Cycling Odysseys

"Finally, to conclude this long double narrative reflection on a long weekend Cobbled Double Header, I wish to reflect on the recurring Revelation process in cycling. Why do we all universally love to see these narratives play out? Why do they so excite and move us? What are we to make of them?"

Back to Belgium and Flanders for the next set prestigious Cobbled Classics.

Very Tardy in getting this one out. Apologies.

In honor of Matej Mohoric's Sanremo/Descenders' "Worlds" win is an episode from last year in which Mohoric has a starring role.

"In pro cycling there are about 2.5-to-3 unofficial Sprinters’ World Championships annually at Scheldiprijs, of old Paris-Tours, and of course on the Champs-Elysees on the last stage of the Tour. There is that 100km Taiwan KOM Challenge that makes a good case to be the unofficial Hill Climb Worlds. Over the course of this podcast and others unofficial Raincoat World Championships have been highlighted. But today, it is time to discuss in depth, what has been the unofficial Descenders’ World Championships since at least 1992 with Sean Kelly’s archetypal descent to victory, down the Poggio at the end of Milano-Sanremo, the first Monument of the year."

Yes, you have heard me rightly—it was not a typo—even still today in this modern era of shorter but more intense racing, still the Milan-Sanremo bucks such trends and keeps its full 300 km race distance. Unlike so many races that no longer live up to their name ... O! It is quite a hellish day in the saddle to be sure, the longest day of the year. O! How the distance saps the legs, it is a war of attrition unlike any other on the calendar. And yet, despite the length ... Sanremo is considered the Sprinters’ Monument: not because a pure sprinter always wins, but because this is the only Monument a pure sprinter can hope to win.

Another one....I can't believe this exists.....but I love it. Hope you all enjoy and have found a new reliable corned beef recipe.

"But at this year’s 2022 Tirreno-Adriatico, neither Mighty Ace attended. Quickstep’s World Champion Musketeer Julian Alaphilippe was not yet on top form. And Young Beowulf Crowned King Tadej Pogacar (UAE) was so dominant it was no contest. The rival French Paris-Nice stage race, the Race to the Sun, fully outshone Neptune’s stage race that dared to fully overlap this year. Thus, the score has become: Neptune 1….Patrick 1."

"Congratulations to the other stage winners and victors of this week, but the most dominant storyline of this year’s Paris-Nice was the most dominant team, the Jumbo-Visma Wasps. The storyline is somewhat disjointed, but there were many things to takeaway. "

Let us recall what was the Greatest Edition of Neptune's Race.