Giro Stage 18 – Another Garmin Near-miss

by Whit

Poor Danny Pate. In case you missed today’s final kilometer, the American with the penchant for near-misses narrowly missed another big win. At first, I thought he went too soon, but on a second look at the film, notice how he keeps looking down at his cassette. The sprint was on a bricked/stoned boulevard that might have led to some chain slippage. Was he not in the proper gear? His cadence seems a bit high, and Scarponi rides away from him seemingly at ease. I find it hard to believe he mis-timed it or was surprised by the grade–especially since...Continue Reading

Giro Rest Day #2 – Cervelo Passes, then Fails, then Passes the Test

by Whit

No, not that kind of test…Not sure if you saw it, but with about 10 km to go in Sunday’s Stage 15 of the Giro, Cervelo’s director, Jean-Paul Van Poppel made a questionable call. Serge Pauwels was in a two-up breakaway with Leonardo Bertagnolli. The 2 had a time gap of about 2:30 on the chase group including the maglia rosa and various other favorites—including Pauwels’ team leader, Carlos Sastre. The problem was that pesky Ivan Basso who had broken away on the previous climb Stefano Garzelli. The two were clinging to a lead of about 25 seconds that out Sastre’s 5th...Continue Reading

The Infant in the Room

by Whit

Oops! Should I have said “elephant”?For several weeks now, Pavé has struggled with formulating an appropriate tone with which discuss one Monsieur Armstrong. On Wednesday’s Rapha Continental Centre Ramble, Ben Lieberson and I shared a moment chatting (while I could still talk) about Lance-tiquette and how it seems that in many circles, any remark even slightly throwing criticism in Lance’s direction is the social equivalent of saying “there’s no such thing as Santa Claus” at a Sunday School Christmas party.As a result, and to not alienate any readers, I’ve made a concerted effort to refrain from any comment or post...Continue Reading

Rapha Continental – Mini-Report

by Whit

Photo of Ben from http://www.rapha.cc/asheville-ncWell, the Rapha Continental Centre Ramble has come and gone and I’m still sifting through the conversations and images flooding my mind. In short, I’m stupefied by what Daniel and his team have undertaken. (You can read the ride reports and look at pictures and videos at the Conti’s Road Journal.)But for now, here’s a taste: on Monday in Western Maryland, the team did a 130-mile ride with 16,000 feet of climbing. After a rare rest/travel day Tuesday, yesterday we took them on about 80 miles of some of Central PA’s finest roads and dirt climbs....Continue Reading

Wheels – Fit to be Tied

by Whit

All photos from Handspun’s FlickrBrief posts this week as I’ve entered the final countdown for the Rapha Centre Ramble tomorrow. After a doctor’s appointment this morning I’ll make a beeline for State College and the Rapha Conti crew.For now, a question remains, one that perplexes many a rider about to embark on a long ride in adverse conditions: wheels. What should ride? The Ramble has some serious climbing, so an argument can be made for lightweight (Shimano Dura-Ace Scandium); but there’s also roughly 25 miles of dirt roads that make a case for durability and comfort (Mavic Classics Pro SSC’s).Both sets...Continue Reading