A Rose by Any Other Name…

Following the lead of the Giro, ASO has already 86’ed Astana from the 2008 Tour de France and it looks like they will be missing out on Paris-Nice and all other ASO races (Paris-Roubaix, Fleche Wallonne, and LBL among others). Team High Road (formerly T-Mobile), is free and clear to race in 2008 as they are a restructured their entire team and program; very similar to what Astana has done. The only differences are that T-HiRoad changed their name (as they lost the main sponsor) and relocated to California. Astana kept the same sponsor and location; yet totally overhauled their entire roster and program. Simple solution: Name change.

Rabobank and Cofidis, two other teams that had “issues” in the 2007 Tour are free and clear to race in ASO races for 2008 due to the way in which they handled their respective situations (Rabobank kicking the Chicken to the curb and Cofidis leaving the Tour after Moreni’s positive).

None of this makes much sense. I don’t buy into the conspiracy theory of keeping the strongest team off the course; but there is definitely some criteria that the rest of us, outside the ASO, are not privy to…

A bummer for Levi, Contador, and the rest of the Baby Blue Crew, but such is life. The Vuelta seems to be waiting with open arms…

Slow Weekend

The Good Old Days


I have had this DVD for over a year now and can never make it past the 35 minute mark in the 4 times I have attempted to watch this. Maybe it is because I try to take it in at about 3pm on a rainy day; regardless, I end up taking a nap. The Ironic thing about that is I am not even a napper. I mean what could be better that Mapei taking another V in the Jello shot inspired kits? Those kits do give me thoughts to a day gone by when a chunk of the Old Crew met up for a ride one spring morning with two new kids... So new that they didn't know that 45 degrees was too cold for their matching short sleeve Mapei jerseys and shorts and nothign else. That would be even too hard for the Lion of Flanders. I am sure VDB would have no problems; just pop a horse tranquillizer.

Speaking of Museeuw and Tafi, I still think the last 100 meters of 1996 Paris-Roubaix is classic. Museeuw is so paranoid he is going to get jumped by Tafi or Bortolami in spite of the team's orders that he is looking over his shoulder. Maybe it was the particular drug he was on back then. Angel Dust can make one paranoid. But I honestly think "The Lion of Flanders" is quite possibly the most kick-ass nickname a rider could have bestowed upon him. Sure, there is "The Cannibal," "JaJa," "DuDu," "El Diablo," "El Pirata," "Elephantino," just to name a few.