Flahute's Classic hors d'oeuvres

The early euro racing battles of the past two weeks have our cafe bulldog's tongue hanging out, saliving for more!   Here's Flahute's random thoughts on the early season racing so far....

1.  "You had a bad day..."  Radio Schleck must have been playing that cheesy Daniel Powter falsetto for Andy Schleck in the bus yesterday.  "Ya had a bad day"    

C'mon Andy step it up.  You've got the engine to T/T with these guys.   Je kan dat...


Only problem was that today, Andy lost even more time.   A heckuva lot more time.  Yikes.  Andy's in 155th, at 12+ minutes.  Johan's probably going apes***.

Getty Images

2. Saxo Bank Blues...   Those new blue jerseys must be an omen.  First El Pistolero gets sent to the penalty box.  Then the cafe's favorite sniper Nick Nuyens falls in the Paris Nice T/T.   Pulled out in stage 2.  Not good.   There was a lot riding on the defending champ in the Ronde in a few weeks.   And I don't mean the supporterslokaal - with the UCI's WorldTour Point shaving sharks circling around the great Dane, Nuyens literally had the future of Bjarne's team riding on him.   Hope he can pull off a miracle in Oudenaarde.

3.  And now, a public service announcement from the people who brought you the 'pedalleur of charm'...

Fabian Cancellara was back to his simply majestic self on the Strada Bianca in Tuscany Saturday.  Can't add more about his performance than what's already been written.

Spartacus predecessor.  

Just that seeing him climb up that final k through acrowd of delirious tifosi into the ancient, medieval square of Siena's  Il Palio was a spectacle.    The perfect expression of European cycling.

As it was, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

It was Spartacus, entering the medieval arena.   Are you not entertained? 

 It was Fabian as Hugo Koblet, winning the 1950 Giro.   Another hugely popular Swiss cycling god, driven around Rome in a open topped convertible, like a conquering Caesar.   62 years ago.  An elegant rouleur, in a red jersey with a white cross, making it look easy.  Riding into a cultured city, with people going crazy.  It was history, today.  Europe protects and appreciates history,  unlike much of the rest of the world tries that tries to obliterate it. 

In cycling, venue matters.  Nothing against the Middle East, but you just can't really export that kind of atmosphere to Qatar.   Sorry.   Nor can it be brought to my southern New England either.  Both lack the historical connection, the reference.   It's the settings that make the sport so special.   Pro cycling road races were just made to be held over winding old, beautiful European roads, into centuries old towns.   Like Siena.

...or San Sebastian.   Something to ponder when you hear last week's news of the Tour of Basque Country and the Classica San Sebastian coming within a hair's breadth of being cancelled, but rescued by the generosity of Sababell Guipuzcoano bank.   Or when we read a lot lately about the 'future' of pro cycling lying in 'change and globalization', with more World Tour races in Asia and the Middle East, and a scenario where 'smaller' European races and classics are gradually slide into redcued relevance, as the sport chases the dough and new frontiers.

Edward Pickering wrote a good soapbox opinion editorial in page 20 this month's Cycle Sport, called "If it ain't broke".    "For changes to be accepted by the fans, they need to respect the history of the sport".  

Here, here.  Replay the video of Spartacus riding into the arena.   Venue matters.  Culture matters.

Greg Van Avermaet leads Nico Eeckhout in KBK

4.  Form   Two plattelanders just behind Spartacus looked like they're coming into great form for the classics:  Greg van Avermaet, and Johan Van Summeren.

Van Avermaet's attack in the finale was great, inspired, but unfortunately just a little bit beyond his form on Saturday.   Watch him on the Poggio in a week or so.  Something tells me he'll pull off a Fons de Wolf  or a Fondriest special.   With Gilbert slow to come into form, the BMC superteam should be riding for this guy.

5. Rambo Lives.  Which brings me to the cafe's flahute of the year ...so far.    Nico Eeckhout.

First he's off the front for much of K-B-K.  Then yesterday he's  hammering off in the front group in the pouring rain over the Kemmelberg and other monts in West Vlaaanderen.    And after getting reeled back, still has the juice (and cahones) to contest the sprint for the stage win.  Still getting 4th.  Warrior.  

Some have said his AN POST team patron Sean Kelly was de laatste flandrien.   Sean was a great one, no doubt, but he wasn't the last.

Nico just might be.

Enjoy Paris Nice cafesupporters.  Time to go bark at the Rottweiler down the street.