Peter Anderson 🏅 What a weekend of sport!

Starting on Saturday morning with my own - cycling. After a year in bed with an illness I climbed back on the bike in November and the long quest to regain my fitness began in earnest. So after literally thousands of kilometres ridden on my own over the winter months, I was finally fit enough to re-join the club groups. 

On Saturday morning I joined the "slow" group to do the usual 90 km spin around the Ards peninsula. I didn't have to do any work on the front and had a sweet northerly tailwind on my back all the way to Portaferry, making the 35 kph almost pedestrian. But once we turned for the north the Kms and the headwind meant that I barely made it with the group to the coffee stop in Greyabbey. After refueling on buns and coffee I managed to get home with the group. 

I had a huge lunch, then a shower and climbed into bed to watch the real hardmen of the peleton battle it out on the first stage of the Tour de France. Two brutal high-speed crashes brought down 60-70 riders each time, but the main contenders made it to the final climb where Julian Alaphilipe attacked on the brutal 10% gradient and no-one could follow his wheel. The darling of French cycling claimed the first yellow jersey of the race to the delight of his countrymen. 

After dinner on a tray, I settled in to watch Wales v Denmark. What a disappointment! Wales started well but after Denmark controlled the game Wales just faded to a 4-0 defeat. Bale and Ramsey where nowhere to be found and Wales were out with barely a whimper. Next up was on-form Italy. While Austria gave them a good game and a few scares the class of Italy prevailed and they booked a spot in the quarter finals. After all that sport I rounded of the night with a few episodes of those other classy Italians in Walter presents The Hunter.

Sunday saw another stage of the TdF completed with young Dutch sensation Van der Poel putting on the yellow jersey after winning in some style on the double ascent of the energy sapping Mur De Bretagne. Then the plucky Czechs dumped the Netherlands out of the Euros with an excellent performance giving them a relatively easy 2-0 win. 

Next up was Belgium against Portugal and the game did not disappoint. Belgium took victory with a superb drive from Eden Hazard's wee bro and he booked his side a mouth-watering clash with Italy in the quarters. Both Belgium and Italy are cruising along nicely, neither spectacular but both gaining confidence. It is a pity that only one of them will reach the semis and at the moment I can't call which country will make it, though De Bruyne's fitness may play a part after hobbling off in the second half.

After an excellent weekend of sport, I have got into a pretty nice routine of the TdF and the Euros which will continue for a few weeks more. It's lucky I have such a wonderfully tolerant wife!

Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports.

Tour De Force

Peter Anderson 🏅 What a weekend of sport!

Starting on Saturday morning with my own - cycling. After a year in bed with an illness I climbed back on the bike in November and the long quest to regain my fitness began in earnest. So after literally thousands of kilometres ridden on my own over the winter months, I was finally fit enough to re-join the club groups. 

On Saturday morning I joined the "slow" group to do the usual 90 km spin around the Ards peninsula. I didn't have to do any work on the front and had a sweet northerly tailwind on my back all the way to Portaferry, making the 35 kph almost pedestrian. But once we turned for the north the Kms and the headwind meant that I barely made it with the group to the coffee stop in Greyabbey. After refueling on buns and coffee I managed to get home with the group. 

I had a huge lunch, then a shower and climbed into bed to watch the real hardmen of the peleton battle it out on the first stage of the Tour de France. Two brutal high-speed crashes brought down 60-70 riders each time, but the main contenders made it to the final climb where Julian Alaphilipe attacked on the brutal 10% gradient and no-one could follow his wheel. The darling of French cycling claimed the first yellow jersey of the race to the delight of his countrymen. 

After dinner on a tray, I settled in to watch Wales v Denmark. What a disappointment! Wales started well but after Denmark controlled the game Wales just faded to a 4-0 defeat. Bale and Ramsey where nowhere to be found and Wales were out with barely a whimper. Next up was on-form Italy. While Austria gave them a good game and a few scares the class of Italy prevailed and they booked a spot in the quarter finals. After all that sport I rounded of the night with a few episodes of those other classy Italians in Walter presents The Hunter.

