| Archive for justcycling.myfastforum.org Just Cycling |
| kathy |
My day at the VueltaSometimes in life, little things happen that make all the hanging around the finish line worthwhile. Today was one of those days!I got a scoop! Well, me and a dozen or so others of the thousands who were at the finish! Lots of photos to sort. Watch this space. 
|
||||
| kathy |
OK, forget the race - what made it for me happened afterwards.
Not the most brilliant photo in the world, but I just got the camera out and started snapping. After finishing the race, and appearing on the podium, Alejandro rode down the road through the fans to where his wife and the twins were waiting - I'd seen them earlier. He posed for the small group of people who spotted him with both of the twins for a couple of minutes. Happa Gal is right - he is a nice guy! I can think of certain riders, naming no names, who wouldn't do that in a million years. I don't care whether he was in OP up to his ears, or what CONI think of him, he's great! Now Fabian, on the other hand..... More photos to follow. Also have some video - might try and put it on Youtube - never done that before. |
||||
| kathy |
Photos from Bullas
The break (or part of it) 
Caisse lead the peloton 
The peloton 
|
||||
| Nolte |
that's good to hear about valverde. i watch valverde and i like him
photo's aren't appearing for me glad you had a good time 
|
||||
| kathy |
Some stuff from the finish - was a bit too far from the finish line-
Farrar's s sprint (not a good photo - taken from a distance and cut down) 
Some finishers 
Click to see full size image more finishers 
Click to see full size image |
||||
| Nolte |
photos working now | ||||
| kathy |
Not appearing for me now either - they did when I first posted. Perhaps I should try posting them as thumbnails. Still one missing 
Done the big ones as thumbnails. |
||||
| Enchantress |
Excellent photos Kathy, thanks for sharing them here.
Like you, my impression of Don Alejandro is that he's a likable bloke. He's been a highly entertaining and talented bike racer. Being quite fit helps with some fans too
|
||||
| MAILLOT JAUNE |
Well done kathy, photos are great, especially considering it's a new camera to you and glad you got a good close up of Valverde. Chapeau. | ||||
| Bartali |
Great photos Kathy - particularly the close up of Don Alejandro.
While I am fully behind CONI from what little I know I have to say on a personal note he seems very likable and as a rider too (same as DDL). Brilliant picture - one to treasure. |
||||
| Biosphere |
Each to their own and all that, but if people think that Valverde is in OP up to his neck (and Courcheval in 2005 suggests he was up to his eyeballs), how is he a nice guy? To me it means he's prepared to cheat his peers. Should good looks let him off the hook? Just curious as I can't understand the perspective that's being expressed.
Anyway, thanks for pics Kathy. Glad you enjoyed the day out. |
||||
| kathy |
Thank you folks
A couple more Farrar on the podium 
Click to see full size image The leader's jersey 
Click to see full size image And I think it's only fair to show Alejandro with the second twin (the shy one) - they're not identical, are they? 
|
||||
| kathy |
He's no more of a cheat than any of the others. Fabian Cancellara showed a bout of typical Evans type rage at the end of the stage today, only a few feet away from me! Think back to Floyd. Fabian was riding back very close to the barriers, and a spectator patted him on the back. He aim a punch at the spectator and hurled abuse at him. My signature takes on a new perspective! |
||||
| Enchantress |
Agree with you totally. The only difference between Valverde and Contador (or any other top cyclist) is in being caught - not in whether they are doping or not. It isn't as if Evans, Basso, or any of the others he's racing again are squeaky clean. As for Cancellara - is a new nickname in store for him?
|
||||
| berck |
Air Punch? 
Great pics Kathy. Thanks for sharing. Always exciting to be close to the action! |
||||
| Hommedesbois |
Good work kathy! We don't see enough of the human side of cycling.
Valverde is for me in the same league as Museeuw and maybe Vino too. they do what they have to do and I accept that. 6 hours on a bike in 40°+ temperatures up mountains with idiots shouting in my ear would turn me into a mass-murderer but these cyclists aren't allowed to respond? I haven't seen the stage or the Spartacus bit but I'm sure he is better behaved than I would be (and more charged up maybe). |
||||
| kathy |
Experimenting with a Youtube upload. Never done it before. Let's see if it works now.
Link Eureka! Not very exciting. Just after the end of the stage, and the sound is a bit jumpy, but it works! |
||||
| HuwB |
Thy shy one? That would be dad!
Yes, far better than my front wheel or back wheel efforts. I remember that sky from last year. Glad you enjoyed your day and now you have one of rest! ....off to try the vid.... ....hey, not bad. A quick flash of most of the big cheeses! |
||||
| MAILLOT JAUNE |
Great video kathy and getting it uploaded onto YouTube. I wouldn't know where to start, but I guess it can't be that difficult if millions of people can do it, but you just get the impression that it's technical.
Very difficult to video the chaos at the end as there are things going on everywhere - a lot of my videos are messy as I follow one rider only to pan back to try and catch another so it can be a bit of a blur. I think you've got it spot on! |
||||
| SlowRower |
It's probably because most cycling fans accept that most top riders are doping to one extent or another. Therefore, in assessing the appropriateness of a particular rider to support / like etc. doping isn't really a determining factor. We generally make our choices of riders to support based on other factors, and if the ladies think Valverde is good looking and therefore worthy of supprt then that's fine. I supported Steffi Graf at tennis for years simply because she had a fantastic pair of legs! It's only when a particular rider has other personality traits or does other things that we don't like that their doping (guessed, strongly suspected or proven) is used as a stick to hit them with. In real life, we probably all accept that being unfaithful is wrong. Yet, there are plenty of adulterers out there who make very agreeable dinner party guests whilst at the same time there are people who live blameless lives but have an annoying, whining voice and after half an hour at the pub with them you'd happily punch their lights out. We like or dislike people for all sorts of reason, not necessarily fair or logical, and pretty much any view can be justified. Apologies to those out there who have doping status as the #1 factor in determining whether to favour a rider or not... |
||||
| kathy |
Just for the record, I don't think Valverde is all that good-looking - he just seems to have a nice personality and is a good rider. I think it's sad that women can't say they like a rider without being accused of fancying them. I could say things about the photos of Vicky Pendleton that have been posted on this forum, but I won't!
