Thursday, September 25, 2014

World ITT 2014

World ITT 2014
The World's ITT went to Wiggo
His post race face showed this was biggo
After couch-sulking at home through July
He's happy to be the winning guy
For British sport he's been such a booster
We'd be fine if he crowed like a rooster
Der Panzerwagen came in second
T. Martin's ride is still to be reckoned
He's been first three years in a row

But this years' laurels rest on Wiggo

Thursday, September 18, 2014

HOUR RECORD JENS VOIGT

A German Virgo
Forty three
He 's got this licked mathmatically
With heavy metal playlist booming
Jens Voigt plans an hours' zooming !
He claims this is his final circuit
Retirement-- Jensie works it!!
The Velodrome packed to the rafters 
He says goodby for ever after 
The Hour Record his to grab
His silver shoes are super bad
He's in the zone striving for control
Here we go!  Let's rock and roll! 
He must practice holding back
Which is not for Jens a natural act
Oh, Jens! Oh, Jens!  
it churlish to wonder
How you would ride this if you were younger ?
Your form is great 
Your fitness fab
But what about this feels a bit sad?
After seventeen seasons as cycling sage
It's tough to withdraw because of age
For one for whom suffering is a religion
It 's hard to retire on television
You know what? He's having fun
The crowd just loves to see him run!
At eight minutes to go
He puts on a show
A picture perfect ride is Jens'
I know he would like to do it again
The Hour Record holds his name
Jens quits at the top of his game!!!
Fresh as a daisy he takes his crown
Jens, we will miss having you around!


Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Vuelta a España 2014 Stage 5





Astoundingly 'Berto is calling the shots
Pushing Tinkoff to strut what they've got
Raising the pace in heat so torrid
Some in the bunch saying they're horrid
In the end Degenkolb was victorious
eclipsing Philippe who's effort was glorious
Bouhanni came two and Hofland third
But it's Tinkoff's noise most loudly heard
Alberto is making a great recovery
His miracle healing up for discovery
What he'll do next is everyone's riddle

He's riding as if he were fit as a fiddle!

Friday, August 22, 2014

USA Pro Challenge Stage 5



Rain and cold plague stage five
The escape is looking likely 
The helicopters cannot fly
So we are all un-sightly
Breckenridge awaits the break
Acevedo the stage will take 
But no, await the hands of fate
With whom Laurent Didier has a date
A 30 year old from Luxembourg 
A sterling win from what we've heard
Jens Voigt is worried about gaining weight
I'm sure his fans won't mind
If after 17 years as a pro
he leaves his form behind
A super man amongst the pack
We 're sad that he 's not coming back
Well read and highly reflective 
He wants his end date self selective
Auf Wiedersehen Herr Jens V
You've made cycling history
TeJay rode hard and took some time
As the pack implodes on the climb
Rain and cold take their toll
But Trek and Didier make their goal
Tejay looks chill as local lad
Yellow suits him not half bad 
For a record time trial eyes has he
He's poised for GC victory





Wednesday, August 20, 2014

USA Pro Challenge Stage 3


BMC leader Tejay Van G
Takes Pro Challenge Stage Three
After yesterdays' neutralization
this ride seemed like a summer vacation
Rafal Majka--the sprightly Pol
shows he's more than Tinkoff's troll
Tvetcov came three for Jelly Bell
Ben Hermans, a Belge, also did well
But the race belonged to Aspen's Tejay
At Monarch crowned King for a Day
We'll see more from him as the days roll 
Overall race win is his goal
Cannondale and Garmin Sharp 
Are headed for the altar
What a powerhouse they
A  Rock of Gibralter


