Biking
Yes, I have started to bike. It wasn’t really a decision I consciously made. Jovan bought a bike at a cheap price. He had 2 options for the bike – I could use it if I wanted to (the GIANT frame was perfect for me at 14 inches), or he could sell the parts. Well, I figured that I should know how to bike if I’m a real fan of the sport. I started 3 weeks ago and I’m actually enjoying it! Jovan changed some parts – he changed the handlebar to a riser bar, he got a gel cover for the seat, and he changed the pedals to platform pedals. Since I don’t have a helmet yet, I refuse to go far, so I just go around the Ateneo high school parking lot. I started with a distance of 2.5km, but tonight I biked 4km! Cool! I really should get a helmet…
One of my goals is to join the Ride for the Roses or a LiveSTRONG challenge in the US. The only problem will be the money (since you have to raise at least $2,500 to be able to join – gulp!).
The End of an Era
Okay, so that’s a bit dramatic, considering that Jan Ullrich wasn’t really able to fully show what he’s got. Yes, he won the Tour de France once, and gold and silver medals during the 2000 Olympics. But unfortunately for him, his peak came at a time when Lance Armstrong overshadowed everybody else. I never liked Ullrich, I’d always shrug when I hear commentators saying “the most talented cyclist on the planet”. If so, then he wasted his talent. I feel that he didn’t prepare as much as he should have for the Tour, partying, not watching his weight, not training enough. I’ve never been impressed by him in the mountains, he looked as if he was always struggling, and I’m talking about the 1999 to the 2005 tours. He seems like a nice guy, just not as determined and disciplined. As Phil Liggett would say, if only Ullrich had Zabel‘s discipline, with his talent, he would kick everyone’s butt.
The Tour isn’t just about talent. It’s about having a good cycling team in which each member is dedicated to the leader, a good team director who knows how to react to any situation, and a support team dedicated to delivering and providing the best gear. The team should be disciplined, and each member should be a professional. Lance Armstrong did not win the Tour 7 times because he’s the greatest cyclist ever. I don’t think he won 7 times because of drugs. He won because he has the discipline – he studied and took to heart the science behind the sport, watching his weight, studying each component that can increase his speed even by milliseconds, pushing his support team to come up with the best bikes. He won because he studied each and every important turn of the course. He won because he rode up the mountains alone before the actual Tour. Sadly, Ullrich wasn’t like this. It seems that he relied on his talent alone.
Why the title? Jan Ullrich just announced that he is retiring. I guess the search is on for the next ‘most talented cyclist on the planet’.
LiveSTRONG
This is the tagline of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Lance Armstrong, 7-time Tour de France Champion, cancer-survivor. I’ve been wearing the LiveSTRONG band for more than 2 years now – as I’ve said before, it’s not a fad to me. I have found new meaning in the tagline, thanks to the wonderful song of Wideawake, entitled “Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow”. I posted video and the lyrics a couple of weeks ago, and if you listen to it carefully, you’ll realize that it’s a message for everyone who’s going through a really tough time, for whatever reason.
Things happen for a reason. This too, shall pass. This will only make me stronger. All cliches, but all so true.
I can do this. With the help of real, true, friends, who are always there. With the help of family who will never, ever leave me alone. By the grace of God. I will LiveSTRONG.
A New Discovery, Magazines and Cycling…
Thanks to Sherwin, I was inspired to research on and choose an RSS Reader. I settled for Google Reader, and I love it! I was able to import my subscriptions on My Yahoo and Google Personal Page. I just can’t have enough news, whether it’s World News, Entertainment News, Technology News (my favorite), and Cycling News. Just last year I’ve made a conscious decision to read more. I really just can’t have enough information! I used to live on Time Magazine (I’ve been a subscriber for more than 5 years already). But just last year I subscribed to Fortune and National Geographic. No regrets! I highly recommend these magazines.
The Amgen Tour of California just started and guess who won the prologue! Levi Leipheimer! Go Levi! He’s still the leader after Stage 1, but the circumstances weren’t good at all – he was part of a crash and the decision to grant everyone the same time was made by race officials. I’m hoping he can keep it up so Discovery will win!
Two side notes: It’s really nice to see Ivan Basso racing, weird though that he was in front setting the tempo for the pelton. I’m sad that Discovery will end their sponsorship this year, but at the same time I’m can’t wait for the next team sponsor.
I’m so happy because hubby loved my Valentine’s gift! I got him a new Giro Atmos helmet after a very long production number of fishing, researching, and lying. Thanks so much to my favorite brother Mike O for helping me out!
Pogi!