Sunday saw another stage of the TdF completed with young Dutch sensation Van der Poel putting on the yellow jersey after winning in some style on the double ascent of the energy sapping Mur De Bretagne. Then the plucky Czechs dumped the Netherlands out of the Euros with an excellent performance giving them a relatively easy 2-0 win. 

Next up was Belgium against Portugal and the game did not disappoint. Belgium took victory with a superb drive from Eden Hazard's wee bro and he booked his side a mouth-watering clash with Italy in the quarters. Both Belgium and Italy are cruising along nicely, neither spectacular but both gaining confidence. It is a pity that only one of them will reach the semis and at the moment I can't call which country will make it, though De Bruyne's fitness may play a part after hobbling off in the second half.

After an excellent weekend of sport, I have got into a pretty nice routine of the TdF and the Euros which will continue for a few weeks more. It's lucky I have such a wonderfully tolerant wife!

Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports.

13 comments:

  1. Good to see you back is the saddle Peter.

    A feast of goals yesterday: 14 in total. Best day's soccer in a long time.

    It is looking like the Italians or the Belgians but Belgium needs to overcome its injury problems. I still think England will pip the Germans but don't see them making the final.

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  2. AM
    Thanks.
    Great footy yesterday. Good to see the French out as it throws it wide open now. I'll be supporting the English but have zero confidence in them to produce a performance.

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    Replies
    1. they delivered - not much quarrel to be had with success

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    2. They'll never have a better chance to get a tournament win. France, Germany, Portugal and Holland all out and either Belgium or Italy will join them. I wonder if that goal will spark Kane into life.

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  3. I don't see them doing it but as you say it is their best chance since 1990. Ukraine putting up a good fight against the Swedes at the minute. 1-1 with about 17 minutes left. Some woodwork pounded

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  4. Up until his goal, Kane was dreadful. I hope for England's sake he has rediscovered his mojo. Up until that I was fuming that Patrick Bamford could have done a better job in holding up the ball; making space for others and finding the net. But what do I Know?!

    Quality and drama of the Euros really have been life inspiring.

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    Replies
    1. but if you listen to those fools of English commentators they were talking gunk about Kane leading the field in taking it to the Germans.
      England did what they had to do but Southgate is too canny not to know the team has not come up against quality yet. That was as poor a German side as has been fielded in 50 years. But a clean sheet so far augurs well for England. And they don't seem to have the injury doubts that the rivals are picking up.

      I think they might face the same type of dogged resistance form Ukraine as they did from Scotland - and if it goes to penalties ... Reason tells us England should emerge clear winners and head to the semis but reason told us the same with Iceland.
      The pressure is off Ukraine - they have had their success coming this far but it is very much on England.

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  5. Fcuk England and their supporters. English fans showed no respect to the German national anthem, today every news wire in the UK is talking as if England won the world cup. They won a match I hoped they'd lose.

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    1. The same element that booed the German national anthem also booed England players taking the knee and are vocal Brexiteers.

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  6. I'm not going to lie, I'm shiteing myself at the prospect of them winning. Sevco winning the title and 'it's coming home'mob winning the Euros in the same year? I'll throw myself off the high flats

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    1. if it wasn't for that blind-bigoted section of fans and the English red top media idiocy, I wouldn't mind in the slightest if they won. Most of us who follow English soccer teams tend to like the players: so it is a matter of jettisoning the bullying and the bonkers (fans and red top media)

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  7. My hatred of the English football team is part of me, can't remember it's origins. When I say hate, I mean purely in the sporting rivalry perspective I get a sense of dread when they win, euphoria when they lose. I shouldn't have to mention that I don't actually hate them for winning football matches or want to hurt them, but, you know what it's like nowadays people are offended if you fart, what's it they call it, triggered? Fucking lunatics

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    Replies
    1. I think most people get your use of the term hatred. It is not hate in the sense that other than losing you want them harmed or disadvantaged in society. Ignore the Perpoffs as they will always be perpetually offended. They get up so early each morning to catch the first offence of the day and then howl about it until bed time. If our opinions and preferences get offended, too bad. It is part of living in the world with other people who have opinions and preferences also. What I tend to find is that wack jobs and woke jobs are the type to get offended about anything. Wokery and Wackery are just control strategies.

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