"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Neo-pro Donald nearly stages coup in California

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/feb07/california07/?id=features/donald

A great writup about Jason Donald and what he did the rest of the day. I bet being on the podium he was torn with OMG and OMG theres Levi.....and look there's George......ect....

Awesome.

A great ride to be sure, but today's NY Times coverage explained that there was a nasty 180º wind directional shift half way through the TT that heavily favored the earliest riders and killed the big names who all went later in the day. That certainly does explain things a bit, and make Levi's ride all the more impressive. This kid was driving a garbage truck last year. I predict that he won't have such a stellar showing in the final TT, but let's hope he does, and we have a new American cycling star on our hands. Wouldn't THAT be nice?

In similar OMG fashion... Saul Raisin (http://www.saulraisin.com/sitemain/) was up at the announcer's booth before the race, getting a well-deserved welcome-back interview. The whole time, he had out his cell phone and was taking pictures of David Towle right in his face (haha -- at least David was smooth enough to put up a "peace" sign for the pic), and pics of the crowd from up there on the booth. It was like, "dude, you're getting interviewed, and *you're* taking pictures of everything?"

To his credit, at least, he was able to mutlitask and keep his end of the interview flowing while he snapped a bunch of pics...

-Greg

A great ride to be sure, but today's NY Times coverage explained that there was a nasty 180º wind directional shift half way through the TT that heavily favored the earliest riders and killed the big names who all went later in the day. That certainly does explain things a bit, and make Levi's ride all the more impressive. This kid was driving a garbage truck last year. I predict that he won't have such a stellar showing in the final TT, but let's hope he does, and we have a new American cycling star on our hands. Wouldn't THAT be nice?


Sorry, but I don't buy that.

Starting order list:

1. 13.00'00" 58 FRA 19830815 MARINO Jean Marc C.A.
2. 13.01'00" 141 USA 19780922 JACQUES-MAYNES Benjamin PHB
3. 13.02'00" 95 UKR 19770205 KOBZARENKO Veleriy NIC
4. 13.03'00" 73 ITA 19810408 DA DALTO Mauro LIQ
5. 13.04'00" 63 ITA 19750419 SCARSELLI Leonardo QSI
6. 13.05'00" 103 USA 19830503 GRITTERS Kyle HNM
7. 13.06'00" 113 USA 19800130 DONALD Jason TSL
8. 13.07'00" 32 GER 19780127 FÖRSTER Robert GST
9. 13.08'00" 27 AUS 19800727 DAVIS Allan DSC
10. 13.09'00" 155 ITA 19780806 FRATTINI Davide COL
11. 13.10'00" 4 ARG 19810126 HAEDO Juan José CSC
12. 13.11'00" 128 USA 19730718 WHERRY Chris TUP
13. 13.12'00" 85 BEL 19840902 INGELS Nic PRL
14. 13.13'00" 133 USA 19790109 JONES Brice JBC
15. 13.14'00" 18 GER 19751103 NIERMANN Grischa Jan RAB
16. 13.15'00" 164 USA 19801020 MCKISSICK Ian BMC
17. 13.16'00" 44 AUS 19810511 HANSEN Adam TMO
18. 13.17'00" 173 USA 19870219 FAIRLY Caleb USA
19. 13.18'00" 55 FRA 19810118 KERN Christophe C.A.
20. 13.19'00" 144 USA 19821004 KEM Omer PHB
21. 13.20'00" 93 AUS 19790711 CLARKE Hilton NIC
22. 13.21'00" 77 GBR 19780426 WEGELIUS Charly LIQ
23. 13.22'00" 62 ITA 19820511 FACCI Mauro QSI
24. 13.23'00" 108 AUS 19820208 SUTHERLAND Rory HNM
25. 13.24'00" 114 USA 19831205 EUSER Lucas TSL
26. 13.25'00" 38 SUI 19810509 ZAUGG Oliver GST
27. 13.26'00" 22 ITA 19771126 BASSO Ivan DSC
28. 13.27'00" 152 ARG 19720306 ACTON Alejandro COL
29. 13.28'00" 8 GER 19710917 VOIGT Jens CSC
30. 13.29'00" 127 AUS 19730731 VOGELS Henk TUP
31. 13.30'00" 84 AUS 19720310 GATES Nicolas PRL
32. 13.31'00" 134 USA 19780119 JONES Michael JBC
33. 13.32'00" 17 AUS 19780420 HAYMAN Mathew RAB


