Yay for Kiryenka!

Cheers and festivities, Schlecklander pet Vasil Kiryenka won a stage at the Giro!

I can' believe that anyone can have not noticed him, but just in case you haven't, he's a super-super-domestique for Sky, and has been a Schlecklander pet for a couple of years now, not because he's pretty (pulls face at LLB who suggested that I choose our pets more on their looks than on their talent) but because he is such a supernaturally strong - and poker-faced - rider.

We only get to see him on those occasions where we get several hours of coverage, as he generally  does all his work in the early part of the race, unseen by cameras, and he usually comes in a long way down the GC because, like all good domestiques, he has "given his all" earlier in the day. So he is an un-sung hero.

I like him because he gets on the front of the peloton,  and he rides and rides and rides, for mile after mile, with a deadpan poker face, showing no emotion, no stress, no fatigue, right up to the moment he goes "pop!" and pulls off. At this point, the peloton that he has been dragging has usually been whittled down to 30-40 members, as most riders just can't keep up with his relentless, unchanging pace.

His posture on the bike is very recognisable as well: although the commentators always refer to him in terms of "a beast" (as well as more complimentary terms like "diesel") he actually sits like one of those cute little terriers, the sort that sit up alertly and look all around.  Often seen riding in a wickerwork basket on the front of a Sturmey-Archer 3-speed.  He must have an extra joint in his neck, to be able to sit for so long with a flat back and with his head popped right up, looking for all the world as though he is not even in a race, just tootling along on a Sunday afternoon pleasure ride, occasionally looking around at the scenery, but mostly just gazing at the road ahead.

LLB and I often say that the other teams must groan in dismay -  "Oh no! It's Kiryenka on the front! Prepare to die!" - when he starts pulling, and I think the psychological value of that is immense.  I can just picture some lesser riders simply giving up when they get the news: wouldn't you?

The bit that always fascinates me is trying to predict when he is finally going to crack. My personal measurement is to check for the patches of red on his cheeks. It's the only sign he gives, that he is putting in any effort at all, and usually just after the red patches appear, he finally peels off. But the trick is to work out how long, after the red patches appear, he will keep going!

So there he was at the Giro, leading the TT from quite early on in the day, sitting impassively on the leader's chair, unsmiling as usual, for aaaaages. He barely cracked a smile all the while, until right at the end when it became apparent that he was going to win it, and then - yes! He smiled! He laughed! he even chatted to Juan Antonia Flecha (Handsome Dude) just like a normal person!

It's always a thrill to see a Schlecklander pet do well,  so well done Vasil!

Other cycling news includes Richie Porte dropping out of the Giro, and who can blame him: Nasty Mr Oleg describing Ass-t'na as "no good at cycling" *snorts through nose*, and LLB actually having an anti-pet of his own: he;s developed a hatred of Zacharin, junior Dark Lord, who was done for doping as a teenage, but who has somehow managed to get back into pro cycling, and is now being hailed as an up and coming hope for the future. Every time he appears on screen, LLB grumbles about him, and I supportively make flicking motions with my fingers, as though to flick him off his bike.

So, into the final week we go: hills today,  then a flat day, two more days of hills, then a flat day to finish on.  Without Sky challenging for the win, it's fallen a bit flat for us UK viewers, but we'll keep an eye out for interesting happenings. And no, I'm not going to guess who is going to win: for the obvious reason!