Millar on HBO, Garmin Roster, Papa Georgio x2!

I just watched the David Millar piece on HBO's Real Sports. I always cringe a little going into these things, knowing how the MSM covers our "niche" sports. But this one wasn't bad as those things go. I don't understand people who have a hate on for Millar, and I never quite get if it's him they don't like or just the media reaction to him. I like him plenty, and have no problem with people paying attention to him. The more I read about how oppressive the atmosphere was back in the day, it makes perfect sense to me why he and Jonathan Vaughters make such a big deal about Garmin-Chipotle. No one's looking for a pity party, but it was a very difficult thing they went through for many years. So to now get a chance to do things differently, to talk openly, to save a crop of young riders from ever having to feel that pressure or experience that disillusionment, I'd be shouting it from the rooftops too! There are those who saw the drugs as just another piece of the puzzle, but for those who didn't, there was a lot of pain there, and that fuels their outspokenness today.

Not to mention how completely entrenched doping is (dare I say was?) in the sport. You're not going to change that with a one-time press release about your testing program. If you're going to slay this beast, you've got to be loud and repetitive and beat it into submission. If some people are tired of hearing about Garmin-Chipotle and David Millar, good, beats being tired of hearing about Puerto and Piti.

Interesting close to the piece, Bryant Gumbel's klatch with reporter Jon Frankel. Well, first Frankel blows a question about who was writing checks before Garmin came along, leaving Doug Ellis out of the picture and making it seem like the current team all sprang from Vaughters' 50K. But then, Gumbel goes there and says okay, so how is it Lance Armstrong can still be considered the big hero? Frankel, visions of lawsuits dancing in his head, smiles/grimaces and suggests that Lance would answer with the "never tested positive" line. Reflecting the times in which we live, Gumbel sniffs and puts him in the sinking ship with Bonds, Clemens, and the like. Frankel, more grin this time, allows "we agree on this," and they leave it there. I'd call that progress.

Just as I don't understand the Millar haters, I don't understand the Lance haters either, I mean the ones who have venom in their veins for him and anyone who likes him. There's plenty I don't like, but it doesn't make my blood boil. I'm just looking for a more open and realistic discussion. Because how can we know if they're making progress if people can't talk about where they've been? That's why Millar is one of the few people you can have a reasonable discussion about this with.

Garmin-Chipotle announced their Tour de France squad, and a lovely squad it is. The experience of guys like Millar and Christian Vande Velde, and also the fresh new faces making it to their first Tour, I'm excited for all of them! Tom Danielson is not among them, sad to say. Tom is a puzzle, but I take comfort in the fact that I think he's in the right place, on the right team. If there's a way for him to make it, they'll find it, and take good care of him along the way. I didn't appreciate Lance's snide reference the other day - well, like I said, I'm glad Tom is where he is now and not where he used to be.

Another happy announcement - the latest addition to the Hincapie family - baby Enzo! Congrats to George and Mel, can't wait to see iPhone photos of Julia playing with Enzo!

Who's Taking Who?

So, Versus, let me get this straight - we're taking the Tour de France back from all the guys since '96…except one. If you just saw the shortened version of the "backwards" ad on today's Tour de Suisse coverage (viewable at CFA), let me direct you to the full version on the Versus website. That version includes Ivan Basso (with Lance conveniently obscured), then jumps back to Bjarne Riis and Marco Pantani. I have to wonder if someone realized that gaping gap was a little silly, and went with the shorter version.

I get why they don't include Lance, but if you want to Take Back The Tour, two of the people from whom it is to be taken are Johan Bruyneel and Lance Armstrong. Instead, Lance is still the demi-god and we get to have Johan for a week selling his new book that presumably tells only half the story. I will give this to Versus, they are allowing comments against Johan (and his anticipated commentary) on its Take Back The Tour site.

Yes, I have praised Johan on this site before, and previously gave Lance the benefit of the doubt on this score. Let's just say I'm seeing some baseball players of my own these days, funny what happens when you stop and really look at the he said-he said versions side by side. And to include them in the bunch does not negate all the legitimate hard work and preparation that they did, it is to acknowledge that they are part and parcel of the era from which we are struggling to escape.

