The secret of Armstrong's success

Both in the Tour de France and in real life, Lance Armstrong holds nothing back. Followers of the sport know all too well the so-called Mask of Pain on Armstrong’s face each time he will negotiate a bike climb in pursuit of his Tour aspirations.

In real life it was with the same honest accounting of himself that Lance Armstrong kissed and danced to old Madonna songs at the Cannes’ Dolce and Gabanna party in pursuit of his new aspiration: Kate Hudson.

“They were just really into each other,” a witness told Us Weekly. “They would look at each other in the eyes and then kiss on the lips.”

According to the magazine, Armstrong and Hudson were first spotted together publicly on May 15 at Wildwood Barbeque in New York City after seeing a Kid Rock concert.

And there we have it. If being a winner means acting like a winner, it probably makes sense to train on your bike with the whole Madonna discography on your iPod. To some extent that may have nothing to do with Armstrong’s TdF success, but it certainly made him a success with the ladies.

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4 bike ride must-haves that I bet you don’t have

Notes from Tanay, Rizal

Cycling is a team sport and it is best done in groups. Even though for most parts of every bike ride a cyclist finds himself alone—sweating one climb after another by himself, relying mostly on what’s inside him to finish the ride and make it home—there is always that time and place where he and his friends will regroup, share stories, and buy one another drinks.

It is during those times that a cyclist stops being alone. And during those times, somehow, the difficulty of 50 kilometers or so behind him and the ride back home do not matter much. Too bad, though, that he can’t have it all the time. He has only himself to rely on and is going to need these oft-neglected bike ride must-haves if he is to reach home all right.

1. Omega Pain Killer—Or any other rub-on pain killers. They reduce the stiffness of the leg muscles. They also feel warm on the skin and give some sort of comfort during the long and hard bike ride. Also, they smell good and are nice substitutes to the weird, manly smell that pedestrians get from you when you pass them by.

2. Full-Face Bike Mask—You are going to need a full-face bike mask if you are a recreational cyclist who rides his bike only on weekends. It protects your face from the harsh sun rays. And, believe you me, a good tan on your face won’t put you on the good graces of your bosses. They hate it when you have fun. Also, a full-face bike mask hides all the gritting and gnashing and any other evidence of your suffering.

3. Digital Camera—Sure, it is too much to bring a digital camera if you are engaged in an strenuous activity like cycling. But it has its uses. You can sort of immortalize your bike ride, and brag about them via the Internet. If you think that is the only way you are going to make any friends, follow this advice. Just be sure that you have a decent bag to carry a digital camera, and that you are fast and strong enough to get ahead of the group, stop and take photos, and then give a chase to do the routine all over again.

4. Chocolates—Great instant source of energy. They are packaged in tin foil packs that bringing them along during bike rides reduces the risk of getting chocolate smudges on your jersey when the sun melts them down. More importantly, chocolates are well-liked, especially by kids who will tell you the right direction from Point A to Point B only when you give them chocolates.

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Valenzuela wins Manila-to-Baguio race

By June Navarro

BAGUIO CITY – Oozing with vigor and energy, Irish Valenzuela conquered the punishing ascent to this city and arrived ahead of other cyclists at Burnham Park as he ruled the Liquigaz Race To The Lion's Head stage of the one-day Manila-Baguio race on Sunday.

Valenzuela bolted away from the lead pack composed of eight riders at the 38-kilometer mark on Kennon Road and pulled away for good at the Lion's Head marker to capture the individual crown of the 247-km Manila-Baguio race.

Valenzuela, who led the RP team to an unprecedented victory in the Tour of Thailand last year following a fourth-place finish in the Southeast Asian Games, also took the King of the Mountain award worth P5,000.

"I gave everything I had when we reached Kennon and made sure that nobody else would threaten me," said the 21-year-old Valenzuela, the youngest cyclist on the RP team roster.

Anticipating a challenge from the seasoned riders, Valenzuela summoned all his strength to sustain the breakaway and soloed it home in six hours, 47 minutes and 57 minutes. He pocketed the P10,000 individual winner's purse.

"I didn't want to engage the veterans in a tight race to the finish," said Valenzuela, the 2006 Padyak Pinoy Rookie of the Year who placed third overall last year.

Underdog Renier Clauna, a teammate of Valenzuela, salvaged second place in 6:49:30 while Joel Calderon wound up third in 6:49:43.

Dante Cagas (6:51.06) and Tomas Martinez (6:52.36) rounded out the Top 5 in the one-day race sponsored by Liquigaz Philippines Corp. and the Liquified Petroleum Gas Marketers Association.

Except for veteran rider Merculio Ramos, no one from among the respected names in the sport that included former Tour champions Warren Davadilla, Arnel Quirimit, Victor Espiritu and Santy Barnachea landed in the Top 10.

The 1-2 finish of Valenzuela and Clauna also rewarded their squad with the team crown worth P75,000. The other members of the champion team were Oscar Rendole, Allan Ricafort, Anthony Miranda, John Ricafort, Edward Nardo and Mark Montemayor.

The winning team was credited with a total clocking of 27:30:56.88 based on the times of the first four riders.

Joseph Millanes, who seized the Sprint King plum worth P5,000, checked in sixth at 6:53:06 followed by Renato Sambrano (6:55:08), Edward Nardo (6:55:20), Ericson Obosa (6:57:10) and Merculio Ramos (6:57:35).

Ramos, the heavy favorite from Tarlac City, led Team 7 to second place in 28:26.38.14 while Team 11 of skipper Emetilano Atilano was third in 29:29:34.36.

Victor Espiritu, who captured the Padyak Pinoy crown last year, landed 20th overall (7:10:31).

Davadilla, Quirimit and Barnachea failed to even make it to the top 20, all fading during the climb through Kennon.

"I feel rusty, I didn't practice for this race," said Davadilla, winner of the last Manila-Baguio race held in 2000. Philippine Daily Inquirer

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