2008 Giro d’Italia, Team Time Trial Tech: Gusev likes double-bend extensions.
Gusev likes double-bend extensions. While a few years ago, most riders chose straight extensions, now fewer teams do.
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2008 Giro d’Italia, Team Time Trial Tech: Born on the fourth of July
Born on the 4th of July: Vladimir Nikolayevich Gusev was born July 4, 1982, and he rode this Trek Equinox TTX with distinction in the TTT, after being yanked from his vacation by the sudden invitation to the Giro.
Cuban Missile and Two Calebs
Cuban Missile and Two Calebs
Joe Martin stage 2 podium
The Podium (left to right) Rory Sutherland (Heath Net-Maxxis), Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita-Sutter Home), and Kyle Gritters (Health Net)
Unteachable skills
Jill Taylor, the fiancée of Slipstream-Chipotle soigneur Johnny Coln (affectionately known as Soigny Johnny – pronounced Swanny Johnny) brings on gasps and giggles by balancing two forks on the tips of two toothpicks.
Removing the “Nader Hooks”
Shanks filing the “Nader hooks,” a.k.a. “wheel retention tabs,” off of a new Oval Jetstream fork destined for Magnus Bäckstedt’s Felt team bike.
The Allenatore
Allen Lim exclaimed “I should have been Italian,” when he saw his Giro badge. It says: “Allen Lim. Allenatore.” You see, in Italian, “allenare” means “to train,” and an “allenatore” is a “trainer.” Hence, he “allenates” the Slipstream-Chipotle team and could heretofore be known as “The Allenator!”
Oops! McEwen’s bike said 90th Giro d’Italia on it.
Oops! McEwen’s bike said 90th Giro d’Italia on it, but this is the 91st Giro! A Silence-Lotto team mechanics made a “1” and sticks it on.
Both the stays and the fork feature split aero blades with a new shape
McEwen’s new bike has a 2009 fully-redesigned Ridley Oval-licensed Jetstream road fork and seatstays. Both the stays and the fork feature split aero blades with a new shape designed by MIT aerodynamics guru Mark Drela. The fork and stays are not only aerodynamic themselves, but their split blades also suck air away from the spokes and reduce the aerodynamic drag of each wheel. And at sprinting speeds of over 70kph, not to mention all of the hours spent riding leading up to it, every ounce of aerodynamic drag and watt of power saved makes a difference.
Robbie McEwen’s bike
Robbie McEwen says that his new Jetstream-equipped road bike is “the fastest thing I’ve ever ridden.” He won the second stage of the Tour de Romandie on the first iteration of it, an all-black bike without paint. This second one, painted especially for him for the Giro, lists all of the towns in which he has gained Giro stage victories. Or that was the intention, anyway; McEwen says that one town was left off.
Slipstream-Chipotle’s secret weapon: “Chef Willy.”
Slipstream-Chipotle’ secret weapon: “Chef Willy,” Slipstream-Chipotle’s Swiss chef, has been cooking for American teams for decades at major tours. He was cooking for the 7-Eleven team when Andy Hampsten won the Giro, and he was there for every one of Lance Armstrong’s Tour victories. Now Slipstream-Chipotle hopes he will bring the same kind of good fortune. Barred from the kitchen at the posh Hotel Torre Normanna (temporary residence until stage 1 of Slipstream-Chipotle, High Road, Saunier Duval-Scott, AG2R-La Mondiale, Rabobank, and CSC) south of Palermo, he has time at dinner to joke with David Millar.