Micro Dose Post

As the title suggests just a shortish post from me today. Welcome back from a weekend of high investment, low return Tour de France viewing. I know, I’m being harsh but the smackfest slap dance  I predicted between Schleck and Contadorrrr (you have to roll the R) didn’t really eventuate, with the Spaniard opting to just test the water and see how the Luxembourgian would cope. Well it seems he coped just fine and surprisingly the two then decided to get all retrograde while marking each other in a “I don’t care who wins this race as long as its not you” type scenario, I was half expecting those two to stop for ice cream while the other contenders pushed on which allowed Sanchez and Menchov to steal back a little time. We may have to wait until the stage 17 finish atop the Col du Tourmalet before we see Contadorrr digging really deep in a final attempt to break Schleck or Schleck doing the same in attempt to increase his lead before the final time trial (I wish it was a Cyclo Cross stage).

The most exiting aspect of the weekend for me was that one reader (I think there are about five of you) alerted me to the Ned Flanders flag footage from way back on stage three. My advice is get it while its hot because Tour organisers ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) seem to be forcing youtube to pull the snippets of TDF coverage fans have been posting. It’s always surprising how various cycling related organisations seem to do their best to stop their events becoming more popular by stopping fans from doing something that can only promote the event to a wider audience. I’m reminded of a local incident where a rider experienced the long arm of pointless bureaucracy, he was pulled from an event being held at a motor racing venue when one of the officialdom noticed that said rider was using a small helmet mounted camera. When the rider questioned the ruling the genius who pulled him from the race quoted some vague reference to a “non endorsed technical aid!” Of course the rider was left with no option but to say. “Huh? How is a camera helping me?” The officialdom then changed their tune and decided that it hazily related to issues involving liability insurance. Clearly we are living in Bizarro World because you would think that the race organisers, sponsors and governing body would be happy with a little incidental coverage to a couple of hundred local people who wanted to see themselves or their friends/family racing bikes on their computer screens. Pointless bureaucracy, it will be the end of us all. In any case thanks for making the life of people trying to enjoy and promote your event that little bit harder ASO.

Perhaps ASO borrowed Armstrong's web scouring team of legal eagles for the job. Fellow blogger Joe Papp has certainly experienced the all seeing eye of Lance. After posting some facts and opinion on the subject of doping Joe had the feeling he was being watched…

Now you can call me paranoid if you like but since posting a remark about LA’s disgraceful choice in racing socks, I have been noticing a black helicopter which seems to be following me around when I’m training. There was also an ice cream truck with a suspicious looking satellite dish parked across from my home last night, when I went to investigate more closely it then sped off down the street. I think they're onto me, I may have to lay low until the heat blows over.