8/26/13 1:52 PM

You just gotta love this guy
http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/08/news/ageless-horner-barnstorms-vuelta_300508

8/26/13 2:17 PM

One of my favorites!

8/26/13 3:35 PM

I love this quote:

quote:

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“I had a rider come up to me, saying he was tired of racing and wanted to become a director,” he said. “I thought, ‘man, he’s crazy, how can you be tired of bike racing?’ I love this sport, and I want to continue as long as possible.”

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8/26/13 5:23 PM

I had to rerun the last 2 klicks twice! It was a joy to watch the olde guy charge up that finish, standing all the way! I've tucked it away on the DVR to watch again, some time farther down the road...
Awesome....'
-dg

8/26/13 7:28 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4BxlkLPw1c

8/27/13 12:38 PM

[Spoiler alert] Horner on today's stage:

quote:

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“There was a small gap at the end and that happens sometimes,” Horner said in a press release. “For me, it’s no problem since now I can finish the stage, return to the bus, shower, relax and prepare for the next stage. There is only a small time difference of three seconds, so we will try to take the jersey again when we go to the mountains. I’m going to always remember yesterday and how it felt to take the jersey, but the important day to have it is at the end. It’s not good for the sponsors to lose the jersey, of course, but it’s ok for now and I will use my good legs to get it back. I plan to have a fantastic Vuelta.”

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8/27/13 12:49 PM

a feisty effort for sure. ;)

"I cannae believe it Sean!!" Experience and some legs in the bank. One of my favs!!

8/27/13 1:34 PM

Yeah I was bummed to see him lose it today. yeah it's only 3 seconds but non of the other big names lost time today...
Man it would be something to see him on the final podium.

8/27/13 2:27 PM

he may be fresh and with scorching form, but he's old and i dont think he nor his team are prepared to defend the lead for +2.5 weeks against several killer climbers on a very hilly parcours. that sort of load would surely be his undoing.

8/27/13 7:08 PM

Nah, we'll see. Love Chris to death, but if he couldn't close a 6 second gap with the jersey today, on a day where he could have cemented it for a couple weeks, I doubt he's at the level of his primary rivals. Still, yes, it would be sweet as hell to see him podium. Without a doubt he was as guilty as Danielson, Levi and and the others, but somehow he avoided the shitstorm. I'll cheer for any geriatiric group-seems like RS/Trek is the Geritol squadra of choice.

8/27/13 7:51 PM

Ok, just caught the final K of today's race on my DVR, and there was absolutely no gap, it was a big bunch finish, in fact the commentators were saying "there is Horner safely in the group and another day in the red jersey", I assume that he was at the back of the bunch and somehow they decided to award different times.
So I take back what I said today about Horner not having it.

Last edited by henoch on 8/28/13 8:47 AM; edited 1 time in total

8/28/13 6:32 AM

How about the crazily steep Cat 3 climb about 30km from the finish of stage 4? The commentators said 30% in places, and it looked like it. The TV motorcycle was right in amongst the riders at the rear of the main pack, and they were absolutely grovelling!

9/2/13 12:18 PM

Ok, I was wrong. Chapeau.

9/2/13 12:37 PM

nibali and the rest at the line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VqVtBcdK3M

9/2/13 4:17 PM

Well done Chris.

Anyone think he can take the whole thing?

9/2/13 4:52 PM

There is no question that he can... will he? I don't know but right now it's down to a 5 man race, so he has at least a 20% chance of winning, I'm sure that's a position that most riders wouldn't mind almost half way through a Grand Tour.

9/2/13 6:00 PM

quote:

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right now it's down to a 5 man race, so he has at least a 20% chance of winning

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9/3/13 7:12 AM

he's a really, really strong tactician. and despite his age, he's pretty fresh having taken a big chunk of the year off. plus he's ageless of spirit.

when he put time into these guys, it wasnt intended to do that. it was primarily intended to thin the group, so i think he's still got some dry powder left.

i'm definitely pulling for the old guy!

here's a vid that includes his surge to open the gap. fast forward to 1h12m:

http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/vuelta-ciclista-a-espana/vuelta-ciclista-espana-2013-10-etapa-torredelcampo-guejar-sierra-alto-hazallanas/2010178/

9/3/13 8:23 AM

those single lane goat paths are amazing. Also, very few fans are on the climb compared to the TdF or Giro. I suspect this finish is a remote location, it kinda reminds me of AZ, NM or SoCal.

9/3/13 10:49 AM

Nice piece of work there.

9/4/13 10:38 AM

More Horner quotes:

quote:

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Horner said he’s enjoying training and racing so much he hasn’t even thought about what he will do once he finally does hang up the bike.

“It’s been a very good journey. It’s one I’ve enjoyed and I want to continue a bit longer,” he said.

And if pulls off the victory in Madrid? Horner said the celebration would be mild-mannered.

“I am too old to party!” he said. “The only place I feel good is when I am on the bike. You’re never really comfortable until you’re into that first hour of the bike. The bike is the zen.”

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9/4/13 7:17 PM

He does have the Zen right. In my tumultuous life my bike clears my head and let's me "check out" on my own for an hour or so at a time.

My bike speedometer fell off over the weekend, I have decided to just let Strava tell me about my ride when I am done. I kinda got tied to the numbers again this summer and lost track of my Zen. So a naked bar, no HRM. JUST RIDE.

9/4/13 7:20 PM

Funny that I should read that zen comment today. I had my best zen day on bike in over a decade. I relate to the comment especially today. Admittedly, a day with a faster group as opposed to the more docile rides with my wife over the last weeks, was bliss in a zen like way. ;)

9/5/13 5:29 AM

...that he lost so much time in the TT yesterday, but given the way he's climbing, it seems quite possible that he'll get it all back soon.

9/5/13 7:40 AM

quote:

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My bike speedometer fell off over the weekend, I have decided to just let Strava tell me about my ride when I am done. I kinda got tied to the numbers again this summer and lost track of my Zen. So a naked bar, no HRM. JUST RIDE.

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