Cycling 2022

[Aceon6]

A sad opening to this season‘s thread. Egan Bernal was training in Colombia and hit a parked bus at high speed suffering spinal and leg injuries. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/egan-bernal-undergoes-complex-but-successful-spinal-surgery/
Prayers that he does well in the next few, critical days.

 

[Garden Kitty]

The accident sounded awful, but it was good to hear he made it through the spinal surgery successfully.

And apparently skaters aren't the only ones who like POTC

 

[Garden Kitty]

It's behind a paywall, but loved Jason Gay's column about the Cyclocross World Championships in Arkansas this weekend.

Bikes are a life mission for Arkansans like Quirk, as well as Bentonville, Ark.’s Tom and Steuart Walton, brothers and cycling obsessives who are, yes, part of the Walton family of Walmart fame.
Tom Walton says the organizers thought “landing an event like this would set us up for what we want to become in the future: A place that holds world-class bike races across all disciplines.”

Walton thinks Fayetteville is ready.

“I feel good about the amount of cowbells,” Walton says.

 

[MacMadame]

More cowbells!

 

[Tesla]

More cowbells!

Here you go:

more cowbell

 

[Garden Kitty]

Article from the Wall Street Journal (I think it's paywall blocked) about how social media has become essential to athletes, but can also have negative impacts. It has a discussion regarding cyclist Geoff Kabush who had a post go viral asking if there is a place for athletes who don't care about social media:

“I hope there is still room for young athletes who have performance goals without follower or subscriber goals,” Kabush wrote. “Not everyone is cut out for the online drive and pressure.”

They mentioned how some sponsors or even events evaluate media presence

He joined Twitter in 2009 and Instagram in 2012. At the time, neither platform played a big role in marketing. But over the past five years, many athletic sponsorship contracts have begun including stipulations about how frequently athletes must post to social media, metric targets and new tools that try to evaluate how athletes perform on social media.

But he decided to speak out when he became concerned social media was becoming a barrier to entry for some athletes. An off-road cycling race series scheduled for later this year asked athletes whether they would serve as ambassadors during the event as a part of the application to participate in the competition. The application also asked the cyclists to list their social-media usernames.

The article also mentions the complicated relationship with social media that athletes who are having struggles can face

In setting out her intimate feelings on a highly public platform, Shiffrin found some sympathy, but also hostility. So did Vincent Zhou, the American figure skater, when he posted an emotional video describing his devastation that on the eve of his main event at the Olympics he would not be vying for a medal because he was locked in a hotel room after testing positive for Covid.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Trek DS Yaroslav Popovych has gone back to his native Ukraine to help refugees and rider Quinn Simmons is raising money to help Popo with his efforts.

Skujins: I have to be vocal about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, everybody does

Quinn Simmons raising funds to help DS Popovych's evacuation efforts

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[Garden Kitty]

Jan Ullrich auctioning off one of his TdF bikes for Ukraine relief efforts. Current bid is over 25,000 Euros.

I know his sordid past, but I've always had a soft spot for Jan and have wished him well with his battles with depression.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Big win for Biniam Girmay at Gent-Wevelgem. Young rider and first African champ. He was joined by the country's cycling champs when he returned to Eritrea after the race and there was a celebratory parade from the airport.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Tony Martin auctioning off his Olympic sliver medal to raise money for a German charity helping Ukrainian children.

"It's not easy to separate me from the biggest trophy I could win in my career," Martin, 36, wrote on Instagram, "but considering the fact that millions of people lost almost everything, it is something I really want to do!"

 

[Garden Kitty]

Tony Martin auctioning off his Olympic sliver medal to raise money for a German charity helping Ukrainian children.

The medal sold for Euro 35,000 at auction to a German fitness supplement company, and the company than returned the medal to Tony Martin. Very nice gesture (and probably better publicity than if they had just kept the medal).

Highest bidder of the Tony Martin Olympic medal auction returns medal to Martin

The time trialist's selfless act rewarded with €35,000 in funds raised and a return of his medal

www.cyclingweekly.com

 

[Garden Kitty]

Biniam Girmay makes history at the Giro

Unfortunately, he then hit himself in the eye with a prosecco cork on the podium and was taken to the hospital. No call yet if he'll start tomorrow.

