In spite of the high chances of being examined tomorrow about the bloody 'Fraeulein Else', me is here to give you a lot of joy with this useless post. In fact miss Fede doesn't give a **** about the chance of being tested tomorrow because, after being examined on Jack Leopard (better known as Giacomo Leopardi) on Monday and on Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel today, she thinks she's already done too much hard work this week.
Anyway, let's talk about serious things, like, for example, the end of the cycling season. The end of the season which, this year, corresponded to the end of team Sexy Bank, not to be confused with team Saxo Bank. In fact team Saxo Bank will keep on existing also next year, but unfortunately its hottest and best riders are leaving. Therefore, we fangirls won't be able to talk about Sexy Bank anymore (*sniff sniff!*), since the team formerly known with this name will probably lose a lot of his sexyness with the arrival of the new year.
To be more precise, the best (and most good-looking) riders who are leaving Riis and his team are Andy and Frank Schleck, Jakob Fuglsang, Fabian Cancellara, Jens Voigt and Matti Breschel. All the boys I've named (with the exception of Breschel) are joining los Schleck's new team, while Matti is joining Rabobank (will orange affect his sexyness?, Fangirls wonder).
Anyway, fangirls, don't get desperate at all. If you're worried about the disappearance of Sexy Bank, you just have to take a walk on the wild side and become a supporter of the new 'yet to be named' Schleck's team: it is the same thing as Sexy Bank, the only difference is that the bald ds is Brian Nygaard and not Bjarne Riis.
Sounds easy, right? Unfortunately, it isn't. At least, for me joining this new team won't be completely easy. In fact, between the riders who are staying at Saxo Bank there is Chris Anker Sorensen, one of my 3 favourite riders. Therefore, now my problem is: who will I support during the Classics or during the Grand Tours next year? The Schlecks and their team or Chris Anker and the other guys at Saxo? That is the question.
However, let's now talk about another thing. To the joy of those who, like me, feared that the Schlecks' new team could be named 'Leopard True Racing', Brian Nygaard officially said that this won't be the new name of the team (link: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/6155/Team-Schleck-will-not-be-called-Leopard-True-Racing.aspx ). He didn't say the name of the new squadra, but in spite of this I think that Brian gave us a very good news. In fact for me passing from screaming 'Go Go Sexy Bank!' to 'Go go Leopards!' would have been a terrible shock, so I'm glad that Nygaard reassured me by saying tht the team won't be named this way. As well as that, Nygaard also reassured cycling (and fashion) lovers by saying that the new team's kit won't have a leopard print on them. Brian Nygaard, thank you for bringing me this good news.
Talking about the new team and the new kit, however, I expect the team to have red and white kits with the Luxembourgian lion on them. As far as the name of the team is concerned, instead, I think it will be called 'We're the best brothers of the peloton' (although I have to admit that also 'Schleck the best, fuck the rest' would be a good name).
Anyway, let's go back to seriousness. Talking about the new -insert name here- team, then, three new riders officially stated they're going to race for the Schlecks next year. They are Dominic Klemme (another rider who raced for Riis this year), Maxime Monfort and Wouter Weylandts (please notice the wonderful allitterations in the names of these 2 riders).
I'm happy with these new signings because Weylandts is still young and is a tough guy, just like Monfort. Also Klemme showed some very good things in this year Roubaix and I think he'll get even better in this new team.
As far as Saxo Bank is concerned, instead, the new signings are Brian Vandborg and Mads Christiansen.
As far as Saxo Bank is concerned, instead, the new signings are Brian Vandborg and Mads Christiansen.
Talking about the Schlecks, anyway, it is known that they're on holiday right now and I wish them a lot of fun. After such a stressing season, I think they really need to spend some good weeks off of their bikes.
Btw, the boys have recently raced a criterium in Chihuahua which, to the joy of the not-so-anonymous-anymore people who have recently admitted their not-so-secret-anymore passion for Vinokourov, was won by Vino in front of,guess who?, Andy Schleck.
Apropos: the vid of the race will soon be broadcasted at the first international meeting of the people who'll eventually join me at the Vino's therapy, in which they'll be taught how to to cure this very bad (and apparently contagious) disease.
To your sadness, that's all for now folks. I've already wasted enough time and now it seems like I may be able to pull herself together and go studying. Bonne soir!
I'm hoping and praying that little dog was just there to represent the region of Chihuahua (like the St. Bernard dogs at the tour a few years ago).
RispondiEliminaWho in their right mind would present a dog as a podium prize. Sorry, I take that back. I've seen some pretty weird podium prizes over the years.
