Another interesting thing is that my Italian teacher has recently lent me a book about sport that should give me inspiration for the research that I have to take to my final high school exam. Said book has a lot of things about cycling and this morning this fact caused me to scream: 'Poulidor!!! Anquetil!!! Ganna!!! Izoard!!! Desgrange!!!' for the whole school break (15 minutes), causing my friends to wonder what the problem with me was.
Anyway, these two things aren't the reasons why I'm writing this entry. Simply, the reason is the following: Gazzetta has published some very interesting things over the last two days and here you have some of them.
CONTADOR'S BAN:
First of all, you probably know that Alberto Contador is likely to get a 1 year ban for his clenbuterol positivity.
Personally, I'm not that happy with that. In fact there are many cycists who, over the last years, resulted positive at the anti-doping because they had made mistakes with food or so, but they all received a 2 year ban.
That was the case of Radioshack's chinese rider Fuyu Li, who resulted positive at Clenbuterol last year and was banned for 2 years. And it was also the case of Marta Bastianelli, 2007 World Champion. She asked her doctor to prepare her some pills because she wanted to lose weight, he made a mistake and she was found positive. Although everyone believed that she had resulted positive because her doctor had made a mistake, poor Marta was banned for two years anyway.
However, this is not the point about Contador's ban. Or, at least, it's not the main point I want to discuss with you right now. In fact, I'm writing this part of this post in order to inform you that, if he gets a one year ban, Contador will be able to come back racing already on the 24th of August 2011. In fact, cycling bans apparently start on the day when a rider gets suspended by UCI (and no matter if supporters find out about this suspension a month later than the rider). Therefore, since Contador was suspended on the 24th of August 2010, he'll be able to come back racing already on the 24th of August 2011. Which, imo, transforms his 1 year ban in a 9 months one. 'Are you kidding me?', I hear some of you ask me in despair. 'I'd love to, but I'm not', I'm obliged to answer you.
The funny thing then is that 2011 Vuelta begins on the 20th of August. I think we can agree about the fact that Spanish judges aren't always that impartial as far as doping fight is concerned, so I'm afraid they might give Contador a 4 days discount on his ban. If it happens, I think I may take a plane to Spain and kill someone. In fact I believe it's not fair to make Contador come back racing already this year. I mean, if he comes back in August, then he might be able to win some hard Italian classics in October (Tour of Lombardy and Giro dell'Emilia, for example) and I don't think it would be fair.
MENCHOV ENDING UP RIDING FOR RIIS?
This is a theory that Francesca expressed on this blog some days ago. Now, also Gazzetta guys report it as a rumour. Considering that the last marketing rumour published by Gazzetta said that the Schlecks would have created a new team and that Contador would have ended up riding for Riis, I think we should be pretty careful about this news.
INTERVIEW WITH ANDY SCHLECK:
Finally, here's the Schleck-friendly part of this post. As you know, Andy was in Pinerolo some days ago, together with his beloved Fugl-scarf and with Marco Pastonesi, one of the best Gazzetta journalists (unfortunately his articles lose a lot of their charme when translated in another language). Pastonesi interviewed Andy and here you have the translation of said interview:
THE DUEL: SCHLECK VERSUS BASSO:
After Contador's ban, Andy Schleck is the best rider of the world as far as Grand Tours are concerned.
And so, Andy, the Tour 2010 has become yours.
Contador was stronger than me during the race, he was the strongest of the peloton. If his lack of respect for the rules is demonstrated clearly, I will be able to consider myself as the Tour winner. Otherwise, I'll remain second.
6 months after the end of the Tour, we don't have the official final classification yet.
The amount of time that sportive (and cycling) justice need to take a decision is often unbearable.
Leopard, new team. How is life without Riis going?
Even in the last years, if you don't consider races, my life was a life without Riis. Now I have a new team, new ds, some new teammates like Bennati. And the same will of winning as before.
How has your preparation changed?
I spent less time on the bike and more time in the gym. I took care of making my body become stronger and more flexible. More strentgh doesn't mean 'more weight', it means 'more watts while climbing'. In fact, my weight has remained the same. The exercises I did for my spine should help me in time trials. I still can improve. We'll see the results of this preparation just during the season. It's a long work.
Tour 2010: would you repeat everything that you did during it, or would you change something?
If you're talking about the stop in Spa stage, when half of the riders had fallen, I'd do it again. If you're talking about the stage when my chain popped, you should ask this question to Contador. If you're talking about our hug on the Tourmalet, it was Contador who exaggerated it, he wanted to make spectacle, cinema.
Vuelta 2010: Riis sent you home because you didn't behave well.
I say it again: I made a mistake on that occasion.
Goal 2011: Tour?
Before of that I have the Classics: Fleche, Amstel and Liége. Then I have the Tour.
Races in Italy?
The first one is on the 5th of March, it is 'Strade Bianche'. Antique atmosphere, special effects.
Without Contador...
The worst adversary for the Tour will be Basso. He's got legs, head and experience and this time he'll focus completely on the French race. Gesink is my second adversary. Nibali is strong, but he'll try winning the Giro this year.
Is it possible to win Giro and Tour in the same year?
It's hard. There is just a little period of rest between those races. Moreover, winning those two Grand Tours in the same year also depends on parcourses and weather. If it is cold and rainy at the Giro, you pay for it in the Tour.
