Frank Schleck won the Luxembourg National Championship. I was there to witness
his efforts. And Andy was working hard leading the peloton to catch the breakaway
during the race. Nice team work or brother work!
Later I heard at the "Frank & Andy Schleck Fan Club" hangout in Mondorf les Bains
that Nicki Sorensen and Kurt-Asle Arvesen won the Danish and Norwegian National
Championship respectively.
What a day! Congratulations guys! Now we have 3 guys with road race National
Champions and 1 time trial National Champions in our Team CSC SAXO Bank
team for the Tour de France.
I am sure that this great feat will make those Italian sewing masters busy
for the next couple of days. The deadline (when shipping and delivery takes
about two days or so) is Tuesday or earlier. Can all the three guys wear the
proper champion jersey at the team presentation? I am thrilled to witness that
in Brest on Thursday July 3rd.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tour de Suisse 2008 Part II
I am back from Switzerland. I will try to post some pictures and to comment
on them but Tour de Frace is just around the corner so I don't know if I can
find time to do so.
You see, I am following all the stages of TdF this year. I have to prepare for it.
It was a great race. Fabian Cancellara won two stages, Team CSC riders did
very well and showed that they were on form for the TdF. However, the most
important thing is that they finished the race. In other words, coming to the
finish safe and sound is the most important thing.
Frank had an extremely unbelievably huge mega luck to survive that crash
with only scratches, little cuts and a bit of pain in the back.
The day after the crash, at the start in Ambri, I asked him if he was really
really OK. He said, "... Yeah, I've seen better days but ..."
Anyway, I will try to update this blog before TdF.
Hi, Paul. I did not expect to see you on top of Klausenpass.
on them but Tour de Frace is just around the corner so I don't know if I can
find time to do so.
You see, I am following all the stages of TdF this year. I have to prepare for it.
It was a great race. Fabian Cancellara won two stages, Team CSC riders did
very well and showed that they were on form for the TdF. However, the most
important thing is that they finished the race. In other words, coming to the
finish safe and sound is the most important thing.
Frank had an extremely unbelievably huge mega luck to survive that crash
with only scratches, little cuts and a bit of pain in the back.
The day after the crash, at the start in Ambri, I asked him if he was really
really OK. He said, "... Yeah, I've seen better days but ..."
Anyway, I will try to update this blog before TdF.
Hi, Paul. I did not expect to see you on top of Klausenpass.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tour de Luxebourg 2008 Part VI
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Tour de Luxembourg 2008 Part V
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Just pictures and this will be edited later...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Tour de Luxembourg 2008 Part IV
This Portuguese store is located just 70 meters from the Start. It was
June 8th Sunday. The day before that day (Saturday), the Portuguese national
team won a match against Turkey in European Championship (succor or football).
This store owner was happy, I guess. I saw Portuguese flags flying at several
places in Luxembourg. I had not known that there were Portuguese communities
in Luxembourg before that day.
They had flags and other items delicately displayed.
Well, back to the race.
Kurt-Alse Arvesen and Bobby Julich giving out their autographs to fans.
Ditto.
Andy is ready to go with a bunch of snack bars in his back pockets.
Frank Schleck giving out his autograph.
Fabian Cancellara going to the start line.
Team CSC cars.
Andy is being photographed.
The Start gate. Can you see those pink elephants?
Filippo Pozzato signing.
The race is about to start.
Volodymir Gustov just after the start.
Bobby Julich just after the start.
June 8th Sunday. The day before that day (Saturday), the Portuguese national
team won a match against Turkey in European Championship (succor or football).
This store owner was happy, I guess. I saw Portuguese flags flying at several
places in Luxembourg. I had not known that there were Portuguese communities
in Luxembourg before that day.
They had flags and other items delicately displayed.
Well, back to the race.
Kurt-Alse Arvesen and Bobby Julich giving out their autographs to fans.
Ditto.
Andy is ready to go with a bunch of snack bars in his back pockets.
Frank Schleck giving out his autograph.
Fabian Cancellara going to the start line.
Team CSC cars.
Andy is being photographed.
The Start gate. Can you see those pink elephants?
Filippo Pozzato signing.
The race is about to start.
Volodymir Gustov just after the start.
Bobby Julich just after the start.
Team Saxo Bank in 2009
Wow! Riis Cycling has made it known that it has found a new sponsor for
the three upcoming seasons.
Team CSC will be known as Team CSC/Saxo Bank effective immediately and
will be known as Team Saxo Bank starting 2009.
What will the UCI code be? SAX?
the three upcoming seasons.
Team CSC will be known as Team CSC/Saxo Bank effective immediately and
will be known as Team Saxo Bank starting 2009.
What will the UCI code be? SAX?
Tour de Luxembourg 2008 Part III
The sky was blue and it was sunny.
What a beautiful place! This is just 50 meters down the Finish gate. I think this
ruined brick structure is called Casemates.
The ville de Luxembourg (the city of Luxembourg) has a dynamic landscape.
It has this deep valley just out side the city center.
The church peak just over the Finish gate is St. Michel.
Beautiful, isn't it?
This is the front view of University of Luxembourg, I think. This photo
was taken while I was driving to ville de Luxembourg from Mersch.
University of Luxembourg
Sure, it was a hot day in Luxembourg but they mean something else
by Hot City. The city of Luxembourg offers these Wifi hot spots.
You see that antenna up there.
Wifi zone, it says.
