Intebike 2006

I put on my racing Team WM polo and went with our youth development team president Brent Garrigus to the spectacle of Interbike yesterday in Las Vegas. What a great event! One of my colleagues described to a caller yesterday that I was off to a show in Vegas like a kid in a candy store!

Ok, I'm not a gearhead, but it is fun to walk around and see what everyone is doing. To see some of the new ideas and scratch your head at others. The purpose of our trip was to secure sponsorship for our youth development team Racelab U23 of which I am a part and to which our companies contribute substantially. The doors were opened wide to us, not least in part due to the amazing depiction of some of our kids in Sugoi designed/manufactured clothing. The link above takes you to a page where photos are available. Sugoi, based in Canada, has been an important player in our kid program and honestly speaking, their product is the best we have ever used so far. Quality materials, design, and wearability are consistent. We will probably end up making new jerseys for our touring clients with Sugoi and we have sent other teams their way.

Anyway, back to Interbike. I walked the aisles from show open to close and didn't see it all. I did stop at the Gitabike stand and check out the new Eddy Merckx CHM carbon bike that we will add to our fleet in France next year. This new carbon bike is available at a very good price point but only available in a few common sizes and in sloping geometry. Carbon is definitely the theme and prices are coming down on more basic models across the board; while the bicycle weight on high end frames continues to come down. We saw lots of cruisers out there as well as single speed "fixies" - the other latest fashions in cycling.

I didn't go to the show last year, but it was interesting to see the ongoing fashion in "spiritual" themes. Names like "Deity" and lots of symbolism of dark mythology to goth to outright religious markers were common. Also, lots of slogans like "Gas sucks - ride a bike!" or "No soldiers died to power my bike!", and the like.

Oh, and how could I forget the occassional "models" found at various booths. I swear that some of them had to have been hired directly off the Vegas strip the night before! Well, it is a show, but don't ask me what those booths were selling - I didn't notice!

L

Shorten the Grand Tours

The Seattle Times reported this over the weekend (it is actually all over the place!)
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UCI considers making Tour de France shorter: UCI announced a complete review of its sport, including a possible shortening of the three-week Tour de France.

McQuaid said an independent team of academics would lead a yearlong audit of the sport.

The major tours in France, Italy and Spain have always objected to shortening their schedules, even though critics contend the long and intense season might drive cyclists toward doping.

McQuaid insisted the powerful tour organizers would have to adapt to the changes if the audit recommends a shorter schedule.

McQuaid contends Pound lacks credibility: The head of the world cycling federation called for the dismissal of Dick Pound, World Anti-Doping Agency chief.

"The sooner he is out of that job, the better," UCI president Pat McQuaid said Saturday at the world road championships in Salzburg, Austria. "As far as we are concerned, he lacks complete credibility. He has his knife in the sport of cycling."

When cycling was hit by a doping scandal at the outset of this year's Tour de France, Pound said the sport's image "was in the toilet." He said the situation was so bad that he would advise children to pick up other sports instead and said cycling had been in denial about the extent of the problem.

McQuaid said he has written to the WADA board, requesting Pound curtail his statements.
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Ha Ha Ha - good one! First, I can't wait to see what the "academics" come up with! A 10,000 page volume and history of sport and why shortening the races will be the answer to doping. And I suppose this will have reverberations into other sports plagued with doping such as shortening the 100m sprint? Shortening the outfield fences in baseball? Shortening the fairways in golf! (oops, they aren't doping yet are they??)

Good point above: Get rid of Dick Pound! No academics needed to justify that one!

L

Watching the Vuelta

Did anyone watch the Vuelta, and if you did, would you consider traveling to Spain to see it in person? Personally, I missed most of it but gathered a few headlines from various feeds I watch. Nice to see Vino come out on top, but I cannot quite agree with the assessment of no "medical" controversies. They may have been none only to prevent further problems for the sport. Just my opinion.

L


By Robert Sachs:

Veterans make their mark in this year's Vuelta à España

Spain's premier road race came to an exciting climax on Sunday the 17th, with seasoned riders Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) and Erik Zabel (Germany) winning the acclaim of the cheering Madrid crowd. Vinokourov's no stranger to big-event podiums, but at 33 this was his first victory at a major Tour race. Three years his senior, Zabel broke away from the pack of sprinters in a mad dash to the finish line to take home his second stage victory.

After July's Tour de France and the ensuing cloud cast over the merit of Landis' victory, the 2006 Vuelta was not marred by any medical suspicions and featured the kind of competitive, heady team riding that makes these three-week European races so enjoyable to follow. Second-place finisher and local favorite Alejandro Valverde looked unbeatable during the early stages, and the duel between the Spaniard and the Kazak continued back and forth until the final blow was delivered during the penultimate stage's time trial at Rivas Vaciamadrid just outside Madrid.

