Velominati Super Prestige:
Giro D'Italia 2013
Velominati Community Profile Archive

Velominatus: Mikel Pearce

Order: Level 3 Velominatus

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Former triathlete turned roadie. Lawyer. Father of 2. Soon to be 3. Canadian. Turned 40 this year. Trying to get faster as I get older.

@Mikel Pearce's activity:

Guest Article: The Day of Atonement

Is this still the off season for the people of the North? I hope so. I know it’s -34 fahrenheit where Marko lives so he is only riding three times a week to prepare for the Keepers Tour. It seems @souleur has a little holiday guilt and now that those damn holidays are behind us it’s time to think about the cycling season ahead.Yours in...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. That was a reply to @Ron btw »

  2. Tyler Farrar crashes entirely too much, in my humble opinion. He’s always on the fucking deck! »

Voices and Echoes

Doubt. It speaks in whispered tones but echoes in our actions and lingers heavy on the mind. It is a thing that weaves itself into the seeds of our dreams and erodes vision into whim. Doubt leads to uncertainty; uncertainty to fear; fear prevents us from reaching as high as we might.Doubt is a clingy thing. Like a snowball dropped down a mountainsi...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. That last sentence – brilliant. »

Velominati Super Prestige: Mens World Championship Road Race 2012

I’m quite upset about it, actually, all this racing that’s been going on in perfectly good weather. Vlaanderen, dry. Roubaix, dry. We were nearly guaranteed shit weather with the Olympics in London, but even then, only the women got to get all Rule #9 on our asses – and only for one race. Damnit, I want Epic, and if we keep insis...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. Rain baby. Rain. VSP PICKS: 1. Gerrans 2. Gilbert 3. Sagan 4. Contador 5. Valverde »

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Road Championship 2012

It seems like just weeks ago that Cav won his rainbow stripes, things were said, umbrage was taken. Luckily we have found more umbrage so we are good to go. This course is not like last year. It’s not exactly a sprinters finish. It’s a 128 km rumble in Valkenberg and the Dutch team is there for Marianne Vos. She has finished second in...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. FTW! VSP PICKS: 1. Vos 2. Armistead 3. Pooley 4. Bronzini 5. Johanssen »

Velominati Super Prestige: Vuelta a España 2012

One of the loveliest things about the Grand Tours is that you get a feel, by the nature of the route, of the country’s landscape and physical qualities. Italy is littered with mountains and coasts, France is bordered by mountains with large swaths of open landscape throughout, and Spain is like Tatooine; mostly desert with some rocky outcropp...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. Same as above. Logged in this time. VSP PICKS: 1. Contador 2. Froome 3. J Rod 4. Talansky 5. JJ Cobo »

Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2012, Stage 16

Which bold rider has this stage circled in their tour bible? Wednesday July 18th, Stage 16, 197 km. The day after a the final rest day. A climbing day with two HC climbs followed by two Category 1 climbs and a serious descent toward the finish. The Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde: you better be a fearless climber and a good descender, bu...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. FTW! VSP PICKS: 1. Evans 2. Nibali 3. Froome 4. Wiggins 5. Pinot »

Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2012, Stage 11

During the 1969 Tour de France, Felice Gimondi and Ray Poulidor were fined for taking a ride from a lorry up the Tourmalet. What about Merkcx? Well, he was towing the lorry.Its an old joke, but like any good joke, it stays funny no matter how many times you hear it. I bet it’s even funnier if you know what a lorry is. I knew a girl named Lori...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. Here’s hoping VSP PICKS: 1. Nibali 2. Evans 3. Menchov 4. Wiggins 5. Van den Brocke »

Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2012

We are proud to announce a change to the Velominati Super Prestige moving forward: sponsorship. We are delighted (if a little surprised) at the interest our partners showed in this endeavor, despite the short notice we gave them. Four sponsors will be gracing the sides of our team bus for this year’s race: fi’zi:k is our Super Domesti...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. Froome for Hesjedal (damn), Nibali for Gesink. Damn that guy, losing time in a nothing stage! VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps): 1. Wiggins 2. Evans 3. Froome 4. Nibali 5. Menchov »

