Clube de Ciclismo de Moçambique Logo - What do you think?

Hello all,
Below is a new Logo for the Clube which I am toying with.  If you have any comments or preferences then please add them in at the bottom. For reference there are also some older versions of the Clube logo and some other cycling related logos.  As you can see the Clube logos are radically different!  So don't be afraid to propose something equally wacky or different.


The first two are essetially the same but for different colour shirts..
Black design for dark shirt:

White design for.. you guessed it.. white shirt:

This logo was done by GOLO (Braga, obrigado!) based on a design I'd been working with to try and integrate the initials of the club in a bicycle design.. 

An earlier Carnival style logo..

This design is not for the club, but there was a very similar version done that I can't seem to find right now.  At the time it was ditched because it was too similar to the Moz and Portuguse federation logos, and we wanted to create a certain differentiation between the two very close organisations, which however have very different objectives and roles in cycling.

The original version of the FMC (Federação Moçambicana de Ciclismo) logo:

Here is the CopaCiclismo logo, which is the annual race league that the Clube organises. 

The original logo created by Imran some years back. Unfortunately the hi-res version was lost with the old web-site, so I had to re-create the logo as above, substituting the blue for the White jersey of hte U-23 rider.  Still, there is some continuity here.

Photography versus cycling

Some of you might have notices that this blog, called fotografic, actually has more cycling posts than about photography.. Strange, yes? Well actually it marks a change in my life from a pure photographer to one who enjoys the rather painful sport of cycling.  However, there is a nexus between the two.  I mean, cycling is a photography-friendly sport.  Sort of.. So here are some pictures that might be of interest (not taken by me though)..

Jock Cycle Classique 2012 - Mozambique Rules!

Loyal readers, today is Monday the 23rd of July, and the legs are still in pain from the Jock Cycle Classique which took place last Saturday, 21st.  The Clube de Ciclismo de Moçambique took part with 4 entrants to the race, and all started together in the same group, DL.  This was the last group of the day, but it didn't stop them from (almost) all putting in some sterling performances at the head of proceedings and possibly putting in the best times in the Jock since the Club started participating way back in around 2007.  The standout performance has to be that of Carlos Sales, who was closely shadowed by Patrick Verissimo and Sergio Grichone.  A strong contingent of Swazi riders was also present, and although some of them have shown some good performances in our Moz races, taking the Clássica de Goba race held a month ago, they weren't able to challenge the Moz team for top 10 spots or even the podium.  As for my performance.. well, it's a miracle that I'm even writing this blog because I felt like lying down on the side of the road on stage 3 and letting fate take it's course.. But in my own way I too came back with a victory, which was to actually finish the race and get my finisher's trophy.
But enough about me.. and back to the race commentary.
Stage 1 was a rather rushed affair, with us riders getting to the start with barely minutes to spare before the starter's pistol.  As we'll see later this rush was to have dire consequences for some of us later on.   The temperature in Barberton at the start was close to ZERO degrees.  Yes, you read that correctly. I had double arm-warmers on! And still the cold bit through.  Sergio was equally well dressed but Patrick and Carlos were dressed as if they were racing in Maputo.  For Patrick there was no choice in the matter, having left some strategic bits of kit in Maputo!  We all shook hands before getting going, but once we were over the timing mats there was a whirl of speed and quite honestly the race escaped from me. Carlos, Sergio and Patrick were well on their way at the head of the peloton pushing up the speed while very rapidly riders were shed from the back.  I for my part managed to get into a rhythm and started gobbling up the back-markers one by one, after my less than glorious start.  But once at race speed and with the temperature slowly rising as we climbed up Hilltop (Hilltop?!?! - It's a Bl**dy MOUNTAIN!), the cold became less of an issue.  Instead it was replaced by lactic acid as the steep inclines, averaging 8% but hitting out around 12% in some corners really took the power out of the (my!) legs. 
Carlos made a break near the end of the climb and sprinted for group honours, while Sergio kept him in his sights a minute later and Patrick shortly afterwards.  Three of our riders made it into the top 10, with mostly better placings than our Swazi Counterparts, who however also did quite well.  After a welcome rest and some breakfast, the riders headed off to the start of Stage 2, which wound it's way around the back streets of Nelspruit until connecting with the new N3 route.  Once the race comissaire car was out of the way and we completed the neutral zone the pace picked up considerably and right away the peloton split with a select group going off the front and keeping the pace high on the fast but windy N3 section with it's undulations.  Boulders climb though loomed large in the way and right from the start of that climb Sergio put in a big effort to go off the front, forcing the pace and leaving the peloton gasping and pacing their way along.  By mid-way though the extremely steep gradient of the long 8km climb took it's toll and Carlos caught Sergio and powered on trying to catch the lone South African rider leading the group. Once over the top then started the VERY fast descent with tight technical corners that tried the concentration of most riders.  Carlos took many risks on the descent to close the gap to the riders in front with final results for the stage seeing Carlos in 2^nd, Patrick 3^rd and Sergio 5^th.  Pretty impressive again!
Stage 3, the final one of the day would decide the winner amongst the Moz team and bragging rights for the year, although 4th place was more or less decided already with Mario (me) taking that spot, barring some sort of divine intervention.  The stage started under a now burning Lowveld sun with an undulating course that would test the already tired muscles to breaking point.  No long climb this time, but a constantly altering landscape of up and down that would make getting into a comfortable rhythm very difficult indeed.  Again, the 3 Moz riders set the pace at the front of the pack as the peloton splintered on the very first hill.  Carlos halfway through the stage put in an attack and went into time-trial mode and after a while Patrick managed to bridge up to him with the lead break letting them go almost uncontested.  Some other rider also managed to go off the front and in the confusion of earlier start groups on the road getting caught; it was hard to keep track of who was who.   Some kms from the finish Carlos upped the pace to take 2nd place of the stage with Patrick a minute after him taking 3rd and Sergio some minutes down taking 6th place.  Mario, caught behind a bushfire (divine intervention) wasn't able to monopolise on his by now fantastic time-trial skills and so slipped down the rankings to 4th overall in the Moz group and about 500th out of the whole race :-)

