Prediction for 2011 - From sbs.com.au

Can Fabian Cancellara do in 2011 what he did in 2010? Can Mark Cavendish? Two of the real standouts of 2010.Cavendish recovered from third-world dentistry, a troubled start to the season and went ballistic in the Tour de France after everyone but Allan Peiper had written him off.

Cancellara was simply amazing in not only winning classics but showing strength in support of Andy Schleck in the Tour de France and finishing up his year with yet another TT world championship to his name.So amazing in fact that many fell for totally unpredictable claims the Swiss had dominated the classics with a bit of motorised assistance. It was the years wackiest cycling story.

But that's all hindsight, without doubt the big guns will again fire, proving to be safe bets in an unpredictable world.But that won't stop this scribe from making a prediction or two. Looking deep into an ice filled glass of Staminade and Gin here are my top-ten predictions for 2011 - with no real authority attached to them except for a grain of truth.

1) Following his suspension Alberto Contador will make good on his threat to retire. He will open a butcher shop in Pinto. Irony dies.

2) Ivan Basso, not Andy Schleck, will win the Tour de France in Contador's absence. He will kiss babies, thank his nona and Tweet, "Tutti a dormire... Buona notte!" for the hundredth time.

3) In a history repeating moment Andy Schleck will again miss a critical shift, this time on the Galibier, losing the Tour de France to Ivan Basso. One-eyed fans will again blame Alberto Contador for unsporting behaviour.

4) Australia will have a UCI Pro Continental team bid announced in September. The UCI's dog will eat the paperwork in November. Truth will be the first casualty.

5) The Tashkent Terror, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, emerges from his reclusive existence to add his voice in support of fashionista Mario Cipollini and the stern Dane Bjarne Riis' statements about the softness of today's riders. Mark Cavendish will cry. Andre Greipel cannot.

6) With the assistance of the Dalai Lama, Cadel Evans will reach an even higher plane of existence after going into a deep meditation. He will renounce all worldly goods including the need to win the Tour de France.

7) Riccardo Ricco will get busted for the usual. Frustrated Italian anti-doping prosecutors will attempt to suspend the entire country from involvement in cycling, for life.

8) Stuart O'Grady will figure out an inventive new way to get injured before a big event. He will make yet another just-in-time return to fitness.

9) Stung by rumours of motorised doping Fabian Cancellara will go retro in the classics, decimating the field with a new Trek Reynolds 531 rig equipped with Simplex gears and Bamboo rimmed wheels. The UCI technical commission will be pleased at this new advance in technology.

10) Jens Viogt will still be Jens Voigt.

MG

BG LADIES RIDE CALENDAR

For women who want to ride with other women, thinking about getting back on the bike, and those that are keen to start riding, I have put together a ride calendar leading up to the TDU Community Challenge and then the Coast to Coast Ride in March. Most rides have short cuts if needed, and are mapped on Map My Ride. All are welcome! Meet at Hindmarsh Square 7.30am Saturday mornings (unless otherwise indicated on program).

Check out the calendar here or using the link on the right.

So, hope to see some ladies out on the bike in 2011... what a good idea for a new years resolution!

- KN

MON - WED RIDES

Holidays = more time to ride so:

MON 27 - 1/2 TDU with Brian

Meet 7.30am @ Hindmarsh Sq, Map here

WED 29 HILLS - Norton's - Lobethal

Meet 7.30am @ Hindmarsh Sq or 8am Tower

Norton's - Lobethal for a coffee then either back through the Gorge or Forest Range.

SUN RIDE - BOXING DAY

BEACH CRUISE - we'll head for the beach and cruise by the Bay Crits and checkout the racing action. Meet @ Hindmarsh Sq @ 7.30am.

Brian's 1/2 TDU run has been cancelled - but he'll be doing the 1/2 TDU course on Monday if you want to join him meet @ Hindmarsh Sq 7.30am Monday morning. FS

ROBBIE McEWEN RIDING FOR LANCE!

'Robbie McEwen and Robbie Hunter have signed for the American RadioShack team after they were left high and dry with the implosion of the Australian Pegasus Sports team earlier this week'

More Info Here

MORNING GLORY

More photos @ flickr

BG ARCADE

Check out this awesome Japanese Keirin Flash video game. To play the game, click on LINEMASTER, then ENTER, then click on the orange Keirin racer and then choose your racer (red seems good). Move using the arrow keys and pedal by pushing (mashing) the space bar. in the first few laps behind the pace bike you got to stay in the allocated position, then on the last lap mash the key board to sprint and stay in the slipstream to conserve energy (energy bar on the right of screen). This is how I've been doing me sprint training - go the inside line! FS

Found @ Ride the Black Line

A SUNDAY IN HELL

A doco on the 1976 Paris-Roubaix. Defiantly worth taking a moment to watch this classic after a hard sunday ride - A Sunday in Hell. Found via Ride the Black Line.

