Recent content by Black Belt Jones

Pidcock is on the startlist for the world gravel champs today, which would be an impressive weekends riding if he goes well. Womens gravel race had some drama - Dutch dominance and young rider van Anrooj gets pulled back from a race-winning break by her teammates. Kastelijn pulling like crazy...

Lombardia tomorrow - as the last classic in the season you used to get a lot of unpredictability. Most riders tired after a long season, some coming back after missing periods with injury and wanting to do well. Not any more - the race belongs to Pog more than any other. Cannot really lose head...

Cyclocross has been lined up for the winter Olympics for a while now, and seems to be be in the frame (along with cross country running) for 2030. Cross on actual snow, like in a ski area, is a gimmick and would be bad. But the winter Olympics is getting greener / muddier with climate change...

Godspeed YBE have taken all their stuff off streaming platforms for a while now - but it is on bandcamp. Anyone fill me in on how this works, is it a streaming platform itself or do you use it to buy a digital album the old fashioned way? Silver Mt Zion stuff is still up afaik, if you like...

Outstanding performance from Pidcock last week, proved a lot of people wrong. Never looked close to this consistency in any previous GT, and vindicates his move to Q36. He will lead a pretty strong UK men's team to the World Champs next week in Kigali, Rwanda - some hilly parcours by the sounds...

How did you get on with this (no spoilers)? I have it but not read yet - my kid rated it but qualified a little as not as good as his favourites. Big Joe never misses, though - very consistent writer. Seems like he cut through to mainstream sales with it which is great for him. I'm starting the...

He's looking decent - Milan and Merlier are a clear level above anyone on a flat sprint right now. Much internet outrage today over teams like uno-x and tudor pulling the peloton and catching vdP, just so their sprinters can finish ninth. Good to see DeLie contesting things this weekend, he's...

Such a mangled finale yesterday overshadowed a world class sprint from Merlier - came from way back, took Milan's wheel with ease and then beat him straight up. No one really in his league atm in terms of pure sprinting skill and speed. Much punchier profile today - nothing big but many short...

Acid bath dropped a couple of albums in the 90s that didn't breakthrough, and disbanded after one of the band members died. People are rediscovering them in recent years - like how TF did a band this good not make it huge? Hailed as sludge metal pioneers but their sound is too varied for one...

Read Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads recently, from a couple of years back. Technically brilliant as usual, doubt I've read anyone as good as him with characters in a domestic setting - usually one undergoing rapid deterioration. Weaves together different viewpoints at different time periods with...

I like it a lot on first impressions - it's very hard but not in the typical fromsoft way of gameplay mechanics, more decision making and tactics. Very fun sessions but not relaxing at all, so it's a bit different in that sense. Classic Souls play can be quite meditative ime but this is more...

Retire I would guess after this showing - nowhere near world title level at 147. Leaves an interesting legacy if he does hang them up - achieved more in 20 fights than maybe any UK fighter ever, but invisible to the sporting public.

If anyone here is a fan of Dark Souls, here is an absolutely mental video of a guy invading Shiva (cut content) in game. Never really understood cut content, like how is it part of the game files and not just binned? Anyhow, it's not unusual for gamers to mine cut content and use pc mods to...

Done that one a couple of times, a fast course if it's still but I've never done that well on it. There's one out of Southport on the Preston rd that is meant to be quick - was thinking of getting over to it at some point this season.

I do quite a bit of TTing - mainly tens, some 25s, very enjoyable after the fact. Great discipline for getting stronger as the objectives are so simple. although mastering power output in position is very technical. Road bike TTs are popular nowadays as people are less inclined to invest in a...