Differences between Giro and Tour?
The Giro is hard because of its parcours, the Tour because of pressure and adversaries. But, sooner or later, I'll come back to the Giro.
If you had a magic wand...
I'd solve the problems connected with the radio ban during races. It seems a little problem, but in reality radios are extremely important for riders'safety. In some Tour stages, without radio, we would have had carnages. We mustn't go back in time.
Biologic passport?
It is an important instrument, but it isn't perfect yet.
How many doping controls did you have last year?
Just for the biologic passport, I had 56 controls over the last 3 years. Add the controls in and out of competition, that are about 40 pro year. Cycling is the cleanest and most controlled sport. If someone still results positive at the anti-doping, and that someone is a champion, it means that doping controls work. In other sports it doesn't.
Suggestions?
Now we can communicate our whereabout changes also via sms. It makes our life easier.
Andy, how do you see yourself in 10 years time?
In Luxembourg, married, with 2 children. I won't be riding anymore, but perhaps I'll still be in the cycling world.
EDIT: BLOGOSPHERE NEWS:
Latest news regarding the pronounciation issue: Leela has just published an amazing voice post containing some English names on her great tumblr 'Spokes and Racquets'. To hear it, click on
http://spokesandracquets.tumblr.com/post/2983428167/voice-post-for-the-lovely-miss-fede-and-co .
Thank you very much for it Leela, it solved all my remaining doubts about some English names! And don't worry if you've never heard of Froome and Impey, they're not very famous (I actually remembered about them a few days ago, when I came across their names on Cyclingnews by chance :P). And don't worry about 'FeeDee' either: at least, it is cuter than Fede :)
I just don't get the one year ban. I mean, either your guilty or your innocent - there's no middle way! I agree with you, it doesn't even count as a year BUT now Bertie's going to appeal and hopefully he'll get two years out of that :P
RispondiEliminaOn to brighter stuff: I really like the interview with Andy :D I'm glad he's over that "I'll invite Contador to go hunting with me even if he's found guilty"-thing. It's nice that they get along - but there are limits! He could end up getting himself into all kinds of trouble with fans.
I think it's funny that he says that Bertie staged the hug on Tourmalet. (My mum's comment to that hug was: Are they gay? which made me laugh so hard xD) In fact, I thought it did look kinda strange (I know, that's easy enough to say now :P).
And about Menchov: Riis was just on Danish TV2 saying that he definitely had a plan B but that he wouldn't say what it was - which makes me conclude that it's not Richie Porte/make do with the team he has. I'm pretty sure he'd just say so if that was the case.
RispondiEliminaThe whole Contador-gate is so confusing! A one year ban, but that can change too, which will take a lot of time again. pfff. I would feel very bad if I was *forgot name* that Radioshack rider with clenbuterol. But it happens more in cycling. Thomas Dekker was also pissed because he got two years while someone else with epo in an out of competition test got only one year. It sounds so weird for us supporters.
RispondiElimina@Susanne, I was just getting excited for Richie! Now he might be replaced by Menchov?! Aah :(
It looks like Andy is working on his image. He doesn't want to be 'the best friend of the cheater' so he's creating a little gap in their friendship? I like it, because that 'best friend' thing was kinda annoying.
It should've been a two year ban.. seriously, how can they make a difference between cases that are almost the same? And yes, the one year ban should mean that he can't ride in 2011 and now, like you said, he'll probably gets to ride the Vuelta.. so unfair!! :( (I'm not saying he's guilty, I don't know that, but when someone gets caught and can't prove their innocence, then I believe they should get a ban, no exceptions)
RispondiEliminaDenis Menchov and Saxo Bank.. I don't know, it just doesn't seem the right team for him. Even though I would really like him to ride the Tour, this doesn't feel the right way to me.
I don't really have much else to add re Contador's ban, but I'm sad now that Richie might not get his chance at Saxo this year!! :(
RispondiEliminaHI, I'm back here again. I just made my voice post re those English-type rider names. It's here: http://spokesandracquets.tumblr.com/post/2983428167/voice-post-for-the-lovely-miss-fede-and-co
RispondiElimina(sorry to bring up the pronunciation thing again under a different post)
:)
I don't mind if Contador receives a one year ban if it is because he 'accidently ingested a ban substance'. I do, however, wish these bans were administered with more consistency. If Contador gets one year, so should the poor Chinese rider from Radioshack.
RispondiEliminaI must say I have not been terribly impressed with Andy recently. First, he is back on his rant about Carlos Sastre. Now, he is denying his friendship with Alberto Contador. It looks like a PR move to distance himself from a banned rider. If there was indeed some sort of friendship between the two men, nice way to treat a friend, Andy. If there wasn't, Andy certainly went out of his way many times to say what good friends they were. Why lie? I don't think this will help his image in any way. He's looking like a whiner and a liar. I realize these comments may sound harsh. But I feel like yet another pro athlete has lost his lustre. I'm disappointed.
Brenda
@ Susanne: I think that, all in all, giving some riders a one year ban can be fair on some occasions. For example, I don't think it's fair to give someone like Li (who proved that he had ingested clenbuterol by mistake) the same ban that Vinokourov got when he had that blood transfusion at the Tour 2007.
