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I received a mailing for the Tokyo-Itoigawa event recently with the application materials.  This was one of the events that created the legend that is Positivo Espresso today.  At least it created the legend that is the Positivo Espresso blog.

Tom S., our medal contender in the event, will be riding with the Vlaams team as he did last year, going for the gold.  We need at least a 4-5 person team who are willing to draft/ride together (well, much of the time) to make this a success.  If we can get a team together, I’m planning to aim my training toward this event and then Fuji Hill Climb a few weeks later. 

Entries are due in a few weeks, and are capped at 290 persons, with a lottery in case of over subscription (so no guarantees).  Team entries only, not individuals.  Start is from Takao at an ungodly hour, and then after celebrating the victory overnight at Itoigawa, one returns by train on Sunday morning.  I believe there is a bus back Saturday night as well, if needed.  The materials are all Japanese language, so I’m happy to act as team secretary to organize this if others are interested and willing to commit well in advance of the deadline (March 13).  Let me know.

Everything you ever wanted to know about drop bar bends

Michael’s reference to the theme from „Fistful of Dollars“ got me thinking … about the end of a long racing stage where 3 riders approach the finish, some minutes ahead of the pack.  The first one to sprint will lose, unless he gets a great jump and gets clear of the other two.  The one who waits patiently can get the others to serve as lead out men and draft off them, saving precious energy and pulling ahead just before the line.  But they cannot wait too long, or the pack will catch them … maybe 60 seconds to play with, then someone needs to jump, fast.

The lessons — if you don’t understand the tactics and your opponents, you end up dead last, in a grave by the side of the course.  And never enter the sprint finish with an „empty gun“ — ride efficiently and conserve some energy during the race– or you will end up in second place, digging up the buried treasure for the other guy.
It is like a gun fighters‘ duel.  (That is why Alberto always shoots the finger pistols after crossing the line … though I don’t quite see him in filling Clint’s shoes).

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Jean-Claude Labrecque
His 1965 documentary short 60 Cycles won 22 major international awards and earned an BAFTA Award nomination

Good news.  I happened to look at the Nalshima Frend website today, and was delighted to see that there is now a choice besides Y’s Garage to stop for gear and repairs along the Tamagawa. 

Since last November … when I stopped riding temporarily, so maybe I am the last to know this „news“ … Nalshima is no longer up by Tachikawa Station, a 5-10 minute detour through unpleasant crowds. 

It is under the monorail, down near the river.  See the website for a map.

In the not so distant past a group of riders encountered a big obstacle on a small road and a incident turned into an accident. Since that time I have wondered what could have happened and what did happen. At the end of it all I realized there was one thing missing in the equation, what should have happened. So I have been researching this and came up with a fairly good list of the „Rules of the Peloton“ of which I think there will be many additions to and hopefully a lot of discussion. As a team this discussion is a long time coming and may have happened and I missed it, I have been out for some time.

1. Pointing down at the ground (left or right) would indicate danger on the appropriate side. Move in the opposite direction to avoid hazards. Hazards would include potholes, cateyes (NB), painted lines (very slippery in wet weather), stones etc. Remember, it doesn’t have to be a large stone or boulder for you to indicate danger. Rather be safe than sorry – indicate any potential dangers. Make sure you also call out loud any obstacles in the road so people can hear you and take note of the problem.
2. Patting the bum. Patting YOUR left ‚cheek‘ with left hand would indicate to all riders following your wheel that there is something hazardous on the left and to move over to the right. This could be due to a parked car up ahead, slow riders which are going to be passed, a big patch of gravel or dangerous road ahead. Patting the right bum cheek with right hand indicates that the cyclist has riders must move over to the left.
3. Finger or hand up in the air – indicates that a rider has punctured or incurred some or other mechanical trouble that will result in him/her having to stop. When riding in a bunch, you can’t just pull your brakes and come to a screeching halt. Keep rolling and hold your line until everyone behind has passed, then pull off to the side for assistance.
4. Arm out with forearm at 90degrees towards the sky, hand up with all finger extended/or with a fist. Indicates that the group must slow down to stop – traffic lights or stop street or anything else that would bring the group to a stop. If it is traffic lights call out „LIGHTS“ loudly to get everyone’s attention.
5. Hand left or right with fingers normally extended shaking back and forth – indicates loose gravel or small stones in the path. Very common at intersection. Slow down and try and avoid ‚infected‘ area. Cornering should be done at slower speeds.
6. A 2-fingered downward point moving laterally, would indicate railway tracks ahead. The direction of the hand should indicate the angle at which the railway tracks cross the path. Be extremely cautious when crossing them and also go over the tracks at a 90degree angle, even if this means going wide and then cutting across to achieve this angle.