TUE 14/12 CRIT VIDEO

Video via CSA

Missed this video from Crits last tue week - of Gavin getting over the line first in E's and Greeno winning in C's.

See also Gav's shots.

MEN NOT MICE

More Pics Via flickr.

A hard ride finished by brave men, in harrowing conditions. The images don't do the hardship justice; rain, gale force winds, 10 degree temperatures. Don't ask me why but I loved it, suffering and conquering. Checker's Hill should not be underestimated - it's short but very steep (20%) for all its shortness. The TDU will not be easy, train hard, train long, train steep. FS

HIPSTERMATIC

Pics of Tue Crit by Gav using hipstermatic on iphone 4.

SUN RIDE 19 DEC (1/2 TDU)

See interactive map @ MAP MY RIDE

SUN 19 – GORGE / LOBETHAL / HAHNDORF (1/2 TDU RIDE)

Due to popular demand – we’ll be doing the first half of the TDU ride up through the Gorge.

The plan is you will have the option to go out and do checkers hill or continue through the Gorge and re-group in Gumeracha, then on to Lobethal – Lenswood - Coffee in Hanhdorf @ the bakery.

Then two options after Hanhdorf :

- Mylor - Sterling - old freeway - home See MAP MY RIDE ROUTE HERE

- Strathalbyn via the rest of TDU route. See TDU MAP and Point 2 Point

Shortcuts:

- Gumeracha - back out the Gorge 75km

- Lobethal - Lenswood - Forest Range - Ashton - Norton’s home. 85km

FS

THURSDAY NIGHT RIDE

After the good feedback from last week’s Thur Ride we will run with Norton’s – Lofty – Freeway as our Thur Night Ride for the time being. Due to vic park being a construction zone it is becoming harder to use so well stick to the hills for the rest of summer.

Meet at the Tower @ 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start. Coffee and Dinner optional @ Bravo Cafe on the Parade. FS

GAV + GREEN-O WIN!

More Pics @ Flickr by PS

Last night was one of BG's most successful nights on the Vic Park track with eight guys out on the track and Gavin winning E Grade and Green-o taking out C grade. Well done to the boys for a result which may see both of them stepping up a grade. Green-o's win was from a hard fought break away in the final laps in conditions which were not ideal, riding his break away partners off his wheel in the final lap and holding of the pack to claim the win.

Gates featured in his first B grade race and looked to hold his own well and appears he got him self in the top ten of a tightly contested sprint. I on the other hand took the alternative route out of the last corner shooting off the course to avoid a crash and DNF'd, better then being on the deck! FS

BG TT 06

See Flickr set

Well it seems the faithful took the 'god' of TT's words to heart. I was impressed by the efforts of the morning - even proud of the bunches endeavour as we have come along way as a group of people committed to improving our health, enjoying our cycling and each others company. While we take our hobby way to seriously and revel in some healthy competition, we are still maintaining the intent behind the BG, of encouraging each other to get out and get fit.

Thanks to all who participated in the TT, it was a great ride and thanks for a punctual and organised start. It's great to see everyone improving and the bunch growing stronger. This takes those at the front holding back a little, also doing the hard yards as well as the those at the back giving it there all, digging in, and hang on. We all hurt together, some are just going faster then others, some better at hiding the pain, some better at dealing with pain, some better at accepting their limits.


Ride of the day easily goes to Andrew with a well deserved result in the TT as I know Wilson has been working hard on and off the bike and its great to see his efforts pay off. Well done mate.

Thanks all for your patience and investment of time into creating what is the BG. -FS

View large table @flickr here

BG TT - NORTONS

Via Big Ring Riding @ Vimeo.

“YOU GO DEEP. YOU GO MAX. YOU GO FULL GAS. YOU GO OVER YOUR LIMIT. BUT TO REACH SOMETHING HIGH YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR THIS PAIN… I LOVE IT.” - Cancellara

Cancellara offers some insight in to the perfect TT! Some motivation for this SUN RIDE - NORTONS TT. If you want to get your TT nomination time in pre the day, email me and I'll table them to help streamline the reverse start on the day. Last TT results HERE for reference. FS

MEET CITY @ 7.30am or TOWER @ 8am. Be ready to start @ 8am.

CHRISTMAS DRINKS

BASTARDI GRASSI
CHRISTMAS DRINKS
WED 15th DECEMBER
GRIFFENS HEAD @ 5.30PM

BG NEWS UPDATE

THUR 09 – VIC PARK LAPS (Cancelled)
We probably can’t use the track because of construction and it’s covered in debris after yesterdays storm, so proposing a Norton’s – lofty – freeway route instead, meet at tower @6.30pm coffee at Bravo after. I’ll be heading back down and meeting the Bravo Cafe ride @ the tower at 7pm for a smash fest over to Lofty with – coffee / dinner @ Bravo 8.30pm. The Bravo is a fast ride, but feel free to set own pace from Norton’s and we should meet up on the route.

