“Exactly the irreverent show she would have wanted,” Geraldo Rivera aptly summarized. “More Broadway than Hollywood,”The New York Times put it, however sans a multiple-accent-crying Meryl Streep. Altogether– amidst Howard Stern’s “perfect” eulogy among all else— Joan Rivers got her final wish, her “showbiz” funeral proving as refreshingly over-the-top as she was.
So now we go on, commending her legacy while ideally putting her key lessons on life to practice. Leading them of course, on when not to laugh: “Never.”
There will be no “next Joan Rivers,” irreplaceable as she truly remains. Anyone who eventually manages to get closest to the title, however, will win in my book. Meanwhile, at least we can thank, and perhaps learn from, Joan for putting the “fun” back in funeral.
Well, that was a first. I forgot to watch “Dallas” this week. (What?! Me?! Allow the Ewings to slip my mind? My oh my, how the decades do change us.)
Seeing as the latest episode was on my DVR, I did see it the following day. In so doing, I reminded myself just how my initial forgetfulness came about. Let’s simply say it’s about time for “Dallas” to be forgotten altogether. Oh but wait, I think I’ve already said this before,more than once even.I’ll therefore rephrase: It’s well past time for the Ewings and company to go. I know, I hate saying this more than you might dislike reading it. Nevertheless, the writing is on the wall, as they say– more and more with each passing episode, I myself regret to say.
We’ve had all the nostalgic cameos we’re likely going to get, Larry Hagman is still dead, and the plot convolutions continue to get more confusing, ludicrous and exhausting. Still, curiosity, coupled with low expectations, will continue to get the best of me for the duration, whether at airtime or via DVR. At least Ken Kercheval, who remains very much alive, will be back next week. Amid my overall forgetfulness, I’m happy to realize one living classic character is not forgotten.
Five miles to the finish, and the almost-43-year-old “affable German” was leading the way, as if to fan his feathers just one last time. The oldest rider in the peloton did not win the day, but he certainly shaped it. And with still six days to go, he may very well pull off another moment or two yet. In any case, Jens Voigt has begun his well-planned swan song– his last professional cycling race. And with this bittersweet farewell, among all else, the 2014 USA Pro Challenge is well underway across Colorado.
The talk this week has centered on Robin Williams, understandably so considering his unexpected death. At the same time, his passing unfortunately has overshadowed another big celebrity loss the very next day, one perhaps a bit less surprising if only for age alone. Just one month shy of her 90th birthday, the legendary Lauren Bacall has left us. Her unique legacy, like Williams’, lives on.
A time trial for Le Tour’s penultimate stage seems almost like a cruel joke, as fresh legs are not exactly the order of the day. Nevertheless, as the race schedule has been strategically designed this way before, so it happens again– laying out just another test of true endurance.
Stage 20 found a winner in Germany’s Tony Martin, with yet further gain– now approaching eight minutes– for the wearer of le maillot jaune, not to mention France welcoming a not-recently-seen 2-3 Paris podium. While tomorrow is of course still a competitive day, with all the unexpected that could yet occur, at this point it’s a safe bet to say, with little question: Game over.
The climbing is now over for the 101st Tour de France, but not before the Italian in yellow captured the last summit finish while adding nearly another two minutes to his lead. Sure, we all know anything can happen yet, though I must say here at the end of stage 18 that overall victory in Paris is looking pretty safely wrapped up. At least the polka dots are set, while the green jersey has once again this year remained on the same single dominant back- and we know whose that is!
Then of course there’s white, for the best young rider, in this case France’s bright rising star. Thibaut Pinot has impressively ascended in all rankings throughout his journey, to now sit in second place behind le maillot jaune. Could France see the GC podium in Paris? Likely. Could France see yellow? Unlikely, as this would require a very unusual and surprising seven minutes.
Now heading into the final three days of Le Tour, more now than ever, Vincenzo Nibali will be the champion of the 2014 Tour de France. At the same time, more now than ever– especially with an individual time trial still to come– again, anything can happen yet. Now back to the sprints!
