Miniature Cyclists

Out and about roaming the back streets of Paris last year I stumbled across the most fantastic little model shop that specialised in metal figurines. The shop was almost hidden down a laneway and had it not been for the eagle eyes of Mrs Liberte I would have missed it all together.

Tom Boonen Wins 2012 Paris-Roubaix

Seems like it was only this time last week (literally) I was writing a post about Tom Boonen winning a major one day classic in the Tour of Flanders.

A mere 7 days later and Boonen has further stamped his name into cycling history by winning the 2012 Paris Roubaix to complete the Flanders-Roubaix double.

In what seemed like a suicide move, Boonen attacked off the front with 58 kilometres remaining. Despite a chasing group including the much fancied Juan Antonio Fletcha and Alessandro Ballan, Boonen stayed away to take a record equaling fourth Paris-Roubaix victory, an honour he shares with the great Roger De  Vlaeminck.

What an exciting race it was to watch. I'm so happy to see Tom back aboard a Specialized and at the top of his game.

~VL

Photo Credit: Sirotti

Tom Boonen Wins the 2012 Tour of Flanders

You would have to have been hiding under a huge pile of Belgian waffles to miss the news that cycling rockstar and 2012 winning machine Tom Boonen has taken victory at this year's Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen).

Back to his winning best this year, the great man has shown what a class act he is when it comes to the one day spring classics. This win takes his Tour of Flanders tally to three (2005, 2006, 2012), which goes together nicely with three victories at Gent-Wevelgem (2004, 2011, 2012) and three at Paris-Roubaix (2005, 2008, 2009).

Richie Porte wins Volta ao Algarve

I awoke this morning to news that Richie Porte had taken overall victory at the 2012 Volta ao Algarve.

This is Porte's maiden victory at the top level and the first of the year for his new team Sky Procycling, after two very solid years working under Bjarne Riis at Team Saxo Bank.

2012 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic

On Monday I braved 40 degree heat to make the long trek down the highway to Geelong to check out stage 2 of the 2012 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic.

Run over 4 stages/days, this event grows in popularity each year and is seen as a major tune up for the Tour Down Under and Australian Road Cycling Championships held in January of each year.

Mark Cavendish - World Champion

Last Sunday Mark Cavendish capped off another stellar year by clinching victory in the men's elite road race at the World Championships held in Copenhagen. This is the first time in 46 years that a British rider has reached the top step of the podium in the men's world championship road race; the last being Tom Simpson in 1965.

Your chance to own Cadel Evans’ BMC SLR01 Team Machine

Finally you have the opportunity to get your hands on a Cadel Evans bike, it is the BMC SLR01 that he rode in Geelong as defending World Champion and in the 2010 Giro di Lombardia.

You might remember that Cadel recently auctioned this bike off for the Manasarovar Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal. The winning bidder of that auction decided that this should be the bike that just keeps giving so will be raffling 1,500 tickets for your chance to own it. Proceeds will go to the Cerebral Palsy Education Centre Equipment & Teaching Aids Fund.

The bike will be on display over the next few months at Café Racer, Rockit Barber Shop or Total Rush– for dates and details visit this blog or follow me on twitter @tupfield for updates.

There are 1,500 tickets only at $50.00 each. You can purchase your tickets at any of the venues above or thanks to Wade Wallace online at Cycling Tips.

Victorian Minor Gaming Permit Number … 10397/11

Closing date … Monday August 22, 2011

Drawn on … Thursday August 25th at 1.00pm 2011 at Total Rush, 345 Punt Road Richmond, Victoria.

Winner notified by registered mail and email. Results published in the Australian Newspaper on Wednesday August 31st 2011

Cadel’s BMC SLR01 Specifications

• 50cm BMC SLR01 Red
• 140mm Easton EA90 Stem
• 42cm EC90 Carbon Equipe Pro Bars
• Campagnolo Super Record 2010
• 11-27 Cassette
• 172.5mm Cranks
• Record front derailleur
• Easton EC90 Tubular Wheels w/ Continental Competition Pro Ltd Tires
• Speedplay Zero Ti Pedals (white)
• Selle Italia Elite TT team edition saddle (white)
• FSA Ceramic Headset
• Swissstop Yellow Carbon Brake Pads

Lily and Cadel

 Ruby, Cadel, Lily and Troy

~VL

Specialized S-Works McLaren Venge

Hey, remember when the Specialized S-Works McLaren Venge bounced on to the scene with a sonic boom back in March!

The Venge hit the ground running in a pretty big way when Matt Goss won Milan San Remo on the Venge's first professional outing; and Mark Cavendish has (at the time of writing) taken 4 stage wins aboard the Venge at this year's Tour de France in his pursuit of the overall green jersey.

It kind of seems to me that after all of the initial hoo-haa on its release, the hype surrounding the Specialized McLaren Venge is dying down a bit and the impact of this ridiculously awesome bike is fading away into the background... probably overshadowed somewhat by Specialized's release of the S-Works SL4.

Why don't you take a couple moments out of your busy day and cast your eyes (and heart) back over the McLaren Venge... you can't tell me you don't think this thing is awesome!

I'm hanging to see one of these bad boys in the flesh... hopefully somebody will be kind enough to let throw a leg over one!

~VL

Photos courtesy of Specialized Bicycle Components and bicycledesign.net

Specialized Shiv at the 2011 Tour de France

I have never thrown a leg over a time trial bike, yet somehow I instinctively know that I would be absolutely rubbish (more so than I normally am) if I ever tried to give one a go.