  2. Well then. Rest day swap a-comin’! »

  3. Boom! VSP PICKS: 1. Wiggins 2. Evans 3. Hesjedal 4. Gesink 5. Menchov »

Ontario Cogal Report: Canada Brings the V

A word about Cogal reports from the boardroom – we will attempt to run every Cogal report that arrives but it will only be the main article for a day or less, depending on Cogal back log. We would like the reports to be enjoyed by all Velominati but we can’t leave them up for the usual two to three days. They will then be relegated below th...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. @frank Chapeau. End of. »

  2. @Steampunk @Steampunk I was nae fucking with anyone! I was enjoying a ride (immensely) with a group of compatriots. I did feel particularly good that day, I will admit … and I took advantage of it! »

Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de Suisse 2012

This is an exciting time of year. The Giro is in the books, the Tour is firmly in everyone’s sights, and those of us with the vaguest idea of how the big race will unfold are prognosticating the loudest as we use races that are proven to reveal fuck-all about what will happen at the Tour to predict what will happen at the Tour.With the Dauphi...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. Three weeks until the Grand Depart! VSP PICKS: 1. Cunego 2. Gesink 3. Leipheimer 4. Fuglsang 5. Danielson »

Ontario, Canada Cogal

202km of rolling, hilly, Rattlesnake-infested riding goodness (Rattlesnake Point @~35km is absolutely vicious at 22%). Starting with the province’s best coffee at Domestique Café Cyclo-Sportif in Dundas, ON and riding out to Belfountain. Lunch and food options at Belfountain, Glen Williams, and Moffatt. Finishing with V-Pints waiting for us...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. 202km of rolling, hilly, Rattlesnake-infested riding goodness (Rattlesnake Point @~35km is absolutely vicious at 22%). Starting with the province’s best coffee at Domestique Café Cyclo-Sportif in Dundas, ON and riding out to Belfountain. Lunch and food options at Belfountain, Glen Williams, and Moffatt. Finishing with V-Pints waiting for us back at Domestique, where Krys has a nice selection of local beers on tap (if folks are interested, we could look into Krys making up some Domestique/V-Cogal t’s to commemorate the event).

    More on Café Domestique.

    Event Details

    Loading Map....

    Date/Time
    Date - May 27, 2012
    9:05 AM - 6:00 PM

    Location
    Café Domestique

    Cogal Details
    Route Details

    Ride Classification

La Bicyclette

I love the shape of it. Aroma of it. The way it feels to be around it. It will catch my eye from across the way; I will be powerless to resist taking in its form and perhaps allow my hand to graze its surface. The source of such beauty and harmony, it is a fountain of unspeakable happiness.It offers me companionship when I need it, solitude when...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. @Chris Seconded. Oh my eyes. »

Ontario, Canada Cogal

202km of rolling, hilly, Rattlesnake-infested riding goodness (Rattlesnake Point @~35km is absolutely vicious at 22%). Starting with the province’s best coffee at Domestique Café Cyclo-Sportif in Dundas, ON and riding out to Belfountain. Lunch and food options at Belfountain, Glen Williams, and Moffatt. Finishing with V-Pints waiting for us...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. 202km of rolling, hilly, Rattlesnake-infested riding goodness (Rattlesnake Point @~35km is absolutely vicious at 22%). Starting with the province’s best coffee at Domestique Café Cyclo-Sportif in Dundas, ON and riding out to Belfountain. Lunch and food options at Belfountain, Glen Williams, and Moffatt. Finishing with V-Pints waiting for us back at Domestique, where Krys has a nice selection of local beers on tap (if folks are interested, we could look into Krys making up some Domestique/V-Cogal t’s to commemorate the event).

    More on Café Domestique.