The UK has held champion bragging rights for the past two years. Then England hosted this year’s first three stages. Now, however, the 2014 Tour de France is turning out to be not very British, as the withdrawal of Simon Yates leaves just one of four UK riders still in the game.
Rather, those bragging rights this time around remain en route to Italy, while France must surely be excited for its shot at the Paris podium, holding GC spots three, four and five here at the end of stage 16. American Tejay Van Garderen stays in the top 10, down to sixth today overall.
The longest day of this Tour ended a much longer winless streak for Australia’s Michael Rogers, who finally earned his first stage victory in his 10th Tour de France! Talk about a change of luck this time around, for Rogers today a truly great one, while for world champion Rui Costa with respect to his departure— quite the opposite. And so passes this first stage in the Pyrenees.
My mention on this day last year regarding spectators stands just as relevant now, while my fondness for that unforgettable French baker of two years ago has not faded.
On this second rest day, while our minds here at home are permitted to wander, clearly it’s all focus for 161 remaining competitors heading into this third and final week of Le Tour de France. After all, Paris will greet them in just six more stages, by no means a quick or easy stretch after two unforgiving weeks of mounting fatigue, with plenty more hard climbing to come.
Horse racing, TDF style.
In any case, we might say the riders are just barely beginning to see the end. Among all else, perhaps we’ll be treated to one more “horse race” on the way into town, along with any more surprises on the road that, true to cycling, forever remain impossible to predict.
Just seeing the route map for stage 14 exhausted me, as the grueling ascent to Risoul allowed few if any moments to catch wind. Anyone hoping to catch Nibali faces an increasingly uphill battle, seeing as the yellow jersey wearer’s overall lead increased by yet another minute today.
They’ve reached the Alps, and as always the only way is up. The same can be said for the shoulders of le maillot jaune, as Vincenzo Nibali comfortably upped his overall Tour lead with his third stage win that earned him the “King of the Mountains” polka dot jersey today as well. The big ascents have only just begun, because if stage 13 was hard, tomorrow will come.
Nibali’s solo breakaway finish in Chamrousse strengthens his Tour dominance.
One day after he was still in, he’s out. Andrew Talansky and his team decided his departure is for the best, given his overall physical condition following multiple crashes. At least he had some time to think about it, unlike David de la Cruz who crashed to his sudden Tour end today in an instant out of nowhere. (C’est le Tour, bien sur.)
So rolled stage 12 through France’s beautiful Beaujolais region, ending not exactly for the best for “poor” Peter Sagan. Already sick of second, he must be just a little sicker today after yet another number two stage finish, this time losing out to Norway’s Alexander Kristoff.(C’est le Tour, encore.) Now where are those Alps?
And now comes a day to pause, relax and think– at least for those of us at home merely watching NBCSN’s daily broadcasts. Some might enjoy a history lesson once again, others might want to check-in on how Mark Cavendish is recovering, and even more– many more out there along the roads– might finally come to realize that a selfie before the oncoming peloton is just a bad idea. Altogether, we pause to consider what has been and will be amid the wonder of Le Tour de France. Personally, I happen to wonder if those Yorkshire sheep are still yellow!
Back to Day One: The spirit of le maillot jaune lives, at least 150 times!
Move from flats to climbs, and the game changes. No surprise it is, therefore, that le maillot jaune changed shoulders today after its seven-day hold. So comes and goes stage 9, now with France’s Tony Gallopin wearing yellow just in time for Bastille Day!
Here now upon the end of Le Tour’s first week, the Twitter question of all questions awaited an answer: “Will today be THE DAY?” Amid more pleasant weather for stage 7, heading east and south from Epernay to Nancy in a peloton largely driven by Ted King and Team Cannondale, that answer sat pending with the most anticipation so far this year.
