I have a group with about 1500 members and do NOT want to have to change 99%
from moderated to unmoderated, so I take the risk of having a spammer sneak in a
message, then I delete the message and ban the spammer.  I also have another
person that I have designated as a moderator who will sometimes catch them
before I do.

I tried having messages moderated until I changed the status to unmoderated, and
there weren't enough spammers to justify all that extra work.  Members quickly
complain when someone posts spam, but it doesn't happen that often.

Members have also complained if an off-topic message is posted--usually a
humerous remark or a political comment during presidential elections.  I do not
delete these since they are not all that offensive.

--- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, "SueW" <gswidemark@...> wrote:
>
> I don't think that would work with the 120 groups I'm subbed to (and 14 of
> them I own and have to read every message).  All the owner of this group
> would have to do is either clean it up (get rid of the spammers - most of
> them are 'BOUNCING' anyway) and have the first message from every member be
> moderated.  Or delegate it... I'd be willing to help there.  But something
> should be done.
>
> Sue
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com]
> Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 7:27 AM
> To: roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [roadracingukandireland] Digest Number 610
>
> There is 1 message in this issue.
>
> Topics in this digest:
>
> 1a. Re: leaving the group
>     From: precinct4500
>
>
> Message
> ________________________________________________________________________
> 1a. Re: leaving the group
>     Posted by: "precinct4500" no_reply@yahoogroups.com precinct4500
>     Date: Fri Jan 2, 2009 9:34 am ((PST))
>
> I avoid the spam email problem with this group and others by not
> having messages emailed.  Some groups have hundreds of messages, and I
> avoid reading a lot of them by just looking at the topic's subject and
> skipping those that don't interest me.  You can usually spot a spam
> message at a glance.
>
>
> --- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, "SueW" <gswidemark@>
> wrote:
> >
> > He was complaining about the spam or ad or porn emails sent to this
> > group which tends to cut down traffic.  It's nice you don't plan on
> > shutting it down but would also be nice to set some restrictions like
> > moderating the first message from every user or approving memberships.
> > By now you would have to delete the spammers from the group also...
> > it's a job but worth it.  Those spam emails spoil the whole thing...
> > just a thought...
> >
> > Sue
> >
>

I don't think that would work with the 120 groups I'm subbed to (and 14 of
them I own and have to read every message).  All the owner of this group
would have to do is either clean it up (get rid of the spammers - most of
them are 'BOUNCING' anyway) and have the first message from every member be
moderated.  Or delegate it... I'd be willing to help there.  But something
should be done.

Sue

-----Original Message-----
From: roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 7:27 AM
To: roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [roadracingukandireland] Digest Number 610

There is 1 message in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1a. Re: leaving the group
     From: precinct4500


Message
________________________________________________________________________
1a. Re: leaving the group
     Posted by: "precinct4500" no_reply@yahoogroups.com precinct4500
     Date: Fri Jan 2, 2009 9:34 am ((PST))

I avoid the spam email problem with this group and others by not
having messages emailed.  Some groups have hundreds of messages, and I
avoid reading a lot of them by just looking at the topic's subject and
skipping those that don't interest me.  You can usually spot a spam
message at a glance.


--- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, "SueW" <gswidemark@...>
wrote:
>
> He was complaining about the spam or ad or porn emails sent to this
> group which tends to cut down traffic.  It's nice you don't plan on
> shutting it down but would also be nice to set some restrictions like
> moderating the first message from every user or approving memberships.
> By now you would have to delete the spammers from the group also...
> it's a job but worth it.  Those spam emails spoil the whole thing...
> just a thought...
>
> Sue
>

I avoid the spam email problem with this group and others by not
having messages emailed.  Some groups have hundreds of messages, and I
avoid reading a lot of them by just looking at the topic's subject and
skipping those that don't interest me.  You can usually spot a spam
message at a glance.


--- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, "SueW" <gswidemark@...>
wrote:
>
> He was complaining about the spam or ad or porn emails sent to this
> group which tends to cut down traffic.  It's nice you don't plan on
> shutting it down but would also be nice to set some restrictions like
> moderating the first message from every user or approving memberships.
> By now you would have to delete the spammers from the group also...
> it's a job but worth it.  Those spam emails spoil the whole thing...
> just a thought...
>
> Sue
>

I co moderate two other non cycling groups on Yahoo and if it helps keep the
group going, I would be more than happy to assist here as well ?

All the best,

Kristian.
----- Original Message -----
From: "SueW" <gswidemark@...>
To: <roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 8:13 PM
Subject: [roadracingukandireland] leaving the group


>
> He was complaining about the spam or ad or porn emails sent to this
> group which tends to cut down traffic.  It's nice you don't plan on
> shutting it down but would also be nice to set some restrictions like
> moderating the first message from every user or approving memberships.
> By now you would have to delete the spammers from the group also...
> it's a job but worth it.  Those spam emails spoil the whole thing...
> just a thought...
>
> Sue
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>

He was complaining about the spam or ad or porn emails sent to this
group which tends to cut down traffic.  It's nice you don't plan on
shutting it down but would also be nice to set some restrictions like
moderating the first message from every user or approving memberships.
By now you would have to delete the spammers from the group also...
it's a job but worth it.  Those spam emails spoil the whole thing...
just a thought...

Sue

Thats a shame Andy.  If there was any discussion on here, then I'm
sure it would become lively again.  I think that ever since yahoo
screwed up and changed yahoo clubs into yahoo groups, things took a
nosedive as regards peoples interests in the new format.

