Seriously?

If we do see Lance at the Antwerpen race this winter it will be at the expense of few dozen other Euro renners.

Something to think about: at the Euro races everyone negotiates start contracts. The big stars like Nys and Boom pulling more money to start a race than you can imagine. With the lesser PRO riders getting as little as a few hundred Euro.

When a big name rider like Lance eats up a small UCI ranked race’s budget the lesser PROs are pitched to the sides, often getting no contract at all.

So in reality, Lance racing cyclocross may actually be hindering the sport less than helping it. By keeping a bunch of lesser talent from starting a few showcase races.

Or, should my line of thinking be that Lance racing these few showcase cross races will turn the heads of USAC policy makers and get cyclocross some funding and recognition? Lance racing Euro cx may somehow validate it in the eyes of the US public and bring it to the national consciousness?

The doctor cutting on me a few days ago asked what type of racing I did. She was being polite and trying to keep my mind off the scalpel.

“I don… I can’t explai… I don’t want to explain it right now…” I winced.

We both laughed but, I admit, it would have been nice to just blurt out “cyclocross” and have her say something like:

“isn’t that what Lance tried doing this year? The one where you run?”

Damn! Not spider bites. I’ve been fighting Folliculitis since Starcrossed.

I got a bad fever and chills on Friday night.

And a few giant abscesses got really infected and swollen. By Sunday I had trouble walking.

So Pete drove me down to the immediate care hospital and the doctor cut holes in my leg, used some nasty pliers to dig around in them, and then packed them full of gauze.

I was a wimp. It hurt like hell!

We’ve got some sweet photos of my writhing under the knife.

The doc was great but, it looks like I’ll be off the bike for another week or more!

Not able to make it out to Ohio this week for the races. And, it is pretty unlikely that I’ll be racing locally either.

What the hell? How much bad luck can one bike racer have?

Well, at least I snagged a couple UCI points with my lackluster last month of racing. I don’t have anything besides the USGP finals on my schedule before nationals and Europe. Not looking so good for the start positions eh?

Waiting to race. So, I’ll be posting up some photos from yesterday.

We made some cornbread that called for flaxseed oil and all Jen could find were the pill supplements so, she cut open the little capsules and we squeezed out enough to use!

I went on a spin and saw this old-timey water tower. I took a photo.

Ran into Kevin Sparrow at the race which was pretty dope! I forgot that I’ve got people out here in the mid-west. Gonna try and stay with him in Milwaukee tonight after the race.

“SUN PRAIRIE LOVES MOLLY CAMERON!” was heard at the start line call-up. So awesome.

The locals put on a spectacle, dollar hand ups, beer hand ups, Dan Powell was hanging out right in the middle of a sketchy corner on the race course, I gave him a scowl and a “come on man…”

“Thats how we roll in Wisco!!”

There was another guy playing the trombone and I noticed when I raced by he would break into a rendition of “dude looks like a lady” by Aerosmith.

So I gave him the finger. He actually tracked me down at my rental car and apologized. “no harm meant by that.” I was a little too wiped out from the race to respond with anything intelligent. I think I muttered, “yeah, its cool.”

But come on, if we were pals, that would be cool. I have no idea who you are. I dunno, get to know me before you start playing gags at my expense. I don’t know if you are laughing with me or at me.

eh?

He paid me back by busting out the Super Mario bros. theme song on a later part of the course.

Bjorn Selandar gets the “nice-guy” award at the race. Being totally friendly on the start line and then ripping a podium spot. We chatted about racing with my SRM as another PRO scowled, shook his head and made the all too common “just ride your bike” remark. I guess if I was a PRO I’d have enough time to just ride my bike too… Baker gets the “awkward bike racer” award. Looking straight through me as I waved and greeted him; “hey Jon” with a smile. I forget that I should not bother making the effort sometimes.

Eh, that is racing I guess.

But not last night… We were up ALL night. A couple bands played at the Powell household. So now I’ll have a decent excuse if I have bad legs again today! Drunkeness abounded. There was some country AND western going on. I camped out in my room when it started getting late. I really was destroyed from yesterday. Hoping I can open it up a little today!

