On Boxing day I ordered a souvenir gift set from the Tour De France official store. It arrived today and so begins my official countdown to the 2012 tour. I've actually started writing a blog about how I became hooked on road race cycling this year, which I need to finish sometime. This blog is to kick start a series (hopefully) of scribblings on my first year following the cycling road race season. The season runs from January to October so there should be plenty of opportunity to share my views on my new found passion.
Now would be a good time to declare my interest in the Europcar cycling team. I will be closely following the exploits of this French team, and in particular their star rider Thomas Voeckler. Also it will be interesting to see how Pierre Rolland matures after his fantastic White Jersey win in the Tour De France. Rolland rode tirelessly in support of Voeckler during the tour and managed to finish 11th overall as well. His win on Alpe-d'Huez was a brilliant achievement and hopefully will give Rolland the confidence to challenge in the GC in stage races.
In 2012, Looking forward to:
1. Watching the Spring classics. As I only got into cycling in July 2011 I missed an incredible early season. Will Gilbert dominate again?
2. The Giro. The one Grand Tour I missed in the 2011 season. The route for 2012 is more rider friendly and Contador is not likely to go, so it could be a really open tour. Team Sky may even send Chris Froome to have a crack at GC. That would be great for the British cycling fans to watch.
3. Mark Cavendish vs. the Rest
The split up of HTC and the emergence of Marcel Kittel as the next big thing will provide fresh tests for Cav. The Manx Missile will now be facing tough competition from former HTC team mates Mark Renshaw and Matt Goss. If anyone knows how to beat Cav surely it's those two. Most interestingly for me is the match-up with Kittel. This German wunderkid is by all accounts the real deal. I'm really looking forward to a true rivalry developing between these two.
4. Going to the Tour de France.
Hotel is booked and I'm off to see stage 3, the first stage in France, which finishes in Boulogne. The precise details of the route won't be released till closer to July, but I don't think I want to be at the finish. Somewhere in the last third of the route would be ideal. It will be my first trip to the Tour.
5. Tour de France
Watching as much as I can live on tv. This years tour was my tv highlight of the year. Beating even Wales' super win against Ireland in the Rugby World Cup.
The Tour is great sporting drama and because it's played out over 20 odd stages in 3 weeks, the tension & excitement just builds. I was very lucky this year to watch a vintage tour as my first one. I'm optimistic that the 2012 route will serve up some great racing. Impossible for Voeckler to repeat his heroics again, but I can see him getting some podiums. It would be good to see Andy Schleck win the Yellow Jersey, purely to reward his climbing talent. My gut instinct at the moment is to go with Contador. He's skipping the Giro to be fresh for the tour and I think he'll be back to best.
6. Olympic road race
Cav could win GB's first gold medal of the London Olympics. Would be a nice symmetry to it as Nicole Cooke won Team GB's first gold in Beijing.
The above points were just a few specifics but in the truth I'm looking forward to the whole season; all the UCI World Tour events and any other live cycling that finds it's way onto tv.
Roll on 2012.
Thursday, 29 December 2011
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