That is it. I have no idea when SBNation plans to show the location off (read-only mode), however I assume it’s by January 1.
First issues first, as I’ve signaled earlier than, the FSA Directeur Sportif is cued up for an additional go-round. Undecided about 2026, however 2025 is on. I can’t deprive myself of the possibility to cost Tadej Pogačar after his megamonster 12 months. Or deprive all of you of the dilemma that worth will pose. I might by no means look Ursula within the eye once more if I missed this opportunity. The directions for enjoying are easy: simply go to the FSA DS website and login. By February 1, 2025, it’s best to discover all the things you want there. Although not sooner (keep tuned).
Different stuff…
I’m busily establishing a WordPress weblog for if (okay, when) I do get the itch to write down. And please be happy to proceed chatting at our Reddit.
I may be adopted on Twitter, or Threads (chrsfnt), or Bluesky (chrispodiumcafe). As is true for a lot of of you. Please do observe me there so I can observe you again. Please publish in feedback every other hyperlinks you desire to individuals to learn about.
I like to recommend following Michael Baumann’s Wheelysports publication, which I discover to be similar to our method right here. Michael is an expert author, principally about baseball, for a few of my favourite pubs, but it surely’s solely a matter of time earlier than he publicly admits that his true sports activities love is the Tour of Flanders. [That’s my guess. I don’t know him well, just corresponded a bit, but I have a keen sense of who might be a cobbles addict.]
*****
I received’t miss the biking, as a result of the present, as at all times, goes on. I received’t miss Belgium or Italy as a result of I intend to go there once more, with a motorbike or two. I received’t miss driving as a result of I plan to begin all of that up once more within the spring. I received’t miss the nice tales of the previous 20 years as a result of I can revisit them. I confess, I do like simply writing, I’m useless that method, however no matter I wanted to say, I completed up saying it already. That’s a life lesson. Not all journeys are limitless. [Except, of course, Journey’s. That’s another life lesson, about what vanity really looks like. I digress…]
However I’ll miss the neighborhood. It was at all times in regards to the neighborhood. I keep in mind within the earliest days you might name up a world map which might present the place individuals had logged in from. San Francisco! Minneapolis! Brussels!! Riga! The place is Riga? It was fascinating, and although anecdotal at first, it did change into an precise neighborhood, not simply wired collectively however related, in that thrilling method that sports activities brings individuals collectively.
I had the privilege of being a central determine right here, however that’s not what I’ll keep in mind most. What I’ll take with me is an accident of geography, being nearly farthest from the motion (time-zone-wise) such that by the point I might present as much as the reside chat, everybody was already there. The Cafe that I walked into so many mornings, latte in hand, was a constructing stuffed with outdated mates, buzzing with exercise and chatter, jokes and race-talk, with an enormous display bringing the motion to all of us. Understanding there was at all times a spot to take a seat, a race to observe, and good mates to observe it with… that’s what it was at all times about. Thanks.
