Geez Expat, you traded this (looks out at the sunshine) for that? Poor bugger.

FYI I've posted a thread about the Handbuilt Bike Show that was on in San Jose over the weekend. It's in the Framebuilders section, so you should go check it out. There's some serious loveliness over there.

In typical Seppo fashion, the organiser decided in this infinite fascististic way to ban cameras from the show. Naturally I took that as an affront to our collective liberties so I've encouraged everyone and anyone to take pix and let us know their thoughts on the show.

As someone hilariously e-mailled me today "The Indians are circling the caravans".

I agree, and the elite levels need to set an example for amateur grades to follow. The coaches and trainers need to get players out of the game as soon as they start looking less than coherent (front row forwards need to be an exception here.)

Watching the Hurricanes vs Cheetahs game on the weekend, Piri Weepu (Hurricanes halfback) left the field with breathing difficulties in the high altitude - without the trainers escorting him he would have just collapsed.

The players are never in the right position to make a good decision about continuing if they've just taken a blow to the head, just get the buggers off the paddock as a precaution.

no pictures? How's anyone supposed to know what they make and want to buy one?

Anyway, some nice stuff !!! A cool white Vicious SS pic on one of those links with the disc mount between the chain and seat stay. All I can say is carbon, schmarbon

plus...

Waratahs !
Mariners

Oh no, we're only allowed to have officially corporate sanctioned photos and press releases. There is no reality, only the reality that is constructed for us.

Didn't you know that?

[The post officially sanctioned by Thylacine Cycles Pty/Ltd. Do not read, quote, distribute, form a seperate opinion to, nor criticise without express written permission.]

Yeah, I have a thing for internally routed cables. Shame nobody wants to pay for it coz it's such a time consuming pain in the butt.

My kids took us to watch the game at Central Coast Stadium yesterday. I think they saw a collective total of about 2.3 sec of the game!! They were more interested in doing the kids activities (which weren't publicised).

On a brighter note, my youngest learnt to ride a bike without training wheels yesterday. Now I just have to teach her how to stop without crashing

it was free though right?

the Marinators end was all action, good quality cheering, 3 evictions, all good fun except the result.

Likewise, my daughter cheered for either side just to join the fun and the clapping part of the match. She did have a little yellow #15 shirt on to show her parents loyalty to the Yellows though !

Yeah free. Until you went to get a plastic cup of crap beer or wine for $5 that is!

Not many there really, about 4000. Very comfy down on the pitch, plenty of room, good viewing Lotsa kids full of soft drink and lollies running everywhere at a million miles an hour

cheers climbo, looking fwd to getting back up there and doing a little (read: a lot) better than last time. however on the subject of toilet attendants, my princess of a GF was rather ammusing. by opting to come and support me at a mountain bike race, princess forgot that there were no toilet facilities. the reaction i recieved when i pointed to the leafy green toileting facilities was priceless.

did you see that stack on the freeway near the entrance turnoff? nasty!

i may have seen you up there, what were you wearing? were you riding with anyone? i was on a Cannondale Rush, crossmax wheels etc. wearing turramurra kit.

Amusing music video:

https://www.jcbsong.co.uk/jcbvideo.asp

Kerstens secret for the Comm games? to race in the womens division! from SMH.com.au

"Kersten is confident of winning three medals in Melbourne, where he is scheduled to ride the kilometre time trial and 30km scratch race. She is likely to join Ryan Bayley and Shane Kelly in the keirin."

for those on the CCCC side of the fence, Jock mentions on the web page they have 20 dates set out for races this season. has the calendar been made availiable to the public yet? would be good to be able to see and plan....

what's CCCC?
Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club?

Robbie Mac had a crash in 3 Dyas of West Flanders, The Johan Museeuw Disgraced Classic

Not good for MSR, Mcewen really went down hard.



Matti Breschel: Has broken the back in two places
Updated March 5, 2006

The great Danish talent Matti Breschel, was well on his way to ride to victory in Driedaagse van West Vlaanderen. The Team CSC rider had gotten in the deciding 18-man large breakaway on the last stage, where the leading Davitamon-Lotto rider, Robbie McEwen, was.