UNOFFICIAL results below, as Racetec is still updating some of the results and chip numbers, which we expect will be sorted out in the next day or two:



Stage results for Moz riders:

Name                     Stage 1        Stage 2           Stage 3        Total Time

Carlos Sales           01:13:13       01:43:06        01:50:22      4:46:41

Patrick Verissimo  01:15:10      01:45:47         01:51:25      4:52:22

Sergio Grichone    01:14:11       01:46:10         01:58:02      4:58:23

Mario Traversi      01:24:26       02:06:25         02:24:02      5:54:48

Overall results for Start group DL:

1    Meyer, Dewald        04:41:25
2    Carlos Sales             04:46:41
3    Verissimo, Patrick    04:52:23
4    Basson, Albe            04:55:59
5    Pretorius, Johan        04:57:15
6    Sergio Grichone       04:58:23
....
19  Mario Traversi         05:54:53

Matt Goss and his whining... TDF sprint stages

From LeTour.fr site from today's (stage 6) live text commentary:

"The escapees only got caught in the last 500 meters of stage five. Did Matt Goss think they were going to hold on and steal the win? “To be honest, yes," said the Orica-GreenEdge rider. "When we came around the last corner and we saw how far ahead they were I didn’t think we’d catch them actually. I thought it was going to be racing for third or fourth place. It’s just that after a breakaway of almost 200km, those guys don’t have a lot left in the legs and we were coming at them pretty quickly in the final. Hopefully we won’t leave it that close again.
“We were trying to catch them [earlier than we did] but we haven’t had a lot of support from the other teams. A lot of teams are bringing sprinters to the race but then they don’t want to work for them so it’s really just been us [Orica-GreenEdge] and Lotto-Belisol that have controlled the race from the first day. There are a lot of other sprinters here – Garmin has got Farrar, Lampre has Petacchi and there are a few others – but no one wants to help make sure it’s a sprint; they’re just working off our effort. “We’ll keep chasing but these guys should put in some help as well, I think.”"


Hi Matt.  Firstly you almost seem shocked that the escapees made it to the finish before you.  Secondly you sound pissed that no-one else "helped"..

Firstly WE, the TV audience, mostly hope the escapees make it, seeing as they're the ones that have put in 100% effort for 100% of the race.  They played their hand very well, and you should be congratulating them that they almost made it.  If YOU'D done what they did, I'd like to see what place you'd have come in that sprint.. 20th?! From the back..

Secondly, quit complaining about everyone putting in their fair share of work.  Why should they, when you and Greipel are taking spot 1 and 2 every time it's a bunch sprint.. almost.  I mean, your team-mates aren't beyond sitting on other people's wheels in big races (Milano San Remo just to site one MASSIVE example..).  What's good for the goose is good for the gander.  So in the words of another great rider who doesn't complain (Jens Voight)  "Shut up (legs)" and just ride your effing bike Matt.