Up popped a tweet from Trek Factory Racing, accompanied by a photo of the presentation:
Talk about complete and utter lack of co-ordination.
Before I even get started on leg-warmers - thought that was Hayden Roulston in the middle, with bandages on - what's going on with the black modesty panels? Riders one and six (I would go to the Trek website and learn the names of all the riders, but their website is so jangly and takes so long to load and screen change that I just can't be ar**d, sorry) seem to have super-long panels halfway to their knees.
Are they wearing skinsuits? Why would they, on a hilly classic? And if so, why do they have different legs?
Why do only three of them have the single white legband? OK, four, if you count the Lux hoops of Bob Jungels - he's the only one I can put a name to, owing to the excessively large Lux colours on his jersey. Now, we all thought that the Leopard kit stripes were a bit too subtle, or "confusing" if you prefer, but this is really going to far the other way.
Then there is the lower leg department: what's going on there? Two in plain black, four in black with writing, one with one-black-one-white, and Andy in bare legs.
Not exactly a cohesive look, is it? I realise that the riders have the choice of whether to wear arm-warmers, or leg-warmers, or none, but the whole black-or-white thing is just annoying.
I'm trying not to say anything about the Red Shoes, which are frankly, hideous. In my opinion.
Once again, for the fifty millionth time, you have to ask who designs these team kits. Do they honestly never watch any race footage? Have the never seen the postures that our riders hold when riding? Shoulders! Shoulders! Currently bare of any name, and would be the perfect place for the short word "Trek". Oh, unless they are holding back that position to offer to anyone wanting to have a go at sponsoring, as per their recent email to me - and presumably to many others, but who knows, maybe just to me? - extending an invitation to sponsor them.
Right! I feel so much better for getting that lot off my chest. Now I can sit back and relax and enjoy the race, as I hope you will all do, too.
Oh, one final point - in the pre-race interview, Andy said that he "hoped to finish the race", which could be seen as a slightly underwhelming aim: mind you, as things turned out, he had a fall before live coverage started, and although he managed to get back on the peloton, he abandoned shortly afterwards, having injured his knee. Poor Andy! Oh well, we'll just have to cheer for Frankie in this one, and hope that Andy is not badly hurt.
Hahaha! Totally agree with your rant. Who came up with the idea of a stripe on one leg and not on the other anyway?...
ReplyDeleteAgree with rant also! What are they thinking??
ReplyDeleteAnd...sad to say...I HAD great hopes for "our boy" this season...and I am watching as they chip away and chip away....DNF for LBL today..........sigh...........I'm afraid it's....
This was on facebook...who the heck is writing this?
ReplyDeleteAndy Schleck
4 hrs · .
Bon, cela fait plus de 2 ans que Andy ne fait aucun résultat, très décevant à chaque course, nous n'avons jamais retrouvé une seul fois le Andy Schleck conquérant et ce qui bien dommage pour moi et surtout pour vous qui le soutenez depuis longtemps...! Il lui arrive toujours une misère ou une excuse pour ses résultats décevants (son genou par exemple ou bien la naissance de son enfant). Mais nous voyons bien qu'il y a un problème ! Mais quel est le poblème? Dans la tête? Autres choses? Dîtes...
Je soutiendrai toujours Andy car c'est un très grand homme, il a du talent mais je lui demanderais juste de mettre un peu plus du sien car sinon il ne retrouvera jamais le niveau qu'il avait et il perdra beaucoup de ses fans...Après ce n'est que du sport !
A.S
Okay, it's been over 2 years that Andy does no result, very disappointing in every race, we did never found once Andy Schleck Conqueror and this that much damage to me and especially to you who support it for a long time...! He sometimes still poverty or an excuse for its disappointing results (his knee for example or alternatively the birth of her child). But we can clearly see that there is a problem! But what is the problem? In the head? Other things? Say...
I will always be supporting Andy because he is a great man, it has talent but I would ask him just to put a little more of his car otherwise it will never return to the level he had and he lost many of his fans...After this is only sport!
A.S. ❤ (Translated by Bing)
http://ridelotsjournal.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/the-mighty-and-the-fall/
ReplyDeleteSad............... I haz exteme sad...
Why do you guys even read this (points to link above) stuff?
ReplyDeleteWho cares what some anonymous blogger says?
They don't seem to have taken into account a major injury - a cracked pelvis is not something you come back from in 6 weeks, and please don't say "Oh, but G did" because, not being medically trained, and not having access to x-rays and MRI results, we have no way of comparing the severity of G's crack (clearly not that bad) and Andy's crack (clearly very bad).
Not to mention being in four teams in five years, one of which was built all around them, and which then failed spectacularly when their so-called "family friend" withdrew funding. I can't imagine what size of cupboard I would have been hiding in, had that been me.
Just remember, Schlecklanders, "a true fan is not one who was there at the beginning, it is one who was there until the end" and I don't think we are at the end yet.
Andy is still only 28, remember!
And even if he never wins another race, I will still be supporting him, wearing my Lux Ensign socks and shouting "Go, Andy!" at the screen, while LLB looks at me with "that" expression on his face.
So there! Go, Andy! Go!
Auntie Coug
*waves Schleckland flag, vigourously*