RispondiEliminaHowever, I'm very confused as far as Contador's positivity is concerned. Imo there are too many dark points in it. For example, why did he eat that Spanish steak while his teammates didn't? You can't eat what you want at a Tour, can you? And then: the Spanish court is likely to give him a one year ban because he got the substance by chance. But then, why does Contador keep on complaining? The rules say 'if you result positive at the anti-doping because you've eaten something wrong by chance, you get a one year ban'. Contador never denied that he had eaten that steak, so why does he keep on complaining about his ban? Imo he should be happy for having received a one year ban and begin to focus on his comeback, without making all his drama.
Of course, this doesn't mean that I'm not sorry for Alberto. Ok, I hated him during the last week of the Tour, but he's risking to lose a lot in this story and he really looks destroyed by it.
Andy's kindness was starting to annoy me a bit, so I'm glad that he finally gave us his point of view about what happened on the Tourmalet. I remember that, when I saw Contador hugging Andy, I felt very angry for a moment. If I'm not wrong, in that moment I screamed something like 'Push him off his bike!' to Andy. I was still so angry for Chaingate...
Lol at the 'Are they gay?' comment! Actually, it was the same thing my mother told me when Contador went to pinch Andy's cheek (my comment instead was a loud 'Slap him!!' :P). Btw I remember that I was very impressed by Andy's calm that day, although after the Tour the 'let's go hunting together!' thing had started to annoy me (I actually thought it was an excuse for Andy to find himself alone in a wood, with Contador in front of him and a gun in his hands :P)
I don't see Menchov changing team at this time of the year, but if Riis says that he has a plan B and Gazzetta reported it as a rumour... Perhaps Menchov might ride for Geox at the Giro or at the Vuelta, and for Saxo Bank at the Tour (although I don't know whether contracts like this exist just in my fantasy or not :P)
@ Mar: sport justice can be even more disgusting than political life here in Italy :P A doper like Di Luca has already come back racing, just like big dopers like Riccò and Sella (if I ever come across Sella, you'll have to stop me because I may behave in a terrible way!!!). On the other hand, guys like Dekker (a rider that I really liked), Rasmussen or Basso didn't get any discount on their bans (and some of them also had problems with their comeback). What an anger.
I also think that Andy's trying to create a gap between him and Contador. He changed team and PR and, as Brenda suggests, this may be the key to this change of behaviour.
@ Marleen: I don't know whether Contador is guilty or not because I can't read his mind (although I'd love to) and I'm not a scientist. Btw, as I mentioned before, I think he should be happy with his one year ban. After all, he'd be lucky if he got away with it. Moreover, Spanish people are supporting him a lot in these days and I think that this must be very important for his morale.
If Menchov abandoned Geox, I'm afraid that he could give his team a lethal blow. I'm sure he desperately wants to run the Tour, but he doesn't want to abandon his new tem. This must be a very hard decision for the Russian :(
@ Leela: Thank you very very very much for your voice post, Leela! It solved all my remaining doubts about the pronounciation of those English names :) And FeeDee is ok, it sounds cuter than Fede :)
RispondiEliminaPerhaps Richie may ride the Tour as a protected rider. I think it wouldn't be a total disaster for him, because in that way he could ride his own race without having too much pressure on his shoulders.
@ Brenda: Personally, I find bad cycling justice even worse than doping cases. Dopers let me down, but it's even worse when I realise that I can't enjoy a cycling race because a doper who got a big discount on his ban is getting good results there.
I think that the new Leopard's PR has suggested Andy what he should say. After all, I do believe that, when he was racing for Saxo, Andy's comments during the Tour were very influenced by Riis. Now that Riis isn't there anymore, perhaps Andy feels that it's time to reveal what actually happened and how he actually felt during last year Tour.
As you say, however, this choice may cause him some problems, because he now seems a liar. But still, some tifosi may prefer these words to all the hugs that he gave and received from Contador last July.
I can completely understand why you say that you're disappointed. Btw, I think Andy needs some trust from us. The post-Tour was a terrible period for him and the Vuelta was even worse. During the winter he's probably reflected a lot about what happened in July and he's changed his mind about Contador. Or perhaps, he's simply decided to throw away his mask and show us his true thoughts about the Spaniard. Unfortunately, coherency is a very rare virtue in modern world and, perhaps, Andy doesn't have it. But still, I don't feel like criticising him for that. After all, I often change opinions about facts and people too and I don't feel like condemning people who do the same, just at a 'highest' level than me.
However, I think that now Andy just needs to forget about the past and focus on the races that awaits him.
As far as the critics to Sastre are concerned, I didn't even read them. They're such an old, boring story!!
There are so many question marks in the Contador case. I keep asking myself: How can he be so sure that he got it through the steak? I mean, not once has he seemed to be in doubt about the truth in that explanation. Have you heard his clenbuterol-press conference in full length? He answers a lot of your questions but in strange ways that made me doubt him even more.
RispondiEliminaAll in all, yes, I think he should be happy with his one-year ban. They can't not ban him when he's admitted that the substance was in his body. He has to prove that he got it with the steak, and I doubt that I can.
Yes, on Tourmalet I wanted Andy to push Bertie as well! I think I would have yelled something similar if my mum hadn't come up with the gay-comment. That completely threw me off xD And when Bertie pinched him, I thought Andy looked VERY uncomfortable!
