The Equestrian Trails Don't End!

So I'm on day six of my Swiss 'cross training and the trails just past the new place don't end. Today was another hour-plus and I continued to explore. The Garmin's battery was dead so I didn't map it, but I know where everything is and leads to. It's really incredible - I can't wait to see if someone grooms for skate skiing.

The nine-ball just got a good washing, being a week packed with mud and all. Oh yeah, what better way to finish off a ride than a nice cold Chimay?


TWO!!

A Perfect Ride...

Taking advantage of the incredible fall weather today, I took the nine-ball out for some more 'cross training. Two blocks from the new apartment is a trailhead that leads to a network of walking trails, singletrack and access roads that only the Swiss could maintain so well. There are ALWAYS lots of walkers out and about, dogs too. But once you get past the front trails it turns into one of the greatest cross bike rides you can imagine.

In just one hour of riding, you can find plenty of downed logs to practice barriers, stairs, water crossings - everything except a sand pit! Elevation gain is minimal unless you want to find some run-ups or blast up the odd hill. There are a couple of paved climbs if you need. All of this, and you won't find a car and don't even really have to cross a road! Not only that, but the Garmin showed that I didn't hit the same patch of trail twice, save for the entrance and return bit.

Perfect...

Top Ten Lists

One of my favorite things to listen to is when my talk radio shows go off topic and discuss music... why isn't this a popular topic on more shows? Anyway, I recently saw a blog post about Mtv streaming old videos online. SO - as I'm a child of the 80's (and 90's), here is a list of videos from my favorite "college bands" (remember that term?).

The Cure Primary
Is that really Robert Smith?

New Order True Faith
Speechless from the first time I saw it.

Joy Division Atmosphere
Anton Corbijn invented Jawas. True story.
Tribute to Ian Curtis, RIP (and somebody please return the grave stone!).

The Smiths This Charming Man
"Punctured bicycle, on a hillside desolate..."
"I would go out tonight, but I haven't got a stitch to wear.
This man said 'It's gruesome that someone so handsome should care' "

Morrissey Suedehead
This song may have been the first time a laser wore grooves in a CD, I played it SOO much when it came out.

Everyday Is Like Sunday
See above!

First of the Gang to Die
This is a late entry and the only 'live' video. There are many better, older M videos, but this song is incredible, from his Manchester concert DVD.

Material Issue Valerie Loves Me
Great college band. Remember a foggy concert in Ames, making an ass of myself.

Jesus and Mary Chain Head On
Distortion kings.

Finally, for #10, take your pick... do a search on the following.
Peter Murphy
Love and Rockets
The Beautiful South
The Housemartins
The Pixies
The Ocean Blue

Our lines are open... are you diggin' this type of music, or are you more of a fan of the good ol' hair band? If so, try Yngwie my personal favorite for "fastest guitar player alive". Oops, Mtv still not into Yngwie! It's what goes through my head in a race... EVERY race!

From the back room...

Since I've been riding it so much in the past week, I figured it
appropriate to give some blog love to my rig... an 08 XTJ, taken woth
the iPhone on the back shop. It's wedged between a couple other guys'
commuters.

Cinquanta!

Not sure how I missed that one, but THIS makes 51. Yay...

Upon further review... one of those was a draft... so this IS 50!

A quick one from Japan

Here's what my Element (oft-ridiculed by my Italian friends) looks
like in Japan.

伊蛮伐蘇

Ivan Basso's Japan Cup Bike

I'm now back from Japan and a little recovered from the past month and a half of travel. Here are the images (plus a few bonus shots) that I posted to Cannondale and that have now appeared all over the place. This must be one of the most photographed bikes we've done to date! At one point during the team presentation, I grabbed the bike and moved it slightly - some people waiting in the wings could then see a different view and the flash bulbs went wild... I ended up posing the bike for another ten minutes!

The race went as expected. The climb wasn't tough enough for Ivan to break away. What has been under-appreciated in the race reports were the rides of both Giovanni Visconti and Valerio Agnoli, who each were dropped on the climbs and chased back on... twice!

After the race, Ivan was great, signing autographs and posing for photos for a good while for the long line of Japanese fans who waited two hours after the podium and press conference! Like it or not, Ivan is back... and will be a force to contend with at the Giro.

日本杯ニ〇〇八

Japan Cup 2008!

When the chance to go to Japan for Ivan's first race back came up, how could I say no? The twelve hour flight followed by two hours of travel from Tokyo to Utsunomia (after an hour long bus transfer) was the small price to pay!

