Tuesday, October 09, 2007

TOUR OF TASSIE....

THE LEIGH HOWARD AND CAM MEYER SHOW...
The tour of Tassie was arguably one of the harder races i have done for the entire season. 11 stages shared over 6 days and while they were only short, the intensity and competition meant that everyone counted....and the legs felt every km.....


What it did provide was an insight into the future of Australian cycling....the 2 Meyer boys and Leigh Howard were the dominant parties of the race and i look forward to enjoying the promising careers of all 3 from the comfort of my couch over the coming 10 years.


I had the pleasure of riding in the same team as Leigh....and the kid has something very special about him. He is unbelievably fast, incredibly tough and mature beyond his years. It would not be every day that a person like me would be more than happy to lead out a 17 year old kid....but his ability commands respect and i would do it any day of the week.....and anyone who knows me well can testify to my opinion of the Meyer kids.....they are freaks and its scary to think of how little they know about the sport....wait until they learn....


FINALLY A WIN....

I also was able to take my first win on the road bike since my Aussie crit title in Jan 06. It was supposed to be a lead out for Leigh and no one came past me. And as they say "success, breeds success". Not 3 days later i was able to top it off with a 2nd victory to give the VIS its 5th stage, from 10, and make it into a very successful tour. It was an excellent confidence boost heading into Sun Tour, as apart from a mechanical mishap on stage 4, i barely missed a beat all tour. When i wasnt going for the win, i was taking care of Leigh and Pat and making it over climbs that 12 months ago would have killed me.

Me on the podium after my stage 10 victory....
The first win of the year....in Menzies home town and a big victory hug from his Mum after the race made it twice as nice..
Photos courtesy of Shane Goss: www.licoricegallery.com
So bring on the last 2 weeks of my season. I have renewed determination and a desire to continually improve headed into next year, which will hopefully keep my team on top of the podium for many more races....and who knows, maybe i will be able to beat Freddie?

KATE AND RICH, TOGETHER AGAIN....

Finally, after 4 days from the past 6 weeks, I have got the chance for some more quality time with the mrs. Apart from the odd occasion, we will be joined at the hip until Feb and i look forward to every minute. The arguments, the training, the TV, the movies and the snuggling....all the great things that mesh together to form the basis for our relationship.


We had a very nice ride today, and i am convinced that the HOT PINK of T-Mobile acts as a deterrent for the magpie swoop, that i expressed my fondness for last post. On a route that i did not 10 days before and was hit by no less than 3....not 1 magpie today. That is a sweet thing and may see me spend more time training at her side than we both can handle....or maybe i just steal a jersey???


So all in all, my life is pretty smooth and sweet at the moment. Bring on the Sun Tour (starting Sunday), bring on Melb-Warrnambool and then bring on the TV and 3 weeks of couch potato. I hope to see you all out lining the roads in the coming week for the Sunny and dont forget to visit my stall for some quality bargains after Sundays stage in Melb.....


Peace.

Monday, October 01, 2007

SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!

OVER PROTECTIVE MOTHERS.....
Magpies. The forgotten problem about returning home during spring. There is nothing more annoying than riding along, minding your own business, and all of a sudden being struck by something in the head. There is always that 2 seconds that it takes you to realise what the hell is going on.....have i just been hit by a car??? What the f*#$ was that????


This isnt me. But just for my overseas friends, so they can try and understand what im talking about.
I just don't get it. Short of unclipping, hopping off my bike and beginning to scale a tree, i don't understand why they consider us a threat. I just hope that while they are pursuing me down the road, that a cunning possum is laying in wait and they learn their lesson. NOT COOL!!!


AUSTRALIAN DRIVERS....

Speaking of getting hit by a car. What is with Aussie drivers? I'm not talking about the elderly ones, who have no idea where the left hand side of their car is (as frustrating as they are). I'm talking about the ones who think that it is a game to see how close they can come to me, hard in the left gutter, and scare the living shit out of me. I just don't get what they achieve. They obviously don't realise how a little mistake in judgement could ruin the lives of so many. I have lost too many friends this year from bike accidents and i think its about time that some motorists took a long hard look at themselves.


I have been fortunate enough to travel the world as a cyclist and nowhere in it are drivers more dangerous and disrespectful of cyclists. In Italy, they have 5 times the population, roads 1/2 the size and 10 times as much traffic and probably about 10% of the problem. Pull your heads in Australia....take care of everyone on the roads, even if it costs you 10seconds.....because one day your son or daughter is going to ask to go riding and i hope that you don't have to know the pain and the stress of pricks behind the wheel of a 1 tonne weapon.


WHERE CAN I GET A PAIR OF THOSE JEANS?

After much conversation and planning with my coach, we are going to base my entire season next year around the CSC Invitational criterium. Why? Because if i win it, apparently i have a chance of taking stages and the green jersey at the Tour De France. I'm referring to Rock Racing's managers comment that any rider on his team could win a stage of the tour and challenge for the green jersey. I assume that this also means the 5 or 6 of them that pulled out of the US Pro Crit in the first 20 laps?????


They have signed Fast Freddie....and i have little doubt that he will run rings around me in any sprint finish the two of us approach together next year....but i hate to be the bearer of bad news, i honestly doubt that Freddie could win a stage of the tour, let alone the green jersey.


They are a good bunch of guys, but i think that the manager has been working within an enclosed space during the manufacturing of their hemp products. But way to get attention and a story on cyclingnews.


FINALLY....

Sorry that my English is so bad that my mum needs to leave comments each week criticising it. In all honesty, i think she is the only one who reads it...so its not such a big deal.


Good luck to my US team mates about to start the US track nationals and ill speak to you next week after the tour of Tassie....