    Event Details

    Loading Map....

    Date/Time
    Date - May 27, 2012
    9:05 AM - 6:00 PM

    Location
    Café Domestique

    Cogal Details
    Route Details

    Ride Classification

Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012 Stage 20

See that huge mountain over there? The one with the steep, twisty road going up it? The one that is often covered in snow this time of year? Right, race ya to the top.I don’t know what more there is to say about this year’s Giro; four days from the end, with two of the biggest mountain stages yet to come and the G.C., Mountains, and P...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. @Steampunk As I said, , those fat, rule breaking slobs will make bling bikes cheaper for you and me, and might also help to push to make more room for bikes on our roads … The more the better, I say. We can TEACH them the Rules FFS! Ryder rocks. So hop… »

International Cogal: Festum Prophetae

It came to me in a moment of absolute clarity, the kind of clarity which only arrives to one in an oxygen-depleted state and at high speed – usually down a steep descent. It would be awfully nice to justify wearing my Molteni jersey, rather than having it hanging in my workshop all the time.It had been suggested a few times already by the tim...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. @Cyclops Ditto. And as a salve for the Schleckchute! »

Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012 Stage 20

See that huge mountain over there? The one with the steep, twisty road going up it? The one that is often covered in snow this time of year? Right, race ya to the top.I don’t know what more there is to say about this year’s Giro; four days from the end, with two of the biggest mountain stages yet to come and the G.C., Mountains, and P...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. @itburns Negative Sir. Both the Cogal and the final stage are Sunday. We shall (hopefully) arrive back at our starting point and begin the celebrations! Monday morning could be ugly though … »

Ride Like a Leader: Ivan Basso

Everyone knows that things like “tactics” and “thinking” are for the weak. After all, if you’re strong enough, loud enough, and stubborn enough, you should be able to outlast those pesky details like evidence, facts, or people who can ride their bikes faster than you can.Ivan Basso knows this, and Ivan Basso believes h...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. *own* I can’t even type I’m so excited. »

  2. @Dan_R I’m sorry, I can’t hear the Italian hearts, what with the sound of all the Canadian hearts swelling and beating faster every day we get closer to one of our won winning a Grand Tour! Go, Ryder, go. Ride like the beast you are and wear pink in Mila… »

Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012 Stage 20

See that huge mountain over there? The one with the steep, twisty road going up it? The one that is often covered in snow this time of year? Right, race ya to the top.I don’t know what more there is to say about this year’s Giro; four days from the end, with two of the biggest mountain stages yet to come and the G.C., Mountains, and P...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. Updated. What a ride from Ryder today! Just awesoem, and awe inspiring. Ontario Cogal Sunday. What a day it would be if we could celebrate the first Canadian to win a Grand Tour with the first Canadian Cogal. I’m just a LITTLE excited. VSP PICKS: 1. He… »

Ride Like a Leader: Ivan Basso

Everyone knows that things like “tactics” and “thinking” are for the weak. After all, if you’re strong enough, loud enough, and stubborn enough, you should be able to outlast those pesky details like evidence, facts, or people who can ride their bikes faster than you can.Ivan Basso knows this, and Ivan Basso believes h...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. Basso knows he doesn’t have the legs to do the “change of tempo” attacks in the mountains, like J-Rod seems to. He has to hope he can just burn Hesjedal and J-Rod off his wheel. So far, no dice. All Hesjedal has to do is stay where he is now until Sunday … »

Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012 Stage 20

See that huge mountain over there? The one with the steep, twisty road going up it? The one that is often covered in snow this time of year? Right, race ya to the top.I don’t know what more there is to say about this year’s Giro; four days from the end, with two of the biggest mountain stages yet to come and the G.C., Mountains, and P...

@Mikel Pearce's posts:

  1. Hope of a Nation FTW! VSP PICKS: 1. Basso 2. Hesjedal 3. J. Rodriguez 4. Kreuziger 5. Pozzovivo »