Team Cyclingnews.com - 2005

Team Journal Entry - June 20, 2005, by Kane Oakley (posted June 28)

The trip to Canada

Bonjour,

Nice hair, yeah yeah!
Photo ©: Team Cyclingnews

First of all I would like to thank Gilbert, Rudi and Eddy for making it possible - can't fault it! I will get the bad news out of the way; for me it wasn't a good tour on the bike! I pulled a muscle and tendon halfway through the first stage. Then tore it some more the next day because I thought it might go away! Not an easy thing to do, pull out of a tour that you travelled so long for and have to watch from the side of the road. In the long run, it was a good decision - now I have 2-3 weeks of rehab! Can't wait.

The first couple of days in Beauce were perfect; great weather, good couple of rides in the country to loosen the legs and some nice food at a little Cafe we found. Couldn't fault the place so far!

All we wanted to see on our rides were a big Brown Bear or some Beaver; no luck with either! The closest some of boys got was putting on the BEAVER shirt that Rudi and I purchased for the team. Another eye opener were the typical Canadian timber houses and 2-3 big pick-up trucks out the front. These trucks were everywhere. We also found a great coffee shop, "Van Houtte" the Starbucks of Beauce. Spent some time there...not much, ha!

My job now in the Tour was to look after the boys during the race (feeding and yelling at them) and keeping spirits high post-race! "That'll do Donkey!"

The Motel we were staying at was great; we had good food everyday, RatBoy and I couldn't fault the soup! Dag loved all of it - good eating. We were lucky enough to meet some local fans of cycling at the "Rock Cafe"; they fell in love with the team and its high spirit. Don't blame them, they are only human! They followed our progress thoughout the week, some closer then others. Can't fault them!

Tank and Ratboy in the tropical conditions
Photo ©: Team Cyclingnews

The boys had a great Tour, they were just feeding off each other. They made the best of everyday, even though it was 5° and heavy rain for most of the tour. They had a laugh and joke at the end of every stage. This is what keeps the team going; laughter is great for recovery! The last day was the only stage with blue sky and sun! So the boys rolled the sleeves up and exposed the Cannons!

Best thing was that the team's performance wasn't what some poeple expected; they didn't rate us! The boys showed them what the team is capable of with only six men. Most teams lost 2-4 riders, some only had two left. By the last couple of days in Beauce the boys were fluent in French, I think! "Can't fault it"!

Quotes of the Tour: "Can't Fault It!" "That'll do Donkey!"

Room of the Tour: "506 - it was the room that just kept giving" (Tank and Munge)

Peloton talk: "on your left mandude!" "hold your line man!"

Rider & Reader of the Tour: "Worm" (two great breakaways in the last kilometres of two stages; also smashed 350 pages)

What the..? "Chady riding across a 2:30min gap! " (tour directors, sure he was towed across by car, NO)

Joker of Tour: "RatBoy" (can't fault he's quick wit)

Well, "That'll do Donkey!" Thanks Beauce for a great time. Hope to be back!

Back in Belgium, I thought I wouldn't get a surf in for a least six months, but I have found a secret break. Called "Train Tracks", it goes off in the morning with the off-tracks breeze. This will be great rehab for me. Keep it in the Green Room, Stayed tubed!

Tot Ziens

Kane "Munge" Oakley

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Team Cyclingnews.com

Huddling together for heat as Beauce turns on the cold pre-stage
Jeremy Vennell (Dag) and Leigh Palmer (Tank) on the plane heading to Canada
Nice hair, yeah yeah! Yours truly lookin' sharp with the faux hawk
The diarist happy to be let loose on the unsuspecting folk of Beauce
Tom Barras (RatBoy) poses with someone's car...they still haven't found the wreck!
Tom and Glen (RatBoy and Chady) in Van Houtte, the Starbucks of Beauce
Rudi Dubois after a ride
In my dreams... enough said!
Tank and Ratboy in the tropical conditions as Beauce heats it up - lucky the racing was good!
But Tank (Leigh Palmer) loved it!
One of the many Van Houtte coffees the Cyclingnews boys got through on their trip