Winnersaint

Danny Wallace? Steve Moran was no mug either, both had pace, and that's the determining factor which makes Mane stand out in this era. Agree that he scares defenders absolutely ****less though.

Of all those that left over the last two summers I can genuinely only see Schneiderlin and possibly Clyne as capable of forcing a start in that team yesterday.

Before I forget, not sure if anyone is interested but I got this little bargain in the week. http://www.merlincycles.com/pair-continental-gp4000-s-ii-folding-tyres-with-2-free-inner-tubes-700c-71989.html Excellent tyres at full price but at this it had to be a bit of a no-brainer. Free tubes don't look up to much mind!

Cheers, washsaint as you can see, I've not been riding it recently, but it gave me a great ride last weekend with a little more climbing than normal I seemed quicker than my normal rides out in the direction of Henley.

Been off the bike for a week now. Out last Sunday spinning up a few climbs when I should have rested and the result was an inevitable dose of man flu! Going to spin on the turbo this pm and hopefully out again on road tomorrow. Seriously though it tends to suit me to take a short break off the bike, and the cold provided me with a good excuse to do it now. We haven't been away so far this year so kept on going throughout August when I'd normally been on hols for part of it, so a rest was due. Off to Gran Canaria in 4 weeks and taking cycling gear. Mrs Winnersaint has given me a pass, so looking to hire a bike and do a bit out there.

On duty at school gate yesterday and matey we chucked out a few years ago turns up wearing what appeared to be a pair of jeggings. He was joined a few minutes after by one of ours who'd changed on site and was wearing his sister's leggings! Wtf?

He belongs here. https://twitter.com/getinthesea?lang=en-gb

Happy new bike washsaint, hope you enjoy it as much as I'm enjoying mine!

For those with longer memories you could add Steve Williams and Danny Wallace to that list. Rod Wallace bucked the trend however at Leeds and Rangers where he continued to score goals and win titles.

is Schweinsteiger playing? United probably don't need both him and Schneiderlin in the same team.

Just under 40 years ago in the months following the FA Cup win I began my degree course training to be a teacher in Worcester. I can't really remember how many students were present within the then college of higher education but it wasn't huge. Most students were accommodated on site in halls of residence, a few lived out, usually because they were local and some came in daily from Birmingham and the Black Country, but they were very much in the minority. The student population made up a tiny proportion of the city's population and was self contained within the campus in St John's. Venturing outside involved going to local pubs, and that was about it. We as students in economic and social terms were an irrelevance. Fast forward to this time last year and we took our daughter to Worcester to begin life as a student there. It was an odd experience going back. In the intervening years via various name changes and amalgamations with other higher education institutions well in excess of 10000 students now attend the university. It is one of the fastest growing in the country, bucking the trend, with 20% more applications this year than in our daughter's year. The student population now represents around 15% of the city's total, and as such is now longer an economic and social irrelevance. Non more so in the residential lettings sector of the local economy. A drive towards the campus from St Johns, which in the late seventies was just simply a residential street is full of student accommodation. Our daughter shares a house with 5 others on the street. Each pays a bit over £100 a week in rent. Between now and when the lease is up at the end of June my daughter and her housemates will have paid in excess of £37000 in rent to the landlord. Buy to let is a growing business in Worcester.

Take that Sherwood you Skate ****!

Got the R3 on Tuesday and on my first ride that afternoon I found that Di2 isn't idiot proof and doesn't necessarily work straight out of the box. Got it sorted yesterday so had the first opportunity to really put it through its paces today. Di2 is fantastic and not one change was missed. Love the idea of keeping you finger on the paddle/button to take it from the middle to the top in short order. Haven't tried the opposite way yet. It has come with a pro compact chainset, that is 52/36 as opposed to 50/34 I am used to. I have a 11-28 out back and there is a bit of a compromise in the middle range gears especially in the big ring, but I'll get used to it. The combination of the wheelset and frame means that it accelerates like hot snot and particularly on the flat or flattish sections holds the speed once up there, maybe "Squoval" tubes do provide the aero saving Cervelo claim. All in all I am mightily impressed with it. The most significant thing I noticed was the fact that when I was done on both rides I just didn't feel the levels of fatigue as I had on my Ridley. Now that's not a porker weight wise but is around a kilo heavier than the R3 and has comparatively thick seat and chain stays., so I have to conclude that the more compliant rear triangle on the Cervelo leaves me less beaten up.

Any player filling the shirt like that would be in for some serious stick.

Interesting that 5 of the 3rd Division teams playing that day are now in the Prem with 3 thriving, and 3 others there, Reading, Poopey and QPR, within the last 5 years.

That'll bring the window lickers out in force.... oh they're already out in force.

Must remember to remove the bar code sticker from the stem when I collect it.

New bike fitted yesterday. Pick it up after the Bank Holiday. Happy days!

But if he doesn't come here it won't be yawn Viking, this place will be an absolute hoot, with Alps exploding and reducing Austria to a pile of smouldering rubble and mountains.

Cracking stuff Dave, I've just cleared 200K since last Sunday over four rides so chapeau to you! Going to hook up, no pun intended, with LBS in Hook to do more group riding. Rode with them last Sunday in Tour of the Candovers. good event if you are in Hampshire in mid-August. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tour-Of-The-Candovers/832437020166273?sk=photos_stream

New bike on the way. Well more than that it's currently in my LBS of choice in a box, a box I've actually touched! So it's a Cervelo R3 which looks like this. http://www.cervelo.com/media/images/15-R3-Ult-560x400-eb127491-289b-4772-b6a4-0510e5a275e3-1-560x400.JPG it's coming with full Ultegra Di2 apart from the compact Rotor 3DF BBright crankset which is standard on a Cervelo and isn't a cheaper option. It will ship with Mavic Aksium wheels, but I'm getting these on it. http://www.mavic.co.uk/sites/default/files/mavic_article/674x724/front/F18501.jpg http://www.mavic.co.uk/sites/default/files/mavic_article/1000x1000/rear/F18501.jpg In the Spring I will look to put these on as an alternative set of more aero hoops. http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/amclassic-40carbo.jpg Will be built up by Thursday when I go across for final tweaking with the fit. It will have FSA-SLK stem and carbon seatpost and 3T Ergonova carbon bars with Lizard Skins bar tape. Happy days! A real lightweight for a MAMIL who will never do it real justice, but there again it's my retirement gift to me, so I am one happy and expectant bunny. Not sure how I feel about retirement TBH. I've taught for 35 years so going back three days a week as a cover supervisor 3 days a week will be interesting, but in truth I've been out of the classroom for too long so I am quite looking forward to it.

My next door neighbour does. Sub 24 mins 10 mile, and 62 mins for 25 mile. A lot of the routes I ride include sections of TT courses and I have to confess it sort of motivates me to have a go, which I might do next year.

Well that's the Tour of The Candovers done and dusted. Nice little ride all told. A few of the country lane descents were a tad gravelly after the rain, and there were a few interesting climbs scattered in there also. Weather was good and even a wasp sting on the head thirty miles in couldn't ruin the day. Congratulations to Odiham cycling Club for a well signed and organised day.

Just a quick plug for Sunday's ride. Tour of the Candovers, starts and finishes at Robert May's school, Odiham and basically takes in the area between the M3 and A31, going as far south as Alresford before heading northwards via Bentley to the finish. looking forward to it. About 100k.

Great stuff. Just a shame about the weather curtailing your time in the mountains.