Man of the year

Johnny Hoogerland


In a year of much excitement, I put this moment at the top.


Hoogerland and Juan Antonio Flecha had been part of a five-man breakaway that was vying for victory in Sunday’s 208km stage from Issoire to Saint-Flour in the Massif Central.

However the two were hit by an overtaking France TV car 35km from the finish. Vacansoleil rider Hoogerland was sent somersaulting into a barbed wire fence while Team Sky’s Flecha hit the deck at full speed.

Both riders finished the race, with Hoogerland stepping on to the podium, in tears, to receive the best climber’s polka dot jersey.

To watch him climb onto the podium that day was a very special moment, not only for cyclists but for us all. It left a lump in my throat the size of Lance's legal costs for 2012.

Happy new year, best wishes for 2012.

Peugeot

Joy Noel

Belated happy christmas from Bop. Pappa Noel was kind delivering many gifts including a few books. Italian racing bicycles by Guido Rubino provides an encyclopaedic reference to the italian cycling industry. Have just completed reading the profile on Dedacciai, the makers of my beloved bare knuckle. Combined with a Mario Testino's book on Kate, a great Xmas. laying on couch trying to read over my belly. talk soon

Eddie

Hour record 1972 in Mexico City

Just say no

There is a moral in this story and I will keep watching and listening until I work it out

A Sunday in Hell

A Sunday in Hell (original title: En Forårsdag i Helvede) is a 1976 Danish documentary film directed by Jørgen Leth. The film is a chronology of the 1976 Paris--Roubaix bicycle race from the perspective of participants, organizers and spectators. The interviews of the riders at the end are incredible. They look like the have been to Hell. Full movie below

Madison frames

Weekend in London

How to beat Alberto in 2012

Johan has a plan and it doesn't involve what you order for lunch in Pau


Johan talks Alberto

Kraftwerk

Tour de France. Buy the album

Original video clip from 1983 is boss

American Flyers

Kevin Costner at his finest

The impossible hour

Excerpts from "The Impossible Hour", a film about danish cyclist Ole Ritter's hour record attempts in 1974.

GreenEdge in the game

Final two teams complete 2012 ProTeam list

The UCI approved the 2012 WorldTour status of RadioShack-Nissan and GreenEdge on Monday. The approval of both teams means that the 2012 WorldTour team licensing process is complete. 18 teams will race in the UCI's WorldTour next season and will be eligible to compete in all WorldTour events.

GreenEdge Sporting Director is none other than Neil Stephens, formally of Festina professional cycling team including during the "Festina Affair" that occurred during 1998 Tdf. Also owner of one of the best mullets ever in professional cycling

cycling news

www.greenedgecycling.com

Hermes commuter

Very much price on application

Airbus Beluga

Happy Birthday l'Equipier

Massimiliano Lelli (born December 2, 1967) was an Italian professional cyclist. His highest finish in the Giro d'Italia was the year he won the Young rider classification, he placed third that year behind Franco Chioccioli and Claudio Chiappucci

Former Cofidis team-mate, David Millar refers to l'Equipier in his book Racing through the Dark, the fall and rise of David Millar. L'Equipier is said to be Lelli. Millar wrote that he took his first dose of EPO with l'Equipier.

Jan v Lance 2003

Seems Jan Ullrich may be considering coming clean and telling the world something. While we wait here is some classic Jan vs Lance from tdf 2003. While many will always think of Jan in the pink of T-Mobile, I was more fond of the Bianchi days with golf ball time trial helmet.

Spotted on Sunday

Infant for air bag

One armed Italian bandit

Army green again

Vespa is army green. to cool for school. Seen from window of Route 69 bus while on my way to buy a new toilet seat.

Longo innocent - technically

When you don't know you are still eligible for testing it is apparently OK to start taking drugs. This is normally known as the Chewbacca defence

see story

Alberto vs the World

Alberto, best of luck with your court appearance next week.


La verdad ante todo

Matt Black

See this colour scheme every where in Paris. I'm sure the car washs love it but maybe not so practical any where it rains, there are birds, mud, dirt etc. Reminds me of Davo's Pinarello

Mustang

Harley

House Boat in matt black, no way

Cat vs penguins

Classy french girl

If this bike was a girl I would buy her flowers and ask her out to dinner. Classic french chick

Army Green part 2

Wanted to include a photo of this bike in first army post but couldn't find it last week. Thankfully it has resurfaced again.

Colour is awesome,  I call it 'Great Escape' green after Steve Macqueen's all time war movie

Diff'rent Strokes to move the world

Lily and I walk to school, some kids arrive by other means

Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum,
What might be right for you, may not be right for some.
A man is born, he's a man of means.
Then along come two, they got nothing but their jeans.

But they got, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.

Everybody's got a special kind of story
Everybody finds a way to shine,
It don't matter that you got not alot
So what,
They'll have theirs, and you'll have yours, and I'll have mine.
And together we'll be fine....

Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.

Happy Birthday Dirk Demol

Dirk Demol was born on November 4, 1959.


Demol won the the 1988 Paris-Roubaix ahead of T. Wegmuller (Switzerland) and L. Fignon (Republic of France).


Dirk, blow out the candles 

Army green is a good colour

Fluoro for the ages

Miami loves you

Commuter bike

Have decided we need another bike solely for the purpose of taking Lily to school, so am looking for a commuter bike that I can put a child seat on for me to ride, but also one that Chloe can ride on weekends if she wants. Due to our height differences this is a little challenging but have found a few to consider.

So far this is my favourite from Pelago Bicycles