Tour de France 2023

Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Our base camp for the Tour de France 2023 will be in the “Baths of Bigorre”.

As interesting as the history of the city might be, I’ll provide you with a link to Wikipedia to read about it 😎

Of particular interest for me is the section “Climate” which is very encouraging:

It is however intensely exposed to north by north-west disturbances that collide with the terrain. This barrier effect is felt up to the foothills so that springs, autumns, and winters are cool and rainy while summers are often hot and particularly stormy.

We’ll see how that plays out…

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WW108

Wouter Weyland (Sint-Denijs-Westrem, September 27, 1984 – Mezzanego, May 9, 2011)

One of the most impacting and most saddening photo’s ever…

Gian Mattia D’Alberto – LaPresse 10 05 2011 Livorno sport
Giro d’Italia fourth stage in the photo: team Leopard-Trek and – 3rd from the right – Tyler Farrar, Wouter’s buddy, on the finish line

The team withdrew from the Giro the next day…

 

 

Hochsauerland 2023

Up next: Hel van Klimmen and Hochsauerland 2023.

Last year, I participated in the Hel van Klimmen for the first time in its new format.

This is a cleverly organized “Gran Fondo” where you are never far from start/finish and (thus) there’s no need for extra refill/stop stations along the route, since you pass it 3 or 4 times.

As last year, I’ve opted for the long course – duh – but this year it’s 10 kms longer.

If I do not feel up to the task halfway – or whenever – it’s only a short struggle to get back to where Paula will be waiting in the team car 🤣

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First World Problems

Or how a world-wide shitstorm creates first world problems for an overly privileged white guy…

As you may have read – but probably have not – I was allowed to buy a Trek Émonda (SL 7) late last year and a Giant Revolt (Advanced 1) early this year.

The former was a trade-in for my Trek Domane, the latter came with the new tires for my Canyon SpeedMax…

This array of bikes – not to mention the additional one on my Tacx Neo 2T – is enough to prove my point about being privileged and make many of you weep.

It’s the “world is on fire” and shitstorm part of my opening sentence, that is creating somewhat of a “First World Problems” challenge in actually getting what you were allowed to buy…

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Canyon SpeedMax CF8 SE

My Canyon SpeedMax was in for a parts swap and I decided to “slightly” adjust it into a “Second – and Limited – Edition”.

I needed to replace the worn out chain, cassette and (big) chain ring.

This what you get when you ride 13+ K (8.1+ K for John) on your bike all year round, I guess…

(I ride a lot more, but the other – gravel/MTB/dedicated Tacx/spinning – bikes do not wear out my Canyon.)

As I hardly ever – as in next to never – use my small chainring, and only about 5 of the 12 cogs on the cassette, I made a change to the gearing.

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