Brenda
When I saw the small photo, I thought that it was only a mascot. But then I saw that it had been a living dog. Poor doggy, had such a sad snout. I'm sure that in Andy's hand he would feel much better ;)
RispondiEliminaAnia
May be Vino was also disappointed because the dog was so small he couldn't even kill it and make furr of it. (I'm sorry, don't know why I think this way about Vino)
RispondiEliminaBtw, they don't get to keep the dog anyway.
If Andy got that dog, he could put it in a waterbottle and carry it at all races! How cute whould that be?
@ Ila: I think that 'Schleck the best, fuck the rest' could be a very good name too: it has a nice sound and supporters would immediately take it as their personal battle-scream of the season. However I think that the Schlecks are too kind to give a name like that to their team (we supporters instead are a bit meaner than them ;).
RispondiEliminaThank you for pointing out my mistake about the name of the race.In my defense, I must say that I was half asleep while writing this post, so perhaps that's why I made it.Sorry for that anyway.
I'm afraid that, in some weeks time, we may discover some pictures of that poor Chihuahua with a 'Vino 4ever' dog-jacket on. Poor little Chihuhua.
@ Brenda: this year in a race they decided to give a little pig to the winner, so I haven't been that shocked by the little dog. Btw me still wonders how the winner of that race (whose name I've forgotten :P) managed to bring home the pig. I mean, did he put in his car, perhaps on the front seat? Or did he hide it in the team bus?
Also unanimated prizes however can be very disappointing sometimes. For example, at Giro dell'Emilia the winner is given a golden water-bottle and a 'mortadella', a very fat kind of Italian ham. If I won a race and were awarded with a golden water bottle and a mortadella, I'd probably throw them against the race organisers and say them something unpolite.
@ Ania: who wouldn't feel well in Andy's hands (or, better, arms)? ;)
Btw at first I also didn't think it was a living dog. Then I checked again the pictures and realised that Vino actually won a true dog. Well, at least his children will be happy :)
@ Mar: I don't know why, but I often think of Vinokourov as a very evil person too. And I don't know why either.
Do you think Vino's not going to keep the dog and bring it home? Perhaps Vino will think about keeping it if he realises that a dog like that would look wonderful in a 'Vino 4ever' dog-jacket. Moreover, he could name it 'Borat' and have a Kazakhistani flag painted on his fur, couldn't he? Perhaps someone may find a dog with a flag on his fur 'cool' (or, more probably, someone would call the WWF as soon as they saw the poor creature).
Btw, I'm afraid that chihuahuas are too little for Andy. I mean, if he goes hunting in a wood with a chihuahua and his other dog, I think he could lose the chihuahua in the tall grass between the trees. And then, considering that our boy is said to be very absent-minded, I'm afraid he may forgot about his chihuahua and not look for it. But still, it would be very cute to see him at races with a chihuahua in his water-bottle- let's just hope he won't try to drink from it!!
@Fede: don't understimate the value of a mortadella :P it reminds me of local "briscola" tournaments, they have similar prizes ;-)
RispondiEliminaWhen I saw the prize for Chihuahua was a little dog I hoped there were also Criterium Labrador, Alsatian and Shar Pei.
And I imagine Vino as a very cuddly pet owner, so the chihuahua is in good hands :P
I think after your posts I'll support CA Sorensen too; he definitively has the underdog charm.
Ok, let's put an end on this canine comment.
Francesca
Chihuahua's are not for hunting ;)
RispondiEliminaAndy can just take the doggy with him during races and when he's home, I think his mom would love to take care of the little accesory.
But I really should stop my imagination now otherwise it'll be too much for my brains.
Okay one more comment.. Have you seen this pic?
RispondiEliminahttp://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vuelta-chihuahua-criterium-international-ne/photos/146984
Saw it on fuckyeahcycling.tumblr.com and it made me thought about our mixed-feelings-vino-club.
@ Francesca: Unfortunately I don't like mortadella, so if someone awarded me with that for winning a race as hard as Giro dell'Emilia, I would probably react in a very bad way ;)
RispondiEliminaCriterium Labrador and Sharp Pei? I love the idea! And if there were a 'Volpino Italiano' and a 'Bernese Mountain Dog' criterium, I think I could even decide to take part in them (although I wouldn't have many chances of winning them ;)
Chris Anker is a great rider and he also seems a very intelligent and funny person to me. Now he'll probably become one of Saxo Bank's leaders and I think he'll be able to win something important in the next months.
I'm glad that you decided to support him too: my 'Spread the CA love all around!' mission seems to be working! ;)
@ Mar: I think Andy's mum would love to have a little chihuahua. I think that these dogs look a bit like mice or bats, but I'm sure they can be very nice and sweet.
That picture gives us the proof that Vino, as Francesca said, is probably a very cuddly pet owner and tells us that our theories about him were probably wrong. But still, I think he's going to name his Chihuahua 'Borat'.