Tour News and Fashion Update.

The Tour de France has finished with two british riders in first and second position. I imagine the French are overjoyed with this result.

One of the highlights of the tour for me is a purely professional interest in the latest fashions as paraded by the podium girls. Pezcyclingnews do a good review of the latest fashions here:
http://pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=dds/dds12/dds-jul12
During my cycling carreer I made more appearances backstage at the Giro, the following image typifies that scene....
http://pezcyclingnews.com/cgi/gallerypicget.asp?pic=http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/babes/babes12/otbf12-giro12st21.jpg

Back on the Chain Gang.

I'll be out at 0900 on Sunday. I'm awaiting the second episode of last week's history lesson. It would seem that one of the pivotal moments of the 20th century was when the Werhmacht only had one division (not two as reported in many texts) at the Dzerzhinsky tractor factory in Stalingrad. Had they triumphed at that venue we would possibly all be speaking German. Most people would have heard of the Battle of Stalingrad, if not being knowledgable in it's finer details.
As a slight distraction, here's Chrissie looking good....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQcuIkZWGl8&feature=related

Jens Voigt.

An exciting tour stage this morning saw Jens Voigt descend the Col de Richemonde like a man possessed to rejoin the leading break with 10km to go. Thomas Voeckler ultimately took the stage in a great, slightly uphill battle. The really memorable part for me was Phil Liggett's commentary on Jens Voigt. Phil was complimenting a man who at age 40 is still able to keep the mental strength to train for 7 hours a day as is required by a professional rider. Mr. Liggett was further amazed that Jens can do this when he has six children at home as he is missing all those wonderful moments of their childhood! Hmm.....question........is it easier or harder to go out on your bike all day when you have six children at home?

Proper Cycling.

Yesterday's Tour De France stage was very refreshing. It looked like real racing rather than the usual 'catch the break by 1 minute every 10 kilometres' to overhaul some poor hopeful with 500 metres to go. The Tour’s youngest competitor, Thibaut Pinot passed leader Frederik Kessiakoff (Astana) with 17km to race and launched a bold attack that left him with enough of a gap to hold off a host of big name challengers who pursued him intensely. Aside from the cycling the show of emotion from Marc Madiot in the team car left photographers struggling to decide where to point their instruments.

The Final Chapter.

Spain demolished Italy this morning in a fair end to Euro 2012. Despite the fact that Italy should not really have been there, how in a game of 'professional' footbal did they find themselves unable to replace a seriously injured player at the 60 minute mark? It is understandable that Prandelli had to take action when he found his team 2-0 down at half time. What I cannot grasp is how he thought that he could use up all his substitutions and risk an injury leaving him with ten against eleven at this point in the game.

On another note look at this quote from the New Zealand Herald....
"Losing 2008 finalist Germany looked to be on fire at Euro 2012, scoring almost at will, before the team packed with talent and pace suddenly misfired horrendously in its semifinal against Italy, losing 2-1, overwhelmed by Italy's passing and the finishing of Balotelli. And England was just England, perpetually unable to live up to its own self-important expectations." - John Leicester - Associated Press.

This guy is probably English but what on earth is he talking about. Anyone I know born before 1980 has no expectations whatsoever for the England football team. We still watch but we know that it is  a lost cause until the blazers at the English FA recognise that the future national team is aged 5-10 and kicking a ball around in the suburbs of England. Should they actually realise this  fact they could then put a system in place to develop this talent.

Enough said.....

Football? What Football?

Only another two years people. I must admit I thought England would get past Italy and lose to Germany but as Jimmy Greaves once said "It's a funny old game!"

Please take the time to watch this video clip (only 5 minutes).....I've been saying this for years.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aBiTnUqW8&feature=endscreen&NR=1

Dobber.

The Calm Before the Storm.

England have qualified top of their group which means they avoid Spain for the time being. I have just returned from the back garden after warming my hands on a bonfire of clothing displaying the word 'Italia'. It may be necessary to leave home on Sunday as the rest of the family will be cheering on those men in blue. Presumably somewhere in Eastern Europe intensive 'diving' practice is under way with sessions on how to get the most out of your hair dryer during the half time break. Poor old Ukraine eh? One commentator said that they were not really football mad in the Ukraine he then went on to say that they were not even Ukraine mad, just keen on corruption and old cars. Apparently the slab of a man who is the Ukrainian coach ordered one of the journalists outside of the post match press conference for a 'man fight'.
France don't deserve to be there, they were lazy and arrogant against Sweden or dare I say it, French! Shame about the Dutch car wreck......So, in conclusion, all England have to do now is beat Italy and Germany and they'll be in the final of Euro 2012.