Pedalling: Soft, back and long....

Yesterday, we spoke a bit about how sexy and pleasurable handlebar tape can be.  It has been brought to my attention that this is not a new concept at all as demonstrated in the book titled "Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape" by Paul Howard about Jacques Anquetil, seen on the cover autographing the exposed thigh of one very excited fan.

Anquetil, of course, was the first 5-time winner of the Tour de France.  Speaking of the TdF, it is still 5 months away, but is already impacting the current racing scene.  I think it's safe to say that the 2010 road season is now in full swing.  It wasn't the Tour Down Under that kicked it off, or even some early Belgian spring classics like Omloop Het Nieuwsblad...but rather the initiation of smack-talk.  Case in point:  About a month ago in the TimesOnline, Jonathan Vaughters described how he felt jilted by the departure of Bradley Wiggins, which was estimated to be a 4 million pound buyout by Team Sky.  During the interview, Vaughter commented on Wiggins' potential in the Tour de France:

"Vaughters thinks Wiggins has further potential, even if it may not be realised in 2010.  "The 2009 Tour route was suited to Brad, but 2010 is less so," he said.  "In 2009, the tactics worked in his favour and Astana were soft-pedalling a bit to not embarrass Lance [Armstrong]...."

Uh-oh.  Did everyone who read this article suddenly and simultaneously cringe?  While everyone else was cringing someone else was virtually pouncing on Twitter.  Any guesses who?

Well, if Astana was soft-pedalling, Vaughters now was back-pedalling as he tried to quickly retract his comments in an interview on Versus.

"A more correct way to say what I was trying to get across is that Astana was riding a defensive game on the mountain top finishes in the Tour," he explained.  "They were upset with Alberto [Contador] in the Pyrenees for attacking solo.  They had Kloden ride tempo for Lance on Verbier.  Then on Ventoux, Alberto was visibly at ease and chatting with Lance in the last kms."

Nice try, Jonathan, but methinks Lance just loaded another bullet in his gun of anger ammunition with Garmin's name written all over it.  Of course, Vaughters has other things to worry about as one of his spring classics riders went down in the Tour of Qatar with a fractured collarbone: Steven Cozza.

copyright Graham Watson, VeloNews

Cozza's girlfriend (and Tour of Missouri podium girl, Jennifer Caudill) is now blogging about his recovery which includes using a homemade riding harness he fashioned to keep himself suspended on his bike while on the trainer, thus helping to keep weight off the fractured bone.  This involved wrapping a belt around his chest and slinging himself from a pipe overhead with a used intertube.

If this isn't pure dedication, I don't know what is.  Not only is Cozza relying upon the women he loves, and some old-fashioned ingenuity, but he apparently is also seeking inspiration from former porn star, John Holmes, who he bears a striking resemblence to these days.....at least from the belt up.

He could also consider wrapping whatever is ailing him in HandleBra bar tape, as I hear it is quite the pleasurable experience....Whatever works, man!

Pedal on!