Ahhh...The Good Old Days

Though a long time ago, Mongo remembers how Pro Cycling used to be in the early years of the twenty first century. Back then, our cycling champions had style and the podium girls looked like 80's pornstars...sniff!

Picking Winners And Losing Ground: Not The Fantasy I Had In Mind

Over the past four stages of the Tour, Mongo has had two of the winners on my Fantasy team. Yet, my overall standings have risen and dropped by almost 3000 spots to where I now stand in 15217th place. That is a net gain of sixteen positions. As far as points go, Mongo has 561 and the current leader has 1824. I think it's fair to say that my GC hopes are over.

The 2011 Tour De France...Now With More Carnage Than A Saturday Morning Group Ride

(Photo:Bettini/Cyclingnews)

Johnny Hoogerland is a tough son of a bitch! After doing a 540 McTwist into this barb-wire fence, thanks to some "DUI-style" driving by a French TV car, J-Hoog slapped on a new kit and finished the stage...where he emotionally received his well deserved, KOM jersey.

AK47 Update: Erinnern Sie Sich An Mich?

Under the radar in 5th place. With "Shetland Jens Voigt" losing too much time today with a crash, and Jani Brajkovic abandoning with multiple injuries, it will be between Kloden and Horner to lead The Shack on GC. Don't count out either for a top five finish.

Irina Shayk Vs Ridley Noah FB

Two Bad Mamma Jammas: Early Race MVPs

(Photo:Cyclingnews)

Dazs: Boasson-Hagen Double Dips

(Photo:Sirotti/Cyclingnews)

Mongo's fantasy team ("Cat 5 Domination") got a big boost when the "Rob Lowe" of cycling...the ladies love him, EBH, took a classy win on Stage 6 today. I have jumped over 1000 positions, and now have the rest of the field in sight as I sit comfortably in 15233rd position.

I kind of learned a bit too late that the best strategy is to front-load your team with sprinters and single stage specialists. Mongo went the other way with a GC-heavy lineup. When the race gets to the high mountains I should move up considerably, but I'm pretty sure I'll be too far behind by then. I'll try to give a daily update of my team's progress as the race continues.

Doin' Some Fantasy Cycling

Mongo is participating in the Tour de France Fantasy Cycling Challenge on Versus.com. You have $500.00 to buy a roster of fifteen riders. To give you an example, Mark Cavendish is the most expensive rider at $108.00, while there are a handful of riders who only cost $4.00. The key is to balance out your team with sprinters, GC guys, and all-arounders.

Mongo put together a solid team and the official competition got underway today during Stage 5. The first four stages were used as practice. There are actually cool prizes to be won throughout the entire length of the Tour and the contest. So...how is Mongo doing in the overall standings after the first stage of competition?

I am in 16317 th place! There is work to be done.

Many Great Male Athletes Have High-Pitched Feminine Voices: The Face Spinnaker Unfurls

(Photo:Cyclingnews)

Bobby Julich Is Smiling Down From Heaven

(Photo:Cyclingnews)

"What's that?...He's not dead?...My bad!"

Biopace...The electric car of cycling. A technology that was ahead of it's time. Scoffed at by traditionalists and dismissed as a gimmick, only ridden by a a few civil-disobedients through recent years, it now returns in full stealth mode to the Pro Tour peloton.

U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!



(Photo:Cyclingnews)

WTF!?

(Photo:Cyclingnews)

I am extremely disappointed in the quality of the podium girls so far. Let's step it up, Tour de France! Get back to the hotties we're used to or you'll soon be on a slippery slope down to the talent level of the Volta ao Algarve.

Dorkfest: Four Years In The Making

(Photo:Bettini/Cyclingnews)



Mongo is happy for Garmin-Cervelo. Behind the smug and the whiteness is a team that does things the right way. Of course, I'm also happy because the win in the TTT continues the long list of heroic performances by teams or individuals who were lucky enough to have a taste of Mongo's "Juice".

Though I have endorsed Garmin-Cervelo for years, in their various name forms, I usually endorse a European team as well. This year was different. Mongo had a feeling and went with a second American team...who just happened to be named BMC. 1-2 Baby!!!