BiciRace.com :: Tim Johnson

Stage 2, Tapped in Rome

The Tim Johnson Phone Tap

20 April 2005

Stage 2, Tapped in Rome

Tim Johnson, photo: Jason Spruill

BiciRace.com:  Ciao Tim, How was it today?
Tim Johnson:  Hot and long, much faster than yesterday. 2 hours of non-stop attacking at the beginning. And then Andrea Tafi attacked. He got five minutes very quickly, and he was hoping to go for a farewell win. But then Phonak really started to pick up the pace.
BR:  So were the teams happy to see Tafi attack?
TJ:  Yes, it was cool and a nice farewell attack.
BR:  How did it go for Jittery Joe's-Kalahari?
TJ:  Jeff, Trent, myself were all up front. Geoff was mixing it up with the boys, and I think he got 11th in the sprint. But the finishing circuit was really, really hard. This was the stage that Lance Armstrong won last year in a sprint. Bobby Julich, Levi and others were up there.
BR:  Tom Danielson as well?
TJ:  Yep.
TJ:  It was cool. Actually, I talked to Lance Armstrong about BiciRace.com. Told him you were in Italy, reporting the Inside Scoop.
BR:  Great, are you going to hook up BiciRace.com with an interview?
TJ:  ha, totally!

BR:  Any other interesting stories from todays stage?
TJ:  There was a lot of near death experiences [cough]. Another thing about today's stage was that it started in Fayetteville , in the middle nowhere, but there were thousands, and thousands, of people. Roads were total packed for 10 miles. And then at the finish in Rome, there were people everywhere. Oh, the Discovery team car blew a tire and almost crashed!
BR:  Who was driving?
TJ:  Bruyneel. Also, Antonio Cruz was carrying bottles and got hit by a mirror of a motor bike. Luckily it was one of those bendable mirrors and there was no crash.

BR:  Are you ready for tomorrow's TT?
TJ:  I hope so. It is super hard with 30k, with a big climb.
BR:  Who's the favorite for the team?
TJ:  I'd say Geoff. He is probably the strongest overall. Super motivated.
BR:  Is the team on special Louis Garneau bikes?
TJ:  Yes, special bikes with special aero kits. [Lyne Bessette walks in and says hello to BiciRace.com.]
TJ:  She [Lyne] was at the start and finish today, doing interviews.
BR:  Ah, the famous Lyne!
TJ:  She's excited to be here with the team.
BR:  Is Lyne following the team?
TJ:  She's a Jittery Joe's-Kalahari groupie!

BR:  So, are you running Jittery Joe's beans through the hotel machines?
TJ:  Yah, got the French press here with the goods. Got the VIP tent covered with Jittery Joe's coffee in the morning, plus the Airstream trailer. Actually, Mr. Lance Armstrong is getting a couple cans of Jittery Joe's beans tonight.
BR:  Who will deliver?
TJ:  Ah, I will pass them to his side-kick with a special code word.

BR:  A bit of a rest day for some in the TT and others going hard?
TJ:  Yah, probably just 3 or 4 of us going all out.
TJ:  [Tim to Lyne] Do you have anything to add to BiciRace.com? Did we go fast?
Lyne Bessette:  Tim was going fast, showing his teeth and smiling! [Tim tells Lyne to fire up the french press.]
BR:  Did you see the "phone tap" on BiciRace.com?
TJ:  That phone tap looks sweet. Nice name!
BR:  Thanks. You like that?
TJ:  It's cool!
BR:  Are you using the Mini Convertible in the race?
TJ:  No, the Mini Cooper S. Fastest car in the peloton. And with roof racks. Mechanic is in the front seat. Ah, and yesterday we had a journalist jammed in the back seat. Funny.
BR:  OK Tim... Thanks for talking with BiciRace.com.
TJ:  No problem, talk to you tomorrow, ciao!