Two Wheel Blogs

So, let me get this straight. The leader attacks, the group responds, the leader subsequently has a mechanical, and the remaining riders kept on going? What's the big deal? I like Andy Schleck a lot, but what's the basis for pulling over to the side of the road just because the leader has a mishap. If that's the case, why didn't riders pull to the side and wait for the flurry of mechanicals on the cobbles early in the race.

I guess this is the "let's sit in the pack" mentality. How about racing your bikes for a change??? You think in cx or mtb races people aren't going to hit the gas if they know you're having problems. Folks, that's racing. I don't like the outcome either, but you're telling me if Contador hits the deck during the TT, Bjarne Riis isn't going to be screaming in Schleck's ear to hammer his bike???

Two years ago at the Castlewood mountain bike race, while running in a pack of 8 riders, we were chasing down the 2 leaders who had gapped us on lap 1. This was one of the biggest fields in the Sport class and at the time I was swapping places with John Peiffer for 4th and 5th while our group had gapped the remaining 30+ racers by a considerable margin. Approaching the end of the second lap, my tire blew completely off the front rim. In desparation, I tried to throw a tube in the tire, but the rim was so badly chewed up the tire simply wouldn't hold. Should our group of 8 waited for me? Should the leaders have slowed? Absolutely not. At the time I was as mad as a hornet, but that's racing. You know what, I got over it.

No, I'm not saying my potential podium in a Sport class race is the same as the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. I'm simply saying racing produces mishaps and sometimes the mishaps go in your favor and sometimes they don't. If you don't like it, chose another sport.

For what it's worth, I wait for the point where Andy gets his fair break, but until then, let's race.