Thursday, July 7, 2016

Stage 6 Tour de France 2016 Arpajon-sur-Cere -- Montauban


A sprinter's day
last for a while
brings the fast dogs 
out to howl
Intermediate at Montbazens
is first test of 
sprinting men
2 lads up front
Barta and Arashiro
Japan's busy cycling hero
Coquard leaps -- my personal dark horse
Advantage Sagan;
It could have been worse
Team Tinkoff  flirts with total implode 
Can Sagan alone carry the load?
Even their bus is broken down
Will we miss Oleg 
when he's not around?
It's sunny, hot, and deeply green
A rainy Spring washed everything clean
Direct Energy steps up for Coquard
French lads willing to work hard
Cavendish does it times 3
A clear cut mega victory
Thousands of bikes for African youth
Mark enjoys his moment of truth
Love this surge at thirty plus---
Explosive power thrilling us
His fire far from extinguished
A fine career
A champ distinguished
His many hours on the track
Have made all others see his back
Family life seems to agree
He says he raced for new niece Darcy
Such sweetness coupled with great speed
More men like Mark is what we need
Oleg T trashes all Europeans
As business amateurs—
what is he thinkin’?


Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Stage 5 Tour de France -- Limoge to Le Lioran


Brian Coquard is feeling his oats
He takes the sprint
And raises French hopes
The big teams are slow to
act
Had Greg Van Avermaet
set a trap?
A lot of climbing remains ahead
Before the riders go to bed
Movistar pics up the tempo
Many riders cannot go
Thomas de Gendt and Greg Van A
Seem to be headed for jerseys today
Pete can't climb
He'll lose his shirt
Movistar continues to work
Greg attacks on melting tar
For de Gendt a mound too far
Sky steps up leading the pack
Greg is gone--he won't be back!!!
Greg descends for BMC
Yellow is his emphatically 
De Gendt is two
TJs still there, Froomie, too



Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Stage 3 Tour de France 2016


Alberto soldiers on
Bandage on his arm
Hope he comes to 
no more harm
Time to heal 
his magic charm
Sagan leads the race
With a smile on his face
He sets a heady pace
A prince of Time and Space
A knight of style and grace
And yet he says "disgrace"
The bunch's mind displaced
In his career of six years
He says reason's in arrears 
Riding like mad dogs
Discourteous road hogs
Chides Slovak's golden child
Please, comrades, be less wild
Don't take crazy risks 
Cycling should not be like this
"I want to ride my bike for fun"
He derides the peloton
I take Pete at his word
And I hope his words are heard
As champ he's immune--not
To a fan's fashion shot--
"Hair like a Danish princess"
Oh, snap!  Pete shows finesse
Stage 3 pace is slow
Why I do not know
Perhaps the bunch reaction
To Pete's dissatisfaction?
A sprint will end this day
Will Pete have more to say?
Tommy V goes to the head
Instead of back to bed
The glacial pace his friend
Can he make it to the end?
Kittel gets the sprint 
With no argument
The race so far a snoozer
My early walk the loser
Roundabouts totally scary 
A right hander ahead
It could get hairy
A photo fin for Mark
A man with great heart
And now it's my moment to part! 




Stage 4 Tour de France 2016

Limoges known for china fine
Holds stage four's finish line
Said to favor Sagan's style
We'll see what happens in a while
Cav would like another win
Lotto-Soudal says no to him
But first a sprint at Le Dorat
Cav would like a piece of that
Ditto Sagan who takes the hat
Pete has his eyes on green at least
Tho' yellow now a treat to feast
He wears it well, you must admit
But will it be a three week fit?
The mood is fine, as sun shines
And sprinters psych the finish line
Yesterday Greipel made a small mistake
A big deal now with much at stake
Cote de la Maison Neuve
A slope with lots of love to give
The riding is spectacular 
Despite road furniture 
3 KM to go
Kittel and Coquard, B
David and Goliath 
Goliath wins
Brian two
I'm happy for the pair of you
Sagan is three
I'm sure he's happy
I have high hopes for Brian, C
How close he came to victory!
Etixx worked hard for Marcel Kittel
But Brian's ride we can't belittle






Sunday, July 3, 2016

Stage 2 Tour de France 2016


Stage 2 Tour de France 2016

Port Bail sprint 
Highly contested
Greipel bested
Kittel and Cav
Even Sagan, Pete
Andre's lunge
Could not be beat
Kristoff, too, an also ran
He's one disappointed man
Contador is still in the mix
He's in a new crash
But he's able to fix
Unbowed but bruised
He's not ready to lose
It's all about a technical fin
Steep and narrow
Even a break guy might win
Specifically Stuyven, J
The strongest in the breakaway
Only 24 years young
This Belgian lad's 
Trek's yellow sun
A steep climb will
level the field 
Will the peloton have to yield?
Sky and Tinkoff move 
But Stuyven goes
 he's in the groove
Cherbourg looks near
Is it Stuyven's year?
Or will BMC launch Greg?
Richie Porte flats
Sorry about that
La Glacerie looms
Jasper S zooms
One Mile to go
Peter Sagan took it
Brilliant brains and brawn
Alaphilippe helped him get along 
Peter wears yellow
For a marvelous win
A world champ for sure
We're so proud of him


Saturday, July 2, 2016

Stage 1 Tour de France 2016

With 20 miles to go
The Peloton is speeding
Defying the winds 
A good sprint is breeding
For a defining win
at historic Utah Beach
Who will be the first to reach?
Contador took a spill
Despite being at the front
Last seen being bandaged 
He continues to hump
Nerves whipped by a tailwind
A burn to win
Warms the men in front
The breakaway 
On this special day
Continues to thump
Delaplace and Howes, A
Are the remains of the breakaway
Cavendish gets it!
I couldn't be more pleased 
His legend reborn
He takes it with ease 
Hands up for Mark
The Brits need a spark
Kittel is two
Reversing a trend 
Mark is the fastest
Of those fast men
Wearing yellow for the first time 
Mark brings Delilah 
To the finish line!!!
Handily winning despite his age
Mark makes a heart warming premiere stage
Lovely Pete S comes in three
Le Tour launches in Normandy


Sunday, May 22, 2016

Stage 8 Amgen Tour 2016

Stage 8 Amgen Tour 2016

Alaphilippe defends his 16 second lead
He’s had a year to dwell
Will the stage 8 record book
reflect heaven or hell?
Tail winds bedevil 
The course is level
Cav needs a win
We all agree
It’s time to Mark a victory
Bad luck for Jelly Belly
Both Morton bros crashed
Alaphilippe must compete
with men strong and brash
Kirsten Wild wins last stage for women
A dutch girl who clearly likes the gym
Etixx is serious protecting Alaphilippe 
They’ve made him a promise they hope to keep
Cavs’ hopes rest on Dimension, Direct
I’m not sure what to expect
Tinkoff takes the lead
Pete Stetina goes down
Sad to say
But he’ll live to ride another day
Cat and Mouse the game they play
Peloton is hot
Get out of the way!
Mark makes it the hard way!
Pete on his heels
The joy of victory!
We know how he feels.
Alaphilippe holds onto yellow
A young, French happy fellow.