SUN 12 - BG TT, MEET IN CITY @ 7.30am or TOWER @ 8am
BG TT - NORTONS Reverse start TT followed by a ride out to outer harbour– Henley for coffee. As we have been riding hard in the hills the last couple of weeks this an opportunity for a more relaxed group ride so get your pace out of your system up Norton’s and we’ll and keep it together down to Outer Harbour for the obligatory sprint for the roundabout, regroup hold it together through semaphore and warm it up on Military Road close to Henley. Short cut available on route to outer harbour.

WED 15 CHRISTMAS DRINKS
Details here

SUN 19 – GORGE / LOBETHAL / HAHNDORF (1/2 TDU RIDE)
Due to popular demand – we’ll be doing the first half of the TDU ride. The plan is that people will have the option to go out and do checker or continue through the Gorge and re-group in Gumeracha, then on to Lobethal – Lenswood - Coffee in Hahndorf. Shortcut: Lobethal Norton’s home. Then two options: Mylor, Sterling home or on to Strathalbyn with Andrew. Maps to follow but to get the idea see TDU MAP.

BG JERSEY
Get your orders in ASAP I’d like to order Monday of next week giving everyone this weekend to sort their size out.

BG CALENDAR
Also Bills-e and I have programmed the rest of the rides till TDU with some rides in the Christmas break. Watch the blog for updates on rides closer to Christmas as well try to keep the training going over the break. http://bastardicc.blogspot.com/2010/09/bg-ride-calendar-2010-11.html

TUE CRIT 07/12 CANCELLED

"Due to the weather forecast tonight’s (7/12/2010)
crits have been cancelled.
Please refer http://sa.cycling.org.au/default.asp?Page=40372
Regards,
Peter Winter."

via NCC

RACE REPORT - 30/12/10

Andy took his second win in E grade (first 10sec of video), in a text book early sprint, striking from a long way out in a powerful display, which has seen him promoted to D grade. Similarly, Mike will be joining me in B’s after his consistency at the top of C grade. Congrats on step’n up boys! FS Link to NCC Race Video

A GRADE
1 S Park
2 S Boyle
3 S Kasbergen
4 B Bennett
5 R Johnson
preme Sprint S Park

B GRADE
1 N Hermann
2 F Smith
3 D Parsons
4 F Lucano
5 A McLellan
preme Sprint D Miller

C GRADE
1 G Fear
2 J Blake
3 A Crowe
4 M Gates
5 D Ramm
preme Sprint A Leslie

D GRADE
1 P Backen
2 N Ross
3 S Blackwood
4 A Thompson
5 B Barnes
preme Sprint M Johnson

E GRADE
1 A Thomas
2 P Martin
3 N Crawshaw
4 K Porker
5 N de Leeuw
preme SprintL Porker N de Leeuw

Results via NCC

QUOTE - Jure Robic

"In race, everything inside me comes out, good, bad, everything. My mind, it begins to do things on its own. I do not like it, but this is the way I must go to win the race." - Jure Robic, via Telegraph

RIP - Jure Robic, 5 times winner of the Race Across America (none stop 3000miles coast to coast race) and 24 hr record for covering 518 miles!

THE LITTLE BG

pic via CSA

Lewis walker took second in the State Criterium Championships for his age division on Sunday. Congrats to the biggest little BG getting out there and giving it a go, I'm sure he'll be giving dad hell in the hills soon...look out Steve!

SUN RIDE 05/12 - BIG HILLS REPEAT

Due to popular demand, we are going to repeat last Sundays rides, with the different options covering all abilities, some solid climbing and all in a format that gets you on your way home after coffee by 10.30am. Meet same places, for those that missed last week see last weeks post with details here or below for options and maps.

Meet @ Hindmarsh Sq @ 7.30am or;
Tower Hotel @ 8.00am.

_

Pain lives here - 72km : MAP HERE
Norton’s – Ashton – Basket Range – Forest Range – Lenswood - Swamp Rd – Greenhill Rd – Carey Gully – Uraidla – Greenhill Rd – Lofty - Norwood.

Harden up - 58km : MAP HERE
Norton’s – Ashton – Basket Range – Forest Range (climb) – Deviation Rd (shortcut) – Carey Gully – Uraidla – Greenhill Rd – Lofty - Norwood.

Soft option - 49km : MAP HERE
Norton’s – Ashton – Basket Range – Range Rd (shortcut) – Uraidla – Greenhill Rd – Lofty - Norwood.