Monday Musette - Pavé News, Cyclocross, Service Courses, and UCI Record-Keeping

I’ll begin with some big news for Pavé. I’m pleased to announce that ace international cycling photographers Stefano Sirotti and Tim Van Wichelen will be providing images from the 2010 cycling season. Stefano’s contributions will begin shortly as he’s currently covering the Tour Down Under. Tim’s first major date is cyclocross Worlds in 2 weeks—but who knows what goodies he might offer between now and then. All in all, I’m hoping this is just the start of what we’re hoping will be a big year here at Pavé. As always, thanks for your continued reading and commenting—you’re the inspiration for all we do. (Oh boy, I’m starting to sound like Peter Cetera).

As for the rest of the Monday Musette:

1. All signs point to a serious showdown in Tabor, Czech Republic two weeks from now as the majority of the favorites for a cyclocross World Title are rounding themselves into form. Hometown favorite Zdenek Stybar took the World Cup honors in Roubaix yesterday, with Belgians Klaas Vantornout and Sven Nijs in 2nd and 3rd respectively. I'll leave the bulk of the commentary to Erik and his Wednesday Cross Report, but did you notice Erwin Vervecken and Bart Wellens in 4th and 5th place at less than a minute behind Stybar? These are two men not to be discounted in Tabor. Both have won Worlds before (Verwecken 3 times—once in Tabor—and Wellens twice) and both have the savvy and skill required to pull-off what some would consider a slight upset (not me). Furthermore, both have something to prove: Vervecken’s retiring and would love to go out with a bang; Wellens is eager to remind us that he still deserves to be mentioned with the giants of the sport. Working against them? They're Belgian--their biggest challenge might simply be making the team.

2. Last week, VeloNews provided a terrific glimpse behind the scenes at the Garmin-Transitions Service Course in Girona, Spain. It’s tough to imagine the amount of preparation that goes into running a professional cycling team—especially when you’re doing it on two continents. Do you have any idea how much space 22,000 water bottles occupy? Well, now you do.

Garmin’s mechanics face an additional challenge this year, as longtime wheel sponsor Zipp is out and Mavic is in. As a result, several hundred fresh tubulars will need to be glued—if you’re at a race hotel restaurant any time between now and May, Garmin’s mechanics should be easy to spot: they’ll be the ones with the menus sticking to their fingers.

And I wonder what Mavic will give them for the Classics? Raise your hand if you’d love to see an updated version of these Classics!

3. And lest we forget, there’s racing this week! Team Sky’s Greg Henderson took the season’s first blood, winning yesterday’s Cancer Council Helpline Classic. It was an impressive victory for Sky, albeit one that came after only 51km of racing. Things begin in earnest tomorrow, as the “real” racing gets underway in Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under. My pick for the overall win? André Greipel. My dark horse? Chris Sutton.

4. I’ve started writing Pavé’s team-by-team 2010 season preview and pre-season ranking (to be unveiled soon), and while printing rosters from the UCI’s website, I noticed something. Anyone missing? A quick perusal of other rosters revealed more errors, although none as glaring as omitting a former Tour de France champion and one of the sport’s hottest young talents. Next thing you know an 8-year-old boy will show-up on the USA’s No-Fly List! Thank heavens for Cycling Quotient.

5. And finally, are you going to NAHBS? We are; and while I’m not yet sure what the plan will be, I’d love to arrange some sort of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad viewing event. Any ideas?

As always, share your thoughts below.

Pavé Interview - Jeremy Dunn - Part 2

Here's the second half of a recent interview we conducted with Embrocation and Rapha's Jeremy Dunn.  You can read Part 1 here.
 

 Photo by Daniel Wakefield Pasley

11. Tell us a little about your bikes—what are you riding?  

Well, my Rapha Continental bike was elegantly made by Richard Sachs.   My road bike was hand crafted in Switzerland by the fine folks at BMC.   Embrocation Racing cyclocross bikes for the last few years had been custom made by Igleheart. I've been pretty lucky to be have found a dear friend in Chris, he makes AMAZING bicycles...so I also have a 29er that he fashioned for me. It’s called the "Guilt Trip" for two reasons; one of those is because I don't get to ride it as much as I want to.

