Cycling Songs: Ciao Mama - Quartetto Cetra

Italian song about a rider in the '50s.

Here is the translation:

Ciao mom,

I’m going, winning, and coming back;

you can already put the lamb in the oven.

I’ve put on the woollen undershirt you gave me, (ciao ciao)

ciao mom, (ciao ciao) ciao mom, (ciao ciao)

the team manager is calling me, (ciao ciao)

ciao mom, I’ll win, you’ll see.

 

ciao mom,

the doctor says

that if I take on this climb

my appendix will get inflamed,

but at the top of the climb there’s fame, (ciao ciao)

ciao mom, (ciao ciao) ciao mom, (ciao ciao)

someone is calling me from the car, (ciao ciao)

ciao mom, I’ll win, you’ll see.

 

I say goodbye to the supporters from the sports bar,

to Ninetta, to my friends, to boys and babies,

but, over anyone else,

a kiss and a greeting will fly to you.

 

(ciao ciao)

 

(ciao ciao)

 

ciao mom,

did you see what a final sprint?,

I’m coming back home in a short while:

prepare an omelette.

We’ll have a bit of glory and a bit of dough, (ciao ciao)

it’s so good, (ciao ciao) ciao mom, (ciao ciao)

for now, I just feel very hungry, (ciao ciao)

ciao mom, dish out Maccheroni

Tyler Hamilton - The Secret Race

I know it's late but I've just read this book and I think it deserves a review.
I read this book ages after Armstrong's confession and everything that followed.
It may sound weird but this book is about truth and guts, that's why I loved it so much.
The book follows with incredible precision the career of Hamilton, a talented American rider.
The beginning is very interesting, pointing out the difference between the European and the American way of conceiving cycling.
Once Hamilton is hired by US Postal the book become a fantastic roller coaster between the feelings
of a human being, the passion of a young talented rider and, in the end, the wisdom of man.
The book could be classified in two different ways: as a scientific treatises, describing meticulously the doping practices, or as a coming-of-age story.
I prefer the second one. I think the meticulous description of the doping practices is an important part of the path of formation described in the book.
The book contains also a very interesting part about the preparation of Armstrong trial and the political decision to dismiss it.
Nevertheless, I think that what makes this book a Great book is the story of the man, of the rider, of a passionate kid that we could have been if we would have been more talented.

Merry Christmas!!!

Innsbruck 2018 Men Elite Road Race

El Imbatido
I think it is hard to spend few words on what Velverde did in Innsbruck, it has been something cathartic.
He sprinted from the worst position, bringing on his shoulders the responsibility of the strongest, and in the end he won. Pure emotion.

Here you can find my grades to the teams and their tactics from 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good):

SPAIN: 10
Finally they raced as a true team moving together in the same direction.
They ended up with an historical victory with their most representative rider.

Denmark: 9.5
They were not the favorite, they used the perfect strategies with their riders.
They attacked since the beginning and almost won the race with Valgren's perfect attack.

France: 8.5
They controlled the race and prepared brought their two best riders in the best position on the final climb. There could have just been a bit more communication in the team about Alaphilippe feelings.

Canada: 8
They took a great bronze medal with a fantastic race of their captain Woods.

Holland: 6.5
This is the best season of Dumoulin but unfortunately he missed all its goals. Nevertheless, we can't blame him.
He saved the performance of its team that could have started attacking earlier in the race.

Belgium: 5
I expected more from the nation of cycling by definition. Wellens disappeared and Van Avermaet saved the race with an attack made more with pride than with legs.

Italy: 4
They raced in a decent way, trying to move the race and being reactive on the attacks during the first part of the race.
They committed a terrible suicide when they decide to push before the final climb, helping France and Spain and demolishing their entire team but Moscon.

Great Britain: 3.5
They controlled the race all day and disappeared in the final.

Colombia: 3
I'm still wondering if they were in the Peloton.