Monday, July 28, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 21

Driving to Monterey
For Laura B's birthday
Took my eyes off the
Champs Élysée
Péraud took a tumble
Dang!! What a shame
So much can go wrong
In the racing game 
But ultimately Kittel
made it home free
As did Tour Champion
Nibali
The shark of Messina,
a Scorpio
Rode like a virtuoso
On the mountains
and on Pave
He really never had a bad day
Calm and serene
he inspired his team
through cloudbursts and crashes
and heat
I suspect if the top men had been there
He 'd still be hard to beat
Péraud and Pinot came deux et trois
And Bardet rode so well for what
almost was
Finally France had it's day in soliel
And the sun sets sweetly on the
Champs Élysée 

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 20



Tony Martin wins the TT
Coming fourth is Nibali
Peraud came second
Heroic I reckon
Sixth place belongs to Van Garderen, T
He'll move up a spot in the GC
And  ends his race happily
A study in serenity
Romain Bardet flats and loses a place
It will take a while 'till 
his smile is replaced

Thibault Pinot does a great job
His third place in Paris makes him gallic god
Special mention to König, L
He moves up two spots by TT-ing well 

Friday, July 25, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 19

A fast first hour
A five man break
At Bergerac
mauvais il fait
A sprinters' finish
in bad conditions
as  fast men 
struggle for position
But right now on the
open road
Cannon and Giant
pull the load
It's still bad out there on the route
80 miles to finish cute
A nasty hill quite near the end
Looks like a chance for Peter Sagan
Il pleut a verse
Rain torrential
     The fear factor exponential
 So much suffering 
So much pain
Now we have horrendous rain
The roads begin to undulate
Fingers crossed for safety's sake
The peloton moves like a giant snake
Garmin riders raise the stakes
Navardauskas huge risks takes
All eyes on the Lithuanian
A breakaway win?
This is insane, man!
A big pile up!
 Sagan! Bardet! Andre is down!
Navardauskas wins for Garmin Sharp
He rode with skill, guts, and heart
Pete S ages before our eyes 
another stage win fate denies


Thursday, July 24, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 18




Today it's about the Tourmalet
Then 69th time for this climb
Blel Kadri and Nieve lead the way
On the  climb of the Tourmalet
Nieve wants to win for Sky
They'd have one stage at least
First climbed in 1910
Tourmalet is still a beast
On the descent
Valverde appears and
opens a gap
This is his tactic
That's that about that
MoviStar has men down the line
Second place he says
Is mine! mine! mine!!
On the Hautacam
Chris Horner attacks
Nibali effortlessly reacts
It's Vicenzos' Tour
Phil says that's a fact
Every other hard man is at his back
9 climbing KMs with no respite
Nibali shows that might is right
He passes Nieve like he was standing still
An extraordinary show of will
Valverde in trouble--sorry chum
Pinot has him on the run
And also TeJay Van Garderen
5 KM Nibali is flying
Majka wants two
But the French lads say
'Phooey to you'
Pinot strives to take place two
Nibali wins with a seven min lead
Pinot in second 
Majka takes third and KOM
He's pleased to be first of the mountain men
The Polka Dots are his this year
In future all riders will have him to fear
Van Garderen still has skin in the race
But right now he's in 6th place
The Time Trials still stand ahead
But Nibali has put this year's Tour to bed


Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 17

Four tough climbs in the last fifty miles
Pain upon pain this stage piles
Referred to as the ring of fire
Queen Stage stakes could not be higher
The finish point at Pla d'Adet
Is a lofty goal for all today
After TeJay's post rest bad stage
A good mind set he must engage
For us mortals on the sidelines
this is the best and worst of times
Katusha rides hard for Purito
Polka Dots would be so sweet--oh!
The break of eight includes Voigt, J
Could they possibly stay away?
Kiriyenka pounces in a solo attack
Rodriguez takes points behind his back
Nibali descends breezily
But the next climb won't come easily
The toughest climb of Le Tour this year
Gives each rider something to fear
Bardet bounces back gaining time
And Valverde seems to have something in mind
Roche and Visconti both excell
Majka seems to be doing well
Ag2r shines as a team
50 points for first over the top
Nibali moves fast he's so hard to stop
TeJay hangs in rejeuvinated
T, Pinot goes on unabated 
Majka winks as he takes the 50
A Polish youth who'll go down in history
Tinkoff Saxe takes a stage times three
Another great ride for Nibali !
Valverde managed to come in 10th
Succeeding in what he meant
Fantastic work by all of the faves
This was another wonderful stage