I think contracts like those only exist in your mind, Fede :P I also think that Menchov should stay with Geox. Somehow I just don't see him on Saxo Bank...
(I'm sorry, this comment is random and irrelevant but I just have to say this: the wobbly letters on my last comment said 'fouckyr' and I read it as f*** you. Then I was angry at my computer for swearing at me xD)
RispondiEliminaHola Fede, me encanta tu blog.
RispondiEliminaPahola
Leela, thanks for the voice post! Now I'm 100% sure how to pronounce those names =)
RispondiEliminaTo the members of the AAVL: Vino is going to quit procycling after 2011! *very sad face* Well, he's already 37, so it's understandable.. but still, I'm going to miss him!
After all this serious and sad doping news, some funny photos! The Rabo boys had lots of fun at their training camp in Mojacar, Spain.. Oscar Freire got a present from Carlos Barredo, Juanma Garate and team director Frans Maassen:
http://now.rabosport.nl/user/edekker1970/view/8584826
Then something strange happened in Frans Maassen's room.. 'cause where did his bed go? ;)
http://now.rabosport.nl/user/CARLOSBARREDO/view/8585344
The more I think about it, the less I believe in Contador's story. I used to like him, but this last Tour was a game changer. Besides, he's being a huge brat in this situation. Since it's been proven that he had clenbuterol in his system, he should be happy with one year ban (even if I'm not) as opposed to keep on whining about it.
RispondiEliminaAbout Andy and his conflicting statements, I've decided to give him a break and see the bigger picture at any given time. To me it seems like he'd just gone through a really long rough patch in his life and I can relate in that I know the effect which those have on one's opinions and statements (even though my rough patch was very different in nature from his). I'm sorry if this makes no sense.
Menchov might really be Riis' plan B, but I think it's not very likely at this time of the year. Besides, he said that he doesn't regret having joined Geox. Riding as a protected rider sounds more plausible to me.
@Fede First of all thank you for your translations and comments. They brought me up to date (I've been in Curaçao for a week, but saw no VIP cyclists :)).
RispondiEliminaAbout Menchov, I think he'll going to join Riis so he can ride TdF, but he won't win!!!
About contador, I think he'll get a ban, but will be allowed to ride the Vuelta this year, but he won't win!!!
About Andy, I have no problems with his change in outed opinions, I think it has to do what journalists ask him and his own turmoil of thoughts and discoveries about all the things that happened in 2010.
The most terrible thing on Tourmalet for me is the eyewink of Contador; it really made me puke and I would have slapped him in the face because of that. Andy didn't, maybe (I hope) because he didn't notice at the moment.
Andy looks broader/more muscles now than before and than Fränk, but he hasn't gained weight so that's a good thing and I think that if he'll get a win in one of the spring classics, his mindset will be of a winner once again for sure.
And in 10 years he'll have 3 children at least ;)
@ Susanne: I must admit that I didn't see Contador's press conference, I've just read about it on the newspapers.
RispondiEliminaThe worrying thing is that, apparently, clenbuterol is often used to cover the consequences of blood transfusions. So, many people (but not the judges) think that Contador used that substance to hide a blood transfusion. It's such a complicated story!
Andy looked very uncomfortable indeed in that moment. He almost look bored and perhaps even a bit annoyed (and that's completely understandable). I think that Contador didn't behave well on that occasion. You've just won the Tour and you go to pinch the cheek of the adversary that you've just defeated? Come on! Andy didn't react, but some other guys could have lost their mind in a situation like that.
I did think that contracts like that probably existed just in my mind, but still... As usual, I got carried away by my imagination :P
I think that SB could be a good team for Menchov. Btw I'm sure that, if he joined Riis, newspapers would immediately start talking about him as the man that Riis will use to take revenge on the Schlecks- and I'm not sure I would like this thing...
The wobbly letters thing can be annoying, but I decided to include it in my blog in order to keep spams away. Btw, I don't want them to insult my readers. If they do it again, tell me and I'll tell them off :P
@ Pahola: Hola Pahola! Muchas gracias por leer mi blog! Es maravilloso saber que te encanta :D Hasta la vista! ;)
PS: Pardona mi español, no lo hablo muy bien :P
@ Marleen: are you trying to tell me that this is the last season in which I'll see Vino racing?!? Noooo, it can't be!! (*moment of extreme disappointment for Fangirl*)
Ok, let's try to put myself together after getting this news (*tries to calm down*)... Ok, done. Well, I think that, all in all, this was very predictable. As you say, Vino's already 37 and he has a family to take care of. But still, I'll miss him terribly next year!! However, the good thing is that we have about 9 months of Vino-racing in front of us. Therefore, members of the AAVL , let's support our man more than ever this year!
Ahah, I needed some funny pictures, thanks for them (this afternoon I've driven my dad's car into the garage's cabinet, he got mad at it!!)! Poor Oscar, I'd hate it if someone threw me a cake. Well, I suppose he's been lucky: Barredo could have thrown him a wheel (ok, this was an evil joke :P)!
And poor mr. Maasen, I wonder where they hid his bed!! The floor doesn't look that comfortable :P
@ Cristin: I can't really make up my mind about Contador. I think that the steak story is one of the most absurd things I've ever heard of, but I think it's strange that he keeps on complaining about his one year ban. I mean, if he was guilty, he would accept it mildly and be happy with it...