”During the stage I beated him in a sprint, which meant that I via bonus seconds was equal in time with him. This meant the final sprint for the stage would decide who would win the race”, says Matti Brechel from a Belgium hospital.

”There's no doubt at all, that it was Robbie McEwen who caused the crash. He opened the sprint, and I tried go go outside him, but then, but then he swayed the bike the first time, I continued to try to go around him though, and then he swayed the bike again so our handlebars got tangled togheter and we both crashed. He could stand up again and ride across the finish line, while I was unconsious for 45 minutes. I was told that the helmet broke and all”, tells the extremely bitter Matti Breschel.

”I have an incredible headache and backpains, and I can't remember anything from the crash happened until I got on the hospital. I definately have a concussion and have broken the back in two places. It hurts like crazy. They try to give me some painkillers, but I don't think it really works”.

During the hospital stay Team CSC's sports director Tristan Hoffmann has been by the young Dane's side and Team CSC's own doctor is on his way, so he can follow the young riders development.

”I just hope to get home soon. I simply don't want to lay here somewhere in the midlle of nowhere. The breaks should not be so complicated that I will get permanent injuries, if I don't stress myself. This means at least 6 weeks without any training, and then I don't know when I get to go to bikeraces again”.

Matti Breschel could not avoid telling that he owes Robbie McEwen a little "greeting", but that he would make it himself on the road some day.


https://www.team-csc.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=822

Bad Crash for Breschel

[05.03 19:23] Just as Team CSC's Matti Breschel saw his chance to take his first pro-victory, the young talent had to abandon his dream as an ugly crash only 50 meters before the finish line in the third stage of Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen forced the Danish rider off his bike.

”It simply couldn't be more unlucky. Matti had the opportunity to win this stage and thereby enough bonus seconds to also win the race overall. He'd already beat Robbie McEwen in the last intermediate sprint, so there's no doubt he was flying today. He'll get his victory one day soon and the most important thing now is to get Matti back on his feet as soon as possible,” said sports director Tristan Hoffman, who could also inform that even though bruised Matti Breschel doesn't seem to have any fractures, but he'll probably stay in the hospital for another day to have some more tests done.

The final stage with start and finish in Ichtegem was won by Nico Eeckhout (Chocolade Jacques), who also won the race overall.


https://team-csc.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=823

Crash Spoils Breschel's Spring Season

[05.03 21:07] Further examinations at the hospital in Torhout have revealed fractures on Matti Breschel's seventh and eight vertebrae following his crash in Sunday's third stage of the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen.

”The first evaluations from the doctors here at the hospital were as it turns out too optimistic as a scan has revealed fractures on two vertebraes. This means Matti won't be taking part in any of the spring classics. It's very unlucky because it was obvious that he was in great shape and regardless it's a big shame when a stupid crash puts a rider out of commission like that. The doctors estimate a period of at least three to four weeks before he's able to resume his training. But at least he should be able to start then without complications,” explains sports director Tristan Hoffman from Belgium, where the doctors plan to release Matti Breschel from hospital on Monday.

McEwen writes about the crash on his website, he says no one's to blame -
QUOTE
I want to talk a little about the crash today in the Record 3 daagse van West Vlaanderen.
I just want to express my concern for Matti Breschel who also fell with me in the final sprint. He's in hospital with two fractured vertebrae and will hopefully recover fully in a few weeks.

It was a nasty fall BUT by no means a crazy sprint and it was bad luck for both of us. For my own own conscience I have watched the slow motion replay at least 30 times to see what happened and be sure that I'm not guilty of causing this crash. It was just bad luck that Matti's handlebar got tangled with mine. I had just passed him with 50m to go and had left plenty of room between me and the barriers. I was catapulted over the bars to the right and unfortunately for Matti he crashed left towards the barrier. We hardly touched but from what I can see in the slow mo his brake lever seemed to catch on the end of my handlebar.
So as bad as it is that we crashed, it's nobodys fault and I will check on him tomorrow in the hospital.
I'm concerned for Matti and I'm sure he'll be back riding strong soon.

