Sunday Roundup

News
ESPN carries a short AP story about today's road bike time trial at the Teva Mountain Games. Floyd Landis finished 8th in today's biking event, and his team,Athletes for a Cure, earned $250.00 which was slated to go the prostate cancer research.

An emailer sends this table of results:

1	1142	Ned	Overend	M		Open Men	0:27:29	0.458056	21.18
2	346	Michael	Carter	M	44	Open Men	0:28:35	0.476389	20.36
3	1128	Josiah	Middaugh	M	28	Open Men	0:28:54	0.481667	20.14
4	282	Mike	Janelle	M	39	Open Men	0:29:10	0.486111	19.95
5	1129	greg	krause	M	29	Open Men	0:29:17	0.488056	19.87
6	1106	Jay	Henry	M	32	Open Men	0:29:18	0.488333	19.86
7	1103	Ross	Schnell	M		Open Men	0:30:24	0.506667	19.14
8	1127	Floyd	Landis	M		Open Men	0:30:27	0.5075	19.11
9	371	Lars	Finanger	m	27	Open Men	0:30:28	0.507778	19.10
10	280	Jimmy	Mortenson	M	32	Open Men	0:30:51	0.514167	18.87

TBV is unsure whether to worship or loathe Ned Overend, who is making us feel like a never-coulda-dreamed-a-been. Landis is young enough to be a son; Ned is like an older brother who is still kicking our ass at age 51.

The Boulder Daily Camera (subscription may be required) prints a detailed look at the mountain bike race Floyd Landis took part in yesterday at the Teva Mountain Games. Despite some jeers from the crowds, and a few competitors wearing "dopers suck" armbands, Landis was also cheered by the crowd as his finished in 36th place about the middle of the pack:

One of the most controversial athletes in America gritted his teeth, grimaced and raced for the first time in nearly a year. "I haven't raced since the Tour last year, and this was a good place to start," Landis said after the race, and after he wiped the mud splatter from his face. "I would have preferred to not race at altitude, because my chest is pounding, but it was still fun.

The VeloNews likens Floyd Landis to a fish out of water in his first appearance at the Teva Mountain Games yesterday. Getting mixed reactions from fans and competitors alike Landis finished mid pack, but may find the racing more to his taste today in the road bike hill climb up Vail Pass.

The Vail Daily (subscription may be required) relates some of the controversy created by the appearance of Floyd Landis at the Teva Mountain Games yesterday. More than a few of the participants felt his presence was inappropriate and reflected badly on the TMG and showed this by wearing black bands with the slogan "dopers suck". Still others felt that anything that brings out a large crowd to a mountain biking event can be a good thing while some people even cheered the 2006 Tour de France winner. Though apparently in good spirits and smiling Landis was out of breath in the high altitude and ill prepared in his conditioning and in his equipment:

Two hours before the race began, he showed up at the Trek pro team’s trailer just down the hill from the start and asked to borrow a wrench to adjust his pedals, as well as a water bottle and water bottle cage, because he had neither.


According to Trek team manager Zack Vestal, who obliged the Tour champ’s requests, Landis was already wheezing when he got to the trailer, at the top of a tiny hill between Vail Village and Golden Peak. “Oh, God,” Landis said, according to Vestal. “I’m out of breath. I feel fat."

This afternoon's road bike hill climb over Vail Pass should be more suited to Landis.

The Denver Post notes Floyd Landis' mid pack result from the mountain biking portion yesterday in the Teva Mountain Games.This afternoon Landis' participation in the Teva Mountain Games ends with the uphill road bike competition over Vail Pass.


Bicycling Magazine slipped one past us yesterday, but should also update what they have provided thus far in their coverage of the Teva Mountain Games.

Mountain Bike.com's David L'Heureux writes of his experience racing with the pros,including Floyd Landis, at the Teva Mountain Games.

The CyclingNews gives us its usual perspective on Floyd Landis as it describes his participation for charity at the Teva Mountain Games this weekend.

Blogs
Outside Blogger Megan Michelson has some of the final results from the Teva Mountain games just completed in Vail, Colorado today. Floyd Landis, who took part in the mountain biking event yesterday as well as the road bike hill climb today, took 8th place this afternoon in the climb up Vail Pass. Josiah Middaugh was the overall winner, and Megan is tired, very tired.

Rant has a two for one piece today, but they dovetail nicely. The first part deals with the tragedy of prostate cancer and its effects on those who suffer from it, as well as the families who live with its effects, The second part of the rant deals with Floyd Landis' participation in the Teva Mountain Games and the various reactions of fellow competitors to his presence. Floyd has agreed to compete as long as any money won by his team is donated to prostate cancer research.

Mostly Just Pictures posts just that, pictures. Many of them are Floyd Landis in today's climb over Vail Pass. No results though unfortunately.

Off The Road with Josh Bezecny mourns the loss of "Old Reliable" with a last portrait, may she RIP. And he also notes that he put the smack down on Floyd Landis in yesterday's mountain bike race at the Teva Mountain Games.

Chris Butler works for a Smith and Nephew competitor and he attended and competed at the Teva Mountain Games yesterday. Chris thinks that since Floyd Landis got his butt kicked so badly in yesterday's mountain biking leg of the games he may need to rethink his hip resurfacing manufacturer.

Pedicab participated in this year's Teva Mountain Games and took some pics of Floyd Landis who was there for the mountain bike race as well as today's road bike hill climb up Vail Pass.

Kathy Sherwin despite Floyd Landis' entourage, introduced herself to him at the Teva Mountain Games, and found him to be cool.

Outside Magazine's blogger Megan Michelson continues to post reports on her experiences at the Teva Mountian Games this year. She was dead last in the woman's division of the mountain bike portion of the race yesterday being one of the few amateurs participating. She felt a lot of pain, but persevered and the only one of the men to verbally acknowledge her while on his way by was Floyd Landis.


Passion2Ride expresses beautifully the urge to ride her bike and the trouble it takes to find the time to do it. She also takes great inspiration from Floyd Landis and his participation in this weekend's Teva Mountain Games, and the Hawaiian view made it all worthwhile.

Go Clipless has an inkling that just eating fewer doughnuts and riding a road bike more still would not have allowed Floyd Landis to fare much better than he did yesterday at the Teva Mountain Games.


Suitcase of Courage notes that Floyd Landis is ecstatic to be back riding again, but is getting beaten by girls. No shame in that, "girls" can ride too. SC advises not betting on Landis improving the 26:33 road record up the Vail Pass set by Andy Hamptsen.

LiberalPastor passes on a piece that compares the "secrets" and "shame" aspects of the Landis and Lemond stories that first ran in the Star Tribune. Lemond had much less as stake, says the column.


Blawg Review #111 traces the history of legal blogging, and using TBV's participation as an example from the Landis hearings proposes that bloggers deserved press credentials and are increasingly important in the dissemination of information. The conclusion is that blogs are here to stay.