Late Edition

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - Big day for Jack Brown, but not enough.  Like Danilo DiLuca, he has closed the gap to a whisker thin margin, but just can't make the pass for the big prize.  Is there enough road left for this duel to win the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia to swing his way?

Full Results

Creeping dread

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - If you aren't on the edge of your seat over the outcome of this year's Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia, you better be inching toward it.  With a scant 142 points seperating 4th from 1st place and a mere 70 points seperating 1st and 2nd, this is still anyone's race.  There are few differences in these 4 teams and therein lies the true nastiness of this particular mystery story.  All 4 teams have Leipheimer, while 3 of the 4 have Basso as well.  At this point, I have to put 2nd place Jack Brown's team as the one to watch given that he is the only one with Danilo DiLuca and he has Carlos Sastre as an angry wildcard, too.  With DiLuca displaying a gritty determination to wrest the maglia rosa from Denis Menchov, tomorrow's climbing finish to Vesuvio may be his moment to emerge victorious.  That 70 point lead just doesn't seem like it will hold up in this humble reporter's opinion...

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The big shakeup

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - A big, some may say shocking, win by Carlos Sastre had a seismic effect on the standings in the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia.  Coupled with a poor performance at the worst possible time by Levi Leipheimer, the hopes of some teams took big hits as they tumbled well down from the podium.  This last week in the Giro looks to be a roller coaster and the final standings in the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia are anything but clear.

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Bringing it home

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - A quiet day for all of the teams today in the Lun Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia. With no team placing a rider higher than 15th in this stage, there was little gain or loss by anyone and the standings remain unchanged.  Could the big guns be holding back ready to explode with a devastating attack here in the final week? Will DiLuca wrest the maglia rosa from the iron fist of Denis Menchov?  Will Levi Leipheimer finally break through and take a Grand Tour win? These are all valid questions that may or may not be satisfactorily answered in the coming days, but there is no doubt that this final week will have its share of fireworks.

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I worked a night shift of race wrenching for the Middle Ring Mafia at the Burn 24 hour mountain bike race last night.  Jeff was one of the team members competing in the 4 man team category.  I got there about 9 o'clock and lasted until around 3 in the morning.  It was a lot of fun taking care of bikes in the heat of competition, working quickly with care and precision and knowing that everything you do has to be done right.  It has been a long time since I had wrenched in that type of situation and it was a lot of fun.  Ultimately, I succumbed to fatigue and had to call it a night and head home to bed.  Sleep deprivation and a gently rainy day conspired to keep me feeling like taking a nap all day. Hopefully tonight's sleep will set me right and tomorrow will be back to normal...

There's one in every group...

Lenoir, NC (LCPress, Int'l.) - Returning champion Ron Swenson has take a thin lead in this year's Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia. Strong time trial and climbing performances by his team have given him the lead, but can it last? With no sprinters, he faces some tough days ahead.  Can his riders do what it takes to secure him his second straight victory?

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Rest in Peace, Steve Larsen

Steve Larsen, the only American to compete in the world championships in mountain biking, road cycling, cyclocross and triathlon, died suddenly today during a running workout. He is survived by his wife and 5 children. Larsen was 39.  Find out more.


Full Results from today's Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia

The killer seals the deal?

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - Danilo DiLuca, "il killer di Spoltore", soloed to a big win on the Queen stage of the Giro d'Italia today. While I sat in a nearly hermetically sealed classroom administering the first of three big end-of-course standardized tests, big shakeups were taking place in the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia powered by [sponsorship opportunity available]. Jack Brown not only won today's stage by placing all 3 of his riders in top ten, he vaulted from 6th place to 2nd overall! Last year's winner, Ron Swenson, found that an over reliance on sprinters can have disastrous results in the mountains.

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Experience pays off

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - Last year's Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia winner, Ron Swenson, leapt from mid pack to a podium position with a big stage win today. His two sprinters paid huge dividends and brought him to within 11 points of 2nd place with a keen eye on the top spot on the podium.
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"Hey that sounds great, Johann, but seriously though, we're gonna get paid right?"

"You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!"

"OMG! You can never find a taxi in Europe! It's like nobody wants to do any work in this country."

hiatus

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - After a whirlwind tour of Monticello, Washington, and a day of idleness at Busch Gardens-Williamsburg, I have returned home tired and sleep deprived.  But the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia powered by [sponsorship opportunity available] waits for no man and so I have hunkered down and calculated the points for the past two days. Of note is a switch up amongst the top teams and the emergence of Steve Boike as a real threat to Jason Darden in the lanterne rouge competition.

As for the skin tight denim shorts that were provided to me by Max Dyer of the Rock Racing team, I have not been able to get them past my ankles and have decided to pull the stitching out of the seams and have them sewn together around me.  We'll see how this works out...  As for denim skinsuits, that is so 1991!

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erratum

Williamsburg, VA (LC Press, Int'l) - Accusations by the Rock Racing team were leveled against the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia and its parent organization, the FALD with regard to a scoring irregularity following yesterday's stage. In typical Rock Racing fashion, ds Max Dyer threw baseless accusations of a conspiracy against his team out to the press in an effort to exert some bizarre form of pressure on the respected and august FALD organization.

