Manny has done it – he called me Granny once too often. After outriding me a couple weeks ago, he decided that he earned the right to talk smack. Those of you that know me well know there is nothing I hate worse than a sore-winner. To me, it is the ultimate classless act to rub it in someone’s face after you beat them. Sore losers I can abide… their pride is hurt, they are defeated… if they want to throw up an excuse or two – more power to them. I mean afterall, if I just beat you at something, how does it hurt me if you bring up the fact that you have a pulled muscle, skipped your prerace meal, or heck – had your underpants stolen by gnomes throwing you off your game? It doesn’t hurt a bit.


I realize that victories for some people are few and far between and the temptation to talk smack (expecially when beating a more skilled competitor) must be great. But come on – do the right thing.

Anyway, Manny bought his bike four months ago and in that time, I rode maybe 3 times while he has been riding regulary. He beat me fair and square with this disparate amount of training, but can he do the same if I have training time? That is the challenge I have placed in front of him. Give me four months of training and lets do it again… then lets see who comes out on top. I realize that I am giving him eight months of training to my four months, but I will take that handicap as I feel my 18,000 miles and 23 years of cycling experience should more than make up for having half the training.

To that end, I am once again attempting to do what I call the Tour de 1/10th. I take the distance of the Tour de France riders each day and do 1/10th of that amount for time. In the past several years I failed to finish until last season where my times put me at 147th place.

This years race:

1 Saturday, July 2 19 km 1.18m
Fromentine > Noirmoutier-en-l’Ile (TT)
2 Sunday, July 3 181.5 km 11.2m
Challans > Les Essarts
3 Monday, July 4 212.5 km 13.2m
La Ch