I've no intention of closing this group down - its here for whoever
wishes to use it...

all the best andy.
micky


--- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Green"
<sayandy40@...> wrote:
>
> Any one who reads this group. Sorry I am leaving as it is clearly not
> longer moderated and nobody into cycling as anything they want to say.
> best of luck for 2009 any riders out there
>
> Cheers
>
> Andy
>

Any one who reads this group. Sorry I am leaving as it is clearly not
longer moderated and nobody into cycling as anything they want to say.
best of luck for 2009 any riders out there

Cheers

Andy

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/26862681/

Seven-time Tour de France champ will race in Tour Down Under in January


       Ryan Remiorz / AP Cyclist Lance Armstrong has been retired for three
years.


ADELAIDE, Australia - Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will
begin his comeback in the Tour Down Under in January. Mike Rann, premier of
South Australia state, made the announcement Wednesday, hours ahead of the
American's planned media conference in New York to announce details of his
comeback. Armstrong's appearance in Australia in January was also confirmed by
Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur. The six-stage Tour Down Under, the
first event on the 2009 world pro cycling calendar, will be take place from Jan.
20 to 25. Armstrong announced on Sept. 9 that he is returning to cycling after
three years in retirement and would attempt to win the Tour de France an eighth
time.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/26854852/

Contador says he'll leave Astana if Armstrong joins outfit


JAIME REINA / AFP/Getty Images
Spain's Alberto Contador celebrates Sundayat the podium as winner of "La Vuelta'
mutliple stage race.

MADRID, Spain - If Lance Armstrong joins the Astana cycling team for his
comeback, then Alberto Contador is ready to leave.

"I think I've earned the right to be the leader of a team without having to
fight for my place," the Spanish rider said Tuesday in AS newspaper. "And with
Armstrong some difficult situations could arise in which the team would put him
first and that would hurt me."

Contador, the 2007 Tour de France champion, won the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday.

"My intention is to stay (at Astana) because I have a contract until 2010, but I
have already received a good number of offers from other teams," he said.

Armstrong announced this month he is returning to cycling after three years in
retirement and would attempt to win the Tour de France an eighth time.

Armstrong is to discuss his comeback in New York on Wednesday. Astana would be
the logical team for Armstrong to join. Astana team leader Johan Bruyneel was
Armstrong's team director for all seven of his Tour victories, and the two are
close friends.

Astana spokesman Philippe Maertens declined to comment Tuesday on whether
Armstrong would join the team.

"The team will say nothing before Armstrong explains himself," he said.

Bruyneel has said he could not imagine Armstrong riding for anyone else.

"On the basis of what he says, we'll make a decision," said Contador, who, like
Armstrong, plans to skip the Italian Giro and Vuelta to concentrate solely on
the Tour.

Armstrong has yet to announce which events he'll enter before the Tour. He'll
hold a news conference Wednesday during a four-day meeting held by the President
Clinton's foundation. Armstrong, who has used his celebrity to raise awareness
about the fight against cancer, will address a panel of world leaders earlier in
the day.

Contador said he got no help in his Vuelta victory from American teammate Levi
Leipheimer, who finished 46 seconds behind the 25-year-old Spanish rider.

"It's not normal that someone working for you finishes less than a minute off in
the general standings," Contador said. "If (the next-to-last stage time trial)
had been 20 kilometers more who knows what would have happened."


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Sue
Thanks for the tips, i am pretty confident i can make the ride in the time i
have set but it is not a race, so if it takes longer it is not a problem.I am
averaging between 18 and 22 miles an hour on nearly every outing i do whether it
a 10 ,20 30 or more and i appreciate what you say about injuries, after such a
long time away from the pedals it is taking a while for the legs too redevelop,
so i am not pushing it too hard ,but i am quite a fit person anyway.What drinks
other than water would you recommend,
by the way yoga at 63 good on ya!
 
thanks   andy

--- On Fri, 1/8/08, SueW <gswidemark@...> wrote:

From: SueW <gswidemark@...>
Subject: [roadracingukandireland] Re:Advice or tips needed?
To: roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, 1 August, 2008, 10:24 PM






Well sounds like if you've done 68 miles, you can probably push it to 90 but
take it SLOWLY.... this is NOT the time to be um...macho and push for time.
Trust me the sweet feeling of making some kind of time record soon fades in the
pain of injury.... I know... so been there done that... :(

Also, I would suggest not only carb loading before the ride but take stuff like
Power Bars or Balance Bars (whatever your poison) along. For drinks, plenty of
water and also the sports drinks (to replenish the potasium etc). Stay away from
soda (way far away)...

I've found I can push the mileage if I take it slowly. At 43 if you do something
foolish, you can get injured and the older you are, the longer it takes to go
away. I am STILL fighting an injury from LAST YEAR when I decided I was going to
be super old bag and do "Namaste Yoga" with the sweet young thangs on Fit TV.
Now I call it "nasty yoga". argh. I am 63 and that's a world of difference from
43 but still....

Good luck!

Sue

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
















       __________________________________________________________
Not happy with your email address?.
Get the one you really want - millions of new email addresses available now at
Yahoo! http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/ymail/new.html

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Well sounds like if you've done 68 miles, you can probably push it to 90 but
take it SLOWLY.... this is NOT the time to be um...macho and push for time. 
Trust me the sweet feeling of making some kind of time record soon fades in the
pain of injury.... I know... so been there done that... :(

Also, I would suggest not only carb loading before the ride but take stuff like
Power Bars or Balance Bars (whatever your poison) along.  For drinks, plenty of
water and also the sports drinks (to replenish the potasium etc).  Stay away
from soda (way far away)...

