Random Cycling Post- Slipstream, Boonen, Hincapie, Contador

Slipstream Featured on RollingStone.com

Visiting the Rolling Stone offices on Friday June 6: Team Slipstream-Chipotle! No, that’s not some British DJ duo — it’s the classy American racing outfit that’s making serious waves in the professional bike racing scene. Now you might think that the Capri Lounge is no place for a post about a pro bike racing team. Well, I think it’s no place for an affectionate post about the New Kids on the Block, and we’ve sure had plenty of those recently. So put that in your Joey McIntyre doll and smoke it, fanboy.

Read the rest:
The Next Rock Stars (Of Pro Cycling): Team Slipstream-Chipotle : Rolling Stone

Apparently, Tom Boonen Likes to Party

Photo courtesy flickr user John Spooner

In a positive turn of events for the sport of cycling (pun intended), one of the sports biggest stars tested positive for a recreational drug. It’s true. No suspension, no race results compromised, just good old fashioned tabloid style moral finger wagging for the naughty boy doing a little nose candy.

🙂

Seriously though, this is disappointing in that we’d had a great year so far with the only big doping story being the “end” of the Landis saga. To have any story linking cycling to drugs is problematic at this point. The good thing is, Boonen can easily bounce back from this as long as he (wait for it) keeps his nose clean going forward.

The image rehabilitation begins:

Boonen apologizes

Contador will be #5

1. Jacques Anquetil
2. Felice Gimondi
3. Eddy Merckx
4. Bernard Hinault

Thanks to the ASO banning his Astana team from the Tour this year and the Giro organizers good sense in inviting Astana, Albert Contador is one Vuelta a España victory away from being the fifth man in history to win all three grand tours in a career. The last man to do it was Hinault, when he finished his trifecta with his Giro win in 1980.

Photo courtesy flickr user Bob AuBuchon

Speaking of which, is anyone betting against Contador in the Vuelta? I’m not. He rode so intelligently in the Giro he seems like a lock to win his home tour. Considering he had to ride himself into form during the Giro and was able to defend la maglia rosa against all of Italy, I’m afraid to see what might happen when he’s got time to prepare for a race.

Hincapie (and Leipheimer!)

Just when you think he’s not in great shape and is simply riding the race to get his legs under him in advance of July, George goes out and wins a stage today in the Dauphine Libere. I was disappointed with his showing in the prologue. I’m not disappointed anymore. It was a great little move to get the stage win. Hopefully that will bode well for another stage victory in the Tour.

Levi, by the way, looks like he’s going to win the race overall. With the result he had in the prologue, you know he’s on form and this is a race that he’s already won, so he has the confidence needed to fend off the strong field. By the time the pixels are dry on this post we’ll know a little better as the Individual Time Trial will really shake up the GC.