T-Mobile Gran Prix
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I have to admit that this was the best race yet and a large part of that was due to Chris Horner who
has often irritated me with his attacking personality.
Chris was absolutely a Lance yesterday. Five laps from the end he started his move, four laps from
the end he had a flat and was dropped. Three laps from the end he took the first group. He and
McCarthy were absolutely spectacular with their attack and attack at precisely the right time.
McCarthy is so nerdy that you expect him to have a pocket protector and be pushing his glasses up
his nose every other word. Knowing his spectacular performances in the bike really contrasts with
his personality. I hope he murders them all this year in Cyclocross as well.
Fillmore climb was narrowed down near the top this year to prevent, I assume, the really extreme
tacking back and forth. Those who didn't have at least a 39/27 were killed and the best guys had a
Campi 29 10-speed setup.
Taylor street climb wasn't as severe as Fillmore but it was nevertheless damned imposing when you
came around the corner and looked at that wall.
I was pulling for Ekimov and he might have made it if he had two more laps. He was closing like
gangbusters near the end.
This race was so hard that Horner, McCarthy and Ekimov were all nearly exhausted and their real
persionalities came out. Horner seemed a really nice kid much to my previous encounters with him
(always from a distance granted).
McCarthy was a surprise to me because he was so nerdy. On the bike he was anything but nerdy though.
His riding was world class and extremely sophisticated.
Great GREAT racing.
"Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:484e7721.0309151135.1c7ebd70@posting.google.com...
> I have to admit that this was the best race yet and a large part of that was due to Chris Horner
> who has often irritated me with his attacking personality.
>
> Chris was absolutely a Lance yesterday. Five laps from the end he started his move, four laps from
> the end he had a flat and was dropped. Three laps from the end he took the first group. He and
> McCarthy were absolutely spectacular with their attack and attack at precisely the right time.
>
> McCarthy is so nerdy that you expect him to have a pocket protector and be pushing his glasses up
> his nose every other word. Knowing his spectacular performances in the bike really contrasts with
> his personality. I hope he murders them all this year in Cyclocross as well.
>
> Fillmore climb was narrowed down near the top this year to prevent, I assume, the really extreme
> tacking back and forth. Those who didn't have at least a 39/27 were killed and the best guys had a
> Campi 29 10-speed setup.
>
> Taylor street climb wasn't as severe as Fillmore but it was nevertheless damned imposing when you
> came around the corner and looked at that wall.
>
> I was pulling for Ekimov and he might have made it if he had two more laps. He was closing like
> gangbusters near the end.
>
> This race was so hard that Horner, McCarthy and Ekimov were all nearly exhausted and their real
> persionalities came out. Horner seemed a really nice kid much to my previous encounters with him
> (always from a distance granted).
>
> McCarthy was a surprise to me because he was so nerdy. On the bike he was anything but nerdy
> though. His riding was world class and extremely sophisticated.
>
> Great GREAT racing.
Who is McCarthy??
I think he may mean Mark McCormack.
He is a nice guy but all things considered I would have to classify him as a nerd.
My appologies to Mark McCormack. Too early in the morning.
When I was in the Air Force I had a guy working for me that reminded me of Mark. That guys seemed
like a world class nerd as well. We were being transferred to different bases and in front of the
who group I got off a really world class insult and everyone laughed as I got in my car and drove
off to California.
I was out at the war and walking through the baracks in the middle of the night in absolute pitch
darkness when someone gave me a kidney puch that almost decked me. I heard this guy's voice say, "I
ALWAYS GET EVEN".
So I'm really really REALLY sorry Mark. Really I am. Honest.
"DanSchmatz" <danschmatz@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030915154958.17988.00000571@mb-m24.aol.com...
> I think he may mean Mark McCormack.
>
> He is a nice guy but all things considered I would have to classify
him as a
> nerd.
> Fillmore climb was narrowed down near the top this year to prevent, I assume, the really extreme
> tacking back and forth. Those who didn't have at least a 39/27 were killed and the best guys had a
> Campi 29 10-speed setup.
