UPDATED: Daily Distractions

So you're rooting for Quick Step this year, right? UPDATE: Moving on, here is a photo of another D2 submitted by a Pappillon reader:

Vuelta a Cuba - Results, Reporting, Photos, Memories

My beloved Vuelta a Cuba is underway in the Pearl of the Antilles. Despite this being the fourth year since my last ride into Havana, where Borut Božič beat me for the stage win on the line, it feels like just yesterday that I was racing through that beautiful, tragic country. Four years later, and I can still smell the cane fields, taste the guarapo, feel my skin turning not tan, but brown, under the intense tropical heat...feel my heart breaking...

Looks like Cyclingnews.com is posting results and some reports and photos from the Vuelta. Send them an email and encourage them to keep covering this race, and other events throughout Latin America!

In 2005, professional photographer Chris Milliman documented the Vuelta for Bicycling Magazine. While the actual coverage that appeared in Bicycling was worse than anemic and did no justice to Chris's amazing work, visit the archives of his blog for interesting shots and Chris's musing on his first trip to Castro Country. 

Here is some Spanish-language reporting for my non-English speaking readers...

Continua frágil el liderato de la Vuelta Ciclística a Cuba

Santiago de Cuba, 11 feb (AIN) Tras disputadas dos etapas de la XXXV Vuelta Ciclística a Cuba continúan las pocas diferencias entre los punteros, por lo que el liderato sigue frágil para hoy, fecha en la se espera reacción cubana.

Hasta ahora el venezolano Miguel Ubeto y el colombiano Jaime Castañeda han sido los laureados parciales y este último se ubica en la cima de la general individual, en la que aparece tercero Raúl Granjel como el mejor cubano, detrás del bolivariano Wilmen Bravo.

La extensa fracción de este jueves, de 185 kilómetros entre esta ciudad y la urbe granmense de Manzanillo, pudiera servir  para que los anfitriones se desquiten y rubriquen su primera sonrisa, pero tendrán nuevamente la resistencia de los ciclistas foráneos, protagonistas hasta este miércoles.

El segmento incluye un premio de montaña, categoría C, en Puerto Moya (kilómetro 21) y tres metas volantes en Palma Soriano (45), Contramaestre (78), y Bayamo (125).

Las rayas intermedias más disputadas serán la inicial y la tercera, que además de puntos otorga bonificaciones en tiempo para los tres primeros y pudieran definir a la postre un sitio en el listado individual.
Castañeda reina también en la regularidad, sin embargo cedió ayer la punta de las líneas intermedias para darle paso al universitario Jans Carlos Arias.

El espirituano Yoel Solensal buscará reafirmación como rey de la montaña, al igual que Rafael Arrate, del Centro Técnico Oriental, pero entre los menores de 23 años de edad, y Cuba por colectivos.
En la etapa que se disputará hoy, tradicionalmente calurosa y fatigosa para los ciclistas, se han coronado tres visitantes y dos cubanos en las cinco ediciones anteriores.

La Vuelta Ciclística a Cuba concluirá el venidero día 21, en la capital del país, y actualmente ruedan 129 valientes de los 133 que partieron desde Baracoa el pasado martes.

(Tomado de AIN/ Escrito por Dania Pérez Serrano)

RIP Franco Ballerini, 1964 - 2010

Former Italian cyclist Franco Ballerini was tragically killed on Sunday after a competitive accident while contesting the 1st Rally Ronde as a co-driver for experienced pilot Alessandro Ciardi. Ballerini suffered serious injuries in the accident before passing away at the Hospital of Pistoia, while no report on Ciardi’s condition has been made available.

A rallying enthusiast, Ballerini had been invited to call pace notes for Ciardi in the Larciano event near Florence. While he was passionate about motorsport, Ballerini’s professional success surrounded the sport of cycling where he was accomplished both on and off the bicycle.

Ballerini turned professional with Magniflex in 1986, the first year in a career that spanned 15 seasons. He spent the entire duration of his career with Italian squads.

Born in Florence, Ballerini’s first professional cycling victory came on home soil at the Tre Valli Varesine in 1987. Wins continued to follow on home soil over coming years, with victories at GP Sanson and GP Città di Camaiore, but it was Ballerini’s third place at Gent-Wevelgem in Belgium in 1990 that signalled things to come from the rider.

