Criteria
Week from Monday 5th June 2023 - No sooner have we finished one run of televised CYCLING, it's time for another! This week it's the turn of the CriTéRiuM du DAuphiNé, a slightly less 'stellar' race in terms of who's in it, but it's generally regarded as a sort of 'dress rehearsal' for the TOUR DE FRANCE itself. TREK's nominal leader is GIULIO CICCONE for this one... but of course, half the time, the telly people will try to give the impression that JUMBO-VISMA are the only team in the race. As usual. At least the race commentary on this channel doesn't rely on the ramblings of an incoherent 'Father Ted' character.
But I quite enjoy these one-week races. Although inevitably, it's just as hard to CARE about the actual results, at least there is some kind of ACTION along the way. The race isn't long enough for "the favourites" to CONTROL the race to such an extent and stop ANYTHING happening for weeks at a time! But I'm glad we've got another boring midweek TIME TRIAL out of the way. They hardly ever make for 'good telly' and, as in this case, can have very little effect on the outcome of the race. But this lumpy race doesn't suit sprinters or even Time Trial specialists, so 'surprises' CAN happen. No major ones in THIS race so far though, it has to be said! JONAS VINGEGAARD is winning the whole thing on his own, as is his wont.
From the TREKky point of view, we'd lost a rider almost before the race had even started (ANTWAN TOLHOEK). We've seen NATNEAL TESFATSION contesting a sprint (3rd), but then being involved in crashes twice in one race. He eventually succumbed to his bumps and bruises and abandoned before Friday's stage. KENNY ELISSONDE got into a ---L---O---N---G--- breakaway and ALMOST made it. Then on Friday, he helped manoeuvre GIULIO CICCONE to the front of the peleton for an uphill 'sprint' finish. So Giulio MIGHT have won the stage if it wasn't for those pesky three men further up the road in a breakaway! That's how I choose to look at it anyway. On the other hand, during Saturday's big 'queen' stage up the COL DE LA CROIX DE FER, none of the chaps appeared to have turned up for the race at all, such was their total lack of telly visibility. They had to wait for the very last stage on Sunday before any of them got noticed. GIULIO CICCONE went off on his own to win the stage (with a climb up the obscenely steep LA BASTILLE DE GRENOBLE), and with it the KING OF THE MOUNTAINS jersey. Talk about leaving it all till the last minute! Suddenly, the TV pundits were OBLIGED to talk about him. This must be what it's like for those supporting non-league kick-a-ball teams, who experience disappointment on a weekly basis. You take from it what you can.
Still... anyway... that's another one over... let's find something else to blog about...
DREAM DIARY... I find myself appearing on a gardening programme and the presenter started talking about The Bible... all of which I found every bit as 'enjoyable' as it would have been in 'real life'! ...Then I plugged in a toaster and a metal bird cage (some feet away) lit up like a heater element! The little blue fellah wasn't too pleased... Another outdoor festival gig, this time having a pint with The Commodores...
But I quite enjoy these one-week races. Although inevitably, it's just as hard to CARE about the actual results, at least there is some kind of ACTION along the way. The race isn't long enough for "the favourites" to CONTROL the race to such an extent and stop ANYTHING happening for weeks at a time! But I'm glad we've got another boring midweek TIME TRIAL out of the way. They hardly ever make for 'good telly' and, as in this case, can have very little effect on the outcome of the race. But this lumpy race doesn't suit sprinters or even Time Trial specialists, so 'surprises' CAN happen. No major ones in THIS race so far though, it has to be said! JONAS VINGEGAARD is winning the whole thing on his own, as is his wont.
From the TREKky point of view, we'd lost a rider almost before the race had even started (ANTWAN TOLHOEK). We've seen NATNEAL TESFATSION contesting a sprint (3rd), but then being involved in crashes twice in one race. He eventually succumbed to his bumps and bruises and abandoned before Friday's stage. KENNY ELISSONDE got into a ---L---O---N---G--- breakaway and ALMOST made it. Then on Friday, he helped manoeuvre GIULIO CICCONE to the front of the peleton for an uphill 'sprint' finish. So Giulio MIGHT have won the stage if it wasn't for those pesky three men further up the road in a breakaway! That's how I choose to look at it anyway. On the other hand, during Saturday's big 'queen' stage up the COL DE LA CROIX DE FER, none of the chaps appeared to have turned up for the race at all, such was their total lack of telly visibility. They had to wait for the very last stage on Sunday before any of them got noticed. GIULIO CICCONE went off on his own to win the stage (with a climb up the obscenely steep LA BASTILLE DE GRENOBLE), and with it the KING OF THE MOUNTAINS jersey. Talk about leaving it all till the last minute! Suddenly, the TV pundits were OBLIGED to talk about him. This must be what it's like for those supporting non-league kick-a-ball teams, who experience disappointment on a weekly basis. You take from it what you can.
Still... anyway... that's another one over... let's find something else to blog about...
DREAM DIARY... I find myself appearing on a gardening programme and the presenter started talking about The Bible... all of which I found every bit as 'enjoyable' as it would have been in 'real life'! ...Then I plugged in a toaster and a metal bird cage (some feet away) lit up like a heater element! The little blue fellah wasn't too pleased... Another outdoor festival gig, this time having a pint with The Commodores...
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