The Gonz

Laurent Fignon RIP

The two-time Champion of Tour de France, among many other victories during his career, Laurent Fignon, died today of cancer at the age of 50.

The first rock show I ever went to was Dio on the Sacred Heart Tour in 1986. I'm still surprised my parents let me go. The dragon, the laser rainbow, all the hair, stupid 15+ minute guitar, bass and drum solos, and Ronnie James Dio. EPICness I will never forget. Ronnie's gone now. RIP.

Lance vs. Marco at Mont Ventoux

Yeah yeah yeah, it's road cycling, geared bikes and all that but this pic is pretty awesome. Taken by Ian Nutt and posted on La Gazetta Della Bici.

Lance and Il Pirata battling it out on the epic final climb of Mont Ventoux during the Tour de France 2000. Check out Pantani's water bottle too... And the clip below, you don't see them coasting too much there, now do you?

Giovanni Pettenella (1943-2010) R.I.P.

A true track star.

"A man who from humble beginnings went on to win a gold medal in the track sprint at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics Games. A man who at those same Games also won the silver medal in the Kilometre, coming in behind the Belgian rider Patrick Sercu who would later became a legendary Six Day racer. 


A man who during the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympic track sprint against Pierre Trentin astounded the crowd with a 21 minute trackstand before finishing his adversary with a blindingly fast sprint. 


A man who on a hot day in the summer of 1968, at the Italian National Track Championships held in Varese, set the world trackstand record of one hour and five minutes, a record that stands to this day. Pettenella's adversary on that occasion was that same Bianchetto of the Tokyo Olympic sprint final, a rider who after one hour and three minutes of trackstanding under the fierce summer sun collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

In a drawer of his office desk Pettenella still has a photograph of the final minutes of the race. Bianchetto is lying unconscious on the track with Vanni still trackstanding and waiting for the doctors to validate his victory in the first sprint."

Saw this at Hipster Nascar. But you really better read this HERE.


VANNI PETTENELLA GOLD AND SILVER MEDAL 1964 TOKYO from camilla candida donzella on Vimeo.

Save The Cheerleader... Save The World!

Whoa! So it seems like Hayden Panettiere is about to get a fixie. 

Well, I love Heroes so this is cool. But what/how? According to Tracko, she was just seen getting a fixed gear wheelset from Orange Bikes in Los Angeles. Go girl!