I've found I can push the mileage if I take it slowly.  At 43 if you do
something foolish, you can get injured and the older you are, the longer it
takes to go away. I am STILL fighting an injury from LAST YEAR when I decided I
was going to be super old bag and do "Namaste Yoga" with the sweet young thangs
on Fit TV.  Now I call it "nasty yoga".  argh.  I am 63 and that's a world of
difference from 43 but still....

Good luck!

Sue

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi, i am wondering if anyone can offer me some advice or tips,in about
6 weeks i will be doing a 90 mile solo ride in aid of Breast Cancer,i
used too race back in the 80's but things have moved on a bit since
then and i have only seriously got back on my bike around 10 months
ago.at 43 now things are a little harder.
I have been training for this ride since April this year and up too
now the furthest i have done is 68 miles (3hrs 35mins),

Has anyone any advice on good energy foods for the ride or setting
myself up for it, i have set myself a target of 5hrs or less too
complete the ride? not that quick by some peoples standards maybe but
you gotta start somewhere!

I look forward too hearing from someone

Thanks

good article

"The Tour won't be itself until Lance Armstrong has a true successor--someone
who wins and keeps yellow, and returns to defend it. Until then, the advances in
drug screening can keep the show on the road, but the heart of the race will
keep bleeding on the asphalt."

   ----- Original Message -----


  
http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/starr/archive/2008/07/24/can-the-tour-de-fran\
ce-outrun-doping.aspx

   NEWSWEEK's Lily Huang writes on this year's Tour de France:


   A year ago the Tour de France disintegrated before it left the Alps. The
presumptive winner, Michael Rasmussen, fired by his team for evading doping
controls during training, lost the yellow jersey before he could finish. (Floyd
Landis, who tested positive post-race in 2006 for testosterone boosts, gave up
his title in a courtroom.). This year, the Tour is implementing a real crackdown
on substance abuse--so far, three riders have been kicked out of the race--and
fending off its troubled recent history with some serious rebranding.

   Take a look at the poster that Tour organizers have heavily used to promote
the event: Front and center is a heart, tattooed onto a stretch of pavement.
Inside is the inscription "Le Tour Toujours"--the Tour forever. The symbolism
mimics the silent encouragement that devoted fans like to write in spray paint
on mountain roads to lift the pedals of their favorite riders. The inscription
makes this Tour sound like a return to some enduring essence, as though the
steady purging of compromised riders over the last two years was but a
nightmarish interlude.

   The most extravagant bike race on earth used to be the story of men against
impossibility: Charly Gaul versus the storm, Tom Simpson versus the
Continentals, Marco Pantani versus the world. Now the Tour is about itself,
versus drugs. Dogged by drug scandals for the last ten years, the Tour has to
prove that it can recover, and still create a story that will go down in the
annals of the sport. This year's race rolled out under a new banner, but the
worst hallmarks of the old--drugs, lies, and sensationalist journalism--have yet
to be dropped.

   Along with the general paranoia of recurring scandal is a deepening distrust
of whoever is wearing the leader's yellow jersey. Last year's eventual champion,
Alberto Contador, was not allowed to compete in this year's race; he and the
rest of Lance Armstrong's former team had signed with the Kazakh conglomerate
sponsor Astana, which Tour organizers decided to penalize for previous doping
offenses, notably involving Alexandre Vinokourov in 2007 but none of the current
members. With that, the Tour organizers hope, the message is clear: we're back,
and we're drug-free.

   So far this year, three riders have been eliminated for drug-related offenses:
Manuel "Triki" Beltrán, the veteran Spaniard riding for Liquigas; Moisés Dueñas
Nevado of Barloworld, who just cost his young team their sponsorship by breaking
the sponsor's zero-tolerance policy; and Riccardo Riccò, whose high-profile
detention prompted the entire Saunier Duval team to a hasty withdrawal from the
race. All three tested positive for EPO (erythropoletin), a hormone that
stimulates production of red blood cells, but Riccò was found to have used a
"third-generation" strain of the drug. Unfortunately for Riccò, the World
Anti-Doping Agency already knew about it and had developed a third-generation
test.

   In the old Tour, nobody talked about drugs. In the not-so-old Tour, the mid-
to late '90s, the original heyday of EPO, guys like Christophe Moreau, Frankie
Andreu and David Millar confessed to drug use and opened the first fissures in
cycling's insular culture. In the new Tour, Millar is a leader of
Garmin-Chipotle, the poster team for clean cycling, which he calls "the future
of the sport." This year, the peloton has undergone some 3,000 doping controls,
compared to 300 in 2006, according to Team Columbia manager Bob Stapleton.
Retribution is swift and total for any rider guilty of transgression: handcuffs,
police custody, a possible prison sentence for possession of illegal substances.

   The image of Triki Beltrán, a rider who did three Tours of duty for Lance
Armstrong, partially obscured in the back of a police car is a reminder of just
how the Tour has gone about renouncing its former self. Phasing out drugs is
noble and necessary, better for the riders and better for the sport. But the
Tour seems unable to make the transition without also making spectacle out of
the riders' disgrace. Each of the indicted riders this year quit the Tour under
a formidable police escort and may be sentenced to at least two, and up to five,
years in prison. The 24-year-old Riccò, like his compatriot Cristian Moreni, who
was hauled off the 2007 Tour, has already had to spend the night in jail.