Ouch!

Got my behind handed to me today in Wisconsin. I salvaged a 9th place finish behind the Lalonde bros. the Wells bros. and co. Jon Page won, I barely stayed ahead of the 2 U23 Euro riders and I think the Swiss Mueller got 2nd. Apparently Jon Baker dropped out with an injury but was putting up a pretty good fight for the win.

I really felt miserable out there!

The course was great, very dry but not too dusty. Bumpy. Fast. I never really found a rhythm (besides going backwards) and was hurting so bad the last bunch of laps. The cracked rib was not bugging me too bad but the back cramping was.

I almost passed out when I crossed the finish line! That does not happen too often.

wah wah.

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Spent last night watching the debate. Like everyone else apparently.

What did you think?

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What’s up Evazan!!

Really, the last 30 seconds are the best 30 seconds:

I am in Wisconsin. Sun Prairie to be exact. Staying at Dan (of Planet Bike fame) and Jen Powell’s house!

It is very nice. Dan is still at Interbike, Jen is at work. I am putting my bikes together and working on work and more work email stuff.

We went grocery shopping and picked up their CSA box at a farm just out of town. Then Jen took me out to the Weary Traveller for dinner. Delicious salad with fried veggies, lemonade and dark atmosphere.

Quaint coffee makers. Vintage electric fixtures, loud toilet, radiators with covers you can sit on. So midwest. Fresh cut grass, streets made rough by season after season of snow and ice.

Huge dogs. Now most may know, I don’t really like dogs. Or babies for that matter. Besides cats, polar bears and dolphins, I scowl at most other animals. But huskies are a different story. I am a friend of the husky. And the dachshund for that matter.

So I forced this big one to lug my bike boxes downstairs. Thanks Obi!

Check out this piece of cross history:

“Winter 1985/1986 to SAVERDUN in ARIEGE: I got a cold championship UNSS by Régis duros I met 2 minutes 30 minutes of racing, admire the style hog to break plate with the mouth open bonus.”

And this; price-less.

“I was a cadet 1 in 1986 and j’escaladais and only the famous climb up the circuit, the tree is always elsewhere. David and Hugo: please do not laugh.
Published by Lawrence at 23:06

4 comments:

David Mauhourat said …
Oh la la la! How do you want mean it! But I admit that I am impressed. 40 years older and always hard! Hey hey. I’m joking of course.
September 23 2008 19:21

Anonymous said …
and me, I have the right?
Alain
September 23 2008 20:09

Lawrence said …
You have the right course, especially as you go t’esclafer by reading more: I arrived with david ferrari sprint but I fell 200 meters from the line in the ditch filled with water ice due to board that was placed before me. It was at least 0 ° c
September 23 2008 20:41

Anonymous said …
That’s not funny. You would have been pissed for ever with the cyclo cross.
Alain

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Blogs in other languages are sooooo much better. So I’ll take to copying the content and putting on my site because well, as you know. My site is less exciting than older French men recounting their cadet racing days.

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CrossVegas!

Yay Trebon!

My coach beat Lance which really is the most important thing.

Looked like fun. Everyone was there.

Except me. (and Tristan Schouten).

I decided to motorpace on a surprisingly beautiful Portland morning. Instead of paying my dues in Sin City.

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Jen and Dan’s house is nice. They are selling it and planning on moving soon. (rumors and details to come.) I brought them some Stumptown coffee and we bought another pound cause yes, it will all get used this weekend.

…well, give it 48 seconds:

I stayed at my dad’s house in Puyallup last weekend and I got to sleep with a cat on my belly all night.

My favorite part is how many babies get taken out by cats.

How about the next fun part:

Who wants to guess how much it will cost to fly with 2 cx bikes to Wisconsin this weekend? Just downloaded the FedEx shipping calculator and NW Airlines checked baggage conditions. That calculator is like deciphering the damn Rosetta stone.

Should we do it price is right style? Closest to actual retail price? There and back home?

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The best thing about cx season?

Spending the next few days after the races de-building, cleaning and re gluing all of your gear.