Cycling Songs: Adesso Pedala - Marco Pantani

In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the legendary double of Il Pirata, I want to share this song to remember him as the polyhedric champion he was!
Enjoy your holidays with the soundtrack of your summer:

The Worst Race in the World

It is hard to understand the decision of the organizers to exclude Froom from le Tour de France.
I know that Froome was born in Africa and French people don't want immigrants but this it too much.
I don't even want to believe that this is due to his Salbutamol case.
It is important to clarify that Froome did not use doping, He was just found an excess of a permitted medicine in his blood and everything has still to be proved.
Froome made history at the Giro d'Italia and he was never found doped during the race, what are we talking about?
Loads of French riders have taken part to the Tour the France with worse doping cases pending on them.
The truth is that French organizers are scared of Froome. Nevertheless, for the love of cycling I've found a solution that will satisfy everybody!
The Tour de France should become the new French National Championship.
In this way, there will be just French riders with 21 French stage winners and the final classification will be won by a French too. The end of the Tour de France will be the new French national day and everybody will be happy.
Who cares about the rest of the world? We are French after all!

Cycling Songs: Il Bandito e Il Campione - Francesco De Gregori

This song is about Costante Girardengo and Sante Pollastri (an Italian anarchist).
Both of them were born and raised in Novi Ligure, a little Italian town, with the same love for cycling.
August 10, 1927, Sante Pollastri was arrested in Paris. He was there just to watch his friend Girardengo  riding a Six-day.

Rider of the Month: January

Congratulations Dege, you made it!!
After a troubled couple of years, the cycling phoenix comes back with a wonderful double at the beginning of the 2018 season.
He has already won two races in a row and he is heading to Dubai Tour with great expectations.
The great winner of Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix 2015 is finally back in full shape and we are more than happy to celebrate this wonderful return crowning him "January Rider of the Month".

Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Month

Who is the Rider of the Month?

McCarthy

Najar

Sagan

Geniez

Degenkolb

Mareczko

Wellens

Impey

Greipel

Skujiņš

 

pollcode.com free polls

Rider of the Vuelta a España 2017

This is not a fairy tale, you did it! You have been elected rider of the Vuelta 2017, the last race of your outstanding career!!
Contador's victory of our special classification has been a sort of plebiscite, he has taken 58% of the votes (the second, Froome, 17%, just to give you an idea) and has been elected rider of the Vuelta 2017.
I can just thank this incredible champion and I think we will miss him so much.
I hope he will continue his work with his team of young talents, teaching them to attack and never give up and maybe, in the future, we will have another Contador. Maybe...

Giro 100 Pt. 3

I want to  divide this brief Impression in three parts, because we've just finished an intense week.

SPRINTS & SPRINTERS

Last week has been the week of Gaviria, he claimed and obtained a place in the sprinters' elite.
He dominated the sprint, winning each  time in a different way, showing the world his multiples skills.
Ewan could be the only one faster than him, but he is too small and struggle too much while fighting for position.
Sam Bennet is supported by an incredible team, but unfortunately found a sprinter stronger than him.
I'am a bit disappointed by Greipel, he could not be satisfied with just one stage win, even if it gave him the pink jersey.
If you are one of the best sprinters in the world, you have to do something more to remain in the elite, considering that, as we said, you have a new impressive opponent.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AND PINK JERSEY CANDIDATES

I've never seen Tom Dumoulin so confident and self-aware.
He demolished his opponents on his field, the TT, but what he did on the Mount Oropa climb is even better.
He won on the Pantani's climb wearing the pink jersey, what else do you need to be considered a champion?
He has learned a lot from his Vuelta's defeat and will fight 'til the end of the Giro, with a great TT waiting for him in Milan.
Quintana is the strongest climber of this Giro 100 and it seems to be the only one capable of attacking Dumoulin.
We will see, we have great week ahead.

TEAMS

What can I say about Quick-step Floors?
The Wolfpack is honoring the race and demolishing its opponents on the roads of Giro 100, winning and exciting the crowd on any terrain. What a team!!
The last consideration is about the so many teams that haven't already gotten anything from this Giro 100 and that are doing nothing in order to justify their participation.
You will understand of which teams I'm talking about once the Giro is over, reading the upcoming article in which I'll rate the teams.