   Complicit in this portrayal of doped riders as moral degenerates and menaces
to society are the journalists who cover the Tour. For the mainstream press the
spectacle easily takes precedence over the sport, and the idea of a guy taking a
bike around France over mountain passes that only weeks ago were buried in snow
does not register as inherently fantastical. The Los Angeles Times has already
wondered if this year's race might be another "Tour de Dope." The 2007 Tour's
frenzied witch hunt was fed in no small part by Le Monde, the French daily,
flush with suspicion of the new yellow jersey.

   Whatever the depth of corruption in the sport, from the 1998 Festina Affair to
the 2006 Operación Puerto, the two greatest drug busts in the history of
cycling, the riders remain the most visible accomplices. (The preeminent Festina
team rocked the entire sport when customs officials stopped a team car loaded
with dope, syringes, and other paraphernalia. Operación Puerto uncovered the
dealings of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes with dozens of top cyclists, after
a raid of his collection of doctored blood.) These two events transformed the
Tour not by exposing the underside of the professional peloton but by revealing
a deeper truth: that no outsider knows  what goes into the Tour. Suddenly,
general understanding of the sport became contingent upon a single unanswerable
question: do they or don't they? This is where the old Tour lies abandoned--the
Tour of Coppi and Bobet, Anquetil and Poulidor, Hinault and LeMond, Armstrong
and Ullrich--replaced by one less concerned with the stories of its riders than
the campaign against dope.

   The scuffling of the last ten years has cost the Tour dearly. As the race
nears its end, what matters is not whether the anti-doping authorities will
catch every scofflaw but whether the Tour will maintain its own narrative as one
of the world's premier athletic events. That story is still one for the ages.
The Tour won't be itself until Lance Armstrong has a true successor--someone who
wins and keeps yellow, and returns to defend it. Until then, the advances in
drug screening can keep the show on the road, but the heart of the race will
keep bleeding on the asphalt.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Looks like Ricardo Ricci's "ride of the century" was drug-helped.  He tested
positive for a new type of EPO called "CERA" and was ousted from the team and
the tour.  For some reason his team ALSO left the tour.  This is really getting
OLD.

Sue

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Less Than A Week To Go!
By Phil Liggett
June 30, 2008

As I write, we are less than a week away from the start of the 95th edition of
La Grande Boucle. Are you all ready? If you cannot be at some point along the
2200 miles route during July, then stay rooted to your seat and follow it with
us on Versus, as we will not miss a thing.

On Thursday, Paul Sherwen, Bob Roll, Craig Hummer and myself will rendezvous in
Brest. Roll and Sherwen have been there before as riders, but for us
journalists, I think the feeling of anticipation is just the same as we look
forward with optimism in the hope that we will witness a great sporting clash
without the scandals of recent years.

On paper, qualified somewhat by recent performances in the Tour of Switzerland
and Dauphine-Libere races, one of the following will win the Tour de France in
Paris on July 27th.

In alphabetical order they are: Damiano Cunego (Lampre), Cadel Evans
(Silence-Lotto), Denis Menchov (Rabobank), Carlos Sastre (Saxon-CSC), and
Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne).

If they all fail, then I can give you at least 10 names to fill the podium that
would include Mauricio Soler (Barloworld), Riccardo Rico (Saunier Duval), Kim
Kirchen (Team Columbia) and Haimar Zubeldia (Euskaltel-Euskadi), in what may be
one of the most open races in years.

Following the controversial exclusion of Astana and last year's winner Alberto
Contador and his team mate, California's Levi Leipheimer, himself third in 2007,
the organisers have left out the top team of 2008. Does this mean that the
winner this time can enjoy only a hollow victory?

Perhaps, and only hindsight will help here, but it has also ensured a great
scrap over a well thought out route that starts from Brest with a tough
undulating stage to Plumelec. A sprinter may find it hard to win this first
stage.

As always, the late pullouts are the news before the start and gone are the
sprinters, Tom Boonen and Daniele Bennati, the later being injured. Boonen, who
exactly a year ago was vociferously decrying the dopers of the Tour has himself
been caught out using the social drug cocaine. What a clown!

This means our occasional dose of nail-biting sprinting will now be enacted by
Britain's Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia), South African Robbie Hunter
(Barloworld), Norway's God of Thunder, Thor Hushovd (Credit-Agricole), Spain's
Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and the grand master, Robbie McEwen (Silence-Lotto) from
Australia. Oops, I forget grand-dad Erik Zabel who is likely riding his last
Tour and will want to add to his 12 stage wins, so improving his own German
record.

Surprises are not commonplace in the Tour, and history has allowed only a
handful of little known riders to carry the greatest prize of all into their old
age.

In 1966, Lucien Aimar managed it by taking every opportunity that came his way.
He took the lead on stage 17, on the road to Turin in Italy, succeeding in Paris
without ever winning a daily stage.

He beat an excellent field, too, although most of the Italians had boycotted the
event. Guess why? They were protesting over the new anti-doping controls!

Lucien, who was on the same Ford team as the Tour legend Jacques Anquetil, laid
the foundation to his win on the road to Pau on stage 10, leaving behind his
team captain and Anquetil's bitter rival Raymond Poulidor by seven minutes.
Poulidor decided not to chase and Anquetil certainly was not going to, so the
race was lost by the two favourites before the Pyrenees had begun.

