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As I sat here this afternoon looking out at the driving cold rain and huddling a bit closer to the fire it was hard to imagine that just a few hours earlier I was feeling spring in the air. The … Continue reading
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When I am doing speeches and presentations about cycling I am usually concentrating on the serious benefits and economic arguments for cycling. But I often get to remind my audiences that there is a little bit of magic about cycling, … Continue reading
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We are talking miles today, not kilometres. Half a million of them to be precise. That’s the equivalent of cycling to the moon and back, or 20 times round the world. On Sunday we had a small celebration with club-mates … Continue reading
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Only time for a brief gallery from yesterday’s cycling. When I look through the images I realise that this corner of Zeeland provides almost the perfect mini-portrait of what one should expect from a break with bikes in the Netherlands. … Continue reading
I am sick to death of mindlessly browsing the web to read other people’s anger about English football and Brexit.
Instead its time to mindlessly browse the web looking for minor details in the stage rankings of the Tour de F
rance.
Our annual competition for bragging rights has been extended to a wider circle so we can trash talk each other as much as is needed to lift the gloom. Our glorious league of 7 is nothing compared to the 33,000 who have signed up to the whole competition, but of course it is the only one that matters.
Bring it on.
www.velogames.com for your own entries?
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I am very lucky that I have cycled in some amazing places – high mountains, cycling cities, passionate cycling fans, stunning tourism routes. To that mix I can add the places that just have “something”. Maybe the attractions are a … Continue reading
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I do not despair is on holiday. Blogging may be slow – like the pace of life on Langeland.
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That’s how my father tried to explain this week’s holiday in Belgium to his non-cycling friends. It was then followed by a more detailed explanation of how the so called “Grand Tours” of cycle racing often take excursions outside their … Continue reading
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Yesterday I took my first cycling club ride of the year, breaking into the start of the Belgian cycle touring club season. As usual our club split into two groups, with those who have been riding all winter or who … Continue reading
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A week of intensive discussion about the global future of cycling is coming to an end. Visionaries, technicians, academics, business leaders – they were all here. But of course what everybody loves is a good photo moment and the annual … Continue reading
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In the middle of gloomy news and predictions for 2016 two of the media organisations I follow carried very similar stories of a small ray of sunshine in Europe. 2016 might be the end of a 42 year old conflict … Continue reading
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As usual you can click on any image to see it full size or to scroll through the gallery.
Courtesy of the ticket lottery almost a year ago I am in England for the big match, my first time at Twickenham for many years. One of those bucket list occasions, to attend a world cup final in almost any sport but especially one that I played and then watched most of my life.
Also an opportunity to catch with family and friends who I am connecting via a couple of days of folding bike touring around very wet but gorgeous Autumnal landscapes. “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” indeed.
Very tempting to bike to the game too, but I will content myself to arriving by train tomorrow so a few beverages can be consumed, got to get into the spirit of the occasion after all.
Now the final dilemma. Who to cheer for? England long gone, the other home nations fallen by the wayside leaving an Antipodean challenge between New Zealand and Australia.
Logically I can say I am a neutral and I am looking forward to an amazing match, even better if it goes to extra time. Emotionally I can say that English sports fans will always cheer for the underdog, which in this case is probably Australia because New Zealand have been so good.
Of course it is also fun to wind up the Kiwi half of the family and various friends all around the globe, although they tend to have a bit of a sense of humour bypass when it comes to rugby. You can easily substitute the word rugby into one of the quotes of Bill Shankly, the legendary Liverpool football manager, who said of the round ball game “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that”. (Murray, Stuart – are you reading this?)
But I have conferred with my English colleagues at work, I have had DNA testing done, read the small print and we categorically agree.
It is NOT possible to cheer for Australia. Can’t be done, won’t be done.
Yes we can hope for a nice, tight exciting game. Or we can hope that the All Blacks give the Aussies a right good kicking, that would be just fine. Game on!
There may be lawns to mow, bikes to ride and repair, dog to walk, emails to send.
But the week before the Tour de France the annual challenge has been issued and only one task matters. Building a Tour de France team to beat my brothers and my son.
This is a great way of bringing some extra entertainment to our watching, even if we really want the British riders to do well we can add some spice by hoping for a daily win. Not that I need any incentive, it looks like the most exciting Tour in years.
So here, unveiled for the first time is this year’s I Do Not Despair roster over on www.velogames.com , our chosen platform.
On Monday I will be reporting in from the top of the Muy de Huy as the race goes for an exciting stage finish at the top of the climb used for the annual Fleche Wallonne classic race in the spring time. With temperatures over 30 degrees at the moment it might be a long hot ride down there, but I have had this day in my diary all year, so I’m going, cooked or not.
Not much prospect of a Belgian winner on the Mur as Philippe Gilbert is injured, but apparently they are expecting over 100,000 spectators to this little town for the finish in this ampitheatre of sport.
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If I do not despair when I see an adult on a bicycle is an uplifting thought then the annual parade at the Velo-city conferences is the an evening for having your despair blown away for months to come. Host … Continue reading
I Do Not Despair 