>
The Telekom guys had a 39/25, (ouch) I looked at them in the bike room while their mechanic worked
on my teammate's bike. So he's got her bike up on the stand, with 4 or 5 of us chicks standing
around talking to him, when who should walk in but Vinokourov, just back from a ride. We were too
star-struck to think about taking a picture; all I could think about was "oh crap, what if he needs
his bike worked on?" "Uh, sorry Vino, you're going to have to wait- can't you see Jane Doe's bike
(not her real name, but just as anonymous) is on the stand?"
> Taylor street climb wasn't as severe as Fillmore but it was nevertheless damned imposing when you
> came around the corner and looked at that wall.
>
My third time up Taylor was when I threw in the towel. Mind you, I have never DNF'd a race. But I
was not feeling at my peak, and lost contact with the lead pack shortly after the first time up
Fillmore. I was riding with a group of maybe 10, but this group kept dwindling. A teammate told me
she was going to drop out before the next time up Fillmore, and I almost did too, but for some
reason, as it loomed up ahead of me for the second time, the momentum of the remaining riders, and
the excitement of the crowd carried me right up to the base of it, and there was no turning back. At
the top there were only about 3 of us, and one was a T-mobile girl- #8, whom I was assuming was one
of their new domestiques, but I would find out later, was Amber Neben, (how did THAT happen? Unless
they did a number switcharoo.) Anyway, with only a few riders, it was getting pretty tough, with no
time for recovery, and even the bottom (less steep) portion of Taylor was hurting a lot, and my head
was pounding. I pulled out before the steep part with the crowds, and a minute later (when I was
recovered) regretted my decision. But today, with my legs still hurting and my last stage race of
the season coming up this weekend, I THINK I made the right choice...
>
> This race was so hard that Horner, McCarthy and Ekimov were all nearly exhausted and their real
> persionalities came out. >
Women's winner Nicole Cooke said it was the hardest race she had ever done, even though the course
"suited her perfectly".
>
> Great GREAT racing.
Yup.
"Tom Kunich" <tkunich@earthlink..net...
> My appologies to Mark McCormack. Too early in the morning.
>
> When I was in the Air Force I had a guy working for me that reminded me of Mark. That guys seemed
> like a world class nerd as well. We were being transferred to different bases and in front of the
> who group I got off a really world class insult and everyone laughed as I got in my car and drove
> off to California.
>
> I was out at the war and walking through the baracks in the middle of the night in absolute pitch
> darkness when someone gave me a kidney puch that almost decked me. I heard this guy's voice say,
> "I ALWAYS GET EVEN".
>
> So I'm really really REALLY sorry Mark. Really I am. Honest.
Nice report TK.
Nerd or Not, Mark McCormack is SMART (nerd?), fast, strong, and tactically super intelligent (and
has a wicked Bahston accent).
-Ken
Photos going up all evening and most of tomorrow:
http://www.kenpapai.com/racing/sf2003/index.html
> "DanSchmatz" <danschmatz@@mb-m24.aol.com...
> > I think he may mean Mark McCormack.
> >
> > He is a nice guy but all things considered I would have to classify him as a nerd.
"Suz" <suzweldon@bigfoot.com> wrote in message news:ZbednV4AZvugDPuiU-KYuA@comcast.com...
>
> >
> > Fillmore climb was narrowed down near the top this year to prevent, I assume, the really extreme
> > tacking back and forth. Those who didn't have at least a 39/27 were killed and the best guys had
> > a Campi 29 10-speed setup.
> >
> The Telekom guys had a 39/25, (ouch) I looked at them in the bike room
while
> their mechanic worked on my teammate's bike. So he's got her bike up on
the
> stand, with 4 or 5 of us chicks standing around talking to him, when who should walk in but
> Vinokourov, just back from a ride. We were too star-struck to think about taking a picture; all I
> could think about was
"oh
> crap, what if he needs his bike worked on?" "Uh, sorry Vino, you're going to have to wait- can't
> you see Jane Doe's bike (not her real name, but just as anonymous) is on the stand?"
>
> > Taylor street climb wasn't as severe as Fillmore but it was nevertheless damned imposing when
> > you came around the corner and looked at that wall.