Although I have given you the obvious candidates for victory, be ready for a new
name to steal the show. The only difference in 2008 is he will become a
household name, as in the 42 years since Aimar won; the Tour de France has
become more popular than ever and is now one of the hottest news items in the
media throughout the month of July. Tour fever, for which there is no cure, is
very contagious.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Landis Loses Final Appeal on Tour Title
AP
Posted: 2008-06-30 16:00:37
Filed Under: Sports
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (June 30) - Floyd Landis lost his final chance to retain
his 2006 Tour de France title Monday, the last step of a long,
multimillion-dollar process that poked holes in the anti-doping establishment
but ultimately left the cyclist as just another convicted cheater.

A three-person panel at the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a previous
panel's decision, ruling his positive doping test during the Tour two years ago
was, indeed, valid. Landis also must pay $100,000 toward the legal fees of the
U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

In its 58-page decision, the CAS panel said the lab that analyzed Landis'
positive test results used some "less than ideal laboratory practices, but not
lies, fraud, forgery or cover-ups," the way the Landis camp had alleged.

In the end, the panel saved its harshest criticism for Landis, who it said
essentially tried to muddle the evidence and embarrass the French lab, and
continued on that course even after the evidence was shown not to exist.

"Appelant's experts crossed the line, acting for the most part as advocates for
the Appelant's cause, and not as scientists objectively assisting the Panel in
the search for truth," the decision read.

Landis did not immediately return messages.

"We are pleased that justice was served and that Mr. Landis was not able to
escape the consequences of his doping or his effort to attack those who protect
the rights of clean athletes," said USADA chief executive officer Travis Tygart.

The decision comes just six days before the start of the 2008 Tour. Landis won
the 2006 edition after a stunning comeback in Stage 17, a rally that turned out
to be fueled by synthetic testosterone.

The ruling upholds Landis' two-year ban from cycling, which is due to end Jan.
29, 2009, though at this point, the ban wasn't the real issue.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

You're really cute. I wanna get to know you. Here are my profile with many
photos Reach me here.
http://fhgdsfgn.zoomshare.com/files/photos.htm

Just when it was starting to look good- plonker

I agree, great Giro, and so far the season has been pretty good all
round (then again after last year......) Let hope the feel good
carries on through tour.

Have not yet learned to love Contador, don't know why. Ricci and
Sella are both much more fun
--- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, mickymallen
<no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> Best for a long time?
>
> I actually ENJOYED a major tour for the first time in a long while.
> Winner was a bit uncharismatic - i mean, what exactly did Contador
do
> to deserve winning it?
>
> Emmanule Sella - what a rider!!! Thing is, last time someone won
back
> to back mountain stages like that, was Pantani in 94....
>
> But in an age of 'clean riders'   Im hoping that Sella was indeed
> that. Very aggressive and ver bold. Not since the likes of Virenque
> and Jose-Marie Jimenez has guys throttled the GC in the mountains
like
> that
>
> brilliant
>
> oh yeah  - and there was Cavendish too :)
>
> it was a shame it had to finish!
>

Nice report... thanks!

Sue

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Best for a long time?

I actually ENJOYED a major tour for the first time in a long while.
Winner was a bit uncharismatic - i mean, what exactly did Contador do
to deserve winning it?

Emmanule Sella - what a rider!!! Thing is, last time someone won back
to back mountain stages like that, was Pantani in 94....

But in an age of 'clean riders'   Im hoping that Sella was indeed
that. Very aggressive and ver bold. Not since the likes of Virenque
and Jose-Marie Jimenez has guys throttled the GC in the mountains like
that

brilliant

oh yeah  - and there was Cavendish too :)

it was a shame it had to finish!

Hi All,

Anyone know the condition of the rider who hit the road furniture during the
Tour of Flanders ?

All the best,

Kristian.


----- Original Message -----
From: "schuijlenburg" <cyclingheroes@...>
To: <roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 2:36 AM
Subject: [roadracingukandireland] Tour of Flanders 2008: Picture Gallery (8
pages)


> Tour of Flanders 2008: Picture Gallery (8 pages)
> http://www.cyclingheroes.info/id1493.html
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>

Tour of Flanders 2008: Picture Gallery (8 pages)
http://www.cyclingheroes.info/id1493.html

Hi All

Yip - it has indeed been a long while since anyone posted on here. Well
here is a longggg but mildly amusing account of my teams (GS Metro)
experience of racing in the worst weather we've ever experienced last
weekend. The story of the Tour of the Border - aka The Easter 4 day
stage race in Northumberland

Enjoy! (I hope)



They say `Be careful what you wish for, cos you might just get
it!'   Well, after weeks of me telling all the guys in my club (GS
Metro) to stop panicking about fitness, poor results and the like cos it
was "Still winter, man! And it will probably snow before we see the end
of March"

Well our 4 man squad went to the Easter 4 day this weekend, where it
snowed 3 out of 4 days and the conditions were what Ian McGaskill would
class as being `Wintry'  -  D'oh!!!



STAGE 1  - How to Windtunnel test Deep section wheels in racing
conditions!!!







We decided to ride to the start, barely 8 miles away. And we pottered up
into the teeth of a gale. Chilly, but bright sunshine – lovely.



We left Kirkley cricket club and the wind had picked up, the clouds
loomed overhead and the racing kicked off. Some of us struggled in the
neutralised section – this was NOT a good sign!

The hammer went down as soon as we hit Dykes Neuk. We were strung out in
the left hand gutter right along to Scots Gap, one after another, riders
clipped up the road while we struggled to just hang in.