This year we have had the amazing fortune to be riding Custom Painted Ridley X-Fire bikes. I have never ridden carbon during cross season, so this is a new one for me as well. A little bit of a departure from the one-off custom guys, but it is always good to try something new and these machines do not disappoint.

Photo by Jeremy Dunn

When I was in Belgium this past spring I had the chance to tour the Ridley Factory, and I while I was there someone said “you have a cyclocross team right?” I said “yes” to that and the wheels started turning.

They are a great crew, the people from Ridley and they have done a great job of equipping us with some hands down AMAZING bicycles. Plus, it feels like we’re part of the Belgian cyclocross tradition at this point as well, and that never hurts.

12. What’s your favorite piece of “classic” equipment?      

I was always a fan of the old Shimano logo. The one with the green light blue and navy blue stripes. Good stuff color wise. Equipment? Mavic rims. I have this Mavic rim display at home that has cross sections of all the rims at the time. Very useful selling tool I might add.   Tubulars are also nice. Are they considered "classic?"    I also have a Lemond steel bike that apparently was made by someone named Pegoretti? I think he's Italian. In any case, it’s a very nice road bike.

13. Any heroes or role models—both cycling and non-cycling?  

Heroes, eh? That is always a funny question I think. The way I approach heroes is this: find some amazing qualities in the people, and then surround yourself with these people. Make sure that you interact with them as much as possible and in a genuine way and the experiences that come out of this are going to be hero worthy. Therefore, I have a lot of heroes. So, here goes:

My parents Dan and Kathy have always been my heroes. They are both teachers in many senses of the word and have impressed the "learning" vibe on me. Plus, they're both really into supporting everything that I'm into, so that always helps. And they're awesome and hilarious, so there's that too.

Peter Rubijono. He knows how to go into the dark places not only with his artwork, but also with his bicycle riding. I've been riding with him for years now and it’s amazing to see what comes out of both creative outlets for him. But the best part?  He knows how to come back from those places to hang-out and be a great friend too.

Slate Olson and Carey Schleicher-Haselhorst are also heroes of mine. It is pretty compelling to see what they have done with the Rapha brand in only a few short years; I feel pretty lucky to be involved with the two of them. Slate is always coming up with these race ideas and Carey has the design sensibility to make them look abso-freakin’-lutely amazing. Any of the design stuff that you see coming out of the U.S. office is all her.

James Morrison is my business partner when it comes to the Embrocation side of things. We like to call it a Creative/Business separation. I just come up with crazy ideas and he figures-out how to make them reality. He is really good with all that stuff. At some point along the way I realized that I couldn't do all of this on my own and James happened to be standing there saying "well, I think I could help fill that void." Plus, he can tear my legs-off on any road ride around...

…I could go on and on about all the people that are heroes to me. It is a seriously involved list.

14. Got anything in the creative pipeline we can look forward to?

Well, yes, of course, there is always something, is there not? I have been working on a few things that should drop around Christmas holiday. I have also been experimenting with this idea of putting out the publication entirely by myself, like, all my writing and all my photos… I know, it sounds incredibly vain, but an experiment nonetheless. Something like Edward Bair’s The Art Of Eating, although I just saw the new issue and it looks like he has other contributors as well.

The Rapha Continental is developing quite nicely as well. I have a feeling that you will be seeing quite a bit more of these guys this coming summer. We have the usual Gentleman’s Race’s planned for both coasts, but it sounds like we are going to be hitting some of the iconic American Cycling Events around the country. Things like that now-famous D2R2 and Ragbrai and Cycle Oregon. Which, I have to say, if the Continental has taught me one thing it would be something about Community, so I am excited to participate in these classic rides.

Then there is the matter of NAHBS this year too. I have yet to hear if they are going to approve my press pass, so, we shall see how that goes. Although I am interested in seeing what the town of Richmond has to offer. Should be good.