MJ, uploading the video was very simple, but tedious. That just over 300Mb video of the finish line took nearly 3 hours to upload on my 6Mb connection. I'm now uploading a second one of Moncoutie on the podium - leaving it running in the background! It's amazing how close you can get to the riders in the Vuelta. The Tour seems to have much more rigid barriers by comparison, and much more stroppy policemen. At the Vuelta, the Guardia Civil yesterday were happily moving barriers for people and directing them where they wanted to go. |
||||
| SlowRower |
Sorry Kathy - Bio mentioned good looks as a potential exonerating factor and I didn't actually read your original post fully! For the record, I'm quite happy to be accused of only watching tennis for Ms Graf's legs.
On a technical note, how do you post normal photos? (Youtube would be a step too far for me, I fear...) |
||||
| kathy |
When you post a message, just outside the box at the bottom, it says 'Attach File' in blue. Click on this and you should get a pop-up box enabling you to bowse your PC for the photo. Once you've found it, click on 'Open' and then 'Upload file'. Once uploaded, it will appear magically in your reply - that's all there is to it. Doing the Youtube video was remarkably easy as well. |
||||
| Bartali |
Agreed Kathy! For the record I think Vicky Pendleton is a good rider and has a nice personality!
|
||||
| SlowRower |
For normal people, perhaps. But this is me, so there may be a few problems along the way! |
||||
| Bartali |
Use 'post reply' button not 'quick reply'. | ||||
| kathy |
Flushed with success - David Moncoutie on the podium getting the climbers' jersey.
Link I took one of Cadel getting the combo jersey as well, but some bloke put his big head in the way 
|
||||
| Superbagneres |
Or "Veronica Singleton", as Gordon Brown apparently referred to her on a visit to the 2012 Olympic site. |
||||
| CapeRoadie |
 Nice pics and video. Would love to see la Vuelta! You are blessed.
|
||||
| levi |
Kathy looks as if you had a good time and some good pics for reminiscing in the future. | ||||
| billgull |
Great pics/vids, Kathy.
Thanks for posting! |
||||
| cardinal guzman |
Sometimes nice people do bad things and horrible people save lives - people are complex. | ||||
| Bartali |
That's very 'understanding' of you CG .... has your 'fire and brimstone' mellowed over the summer?
|
||||
| cardinal guzman |
Nah, but I did enjoy my first sunny day off since May yesterday - maybe it's heatstroke? (I am now of the firm belief that Monsoon is now standard British summer weather, followed by an Indian summer in Sept/Oct - we will never again see a 1976 or a 1984)
- I't looks like rain out. (I forgot to say, cheers for the initial posts Kathy, you are turning yourself into quite the multimedia queen!  )
|
||||
| mr shifter |
That's the same for all the ASO races, I found. A reason (lancy another) that I started going to Swiss and Dauphine for the atmosphere that you caught in your Video. Thanks for sharing, Lovely stuff.
Rain, what Rain as my neighbourhood and others into South London are still waiting for the "Wet" stuff to land hereabouts. We have seen it go by over London or the other side and 10 mins light drizzle just don't count. It has been a great Summer Here and still is. The TOB hits town next week so we might get some then. ???? |
||||
| Biosphere |
Just for the record, I was responding to Enchantress who brought up his looks. I'm not that fussed, it's just that knowing he cheated makes me at best neutral about him.
Also, for the record, he was caught red handed. Being Spanish means he hasn't been punished. That's the difference. Today's stage winner is often hailed as being clean by those who I'll presume know what they're talking about. Is he being cheated or are "top" cyclists just doing what they have to? Anyway, this started off as a happy thread, so not much point in retreading old ground ad infinitum. I'll shut up now. I'd be slow to go spectate at the Tour again - far too many people, the smaller races are a much better bet for a more relaxed day out and photo ops. Not suggesting the Vuelta is small before I start another debate
|
||||
| kathy |
I don't know which thread I originally posted the saga of my Youtube video, but I've now been vindicated. Youtube have restored it, and kindly told me my account will not be penalised  What I want to know is, will Universal Sports be penalised for making spurious complaints?
|
||||
| Slapshot 3 |
These big conglomerates don't always in...nice one Kathy |
||||
| Me, a fan? |
Who is the woman singing in the background (can't hear until near the end)? Beautiful voice. |
||||
| kathy |
That was the Vuelta 'song' this year. It was played before and after all the TVE recordings, and ad infinitum by the PA at the finish of the stage. Started driving me up the wall, actually. I'll try and find a YOUTUBE link. Here it is Link Her name is Zahara and the song was in the Eurovision song contest. |
||||
| happa gal |
It was sooooo nice to enjoy your pics and videos....again!! Huge thanks...again....
|
||||
| Me, a fan? |
Yeah, I heard it every time I logged onto universal sports to catch the race. Thanks Kathy. |
||||
| kathy |
I just wish someone would disable TT's typing finger!
|
||||