More Light, More Signs Of Spring

Annie and I were out for our usual loop this morning and it was incredible how much more light there was by 6:30 AM as compared to last week when the clocks were sprung forward. With enjoying the light for a late ride yesterday and realizing that the morning's are getting lighter despite the clock change, maybe my opinion on moving Daylight Savings time forward is changing.But it was still only 34 degrees with a 10 mph wind (at least) so that it felt like the high 20's. Yet again, the day warmed up and the sun shone and it has been a beautiful day to have my bike with me for doing errands and going to meetings. So I'll record the mileage later.

My evening got unexpectedly busy last night and I barely had time to get home for dinner and watch the new HBO Mini-series John Adams. So I missed Cyclism Sunday and the end of Paris-Nice. But I have it on DVR and will watch it later in the week. It sounds like it was a great race.



It was won by Davide Rebellin, last year's second place winner behind Alberto Contador, who was not permitted to ride in this year's edition. Unfortunately, that's the bigger story around the race than the race itself: The continuing dispute between ASO and UCI. I must say I find myself fully supporting UCI in this matter. I find the ASO decision regarding Astana to be entirely baffling. Thus, the race is tainted for me, as will the Tour be this summer. I sincerely hope that these issues will somehow be settled by then, but I doubt they will. I think the dispute will hurt cycling badly, threaten sponsorship, if nothing else. For what ever reason I believe ASO does not care about the sponsorship issue. I think they would rather see national teams like the old days and somehow de-professionalize the sport. But this is not possible nor, probably, desirable. But what do I know? I only know that the race still sounded exciting, that I wish some of the world's best cyclists had been permitted to race, and that I'll probably end up following the Tour no matter what happens. It will be interesting now to see whether the UCI makes good on its pledge to punish the teams and riders who broke ranks to ride in Paris-Nice. That will only make things more complicated.