Tour de France 2014 Stage 16

Mark showed up for the mussels meal
His team has inked a new deal--they
became  Etixx-Omega Pharm
As Mark is rehabbing his wounded arm
Tony Martin signs up for two years
Filling the OP gang with cheers
Quite sheer and sexy is next years' kit
I wonder if the lads are feeling it?
Three more days in the Pyrenees
Hopefully healed hurt hands and knees
Every team has taken their bumps
As they now approach some mighty lumps
Out with pneumonia is Costa, Rui
A total disappointment for he
Simon Yates sent home today
To save him for another day
The KOM is highly contested
And all participants are rested
Finalement a 21 man break
All teams have so much at stake
The most to gain has Kwiatkowski, M
Who could move closer to the top ten
In this this crowd Frenchman Tommy V
Looking towards a stage victory 
It would be his third at Bagnères-de-Luchon
So Tommy is saying "Allons" "Allons"!!
At the top of the Porte D'Aspet
 A ten minute lead in the breakaway
This longest stage Bob Roll says
Is about energy conservation 
With rough mountain days ahead 
And TT altercation 
The Peloton lurches forward
There's a twelve minute gap
Poor Jack Bauer struggling
Off the back
The long descent of the Porte d' Balès
raises hopes in the breakaway
Just to remind you--it's hors catégorie
Thin air adds to the GC story
They're dropping like flies
On the Porte d'Bales
Tommy V keeps attacking
Palmeres he's packing
Mike Rogers moves well
TeJay is dropped -mon deux!
Bardet struggles too--sorry for you
We're watching climbing hell
The descent is on 
Nibali holds tight
Europcar has the fight
MovieStar is lurking
But Rogers plan is working 
Tenth try is a charm
Mike raises his arm
Sorry TeJay
This wasn't your day
Pinot soldiers on
Tinkoff's Australian
Shows jubilation
Finally a win!
After so much effort
We're so proud of him!


Monday, July 21, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Rest Day 2


Revue Jour de repos

1.

 A jolly German giant Kittel, Marcel
Has a coiffure which suits him well
Movie star locks and a mighty stroke
Marcel knows his swag is swell
He is also in on the joke
As at his hair we all fun poke
Marcel's  strength makes him a brute
And yet his hairdo is so cute!
A man who proudly displays gel products
Can be excused for strength of ox

2.

Finally Le Tour de France
has some Frenchmen extant
Excellent work from Gallic born
shows France coming into form
Tony Gallopin of Belisol
wins stage 11 and thrills us all
He wore yellow on Bastille jour
Tony is having a merveilleux Tour
Ditto Pinot for FDJ.fr
Young Thibaut has come a long way
Strong in the mountains
an improving descender
He's proved to be an aggressive stage ender
He's always quick to come out and play
Especially with fellow Frenchman Bardet
They duel for supremacy day by day
He is known for a strong TT
Will he battle it out with BMC?
Romain Bardet, 23 
A natural rival for Pinot, T
Both are French, fast and young
as they strive for the podium
Let's not forget Jean Christophe Peraud
Sixth overall--On dit Chapeau!
Always working-- Pierre Rolland
For years he's been Frances' go to homme
For 25 plus years the French failed to score
But these young lads have success in store
The drought is broken for La Belle France
Our gracious hostess gets her chance

3.  