15. And finally, what comes to mind when you hear the word “pavé”?  

Nothing. Literally, my mind goes blank.  When I finally had the opportunity to ride the cobbles that were Flanders, Gent and Paris-Roubaix my mind went blank. I thought about all the stuff that people had said. That you, in fact, had said leading up to the moment when I hit the cobbles. But I think the best way I can describe it is that my mind went completely blank. Your brain rattles in your head and you can't focus for a second.  Pavé. What a word. 


Boonen Coming Through from j. dunn on Vimeo.

Thanks for the time, Jeremy--I know you’re a busy fella.  We’re looking forward to reading/seeing/riding what you’ve got in store!

Monday Musette

Lot's to look at today:

1. Did you see that Mavic is adding tires to its repertoire? Call me a cynic, but don't these look eerily similar to Specialized's open tubulars--which look eerily similar to Vittoria's EVO KS?

2. Did you know that VDB has a posse? Well, he does. And soon it will have t-shirts (because nothing says "posse" more than matching t-shirts).

3. Do you happen to live in Stockholm? Are you looking for a fixed gear for all your winter fitness needs? If you answered yes to both, then this is for you. A pretty nice bike if you ask me.

4. Here's a great set of images featuring the Mongolian Cyclocross Team and their ambassador/benefactor/host/godfather, Johan "Those Aren't Plugs" Museeuw. All kidding aside, this is a great program that certainly extends the boundaries of cyclocross way beyond its traditional borders.

5. RKP published an interview with the man behind ATMO, Richard Sachs. I'm not sure what's more interesting--the interview itself or the comments it sparked.

6. Domestique and El Cyclista are two terrific sites I stumbled upon recently. Check them out and add them to your regular reading. I love El Cyclista's kit!

7. And last but not least, while we're on the subject of kit--you have 2 weeks left to get some Pavé kit of your own. The order form is here. Contact us with questions.
That's it for today--enjoy your Monday!

Monday Musings - Dauphiné Wrap-up, Suisse Begins, and the Dope Show

1. We're in the thick of the Pre-Tour build-up races and this past week's Dauphiné-Libéré didn't disappoint. Let's back our way down the final GC:

--Alejandro Valverde won another Dauphiné thanks to a superb effort on Mont Ventoux. Given his pending absence from the Tour's start list and a possible worldwide ban, one couldn't help but wonder if this might have been Valverde's last hurrah for a year or two. In my opinion, assuming he's not suspended from competition anywhere other than Italy, missing the Tour might just be the best thing for him. Why? Well, having won the Dauphiné in such fashion, Valverde and his entourage can now boast about "what might have been”, without having to face the reality of his inevitable French collapse. At this rate, Valverde and his team should hope for the best regarding a possible worldwide ban, then put all his remaining eggs in the Vuelta/World’s basket later this year.

--Cadel Evans rode yet another consistent race to yet another 2nd place. Does Evans’ style remind anyone else of Jan Ullrich? I might be alone on this one, but I’m just not convinced that Cadel has the stuff to win the Tour, namely, he doesn't have the acceleration to match the pure climbers, and he can’t time trial well enough to put the time he needs into the likes of other GC contenders—namely, Alberto Contador.

--Speaking of Alberto, he could be bluffing, but the Spaniard seems to be on track for another July victory. He was clearly riding within himself throughout the week, seemingly gauging his efforts on those of his rivals. This might not be such a big deal were it not for the fact that he rides for Johan Bruyneel, a director known for the perfect timing his riders’ performances.

--Robert Gesink rode well in the mountains to ultimately finish 4th. His role in the Tour will be interesting considering the presence of Denis Menchov. Actually, Menchov’s might take some pressure off the squirrelly climber, ultimately launching him to what could prove to be the best Dutch GC placing in years.

--Liquigas better start saving it’s money. Vincenzo Nibali rode with the favorites all week—both against the clock and when the race went uphill. In doing so, he’s become Italy’s newest GC-darling. With Roman Kreuzinger well-placed for a repeat-win in the Tour de Suisse, there will be plenty of suitors ready to over-pay for their services in 2010. With Franco Pellizotti coming to France following his 3rd place in the Giro, Liquigas will have—on paper at least—one of the race’s most dynamic line-ups. A Top-5 finish is not out of the realm of possibility for these two in what could turn-out to be the last time they enter a stage race without the pressure of being mentioned with the major favorites.