As for me, bruised, strained and stiff all over. I think I may have dislocated some ribs or something in my back. I'll try to sit on the bike tomorrow and then decide if my pelvis needs to be x-rayed, they say it takes a day for any small cracks to show up.

So after analysing the video I know I did no wrong but will not blame Matti either, it's just one of those things.
If you have the opportunity watch the video.

jock mentioned it on what website? Dates are almost set, I can give you a heads up but it won't be final for another 2 weeks when it gets voted on at the meeting.

Didn't get up till 3.30pm today . Missed werk (big shame).
Had a slight pain in my back yesty morn'n which I thought might come good through the race and for all intents and purposes it did but as soon as I started to warm down it was like a mule had kicked me in the ribs. Gave me heaps of grief watching the Super bikes and Mariners and so I was in bed by 9. Woke up at 5.00am with a screaming headache and more back pain.
It's almost all good now but it scared the crap. I don't know if I want to do this any more. I mean the harder I try, and the fitter I get, including quantum leaps in performance, the worse I do racing. Can't get a look at a sprint anymore.
What is the training regime for chess like, anyone?

Now that would be an interesting video I'm sure!

its on the central coast website, not as a main topic but mentioned in passing in the message boards in the call for traffic controllers. if you could let me know when they are finalised that would be great, really looking fwd to racing up there.

lol. I find the more I train the worse I do. Training just propaganda put out by all the ******s winning the races who want their competition rooted before they even turn up.

lol. That can be true if one doesn't fully appreciate the need for recovery. I read somewhere that of the three elements of training, those being exercise, diet and recovery, recovery is the most important.
I do understand this and recently I've included more serious time to recovery and I am feeling better and I know I'm doing it more easily and I'm going harder, but it seems that the competition is also upping the anti at a rate which is obviously far more productive, although I still think there are a lot of C graders regularly going around in D grade. Same in other grades also I suspect.
Not a lot I can do about it so I guess it's 'like or lump it' as my mum used to say.
If you can't stand the heat...............................

I should mention that during the 1hr40+2 laps we covered 61k at an av. 35+kph and I was still there at the finish which I think probably ain't to bad for an old D grader.

no worries, from mid-April we'll have a race o neither the Sat or Sun every weekend unless it clashes with a CD race. This is the draft calendar so far.

April Saturday 22 CD - Hunter Districts Blackhill 2pm
April Sunday 23 CCCC Road Race Calga 9am
April Saturday 29 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm

May Saturday 6 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
May Saturday 13 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
May Saturday 20 CD - Muswellbrook McCully Gap 2pm
May Sunday 21 CCCC Road Race Calga 9am
May Sunday 28 CCCC Road Race - Peter Parkinson Hcp Calga 9am

June Saturday 3 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
June Saturday 10 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
June Sunday 18 CD - Central Coast Calga 9am
June Saturday 24 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm

July Saturday 1 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
July Saturday 8 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
July Sunday 9 CD - Cessnock Broke 9am
July Sunday 16 CD - Championships Race ? 9am
July Saturday 22 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
July Sunday 30 CCCC Road Race - Ray Piper Hcp Calga 9am

August Saturday 5 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
August Saturday 12 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
August Saturday 12 CD - Manning Valley Club Dyers Crossing 2pm
August Saturday 20 CCCC Road Club Championships Calga 9am





September Saturday 2 CCCC Road Race Calga 2pm
September Sunday 10 CCCC Road Race - Caltex Hcp Calga 9am
September Sunday 17 CD - Hunter Valley Vets Kooragang 9am

October Saturday 14 CD - Kooragang Cycling Club Kooragang 2pm

Never send a boy in to do a mans job.

thats an awesome callendar! that should keep me busy methinks! will mix it up with my mtb racing and do at least one a month, maybee 2. thanks heaps for the heads up.

just have a few questions regarding the course.... its out and back along peats ridge road yes? how heavy is traffic along that road? i.e am i going to be playing chicken with cars all ride long? also, obviously there is a turning point, how does that work? is it a round about or similar? now i put 2 and 2 togeather, you must have traffic controllers at one end stopping cars so riders dont get skittled?