Froome Watch, VIII

I'm about the last one to complain about work, but it can get in the way of other things you're interested in doing. Yesterday's stage in the Giro would have been fun to watch because it turned things upside down in the overall standings. Chris apparently did not play a major role. He was in the last bus, which came in past the 10% limit but which was granted an extra 2% of the winner's time, or about eight minutes, to make it in. Perhaps the team planned it that way (just hold your peace and save some strength in that last group) because with team leader Bradley Wiggins in the large escape group, Team Sky suddenly is back in contention for the overall, and being a decent climber, Chris may be able to help his leader in the mountains next week. I didn't watch today's stage either, but it made Chris happy, as witness his tweet after the race: "Great day in the sun with the guys today- actually the best so far this Giro...".

Froome Watch, VII

They continue to be eventful stages for Chris Froome and the other Giro riders. Lots of rain and flooded roads yesterday, and today and tomorrow two long stages. Three weeks of racing every day in these hectic and difficult conditions is a long time, and the worst may yet be to come. Before the race started, ten days ago in Amsterdam, everyone talked about how difficult the final week was going to be, thanks to a series of mountain stages. Few expected the first half of this event to be as hard as it turned out to be. Chris's tweet this morning gives an indication on what it looks like from inside the peloton: "230km for today's stage 10 and blue skies for the first time this #giro. Nearly half way. 262km tomorrow". Nearly half way, that's both good and bad news, I think. It didn't keep Chris and his teammates to spend long kilometers at the front of the peloton and provide other services to give their sprinter a chance at the end of the day.

Iran, NATO, and the Role of the West

I wanted to write, of course, about the apparent deal that Turkey and Brazil were able to strike over Iran's nuclear program today, a deal that has eluded the Western powers led by the United States. It is a good way to start pondering how international politics is changing. Another way to get at this is NATO's new strategic concept, a first draft of which was presented to NATO's secretary general today. NATO, chair of the drafting committee Madeleine Albright said, is a regional organization first, and it is not a global policeman. This points in the same direction as the Iran news, namely that the "West" such as it is (think also of the EU's current crisis) is no longer what it used to be in the world. But I just saw Dan Drezner's latest post on his blog, and it articulates just about everything I was going to say about it. So why don't you read that. In the meantime, I'll get ready for the briefing about the NATO paper by the vice-chair of the drafting committee, Dutchman Jeroen van der Veer, this Friday in The Hague-- so that I can report on it all here, of course.

Froome Watch, VI

Yes indeed, I'm following the Giro d'Italia. I'd pay attention anyway, but I've also met a rider, Chris Froome of the Sky Team, and now I have a little stake in the proceedings. So after a decent bit of work of my own this morning, what do I see when I turn on my television? It's number 175 doing his part (and then some) in a 17-man breakaway on the way to Terminillo. When the break hit the final climb of the day, it broke into pieces, and Chris wasn't among the leaders anymore. But he still managed to finish a little ahead of the likes of Pozzato and also hold off the bus. I think we'll see more of him before this race is over.

Froome Watch, V

Some stage today, not only because of the rain, but also, especially, because of the gravel roads (turned into muddy paths) in the final 30 kilometers. It was Tuscany, and it was pretty, but above all it was filthy and cold. No tweet yet from Chris, the Team Sky rider I met a week ago following his opening time trial in Amsterdam, who is probably still busy getting clean. He finished in a big bus, broken up into several parts, coming in between 24 and 25 minutes behind the winner. Not sure if days like this make the life of a professional cyclist exhilarating or excruciating. If it was just a group ride, it would probably be a great memory (though not necessarily pleasant to do), but this is work--a race, where ultimately only the result counts. In that sense, most guys in the pack probably would rather forget today's stage. We'll soon find out through the great Twitter machine.

More Afghanistan Stuff

Another difference between the U.S. and Diem era of the late '50s and early '60s and the U.S. and Karzai era today: an apparently straightforward military leader. General McCrystal, the U.S. commander for Afghanistan, talked about "progress" yesterday, but he added that as for now, nobody is winning. He made other candid statements in an interview well worth watching in its entirety.

Froome Watch, IV

The world is going so crazy over the Chris Froome watch that even the man himself has now taken note. No close watching yesterday or today, because I was on some longer rides myself that got me to the tv after the daily Giro broadcast ended. Chris lost a little time both days, but a lot less than many others, so now he's climbed in the overall standings. Watch for him to do more of that as the hillier stages develop. On Twitter, Chris has linked to the website of David Kinjah, who through his Safari Simbaz organization seeks to promote competitive cycling in Kenya, especially among kids. It's where Chris got his start (as a mountainbiker, before switching to the road after moving to South Africa). Tomorrow's stage is a long one, and it should be pretty: Tuscany.