This post is brough to you by the letter 'M' which stands for Multitasking and Merging

As i was snagging YouTube videos for yesterday's post, I noticed several topic-related advertisements along the side bar on YouTube's page.  This one caught my eye.

Honestly, I have no idea what kind of a company "Soujourn" is, but I'm guessing they are in the business of swinging cycling vacations somewhere in North America as couple #1 (on the left) are wearing Colorado-esque jerseys and couple #2 (on the right) are wearing Canada-esque jerseys.....and are also dry-humping doggy-style while photographing couple #1 in some Tuscan villa.  Lessons learned from this?  Canadians multi-task better than Americans, or after those long, dark Canadian winters, any self-respecting Canuck gets irrepressibly horny if you place them in a Mediterranean setting.

And speaking of multitasking, a reader sent me a couple of photos of how our local COMO bike racks are also having to do some multitasking as of late.

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

In theory, I have no problem with the skateboard being chained to the bikerack.  However that's because I'm old, and envisioning skaters from the Dogtown and Z-boys era:

Peggy Oki - the only female member of the original Zephyr team.  She could have chained her skateboard to my bikerack any day.

Instead - I'm pretty sure most of the individuals carrying skateboards on campus today are a little more like this:

Nothing more than an advertisement for something choaderific.  He probably just swapped his fixie out for the board - which he bought used off of Craigslist to make sure it has that well-worn look.

However, using a bike rack as a sign post for a no-trespassing sign is perfection in the art of mixed messages.  That said, I would be willing to bet that not a single bicycle had been parked at this particular bike rack seen on Cherry Street for a long-ass time, thus prompting the owners of the adjacent establishment to use it for another purpose.  This isn't justification - it's just an observation that most COMO citizens would still prefer to drive to get their soy double mocha frappucinos rather than ride or walk there.

And speaking of mixed signals, Brian Nygaard, former General Manager of Trek Leopard is stepping down from his position with the team as it whores itself out merges with RadioShack.  The name of the new team is RadioShack-Nissan-Trek.  And whoops - looks like mastermind Falvio Becca forgot to tell his current Leopard sponsor, Mercedes Benz, that the whoring out merger was occuring with a company that already has financial backing from an auto company: Nissan.

Looks like Andy is going to have the keys to the Benz back....

But seriously, the name 'RadioShack-Nissan-Trek' is just God-awful.  How can Bruyneel expect the lithe European boys from Leopard (pronounced lay-O-pard) to ride for a team with such a cumbersome and un-feline name?  Certainly we can help them come up with something better.  I've read it numerous places and clearly am pilfering it from someone, by with the increasing age of some of the cyclists likely to be retained after the whoring merger (ie Horner), the name Cougar-Shack seems to be pretty appropriate. 

With all of this change, the Hog has got to be feeling a little stressed, so let's lend him a hand.  If you send me your idea of a new better team name, I will compile the entire list and hand-write them on the back of a card that he might find helpful in his near future.

Vindication and inner peace...

Despite the fact that the road season has only just begun, there have been some early rumblings in the pro-peloton regarding various groups that have yet to secure a big win:  One is from the entire country of Belgium, and the other is Team Trek Leopard.    But like some sort of cosmic vindication for red-headed cyclists everywhere, Dominic Klemme (the object of much COMO CYCO ginger-related teasing) pulled off a sweet victory this week at the GP Le Samyn.

For all the shit I have given this lad, I'd like to congratulate him on his win.  I am quite sure that with the fully loaded roster of Leopard, no one saw Klemme as the guy who would take the team's first major victory.  I know I have, upon occasion, posted humerous photos of Dominic in the past.  But in light of his first major victory, I'd like to give credit where credit is due and try to shine a new, more flattering light on this champion of the Leopards!

This is one of the only photos I could find of him on the podium - I swear!

Yes - anonymity in the peloton can be a very good thing when it comes to making a break and having it stick.  Now that others are learning that Klemme has some legs under him, getting away the next time may prove to be a bit more difficult.  Which is exactly what some of the Belgians are lamenting as of late.  Take one Belgian in particular; Tom Boonen.... word is he's a little frustrated by how he is being marked in the peloton these days.

"...it's always the same thing.  If I move a finger, I have half the peloton on my back watching me, while lads like Langevald or Flecha can escape without even really attacking, just by accelerating a little."

Tommeke, Tommeke....shhhhhh.....relax.

And speaking of Belgians finding their inner peace, RaceRadio recently uncovered the program from Team RadioShack directeur Johan Bruyneel's 2002 wedding.  Why, you may ask, should I mention such a thing on this cycling blog?  Shouldn't I refrain from delving into the personal lives of cycling personalities?  Probably.  But it's rare that I'm touched by items of such beauty, and I find myself incapable of refraining from sharing these with you, dear reader.

Front Cover

I love this photo of Eva Maria, Johan and Johan's sweaty right foot.

Inside

It's not even the wedding night yet and he still has a handful!

Back Cover

The money shot.

I have a confession to make.  Sometimes, when I'm feeling blue, I just stare at the last photo and listen to this, and a feeling comes over me that everything is going to be all right...