Cyclopaat, an alter ego with a twist
Bless me followers, for I have sinned.
Or more accurately: I have neglected you and I am sorry.
Well, I’m not sorry at all obviously, but I do feel a wee bit guilty that I have not even tried to find the time to write a post in months…
After all, this blog only exists for me to bore you to death with my ‘cycling adventures’, so I should have tried harder.
Then again, so should you: I haven’t received any request for a Tour de France 2017 report…
Anyway, let’s play catch up, shall we?
Since we will spend two weeks in Briançon for my ‘Tour de France 2017’, it’s clear that only two Marmots on the menu is not going to get me through those 🙂
As I have previously written, there are a lot of cols to be found in the area, so I had no difficulties in constructing a ‘Tour de France Road Book’ that made me shit my pants.
However, despite my normal lack of restraint, resulting in grossly overestimating myself, I had to promise Paula that for this year’s tour, I would at least try to cut myself some slack.
After all, I recently turned 57, which by itself may not be enough of an excuse to go easy on yourself.
But coupled with the slightly discomforting physical problems as the result of several crashes, I might actually be inclined to keep my promise…
So, with that in mind, I present you a first draft of the stages I’m planning to ride!
Now that the UCI Tour de France of 2017 is over, it’s just a short countdown to this year’s Vuelta.
I’m a bigger fan of that race – and an even bigger fan of the Giro – than of the Tour, but I have to admit that this year’s Tour was not as boring as I expected.
Sure, at the end of it, we still saw the predicted winner, although I’m sure Froomey will be disappointed with his not taking any stage win(s) this year.
But I doubt Uran was on many people’s favorites list and Bardet was maybe less of a surprise, but he had to deliver a great fight until the end to cling on to 3rd.
And Froome was faced with the same problem Wiggins encountered (with him) in 2012: Landa seemed to be the better rider on several occasions.
Other than disputed decisions like sending Sagan home or not awarding the tirelessly attacking de Gendt the ‘Super Combative’, we saw Richie Porte crash out of the race.
As did Kittel while in the green jersey and I would have loved to see the battle between him and Matthews be decided on the bike instead of like this.
Sadly, neither Contador nor Quintana were able to make a dent – not for lack of trying, at least on Contador’s part.
But the wins by guys like Barguil, Calmejane, Groenewegen, Roglic and Boasson Hagen made up for that.
Anyway, the Tour’s done and the Vuelta will come to a conclusion by the time I start my own ‘Tour de France’ – it’s time I reveal more of my stupid plans for that event…
