Stage 2 - Rain & Wind & Weather

The wind died down to 20 mph and the temperatures dropped to the mid 80's. But the rain moved in. Today's ride was a 53 mile round-about trying to dodge the thunderstorms. Zigging this way to avoid this one and zagging that way to avoid that one. Honestly though, it was fun. I actually had to pay attention to the dark clouds and calculate a safe route. And thanks to the unavailability of race radio (as we discussed in yesterday's post) I had to do it all by myself.

With about ten miles to go I was staring down an ugly storm front (see picture, below). It was all that remained between me and the finish line. I decided to ride right into the belly of the beast and take it's worst. First the gust front came, thundering in with 40 mph winds. Then the sheets of torrential rain. To add to the excitement, hail the size of peas began stinging every piece of bare skin. I was mashing the gears to get home with the cruise control set at 22 mph. My forward velocity combined with the speed of the head-wind had the hail leaving mottled welts on my arms and legs. If you could have seen me you would have seen a big smile. This is what makes the Tour Challenge fun and exciting! Regardless of the weather outlook or the condition of your body - you ride. Just don't try to explain it to the uninitiated.

The storm front

How about that Bernard Hinault? As a five-time Tour de France winner no one would criticize the guy if he tried to capitalize off of his name or simply retired quietly. Instead, he continues to give back to the sport of cycling and to the Tour that he loves by remaining a part of the Tour de France. He is on the podium and is the first person to celebrate each day's Stage winner. Sure, he could slink around in a Texas hideaway, avoiding his critics, but he has too much class for that. If anything will save the sport of cycling, it's men like Bernard Hinault.

Hinault (at left) - Respecting the Tour

On the other side of the Hinault coin are knuckle-heads like Matthias Kessler. Read HERE how he claims that his failed dope test is due to swallowing four packages, "with Chinese writing on them" that he received as food supplements from his "alternative" health practitioner. Ignoring for a moment the oxymoron 'alternative health', what pro athlete in his right mind would ingest anything without knowing precisely what it was and exactly where it had been? Especially stuff with unreadable labels. He took dope of course, and this is a classic excuse used as plausible deniability to confuse the public. We at ElvisKennedy.com will not fall for it. Kessler - you're out!

Anyone here read Chinese?

Kessler can get in line behind one Gianluca Stanga, the owner of the Milram pro team. Stanga is denying the statements made by one of his rider's that Stanga was instrumental in getting his riders to dope. Read HERE. First a denial, then this, "If there is a responsibility then I share it with race promoters, sports organizations and journalists, who would also have to be convicted". Why doesn't he just say, "I wasn't there. And if I was I didn't do it. And if I did nobody saw me. And if you did see me I wasn't alone". This probably isn't fair but it sure seems that the average IQ of the people who make up pro cycling hovers somewhere around the peak hemocrit level of the riders. Ay, carumba!


Tonight cycling buddy Darin and I go to Chicago to hear doper Floyd Landis speak. Tomorrow I pay the price with a 73-miler. (Yes, of course, you'll get lots of stuff from the Landis trip. Patience my dear readers!)