For a look at the final standings, check out: Final Standings

The top 5 spots were occupied by two Kazaks and three Spaniards, but Discovery's Thomas Danielson was right there within a couple minutes of the leaders…

The coming of Autumn

Change of seasons - Autumn and the Truffle

With the first chilly mornings of autumn just around the corner, France's truffle industry is looking forward to the beginning of its season. I guess you could hardly call the art of truffle hunting and the way this "noble" mushroom is bought and sold an industry. The centuries-old tradition of local farmers training their sows to sniff out the delicacy still thrives, as does the image throughout market towns of southwest and southeast France once December rolls around of the wily old "truffier" carrying a burlap sack full of his season's harvest of "black diamonds". At prices upwards of 600 euros a kilo, no wonder we only see small specks of the divine mushroom during a couple of fancy meals out and probably wouldn't even take note if we happened to spot a clump of round, dark brownish and rough-skinned fungus near the oak tree on the forested path. Like with many of France's prestige gastronomic produce, output is down, prices are soaring, with each region boasting the merits of its indigenous strain, and harvesters and negociants in unison reminding consumers to beware of cheap imitations coming from abroad (China in this case).

So, if you ever got your hands on just a few grams of this culinary delight, how you may ask could you best appreciate its savors? Should it be eaten raw or cooked. While truffle purists will insist on making the experience as close to the natural state as possible, by spreading a thin slice on toast, much like you would with foie gras, it's more common to appreciate that special fragrance with an egg or pasta backdrop ("omelette aux truffes" and "ravioles aux truffes" are standard favorites).

Intrigued? To help curious visitors better understand this legendary mainstay in French gastronomy, next time you're in Paris think of stopping in at the Maison de la Truffe (www.maison-de-la-truffe.fr/) near the place de la Madeleine (why not combine the visit with the tantalizing Maison Fauchon nearby). Closer to the source, there's the Ecomusée de la Truffe in the Périgord region (in the village of Sorges). Should you happen to be around the Provençal town of Carpentras on market day (Friday) during wintertime, truffle stalls are abuzz as this spot has gained notoriety as the heart and soul of the Provence truffle trade.

Like to share any experiences you've had with truffles, in the forests, at the market or in your kitchen…

This is a post written by our newly relocated contributor, Robert Sachs. Just relocated to Boulder, CO from Bourgogne (Burgundy) where they know something about good wine and cuisine!

Note: Cycling during "truffle season" may be difficult, but hardy souls on foot can be accommodated - let us know if you'd like to go Truffle hunting with a local "hunter" this fall/winter!

Sept 11 Commemoration Bonanza

5 years ago today - tragedy. And profits. I just ready a story about the morality in profiting from the Sept 11 tragedy; mostly critical but also pointing out that this can also be helpful in many ways. For example the donations to charities of the proceeds made from various projects. Yea, ok, I can buy that. I never really stopped to think about the profiteering; it somehow seemed natural in our world now where any chance to play on people's emotions is an opportunity.

Today, I think I'm already tired of the ceremonies and promotions. I mean no disrespect to families of victims, but its overdone. Too much, stop, enough. Does anyone not remember the day? Do we have to relive that day every Sept 11 from now on? I'm not suggesting anyone forget, but not to simply scare. Politicians - ultimate profiteers of the event - appear benign but are even more disgusting than money profiteers...don't even get me started!

How does this relate to biking and walking travel in this blog? Directly - it doesn't. Indirectly, the more fearful we are and the more closed to other culture we are, the more dangerous the world becomes. And by WE, I mean humans. Fortunately, humans are a diverse species, not all acting in the same manner. In the years since 9/11/01; our sales have been the best in our 13 years. The only exception was that dark year of 2003 of Anti French sentiment. (hmmm, hindsight...) So, terrorism as prevalent and awful as it is, has not totally defeated the human instict to travel to other places. So, take what you will from the many commemorations today, but don't be afraid to get out and learn about your world - it will be a better place if you do.

L

Got your passport? Of course you do!!

New passport requirements will go into effect January 8, 2007. But, if you travel to Europe and other foreign destinations outside North America, you should already be set. The new requirements will eliminate the old birth certificate method of border crossing for US citizens into Canada, Caribbean, and Mexico. There are some other new rules too concerning green card holders. So what, you ask?

Really, so what! What is the big deal? If you go abroad, you have a passport! Simple. Lots of noise has been made that this will impact travel between these North American countries and that cruise lines may be hurt by this. Apparently, only 25% of the US citizens have passports. But I have to ask; why would you rather carry a birth certificate and drivers license? Paper and card? A passport is the best form of ID issued; and you can use it again and again for 10 years? Get it done and you can go anywhere (just about!). Other than the fees required and the time to process passports, I really can't see what there is to complain about?!

See link above to State Department website for official policy change.

L