In a statement released this evening, the head of the FALD said, " We regret any inconvenience to the Rock Racing team, but an error was made in scoring yesterday. After extensive investigation, we have concluded that the source of the error lies with the complimentary Rock&Republic jeans that each member of our organization received prior to the start of the Fantasy Giro d'Italia.  Our head of medical services has determined that the extremely tight jeans caused a severe lack of blood flow to each of our commisaires brains and renedered them incapable of thinking clearly.  The problem has been rectified."

Full Results through stage 6

Menchov munches mountains

College Park, MD (LC Press, Int'l.) - Watched 8 and a half innings of the Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore this evening.  Not the most exciting thing I've ever seen, but pro sports in person is always fun. O's gave up 5 runs in the top of the ninth inning.

Charles Bennets TARF unlimited team took the lead in the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia.

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Quick Giro update

Washington, DC (LC Press, Int'l)- some shakeup in the standings as the climbers had their day in the sun.

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Garmin rider finds pavement, exits in ambulance... again.

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l) - American Tyler Farrar issues another warning shot that he may be the second coming of Davis Phinney as he came second to Ale Jet in today's crash filled stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia.  Christian van de Velde is out after crashing on a descent and breaking a rib.  Hopefully, he will be better come Tour time, until then, it's trainer time.

Contentious words being bandied about amongst director sportifs in the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia.  To clarify: 1) those teams that need to submit roster changes will not receive retroactive points for completed stages, 2) no, you can't substitute for van de Velde now that he crashed out. (them's the breaks, kids) 3) one of your riders tests positive, you owe the shop a beer or coffee (our choice!).  Any other disputes, we settle it like men via trial by combat.

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-out

Not pretty in pink

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - Another day at the Giro and now it is time to let the sprinters have their fun before the real racing begins. Ale Jet took it to the Manxman, Mark Cavendish, by showing him a clean set of wheels at the finish line. Pettachi became one of an elite few who are able to show that Cavendish is beatable.

In Fantasy Giro news, Cavendish was the only rider to finish in the points for any of the teams. Those teams that have the exact same riders still need to submit a new roster in order to avoid a 4 way tie for whatever place they happen to all finish in.

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(AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Raise the roof

Lenoir, NC (LCPress, Int'l) - The fantasy peloton metaphorically rolled out today to face a grueling, brief fantasy team time trial. In an odd coincidence, three teams toed the line with the exact same three man roster of Levi Leipheimer, Ivan Basso, and Mark Cavendish. These director sportifs are invited to submit roster changes that will be effective for tomorrow's stage.
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Today's Cycle to Serve metric century was ridden under rare and beautiful sunny skies today. A great ride and great post-ride atmosphere made it a wonderful day. Please pass your thanks on to Bob Giduz and all of the good folks of the Lenoir Rotary Club for their impeccable planning and operating procedure!

Perpetual party boy Tom Boonen tested positive for cocaine for the second time. A) Cocaine is soooooooooooo '80's, but I guess meth would probably be out, too. B) If you get popped one time for out of competition cocaine use, wouldn't you think twice before placing straw to nose? Or is the naked party girl coke dispenser just too irresistable for common sense to kick in? C) Seriously, you think that the Belgians will be able to throw any serious penalty at Boonen without judges and lawyers being threatened or assaulted? I just want  to see the guy break de Vlaeminck's 4 Paris-Roubaix win record, but that's looking slimmer and slimmer...

The Eve

Lenoir, NC (LC Press, Int'l.) - Mild tension fills the air as more and more teams put forth their best hopes of capturing this year's Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia sponsored by Big Chuck's Drive-thru Economic Stimulus Service and Pizzeria. Many men have sacrificed precious time staring at the start list of this year's Giro in an attempt to divine the winning combination of grit, stick-to-it-ivness, and pharmacological acumen (or lack thereof) that makes up a truly competitive fantasy cycling team.



The start list is shaping up nicely, but there is still room for more. A reminder that you may enter up until noon tomorrow. Always remember: You must speculate in order to accumulate!

See you tomorrow morning for the Cycle to Serve Metric Century. Don't forget post ride food and libations plus bike washes by Jeremiah Dyer (proceeds will help fund his attendance at the USA Cycling regional junior development camp).

Epic flail

Lenoir, NC (LC Press) - Utter amazement shook the fantasy peloton as it became apparent today that Shawn Moore, Director of the Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia, admitted he had nearly forgotten his own event was approaching. "It just kind of snuck up on me...", Moore commented. But after his slip up, Moore was quick to point out that this year's Luna Cycles Fantasy Giro d'Italia sponsored by Big Chuck's Drive-thru Economic Stimulus Service and Pizzeria will be bigger and better than ever before.

While the format remains the same, the competition will prove to be fiercer as many of last year's director sportifs return a year stronger and wiser. This edition of the race will feature a prize list that may include a double date with Mario Cipollini, a pink Ferrari, and Luna Cycles branded merchandise. Many will enter, only one will win.



All entries are due in by noon, Saturday May 9th.

Don't forget: Cycle to Serve is this Saturday. Don't miss it! And don't forget to support Jeremiah Dyer's post ride bike wash fundraiser! Jeremiah is raising money to go to the USA Cycling junior training camp. The kid is a total motor and I look forward to seeing him get better and better. Get your bike washed to support his racing future!