Stage 9 - If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium

Non cycling obligations are going to force me to have to shuffle some of this week's mileage goals. I hope to just swap Tuesday's and Wednesday's goals for Thursday's and Friday's. Life. Sometimes it gets in the way.

The Boss and I met early with no particular plans except to ride into the wind outbound. That took us northeast around Cedarburg, through Saukville, up to Belgium (sounds like a Spring Classic, doesn't it?), down through Port Washington and Thiensville (for water) and then home. We rode side-by-side the whole way and averaged just under 19 mph. I felt good for the first time in many days. Drink and eat, eat and drink seem to be the keys to a successful ride.

It was humid but cool and overcast with light winds. Until mile 55 anyway. That's when the light drizzle turned into a heavy rain. I've gotten caught in the rain so many times this year that it just doesn't matter anymore. So what that your feet are squishing in your socks? So what that your chamois has turned into a sponge? So what that you can't see? Besides, I've now got a rain bike and a second pair of cycling shoes so there are no worries about getting the equipment ready for tomorrow.

Speaking of shoes, and since your feet are one of the three points that your body touches the bike (along with hands and butt) let's talk about why you need to take extra care when selecting cycling shoes. Trying them on in the store for fit means nothing, you must ride in them - on your bike, with your cleats and pedals. No other method will assure you of a good relationship. Take your bike to your local shop and ask if you can try different shoes while spinning on an indoor trainer (that way you won't scuff the shoes in case you don't want them). If your local bike shop doesn't allow this then look elsewhere. If you're careful you can do this via mail order as long as you don't mark up the shoes in any way. And the key is this; if you're not thinking about your feet after ten minutes of spinning the shoes are good. On the other hand, if there are tight spots, loose spots, rough edges or anything else that doesn't feel perfect, move on. The shoes will not 'break in' or otherwise conform to your feet after a few rides. They're good or they're bad. Don't over think it.

And don't insist on black shoes either. Shoes with a splash of color offer the following advantages; easier to find at the bottom of your bag (or under a car seat), can make your team kit look complete, are often available on sale or at close out pricing, it's easier to see little cuts or other tears or abrasions that could require repair and you'll clean them more often (as you should) because you can see how dirty they are. But the two reasons I ride with non-black shoes are; A) because they are much cooler in the summer sun, and; 2) because they are much more visible to automobile drivers. The human eye notices motion first and the only thing that should be moving as you ride along are your legs and feet. Having brightly colored (silver, in my case) shoes makes you more noticeable to the drivers. Safety comes first.



Tour related notes;

- OK, this crap with American cyclists and their need to have us think that they are over-coming such incredible odds has got to stop. LeMond got shot and almost dies, Lance overcame cancer. Those I'm fine with, they're real. But remember Tyler Hamilton claiming to ride to a stage win with a splintered collar bone? And then remember him abandoning the Tour in 2004, but not before removing his shirt and posing for the cameras so we could all see the scuffs on his back from a fall? And now comes Floyd Landis and this hip replacement business, read HERE. Maybe he does have a hip problem, maybe it will ned to be replaced but don't make this announcement half-way through the Tour and then say you're only making the announcement because someone else was about to and you just wanted to make sure the facts came out right. Baloney! It PR and marketing, pure and simple. The world, Americans in particular love the hard scrabble story. Just look at all of the Hollywood pukes who claim to come from abusive relationships and poor, poor pitiful me life in the trailer childhoods. Those are made up too. Sells books, gets you on the cover of People magazine, helps the career.

Here's the thing about Landis' story; THEY (Floyd's people) decided when and where to make the announcement. I saw an interview with Landis' coach, Robbie Ventura on OLN. Ventura said. "When the NY Times agreed to run the story" we prepared for the announcement by bringing Floyd's doctor, lawyer and host of others to France for a press conference. Did you catch that? The NY Times agreed to run the story. In other words, the Times didn't otherwise think that the story had merit. Landis' people have obviously been pursuing the Times to print the story and when Landis did well enough in the time trial to be considered a Tour favorite the Times finally agreed to run the story. Additionally, why bring doctors and lawyers to France for a press conference? Send out a press release and be done with it. Unless of course you're trying to sensationalize this whole thing to bring attention to your guy, maybe even make him a household name in America. Wouldn't that be great for sponsorship and appearance purposes?

And finally, think about what must be going through the minds of the rest of the Tour riders. Here's Landis with this supposedly major physical impediment along with pain that Landis describes as, "It's bad, it's grinding, it's bone rubbing on bone", and yet he's kicking all of their butts. In a race that is the most physically demanding of any on Earth. How is this physically possible? Those other riders must absolutely suck to not be able to beat a guy who's practically wheel-chair bound. And of course it also gives him cover if he falters and performs poorly for the rest of the Tour and it gives him a good reason to take drugs that are otherwise prohibited.

And the worst part? Since OLN (the Only Lance Network) is struggling to finds ways (not that it stops them from trying) to inject a Lance angle on everything they will now be talking about Floyd's hip ad nauseam. As if listening to Al Trautwig didn't already make you sick.

Real adversity is how the legends of LeMond and Armstrong were born and now guys like Hamilton and Landis are trying to create their own legends through PR channels. Why don't you just win a race, thank your moms and your sponsors and shut-up?

- You can read a nice perspective about Floyd Landis HERE, just remember that stories like these take months to develop, write and publish. Hey listen, I'd like the guy to win I just don't like how people insist on becoming legends by means other than winning races.

- Colnago bicycles where underneath the riders who came in first and third today.


Today's Mileage Goal: 65 (swapped for Thursday). Miles ridden: 65.