Totally Rad Friday - Omega Pharma Quick Step

Omega Pharma Quick Step have got off to a cracking start to the year. Levi Leipheimer took overall victory at the Tour de San Luis and Tom Boonen went home with the silverware from the Tour of Qatar.

Along the way Leipheimer and Chicchi won two stages at the Tour de San Luis. Boonen also won a stage and added to this with two further stage wins on his way to his victory at the Tour of Qatar.

So, given such a dominant start to the season Omega Pharma Quick Step can now add a 'Totally Rad Friday' award to the trophy cabinet. Here's hoping there's a lot more where that came from.

All that awesome aside, I have ago ask... what on earth is going on here?

Have a Rad weekend.

~VL

Photo Credit: Tim De Waele

Sartorial Elegance - Rapha Trousers

Having a total love affair with a pair of Rapha Trousers picked up in the recent sales.

Could be the best $72 ever spent on a pair of pants.

~VL

2012 Audax Alpine Classic - The Ultimate Sufferfest

You may recall from a couple of recent posts that in a moment of poor judgement last year I signed up for the 2012 Audax Alpine Classic.

Most keen cyclists know of this ride, but for the initiated, the Alpine Classic is a 200 kilometre one day ride which takes in the Victorian Alpine climbs of Tawonga Gap, Falls Creek, Tawonga Gap (backside) and Mt Buffalo. In addition to covering just under 200 kilometres, riders tackle around 3,900 metres of climbing over the course of the day. All of this while tackling the searing heat of the Australian Summer.

Nipples of Doom

A few weeks ago I was coming back from a ride when a nipple connected to a spoke on my rear wheel exploded and pulled through almost sending me off the bike.

My first thought was that the massive power I was producing must have been too much for the wheels to handle. On remembering that I only produce about 230 watts, and some further investigation it became clearly apparent the issue was something else.

Baum Corretto - GTR Grey Red

Custom handmade Baum bicycles are very desirable and are starting to become quite popular. This awesome Grey and Red Baum Corretto was recently delivered to a fellow local cyclist here in Melbourne, Australia.

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.

Rapha Festive 500

In an all too familiar occurrence of cycling related peer pressure and against better judgement; in the week leading up to Christmas I got sucked into taking part in the Rapha Festive 500 challenge.

I'm sure that you are well aware of the Rapha Festive 500 challenge, but in case you have been living under a rock; Rapha sets a challenge to pedal off the indulgences of the festive season by riding 500 kilometres between the 23rd and 31st of December.

McShiney and I ranking up the kilometres

For your efforts you receive the adulation of your peers (or maybe the relief of not being ridiculed by them), the satisfaction of knowing you completed something you set out to do and most importunely the badge from Rapha (above) in recognition of your accomplishment.

Custom Build: Specialized Project Blue Tarmac

These days with the ever growing popularity of cycling it's getting harder and harder to individually distinguish yourself and your bike from the rest of the pack. No matter where you turn there is always somebody nearby with a bike that looks very similar to your own pride and joy.

That being said, you can imagine my delight when I came across this customised sky blue Specialized Tarmac while trawling the internet recently (most likely searching for evidence to support my many conspiracy theories).

Racing Through the Dark: The Fall and Rise of David Millar

I'm by no means the biggest fan of David Millar; however I was intrigued by the reformed doper's story and greatly looked forward to reading his autobiography; Racing Through the Dark: The Fall and Rise of David Millar.

Specialized S-Works McLaren Venge at Total Rush

Was in the LBS yesterday getting the finishing touches put on my new S-Works SL4 when something caught my eye. There in all its glory was the first customer delivered S-Works McLaren Venge in Australia.