To answer any questions about le maillot jaune,this is the easy one: It remains on the same back it has for the past six days, as Vincenzo Nibali has yet to be overtaken overall. But for today, oh so close– “by the skin of his bike shorts” to quote Liggett again– it turned out for Peter Sagan. So was today THE DAY? Unfortunately for Peter, though he absolutely could not have come any closer in edging out Matteo Trentin, by sheer millimeters that is, the much-anticipated answer is no.
So, so, SO close for Peter. But no.
One grueling week has passed for now 198 minus 12 riders, not to mention today’s home-stretch wipe out for top-ten American Andrew Talansky. And now they head for the hills. Thanks Ted for the awesome Strava coverage!
Subtract the cobbles, add the crosswinds, keep the wetness, and we get stage 6 through the flat and flowery northern French countryside from Arras to Reims. Apparently Kittel just wasn’t feeling his sprint-finish best after his wipe out yesterday. And Sagan likely wasn’t feeling 100% either following his own tumble today, though as usual he made it back among the top finishers. Rather, Andre Greipel sure felt it, as this became the German powerhouse’s day in the sun, so to speak.
If it gets all the way from France onto local L.A. radio, it must be big news. What an unexpected spoiler it was in my car this afternoon, on this of all days when I hadn’t yet seen the stage.
Calling it quits, sadly enough.
Rain, mud, cobblestones, and carnage at literally every turn– cyclocross day as Phil Liggett put it– stage 5 could not have been a worse journey in some respects, as if cobbles in good weather weren’t enough. And then that big news: Chris Froome, 2013 defending champion, after two more crashes today following yesterday’s– even before reaching those unforgiving cobblestone roads– is out of this year’s Tour de France. One more big name has fallen, in just the first week.
Oh, those cobbles. And three sections were eliminated!
Stage 5’s wet, mud-splattered finish.
At the end of this unrelenting day, the stage win came “easily” to Team Belkin’s Lars Boom. All the more privileged I feel to have ridden a leisurely 25 miles with him in Thousand Oaks on the Monday morning after this year’s Tour of California. Now, despite today’s treachery and loss, at least one more rider sees victory. And tomorrow’s another day in France.
France welcomed Le Tour’s defending champion with a serious case of road rash. A former TDF champion was forced to withdraw because of injury. And the dominating “Giant” German scored his third stage win, edging out the champion of Slovakia, again.
Froome post-fall. Trust me, it hurts.
Translation: Chris Froome crashed, Andy Schleck is out, and Marcel Kittel won stage 4— meaning Peter Sagan did not, despite his best rebound-from-mechanical-issue efforts.
C’est Le Tour, now on French soil.
Sure enough. The very first thing we heard at the top of today’s broadcast certainly came as no surprise, all-around disappointment notwithstanding. Mark Cavendish is out of the Tour de France. With this, stage 2 went on with 198 riders minus one.
It’s difficult to imagine the next three weeks without the Missile, especially with Le Tour still in England today and tomorrow. Nevertheless, as we’re left to picture how Cavendish would surely have dominated the peloton through his homeland, the race shall go on as always.
As it did, today’s route from York to Sheffield ended with minus one photo finish. Winner du jour Vincenzo Nibali just couldn’t be caught, crossing the line “well ahead” of the pack with his two-second lead. Next stop, London! (Sorry, Cav.)
Stage two’s finish in Sheffield, England. (Photo: AFP)
As we’ve already known for a while now, it will begin in the United Kingdom. While not a first, it’s all the more fitting this time around, given a defending champion of the same nation of course.
Behold, the route for the 2014 Tour de France has hereby been unveiled, avec distinctly British spin.
