Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Skinny Guys, Fast Bikes

Have you been watching the Giro d’Italia? 100th anniversary, and done as only the Italians can.

I caught parts of the first two stages on the weekend. I’ve been too busy and too at work to watch since, but I found a great website with hour long stage replays, in English! Here’s the part that’s freaky: No commercials for penile enhancement products, or professional cage bull wrestling, or bass fishing. Just bike race coverage like it is in the rest of the world, (I assume). Check it out at Universal Sports.

On a side note it seems Bad Boy Boonen, slipped and fell into to a snowbank, … again. Once again busted for coke, his story is really lame: "The night before the drug test, I went out," he said. "I stayed for a while and I drank. At some stage I must have taken something. Then I had a blackout". "I think I have a problem. After spending three to four months working, when I go out I probably over-step the mark and I become someone else. For 364 days a year, it's perfect. I try to be an exemplary citizen. But the day that I drink too much, something that I don't do often, I change. I will now seek help." (Honestly officer, I’m not a cokehead, I just really like the way it smells.) That’s right buddy, you’ve got a problem, a lot bigger problem than you think; but you’ll have plenty of time to deal with it.

He’s a mega-star homeboy, so last year when he was busted he got off with a slap on the wrist (not allowed to start the Tour) but went on racing and suffered no civil penalty. The govt prosecutors stated publicly that he had paid a heavy enough price in humiliation and surely had learned his lesson. Well another indiscretion in less than a year is going to go much harder. I ‘m sure that the authorities feel poorly treated and they really have no option but to put the hammer down, hard. It will be interesting to watch: In this age when the angry mob is ready to burn any rider at the stake for having an espresso doppio, how will the Belgians be able to wriggle out of this without coming down hard on their fair haired boy? It is a shame, I love watching him race.

I'm making progress on that Garage Bike, stay tuned!

2 comments:

  1. I've been enjoying the Giro so far. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my TV actually gets it with my over the air HD antenna. The commentators are occasionally annoying, but commercials are to a minimum. Like you said, no bull riding, cage fighting nonsense either.

    Now I just need to plan my trip to Italy...

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  2. Oh yeah, that’s where I’m going as soon as Codfish Industries Limited pays out those big fat retention bonuses.

    Or how ‘bout the Italian 1200K? Perugia, Venezia, Milano, Livorno, Perugia! Everything that PBP offers without the rain and well, it would be Italy!

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