In what may be the longest bike racing story ever to appear in the Chicago Tribune without mentioning doping or Lance Armstrong, some hack has written a primer on how to watch a race, including a sidebar on how to go about getting into the sport. This link will expire in a few weeks, so you’ll want to run out and buy a hard copy today. Guaranteed to be worth your 50 cents, especially next time you get caught in the rain.
Riveting prose… concise and informative while managing to convey a hint of the drama that drives people to (and from) our sport. Significant heft to the story, yet leaves the reader wanting more… and then you hit us with the plug for Matteson as a finale.
10 of 10. Huzzah, Luke, Huzzah!
Also, are you now the cycling reporter for the tribune? I noticed they gave you an email address.
Cycling reporter! Ha! I wish. I actually work for the Trib in a non-writing capacity. (And the writers never write the headlines. It wasn’t me, wheely!)
Err, Um, there is a mention of Mr. Armstrong. I’m affraid we’ll be needing that AP press pass back now.
Kudos, well done!
Non-writing capacity? I don’t know about that. The title below your name on the net is “Tribune Staff Reporter”. Is there a promotion you don’t know about? ;-)
Here’s hoping that you get more opportunities at the tribu to write about cycling or anything else you want.
I suppose these same evil editors are also responsible for getting rid of the feature on the #1 best 21-year-old…Cat 2…in Chicagoland…who rides a SystemSix…wait, damn it, Scherer has one too…okay in my zip code. Nevermind. What I meant to say was good article! Except for ending it telling potential racers they’ll have to pay so much to possibly get dropped their first ten times.
Just picked up my copy. Good job, Mr. Reporter.
Nice. Byline in the Trib! I love it when they let you actually put your obsession in print. Great article!
Jul 19
2007
10:49 am
ScottV
The Wheel Thriller”?? C’mon Luke, you could do better than that for the headline.:-)
Seriously, it is a great article. Only thing I would have added was a warning for the spectators about crashes that come off the course. My family has now had 2 near misses in a year; one at Downers out of turn 1 in the Masters 4/5 and at Bensenville right after the barriers stop in the homestretch in the Cat 3. In both cases, my family had moved within minutes of the crashes. But I digress… (I am still recovering from what almost happened.)
I actually saw it in the tribune before I saw you mention it here. My wife saw the article, saw your name and then brought me the paper to show me.
No plug for chicagobikeracing.com?? Also, are you now the cycling reporter for the tribune? I noticed they gave you an email address.