> >
> My third time up Taylor was when I threw in the towel. Mind you, I have never DNF'd a race. But I
> was not feeling at my peak, and lost contact
with
> the lead pack shortly after the first time up Fillmore. I was riding with
a
> group of maybe 10, but this group kept dwindling. A teammate told me she was going to drop out
> before the next time up Fillmore, and I almost did too, but for some reason, as it loomed up ahead
> of me for the second time, the momentum of the remaining riders, and the excitement of the crowd
> carried me right up to the base of it, and there was no turning back. At the top there were only
> about 3 of us, and one was a T-mobile girl- #8,
whom
> I was assuming was one of their new domestiques, but I would find out
later,
> was Amber Neben, (how did THAT happen? Unless they did a number switcharoo.)
It seem unlikely it was her because 1) she voluntarily removed herself from competition and 2) can't
see her losing contact w/ the group at that point if indeed she was racing
> > group of maybe 10, but this group kept dwindling. A teammate told me
she
> > was going to drop out before the next time up Fillmore, and I almost did too, but for some
> > reason, as it loomed up ahead of me for the second
time,
> > the momentum of the remaining riders, and the excitement of the crowd carried me right up to the
> > base of it, and there was no turning back.
At
> > the top there were only about 3 of us, and one was a T-mobile girl- #8,
> whom
> > I was assuming was one of their new domestiques, but I would find out
> later,
> > was Amber Neben, (how did THAT happen? Unless they did a number switcharoo.)
>
>
>
> It seem unlikely it was her because 1) she voluntarily removed herself
from
> competition
I removed myself voluntarily too- just didn't want to be there anymore.
and 2) can't see her losing contact w/ the group at that point if
> indeed she was racing
>
Yeah, I think so too; most of the race is kind of a blur, and I don't remember if she came up from
behind me (maybe she had a flat?) or if she had been there the whole time, but I just remember
thinking, hmm, a T-mobile girl, I wonder who #8 is. Maybe she was not trying very hard by then and
just wanted to ride back to the start/ finish.
Suz wrote:
>> Great GREAT racing.
>
> Yup.
Nice effort, anyway. Too bad about your cadence magnet.
"Robert Chung" <invalid@nospam.com> wrote in message news:3f66e243$0$20649$626a54ce@news.free.fr...
> Suz wrote:
> >> Great GREAT racing.
> >
> > Yup.
>
> Nice effort, anyway. Too bad about your cadence magnet.
>
Eric must be talking about me on the watts group again...
"Suz" <suzweldon@bigfoot.com> wrote in message news:ZbednV4AZvugDPuiU-KYuA@comcast.com...
>
> >
> > Fillmore climb was narrowed down near the top this year to prevent, I assume, the really extreme
> > tacking back and forth. Those who didn't have at least a 39/27 were killed and the best guys had
> > a Campi 29 10-speed setup.
> >
> The Telekom guys had a 39/25, (ouch) I looked at them in the bike room
while
> their mechanic worked on my teammate's bike. So he's got her bike up on
the
> stand, with 4 or 5 of us chicks standing around talking to him, when who should walk in but
> Vinokourov, just back from a ride. We were too star-struck to think about taking a picture; all I
> could think about was
"oh
> crap, what if he needs his bike worked on?" "Uh, sorry Vino, you're going to have to wait- can't
> you see Jane Doe's bike (not her real name, but
just
> as anonymous) is on the stand?"
>
> > Taylor street climb wasn't as severe as Fillmore but it was nevertheless damned imposing when
> > you came around the corner and looked at that wall.
> >
> My third time up Taylor was when I threw in the towel. Mind you, I have never DNF'd a race. But I
> was not feeling at my peak, and lost contact
with
> the lead pack shortly after the first time up Fillmore. I was riding with
a
> group of maybe 10, but this group kept dwindling. A teammate told me she
What does your uniform look like? (Ashmead King 5 ? Your were #91) I bet I have a picture.
Let us know.