RispondiEliminaLast Tour was a game changer also for me. After the Bagnéres de Luchon stage, I wanted to take a plane to France to commit a crime :P
I understand what you mean about Andy and I agree with you. In comparison to last year, Andy now has a new team (and a new PR :P), has lost a Tour de France because of a mechanical problem, has discovered that Riis employed Contador while he had the yellow jersey, has been thrown out of a race because of bad behaviour and cycling press has been pretty harsh on him lately. Moreover, this year he'll be 26. He's not the young, smiley child with no limits anymore and I think it's normal (although a bit strange for supporters) that he's changed opinions about a lot of facts
LOOK OUT: I'm not saying that now Andy is depressed or things like that (I don't know him in person and I don't have the right to say things like that about him). Simply, I think he's become more mature and thoughtful over the last months and during the winter he's probably reflected a lot about what happened to him in the last season.
I don't see Menchov abandoning his team when the season has just begun. I just can't imagine it. If he could get a contract with Saxo now and go back to Geox after the Tour, I think he would do it. But I don't think he 'll abandon Geox completely.
@ Barbara: You went to Curaçao? Wow, lucky you! I hope you had a good holiday there (and that you had a lot of fun with the dolphins ;)!
I think that Andy is the main favourite for the Tour, but imo Menchov can be extremely dangerous for him.
I'm afraid that Contador may ride la Vuelta too and I so hope he won't win it! It would be an awful blow for cycling supporters.
Contador really behaved in an awful way on the Tourmalet. I hated him so much that day! I mean, you've just won the Tour thanks a mechanical problem of your adversary and you even dare to go joking with him? Even if he's a friend of yours, imo that behaviour was very disrespectful and unkind.
I think that Andy has never lost his winner mentality. His stomach is full of anger, remember ;) ?
3 children (perhaps 3 twins?) in 10 years is a lot! Andy must get a wife before ;)
Don't worry about the wobbly letters, Fede. I get laugh out of them almost every time (no, it doesn't take much to amuse me :P).
RispondiEliminaI saw the press conference live that day but since it was in Spanish I only understood the few words that sounded French - and that did not help much!
But then I heard it in full length weeks later with English translation and that cleared up many things for me. Often in papers and such it's taken out of context or details are left out. On that press conference his explanation seemed kind of made up to me.
Andy always sound so confident about getting wife and children - so confident that it sometimes makes me think that he has a secret girlfriend somewhere :P
I sometimes think that about Andy too Susanne. Who knows, maybe he does have a secret girlfriend and they keep it low profile to avoid all the fangirls' hearts breaking ha ha! A
RispondiEliminaI so want Menchov to ride the Tour, I'll keep my fingers crossed until July ;-) Obviously reporters'll say that signing Denis is a roaring rampage of revenge, but they will write it anyway no matter the rider :P
RispondiEliminaIMO Andy probably starts feeling that kind of pressure that wants him to win consinstently and this could taint his carefree attitude.
About his friendship with Contador and the subsequent declarations I think that all these past months he was playing things close to his chest and now, step by step, he speaks his mind. But I bet he didn't like all that winking and that light slapping on the cheek, it was infuriating to me.
@Leela: Thanks a lot for your voice post and I hope you enjoyed the Open, I liked it a lot :-)))
Francesca
@Fede, I really had a very good holiday, but no encounters for me with the dolphins; too expensive,(e.g $100,- for a 5 minutes encounter and much more for a swim of half an hour) :(
RispondiEliminaBTW I was not talking about a wife, only about children ;)
No problems re voice post :) Also, since doing that I'd just like you to know that I've come across articles/photos of the guys I didn't know on that list of riders!! lol
RispondiEliminaMy 2 cents worth re Andy: I think he is growing up, he has new management, he had a tough last 6 months of 2010. He's had to deal with some not very complimentary press re beer-gate and the whole Saxo-Leopard poaching thing. It's understandable that he's gone away for some thinking time, he's withdrawn a little, maybe taking things a bit more serious. I hope that the apparent good team morale in LT brings back smiley-Andy, cos we all know it's the best kind of Andy! :)
Hi Fede! Thanks for sharing the interview with Andy. I’ve read snippets of it here and there. Some of the quotes have sparked harsh criticism of Andy, but people react to things that have been taken out of context. I agree with many that Andy is going through growing pains, which could be one explanation for a change of heart with Contador. I also agree that he may have been influenced by Riis last season, and I became more convinced of it after I heard about Riis role in the Contador “apology” video. I also would not be surprised if LEOPARD TREK (gosh it’s so darn difficult to type it that way!!!) PR is encouraging a new image for Andy. Eh, IMO, it’s not a big deal to change your mind. Why not? I think it’s better than being best buddies with your adversary who condescendingly winks at you and slaps your face after you carried him up the Tourmalet. I think we might have more collective anger in our stomachs than Andy, The Calm did. :p Of course Andy is human and he makes mistakes. But at the end of the day he still seems like a nice guy and a talented and determined rider.
RispondiEliminaI don’t have much else to add about Contador. :\
I loved Leela's voice post! Should you ever be curious about American pronunciations, I’ll be glad to help!
