Can Voeckler keep the Yellow Jersey?
Thomas Voeckler earns a lead in the GC of Le Tour on stage 9Voeckler has vowed to fight to retain his overall lead.
"It was a wet and stressful day, but one more day in the yellow jersey is great," he said.
"To be honest I expect to lose it tomorrow but it doesn't mean I'm not going to fight to keep it."
His Europcar team director Jean-Rene Bernaudeau was not so defeatist.
"Thomas will never admit it but I think he can keep it unless the favourites attack as early as the first climb," he said.
"If they wait for the last climb, I don't see Thomas losing 2:30 on it."
Text pinched from the ABC
Photo from Zimbio.com
Bike of the Day, Kyoto
Found this emblematic utilitarian shopping 'stay at home'-Dad cycle in Kyoto. One day I will have children just to ride such a bike
Le Tour 2011 Stage 12 Thursday 14 July (Bastille Day)
As is clear from the profile above of the 211Km stage, this might be the real start of this year's tour. The climbers and the contenders in the overall race may take the opportunity to raise their game and try to cut back Voeckler's lead in the general classification. It should be a fantastic stage.
Le Tour crash: Hoogerland's eyes
You often read on cycle blogs about cars and cyclist collisions. On Stage 9 of the Tour de France,
Hoogerland and Flecha were in a breakaway with less than an hour to the finish line of the stage when Flecha was sideswiped by a French television camera car, who was trying to pass and swerved into the riders to avoid a tree. You can see the crazy footage here:
It was massive as the breakaway was successful and significant as Voeckler went on to gain four minutes in the general classification on Schleck, Contador, Evans et al. Hoogerland and Flecha crawled to the finish bloody and battered.
These cameramen are employed to shoot footage of the race, and the driver quite violently swerved in from the edge of the road and smacked one rider into the other. Both survived. No bones were broken unlike in the earlier high-speed downhill crash that lead to a number of riders withdrawing. Hoogerland was however thrown into a barbed wire fence and after finishing the race, apparently received 33 stitches.
Hoogerland is still the leader in the polka-dot climber's jersey, but as one commentator on the race remarked last night, he "continues to have a far off look in his eyes" after the incident.
Guri cyclepath to the Han update
It's the rainy season here in South Korea. We have a short period of humid, grey weather with downpours every few days. Not much riding, a lot of viewing of the Tour de France and frequent blogging about riding happens.
On Sunday I returned from Busan and the weather was clear. I took a 30 KM ride linking the Cheongyecheon cyclepath to the Han cyclepath to the Guri cyclepath, and then roared back East -West on the road past Sangbong station line 7. The section from the Han to Guri used to be in a real mess (see link below), and I guess this post is an update. The Han Cyclepath to Guri cyclepath is now all clear and smooth riding.
Tour de France 2011 a weekend for the climbers
The Tour de France moves on from the Loire to what looks like the Massif Central this weekend.
I am looking forward to the weekend's racing. Saturday's finish will be exciting with over 200m to ascend in the last 5-6 Kms
Here is a profile of Saturday's stage:
Sunday's stage also looks promising:
Cycling the Kamo river path Kyoto
Looking North along the Kamo cycle path.Rode the Kamo river path in Kyoto many times from east of the imperial palace in the north down to near a bridge connecting to JR Kyoto station in the south. We found the east side of the river to have the smoother cycling path as the west side becomes cobbled and then runs out somewhere adjacent to Shijo-Dori or perhaps even before. Though sometimes unpaved and a little bumpy, the single gear commuting bikes we borrowed from our Ryokan handled the surface fine.
Heading south at dusk.
In town.Japanese pedestrians and most vehicles (apart from buses) were very aware and tolerant of bicycles. In Kyoto cyclists tended to confidently share the foot-path with pedestrians, though young cyclists tended to hit the road briefly to avoid pedestrians or other cyclists in times of congestion.
Cycling Seoul's 'Heart Course' via the Han River
This link to a good route is back working.
Seoul's 'Heart Course' via the Han River
Classic Bridgestone Bicycle
Hi Does anyone have the answer to these fine folks' questions?
A number of people are curious about this bicycle...
Catch up with the thread by clicking the label 'Bridgestone'
A number of people are curious about this bicycle...
It was first mentioned in this post a while back
Catch up with the thread by clicking the label 'Bridgestone'
Canadian Cycling
'...currently working on my amateur cartography skills as i map out my Gape Peninsula and Montreal to Quebec City venture. As i opened my cycling bible i read the following statement bewildered and jetlagged "Quebec is the largest province in Canada, twice the size of Texas, three times the size of France, and 7 times the size of Great Britain" well that seems a daunting task at best! Looking at around 1200km in 14 days.'
Go well bro. Pretty visible there with that discount fluoro tape. I'll think of you as I roll through Rhein/Moselle European wine country
Bridgestone: World's finest bicycle
These bike photos were sent to me in response to an earlier post about a classic bike made in Tokyo with the description on the frame: 'Guaranteed World Finest Bicycle Precision Mechanism'. Cheers Fonz.
Trek-Marin-Jamis Aurora
On this tour I rode my Trek 3700 MTB. The first 150KM were off road on the Otago Rail Trail. We thought the trail would be cluttered with oldies riding with their lattes, but it was pretty uncongested and no cars! The tours came from Alexandra then North to South across the Maniototo plains paying due respect to the prevailing Nor'Wester. We rode South to North and caught a Southerly. Suckers. Returning to Seoul my Marin is on its last legs. I swear I will bury the frame one day. After an 11 day 963Km cycle tour the dream of a custom made touring bike like below is graspingly alive: 
Day 8: Mt Cook ride
What was on the bike: In this photo you can see the bike set up: MEC handlebar bag, back pannier bags with yellow survival/rain bag (unused in 11 days), horizontal blue foam sleeping roll plus the green compression bag held both bike bags for the plane trips. You can also see my head bandage.
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