Something about the dog days of summer, the annual pilgrimage to Penticton, and a new job have left me short the required hours to really delve into a weekly Bikey offering. Anyhow, we're back, and ready for a big fall (Vuelta, the Worlds, Kona, the fall marathon season, ITU Worlds Finale, etc)...time to go get updated and watch some videos
So where are we? The World Championships in Athletics came and went, and other than another Usain Bolt show, I'm not really sure what the normal sports fan will remember from the 2009 Worlds. Hmmm, let's recap.
*The marathons really weren't great. Without a lot of huge names, they weren't super exciting to watch but congrats to China's Bai Xue and a lesser-known Kenyan male Abel Kirui. Too bad that Kara Goucher had a miserable day since it makes marathons more enjoyable to watch with her in the front group.
* The pole vault competitions provided lots of drama. Unbelievably, Yelena Isinbayeva no-heighted at 4.75m (her opening height, a full 30 cm lower than her world record). Isinbayeva had not been beaten in almost 6 years until earlier this year, but was still the overwhelming favorite to win. Ironically, the winner cleared only 4.75m, so one clean vault would have won the gold for Isinbayeva. The men's pole vault was won by Australia's Steve Hooker, who cleared only one height but it was high enough (5.90m) to win the gold. Awesome. Even better since he was injured and not even sure he could compete. And he has great hair...
* With Isinbayeva out of the spotlight, the Golden Girl of the Games was undeniably Blanka Vlasic, the Croatian high jumper. She won a fierce battle for Gold and also entertained with her antics and her post-jump dancing. Check out the video...
* Sharing the men's spotlight with Usain Bolt was Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, who is cementing his legacy as the greatest distance runner of all time. Check out this list of results...
2009 World Track Champion 5,000 m, Berlin
2009 World Track Champion 10,000 m, Berlin
2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Athletics 5,000 m, Beijing
2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Athletics 10,000 m, Beijing
2008 World Cross Country Championships (12K), Edinburgh
2007 World Track Champion 10,000 m, Osaka
2006 World Cross Country Champion in short race (4K), Fukuoka
2006 World Cross Country Champion in long race (12K), Fukuoka
2006 World Indoor Track Champion 3,000 m, Moscow
2005 World Cross Country Champion in short race (4K), Saint-Étienne
2005 World Cross Country Champion in long race (12K), Saint-Étienne
2005 World Track Champion 10,000 m, Helsinki
2004 World Cross Country Champion in short race (4K), Brussels
2004 World Cross Country Champion in long race (12K), Brussels
2004 Olympic Champion 10,000 m, Athens
2003 World Cross Country Champion in short race (4K), Avenches
2003 World Cross Country Champion in long race (12K), Avenches
2003 World Track Champion 10,000 m, Paris
2002 World Cross Country Champion in short race (4K), Dublin
2002 World Cross Country Champion in long race (12K), Dublin
Let's see...three Olympic gold medals, has won the 10,000m at Worlds in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009, went five years at XC Worlds without losing either the short-course or long-course events, and the last two years has won both the 5000m and 10,000m crowns in Beijing and in Berlin. Oh yeah, he also owns the 5000m and 10,000m World Records. He is the best. Now to see him in action, check out the way he wins...
The 10,000m race was vintage Bekele. Zersenay Tadese set the pace for 9600m, destroyed the whole pack, but Bekele just sat on his shoulder before sprinting the last lap.
The 5000m showed his versatility and his ability to win in other ways. One lap to go, the whole pack still there, he got challenged by American Bernard Lagat down the home stretch but still found his top speed to win.
I don't have the time to comment on the ongoing Caster Semenya controversy until it gets resolved. If you want to read more, check out this story first and then some good updates here and here...I'll hold off until we know more...
Oh yeah. The one Canadian highlight!
For more on the Worlds, check out letsrun.com's recap page here...
Okay, enough track news for now (even though I have more news), off to Pro Cycling...
The Vuelta is off to a rip-roaring start, with the first week including two time trials (can you say Cancellara?), a bunch of sprint finishes (can you say Team Columbia?), and some big names near the top after a couple of mountain finishes. Cancellara won the stage 1 time trial (4.5 km) and the stage 7 30 km time trial, while Andre Greipel (Team Columbia's other sprinter) won Stage 4 and Stage 5. The stage 4 win occured after an amazing crash...
The real GC race started in stage 8 which resulted in an uphill victory by Damiano Cunego. However, Cadel Evans joined a very elite club after stage 8 when he took the lead of the race and was awarded the Golden Jersey, which he adds to his previously worn Yellow Jersey and Maglia Rosa, meaning he has now led all 3 Grand Tours. I guess Alberto Contador has done this as well since he has won all three races, but not too many other cyclists can claim this honour.
Evans didn't get to enjoy it too much, as a time bonus in stage 9 gave Alejandro Valverde the race lead. But this might only serve to highlight the race for second overall? Why? Because Valverde is still under suspicion of past doping offenses, and might be days away from a worldwide cycling ban. After today's Stage 10, there are still a ton of top contenders within a minute or so of Valverde, including Cadel Evans, Robert Gesink, Ivan Basso, and Samuel Sanchez. But no Andy Schleck, who dropped out in Stage 8 with stomach cramps. Too bad.
Some Canadian news - Ryder Hesjedal almost broke Garmin's two-year Grand Tour shutout with a great effort in Stage 10 today. But he lost by less than a bike length to Cervelo's Simon Gerrans at the end of the stage after being in a day-long breakaway along with Astana's Alexander Vinokourov. Too bad, a Canadian hasn't won a Grand Tour stage since Steve Bauer back in 1988. Ryder is way back in GC (54th place) so he might get another chance for a stage result. After all their near misses (Tyler Farrar, Dave Zabriskie, TTT, David Millar, now Hesjedal) isn't their time coming?
Lots more to come later this week, including some 2010 bikes and a look ahead at this weekend's ITU World Championship Series Finale in Australia...see you Friday!
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