I've made clear my affection for Erik Zabel and Floyd Landis, and it's sad to see them in the ad, but not uncalled for. Zabel's drug use was very limited, if you believe his account, and he had plenty of clean years at the Tour, but his confession was one of those painful moments for the sport last year, so I guess it belongs. As for Floyd, it's as I've said before, even if he was innocent of that charge, the whole ordeal is something the sport wants to get away from. And whatever he did or didn't do to win that Tour, the contradictory evidence out there (including his own statements) about his personal knowledge of doping remains troubling.

I was puzzled by David Millar in the Saunier Duval kit, rather than Cofidis. Someone at Podium Café suggested that it might make sense because it was on the words "brand new start." In that case, he ought to have been the one going forward, no?

So, how will I take back the Tour? I'll listen for Frankie Andreu in the commentary box, and root for Garmin-Chipotle and Columbia and my faves on CSC, and enjoy all the thrills and fun traditions that the controversies can't touch.

Speaking of thrills, there was actual racing between the ads at the Tour de Suisse. Fabian Cancellara had two rippers this week, one long, one short, both immensely fun to watch. Especially with the added bonus of his adorable baby girl waiting for him after each one. Looking forward to him at the Tour, and to Frank Schleck, whom we all thought we might have lost in that unbelievable crash mid-week. A big thank you to the kind tree that caught him with its limbs, so that he did not break his. And big kudos to Bobby Julich for running interference for Fab on that first win, sad to hear him say he won't be making the Tour this year.

Post-Giro 2008: The World I Know

As a board-certified Cougar for Cook, that song (as sung by David) has been in heavy rotation on my iPod, and about fits my mood as I recover from the Giro.

Damn there's nothing like Stanley Cup hockey. The speed, the suspense, the crowd noise - I don't follow hockey now like I used to, but I'm instantly sucked in and now up past my bedtime in triple OT.

Oh yeah, the Giro. I couldn't seem to find the time to post as the race went on. Fortunately, CFA was speaking my mind on a regular basis. Most pointedly in the last paragraph here, on being a cycling fan in this day and age. Amen, brother.

My ambivalence over the GC contenders continues. I was encouraged that they were each having good and bad days, and no one was running away with it, but I hate being reduced to thinking that way. Continuing to let CFA do the heavy lifting, the second paragraph here is as good a last word as any on them.

I resorted to focusing on the Slipstream-Chipotle boys, and delighting in their internal victories. Great finish for Christian Vande Velde and Danny Pate. And I loved seeing Jens Voigt take a stage, I had a hunch he would after seeing his pedals in anger on the insane mountain TT.

Mark Cavendish is still a punk, but I have to give him credit for finishing his first Grand Tour, especially such a grueling one as this. And helping Andre Greipel win a stage, even though it got messy afterwards.

As for Sella and his miracle CSF team, ugh. I was moved by Sella's emotion on his first win; I was moved by him stopping in the middle of the race to hug his Papa. He seems like a very nice guy, and very well may be. But in one of the most grueling grand tours in recent memory, he won three mountain stages and very nearly won two more. He had a consistency that the best riders in the world couldn't match. I really don't know how Phil and Paul call it straight. "Gee, Paul, his winning margin in the green jersey competition is the largest I've ever seen, isn't that lovely." I realize they can't just accuse a guy, but can't you at least acknowledge a few raised eyebrows? Bad for business I suppose, but still, the way they call it, it's like they aren't even suspicious. They're either very good actors or that's just how you have to see things to be a professional commentator.

I can't even escape doping in my guilty pleasure, the steamy love story that is Ollian on German soap Verbotene Liebe. Big conflict as talented boxer Christian is tempted by steroids and boyfriend Olli frets. Is nothing sacred?

Not to harp on P&P, but I dare say I think they're really losing it. Phil fumbles more and more, they both get overly hysterical and try and outdo each other with predictions and action calls, it's getting a bit unseemly. Even the greats have to go sometime, I say bring on Frankie Andreu! Who to pair him with - maybe Paul would work, it would be a new marriage so perhaps the old bad habits wouldn't apply. Bobke might be awkward, what with him being "I have a career because of Lance," and Frankie being "I've lost a number of career opportunities because of Lance." In any case, Frankie's really grown as a commentator, and it would be nice to have someone not invested in the Lance lore for a change.