Fangirls are probably contributing to Andy’s confidence about wife & kids. ;)
I would love Menchov to ride the Tour! It would make the race a lot more exciting and Andy really has to win against the best to prove that he IS the best cyclist.
RispondiEliminaAbout Contador: I think we all know enough about the Spanish cycling federation to know why there's only a one-year ban. Remember Valv.Piti?
@Barbara: Curacao, you lucky girl! You can be our guide when the whole blog visits there in autumn ;).
Are any of you going to the Tour this year? We're thinking about going to the Alps, and then on to Grenoble and Paris...
@ Susanne: I think you did a good thing when you decided to watch the press conference, unfortunately I haven't watched it yet because I'm too busy :( Btw I've read an article about it on la Gazzetta and in it the reporter mainly focused on how sad and down Contador looked. While reading it, I even felt sorry for Alberto! However, I believe that different people can get different feelings from the same press conference and so I totally believe you when you say it looked a bit staged. After all, it isn't easy to take part in a press conference where people will try to make you say things you didn't mean to say without looking a bit unnatural...
RispondiElimina@ A and Susanne: A secret girlfriend? Well, why not? I think that it would be good for Andy to find a nice, simple girl that can take care of him ;)
Fangirl's heart would probably break into pieces as soon as she got the news, but Logic thinks that it wouldn't be that bad if Andy found a girlfriend. 'After all', Logic says, 'Andy isn't the only man on Earth, is he?' ;)
@ Francesca: I won't believe Geox' exclusion from the Tour as long as I don't see the team presentation this July and finally realise that Menchov is not there. Before of that moment, everything is still possible (or, at least, that's what the naive part of me thinks).
I think Andy didn't like that slap on the cheek wither, he looked pretty pissed off in that moment!
@ Barbara: Glad to know you had a good goliday :D
Now I understand why the Curaçao dolphins always look that happy in the pictures of the race! Not only do they manage to swim with half-naked Schlecks once a year, they are also some of the most paid creatures in the world!
100 $ for a 5 minutes meeting with dolphins is too much indeed, especially if you consider that the little swimming things won't even give you any detail about how it feels to swim with los Schlecks and Fuglsang every year...
Having 3 children without a wife? A difficult goal to achieve! (I'm joking, of course) ;)
@ Leela: I think that, after the creation of this new team, Andy may decide to show his 'mature' side more often when they inetrview him or so. However, I don't think that smiley Andy has totally disappeared. I'm sure that Jakob knows plenty of ways to make Andy smile!! And I have the feeling that in July (and perhaps even in April) we may see a lot of smiling Andy ;)
RispondiElimina@ Natasha: Hi Natasha! I agree with most of the things you said.
I started to think about Riis' influence on Andy's Tour statements after getting to know about the YouTube apology too. And I also think that it's better to show a bit of rage against your adversary rather than letting them treat you like a little kid right after they've defeated you. I totally admired Andy's calm on the Tourmalet day, but then many people started to say that he had let Contador win the Tour without even fighting-and imo Andy didn't deserve this treatment. I also expected him to be much more angrier at Contador after the infamous Chaingate day, but I'm 150% sure that he did everything he could in order to win the Tour.
Btw I don't agree with you on one point: in fact, I'm not so sure about the fact that Andy's not as angry as us at Contador (that's just a feeling of mine, of course, not a scientific truth or something similar).
And yes, at the end of the day Andy is still the lovely guy we've all learned to appreciate over the last months/years :D
If I have a problem with American names, be sure I'll call out for your help!! ;)
Ahah, I hadn't thought of that! Well, if Andy should decide to organise hearings in order to find himself a girlfriend, I think that lots of us would decide to head to Luxembourg in 5 minutes time :P
@ Anna: I desperately want Menchov to race the Tour too. Let's hope that a miracle will happen in the next weeks!
I don't have a lot of trust in the Spanish cycling federation either. What happened with Valverde was hateful, I just hope that they'll judge Contador's case in a more objective way. Actually, I wanted to talk also about that in my post, but then I changed my mind because Italian cycling justice isn't that great either (1 and a half to Di Luca and Riccò, 1 year to Sella...Disgusting!) :S
If I pass my final high school exam without getting physical injuries (I'm planning of jumping from the window if the examiners ask me something particularly difficult) and without going completely mad, I may go to watch the stage ending in Pinerolo (and, if I'm lucky, I may also watch the following stage).
Right now I just know that I'll surely go to watch some Giro stages. Anyone going to the Giro or to other important races?
Oh, Paris stage, I'd love to go there!!!!
Off Topic: Talking about Contador: who's that great person who came across my blog by typing 'is Contador gay?' in Google?
It's me! It's me! No, not the one typing "is Contador gay", I mean Andy's secret girlfriend.
RispondiEliminaIt's me!
What? It isn't me? Awwwwwww (*shoulders slump in dejection*)
Coug
Oh girls I would love to be your guide for next November Amstel Gold Race in Curaçao. I've been there so many times and been to every beach and backroad (don't know if this is correct British, American or Australian English) on the island. We could rent a coach to drive around and if you are all tired of the sun and the hotspots, than I bring you back to your hotel(s) (probably Lion's Dive) and maybe I could change the coach for a nice 4 wheel drive and go with some guys to some less known spots and see the sunset with them...Ahh, such a good plan ;)
RispondiEliminaEl Pais wrote about the rumors too, and now my not-very-official Dutch news site wrote about Menchov too... Now it really starts to look like Menchov will join Saxo.