Onto the 7 mile course, to be repeated 6 times and with about a dozen
riders away it looked to be game over. The 3 Pro team/Sponsored
team/Work-Shirk Squads or whatever you wanna call em, were all
represented. The Rapha Laughers, The Sportscover yella fellas and the
Jelly Babies/Willy Wonka squad. Plus, last time I'd seen my
teammate, Jon Kelly, he was ahead of me, so he must have made the move
too – class!



Behind it shut up shop. … Batten down the hatches would have been
more appropriate, as the weather began to close in.  The wind picked up
to Gale force and when we turned left at Rothley Cross roads, you were
having to fight your bike to keep it upright. You went over a humpback
bridge and a gust of wind just broadsided you with the force of two
dozen cannons.  At least one rider got blown clean off the road and into
the ditch. After a lap or two of this I'd had enough and attacked
and got up the road with two others. I battered over the windswept
climb, and about 8 guys joined us.

I sat up on the tailwind section for a carton of drink out of my pocket
and the two guys in front eased, possibly cos they thought the bunch
were closing. I refused to come through cos I was necking me drink doon
me throat!

Of course, the chase group disappeared, and I was no longer in it –
taken oot the back by one of the Jelly Willy riders! Grrrr!!!



So that was that. To make things a bit interesting in the bunch, it
started to sleet quite heavy and they cut the race by a lap. On the
return leg back to the finish we were pelted by hailstones for added
effect. Barely able to see, we wound up for the sprint, many many
minutes down…. But – twas OK, cos JK was in the Break!



Millsy had been dropped before Hartburn at 3miles, and I wasn't too
surprised to see his bike there at the strip. Assuming he'd packed.
But, nope – he HAD finished but got TWO laps cut off instead of one.
Jammy get, why didn't I think of that?!

And there was our hero – a shivering block of Ice that looked a bit
like JK, except more blueish in colour.



"Well done" I said – "Were you in the break?"  - His
lips appeared to move in the shape of what looked like a laugh, and he
said "No, I got dropped at Hartburn after 3miles"  D'oh!



Millsy said that his carbon bars snapped. On inspection you could see
the shear marks either side of the intergrated stem. He was lucky that
they never broke in two. He bought a replacement and some garish looking
bar tape. `Style' means nowt in Dundee , apparently.



Ah well. We have 3 stages to go.



Looking round the cricket club though, I don't see many of the 72
starters returning for a second doing the next day. What a shivering,
spluttering shower of shite, man. Only person that wasn't
complaining was Wayne Randle. Everyone else looked like they'd been
fighting in the Somme ! Bunch of puffs the lot of them.







STAGE 2   -  Even the Polar bears threw on a light jacket



Another bright sunny start to the day and Oh how we laughed about
previous days antics.

JK has had enough, being 10 stone wet through, he didn't relish the
prospect of 3 more days like the first



Ben Luckwell is in the strip all kitted up ready to go, except with no
lid on  his head and in a thick and bizarrely unexpected west country
accident says :-

"Oi cant foyn moi's helmet can oi? Manager says he seen it in
carrrrrr, but oi thoughts it be left here in the strip didn oi?"

10mins before the off and it starts to snow. Someone shouts after me to
put on some gloves as I chase after the bunch.  The mountain course has
been punted and its same course as yesterday -  round Cambo and Scots
Gap.



The snow gets heavier and the flag drops, so does the hammer – we
pass a snowman resembling teammate, Russell Bayliss (I recognised him by
the bits of coal for his eyes. They were the same shape as his
Briko's)

Once again we are all cuddling up to our dearest friend  - Mr
Lefthand-Gutter.  We cautiously descend the 1:7 into Hartburn trying not
to brake on the slippy, slidey snowy bits, whilst avoiding the messy,
mucky, muddy bits!

Up the other side, total white out, cant see a thing. I was in the first
15 or so riders and getting stuck right in. It was brilliant! And then
some pansy's decide to call it a day and cancel the stage. Bunch of
soft tarts, man. I was about ready to spark someone out I was that
pissed off.



The temperature hit freezing point and I had to throw on me gloves
(`Magic' gloves  - 99p from Papershops)  We got  back to the
strip, and scraped the Ice off our helmets. Some folk had it on their
crash hats too…hur hur hur etc!

After we'd shovelled the snow off the car and set for home, we
popped into Ponteland café for a cup of tea in there for old times
sake, and Anna the auld Italian wifey who first served me in there 19yrs
ago was still  bopping about the joint. To this day I still cant
understand a word she says neither!! Something about `Bloody
mad' was mentioned. Dunno if she was talking to herself or about us
five idiots.



Our hopes of going to the Newcastle United vs Fulham football match were
dashed by `Sorry – we're sold out' so we went to the
Trent Hoose for a couple of pints instead then popped back again after
tea and met Russ, me brother and JK etc.





STAGE 3  - The Ryals – How to climb a vertical wall using a Bicycle
and a Dildo.



After several beers, a few bottles of Leffe and a bottle of wine, I felt
a bit rough the next morning.  Tim Allan on the other hand, looked
mega-psyched up. We left  and rally drove at excessive speed and zero
caution  across to Stamfordham. Much better day. Sunshine, clear skies,
not so windy but with some parts of the course with large banks of snow
either side of the road – class!



I'd instructed Millsy to stay close to the front but within a few
miles it was every man for himself again.

The Jelly Bean soyder drinker got up the road with a couple of guys, and
I tried to jump across with Chris Mather from the Azzurri. As soon as we
got pulled back, Tim shot away.

