SCRAPPED ! Bye Bye Specialized !

Bully Boys never win the WAR ! They can win a Battle or two , but , who will want to support them ?

Cafe ROUBAIX are on the receiving end of a letter or two from Lawyers , last week . This week the Lawyers , are on the pointy end of the Social Media response ! Of course , we don't know WHO the Lawyer are , BUT , Specialized do ?

@iamspecialized inbox would have been overflowing Monday Morning after @CafRoubaix related his tale of woe in Social Media venues this past weekend .

My first thoughts were to Tweet @gpmondini , a guy that has helped me many times over the years . He was part of the Pantani Team that were kind to me so often , as i rode the Grand Tour routes in the late 1990s and early 2000s . GP was there when i met Marco , as a translator . He went out of his way with several Teams to give me assistance . One occasion inviting me into a social gathering , even though he knew i was not "Accredited ".

Another way  i suggested helping Cafe Roubaix Bicycle Studio , was to encourage the creation of a "Change.org Petition " , a simple way to tell the CEO of Specialized that Cycling Fans were NOT AMUSED by the " Bully Boy tactics " . This idea was proposed after @SafeCyclingOz had created a fundraiser  to assist in raising the $US150k needed to P#ssoff the Bullies :

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-cafe-roubaix#&ui-state=dialog

Each of these methods are symbolic , mean little to most people , but i felt a more positive action was required .

Not too many people will actually BOYCOTT the company , even though they write about doing so in their comments in Social Media . Easy to say " Going elsewhere for Shoes , Parts , Bikes "!

Well i just STRIPPED this bike !

THERE WE ARE !

DONE !

Here are the Tweets :

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour57m

@iamspecialized @SafeCyclingOz @inrng @TheRaceRadio This was the Spec Allez with Zabel & Aldeg at TDF Gr8 photo then! pic.twitter.com/7t0XGJJjgt

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour58m

@iamspecialized @SafeCyclingOz @inrng @TheRaceRadio This was the Spec Allez TODAY after U attacked @cafroubaix SCRAP pic.twitter.com/XpKff8ygeV

No doubt there will be FEW copying my example ?

SCRAPPED ! Bye Bye Specialized !

CANCELLARA : Rampant ?

Favourities at the RVV , had different outcomes ! Easter Sunday was just another work day for the Racers as the Ronde VV ran through 100+miles in near freezing conditions .

Champion in a number of Editions , Tom Boonen , must have wondered if he should have stayed home and watched the race in bed ? 12 miles into the race , he was on the ground , awaiting an Ambulance , for the ride to the Hospital . Reports say there are no broken bones but i can't help thinking , that this will set his " Classics Season " back , somewhat ?

When we look at Individual Time Trials at the various Grand Tours , we see the winner cross the finish line at an average of just under 50 kph . Most of these events are over less tthan 10kms ? When the distances are 50 km + , the averages are around the 45+kph . In any event , these are the expected results and would not raise comment ?

Having run 250 km or so to the top of the Paterberg , yesterday , Cancellara , having shaken  Sagan loose , on this climb , decided that he would demonstrate why he was World ITT Champion & Olympic  ITT Champion . With a few seconds in hand at the top of the climb , he upped the pace to cover the remaing 12 km on a  49.5 kph pace ! Most racers have difficulty handling this pace for 12 km , yet , here we have a man , having already ridden 250 km , setting out for the finish , as if the day was just starting ?

Sagan is reported to have had difficulty holding Cancellara's wheel on the Kwaermont , some say that he overcooked there ? During the flat , between the climbs , it appears he was unable to regain the motivation necessary to persevere in the " Red Zone " ? Had he managed to crest with Cancellara , would he have had the reserves to hold the wheel to the finish ? It is reported that Sagan has a stronger sprint than most , so couldd he have satisfied all those that were predicting his victory .

Throughout the commentary on German Eurosport , there were continous expectations of Sagan & Cancellara producing a result . Doubt any of the Commentators were expecting the ITT Performance that Cancellara  displayed ? Harmon , the English Commentator , ie reported to have uttered :

 "  'the only way you can beat Sagan....is to kill him'

 There are reports that the word " literally " , was in this comment ?

Sagan has emergad in recent times as an outstanding sprinter , with good acceleration in both long and short sprints , certainly able to get results without the Sprint Trains , that so many others rely upon . Having crested the Peterberg , yesterday , Peter waited for Roelands so as to conserve the advantage they had on the rest of the Peloton . As a result of their combined effort , they were able to preserve their Podium aspirations .

With lousy Broadband internet connection , i have to rely on German Eurosport , for the Cycling coverage , would enjoy more , if my German comprehension was better ? Recall being in Belgium near Brussels , in the early 2000s , on my way to the UK , at Sunday race . The weather whilst clear was at freezing point , with frost on the ground , didn't even bother to get the bike out of the car . Crowds at the start , around the Team Pullmans were well wrapped up and those along the course were inhabiting the refreshment stalls .

As i prefer to ride the race  route , rather than await the arrival of the race , this was amongst the only occasions that i have visited a " Classic / Monument of Cycling ". Racers are there just for the day and the team workers are flatout making sure that everything works , no time for socialising under the circumstances .

CANCELLARA : Rampant ?