MAN UP!

Kurt Arvesen from Team Sky rode 20km without a bike seat in this year's Paris-Roubaix. Tell me he didn't man up! I just hope he didn't sit down.

Rock Racing Back?

Looks like it. SMH. Ball is out and Tronconi is in. He's trying to breathe new life into the brand and field cycling teams in LA, NY and Italy. I wish I was lying. If you still don't believe me check their website. It may be a different captain at the helm, but it's still a gaudy looking ship.

Read more here.

Out There

A bike with a motor or sans you have to stay fresh.

Image from MASH SF tumblr.

Cadel Sandwich

Congrats to Australia's first tour winner! It was well deserved. Thugged it out with the best and came out on top. To me, the defining moment for Evans was up the Alpe d'Huez. With 2 bike problems and being dropped early from an attack he climbed his heart out to catch the Schlecks. For being one of the oldest winners of the tour he def didn't look like it yesterday during the TT. Going from 1 minute behind Andy to 1.5 minutes over him in one stage was exciting to watch. Def not a bad showing for Leopard Trek either. 2 podium spots belonging to the Luxembourg team. This isn't the last time we'll see the Brothers Schelck, but it's def one for Evans.

Cav > Farrar. Can't stop the Missile. One last showdown in Paris and Cav shows us why he's the best sprinter.

Images from here.

Alpe d'Huez

Contador came out to play, but it was a little to late. He attacked early and often, and Andy Schleck responded to each one except up the final summit. Andy could afford to let Contador go because his main goal was to drop Voeckler and keep Evans at bay. Which he accomplished and is now draped in the golden fleece. He's currently holding a 57 second lead over Evans. Don't count Evans out though, he's a way better in the time trial than Andy is. By the end of tomorrow Evans maybe repping that mellow johnny.

Props to Voeckler. Along with rocking the maillot jaune on stages on stages on stages, he was carrying the pride of the nation on his back. He showed heart on every single stage, and you could see it on the podium every time. His unwillingness to concede the most prized jersey is the reason why I was secretly rooting for this little frenchman to ride into Paris wearing yellow. Sometimes it's all about the underdogs.

This tour is far from over, and it's been the most exciting in a minute. Except when Rasmussen and Contador went at it in 2007.

Images from here.

LOLHEMAD

Dude cracked yesterday, and lost minutes to the top 5. He took out his frustration today.

Image from here.

Had To

Bring my faithful steed to the engagement photo session. She's looking fresh to def. Oh yeah, my babygurrr too.

See more here.

ANDY STIFF NECK FTW!

Leopard Trek had the gangster strategy today. It was executed flawlessly. Put 2 riders in the breakaway knowing that Andy will attack. Then have those 2 riders pull Andy to the end. That strategy gave Andy the 2nd overall, stage win, and 15 seconds behind Voeckler. BMC, Saxo Bank, and Europcar failed today. How did you not prepare for that Leopard attack? Actually, I take that back. I'm pretty sure they knew it was coming, just not that early.

Ain't no bike change is going to get you the yellow jersey. Just sayin' Conti. OH, and learning english probably won't hurt. Just sayin'. I have no idea what's wrong with the defending tour champ. For the past 2 weeks he's appeared sluggish. Maybe the crashes in the 1st week affected his mentality. I dunno though. Yesterday he looked like he may be returning to proper form, but from what I 've seen to day. He's dunzo.

Voeckler had a nice ride in yellow, but with only 15 seconds on Andy Schleck. Expect the golden fleece to be off his shoulders soon. Team Leopard Trek is just too strong of a team. That one two punch combo from the Schleck brothers is just too much to handle for most teams.

Evans is a damn beast. At 34, he's riding in his prime. Pulling the entire peloton by himself to catch Andy Schleck. What trips me out is that road racing wasn't his first discipline (mtb was). But his GC years are dwindling fast. People were saying this was his year to win. With only a few stages left, I'm not sure Evans can be in the maillot jaune in Paris.

