Month: September 2012

Consumed – Giveaway Competition

I reviewed Jonathan Budd’s book “Consumed” last month. It’s an enjoyable read and if the fictional account is a dark and wild tale of cycling and more it amused me because the reality of cycling isn’t all that removed from some of the wacky characters and shady practices that Budd serves up.

But now there’s chance to swap fiction for reality and win a copy of the book, complete with a matching musette and T-shirt.

Question: name the rider who will finish last on Stage 17 of the Vuelta on Wednesday from Santander to Fuente Dé.

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Why is Joaquim Rodriguez called “Purito”?

Joaquim Rodriguez leads the Vuelta. Before the race he was a good pick for the podium but few thought he would outclimb Alberto Contador. But thanks to tactical riding and a fast finish he’s grabbed sufficient time bonuses to keep Contador away.

Like many cyclists he has a nickame and it’s “Purito”. It sort of means “clean” in Spanish, a diminutive term… but that’s not the origin of his name. Instead it’s because he smoked his team mates on a training camp.

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The Spin: Vuelta Stage 16 preview

The last of three mountain stages in a row and the biggest of the trinity with the Cuitu Nigru finish which has never been used before. It has been surfaced just in time for the race but this will hardly help as riders winch their way up slopes reaching 22% to finish the Queen Stage of the 2012 Vuelta.

After this comes the rest day and there is only one more big mountain stage. Can Alberto Contador find a way to beat Joaquim Rodriguez?

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Sunday Shorts

Armstrong’s popularity plummets, ranked alonside Michael Bolton
Dallasnews.com tries to offer some metrics on Armstrong’s falling popularity. Clearly retirement meant he became less visible but last week’s revelations have punctured his public image.

Now he’s ranked 2,192 (out of 2,500 celebrities tracked by the Dallas agency) on par with Michael Bolton. As for endorsement value, he once was in there with Brad Pitt, slipped to Steven Spielberg, and now is neck-n-neck with foul-mouthed singer Nicky Minaj. People trust him about as much as they do Paula Abdul.

This might be amusing but there’s a serious point to this as well. If he begins to fall then don’t be surprised to see the media tear strips off him. Just as his rise was chronicled, now there’s a chance his downfall takes place in front of cameras, gossip mags and websites.

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The Spin: Vuelta Stage 15

Today’s stage is all about the finish to the Lagos de Covadonga. The Vuelta has used this climb 17 times before making this finish the equivalent of the Tour de France’s Alpe d’Huez only it’s a far more irregular climb where the constant variations in gradient will help to prise apart the overall contenders.

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The Spin: Vuelta Stage 14

The Vuelta has already visited the Pyrenees but today sees the start of the real mountain stages in the Vuelta with plenty of climbing and descending too.

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