 

[Aceon6]

Biniam Girmay makes history at the Giro

Unfortunately, he then hit himself in the eye with a prosecco cork on the podium and was taken to the hospital. No call yet if he'll start tomorrow.

He had to scratch.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Disappointed that Cavendish won't be at the TdF. I understand the team's reason for the decision, but wanted to see him have a chance to go for the record.

On the plus side, he just won the British National Road Racing Championship for the second time.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Tour Day Schmalz for the 2022 Tour

 

[Aceon6]

For those in the US who used to watch Le Tour on NBCSN, its new home is USA Network. The stage 1 broadcast starts at 9:30 eastern.

eta, and there’s a new app to follow along in real time. I hope that means less refreshing and more timely updates.

 

[Garden Kitty]

The last day of the Tour is always so scenic. The long string of riders going by the Louvre, the French air force with the flyover, and the scenes on the Champs. This has been one of the best races in recent memory with the yellow really in question until the last mountain stage. If anything, this Tour has increased my appreciation for Tadej - he handled the disappointment with such class and grace.

 

[Aceon6]

It was a great Tour. I’m very happy with the result, especially with Phillipsen beating Groenewegen to the line today. I still haven’t gotten over Groen nearly killing Jacobsen at the Tour of Poland.

I will be sports bereft now. In the last two weeks, I’ve watched the British Open, Le Tour, and World Athletics. Having gym next weekend helps. Normally, I’d be really excited for US Swimming, but Worlds are done and dusted, so it’s not very high stakes.

 

[Garden Kitty]

I was originally rooting for Jonas to upset Tadej just because I don't like one person dominating without competition for years. But then Jonas and Jumbo became so dominant, I started rooting for Tadej to at least win the stages. I'd like to see them on an even level for years to come - it certainly makes the race more interesting.

I like gymnastics although I don't follow it as closely. But the US Classic is next weekend and it should be fun to see the "new faces" for this quad.

 

[text_skate]

I didn't watch most of the Tour. Mostly because of my work schedule. The other reason: an uneasy feeling. Jumbo Visma (former Rabobank) reminds me quite a lot of the Blue Train aka US Postal. They're performing even better and on a broader scale.
I did follow the results and read articles. Always enjoy Philippa York's take

 

[Aceon6]

Sepp Kuss is out of La Vuelta with a Covid negative fever. I doubt Roglic can move up without him. Evenepol also lost a teammate today, but not someone as critical as Sepp.

 

[Garden Kitty]

I haven't been watching the Vuelta each day, but I have heard there have been a lot of Covid positives. Sorry to hear about Sepp.

 

[Aceon6]

Roglic crashed out yesterday at high speed in a bunch sprint to the line. He had built enough time on the leader to take the red jersey today, but the head to toe road rash and whatever else happened prevented him from starting today.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Mark Cavendish announced this will be his last season. I'll miss him in the peloton, but it's hard for a sprinter to stay competitive. I'm so glad he had his "revival Tour" in 2021 to tie the record after such an extended illness. I wish he could have ridden last year, but understand the team's decision. He's been around for so much of my time as a cycling fan, and I love how he always shows his emotions and appreciation for his team.

 

[Garden Kitty]

One more thing to make me feel old, Enzo HIncapie (George's son) just won the US Championship road race in the 15-16 age category.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Bahrain-Victorius's Gino Mader, a 26 year old Swiss cyclist, dies after a crash at the Tour de Suisse. A sad reminder that cycling can be a very dangerous sport.

Cyclist Mäder dies after crashing down ravine

Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder has died after being found unconscious following a crash down a ravine at his home Tour de Suisse race. He was 26.

www.espn.com

 

[Aceon6]

Bahrain-Victorius's Gino Mader, a 26 year old Swiss cyclist, dies after a crash at the Tour de Suisse. A sad reminder that cycling can be a very dangerous sport.

Cyclist Mäder dies after crashing down ravine

Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder has died after being found unconscious following a crash down a ravine at his home Tour de Suisse race. He was 26.

www.espn.com

He was such an important part of team BV. RIP.

 

[Cachoo]

That is sad. It sounds like a tough season so far. I do see where another rider had cautioned that this descent was particularly hazardous. Mader and the other rider were clear down at the bottom on those stones.