My fantasy team includes Purito, Ryder, Uran, and Cav - not bad, but I'm still far down in the standings, despite having the 1st, 2nd, and 5th rider, the points leader, and the best young rider.
Comments
Actually, I heard that after the bee stung Jens he decided to crawl into his mouth and die a quick death vs the slow, painful and certain death that awaited him because he touched the Blood of Jens.
read Voight's quotes....he cracks me up.....can't wait for him to start commentating
x2 what Chris said, his commentating would be hilarious!!
I'm really pulling for Dave Z now. Would be a great to have him win this, after finishing second so many times, and his performance is a great prelude to the Olympics.
That cat is DIALED into how to ride very, very aero...on a close course...but you can see how he's always thinking about how to hide from the wind.
Tejay ... Tejay ... Tejay...!!!
He is to stage racing what Sagan is to sprints and Classics - the Future.
Power profile of another ToCA rider, for Stage 4, Philip Deignan, of UnitedHealthcare:
velonews.competitor.com/2012/05/tou...e-4_219511
Joe D's new nickname at the lbs: "the revelation"
What a day for the youngster!
We had a great ride yesterday.
Me and three friends rolled from my house at 9a, met more people at a park and then rode to the base of GMR. I tempo'ed up, not a pure TT effort, and was 9' faster than an embarrasing effort in earlly March...but still 9' off my "on crack" TT in 2010 while training for Everest Challenge. Anyway, we then rode across the ridge to Baldy. Seemed like 75% of all of the "real" cyclists in a 70mi radius of LA were riding with us. Pretty awesome to see so many riders on this ridge and basically owning the road.
We found a spot midway up the Baldy KOM, that the race hits at about mile 15-20 or so of the race. Saw Jens and another RS rider pullinger Horner up the hill in the breakaway, followed a few minutes later by the rest of the peleton.
Descended into Baldy to refill water bottles, slam a couple cokes, then climbed up to the ski lifts. Thousands of fans cheering us on and an awesome party atmosphere the whole way up. This year I was able to ride all the way up to and through the finishline, snapping a pic with Brendan Shannon, EN member, and Rebecca "Bob" Adams, local strong chick
Descended back down through the craziness to Mt Baldy Lodge to refuel with fries, chips and salsa, cokes, and fries, before watching the Tour come through again. Awesome!
We then rode back across the ridge, now deserted, down GMR and home. My phone exploded with texts as soon as I hit the bottom of GMR, including notification from Mike Allen of Patrick's IMTX performance!
I watched the stage when I got home and the cadence and speed of Gesink is just crazy. The 1k Kenda banner for the stage is at the steepest part of climb, 14-16%, straight up. I'm killing myself to turn maybe 45-55rpm and he's just hammering. The ToC really lets you put into perspective how strong these guys are how not-strong we mortals are.
Can't wait for next year!
Watching today's stage on NBC sports (don't worry, no spoilers), and they just had the little broadcast part called "Nissan innovation for all", and it was a q&a session with our man Jens voigt. One of the questions was "how do I get my legs to shut up"? Hilarious!!
And gesink absolutely hammered it up that climb yesterday...impressive to say the least!!!
a great ride in the Giro.....
Love the way the kid came back after being caught!
Another power analysis file, this time from Philip Deignan from UnitedHealthCare:
velonews.competitor.com/2012/05/tou...e-6_220252
Chris emailed the profile or whatever of Joe Dombrowski on Strava for the Baldy Stage.
The number that means the most to me is his time up GMR -- 31:21
This is the exact same route that I've TT'd many, many times. Totally fat and out of shape in early March this year. I went 56:xx (embarrasing). I did 46:55 on Saturday, tempo not completely hammering. Probably coulda been in the 43's otherwise. Last year when racing Marc Robards during the stage I went 40:xx. I've had a couple times in the 39:4x's and in 2010, a few weeks before Everest Challenge, I went 38:45. I've done TT'd it in full-on IM fitness, as it's very tough to work at TT like this into IM training, just for fun
. But I figure from SWAG'ing w/kg I would likely be in the low 37's? This is for a full on, eyes bleeding, TT and ride home ride.
This little bastard puts up a 31:21 in the middle of a friggin' race, then goes on to set PR's all over the damn map. Just crazy!!
Strava Activity Report - May 21, 2012
Hey Chris,
Your friends on Strava put in some miles yesterday:
Joe Dombrowski rode 43.4 miles on ToC Stage 8 - LA.
Joe Dombrowski rode 78.8 miles on ToC Stage 7 - Mt Baldy.
Joe Dombrowski rode 119 miles on 05/18/2012 Palmdale, CA.
Keep going!
-Your friends at Strava
I think Ryder just won the Giro. Strong dude.
I haven't watched today's stage yet - spoiler alert, Chris. But it's another testament to the value of setting firm goals far in advance - he knew last November he was Garmin's man for the Giro, and has been training with that in mind for 5 months.
What may be equally impressive is Guardini's sprint victory yesterday. Perfect sprinter's course, perfect leadout from Sky, and the young Italian beats Cav head to head to the line - that happens in a Grand Tour, oh, maybe once a year?
Watching Kreuzinger, Hejsdal, Rodriguez, Uran turn themselves inside out - very inspiring. Basso, not so much - he just doesn't know how to hurt that extra little bit. My fantasy team includes Purito, Ryder, Uran, and Cav - not bad, but I'm still far down in the standings, despite having the 1st, 2nd, and 5th rider, the points leader, and the best young rider.