An undisputed highlight of the weekend is the arrival of baby Waylon Zabriskie - congrats to Dave and Randi, he's beautiful!

Giro d'Italia 2008 Stages 7 & 8: Inspired By True Events

Watching this Giro is kind of like watching a docu-drama. You want to take it on its face value and just enjoy the ride. But you're afraid of finding out later that significant facts were fictionalized, thus changing the whole feeling of the story. I want to believe that no one is so stupid to still be doping now, but people do stupid s*** every day, why should cycling be different?

So yesterday, when there is a blistering attack by Danilo Di Luca, and Riccardo Ricco and Alberto Contador jump on it, and they meet up with Leonardo Piepoli, and the four of them put on a good show gaining time on the other rivals, what to do? In the moment, it was fun - that's why they call him Killer, look at his face, what great effort and intensity, he could make plants wilt with that fierce gaze. Ricco and Piepoli are the Dynamic Duo once again, what great work Piepoli does for his man Ricco. Contador has such great instincts, you can see what Johan saw in him, look how he sweeps by Joaquin Rodriguez (who tried to go with Di Luca, but quickly faded) - excuse me, I'm with the big boys, see ya. Contador talked of testing the form, maybe going home, but in the moment he is a fierce competitor and gives it his all. Always alert, he was right on Di Luca's wheel for much of the stage, watching him like a hawk, and was ready to go when the moment came.

But what of the whispers and outright charges in their past? Should they even be here? On the same day Alessandro Petacchi is fired by Milram, here is Piepoli in the thick of the race. Ricco makes suggestive remarks after the race about where Contador really was on his vacation. Ironic, considering it was Ricco and Di Luca who had the pre-adolescent hormone levels last year. I guess Contador has had the least dirt stick of the four, but those Puerto questions linger. To be fair, I haven't studied any of their cases in depth, so I'm just giving the fan-on-the-street perspective, but I know I'm not the only one seeing things from this angle.

So do we consider all that sins of the past and give them the benefit of the doubt? Do we just call the race as it is and hope nothing comes along later to burst the bubble? I disagreed with all those fans who said they were through with pro cycling, and couldn't watch anymore. I didn't understand how they could just turn their backs on such a beautiful sport and throw the baby out with the bathwater. I'll keep watching, but on days like these, you do see the conflict. It's kind of sad when you find yourself encouraged by signs of fatigue - look, Contador fell off towards the end, and Di Luca was really struggling. They're really hurting, it must be a clean effort, right? Right?

Okay, back to the baby. After their emotional embrace on Thursday, it was fun to watch Paolo Bettini take such care of Giovanni Visconti in pink on Friday. Being under the world champion's wing in the leader's jersey on a Grand Tour, that's a story for the grandkids. Today was a stage for Bettini, so it was Visconti returning the favor as best he could. It all caught up to him and he went backwards a little in the final kilometer, but still held on to pink. Bettini nearly made it for the win, coming up just short on Ricco. Too bad, it would've been nice after all he'd done for Visconti.

Christian Vande Velde continues to carry the flag for Slipstream-Chipotle, still hanging in there amongst the contenders. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy, I wish him a smokin'-hot TT on Tuesday.

Valiant effort by Adam Hansen of Team High Road. With the way breaks have been making it this week, can't blame him for trying to be last man standing today. But the gasket blew in the closing kilometers, and the big guns were hungry for their shot. I was with the RAI guys, alarmed at Di Luca in the back of the pack with just a few K to go. His slingshot to the front a few moments later was impressive, but alas, too early. Piepoli and Ricco were at it again, the former setting up the latter for his second stage win. Whatever else, they do work well together.

In our RAI tidbit of the day - I knew there was a dude named Francesco out there on a motorcycle in the peloton, but I didn't realize he was doing face-to-face interviews with the team directors! Just like the riders, he sidles up to the team cars and sticks his microphone in the window. Seems a little more dicey than when the bikes do it, but I guess they all know what they're doing. It's like at the Preakness, where the chick on the horse interviews the winning jockey as he's cooling down his steed. Yeah, just like at the Preakness, where the pre-game show was filled with discussions of steroid use, and that sticks in the back of your mind as you try to enjoy Big Brown dusting the field again.

