July 2011
38 posts
For those wondering about Twatwaffles
A pink commenter named Analysis Rube posted this in DUAN earlier this evening:
You know what the comments have become on this site? A fucking circlejerk. A circlejerk of mildly funny 25-40 year olds who at the end of the day pat each other on the ass about how it was a “good day” funnywise. I used to comment on here before AJ and that crew went on their funny comment...
Tour de France Thoughts - The End
Mark Cavendish won in Paris for the third time in his career, winning his 20th stage and securing Great Britain’s first green jersey. Cadel Evans rode into Australia’s first overall victory, being swarmed by his BMC teammates at the finish line and vaulting into national hero status down under. Rather than recap the stage, which was really kind of boring and was won in typical easy...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 20
Waiting to start the time trial, Cadel Evans looked like a boxer readying for a prizefight. Andy Schleck looked like a nervous kid about to go to the dentist. Evans knew he needed 57 seconds to ride into Paris with the yellow jersey; he got nearly three times that, leading by 1:34 to the good on Andy Schleck with a staggeringly perfect time trial. He will ride into Paris and win the Tour de...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 19
Another phenomenally entertaining Alpine stage to cap off a brutal and dynamic - but still indecisive - three days in the mountains. Although it was young Pierre Rolland who sprinted off to the win and the white jersey, the big story was the change of the maillot jaune, off of the shoulders of worthy caretaker Thomas Voeckler and finally onto the back of Andy Schleck. In between, the cat-and-mouse...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 18
Andy Schleck went beast mode, and it still wasn’t enough. The queen Stage 18 saw a remarkable ride by Andy Schleck and Leopard-Trek, but it may well be remembered for the incredible comeback rides up the Galibier by Cadel Evans and Thomas Voeckler, who somehow dragged his way into keeping the yellow jersey by 15 seconds, crossing the finish line with a burst of emotion as he eyed the clock....
Anonymous asked: Polk,
I follow your comments on Deadspin and found your insight to the TdF to be outstanding, especially since this is the first year I have paid any attention (outside who won) to the race.
I have many questions, but I'll only give you two (with multiple parts):
1) How do the riders (especially those in the GC) decide who stays in the peleton...
I follow your comments on Deadspin and found your insight to the TdF to be outstanding, especially since this is the first year I have paid any attention (outside who won) to the race.
I have many questions, but I'll only give you two (with multiple parts):
1) How do the riders (especially those in the GC) decide who stays in the peleton...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 17
Another thrilling, out-of-nowhere finish to a tough stage in the Alps. Sky’s Edvald Boassen Hagen made a strong move on the final climb to win the stage easily, but the real story unfolded behind him. Alberto Contador and Sammy Sanchez broke away from the GC leaders’ pack with Thomas Voeckler, then took advantage of Voeckler’s mistakes on the way down the Pramartino. With...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 16
The category 2 Col de Manse proved to be the spot where Alberto Contador finally made his move in the 2011 Tour de France. A punishing early pace to the stage led to several unsuccessful breakaway tries before a very strong selection formed that included stage-winner Thor Hushovd, Edvald Boassen Hagen, Jeremy Roy, Tony Martin, and Ryder Hesjedal. They stayed out to the end. But behind them, it was...
Tour de France Thoughts - Rest Day Advertising...
Rest day. And yet I was so productive at work. Huh.
So here’s a special Tour de France look at advertising.
If you live in the United States and you’ve been watching the Tour on Versus, it’s been a mixed bag. Versus’ actual coverage is outstanding, I think (although I have read complains about the studio show, which I admit I haven’t been watching regularly but it...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 15
A standard sprint stage today as an intermediary between the mountain ranges, with the peloton resisting tough windy conditions to stay together for a nice finish. Philippe Gilbert launched an attack with 3KM that caught the two-man breakaway before being quickly covered, and it was then never a doubt after a brilliant lead-out by Mark Renshaw launched Mark Cavendish to his 19th career stage...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 14
Another fantastically entertaining mountain stage, highlighted by maillot jaune Thomas Voeckler surprisingly and ably defending his jersey. On the way up the Plateau de Beille, we saw attack after attack from Andy Schleck, as well as stabs from Frank Schleck, Cadel Evans, Ivan Basso, and successful surges from stage winner Jelle Vanendert and Sammy Sanchez. Jersey Changes
Polka dot: Jelle...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 13
Of all the topsy-turvey things that have happened in this year’s Tour, Thor Hushovd winning today’s stage takes the cake. If you honestly thought this machine of a man would haul himself up the Col d’Aubisque, attack the lead, and catch Jeremy Roy in the closing moments to win the stage, I would’ve called you nuts. It was a famous and thrilling win for the world champion,...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 12
A fabulously entertaining stage on Bastille Day, giving fans everything we thought we’d get out of Day 1 in the Pyrenees. My pick for the stage, Frank Schleck, attacked just a bit too late to come in third as Sammy Sanchez kicked at the end to beat Jelle Vanendert. Just behind them, a wonderful duel among the big GC names took place with Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans, and Ivan Basso dropping...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 11
