That is it. I have no idea when SBNation plans to show the positioning 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 prospect to cost Tadej Pogačar after his megamonster yr. Or deprive all of you of the dilemma that worth will pose. I may by no means look Ursula within the eye once more if I missed this opportunity. The directions for taking part in are easy: simply go to the FSA DS website and login. By February 1, 2025, you must discover every little thing 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 jot down. And please be at liberty to proceed chatting at our Reddit.
I might be adopted on Twitter, or Threads (chrsfnt), or Bluesky (chrispodiumcafe). As is true for a lot of of you. Please do comply with me there so I can comply with you again. Please put up in feedback some other hyperlinks you desire to individuals to find out about.
I like to recommend following Michael Baumann’s Wheelysports e-newsletter, which I discover to be similar to our strategy right here. Michael is knowledgeable author, largely 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 motorcycle or two. I received’t miss using as a result of I plan to begin all of that up once more within the spring. I received’t miss the good 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 means, however no matter I wanted to say, I completed up saying it already. That’s a life lesson. Not all journeys are countless. [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 concerning the neighborhood. I bear in mind within the earliest days you can 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 turn out to be an precise neighborhood, not simply wired collectively however linked, in that thrilling means that sports activities brings individuals collectively.
I had the privilege of being a central determine right here, however that’s not what I’ll bear 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’d 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 pals, buzzing with exercise and chatter, jokes and race-talk, with a giant display bringing the motion to all of us. Realizing there was at all times a spot to sit down, a race to look at, and good pals to look at it with… that’s what it was at all times about. Thanks.