-Ken
> was going to drop out before the next time up Fillmore, and I almost did too, but for some reason,
> as it loomed up ahead of me for the second time, the momentum of the remaining riders, and the
> excitement of the crowd carried me right up to the base of it, and there was no turning back. At
> the top there were only about 3 of us, and one was a T-mobile girl- #8,
whom
> I was assuming was one of their new domestiques, but I would find out
later,
> was Amber Neben, (how did THAT happen? Unless they did a number switcharoo.) Anyway, with only a
> few riders, it was getting pretty
tough,
> with no time for recovery, and even the bottom (less steep) portion of Taylor was hurting a lot,
> and my head was pounding. I pulled out before
the
> steep part with the crowds, and a minute later (when I was recovered) regretted my decision. But
> today, with my legs still hurting and my last stage race of the season coming up this weekend, I
> THINK I made the right choice...
Good effort given I am sure. Not all types of race courses are for all types of racers.
-Ken
Anybody else see the Sierra Nevada rider with the mechanical just past the start line? Looked like some kind of chain problem but the team car changed his rear wheel and drove off - didn't fix the problem though and the guy got up on the sidewalk in among the large crowd and threw his bike down on the sidewalk - a real temper tantrum. I can imagine the frustration of getting all psyched up for probably the biggest race in his life and it's over after 100m.
So after the next parade lap the team car had him back up and was adjusting his seatpost at 50mph while he caught up to the pack. I'd like to know if he managed to catch on and finish if anybody knows who it was. I was across the street and couldn't see his number.
"DiabloScott" <NOSPAMdiabloscott@terranews.chariot.net.au...
> Anybody else see the Sierra Nevada rider with the mechanical just past the start line? Looked like
> some kind of chain problem but the team car changed his rear wheel and drove off - didn't fix the
> problem though and the guy got up on the sidewalk in among the large crowd and threw his bike down
> on the sidewalk - a real temper tantrum. I can imagine the frustration of getting all psyched up
> for probably the biggest race in his life and it's over after 100m.
My guess -- it was Sterling Magnell, the youngest on the team.
http://www.kenpapai.com/racing/sf2003/sterling0703.jpg
> So after the next parade lap the team car had him back up and was adjusting his seatpost at 50mph
> while he caught up to the pack. I'd like to know if he managed to catch on and finish if anybody
> knows who it was. I was across the street and couldn't see his number.
in article 3f673c7e_1@news.chariot.net.au, DiabloScott at NOSPAMdiabloscott@terra.es wrote on
9/16/03 9:18 AM:
> Anybody else see the Sierra Nevada rider with the mechanical just past the start line?
<snip>
> I was across the street and couldn't see his number.
#156
http://www.abbiorca.com/bike/road/road2003/sftmobile-9-14-03/men/source/sf_t mobile_03_r_398.html
> Good effort given I am sure. Not all types of race courses are for all types of racers.
>
> -Ken
>
Yup, I'm more of an endurance climber, and those hills were DEFINITELY all about power. No regrets
though, it was an awesome experience.
In article <3f673c7e_1@news.chariot.net.au>, DiabloScott <NOSPAMdiabloscott@terra.es> wrote:
> Anybody else see the Sierra Nevada rider with the mechanical just past the start line? Looked like
> some kind of chain problem but the team car changed his rear wheel and drove off - didn't fix the
> problem though and the guy got up on the sidewalk in among the large crowd and threw his bike down
> on the sidewalk - a real temper tantrum. I can imagine the frustration of getting all psyched up
> for probably the biggest race in his life and it's over after 100m.
>
> So after the next parade lap the team car had him back up and was adjusting his seatpost at 50mph
> while he caught up to the pack. I'd like to know if he managed to catch on and finish if anybody
> knows who it was. I was across the street and couldn't see his number.
I saw that. It looked like a wheel change the Mavic guys started (I didn't see the beginning of
what happened). Then the team car pulled up and their guy went to work, but the mechanic was
fooling with the wheel for what seemed like a -very- long time. He appeared to be having a hard
time getting the chain and mech. synched. The guy started to ride away and the chain popped off
after a few feet. The car pulled up next to him and they spoke for a second before the car drove
off. I was surprised that the guy didn't just get off and put the chain back on himself at that
point. He just stood and looked and gestured at it. Then he really fired his bike across the
sidewalk. I had been thinking of going over to help until that point. I can understand his
frustration, but it was kind of cringe-worthy.