With no Berto, Cav, Froomie, (nor Brad)
Some felt Le Tour was going to be sad
Now as  3lèm semaine starts
We've surely had a change of heart
Just as the weather
Each stage hard to predict
And yet a great contest has ended it
So many heroes emerging from Chaos
All the top riders are not such a loss
Not that we don't love them still
But this year's Tour has been a thrill





Sunday, July 20, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 15



Eminger, M and Jack Bauer
Make an early escape
But the fin at NÎmes
could ruin their dream
if crosswinds show their power
It's a stage for the sprinters
unless the wind splinters
Pete Sagan would love to win
Cannon has worked so hard for him
Ditto Giant's Kittel, Marcel
Who's  been sprinting very well
The wind picks up
The skies turn black
 Sprinters salivate
As the course is flat
The weather is already nasty In NÎmes 
A drama filled finish remains to be seen
Encore Mère Nature in all her glory
puts her mark on the Tour de France story
Les Parapluies de Nîmes have all risen
broadcasting bad weather on television
At Cavaillon we await the crosswinds
Weather may decide who wins
Winds whip up on a long flat road
A dramatic stage end they bode
The final 10 K is the danger zone
As the strong men lunge for home
Will the lovely town of NÎmes
be the grave of broken dreams?
In the front Rui, C
Astana and BMC
The rain buckets down
No shelter is found
It's just real wet and sticky
We're looking at lead outs
And protecting contenders 
A nervous stage with dueling agendas
Roundabouts and slippery roads
Makes the fin a horny toad
Giant leads under a cloudburst
Only lightning could make this worse
12 miles to go a peak of sun
La Mère Nature will have her fun
The break is intact
The sun on their backs
Kristoff takes the stage 
By a hairs breath 
For poor jack Bauer 
Sudden death 
Disappointment for Garmin Sharp
When Jack rode with so much heart
He weeps like a babe 
His dream unmade
Katusha 's Norwegian wood
Kristoff, A
Wins the day
Just like he said he would

























Saturday, July 19, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 14



A ripping start to stage 14
Sagan takes the sprint clean
part of a break of seventeen
Astana leads bunch lean and mean
The long hard climb of the Lautaret
Is not the worst they'll do today
The Col d'Iozard beyond category 
is the peak which brings the glory
Also a hefty prize in euros
for the man who can endure-oh!
In the break De Marchi, Allesandro
showing lots of get-up-and-go
Best placed in the break is Geraint, T.
But he's no threat to the GC
I want to mention Nibali, V
who quipped quite humorously
the mother of the imbecile is always pregnant'
 (latter day dopers is whom he meant)
Who knew Vincenzo was so witty
this Yellow clad son of Sicily?
In Italian it sounds even better
"La madre degli imbecili/cretini/stronzi e sempre incinta"
Purito takes KOM points on Lautaret
Not contesting is De Marchi, A
Astana descends like a flock of blue birds
Hoping to swoop over Col d'Iozard
A peak elite for those who race hard
Whose Tour hopes will it retard?
Nibali's' team remains on guard
Net Ap strains for Konig, L
Another who is climbing well
Col d'Iozard of unrelenting grade
An Alp where riders' reps are made
27.7 miles of climbing hell
KOM points and cash go to Purito
Joquim Rodriguez--Chapeau!
Ditto descender Fuglsang , J
He 's lived to ride another day
A cheeky attack by R Bardet--
An anxious moment for TeJay
A lot of work remains today
Risoul awaits "Allez" "Allez"!!
An 8 mile climb until the top
Romain Bardet can not be stopped
De Marchi rides with urgency
Majka R continues to flee
A stage is a possibility
An outrageous ride for Tinkoff Sax
Nibali makes a huge attack!
He looks quite  calm and collected
Majka wins-- so unexpected!!!
Nibali's two extends his lead
The next three spots held by the French
For future Tours a consequence
A stage of super strong results
Frank Schleck should do some somersaults 
TeJay rode well once more
Podium Paris an open door  
For Majka a great victory
And a very good day for Nibali