RispondiEliminaWell, I like him more than Alberto... And then Richie will race for Denis, which would be nice. Hmmm.. not so bad after all. Let's see!
@Barbara, We should definitely find some money to bring us to Curacao, stay at Lions Dive, swim with dolphins (or with Andy and Jakob), cross around the island, watch sunsets, get a tan, join the water-spectacle and relaaaax :) I'm in!
@Barbara yes, 'backroads' is correct :)
RispondiElimina@Coug LOL are you sure it wasn't you typing "is Contador gay"?? :P
Cyclingnews have written that Menchov will stay with Geox and hope for the Giro and Vuelta - http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/menchov-to-stay-with-geox-tmc-despite-tour-de-france-snub
RispondiElimina@ CG: Welcome back from your tiptop holiday Coug! We all missed you here :)
RispondiEliminaI share the same doubt as Leela: are you sure that you didn't type 'Is Contador gay?' in Google some days ago?
Talking about this issue: yesterday I tried to type those words in Google to see what results the bloody thing would have showed me. And to my surprise, after 4 links to some gay forums, I saw the link to my blog. And to say that I've always thought of being a cycling blogger... :P
@ Barbara: Great plan Barbara! I'm already getting ready for visiting Curaçao this November, just think that I've already started a diet in order to look fabolously fit on the great day of our departure towards the island!
I totally love the idea of having you as a guide and I especially approve the 'go with some guys to some less known spots and see the sunset with them' part of our programme :D
@ Mar: Apparently, Menchov doesn't want to leave Geox. That's good for the team and now I'm really keeping my fingers crossed for the team's invitation to the Giro.
'Swim with dolphins (or with Andy and Jakob)'... Why don't we swim with dolphins, Andy AND Jakob? After all, they're rich, old- fashioned and polite boys, so they won't have problems in paying the dolphins in order to allow us (good-looking girls with not so much money in their wallets) to have fun with them ;)
@ Anonimo: Thank you for the link, Anonimo. :)
I think of Menchov as a man of word (do you actually say this in English?), so I've never taken his transfer to Saxo Bank for granted. Now I just hope he'll be invited to the Giro and to the Vuelta (and I also hope he'll get good results in those races, so that someone at ASO will think about it twice before of excluding Geox from their races)!
Hey Fede,
RispondiEliminaMenchov would be a man of his word, in English. You were very close! And yay! to Menchov for staying with Geox. Perhaps we should all write to Geox and tell them that we appreciate their continued sponsorship, and that we would choose their shoes over anything similar?
@Leelu - NO! It wasn't me! I don't care if Conti is gay or not!! (But if he comes here for the Tour of Britain he can expect to get a banana, er, presented forcefully to him...)
The Fangirls Curaçao Tour sounds fun, but as you all know, I don't have a valid passport... also, I don't own a bikini: and being immune to the sun as I am (I don't tan, I bleach) I would be so glaringly white compared to everyone else that I'd feel a right twit. So you'll have to go without me, sorry!
Coug
(Besides, I'd spend the whole time shepherding you lot back together, making you apply sun cream, telling you to put your Fugl-scarves over your heads for shade, and getting Certain People out on bail for drinking too much.....!)
What? Certain People? Who on earth would that be?!
RispondiElimina(I don't drink that much! ...compared to the Danish standard...)
I could have been the one searching for Bertie being gay - I'm not, but I wouldn't put it past myself. I just hadn't thought of it yet :P
I only have one problem: what will I do with Lovely Husband? And there are people on the island who will recognize me and I need to get on a diet and a lot more. Ohh, help!!!
RispondiEliminaAnd really girls, those dolphins AND fishing trips are so expensive, we should try to get some sponsoring before we go..
But I would LOVE it.
BTW I don't care about AC. He can do what he wants, being hetero or gay, I just don't like his attitude.
RispondiElimina@ CG: Thank you for the mistake's correction, dear. It's good for my English :)
RispondiEliminaThe idea of writing to Geox is good, although I'm not so sure about declaring my love for their shoes (I've never had a pair of Geox shoes in my whole life) :P
Someone came across my blog by typing 'is Contador gay?' in Google AGAIN. I want the name of that person- and, more important, I want to know why they have doubts about Contador's virility.
Coug, you MUST come with us in Curaçao! We could sleep during the day, have fun at all- night parties, go swimming with the dolphins at midnight and then, towards 5 am in the morning, we could follow Barbara's suggestion and go to some unknown amazing beaches and watch the sunset there with some nice guys (of course you can take Lovely Lovely Boyfriend with you :). Then, at about 9 o'clock am, we'll all be in the shadows of our our hotel rooms, ready to recover from our night of fun and far, far away from the dangerous sun ;)
@ Susanne: I'm wondering who the Certain People could be too ;) Of course it can't be me, since I'm a good girl who drinks alcohol on very few occasions (and who never drinks too much because she's oh so afraid of what she could do if she got drunk).
According to my information, Contador is now engaged to the girl who's been his girlfriend over the last years. Therefore I definitely presume he's not gay.