Giro 100 Pt. 2

It has not been a memorable Giro, except for the Blockhaus stage, so far, but the best is yet to come.
Smaller teams are not interested in fighting for a stage win and the Peloton seems asleep, providing the same show almost everyday.
Bora - Hansgrohe and Quick-Step Floor are still the only two teams honoring the race and taking great victories and podiums.
I want to underline also the strength of Gazprom Rusvelo, the only team that everyday has a man in the breakaway.
Dillier saved the Giro of Team BMC considering that team's GC ambitions sank in the Blockhaus stage.
Talking about the Blockhaus stage, the first consideration must be on Italian police, shame on them. They eliminated 3 GC contenders with one of the silliest move you can do in a cycling race.
Talking about the "survivors", Quintana proved to be the best, supported by a great team with licence to kill, see Gorka Izagirre.
Pinot is not a surprise for me, he is riding incredibly well since the beginning of the Giro.
He has prepared this edition of the Giro very well. He is stronger than Quintana against the clock and can be considered the first rival of the new pink jersey.
Dumoulin surprised me, he made a solid performance on such a hard climb.
Considering that he is the stronger GC contender in TT stages, he can take away the pink jersey from Quintana tomorrow and try to defend it as long as possible.
Just a few words about Nibali, he is riding alone, his team is inconsistent.
My question to the Bahrain - Merida director is: if you know you have a weak team compared to your opponents, why do you spend in a breakaway, the day before a mountain stage, one of your strongest climber? I really hope Bahrain - Merida is fighting for something more than a stage win.

Global Bike To Work Day 2017

Bike to work, bike to the future.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2017

This article is the natural continuation of the previous one and we have to thank Valverde for this.
Valverde and Scarponi, two riders representing the good old cycling but still victorious in the modern one.
Just a great Champion could have done this: He won the oldest of the Classics and dedicated the victory to his friend dramatically passed away the day before.
What can I add to this fantastic and emotional victory? Nothing.
Valverde is dominating the season, he has won almost every race he took part.
He is definitely the most all-round rider of the Peloton, a genius of tactics, a rider that honors the cycling season from February to October.
Such a great rider, a true friend of Michele, could not have honored his friend in a better way.

The Smell of the Cobbles

Saturday Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will open the season of the Cobbles 2017.
Most people identify the essence of cycling with climbs and Grand Tours.
I understand this but we can't forget the magic of the Classics and in particular the Cobbles Classics.
It is how ask a baby if he prefers mom or dad, It is just a stupid question without answer.
Cobbles Classics are races that allow us to feel part of history and closer to our ancestor.
The cobbles roads are always the same, the Ancient Romans built and trod them with their bigas.
Riders tread them with their bikes, Boonen, Coppi and Merckx have won on the same stones, those trod by the Ancient Romans too and by so many historical figures. Winning or riding a Cobbles Classic means being part of history.
This is the reason why Cobbles Classics are so magical, because history is linked by a sector of Cobblestones.

Great Climbs Around The World: Ghisallino

Ghisallino is a nice climb that leads you to one of the most iconic places of the Cyling World.
If you are a cycling fan and lover you can't miss this little trip to the Madonna del Ghisallo Sanctuary.
The climb starts in Asso, Lombardy, Italy and after 9 Km with an average slope of 4% you reach the top of the hill of Ghisallo and you can breathe pure cycling.
On the top of the hill there is a little church where all the bikes and signed jerseys that the cycling champions have donated to the church are collected.
You can start having a look at the bike of Coppi, then the bike of Merckx, the bike of Pantani (just to mention three legends) and so on.
On the top of the hill there is also a cycling museum but the living museum and the iconic place is the little church mentioned above.
The hill is climbed every year during Il Lombardia but It is climbed on the other side, the harder one, the proper Ghisallo, that will be analyzed in a different topic.
Click here for a techinical analysis of the climb and here to join the club on Strava of this blog and compare your performances with the other readers.
Have a nice ride!