Stuff about the characters of the '07 TdG

Let's start with the Cat 1-3 ladies...being that it was kind of hot at the crit... they were walking around in tank tops and bikini's before the race... ok, maybe an exaggeration... anyway these gals are really fit, I'm glad I had sunglasses on. Seriously, the hard work shows ladies.

Keeping on the same subject, Can-Am Kirsten Kotval (ex-national crit champ) was tooling around the wacked corner at the crit, when her front wheel just went perp out of nowhere. She hit really hard. It looked just like one of the crashes in Euro-land when the sprinters are lining it up. She landed on her caboose and just sat there stunned, got up, was moved to the ambulance where they bandaged her up on her caboose, leg and arm...then put goop on her fat lip... her bike and carbon wheels were fine, so she got back on her bike to cool down... She is one tough chick, and don't worry Kirsten-swooners, she still looked fine with her big ol' lip... and she's alright- her biggest concern after the crash was for the other riders that crashed behind her, that's class. By the way, the cause of the mechanical- looks her Specialized chain ring on her Tarmac SL gave out, so if that's your ride, Specialized will switch it out fo' fee with a Dura-ace set up... take heed!

Nicole Evans got 6 minutes on the field in the first climbing stage (with only 10 days of training in her legs after the mono-episode), she stayed with the lead pack in the crit, yet before the stage 4 TT she was lined up in one-spot, apparantly she had some serious der. prob's in stage 3. Typical Nicole, smiling ear to ear before and after the TT, who would have known.

Chuck Collins rules! I will say it again, Chuck Collins rules... he must have either taught at, or attended the Luscious Jackson School of Motivation. I, like many have seen C.C. when he is on... no matter what, he is just a good guy, got me pumped up to continue to press hard on stage one...thanks Chuck, hope I can be half as motivational when you can use it bra.

The Claw- this is the second time I have called the Claw out... whatever this guy didn't get in natural talent he clawed (like that) his way through hard work and persistance. Every year he gets better and better at climbing, breakaways, crits and TT'ing, and when it comes to the latter in the 45+ he is right there already... so for the newbies... if you want to get good, and it doesn't come overnight, well just work your tail off until you are, or forever hold your claw (sorry).

Don Armstrong is Ford tough, what are they putting in the water up there? These guys are bad-bad men... Don, when Mark Schaeffer is "worried" about you, you gotta be good, oh yeah and John McWin had the same thing to say... I want to see you and Porter go 10 rounds in the ring, don't know who would win but...what a fight that would be. I don't think Mike McDonald would approve, but I'll only take 10% of the share...

Last, but not least, this is all about Andrey Yarbrough. Andrey used to be the race organizer for the Tour de Gap, he lives in Brian Head with his lovely racer lady Utahna. Andrey races, big deal right? Well yeah it's a big deal when riding and minding his own biz he gets plastered by a truck! OK, a Mack Truck! Better yet a Mack Dump Truck! He did, and has the scars all over to prove it... too many injuries to name including titanium plates in his head... interesting fact- he used to put out 400 watts for 6min's at 147 lbs (calculate that P-man)... anyway he was the main reason the break worked in stage 3. For the first 10 miles he was a mad-man, I got a glimpse of what those 400 watts must have looked like burning rubber... by the way, he is looking at setting up a race in St. George in the spring that goes through Ivans, and up though the climbs.... more later... thanks Andrey, thanks Utahna.