What a beautiful place! This is just 50 meters down the Finish gate. I think this
ruined brick structure is called Casemates.
The ville de Luxembourg (the city of Luxembourg) has a dynamic landscape.
It has this deep valley just out side the city center.
The church peak just over the Finish gate is St. Michel.
Beautiful, isn't it?
This is the front view of University of Luxembourg, I think. This photo
was taken while I was driving to ville de Luxembourg from Mersch.
University of Luxembourg
Sure, it was a hot day in Luxembourg but they mean something else
by Hot City. The city of Luxembourg offers these Wifi hot spots.
You see that antenna up there.
Wifi zone, it says.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Calendar and Results (After June 8th)
My plans for the next few months.
June 15th - 22nd: In Switzerland (Tour de Suisse, Stage 2, 5, 6, 8 and 9)
June 29th Sunday: National Championship (Bochum Germany or other country?)
July 5th - 27th: Tour de France (All the stages including the Team Presentation)
August 24th Sunday: Eneco Tour (Benelux)
August 31st Sunday: Deutschland Tour
September 1st Monday: Deutschland Tour
September 7th Sunday: Vattenfall Cyclassics (GER)
Autograph collection:
Hopefully, I will get these men to give their autographs on my jersey.
27. Inigo Cuesta Lopez de Castro (during Tour de France, I think he will be there)
28. Bradley McGee (Eneco Tour?? or Deutschland Tour??)
29. Jason McCartney (Eneco Tour?? or Deutschland Tour??)
June 15th - 22nd: In Switzerland (Tour de Suisse, Stage 2, 5, 6, 8 and 9)
June 29th Sunday: National Championship (Bochum Germany or other country?)
July 5th - 27th: Tour de France (All the stages including the Team Presentation)
August 24th Sunday: Eneco Tour (Benelux)
August 31st Sunday: Deutschland Tour
September 1st Monday: Deutschland Tour
September 7th Sunday: Vattenfall Cyclassics (GER)
Autograph collection:
- Stuart O'Grady
- Karsten Kroon
- Allan Johansen
- Kurt-Asle Arvesen
- Matthew Goss
- Anders Lund
- Matti Breschel
- Marcus Ljungqvist
- Lasse Bøchman
- André Steensen
- Jens Voigt
- Andy Schleck
- Nicki Sørensen
- Michael Bludzun
- Alexndr Kolobnev
- Kaper Klostergaard
- Bobby Julich
- Gustav Erik Larsson
- Fränk Schleck
- Carlos Sastre Candil
- Chiris Anker Sørensen
- Lars Bak
- Volodymir Gustov
- Jurgen Van Goolen
- Juan José Haedo
- Fabian Cancellara
Hopefully, I will get these men to give their autographs on my jersey.
27. Inigo Cuesta Lopez de Castro (during Tour de France, I think he will be there)
28. Bradley McGee (Eneco Tour?? or Deutschland Tour??)
29. Jason McCartney (Eneco Tour?? or Deutschland Tour??)
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Tour de Luxembourg 2008 Part II
Tour de Luxembourg 2008 (Stage 4 Mersch - Luxembourg) June 8th 2008.
I left for Mersch 07:00 in the morning and arrived 09:50. Around 10:40,
team cars began to arrive. While waiting for the Team CSC riders to come
out, I checked their bikes.
The O, Symetric chainring on Bobby Julich's spare bike. The bike has
Ultegra FD equipped on it.
Ultegra is visible.
Only Andy Schleck's bike had this Alpha Q's new GS-40 fork.
Fabian Cancellara's Soloist has this sticker on it. You know by now what
Tony M. means or who it is if you are a Team CSC fan.
Tony's crank set is a bit suspicious.
I saw this similarly suspicious crank in 2007 in Kuurne (Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne) used
by Lars Bak. Back then, it had FSA sticker on it. You can clearly see the remnants
of the sticker.
The work place for the Team CSC boys. As far as I remember,
Tony M., Bobby Julich, Kurt-Asle Arvesen had SRM. Who else had one?
I think there were four bikes with SRM.
The race bike of Bobby's had this roughly machined O, Symetric chainring.
It is just machined but not refined. It does not even have the logo on it.
You can see the rough edges. The FD is a Dura-Ace model.
Voiture balai
This voiture balai had a programable LED board on board. It reads "TDL."
I left for Mersch 07:00 in the morning and arrived 09:50. Around 10:40,
team cars began to arrive. While waiting for the Team CSC riders to come
out, I checked their bikes.
The O, Symetric chainring on Bobby Julich's spare bike. The bike has
Ultegra FD equipped on it.
Ultegra is visible.
Only Andy Schleck's bike had this Alpha Q's new GS-40 fork.
Fabian Cancellara's Soloist has this sticker on it. You know by now what
Tony M. means or who it is if you are a Team CSC fan.
Tony's crank set is a bit suspicious.
I saw this similarly suspicious crank in 2007 in Kuurne (Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne) used
by Lars Bak. Back then, it had FSA sticker on it. You can clearly see the remnants
of the sticker.
The work place for the Team CSC boys. As far as I remember,
Tony M., Bobby Julich, Kurt-Asle Arvesen had SRM. Who else had one?
I think there were four bikes with SRM.
The race bike of Bobby's had this roughly machined O, Symetric chainring.
It is just machined but not refined. It does not even have the logo on it.
You can see the rough edges. The FD is a Dura-Ace model.
Voiture balai
This voiture balai had a programable LED board on board. It reads "TDL."
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