Century Ride
Surprisingly, I had a blast supporting the Globe boys during the Century Ride. I really thought that Jovan and I would end up driving from one place to another, waiting for the boys to pass by, but Jovan took it seriously. We were considered a SAG vehicle – that’s what they call the vehicles that support the cyclists. We followed them from Katipunan to Tagaytay. Yup, we were behind them most of the time. It was fun, and I wouldn’t mind doing it again.
I’m so proud of the guys, they finished. So what if we were the last group to arrive. There were so many riders who didn’t even finish!!! I think that having a SAG helped a lot. At one point Mike T and Clar left their backpacks with us. They drank a lot! Which is good, because I thought no one would drink the liquids that we brought with us. They also made their own sandwiches from the bread and jam that we brought. It was really fun to bond with them during the ride.
Too bad I won’t be able to do this often. I don’t drive, and Jovan joins their rides within Manila-Sta. Rosa-Antipolo. Oh well, until next year?
My Hero!
Watched the last individual time trial of Lance‘s career last night – and he came out on top! He had the best time, 23 seconds ahead of Ullrich, who was number 2. He actually gained more time on his rivals in the general category of the Tour de France.
I pity Rasmussen, who lost the third spot because of all the crashes and bike changes. I’m guessing it was a combination of nervousness, bad bikes, and a bad mechanic. At least he has a consolation prize – his polka dot jersey. (Which I find really ugly, haha!)
Barring any mishap, Lance will ride tomorrow to his seventh, and last, Tour de France win. I admire him for retiring now – I truly believe he can do an eight. Will he do a Jordan and come back? We’ll see. I’m actually hoping.
Le Tour
I was so pissed at Sports Plus! They kept hyping the Tour, and they even showed the schedule – Saturday, at 7:30PM. I waited, even if I knew it was only a 30-minute highlights show. On Sunday, they even had ads – The Tour, beginning Saturday 7:30PM. Stupid stupid! It was already Sunday! Good thing there’s TV5, always reliable during the Tour. Who cares if I don’t understand anything the commentator says, at least I see the action, for 2 hours! ANYWAY…
It was a good start for Lance Armstrong. He was number 2, 2 seconds away from Zabriskie (who’s doing well this year), and very far from the main contenders. Number 3 was Vinokourov, who was 50 seconds behind. I felt so bad for Ullrich when Lance had overtaken him – in the end though he was still one of the best at Number 11 – more than a minute behind Lance.
I was so happy for George Hincapie who was Number 4 overall!
Based on what I saw, the people Lance should watch out for are Vinokourov (more than Ullrich), and maybe Landis.
I cannot wait for the team time trial!!! 
Go Discovery!
It’s my second year of following the Tour and I’m loving it! Jovan and I made sure that we taped the Prologue, which is an individual time trial. It was important for Lance (Armstrong) to send a message to his competitors, and indeed he did! He clocked a very respectable 6 minutes and 52 seconds, only 2 seconds away from the leader, Cancellara (who, I must say, is such a cutie!). What’s more impressive is that Lance is way ahead of the major contenders from the general category (GC for short). Ullrich and Hamilton, two of strongest contenders this year, were more than 15 seconds away, at 16th and 18th place, respectively.
The next stages are gonna be a bit boring, ’cause no one can really pull away in the flat stages. The battle starts in the mountains, still stages away. I hope that Lance can maintain his standing, until the mountains. There, I hope he leaves everyone else behind.
I’m sure that some of you are wondering who Lance Armstrong is. He’s a cancer survivor who beat all odds to win the Tour de France 5 times (in a row). Yes, you read that right, 5 in a row. And yes, you also read that right, he’s a cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer. He was told that his chances were less than 50-50 (I think it was 2o or 30 percent). The cancer had already spread to his lungs, and even his brain. But he made it, and he became a champion. 5 times.
He’s hoping to win his sixth Tour this year. If he does that, he will be the only man with that distinction. Currently, he holds the record of 5 Tours with 4 other cyclists, some of whom are his idols.
Go Lance!
(Photo from the Lance Armstrong website.)
Lance Armstrong is now with Sheryl Crow? Read it from one of the posts in Cycling Forums and here.
I’m sad that it didn’t work out with his ex-wife. 
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I can’t wait for Tour de France 2004!!!
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In the meantime, the Philippine Cycling Network members are currently discussing the penalty slapped on several cyclists in Tour Pilipinas for distributing water with non-teammates. I think I understand why, since I’m detached from the sport. But it seems that most of the cyclists don’t. Well, they’re the ones who sweat it out under the scorching sun… So there.