So, now that I’ve been to Paris, and back I’ve been wondering what to do with this site. I can certainly continue on with my ramblings about my daily rides and upcoming races. But, I like to have some goal I’m working towards. There is no shortage of events that I’d like to try. Though I can’t pull it off this year, I’d still really like to do La Ruta. I’ve never done a 24 hour race, and after hearing Chipper’s stories about TransRockies I am really interested in trying my hand at one of that genre. After talking to lots of folks who do the cyclosportifs in Europe, and my own experience at the Granfondo Pinarello last year, I’d also like to try and include a European race/ride on the calendar as well. Too many things to try and do! And now they add this foolishness to the mix?
In an age where the grand tours are being criticized for being too long and thus creating an atmosphere where drugs are necessary for recovery, America steps up to the plate (pun intended) with our own grand tour. The Tour of America promises to be the longest, hardest, best paying bike race in the world. Its a little far from April, but I’m really sort of thinking that this thing is a joke (does anyone knows who these organizers are?). Supposedly the real dish comes out at Interbike today. But a 30 day tour, with stages as long as 260 miles? I know some Randonneurs who would do an event like that, but I think you’d be hard pressed to get a pro tour team to commit its riders to something like that. You’d need a team of riders specifically for that event, that didn’t do another race all year (barring a few warm ups prior). Of course, if the just decided to open it up to amateurs? Say, run it as 27 separate 1 day events (eliminating the team time trials), and anyone who wanted could compete in all 27 stages? Well, that is the kind of stupidity I’d sign up for in a heartbeat!
So, the road to nowhere. I’ll start posting thoughts about events to do next year and maybe figure out where the road will go next.