These are the main hands signals used whilst riding in a bunch.

I thought I would have a play with the colour scheme of my current bike to see how it would look if it conformed to the Positivo Rule book and I was very surprised with how it turned out.

I’m actually tempted to find out just how much it would cost to have Pinarello respray and graphic the bike into the team colour’s.

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1. Orange (or other brightly colored) kit is strongly encouraged, but under no circumstances should a member feel obliged to wear the Dutch national kit.
2. Training = Ride lots.
3. Gym (or any indoor) training should be done „on the quiet.“
4. White bibshorts not encouraged.  Too homoerotic.
5. No beards, except during December through February, or while recovering from (1) an accident, (2) loss of a U.S. Presidential election (must have been candidate of a major party in the general election — primaries do not count), or (3) white collar criminal indictment.
6. If male teammate insists on wearing a necklace or chain of any type, must be kept hidden.
7. Official recovery drink is beer, especially for returns to Tokyo via train.
8. No sleeveless jerseys (a.k.a. „wife beaters“).  Exception for Jerome only in July/August.
9. No „short shorts.“  Exception for Jerome only, March to October.
10.  No discussion of mountain bikes except to compare unfavorably to road bikes.  (The „keep James quiet“ rule).
11. Tradition requires at least one futile diversion per ride with Michael K.  Permitted examples:  (1) Mitake-san cable car entrance, (2) Nenogongen hilltop temple, (3) Shiroyama Dam, (4) Rte 76 spur South of Doshimichi, or (5) Matsuhime bypass tunnel (only prior to road completion).
12. No copying the „Eurocyclist“ rules.
13. At least one JCRC Champion each year — D Class or better.
14. Aurore Bakery, Oume.
15. Members are encouraged to take team kit — at least jersey — on overseas trips for photo opportunities in exotic locations.
16. Shin-nen-kai — Restaurant Davis, Takanawa.
17. Recruit women riders, please!
18. No mention of rides less than 100 km, unless (1) race warm-up, (2) post-race warm-down, (3) time trial, or (3) involves climbing more than 2000 meters elevation.
19. For morning departures as a „train“ of riders heads out of Tokyo – Ebisu, Futako, Sekidobashi, etc., no more than 5 minute wait.
20. Convenience store policy — Seven Eleven only.  (Exceptions to come).
21. Never buy anything from the witch of Wada Pass.
22. Please eat at kind Mrs. Watanabe’s countryside establishment.  Examples — the cafeteria at Okutama-ko (add link), the ramen shop just over the west side of Otarumi, past Takao, the Manjyu-shop on Rte. 35 SW from Uenohara, (others).
23.  Assos, Rapha and F2P?
24.  When discussing Positivo Espresso, always refer to the „B“ team.  There is no „A“ team.  We also have a „C“ team.

„The final stage is all about enjoying the arrival in Paris and then contesting the bout for stage honors but by the time the peloton reaches the French capital the fight for the yellow jersey had already concluded. Alberto Contador would end the 21st stage in 97th place but first overall. He is the second Spanish rider to claim more than one titles in the Tour de France, successfully backing up after his previous appearance and victory in 2007. The final stage, however, provided Mark Cavendish with another chance to show that he is indeed the fastest man in the world when it comes to sprinter. If you ever doubted it, watch the finale of stage 21 and again and count the time it takes for the rest of the riders to cross the line his nearest rival was the Australian lead-out master Mark Renshaw who celebrated an emphatic victory, the sixth for the Columbia team all of them claimed by Cavendish.“

Dominic sent me this link and I thought it was too good to not post. It was pretty good last year. A resurgence. This year will be better. Can’t wait.