It's a Rest Day.

A rest day for the for the Giro but unfortunately not for me (not that I mind). I've become the proud parent (I mean owner) of a puppy that in 4 short days has turned from innocent babe to teenage tearaway. I'm being hazed by a 10 week old dog! He'll grow out of it eventually....Actually no he won't as his dad hasn't.

Expect to see the little man appear in ink at a later date (no I'm not talking tat's either).

With this in mind I don't think yesterdays post went the way I wanted it to go. Late nights, early mornings, pee & poo put paid to that. Sprezzatura's interesting, so for my next look at it I'll take some time to think and prize the dog from my ankle (it's hurts believe me).

I'm probably preaching to the converted but Competitive Cycling's what's new section is getting better and better. It's unbelievable how the writing has struck a cord with me over the last few editions. The recent post has a word in it that is as interesting as Sprezzatura, starts with s ends with c. You fill in the blanks.

As a result of a link from Said 'what's new', Michael Barry's writing has become a must read. His descriptive and metaphorical ability combined with his coalface perspective are refreshing and inspirational.

As you've seen I illustrate and design and string some words together to fill the gaps. My energy's being strengthened by wrestling a small dog into submission and want to do some more stuff. I'm musing an update to my logotype whilst scratching my chin on thoughts of riding kit (I have cap designs waiting in the wings), with the ultimate aim of competing this years cross season as a team concern (for team read small, humble, soul based concept). At the moment just thoughts, yet thoughts containing energy with a strong DIY ethic.

Enough words where's my pencil....

The Cool. pt. 2

Continuing my Giro inspired delving into the personal qualities that combine to produce Sprezzatura.

My initial nomination was the great Merckx himself yet I questioned whether anyone had it in today's Pro Peleton.

So here's a few names to think about:

Di Luca: Has a high Sprezzatura quota. At ease at the sign in, happy to chat on the road yet blank faced with no sign of emotion when the hammer goes down. A sense of style also (consider last years different colour stead from team mates).

Cancellara: On form he has it in spades. Whilst this year hasn't gone to plan, future Roubaix's will probably be won with an understated flair.

Contador: I'm not a fan at all but his ease on the bike, nice guy personality countered with killer instincts make for a modern day Indurain with personality.

Pozzato: Probably understands too much about Sprezzatura yet his effort to be uber cool causes his failure to attain the state of being.

Cavendish: Probably can't spell it, never mind be it.

Voigt: Crossjunkie's pick this. Hasn't got it in the riding style as he wears his heart on his sleeve in every successful breakaway. Heart of a Lion though.

Armstrong: None what so ever. From the riding to the media scrum it's just not cool. I won't waste anymore time discussing him. Go to Pave and The Service Course for further opinion.

But what about cross?

Nys: Has it. Simple as that

Albert, Boom: Have the beginnings of it, which with develop further as they're still young pups and prone to the odd outburst.

Wellens: Has some of it, yet is too emotional to be a complete iceman.

Vervecken: Has it via the appreciation of the whole that comes with age.

Anyone else?

Brands like Rapha (is there anyone else like Rapha?) have it. The epitome of calm collected style, whilst the designers are staying up to two in the morning panicing at the looming deadline.

Gianni Savio (Diqui....... team boss) has it. Check the hair and the suits. If only he could transfer it to his team kit.

Malcolm Elliott: Taught Castiglione the meaning of Sprezzatura.

So what does does this have to do with us, the average rider, and where does Giovanni Agnelli come into it?

The Cool . pt 1

The Giro's now in full swing, with Di Luca taking hold of the race with today's stage following the Milan cyclotour rest day stage. I'm not going to give any race appraisal (yet), head over to the Service Course for a few well thought out words.

So let's look at the giro from a different angle, let's consider Sprezzatura.

Sprezzatura - defined by Castiglione in his book, 'the book of the courtier' as, “a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it.” 

Whilst this term was generated in Renaissance times and revolves around the life of a courtier, with time devoted to skill in arms, music, dancing, literature and athletic events, it still has huge relevance when considering the life of the roadman - the ability to make difficult things look easy.

Yet while most of the Pro peleton could be deemed by the average rider as making it look easy, the face pulling, teeth gnashing and bike rocking tell a different story especially when the man with the hammer is calling.

So who's got Sprezzatura?

I'll forward the first nomination as Il Cannibale - Eddy Merckx.
Ice cool exterior whilst the engine is whirring at full speed internally. No face pulling, teeth gritting or flapping, Steve McQueen probably learnt all he knew from Merckx. Relevance to the Giro? Winning 5 times needs no more explanation.

Are there others, Indurain? Coppi? Robert Millar? I could debate their inclusion but it's late and I need to retire.

So over to you - who's got it? Does anyone have it in the modern era?

