thanks for the suffering

While reliable and widely-read cycling news sources were reporting on the twenty of so podium hopefuls for Milan-San Remo [“___________ wishes/hopes/ for Milan-San Remo,” as Josh put it], they failed to notice the obvious. That there were a massive number of total babes on the start list. Adam Hansen [do you have to ask?], Bernie Eisel, Tom Boonen [...does he really have "cat lover" in his Twitter profile?], Heinrich Haussler [assuming he’s stopped frosting his tips], John Degenkolb [also, what is it with the collection of babes that were on HTC?]… With a list that long full of smoking hot dudes, you’d think the race would have been super steamy.

Twitter proved me wrong, with pictures that made the race look like it totally sucked. To race, that is. To watch your favorite hotties get all wet and cold…call me sadistic [or maybe just opportunistic] but that’s an ideal set-up for seduction [“Need help warming up post-race? I think I can help you with that…”].

Turchino and Le Manie out? Yeah, I know, kind of anti-climactic so to speak. But watching Sky try to stay on their bikes was hilarious...and I was just happy there were that many hot [shivering] dudes, on bikes, in one race. So the point of this post? Mostly just a thank you for the suffering done for my own objectifying amusement. Seriously. Especially to that guy on Sky Puccio who almost ran down the Poggio descent without his bike, after trying to remount.
Now, onto Catalunya…!

weekend in pictures

If there was ever any question, the love of my lifey, road, is back. I spent the weekend watching live feeds of Tirreno [did you guys see how adorably sweet Benedetti was, helping Failli tuck his rain cape away?], and cheering on a favorite team.

Plus doodling, spinning inside...and out. In shorts...!

...And now I have the flu. I'll be back in a few days when I've stopped sweating and generally being a disgusting mess.

transitioning into spring

'Cross season has always signaled transitions. Like the rebound boyfriend [or, better, the really awesome guy friend that will voluntarily be a fake boyfriend post-break-up until you can go 24 hours without unraveling into a weepy mess], 'cross has held my hand every year as road left me. The air gets a little colder, I start pulling on knee warmers on rides, and by September the races I'm watching involve muddy stairs, and much less asphalt.
It's a good change of pace. Like hanging out with your big brother type friends - the ones you know will make sure you get home okay before going home with that girl you played wingman for - after you pulled a bit of a disappearing act over a crush that didn't work out. CX gives you something fun to do when it's freezing cold outside, with people you secretly think are insane, but you're still proud to call your friends. You end up with lots of good stories, inside jokes and killer hangovers. It's the best way to spend a winter. [Picture below taken by Alex...isn't my helmet hair amazing?]

But then there's a lull in February, after CX Worlds [although Cyclocross Tokyo holds me over a little longer]. Valentine's Day rolls around and the big brother figure that is 'cross is out wining and dining a hot date. The lack of romance in your life becomes a little too clear. You start intensely staring at the Competitive Cyclist postcard from three years ago with Cav on it racing in the Giro - even though you're not a Cav fan - because maybe, just maybe, you can will it to be May if you tried hard enough.
I know, I know, there are the Spring Classics, and it would be greedy of me to ignore Paris-Nice. Coming off the high of CX season, though, I've been craving something...more. The excitement of watching all the big names flex their muscles in the same race, Tour-style. The sprints, lead-out trains, and fast-as-fuck climbing that you get to see in stage races. The Italian sun bouncing off colorful jerseys on carbon fiber bikes...
Actually, that's all bullshit. I didn't see Adam Hansen's name on the Paris-Nice start list and immediately lost interest. Yeah, I understand there's value in watching races that don't include the most bangable dude in the pro peloton, but understanding that concept and acting on it are two different things, okay?

But then there was a tweet about Tirreno! And a start list shot full of HGH [that's Hendy, Greipel, and Hansen, in pedal-strike speak]! And just like that, it looked like I was going to make it through March without [too much] pro cycling stage racing withdrawal.
Sure, my entire face is in agony from the trees around Tokyo constantly jizzing pollen into the air, but I am seriously loving spring.

february favorites

Some favorite links from this cx-filled month, with love, from Tokyo...
- If you didn't get enough of Cyclocross Tokyo, check out some of the rides spotted there by Cyclowired.jp.

- If you're a city bike/fixie fan, High Snobiety has a great photo editorial on Tokyo bikes. [Thanks, LC!]

- I love that this Bottecchia - a 8avio to be exact - with a paint scheme only available in Japan, is limited to the mini sizes of 48 and 44.

- And if you're wishing it's CX season again, the second-to-last episode of Behind the Barriers is up [and I even got a little cameo!].

Sam is even available for video projects this summer, and if you're looking for a pen to hire, I'm pretty good at wielding one. European bike races? Covering the Tour from a team bus? Just want someone who can cite US law, break out random Japanese and some so-so French and pedal at the same time? Get in touch!
Oh, and Lotto-Belisol, I have an amazing marketing idea for you. CALL ME!