--
tanx, Howard
"Head of a cat, body of a monkey, Here comes a plague upon the land." The Billy Nayer Show
remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?
Howard Kveck <YOURhoward@h-SHOESbomb.com> wrote in message
news:<YOURhoward-C722C6.23011416092003@netnews.attbi.com>...
> >
> I saw that. It looked like a wheel change the Mavic guys started (I didn't see the beginning of
> what happened). Then the team car pulled up and their guy went to work, but the mechanic was
> fooling with the wheel for what seemed like a -very- long time. He appeared to be having a hard
> time getting the chain and mech. synched. The guy started to ride away and the chain popped off
> after a few feet. The car pulled up next to him and they spoke for a second before the car
> drove off. I was surprised that the guy didn't just get off and put the chain back on himself
> at that point. He just stood and looked and gestured at it. Then he really fired his bike
> across the sidewalk. I had been thinking of going over to help until that point. I can
> understand his frustration, but it was kind of cringe-worthy.
http://www.abbiorca.com/bike/road/road2003/sftmobile-9-14-03/men/source/sf_tmobile_03_r_398.html
Sabine
Actually there were two Sierra Nevada riders who had problems...one with a chain skip issue and the
other with a flat.
The parade laps were a bit hectic, with 11 services in the first 10 minutes of the race.
Chuck Mavic Motor 1
"sabine" <sabinedukes@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:fb3bb9f3.0309170938.57faccef@posting.google.com...
> Howard Kveck <YOURhoward@h-SHOESbomb.com> wrote in message
news:<YOURhoward-C722C6.23011416092003@netnews.attbi.com>...
> > >
> > I saw that. It looked like a wheel change the Mavic guys started (I
didn't
> > see the beginning of what happened). Then the team car pulled up and
their guy
> > went to work, but the mechanic was fooling with the wheel for what
seemed like a
> > -very- long time. He appeared to be having a hard time getting the chain
and
> > mech. synched. The guy started to ride away and the chain popped off
after a few
> > feet. The car pulled up next to him and they spoke for a second before
the car
> > drove off. I was surprised that the guy didn't just get off and put the
chain
> > back on himself at that point. He just stood and looked and gestured at
it. Then
> > he really fired his bike across the sidewalk. I had been thinking of
going over
> > to help until that point. I can understand his frustration, but it was
kind of
> > cringe-worthy.
>
>
http://www.abbiorca.com/bike/road/road2003/sftmobile-9-14-03/men/source/sf_tmobile_03_r_398.html
>
> Sabine
In article <mi8ab.28981$Aq2.8692@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net>, "Chuck Hodge"
<chuckhodge@mindspring.com> wrote:
> Actually there were two Sierra Nevada riders who had problems...one with a chain skip issue and
> the other with a flat.
I'd bet that the one I was seeing was the chain skip guy. It was down fairly close to the turn at
Broadway. There was a Mavic guy working at the back of the bike and it looked like he'd already
done a wheel swap (at least tht's what I assumed had happened) when the team car guys got there
and went to work. I'm pretty sure it was rider #151 (Adham Sbeih) who rocketed his bike across
the sidewalk.
>
> The parade laps were a bit hectic, with 11 services in the first 10 minutes of the race.
>
> Chuck Mavic Motor 1
That many services -has- to keep you on your toes. That's a tough job you guys do.
--
tanx, Howard
"Head of a cat, body of a monkey, Here comes a plague upon the land." The Billy Nayer Show
remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?
> That many services -has- to keep you on your toes. That's a tough job
you
> guys do.
What was especially intereting was stopping for a service at the top of Fillmore. I had the front
wheel locked and actually began to slide backwards until I could get my foot on the rear brake!
(thanks to the spectators who tried to grab me) The motors had to take the services because the cars
often can't get going again...we turn the traction control off on the Saturns so they can resume
forward movement on the climb.
Glad I am not paying for the moto clutches...
Chuck
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