Read some more about Sprezzatura here

Insania

The bike sends you insane, it's true. I'm slowly losing my mind and it's all the bicycle's fault.

Just a couple of examples.

I'm out for a quick blast on one of my regular routes and as I near home I see a name plaque on a building that reads "Molly Cameron". I do a mental eyerubbing, read it again and realise it says "Holly Cottage". Where the heck did that come from? I think I need to drink more while I ride.

Not ten minutes ago, I'm doing a bit of research for some future posts (yep, I'm that sad/thorough/bizarre). I'm flicking from site to site and read a sub head "The Road is the most Important". I'm hooked. Is it some epic tale of merciless road riding or racing. Erm no... A film about an average streets clothes washing habits... Sorry made that up, I clicked on when I realised it wasn't about the bike, never reading past the headline.

Finally I'm sitting here with a tweaked left calf (from pushing the motobike in the garage - that ridiculous) fretting that I won't be able to put a decent ride in this weekend. When I don't even need to.

The bike's sending me insane. Good though isn't it.

Dopest of the Dope, better believe I'm the Dopest

It's the last thing I'll say on it...

Rebellin was going to get the poster treatment, but that's all gone to pot (or should that be cera) and now the green arrow has been banned from the Italian pub/bar/brewpub (delete as geographically applicable) for two years.

So until the next cycling newsflash, here's a whole wealth of cycling history and it's black arts, even if it's a wiki and half of it was made up, it's a decent read.

The task of rounding off this post goes to my brother Rob, veteran of many trips to the Classics, with what I thinks a funny quote;

"We once went into a bar in outer Liege called the Sheffield Pub, very scary indeed. The hotel manager where we stayed told us not to do drugs in our room, he must have seen the bikes."

Wonder whether the manager was differentiating between performance enhancing or recreational?

That's Life...

Aaargh Tom, what's going on?

From ascending King of Classics to fallen partyboy, that has everyone walking around shaking their heads in disbelief. Ah Hum....

And 3's my lucky number.. ironic.

Anyways we're not going to get judgemental or preachy here, it would be great to see Boonen destroy more Roubaix lineups and challenge the title of Mr Roubaix for most wins, so I'll leave it to Duane Peters (drug addled pro skater) to offer the musical advice wrapped up in the US Bombs version of Big Frank's (ole blue eyes) That's Life... (have a click and a read, blog junkie)

It has a feeling of - I saw this and though of you to it. So if Tom starts wearing eyeliner, spiking his hair and gettin' too's the warning signs are there.

For those of you looking at me through squinting eyes... I know,I know... this is supposed to be a cycling blog.

It doesn't harm the cyclist to have a variety of interests though, just maybe not the one's Tom's into.

Resistance is Futile.

Beer post, couldn't resist it.

Cycling fans, supporting the classics and race sponsors since...

...well, since Carrefour de l'Arbre really.

Mr Monsieur

Monsieur Roubaix, no not Roger De Vlaeminck, the man behind the voice - Daniel Mangeas.

Roubaix Velodrome wouldn't be the same without his running commentary, delivered from the silver ball (middle pic you can just see it/him) dropped from planet Mangeas. His voice booms around the packed stand and ricochets off the trees behind us.

We thought he was quiet one year. A sound tech. wanders to our end of the track, kicks a speaker and we're assured he isn't quiet by the volume blast we experience.

If you're lucky enough to get in the Velodrome with time to spare and have a decent view of the big screen, his voiceover reinforces the effort and emotion you're witnessing onscreen, until they turn the corner into the track and you add your own voice.

The best Roubaix commentary even if you only understand half of what's said.

Favourite Mangeas word: Donc. Pronounced DON - KER

Favourite Mangeas moment. The railway incident when the barrier came down, he spoke, we all fell silent.

As a side note there was a band that entertained us in the velodrome last year, they looked like scruffy bloody students but played their horns like virtuoso's. I could even hear them over the TV commentary this year. If anyone know's if they have a CD let me know as I'll buy a copy.

mmm, I wish I was a scruffy bloody student again.

Fame & Glory

Every year you return home and watch the race that you recorded to fill in the gaps in your experience. Then a few days later, as the photographer's upload their hard fought photos you scour throught them, partly to relive the race and partly to see if you're on any.

Sad but true, surely everyone does this, don't they?

So when Jeremy Dunn posted his reports and photo's from Roubaix on the Embrocation blog I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The only time we miss in recent years and a photo is taken that would've proudly adorned our mantlepiece, had we been standing in our regular spot.

So to redress the balance, here's what was missing.



P.S. We would've been filling the gap next to the guy with the yellow jacket, not crowding the racing line like lunatics - this isn't the Carrefour de l'arbre!