@ Barbara: You can take Lovely Husband with you, of course! He could become a friend of Cougar's Lovely Lovely Boyfriend, couldn't he?
The diet isn't obligatory, but I'm afraid I must lose some kilos in oder to enter some decent bikinis and some nice evening dresses...
The boys we'll meet on the island will surely
help us with paying the dolphins their salary. We're such cute, nice and polite girls! ;)
Sorry, Fede, the one searching for 'is Contador gay' was me this time :P I just had to see what those gay forums had to say.
RispondiEliminaAnd I didn't know Bertie had a girlfriend! Actually, I don't know anything about him... But I never doubted his sexuality, I just tend to come up with strange ideas like that.
I usually don't have to drink much before I seem really drunk - seem, SEEM - but compared to people from other countries, I'm pretty sure I drink a lot :P
Actually, I'm just like you, Fede, when it comes to drinking. I'm afraid I'll do something stupid if I drink too much.
Fede, you're wonderful!! What a great idea, putting Cougar's LLB together with my LH (who, btw speaks excellent American English) and if they don't like to talk to each other we maybe could put something in their drinks, by accident of course ;)
RispondiEliminaNow I only need to loose these pounds...
@ Susanne: So it was you who came across my blog by typing those words in Google, eh? Well, don't worry dear: I can perfectly understand your curiosity ;)
RispondiEliminaBertie's had the same girlfriend for a lot of time now, they seem a very nice and solid couple. I'm sure he needs a lot of support from his family and from her right now!
I already behave in a stupid way when I'm sober, so I'm terrified at the idea of what I could do if I got drunk!
Here in Italy people from the center/north of Europe are said to drink more than Italians, but I assure you that Italian young guys drink a lot too!
Btw don't worry: I won't be scandalised if someone drinks a bit too much while we're in Curaçao. Actually, I think I'll remain sober in order to stop those of us who will start behaving in a strange way after their second glass of vodka! ;)
@ Barbara: I'm sure that Coug's LLB and your LH will get on well :)
As far as losing weight is concerned, I have a strange (and not very successful) way to try to do that: when there is a cycling race on tv, I usually watch the last 50 kms of it while pedalling on my sister's exercise bike. Unfortunately, I must confess that so far this method hasn't been very successful with me, probably because I stop pedalling every time one of the Schlecks appears on the tv screen, every time the chronist says something interesting and every time a rider attacks. Therefore, I must admit that I never manage to get down to some serious 'training' in that way :P Btw this year I'm going to make more efforts than usual in order to look fit in Curaçao ;) Come on girls, we can make it!
It was me the second time, Fede, second time only! I was curious :P
RispondiEliminaI think Danish teenagers drink the most in the world ... or in Europe? Can't remember, I'll check it out...
... OK, just found out that Luxembourg is top of the list of 'Annual alcohol consumption per person' (the list is from 2007, so might not be so accurate) - that surprised me :P Denmark is ranked as number 11 - which also surprised me (thought we would be much higher on the list)! Italy is number 46.
Well, back to the young, yes, we have the record in Europe, how nice... Apparently, we drink a lot and very often. In Norway they drink a lot but less often. In Italy you drink often but not that much - there we have our answer :P
And if I'm going to Curaçao, I certainly need a new bikini!
I thought that youth in the Netherlands were the worst in drinking habits. Every year there are reports about a huge increase in binge- drinking and hospital admittance because of coma induced drinking of very young, 13/14/15 years old, teenagers.
RispondiEliminaBtw, in Curaçao you don't drink wodka, you preferably drink piña collada's (it's with rum) or beer (especially Amstel Bright). With a nice dinner you can also have some wine (mostly somewhere from the America's) and a lot of other cocktails are also served and quite some bartenders are very ambitious in making them delicious. Mostly they're incredible cheap if you're accustomed to Euro's or live in Scandinavia.
There's another side to this and that is that it's not really possible to lose weight in Curaçao, so you need to go there as slim as possible, but I don't think Fede's advice will work for me...Even if I had a hometrainer in the room with the tv I would even stop more.
@ Susanne: Luxembourgers are the heaviest drinkers of the world? It is surprising, if you consider how small Luxembourg is!
RispondiEliminaThank you for the research about alcohol, it is very interesting!
Actually, I think that Italian teenagers are divided in two categories: those who use Saturday nights to get drunk and those who don't like drinking that much. I belong to the second category ;)
Italian people older than 30 instead hardly get drunk. As your research said, they do drink often (my garndparents, for example, always have wine on their tables while they have dinner and lunch), but they hardly drink too much. Moreover, here in Italy older people usually drink wine and like tasting it, while teenagers prefer vodka or beer or strong liquors and drink them to get drunk.
On to another topic, I definitely need a new bikini too!!
@ Barbara: I actually had some doubts about the abuse of vodka in Curaçao - it doesn't sound like a very exotic drink, does it?
Pina Colada and Amstel Bright, good! And I bet they will surely make very tasty, fruity cocktails on the island, so I surely won't run the risk of getting too thirsty during the parties ;)
Good to know that drinkings are cheap in Curaçao than in Europe. Here in Italy, a coke in a bar can cost about 4 euros!
We need to get on our bikes and go out riding as soon as spring begins, that's how we're going to lose weight (if I don't end up in hospital because of allergies, of course)! ;)