He put a serious hurting on Adam Hansen, Charley Wegelius, Rory Sutherland, Ivan Basso, JENS VOIGHT, Alan Davis, and Matty Hayman. The last among those names went 26min after him. I really doubt the wind did a complete about face in 15 minutes after he finished, just in time for Basso to start. Jens Voight went 22min after him. It's just a matter of being in shape and highly motivated at this point in the year. Cancellara and DZ are fast as hell, but to be honest, they have bigger fish to fry later in the season.

Maybe the wind shifted, but it sounds too much like the excuse-making on the TV coverage. No way Donald rode that fast they said, there must be a problem with the official time-keeper.

:rolleyes:

Maybe the wind shifted, but it sounds too much like the excuse-making on the TV coverage. No way Donald rode that fast they said, there must be a problem with the official time-keeper.

:rolleyes:

Glad to see I wasn't the only one who that was a little rude on their part.

When a super talented guy goes from working full or part time as a GARBAGE MAN to being a full-on Pro, good things happen. I wish him all the best.

I have to agree with what Duke of Kent wrote above:

Cancellara and DZ are fast as hell, but to be honest, they have bigger fish to fry later in the season.

Jason had THIS.
All eggs into one basket....one beautiful, fun-to-watch basket.

p.s.
Speaking of TV coverage (and I'm glad it's at least there) but how the heck do you not even show a second of coverage of champion Betini?

I have to agree with what Duke of Kent wrote above:

Cancellara and DZ are fast as hell, but to be honest, they have bigger fish to fry later in the season.

Jason had THIS.
All eggs into one basket....one beautiful, fun-to-watch basket.

p.s.
Speaking of TV coverage (and I'm glad it's at least there) but how the heck do you not even show a second of coverage of champion Betini?

But they did show coverage of champion Cancellara.

But they did show coverage of champion Cancellara.

;) ...had to, it was Phil's pick in the pre-race show!

I'm sure the truth lies somewhere in between. Wind direction doesn't require anyone to 'buy' anything. Headwinds make you slower, tailwinds make you faster, particuarly in a TT, period. If that's an accurate news report, it's a major factor. Hmmm. Let's see. Some guy we've NEVER heard of before puts a spanking on EVERY major UCI pro on the planet at the Tour of California except Levi. So either:

A) He had a career day that elevated his cycling to some unprecedented level.

B) He had a tailwind and the last 50 starters (i.e. many of the best riders @ the event) did not.

C) All of the above.

I pick (C).

Like I said, let's see how this kid does in the long TT. Somehow I don't think we'll get a similar result. If we do, great story for cycling.

I can explain it........He was doped!!! ;)

The other thing to consider is that this TT was highly specialized: it was essentially a V02Max effort that ended at the top of a steep hill. The traditional TT is much more a measure of one-hour-power over flat to rolling surfaces.

--Steve

I really doubt the wind did a complete about face in 15 minutes after he finished, just in time for Basso to start. Well the wind can and does do that with the passage of fronts etc. FWIW, at the SF airport on that day the wind was from the W from 1:00 pm to 1:30, then shifted to WNW for 15 minutes, back to the W for 15 minutes and then from the NNW at 2:15 p.m.and then continued to have a northerly component through 3:30 pm. Wind speeds were relatively constant at 9-11 mph. Having lived down near the Embarcadero for a while, I know the even a slight shift in wind direction can have squirrely results around the waterfront buildings. We will really never know.

