Tappa 5 Giro d'Italia 2013

Matera, the finish, is flooded right now

A deluge has dumped

rivers of water a rowboat could prow

Organizers are stumped

Has Mother Nature their plan trumped

With rainwater up to their rumps?

My english stream has disappeared

a victim of the weather

Italiano only now--

I wish that mine were better

Where is Sean Kelly and his

collega commentatore?

Have they had the good sense

to shelter indoors -eh?

65 KMs remain

But then there's that serious rain

Degankolb and Goss have eyes for stage Quinto

But do they know the conditions are stinko?

Ahead the climb to Montescaglisioso

short and steep 9 % purtroppo

Mark C soldiers on with a big gear

zigging and zagging so he can sprint clear

Cav's climb and condition create suspense

Here suffering meets confidence

13 Kilometers left till the end

Will the weather have cleared by then?

Matera it seems has a few tricks

Will the sprinters take their licks?

A crash opens the field for Argos-Shimano

Degenkolb takes it--speaks Italiano

A study in strength for the final length

The winner was a favorito

Luca Paolini stays Pink

A pretty good stage after all

don't you think?

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Tappa 4 Giro d'Italia 2013

Giro d'Italia 2013 Tappa 4

Halfway through Tappa four

Katusha is feeling good

Paolini hopes to hang on to Pink

Knock on wood/ knock on wood

The pace is mild

A seven man breakaway

leads the way/ leads the way

Katusha leads the pack

About four minutes back

The breakaway splinters

Sella is out

His GC position

Made peloton pout

A crash sends men scampering

Not doing much hampering

The peloton surges 

 Breakaway trampling

The Vibo Valentia a category 3

skirts Lake Agitola

lovely to see

Il gruppo led by Vini Fantini

Rain starts in ernest

The riders are nervous

Anxiety energy sapping

Remaining miles are 25

On Ryder and Wiggo are all eyes

Nibali has a difficult descent

Astana has a disappointment

Croce Ferrata, the Iron Cross,

'nuff of a grade to show who's boss

Marcato sets the tempo

For Vacance-Soliel

Pirazzi also, a new breakaway

Katusha holds firm for their man Paolini

Sky comes alive from their trance dreamy

Their über cool somewhat Teutonic

In carefree Italia a bit ironic

Di Luca and Chalapud dual in the rain

4.4 KMs left in Stage 4

Bardiani scores big

A total surprise

From Goliath David grabs the prize

Battaglin, Enrico  followed by Fellini

Visconti three

A very good stage for Italy

Paolini stays Pink

At least for today

Wiggo drops to 6th

All work and no play!

Tappa 3 Giro d'Italia 2013

Giro d'Italia Tappa 3

Wiggo and Froome

tiffing in cyberspace

'bout who's leading whom

and in which race?

Dave Brailsford had to step up

controversy to squelch

Is it Brad for Le Tour lead,

with Chris on the shelf?

Chris states "no"

on his own site

Wonder if the two top lads

Are having a fight?

Dave B says "no,

all's right as rain"

For management

social media's a pain

Riders and girlfriends

posting willy nilly

airing their laundry

It's kind of silly

Meanwhile Sky moves the team

to the front

Riding for Wiggo, awaiting the humps

Two climbs to go which will thin out the bunch

Who will be gobbling whom for their lunch?

It all comes to the final climb

The long descent will tell the time

The breakaway is still hanging in

The terrain makes it hard to spin

50 KM still on the map

Taborre strikes out alone

That's that about that

Wiggins sans mates

Nibali and Garmins

Ryder, Scarpoini

all storm ahead

something alarming'

Ryder makes a surge

25 KM to go

He's feeling the urge

4 KM to the top of the hill

Is dropping back a bitter pill?

Astana Nibali supports

Wiggins nibbling at his shorts

The descent a dizzy flash

Ryder going for the cash

Paolini, Luca takes the lead

3 miles of magic he will need

Katusha's guy takes the win

Cadel takes two

I'm glad for him

Hesjedal earns his third

Of stage 3  my final word

Tappa 2 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 2 Giro d'Italia 2013

Mark loses the Pink

Sky dominates team time trial

Puccio takes it

Tappa 1 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 1 Giro d'Italia 2013

Indulging in a travel bug

Let's give Napoli a hug

Cycles speed like they were stallions

Hail to everything Italian

Pesto, pasta, pomodore

Stunning scenery for our story

Sprinters sighing for the pink

Mark C wants this one

What do you think?