It was about time we had a relatively boring and uneventful stage. The riders deserved one. No change in the overall classification as Mark Cavendish earns the sprint finish and the green jersey. TRENDING UP ▲ Mark Cavendish: He will not lose twice in a row. Cavendish exacted his revenge on André Greipel, beating yesterday’s stage winner by a length in a fantastic sprint finish in terrible...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 10
After a rest day calmed down the tone of the race following last week’s collective freak-out, week 2 began with one for the sprinters. A very, very fast pace by the peloton soaked up the late attacks to set up an improvised sprint finish that had André Greipel beat a very pissed-off-looking Mark Cavendish by a quarter of a wheel. New yellow jersey holder Thomas Voeckler was aggressive with...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 9
Today was one of those days that makes you question the sanity of professional cycling. Two more scary incidents topped anything else the Tour de Crash has thrown at us this week, including a disgraceful sideswipe of a Juan Antonio Flecha and Johnny Hoogerland by a media car while riding in the lead group. When you see something like that happen (on top of the motorbike incident earlier this...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 8
A thrilling stage that saw its first successful breakaway of the Tour thanks to Movistar’s Rui Costa surviving as the last of a nine-man group to win. It was a day for tactical cycling with superb rides by Tejay van Garderen and Thor Hushovd, who miraculously stayed in yellow as the peloton pulled back a late attack by Alexandre Vinokourov. TRENDING UP ▲ Thor Hushovd: Did not see that...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 7
The manta of the first week of this year’s Tour de France has been, “stay in the front, stay out of trouble.” It’s been useful advice, and even more valuable today after a massive crash split the peloton late in the stage, forcing the abandonment of Bradley Wiggins and causing a 3:06 loss of time for the likes of Levi Leipheimer, Chris Horner, Ryder Hesjedal, and Roman...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 6
After yesterday’s carnage, the peloton played it cool today in slippery conditions, and Sky earned its first-ever stage win thanks to Edvald Boasson Hagen. It was not a stage for the sprinters as some thought, and an all-out finish never really developed despite Matty Goss and Thor Hushovd being right there. Levi Leipheimer’s hopes took a big hit with a late crash, while Mark Cavendish...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 5
What a weird, nervous, carnage-filled day. Watching this stage was one of those times where I found myself wincing every 15 minutes as one rider after another crashed out. The big GC guys managed to stay out of trouble, and it was Mark Cavendish who came out of nowhere from behind a pack to burst out for his 16th career stage victory, just ahead of my pick, Jose Rojas.
TRENDING UP
▲ Mark...
2011 In the News: The First Half.
YAY NEWS MEDIA!
Jan. 14, 2011 Freakout over “Ground Zero mosque” ramps up (Meanwhile… the Tunisia revolution sparks Arab Spring)
March 7, 2011 Charlie Sheen not #winning, shitcanned from CBS (Meanwhile… Libyan fighting intensifies)
April 1, 2011 It’s Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday (Meanwhile… Six US soldiers die in Iraq)
April 29, 2011 World...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 4
Another day, another great finish as the big boys came out to play on Stage 4. With rain and slick roads as a backdrop causing tons of mechanical difficulties for the field, Cadel Evans recovered from his own mishaps thanks to a phenomenal ride by his BMC teammates to win the stage by inches over an aggressive Alberto Contador. TRENDING UP ▲ BMC: Cadel Evans rode like someone who absolutely is...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 3
Not a lot of drama on stage 3 until the finish when Tyler Farrar captured a deserved first career stage win for Garmin-Cervélo. That makes me 2-for-2 on stage predictions so far. Just saying.
TRENDING UP
▲ Tyler Farrar: On the Fourth of July, the young American picked up his emotional first stage win, immediately paying tribute to Wouter Weylandt as he came across the line. With Thor Hushovd in...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 2
A team time trial that delivered on drama but not quite as much seperation in the general classification as expected. World champion Thor Hushovd ends the day in yellow, while all the big names sans Alberto Contador stayed at the top.
WINNERS
▲ Garmin-Cervélo: As predicted, Garmin-Cervélo put together a monster time trial on the backs of Dave Zabriskie and Ryder Hesjedal to put Thor Hushovd in...
Tour de France Thoughts - Stage 1
I’m so fucking bored and I feel like writing, since I haven’t been to work in days and I won’t get to go back until next week. So I’m going to write my Tour de France thoughts each night until I don’t feel like it anymore (give or take five days).
Wow. What an opening stage. The organizers killed it this year - dropping the prologue for this beauty of an opener was...
haikumblr asked: This isn't a question... I'm a Deadspin stalker (for almost a year) who's never posted anything, and I got your Tumblr from there. Despite my Tumblr account, I'm confused and afraid of hipsters, and glad that there is someone on here who seems to be able to resist the hipsteryness of it all. ANYWAY...
I've seen your posts on Twitter and Deadspin about...
I've seen your posts on Twitter and Deadspin about...