Every dawg has his day. :)

Too bad Phil & Paul couldn't comprehend anything but a timekeeper error for his time. If it weren't for Bobke, I wouldn't even bother turning on the sound for Versus crappy coverage.

Every dawg has his day. :)

Too bad Phil & Paul couldn't comprehend anything but a timekeeper error for his time. If it weren't for Bobke, I wouldn't even bother turning on the sound for Versus crappy coverage.


I'll pretend I didn't hear this. Why don't you moon the pope? That would be less blasphemous than belittling Phil & Paul on BF. Your penance will be to read the rest of this thread.

Nothing tops the insipid retardedness of renaming OLN 'Versus'. I can't get over that. What a bunghole name for a network that is.

I'll pretend I didn't hear this. Why don't you moon the pope? That would be less blasphemous than belittling Phil & Paul on BF. Your penance will be to read the rest of this thread.

Nothing tops the insipid retardedness of renaming OLN 'Versus'. I can't get over that. What a bunghole name for a network that is.

sorry my friend, but phil and paul are sh1te. if only you understood dutch, then you Could appreciate the genius of michel wuyts.

I'll pretend I didn't hear this. Why don't you moon the pope?


Moon the pope? Jiminy crickets...:D

Moon the pope? Jiminy crickets...:D

he was in the hitler youth, i'm sure he's seen worse.

he was in the hitler youth, i'm sure he's seen worse.


I'm sure he has. I was thinking more along the lines of...priest...exposing yourself...never gonna happen.

I'm sure he has. I was thinking more along the lines of...priest...exposing yourself...never gonna happen.

spend enough time in sunday school, and it will. :D

All of you anti-Liggett/Sherwin fools will burn in bike weenie hell. Say 'hi' to Euro for me.

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSFO/2007/2/18/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

The wind did change quite a bit.

sorry my friend, but phil and paul are sh1te. if only you understood dutch, then you Could appreciate the genius of michel wuyts.

As I watch cycling each year and hear more and more of Phil, he seems to be the British equivalent of Al Trautwig almost....but much more excitable, which seems to help in the last minute or two of a race (which is probably why he's so popular). I mean, if it were me announcing, the people watching TV would probably fall asleep; you need that energy. Paul isn't too bad during a race, and can seem to relate a bit better to the cyclists than Phil.....but Bobke is what really makes it entertaining. Unfortunately, Phil seems to do the majority of the talking in many races. Bob needs to take over.

It could be worse though, I guess.

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSFO/2007/2/18/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

The wind did change quite a bit.
Interesting that the two weather sites seem to be reporting weather from different planets instead of from the same airport. :rolleyes:

As usual Phil and Paul started dropping LA's name whenever and wherever it would remotely fit.

Interesting that the two weather sites seem to be reporting weather from different planets instead of from the same airport. :rolleyes:

California IS a different planet.

Pcad, we're your parents!

http://www.worldcycling.com/PhilLiggett/phil_paul2.jpg

Well the wind can and does do that with the passage of fronts etc. FWIW, at the SF airport on that day the wind was from the W from 1:00 pm to 1:30, then shifted to WNW for 15 minutes, back to the W for 15 minutes and then from the NNW at 2:15 p.m.and then continued to have a northerly component through 3:30 pm. Wind speeds were relatively constant at 9-11 mph. Having lived down near the Embarcadero for a while, I know the even a slight shift in wind direction can have squirrely results around the waterfront buildings. We will really never know.

Seeing as how the flat portion of the race was heading WNW, nobody had much of a tailwind.

Pcad, we're your parents!

http://www.worldcycling.com/PhilLiggett/phil_paul2.jpg


There may be something to this CC, but WHO'S YOUR DADDY???

Congrats to Donald, but its the ToC, do you really think the Euro's are going all out for racing in the US? this is an early season vacation for quite a few of them - not a major bike race...