For the paparazzi posing

For Delilah and Mom

It's nose to nosing

Giovani Visconti

Breaks out like an Italian mountie

Missing a doggie on the course

Good going V, it could be worse

He takes the first points on a climb

Yo V-is it Blue Jersey time?

Second climb goes to Wurf

He's in front for what it's worth

The Aussi rides for Cannondale

He's leaving a smoking trail

Now we're down to seven laps

Neapolitans RELAX!

Enjoy an expresso cup

Your town's the bomb

So live it UP!

OPQS

works for Markys' success

A crash splits the bunch

Marky Mark does his thing

OPQS will sing

Honors to the sport Mark brings

He really is a lovely bloke

My heart rises to my throat

This his 100th stage win

So much joy I wish for him

Liege-Bastone-Liege 2013

Liege-Bastone-Liege

We have to thank

Saxo Bank

For setting a pace

Animating the race

Also Astana

Second banana

With 65 K to trace

But when Ks shrink to 25

BMC comes alive

Gilbert plus five

Heads towards the front

Also Garmins' Dan Martin

Contador spurts

Ouch, that must hurt!

Rolland makes a stab

Also Ryder Hesjedal

Ryder's  on fire

Has he gone too soon?

Will the last hill spell his doom?

He hugs his bike

Loving the fight

He seems to be taking flight

Canadian cojones

He's out there alone

With 10 KM to go

Can he do it?

We'll soon know

It's the final climb

Gilbert takes a turn

Valverde stays firm

Ditto Daniel Martin

Scarponi is there

Rodriguez four square

Rodriguez attacks

Dan Martin smacks

Makes eye contact

Then, race he racks

Team Garmin-Sharp

Well played their part

Their Son of Eire

Was on fire

But cheers to the

Top ten men!

To Spring Classics I say 'amen'

So happy to see them again

So happy to see them again

Amstel Gold Race 4/14/2013

Amstel Gold Race

=

After 60 KM this April Sunday

Ten minutes ahead are the breakaway

All eyes are on Gilbert and Sagan

Pete's the fave and Phil is hopin'

to win the day for BMC

I hope his day ends happily!

After the first circuit

The Peloton knows they'll have to work it

And yet as the race is run half-way

the gap remains 11 mins for the breakaway!

Cannondale leads the controlled chase

So Peter S. can run his race

Slowly the peloton awakes

Heading towards the hardy break

FINALLY  it looks like Spring

Ending Winters' suffering

Rainbow sporting Philippe G

Is racing philosophically

'Run your own race,

do what you can

Don't focus on beating Sagan'

Wise words from beloved Phil

For the world's woes

He is the pill

Philippe has crashed !

His bike is toast

Bad luck for he I

Love the most

BMC is not in sight

Leaving Phil a nasty fight

He's joined by Schleck, Andy

Joining forces feeling handy

Proving a point not oft mentioned

Necessity Mom of Invention

Philippe returns but at what cost?

Has his extra zing been lost?

Thomas Voeckler has an injury

Bad luck today for Tommy V

Cannondale continues to chase

The breakaway has less space

KMs are down to 52

But the finish is new

With a flat bit

After the Cauberg

So the fast men can be heard

Purito's down and maybe out

Caught in a crash

like an erstwhile trout

A big attack from Pieter Weening

A race breaker he is seeming

Astarloza is riding well

Leading into Cauberg hell

My dear Philippe is on the right

He seems to still have some fight

The top men are holding back

11 km left to track

Leaders leaving lots of slack

Kreuziger is showing speed

Fast enough to cause a nose bleed

Down the Cauberg like the wind

Philippe Gilbert is there to win!!!

Roman K. on fire for Saxo

His first big win -- way to go !!!

Valverde second

Gerrans three

What a lovely race to see!