--David Millar rode himself to a 9th place finish, consistently placing well in both the time trials and the mountains. But hold-on before you start dusting-off your Union Jack—Millar is not a GC contender at the Tour. To me, his Dauphiné showing puts him on track for a transitional stage win, and maybe for a good showing in the Prologue (if he starts early and Cancellara gets a flat or is rained-on). That's it.

--It was heartening to see David Moncoutie and Pierrick Fedrigo win stages in the Alps. They’ll be carrying their nation’s hopes for a stage win in the Tour along with Thomas Voeckler and Sebastien Joly. Look for one of these four to win the French Championship in 2 weeks.

--And finally, how about BMC’s Brent Bookwalter? While his overall placing wasn’t too impressive, he rode at the front all week, and certainly turned some heads at key points in the race. Could a Pro Tour ride be in his future?

--One general thought before moving-on: if you by any chance caught the Versus coverage of yesterday’s stage, you surely saw at least one of the network’s “Can Anything Stop Lance” TDF commercials. Here’s a bigger question: can anything stop Versus from failing to acknowledge the 179 other riders competing in this year’s race? Yes, Lance’s return offers a fascinating sub-plot, but will Evans, Contador, Sastre, and the Schleck’s be reduced to the role of supporting characters in another Lance love-fest? Hopefully, Versus will get it right once the race begins.

2. The Tour de Suisse is under way with the final set of July contenders testing their legs. Roman Kreuzinger and the Schleck brothers have the most to prove, perhaps more so against the clock than in the mountains. All three will need to improve significantly in the time trial in order to have a real hope of challenging the other big favorites. Sunday’s final stage offers a 39km test around Bern. While the overall might be decided by then, it will be interesting to see the times these three can produce. I’m also eager to see the return of Christian Vande Velde as he seeks the last bit of form he’ll need to prove his Tour last year wasn’t a fluke. And don't forget Lars Boom. I'll peg him now for the win in the final TT; anything more than that and someone might make him a non-CX offer he can't refuse. We’ll do our best over the coming days to keep you aware of live streams when available.

3. A new feature went up last week on Rapha's Features page. It's a terrific run-down of what to expect from next month's Etape du Tour finishing atop Mont Ventoux. Regardless of whether you're riding the Etape or not, it's a terrific article with wonderful writing and photography. Read it here.

4. And now some doping! By now you’ve read at least one article about Bernhard Kohl’s L’Equipe interview and the UCI’s bio-diabolical passport program. If you haven’t, you should go here and here.

While I won’t re-hash what’s already been said, I will make one point. Kohl’s assertion that the UCI passport gives riders extra information which enables them to dope more effectively seems to support a contention I’ve held for quite some time: for every 1 dollar/Euro that goes into the research and development of methods to fight doping (in any sport), there are at least 2 dollars/Euro’s going into the research and development of ways to continue to do it without getting caught.

At some point, maybe we should just go back to the days of urine testing for amphetamines and anabolic steroids. Besides, the UCI doesn’t seem to be overly concerned about handling positive tests on a consistent basis anyway, leaving it to the national federations and teams to make the choices that it—the UCI—is too afraid to make on its own.

5. Things that make you go "Hmmm...": Check-out this photo of Cadel Evans climbing Ventoux. I could be wrong, but doesn't that look like a Powertap Computer on his handlebar? Do you see a Powertap rear hub? Would someone like to share how this is possible? I'm sure there's an explanation out there somewhere; I just have yet to read it.

UPDATE from an anonymous reader: "Cadel is using a CycleOps Cervo -- he can swap in and out his PowerTap wheel whenever he likes because of its Ant+ compatibility."

You can read more here.

6. Finally, some scary writing and photography in the "Good Wheels Gone Bad" department for fans of Mavic's R-Sys wheels. Ben Delaney from Velonews writes here about the explosion of his front Mavic R-Sys wheel. (Yes, he was riding it at the time.) Scary stuff indeed.

On that note, enjoy your week!