He got into the break of a dozen guys and was working hard with all the
Raphas and Bristol Ben, Dave Cook etc.

Behind was another call of `Right lads – that's the break
gone, get the tabs oot. Anyone got a light?'  Me mate we were
staying with,  Damian Smith rode tempo on the front for almost a lap. He
must have been thinking. "I'll teach that Tim Allan not to leave
a big jobbie in my toilet"  …..the break doubled its lead



I hadn't felt too good up the brick wall that is the Ryal's
(anyone that has ridden up there knows what I mean!) on the first lap
and had a bad feeling about lap two,

The riders left in the bunch from the sponsored teams got on the front
and simply powered away from us mere mortals who have jobs to go to on
Tuesday.  I latched onto the back (of the bunch) and simply faded away!

But as I struggled up the 1:6 bit, there was guys coming backwards –
literally. With some of em, it was like a battle of Gravity vs Gears,
and gravity was winning! Sean Polson from  the STD Cyclesport team rode
onto the snow on the verge and had to get off.. One guy from the
Sportspages team actually rode smack into a parked car!

This perked me up, and I got it in the big blade and hammered over the
last part of the climb (1:7) and got back on again.



Tim Allan had brought some drinks with him, all of which tasted like the
water I'd wrang out of my socks on day one. And some of the stuff he
brought was called `Protein Slam'  these were 7inch clear
plastic tubes full of red syrupy liquid, and they basically looked like
geet big dildo's!!!

I was fiddling round wi mine before the start, trying to figure out
where to insert the batteries. I wasn't too keen on shoving a 7inch
tube of sugar up me sphincter, but -  Hey! If it gets me up the Ryals
faster, then Im ya man!

Tim remarked that you were meant to simply unscrew the top and just
DRINK IT. Far less messy I suppose, especially after havin eaten Tims
special chilli the night before. :-s

Well I downed one with a lap to go, and within milliseconds I was like a
3 yr old after they've had a Fruit Shoot and a tube of Smarties! I
went completely apeshit. I barged to the front and started hammering
away, followed by about 3 attacks off the front.

I successfully clipped off alone on the little clicks before the Ryals
– "I aint getting dropped on no hills, fool"  as B.A.
Baracas would say (he wasn't riding the 4 day this year, but I BET
yer, he would have said that if he was)  I had a canny lead approaching
the foot of the steep bit, but me being a complete pleb of a rider, they
were on my tail by top.

I big ringed the Prime again and kept it going over the top. Ashy (Colin
Ash) and another guy got over to me, but we were only able to hang on
for 3 miles. Waste of time. I was about 4th in bunch sprint, and Tim was
11th or 12th on the stage and moved into 17th on GC.



No sign of Millsy though. He had got dropped after about 10 miles of lap
one. Probably deliberately in case someone saw his `Red/White/Black
paint splatter bar tape that he had on his blue and black bike. Yuk!!



If the marshals had buggered off, then he could have ended up anywhere
in Northumberland and spent the night huddling together with a herd of
sheep to keep warm, so I set off looking for him. I did 11miles with no
sight nor sound of the youngster, so you can imagine my surprise to see
his bike at the strip on my return. He HAD got lost, but came back
through Matfen on the last lap.  Goodness knows how. He must have necked
one of Tim's Dildo Drinks and short circuited his young brain!!





STAGE 4 – Sunshine on a snowy day







And so, we got to the last stage. Put back 30mins to let ice on the
roads melt, it was gonna be another one of THEM days!

Allan was keen to have a go today after spending the previous 3 days
training on his own. The bunch staggered giddily out of Stamfordham and
some southern puff from the Sportbilly team remarked how cold it was. I
retorted with "Cold?? Yer joking aren't yer? This is friggginn
waaarm this, man"  Wayne Randle then spotted my lack of gloves and
burst out laughing.  He must have STILL been laughing a mile or so
later. In fact laughing so much that he fell off his bike and crashed
out the race.



It started to snow and I attacked right from the gun and Millsy joined
me. We lasted quite well, cos it must have been a good 25m before we got
caught. Sorry, by 25m, I mean METRES, not miles. The bunch busied
themselves into a paceline up the right hand side of the road, with
Allan keen to stay far on the left. I shouted at him to get sheltered
and be quick about it…. I didn't see Allan again.



He says he didn't even finish a lap….



We rode round the Quarry and on the descent to Matfen a soft little move
of about 10 guys, dangled invitingly off the front.

On the long tailwind, straight section after Matfen the bunch just sat
up. So I did what I know best, and attacked. Young Craig Stevenson came
with me.



So it was us two against the break

~  In the Black corner, we have a Rapha Pro, Ben Luckwell and 8 other
riders, In the Red, Yellow and black corner, we have Micky Mallen and an
U23 rider who cant come through.  Ding Ding! Round One.

SMACK! Micky is down, he's hit the canvas on the first punch. Fight
Over!



We got close, verrrry close, to getting on, then they must have put the
hammer down, cos they simply disappeared.  Two strong lads came over to
us to make a 4 man chase, and it started snowing again. The break had
gained about 16minutes in the space of 10miles or something ridiculous
like that  but the four of us, likewise had quite a large lead on the
bunch.

About 9miles of effort came to nowt cos Cooky and two Raphas were trying
to limit their losses by working on the front.