Friday, July 18, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 13


Tour de France 2014 Stage 13

Garmin Sharp loses Acevedo
Their best climber has to go
Joining Vichot and Navarro
The toll of crashes and cold
Is starting to show
The pace is fast
Towards the Col de Paraquit
It's a hard fought ascent
De Marchi prevails
But J Fuglsang crashes
Foiled by a stray bottle
He 's Nibali's man
This could be trouble
De Marchi descends
Followed by Bakelants
They pass through Grenoble
With two men in the front
Astana 's Fuglsang took a hard bump
The sprint points are taken by
De Marchi
But all eyes are on Fuglsang
How is he really? 
Jakob is seen as essential to Nibali
He 's riding back slowly
Hanging out with Visconti
Before all now looms the final climb
Can they make it at all
Or will some be left behind?
Chamrousse a beast Alpine
At eighteen K an awful climb
FDJ works for Pinot, T
Marching onward A De Marchi
The pace of the race
Has been so high
The non-climbers might be excused 
For wanting to die
Astana is shredded
Richie Porte holds his place
Many fall victim to the stage's hot pace
TeJay is there
But this climb is a bear
Another half hour of uphill hell
Leopold Konig is riding well
Riche Porte starts to crack
With Nieve at his back
Valverde attacks
Nibali at his back
TeJay takes a try
He's a marked guy
Chris Horner helps Rui
A big move by Nibali
Together Bardet and TeJay
But moving well is Valverde
As is young Frenchman Bardet
But Nibali powers in the lead
His yellow jersey hopes to feed
He seems so calm
He seems so cool
This year's Tour he seems to rule
He zips up his jersey
Sits up straight
What a win to celebrate!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 12


Andrew Talansky had to quit
His battered body couldn't take it
He needs time to heal and rest
Hope he feels he passed his test
He showed bravery and nerve
For him it is a learning curve
Ditto darling Pete Sagan
vexed he was an also ran
to the ground his bike he threw
Oh, come on, Pete
that's not like you!
Although these lads are cream of crop
They've much to learn to  reach the top
Le Tour is a demanding mistress
Leaving strong men in distress
There is a break of five today
They've managed to remain away
No one too high in the GC
Nothing to fear for Nibali
Giant Shimano taps speedily
For John Degenkolb most probably
The stage route winds through Beaujolais
A cloudless sky brings heat today
De la Cruz in the break took full points 
on climbs one and two 
Sadly, he crashes and must leave the race
"Dommage, David " to you
In the final KMs of the stage
The break is down to two
Simon Clarke and Langeveld
Can their lead be held?
The Cote de Grammond
Simon Clarke shines in the sun
The pace is blistering, too
Cannondale is nowhere to be found 
Is our green team feeling blue?
Europcar leads the pack
But Giant is ready to rumble
John Degenkolb  is their guy
I hope he doesn't 't stumble
Five miles to go
The sprinters mass
Clark's adventure could not last
Kristoff takes it
Two Sagan
A sun struck fin in Saint-Ettiene
Rest well all you tired men



Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Tour de France 2014 Stage 11


Tour de France 2014 Stage 11

Andre Greipel takes the intermediate 
sprint
Marcel Kittel came two
Pete Sagan does not contest 
Going for the stage win is my guess
Andrew Talansky struggles at the rear
He's in a world of hurt I fear
He took too many heavy falls
It's just not his year
That is all
The hard part of the stage is ahead
Should poor Andy have stayed in bed?
Cannondale works hard for Pete
A win at Oyonnax would be sweet
The crucial climb is upon the bunch
The break surely feels the crunch
Nicolas Roche makes a gap
Der Panzerwagen brings him back
Nibali ready to attack
Sagan speeds down at 50 mp
Still ahead Gallopin, T
He takes the stage courageously 
A brilliant win for Lotto Bell
John Degenkolb takes two quite well
Sagan gets skunked 
A Slovakian slump
And Andy continues in hell
Fighting back from elimination
His pluck invites congratulation
The media is seduced by this
Podium presence is eclipsed 
If you get a lemon make lemonade
Andrew Talanskys'rep is made
A bombastic pit bull at the start
He's learning how to race with heart
Heart, teamwork, and well timed attacks
Mark the stage fin at Oyonnax