Sunday, October 16, 2005
Coda
So the Cricket did feed off of his win in Zurich and take the Fall's Monument -- the Tour of Lombardy.
The race stands now almost as something of an anachronism. Not in the sense of Paris-Roubaix, which perennially raises the question of why the UCI continues to condone such insanity. With Lombardy, rather, looking at the palmares one is struck by the changes in the pro calendar. The winners back in the "Good Old Days" were often the same riders winning the Spring's Monuments some 6 months' prior. Of course in these days, most of those riders hung up the wheels for the season weeks if not months ago. Or those filling out the numbers are either here out of a sense of obligation (Di Luca) or seeking redemption (Cunego).
Because of this transformation in the calendar, the Tour of Lombardy has lost some of its poetic value as the end of the season. Most of the protagonists were still in their training regimens when the Classics season got underway at the nearby resort town of San Remo (whereas previously "training" was riding Paris-Nice and San Remo to get into shape).
Still, the race is becoming one of my favorites. The difficulty of the course ranks it along with Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and should stand the race as Italy's true Classic (not to take anything away from San Remo, which when I had access to Eurosport I eagerly anticipated as the first sign that winter's icy grip was at long last receding). And the final climb toward Lake Como taking the peloton past the approving gaze of Fausto Coppi, seems an appropriate farewell to the season.
Of course, this is also the most under appreciated race in the season. Even serious cycling fans -- which you'd have to be to stumble upon this site -- have already turned their attention to winter pursuits. And except for the European sports dailies like L'Equipe or Gazzedto Dello Sport, coverage -- even in Europe -- will be in monthly magazines, meaning the race will be prominently featured next to a fashion preview of the latest down jackets to wear during your January fat burning rides.
It is unfortunate, too, because the efforts at the race are similarly discounted. Cunego's Giro victory last year will probably be remebered, but for the tifosi, the mosre impressive win was his confirmation at Lombardy. Outside Italy, the weighting is never as equal.
Similarly, although Bettini's win Saturday was all the more impressive because the race always seemed just that bit out of his ability, his efforts in the Spring Classic will always be regarded as the highlights of his career. Indeed, this season where he went without victory in the Classics until October will likely be rung up as a failure (or euphemestically as "disappointing").
It's unfortunate and also unfair -- to both the race and the rider.
The race stands now almost as something of an anachronism. Not in the sense of Paris-Roubaix, which perennially raises the question of why the UCI continues to condone such insanity. With Lombardy, rather, looking at the palmares one is struck by the changes in the pro calendar. The winners back in the "Good Old Days" were often the same riders winning the Spring's Monuments some 6 months' prior. Of course in these days, most of those riders hung up the wheels for the season weeks if not months ago. Or those filling out the numbers are either here out of a sense of obligation (Di Luca) or seeking redemption (Cunego).
Because of this transformation in the calendar, the Tour of Lombardy has lost some of its poetic value as the end of the season. Most of the protagonists were still in their training regimens when the Classics season got underway at the nearby resort town of San Remo (whereas previously "training" was riding Paris-Nice and San Remo to get into shape).
Still, the race is becoming one of my favorites. The difficulty of the course ranks it along with Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and should stand the race as Italy's true Classic (not to take anything away from San Remo, which when I had access to Eurosport I eagerly anticipated as the first sign that winter's icy grip was at long last receding). And the final climb toward Lake Como taking the peloton past the approving gaze of Fausto Coppi, seems an appropriate farewell to the season.
Of course, this is also the most under appreciated race in the season. Even serious cycling fans -- which you'd have to be to stumble upon this site -- have already turned their attention to winter pursuits. And except for the European sports dailies like L'Equipe or Gazzedto Dello Sport, coverage -- even in Europe -- will be in monthly magazines, meaning the race will be prominently featured next to a fashion preview of the latest down jackets to wear during your January fat burning rides.
It is unfortunate, too, because the efforts at the race are similarly discounted. Cunego's Giro victory last year will probably be remebered, but for the tifosi, the mosre impressive win was his confirmation at Lombardy. Outside Italy, the weighting is never as equal.
Similarly, although Bettini's win Saturday was all the more impressive because the race always seemed just that bit out of his ability, his efforts in the Spring Classic will always be regarded as the highlights of his career. Indeed, this season where he went without victory in the Classics until October will likely be rung up as a failure (or euphemestically as "disappointing").
It's unfortunate and also unfair -- to both the race and the rider.
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Retired cycling stars Laurent Jalabert and Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel demonstrated their ability in a different sporting arena last weekend, participating in the famed ING New York City Marathon. In his first-ever attempt at a marathon, the now 36 year-old Jalabert completed the 26.2 mile (42.16 km) course in an excellent time of 2 hours, 55 minutes and 39 seconds - good enough for 391st place among a field of 36,894 runners!
# posted by 
: 3:00 AM
: 3:00 AM
Wow!!! Professional Athlete of the year...who would have guessed it???
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/13483250.htm
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/13483250.htm
# posted by : 11:45 AM
: 11:45 AM
Well, looking into the link published above, it seems that this is only for the South Carolina pro-athlete of the year. Of course, you had to read 18 paras into it (and past some crap about Hincapie having been "The Man" in the Classics for some years now -- compared to whom? Sciandri?). But it seems that a dispute within the state of their local NASCAR heros getting just a mite too big for their britches led to Hincapie getting the nod by default.
Anyway, raining here, and my rollers are getting wet on the front porch. So much for the passing thought of trying to race collegiate in the spring. Reading period now and have to write two papers and take one final before the end of the month.
After that's done, I'll be back to blog about the sorry mess that is the pro cycling circuit. In other words, forget anything positive I may have written here about Heras.
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Anyway, raining here, and my rollers are getting wet on the front porch. So much for the passing thought of trying to race collegiate in the spring. Reading period now and have to write two papers and take one final before the end of the month.
After that's done, I'll be back to blog about the sorry mess that is the pro cycling circuit. In other words, forget anything positive I may have written here about Heras.
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