Sunday Morning

Maglia Rosa

Riding in the rain print, originally uploaded by jamieshelman.

image source: by holapablo67

image source: by iSergio87

Both the Tour of California and Giro d'Italia are in full swing! The overall race leader in the Giro wears the Maglia Rosa, or pink jersey, which reflects the paper colour of the sports newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, originally sponsoring the race. I'm in love with this bubble gum pink color, especially the pink socks! To celebrate all the cycling frenzy I've taken $10 off my Riding in the Rain Cat print who also happens to be sporting a Maglia Rosa, (he found it folded behind the podium and took it!) until the end of the Giro. If you're in the states I hope you're catching coverage of The Tour of California on Versus (even if they did cut off the crucial final kilometers of yesterday's race for NHL hockey pre-game commentary- Lance wasn't the only one mad- grrrr!) In the meantime we keep catching snippets of rapid fire Italian and glimpses of a rain-spattered Giro on the web- Viva Italia!

Rain in the Tour, Rain on the Vineyard

Tom and I are a bit bonked from waking up at 6:30 am every morning to catch the Tour ride through the Alps but wouldn't miss it for anything! Hope we haven't lost y'all with our cycling posts but this years race has been incredible! The finale in Paris is THIS Sunday with a criterium down the Champs Elysee! Saturday is also a stage not to be missed, a final climb over Mt. Ventoux , infamous for it's steep inclines and treeless landscape-  especially exciting this year as it falls on the next to the last day- much could be decided. Check Versus website here for local TV listings-

Mt. Ventoux, photo found on flickr by skamenz

I've also been meaning to post a compilation of a few new items any cycling afficionado must have so here goes..

New biography on Lance Armstrong:

Lance: The Making of the World's Greatest Champion by John Wilcockson

Amazing shots of vintage bicycles:

The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles: Craftsmanship, Elegance, and Function by Jan Heine and Jean-Pierre Praderes 

Any cycling clothing by British Cycle clothing shop Rapha, specifically..

Campionissimo Shirt by Rapha

Team Issue Stowaway Jacket by Rapha

A Subscription to Rouleur Magazine - great cycling photography

Mellow Johnny's cycling gear (Armstrong's Austin Texas Shop)

a new  Cervelo S3

for cycling the Alps (this may also have to include two tickets to next years Tour...)

And a new cycling print of Mon Chat 

Riding in the Rain deux

(as seen above!)

Vivre Le Tour! Have a great cycling packed weekend!

2008 Tour de France Paul Smith Cycling Jersey by Rapha 

Le Moves- Stage 10

Le Moves- Stage 10, originally uploaded by jamieshelman.

Today in commemoration of Bastille Day we eat snails and ride like one, lots of room for acrobatics.

Vivre Le Tour!

Le cycling, originally uploaded by jamieshelman.

Cycling cat print re-listed just in time for the start of the Tour de France! Find this little guy here...

Le Cycling- 8 x 10 in Print