No amount of Dildo Drinks or Extran cartons could save me legs today
and my many efforts reduced me to just hanging in for the next two laps
which were split between dark skies/heavy snow showers, and bright
sunshine!  On approaching Stamfordham with a lap to go, Tim remarked
that he was gonna climb off cos he was getting cold (I'd put some
gloves on for a wee bit) and that the racing wasn't hard enough for
him and he'd `Had enough training over the last 4 days'

I thought `Nahhh – he'll just be winding me up'  Sure
enough, that was him



Last lap was fast and bloody hard going. Cooky and a few others were
constantly attacking through the snow. No time to get cold, Tim!! I was
just hanging in there. A Jelly Bean attacked through the corner at
Matfen and I got dropped. Some young lad came round me and I got a tow
back to the bunch. I tried to jump away before the finish, but there was
nowt there, me legs just laughed at me! And I staggered over the line at
the back of the bunch.

25th overall I think.



Any fitter for it? Dunno. Glad I rode? Damn right!!  We coming back next
year? Try and stop us!



Howay the lads

mm





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Haven't been on here for a while - 'puter problems. I should be back
more often now.  Looks like the group's been quiet generally.
I hope everyone is well.
What plans has everyone got for this year?

Any thoughts and comments on anything.

Yours in cycling
Dave

Hi

Seems a little late to be wishing you all happy new year, but just
catching up with myself.

Starting to get in the mood for the new season. Having ridden a couple
of sportives towards the back end of 07, and kept doing regular club
runs I have not lost too much over christmas. Things were going well
upto a week ago. had ridden a couple of reliability trials and was
averaging 1-1.5mph faster over 100k's than this time last year. The
caught a bug last week and been laid up.

Being laid up has meant that i have had a little more time to reflect
on the pro scene for the next year.

No Diso, no T mobile, and whole generation of riders discredited or a
least under suspicion it could be an interesting year. I would rather
that the slightly tainted riders like Valverde, Diluca and Contador
don't end up winning stuff with big question marks. I would like to see
a cleaner generation step forward.

Is it me, but Tom Boonen appears to be displaying  a certain
excentricity.

I looks like the UCI and the big tours may be closer to sorting out
their issues, lets hope they do. The continued disputes tends to lend
an feeling of chaos to the sport.

The olympics could be a cracking highlight, especially for the British
Team. on the track, BMX, mountain bikes and a least in the Women's road
team there are great chances for medals. It is a great chance for
Britain to put itself on the cycling map (and for bike racing to but
itself on the map in Britain).

With all respect to the Tour down under and Tour of Qatar for me the
pro road season really comes to life with the spring classics.

For myself I will probably start in late feb early march with a couple
of sporting TT's just to spoil a perfectly good sunday morning. Big aim
this year is to go under the hour as soon as possible.

Having been doing a bit of training with a Cat 2 rider and tempted to
try my hand this year. That said I don't want to spread myself to thin.
Have not got any major european trips booked yet, but am aiming to do a
few UK based on a least. At this stage I have the Dartmoor Classic,
Tour of Wessex and Circuit of Kent on the agenda.

Anyway- best wishes to all for the season- lets have a good one

Cheers
Andy --- In roadracingukandireland@yahoogroups.com, mickymallen
<no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> Hi
> How is everyone? getting excited for the new season? Not far away now,
> and the domestic amateur season for all us plebs seems even closer,
> especially with easter being so early this year!
> first 3 or 4 races of 2008 will likely see the lead car being a snow
plow!
>
> No Telekom for 08... who will be the dominant team for this season?
> Will we see more scandal or will the whole drugs issue quieten down
> and make us supporters proud of our sport again?
>
> see ya
> micky
>

Hi
How is everyone? getting excited for the new season? Not far away now,
and the domestic amateur season for all us plebs seems even closer,
especially with easter being so early this year!
first 3 or 4 races of 2008 will likely see the lead car being a snow plow!

No Telekom for 08... who will be the dominant team for this season?
Will we see more scandal or will the whole drugs issue quieten down
and make us supporters proud of our sport again?

see ya
micky

You can vote for the Cyclingheroes Award 2007 and win fantastic prizes
like tubes, pro-tour team jerseys and much more at
http://www.cyclingheroes.info/id1035.html

Also at http://www.cyclingheroes.info : An interview with George
Hincapie, Gerolsteiner team manager Hans-Michael-Holcez and part 2 and
3 of the Gavia 1988 interview series.

Cyclingheroes wishes all their readers a merry christmas and a happy
new year.

After quite a while,  I'm back on line now, and will be posting here
again properly very soon, once I've caught up a bit!!

I am also going to change my membership of this group to my other
Yahoo account, so all my groups are on one account - so if
davy_boyuk2001 suddenly appears, and
Terrier_Dave disappears, this is why.

Peace & light
Dave

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306796,00.html



Ashley Olsen

What would Uncle Jesse say?

"Full House" star Ashley Olsen has found love with Tour de France champion Lance
Armstrong, the New York Post's Page Six reports. Olsen, 21, was seen Monday
night canoodling with the 36-year-old retired cyclist at New York's Gramercy
Park Hotel, a source told the paper.

Click here to read the New York Post's report.

"They came together with a group of friends," the source said. "Ashley drank red
wine, sat on his lap and they were making out all night. They left together
around 2 a.m."

Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, broke up with fashion designer
Tory Burch earlier this month. He was engaged to singer Sheryl Crow and has
three children from his first marriage.

Olsen, along with her twin sister, Mary-Kate, owns Dualstar Entertainment Group.
She's been romantically linked to a Columbia University quarterback and actor
Jared Leto.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]