Boy, it’s July already, and from the look of my mail, it’s reader response time as well, so let’s have a go at it, shall we? “Dear Euro Freddie: When I grow up I want to be just like you. Can you tell me what your blood type is?” (signed) A Young Eagle. Dear Eaglet- That’s a bit of an odd request, isn’t it? But flattery will get you anywhere... If you must know, it’s C-record. “Deer (sic) Fredy (sic): What’s yer favrit culler, red or bloo?” (signed) X. Dear Ehcks- Though I’ve been known to be seduced by red, my cycling preference would have to be celeste, Bianchi’s racing colour for over 100 years. So I guess that’s bloo. “Dear Freddie: I’ve noticed that you have been avoiding the word Sh(censored)o in your column. Is this a political statement, due to the fact that their loyalty to bicycles is questionable considering that they also produce an extensive line of fishing gear? Or is it a paranoid condition, brought on by the fact that they are the world’s largest privately owned monolith?” (signed) Eagle Eyes. Dear 40/20 Vision- It’s a Euro thing. “Dearest Freddie: I am writing to ask you what saddle you think is the most sexy, Sella Italia’s Ferrari Novus, in red and yellow, or their Flite Twin-tone, in black and yellow?” (signed) Beatrice. Dear Bea- Ouch, sting me baby! These saddles are very racy, and VERY narrow. My guess is that you don’t have child-bearing hips. I’d go with whichever one compliments your cycling shoes.
Speaking of Bianchi, how about Marco Pantani’s gutsy win at this year’s Giro d’ Italia? It has been quite some time since a pure climbing specialist has won a major tour. Even “Il Pirata,” as he is known, bemoaned midway through the Giro that the tours put too much emphasis on time trials, and yet he destroyed the former World Time Trial Champion, Once’s Alex Zulle, in the Dolomite mountains. And for all you hardware freaks, which rider switched over this season to the parts manufacturer from Vicenza, Italy? Why The Pirate - that’s who.
NEXT MONTH: Euro Freddie’s 1998 Tour de France story. Oh, I can hardly wait -Euro Freddie.