I've been happy to be accompanied by the fine staff of Cannondale Japan. Katsoumi, Hiro and Shoji can be added to the long list of Cannondale employees around the world that I've had the pleasure to work with. They do a great job here, as evidenced by the large number of Cannondales on the road during today's amateur rides and races.

We followed the guys to the race venue for a lap with the public. The course is nice - a closed-off national park with a couple of climbs. Ivan has enjoyed a great reception from the public. We've prepared a special bike (thanks to Lara) for him, which has garnered a lot of attention. After the press conference, he was mobbed by Japanese fans, who are very passionate about Italian cycling. I didn't expect to see guys dressed in full pro team kit, head to toe. We saw a Japanese Bennati, Lance, Danilo in pink... there was even a guy in a Rock Racing jersey!

This afternoon, I did my usual electronics shopping. Utsunomia's mall wasn't nearly as big as that I saw in Seoul (evidently the huge one in Tokyo isn't even as big as Seoul), but I managed to find enough iPod accessories to keep me satisfied for a while.

I've always thought that the written Japanese languages are an amazing art form. I love to see things common to me (Mountain Dew and Apple products) advertised in Japanese. The Mountain Dew cans are HUGE... just my size. Obligatory shot of my morning coffee with my Liquigas iPod Nano and today's playlist - O&A from Wednesday (the Pendulum is swingin' back the other way!).

Where've I been?

So - it's been a while. Anyway, I've been earning lots of frequent flyer miles lately and it doesn't look to be slowing down any time soon!

If you saw the tweets, you'll know I've been to the US for some Tour of Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa and of course, Vegas. Just before that, we moved into a new apartment in Basel and the early results are in... it rocks! My big project for the new place was to hook up the Mac Mini to a big LCD (nice deal courtesy of Cannondale/Vredestein partners Polaroid). I'm now running Front Row, EyeTV and Slingbox from my couch! So I'm now in the process of loading iTunes up with all my old favorites... Seinfeld, Miami Vice and even thirtysomething (purchased a box set which seems to have come from the same guy that sold me some DVD's in Korea!). With all of the traveling coming up, I'll at least not be forced into watching lame airline movies (the last few flights have had dreadful offerings).

Last week we packed up the dogs and headed to Tuscany for a long weekend. We stayed in an 'agriturismo' where Team Barloworld had a spring camp last year. The place was perfect... lots of big fields for the dogs, great apartments, and close to the shore as well as inland to the Tuscan hill towns. We ended up spending a day in Volterra, where I've surprisingly never been. From there, we headed to the Isle of Elba, famous for the exile of a certain short French emperor. From there, we stayed with a friend from the bike industry who has a large villa next door to a Mr. Cipollini. Mario was not in town (legal woes?), otherwise he would have joined for breakfast. Great food, nice sites, then a rush back home to finish up some work.

It's off to Connecticut this weekend for a big meeting next week. Following that, it's Lombardia and then Japan Cup! I can't wait for this season to finish so we can get to work on the next one!

Trial by Fire

So then Friday and Saturday I continued my DS training. Friday's stage into Jefferson City was another hot and muggy one. I went with Gianni to the feed zone, passed a musette to Roman and then hopped into Stefano's car while he took mine and went to the break, where Mugerli was in the mix. More bottles passed, and a rear wheel change. Guarnieri pulled over while I was in the passing lane and I ended up pulling over in front of him, to Gianfranco's dismay - POW! - his door hit Guarnieri's handlebar! Lesson learned - even when the rider stops quick, always pull in behind him even if you have to just stop in the road.

The run-in to Jeff City was a quick one. Nibali played out an attack but got quickly pulled back. Two Rabobank youngsters took 1st and 2nd. The winner is the son of Jean Paul Van Poppel. Stefano raced with him and said he went like a train.

For Saturday, we expected horrible rain from Ike, but it never showed up. I drove car 2 from the start and the break went halfway again. Mugerli was up front in a 12 man break, so again, we swapped cars. This time, Guarnieri was involved in a big crash on the left side of the road. The street was real wide and everyone pulled over to the left, so I followed suit. Guarnieri eventually went to the right side of the road and I was a bit blocked in. I was able to exit and get to Gianfranco after a wheel change, but another lesson learned... ALWAYS service on the right side of the road. After that, we serviced the bike and helped him back to the group... let's see if I get a fine. Read between the lines on that one!

On the run-in to the finish into St. Charles, the skied darkened and threatened the rain which still didn't come. I got a bit nervous watching from about ten cars back, hoping for a Chicchi sprint or a Nibali breakaway. My heart was pounding and I think I found a new best way to watch a race... in the caravan driving a support car! Finally, Cavendish took his third stage, and we have to wait until Sunday's circuit for our first.