Tomorrow's stage (19) will be even more exciting than today's (18). With numerous GCs still in the hunt expect a gangster finish on the Alpe d'Huez. The rider who wins the Alpe d'Huez usually rolls into Paris the number 1 overall. Just like Carlos Sastre did in 2008. EXCITE I HAZ ONE.

Images from here.

ZOMG WHERE'D THEY COME FROM?!

Stage 17 was epic.

All the GCs finishing together after the Spain pain train of Contador and Sanchez looked like they pulled away to gain valuable seconds on Evans and the Schlecks. It couldn't have been more perfect with the way the stage ended. Up until the final corner I thought, and so did Phil Ligget, the Spain pain train gained valuable time on Evans and the Schlecks. Then BOOM (goes the dynamite) here come the rest of the GCs around the bend. I don't know if it was just the producer holding out for the dramatics, but I would assume Conti's feelings got hurt when all the GCs finished with the same time. All that work for naught.

Everyone gained time on Vockler after he crashed twice on the final descent.

Oh yeah, and Boasson won the stage with a suspect celebratory move. After placing 2nd to Hushovd yesterday this win was much deserved. Dude is young too. Watch out in a couple of years for this guy. I just hope he works on his win move.

Can't wait for tomorrow. 3 category HC climbs. Something tells me there's going to be some shake ups in the top 10.

Images from here.

Can't Stop the Missile

Cavendish takes stage 15 and his 19th stage victory in 5 tours. Dude is a beast. You seriously can't stop this dude especially if his pain train is pulling. You can try and get in his slipstream but I'm pretty sure if you're behind him you already lost.

Btw, Tyler Farrar LOLUMAD?

Image from here.

God of Thunder Takes 13

DO YOU PLAYA. A sprinter winning in the high mountains doesn't happen often. That's why dude's a world champ. DO YOU.

Images from here.

Review - Outlier Summer Shorts

By far the best shorts I've ever owned. Run, swim, bike, or straight up look good. These shorts do it all. It's also made with fast drying, highly breathable, and stretchy fabric. Technical outerwear that looks fresh to def? YES PLEASE! The $128 price warrants the quality. I got these shorts 6 months back and worn them at least 3-4 times a week and they're still in the same shape as day 1. Top notch product form Outlier. I wouldn't expect anything less.

I'd go as far as say this is one of my favorite piece of clothing I own.

Cop these shorts hurrr.

2011 Tour De France - Notable Abandons

Notable abandons after stage 10:

Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky - broken collarbone

Tom Boonen, Quickstep - head and back injuries

Chris Horner, Team Radioshack - concussion and nose injury

Alexandre Vinokourov, Team Astana - broken femur

Dave Zabriskie, Garmin Cervelo - broken wrist

Out of 198 riders, 20 have abandoned so far. The image above is by far the worst crash so far. A French TV vehicle swerves into Johnny Hoogerland and Juan Antonio Flecha. The media vehicle was prompted to leave the tour.

Image from here.

Outlier - AS IS

Over the course of 3 years of bringing heat to the cycling masses, Outlier has accumulated quite a bit of extra stock. Now is your chance to own some goodness for dumb cheap. I swooped on the pivot shirt in pink. If you're asking yourself what Outlier is you're already sleeping. Don't sleep.

Cop hurrr.

Veins on Veins

DIZZZAMMMM! Apparently, Hincapie's been working out.

MASH SF x Cinelli Histogram Almost Hurrr

If you pre-ordered one, get ready. It's fixing to ship out 7/13-7/14. Photo is from MASH's distributor. Just flossin the goodness.

Read more here.

2011 Tour de France - Stage 5

PEW PEW MISSLE. Mark Cavendish pulls out an amazing sprint finish to win stage 5. Another highlight is Contador crashing again.

General Classification after Stage 5

1	Thor Hushovd (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo	17:36:57
2	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team	0:00:01
3	Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek	0:00:04
4	David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo	0:00:08
5	Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team RadioShack	0:00:10
6	Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling
7	Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling	0:00:12
8	Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
9	Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek
10	Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek

Image from here.