The rumor mill is churning with a purpose in Marin today with an unconfirmed report coming out of the Whole Athlete camp that team captain Dario Fredericcio may not start tomorrows Ronde von San Raflaanderrs. While no official statement has been issued, many are speculating that Fredericcio's possible non-start may be a symbolic statement on his denied petition on the relegation of Ken Hushvod in this past weeks Marin-Roubaix. Fredericcio, who apparently felt poorly used by PHRO in the matter, is currently second behind Jonas Lodewick in the MWC overall standings and if indeed he does not take the line on B St tomorrow, this will likely spell certain victory for Lodewick.
R.A. Von Schmidt Vows to Retain Red Lantern Title Despite Marin-Roubaix Absence
Belgian hardcase, R.A. VonSchmidt is trying a new approach in his quest to capture an unprecedented 3rd straight Lantern Rouge title - Not Starting. A surprise no-show at last weeks Marin Roubaix suffer-fest, VonSchmidt has taken the art of indolence to an previously unexplored level. Apparently concerned about his ability to ride slower than everyone else and feeling threatened by a challenge from newcomer Stijn Cherry for the title of Most Torpid, Von Schmidt devised a new stratagem for losing...not starting at all. The result? An even firmer grasp on the Red Flame of Mediocrity. "I respect and fear Stijn's methodical pace and also his overt level of relaxation. To lose to him, I had to think "outside the box" and create a new methodology. By not starting, I avoid the dreaded DNF, yet also manage to escape the most damaging statistic of all: a placing." VonSchmidt looks to secure his title this Tuesday in San Raflaanders. What new wrinkle will he come up with this time? Riding backwards? Puncturing his own tyre? Pre-breaking his chain?
Van der Standish Looking for First San Raflaanderrs Finish
While no one in this cycling rich region would think to question the experience and palmeries of Baen Van der Standish,
the Sonoma County cycling star is not taking his first Marin World Cup event lightly. "I am riding this year's Ronde von San Raflaanderrs solely for training and experience. To think that I could be competitive with the Marin strongmen in their home race on my first attempt would be folly of the highest order. I will follow wheels, learn the course and hope for a top 10 finish."
The potential start of Van der Standish has more than a few cycling pundits questioning if he is a ringer brought in by Lodewick as they were, at one time, teammates on the now defunct Dewar's Racing powerhouse team of the early part of the decade. Keeping a sharp eye out for envelopes being passed between the entourage of Lodewick and the Dewar's team car will likely be great sport for the fans on Tuesday's Ronde.
War of Words Continues Between Hushvod and Lodewick
In a rivalry that has reached levels unseen since the likes of Abbott and Costello, Ken Hushvod and Jonas Lodewick have maintained a veritable fusillade of aspersion towards one another this past week with both sides lobbing their fair share of invective.
Lodewick, who in a post Marin-Roubaix interview obliquely referred to Hushvod's strategy of marking his wheel in every move as "cowardly" and prior to Hushvod's namesake event, the GP Hushvod, remarked that the aging local star was "washed up." Hushvod for his part answered Lodewick's convincing win in the ITT with a victory of his own at the Marin-Roubaix, dropping Lodewick with little under 500m to go in the velodrome. In the days since the race, the press has picked up on several stories that allege Lodewick's "family trip" to San Diego was, in reality, a secret training exercise as well as releasing photos that show a wrecked silver Audi A4 that is claimed to be Lodewick's.
While no official connection has been made, it is virtually certain that Hushvod has loosed his pet paparazzi on Lodewick in a contemptible effort to distract the charismatic star from focusing on tomorrow's San Raflaanderrs. In a statement released today by his public relations staff, Lodewick refuted these claims and placed the onus directly on Hushvod to claim responsibility.
"It is well known that my wife's family is in San Diego and that we were there for her cousin's wedding. These rumors that I was training are totally without merit and only proves that Hushvod must resort to deceit and trickery to attempt to gain an edge. In fact, in order to make my point, I have not ridden any training miles in 5 days as preparation for San Raflaanderrs. I plan to arrive at the start line as the most unprepared rider there, if only to show the cretin Hushvod that class, good looks, great hair and a well put together kit will triumph over his sloppy clothing, "Tractor" bike and substantial paunch every day of the week."
Lodewick is obviously pulling no punches in his statement and he went on to say, "Hushvod attempting to sic the paparazzi on me is contemptable. My visage is known from Milan to Sunset Blvd and only his sycophantic local news hacks would swallow such absurdity. I'm suprised that Hushvod didn't follow me to San Diego...he seems follows my wheel everywhere else!"
Well then. It would certainly seem that Tuesday San Raflaanderrs will, if nothing else, be not without fireworks.
Johnny from Sonnen here...uh, that is Lodewick's smashed car. That guy is a hack!
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