Giro d'Italia 2008 Stage 6: Smile

A few smiles from yesterday:

Rumor has it Pavel Brutt was something of a wheelsucker on his Stage 5 win, no such problems with Matteo Priamo. He did more than his share of work in the break from the break, and won off the front coming to the line.

Giovanni Visconti also made a great effort to the line, and traded in his national champion's jersey for pink. When he got the news that pink was his, he broke into a tremendous grin that didn't leave his face through the whole post-race show. Watching dreams come true before your eyes is a joy to behold.

Enrico Gasparotto has been a staple at the front this week, looking focused as he led the Barloworld train for Mauricio Soler. So it was a delight to see him in a more relaxed mode on the post-race show, being interviewed by a little girl. Gasparotto's grin was as big as Visconti's as the girl earnestly asked her questions. I had no idea what they were saying of course, but the smiles needed no translation and it's such precious moments that keep me tuned in to RAI despite my language deficit.

Dave Zabriskie's latest blog entry (May 15) made me smile, laugh, and cry. One of many things he is sure to pass on to his little one is a healthy dose of perspective. Another brilliant entry by a brilliant guy, I hope he is resting well now.

Giro d'Italia 2008 Stage 5: Arrrgh-yle Redux

Alright, for those of you searching on "David Millar bike throw," or "David Miller bike toss," or "hurl," or whatnot, here is what youtube has so far. But really, I would hold out for live action, because the slo-mo doesn't do Millar's throw justice. [And here we go, check out the full-speed Eurosport highlight at Steephill.]

He's already had someone tsk tsk-ing him on the team site, but most of the comments are supportive. I'm firmly in the latter category - what else is there to do in such a situation? Grand Tour. Made the break that got away. The break stayed away to the finish. He looked to be the strongest in said winning break. His chain broke. In the final kilometer. If ever there was a moment to hurl a bike, that's it. Millar and Jonathan Vaughters each have pitch-perfect post-race reflections, typical of what makes Slipstream-Chipotle such a loveable team.

Millar seemed to convey the same sentiments in a gracious interview on the RAI post-race show. I still have a little of my high-school French, and I think he said something about wanting to still win a stage here. Looking forward to it, David, great attitude!

I really have to learn Italian. I don't know what they're saying most of the time, but I still feel confident that RAI has the best race coverage on the planet. The camera shots - of the fans and of the race, groovy music intros, creative video montages, on-screen stats like the respective speeds of the break and the chase, comments on the scene, lengthy post-race show with several riders hanging out to chat, and an overall congenial attitude make it a pleasure in any language. They were even rockin' Green Day today, love it!

Giro d'Italia 2008 Stage 4: Good Thing

Not much to say about today's stage, except it's a darn good thing Mark Cavendish came through with the win. His team worked from start to finish to give him the chance, and he did well to repay their efforts. For much of the sleepy stage, there was a lone High Road rider smack on the front, leading Liquigas and the rest so that Rik Verbrugghe was at least kept in the same time zone. And then when Cavendish was lost on the final climb, they brought him back. And when he was a few too many riders behind going into the stretch, teammate Tony Martin moved him up into the perfect spot. Heck, even Paolo Bettini helped the kid out, you've got to honor that!

Cavendish was his usual cocky self after, but he did also give great credit to his team, and Bettini. It's good to see that these things make a big impression on him, and I like to think he's learning and growing as he goes.

The day was not without nasty crashes, but at least it was better than yesterday. Shoes seem to be a recurring theme this week, today we had a Gerolsteiner rider getting two new shoes out of the trunk of the team car after a crash. The peloton was going slow, but still, that must've been one heck of a haul to get back on after such a long stop. Thank you, Giro gods, for keeping a couple of my Slipstream-Chipotle guys from crashing into that dog! I'd like to have seen their heart meters after that one. No thank you to whoever thought it would be a brilliant idea to toss pink streamers over the peloton as they're riding like bats out of hell. At least one got caught up in a rider's wheel, thankfully on the non-chain side. The balloons, too, Erik Zabel had to dodge one right after the line, come on people! As for the final crash, the guys at RAI had the only word for it - bruttissimo. Some things just don't need translating.