After winning Paris-Brussel in later 1990 and finishing third at Giro di Lombardia a year later, Ballerini’s focus moved more towards stage racing. He contested the Tour de France in 1992 and was a member of the GB-MG Maglificio squad that won the team time trial stage four at the following edition.

Three years after his Gent-Wevelgem podium in 1993 Ballerini again showed his potential in the Spring Classics. He fought a close battle in the 267.5 kilometre Paris-Roubaix, finishing second to Frenchman Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle.

Signalling that a breakthrough was near Ballerini was again on the podium at Gent-Wevelgem in 1994, then third at Paris-Roubaix and second at Paris-Brussel. After nipping at the heels of Spring Classic success, 1995 was Ballerini’s year, with the Italian winning Omloop Het Volk then Paris-Roubaix, with Andrei Tchmil finishing behind him on the podium at both races and Johan Museeuw taking third in Roubaix.

He won GP de Wallonie in 1996 and was third at Ronde Van Vlaanderen in 1997. When Ballerini started 1998 with second overall at Tirreno-Adriatico, pundits were expecting big things from him that spring and Ballerini delivered with another Paris-Roubaix title.

After a successful block with Mapei-GB from 1994 to 1998, Ballerini moved to Lampre-Daikin for two years where he scored little in the way of results. Ballerini returned to Mapei-Quickstep in 2001 for one final time, where he rode just four months of the season to symbolically finish his career in Roubaix’s velodrome – the scene of his two greatest successes.

Ballerini’s contribution to Italian cycling throughout his career certainly wasn’t limited to his exploits on the bike. Since retiring from professional cycling in 2001, Ballerini managed Italy’s squadra azzurra (national team) to much success on the international stage.

A year after his retirement from competition, Ballerini oversaw the national squad as Mario Cipollini claimed the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Road Championship race in Zolder, Belgium. Ballerini formed a successful union with Paolo Bettini at the Athens Olympic Games in Greece two years later where he won gold in the men’s road race.

That union with Bettini would continue over the ensuing years, with the Italian cyclist winning the UCI World Road Championship in Sulzburg, Austria in 2006 and again the following year in Stuttgart, Germany. The worlds headed to Varese, Italy the following year where Ballerini led the team to a brilliant one-two, with Alessandro Ballan winning the title from compatriot Damiano Cunego.

Why Not? When in Rome (or Austria) ...

US domestic Pro cycling - where Pro's don't get Paid

Italian Luca Damiani's debut season with the Kenda team is at risk after he was denied a traveler's visa to enter the United States of America by the US Consulate in Milan, Italy on Tuesday. Damiani was expected to arrive in Stateside this month to begin his road racing season with team Kenda Pro Cycling presented by Gear Grinder.

"Our attorney asked Luca to apply for a B1-B2, since we are not paying him a salary, instead of a P1 Visa that is a corporate...Since he wasn't getting paid he opted to apply for a B1-B2 Visa and now that he's not getting that one he is getting a P1 Visa." - Kenda Pro Cycling Team owner Chad Thompson.


[Question: Shouldn't a team have to pay its riders before being allowed to call itself "Pro?"]

Anyway, read more at CyclingNews.com about the world of US pro cycling, where "Pro" riders don't get "Paid."

What is a Best Friend? For some it's a Cat. This one is named 'Francis Bacon.'

A cat should be a friend as much as he is a pet - if not more so! One that will never judge you, and will love you forever no matter what.

“He’s an exceptionally healthy cat for his weight!” the veterinarian exclaimed. Weighing just over twenty pounds, this frisky orange striped fur-ball knows exactly when his dinnertime is. His diet consists of a few massive gulps of fresh water, one or two cans of his favorite grilled tuna, a heaping helping of dry cat food, and the occasional treat for dessert. After he annihilates his rations, he plops down to clean every nook and cranny that he can reach on his mammoth self.

'Francis Bacon,' as we call him, loves to get 18 hours of sleep per day.The cold, hard kitchen table, the hot floor vents and nearly everywhere in between are his favorite places to nap. And yet anytime of the day, FB can always go for a good petting. As he rolls over, you catch a glimpse of the fiery orange cummerbund in a sea of soft pearl white fur that is his underbelly - and with his matching white paws and shimmering emerald eyes, you think this magnificent creature is as beautiful as the most brilliant sunset.

Francis Bacon has always been there for me. Not a day has gone by that he wasn’t waiting at the door to greet me. Even though he is a very spoiled house pet, Francis Bacon will always be my best friend."

--Author's name withheld