On my regular cycling route along Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu came a recent halt to my cadence, much to my non-surprise. After all, at hand is this rare, stunning and visibly flawless 1974 450 SE, if not with original paint job then appropriately repainted to the period-popular factory color of thistle. This particular car’s rare column shifter is noteworthy; the oversized American-spec bumpers are not, first mandated in this model year after all. Halted as I was, the happier I resumed my ride. My affinity for well-kept vintage Mercedes-Benz cars lives on, especially considering those the exact same age as I am. If I could look this good at 40! 😉
The first of two U.S. presidents to turn 90 this year hits the milestone on June 12, with his wife exactly one year behind. As we’ll see later this year, presidential longevity clearly remains a bipartisan matter, crazy socks or not! Click here to see GHW’s 90th birthday skydive. (Photo: Al Torres)
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, almost 93, visited her husband’s resting place on this day, the tenth anniversary of his death. Mrs. Reagan leads the notable recent longevity of first ladies as now the oldest living, though with years yet to go to become the longest living. (Photo: AP)
“The Missile” bookends the 2014 Amgen Tour of California. (Photo: www.cbgphoto.com)
As usual, the word-wise Phil Liggett phrased it appropriately. For the Missile’s victories in the first and last stages of this year’s Amgen Tour of California, the past week has been nicely held together by “Cavendish bookends,” much to Peter Sagan’s disappointment no doubt after clearly gunning for two in a row to wrap up the event. In the end, with Sir Bradley Wiggins’ overall victory and Mark Cavendish’s comeback performance, it’s plain to see British legs rule California roads. I myself am thrilled to have been right there, live at the final finish line in Thousand Oaks, even as the peloton flew by faster than most our heads can turn!
From Bike World News: “I wanted a jersey that spoke to my inner drive to win, but also shows off my fun side. Working with SUGOI they quickly understood my vision, and I hope people love the jersey as much as I do!” says Peter Sagan.
At its core, the jersey is built on SUGOI’s custom RS Jersey. The bold design depicts Sagan’s “Green Machine” – a personality that cannot be contained. Lurking just below the surface of his Cannondale Pro Cycling livery, a powerful engine of fire and fury are ready to be unleashed at just the right moment in a race. His Slovakian DNA runs deep within his embedded national emblem and the eyes on his back address all those attempting to catch his wheel. (Ron Callahan, 5/5/14)
On this eve of the 2014 Amgen Tour of California, the timing is perfect– by design of course. Peter Sagan might be on your back in more ways than one, so watch out! Click here to read more about the new, eye-catching “Green Machine” Signature Jersey. My own eyes will certainly be open for it.
MacLaine with one of my all-time favorite men!(Click for more classic photos)
To the many famous figures now exactly twice my age, add one more. The venerable Shirley MacLaine turns 80 years old today, in good company of course, alongside such recently minted female octogenarians as Florence Henderson, Joan Collins, Joan Rivers and Dianne Feinstein. Here’s a well-deserved nod to yet another double, twice 40 that is, in this case one remarkably unmatched performer with 80 ways to prove it!
Of the numerous classic American and world icons rounding the half-century mark this year— Jeopardy!, The British Invasion, 8-Tracks– one biggie stands quite worthy of its own mention: The Ford Mustang has been with us for 50 years, exactly– this week in fact. The legendary muscle coupe of decade-varying proportions debuted in New York on April 17, 1964. And now, expectedly enough, a new generation is on the way to commemorate Mustang’s anniversary model year. What looked great 50 years ago– and maintains its good looks today following a few awkward “growth periods” shall we say (watch just about any original episode of “Charlie’s Angels”)– is clearly poised to emerge yet again looking better than ever! At last, I feel young.
They’re back, kind of. I traveled to Las Vegas on the long-anticipated yet largely unplanned occasion of my 40th birthday, searching amidst the unruly masses for any remaining shreds of a bygone era. Clearly such appealing elements weren’t to be found in a typical tourist’s wardrobe, as sadly enough no one dresses anymore. In fact it’s perplexing and question-inducing when someone like yours truly actually does! But this is beside the point. (And not unique to Vegas, I know.)
“Back” to what I was saying: I found them. In case you’re looking for them too, they’re at Rio. Boldly, stylishly and in true rambunctious form, as sure as you’ll cash out too late, The Rat Pack Is Back! I imagined a Dean Martin Las Vegas dinner roast for my 40th, and thankfully I got as close as I could get. Suffice to say, this “classic” performance did not disappoint.
Ryan R. Sanderson 