I'll Have What He's Having ...

The cyclocross racer enjoys many advantages over his more indolent peers. With beer in hand or scotch underfoot, the cyclocross racer takes pleasure in gobbling up the fistfuls of eye candy (bikes not racers) making the laps to the tune of the cow bells. One piece of eye candy of particular sweetness found here in California is the cyclocross rig from Hunter Cycles (http://www.huntercycles.com/ ). Now I have never ridden a Hunter, but they appear to be a beautiful combination of form and function. The slender and curvaceous wishbone stays not only purr “I’m sexy …” but also scream “I’m gona kick your ass.” With that said, it appears that the boys from Rapha agree. Check out the Hunter built for Rapha’s Continental:

http://www.rapha.cc/continental/index.php?page=787

Oh my.

Time to "Shake and Bake"

Ricky van de Bobke's stunning win at the velodrome of Paris Roubaix

Controversial cycling superstar extraordinaire – Ricky van de Bobke – has come out of retirement to take over the reigns at vertical pandas as the team’s new directeur sportif. As with other 2009 comeback kids (Lance Armstrong, Ivan Basso, Floyd Landis), Ricky van de Bobke said his return to cycling is all about the bike. The directeur sportif told the press, “As long as my riders are suffering, I’m happy as a frite in mayo.” Although Ricky van de Bobke will be posting on the team’s blog, he has so far refused to join the twitterati, tifosi and other schmenge.

Ricky van de Bobke’s competitive drive and aggressive style of racing was legendary in the pro peloton. “Remember,” Ricky van de Bobke said, “if you’re not first, you’re last.” Expect to see the influence of the “shake and bake” next season as pandas look for multiple podium spots.

Riders whereabouts could not be located and as such could not be reached for comment, despite the race program’s firm support and participation of UCI’s biological passport.