Next World Champ?

I collected Lydia's frame from the lovely people at Ellis Briggs in Shipley West Yorkshire today. To say she was thrilled would be an understatement. She is desperate for me to hurry up and build it now.

United Healthcare training camp

Charlie Wegelius leading the team at a recent training camp in the US of wherever

De Ronde 2009

GS Gazzetta trip to Flanders

In April, a few of the GS Gazzetta members are travelling to Flanders to ride the Ronde van Vlaanderen sportive. I have just downloaded the route details and had a look at what is to come. I do hope everyone is hitting the hills in preperation. Personally, I am only doing the 150km course. This still takes in some 12 on the 18 hills in this years race. Still, we get to go over some of the sports best known features. I am seriously looking forward to it. Good luck to all making the journey. Hope to see you there and keep up the training.

The 'bergs'

Rekelberg

Kaperij

Kruisberg

Paterberg

Koppenberg

Eikenberg

Molenberg

Leberg

Valkenberg

Tenbosse

Muur-Kapelmuur

Bosberg

Pics of the classics

Whilst bumbling through the interweb, and whilst avoiding as many porn sites as i could i found lots of old photos of the classics.(i do not claim any rights to these images.i am merely sharing what i found)

Top five day

I have been reading some new blogs and they gave me an idea. I was reading The_Monuments blog this morning and have found someone else as passionate of the classics as i am. So today, here is a few of my top fives.

Top Five Classics (spring or autumn)

1. Ronde van Vlaanderen aka Tour of Flanders
2. Paris Roubaix
3. Liege Bastogne Liege
4. Milan San Remo
5. Giro di Lombardia aka Tour of Lombardy
   
   

Top Five Classics Riders

1. Sean Kelly

2. Fabian Cancellara

3. Phillipe Gilbert

4. Roger de Vlaeminck

5. Eddy Merckx

These are only my opinions. I'm sure many will disagree with me. But i dont care because i am way more awesome than all of you

Spring Madness is coming

Its the silly time of year for me. Spring is coming which means the Spring Classics. I just love this time of year for cycle racing. Domestically and Internationally. It really allows the hard men to shine. Its gives the opportunity for the riders who cannot and will never win a grand tour to say to the peloton. Just look how fast I am over one day.

In my opinion, the real racing season starts with Paris-Nice, the run to the sun. Ice,snow,wind,rain in the north of France all the way down to Nice and the warm springtime sunshine. This is followed quickly by the Northern European Classics. My favourite are the cobbles. The Grande Dames of racing. Paris-Roubaix, Ronde van Vlaanderen, Ghent-Wevelgem, Liege-Bastogne-Liege are for me where racings hard men shine.

The modern giants of cycling like Phillipe Gilbert, Fabian Cancellara, Peter van Petegem and Tom Boonen have made names for themselves in the Belgian heartlands but there can be only one true all conquering dominating figure in my eyes.

King Kelly himself. Sean Kelly always seemed to excel here. Maybe its just childhood memories being blurred, but i used think he was the best thing ever. I always pretended to be King Kelly when riding my Lazer Custom around the village. Attacking hard up Vicarage bank to the sweet shop. Yes for me, Sean Kelly was the all conquering hero of the Spring Classics.

So roll on Springtime and lets which new king will arrive to make himself a name amongst the gods.

Sean Kelly's Spring Classic wins

1982

Paris - Nice

1983

Paris - Nice

1984

Paris - Roubaix

Liège - Bastogne - Liège

Paris - Nice

1985

Paris - Nice

1986

Milan - San Remo

Paris - Roubaix

Paris - Nice

1987

Paris - Nice

1988

Paris - Nice

Ghent - Wevelgem

1989

Liège - Bastogne - Liège

1992

Milan - San Remo