Quinn Relegated from Third-Place Finish in Scratch Race at World's
3/31/07 - A third medal for the U.S. Cycling Team at the 2007 UCI Track World Championships slipped away Saturday after Becky Quinn (Quakertown, Pa.) was relegated by race officials after initially placing third in the women’s 10-kilometer scratch race. With one lap remaining in the 60-lap mass-start race, Quinn was running seventh but advanced four spots with what seemed to be a bronze-medal winning move coming out of turn four 50 meters from the finish. Shortly after Quinn was declared the winner of the bronze medal, race officials disqualified her for entering the sprinter’s lane while it was occupied and making contact with Czech rider Lada Kozlikova. more >

Tour of Utah Bicycle Race Postponed
3/30/07 - The Board of Directors of the Tour of Utah bicycle race announced today that this year’s event will be postponed. While enthusiasm and support for the Tour of Utah continues to be high, after several months of aggressive sales and marketing efforts, the management team was unable to secure the required level of sponsorship support needed to produce the multi-stage race they had planned. Based on initial feedback from potential sponsors, the race organizers believe that postponing the race will allow the time necessary to secure sufficient sponsor support to produce the race.

Hammer Repeats as World Champion in Individual Pursuit
3/30/07 - Sarah Hammer (Temecula, Calif./Ouch Pro Cycling) successfully defended her world title in the women’s three-kilometer individual pursuit Friday at the 2007 UCI Track World Championships. Hammer recorded a time of 3:30.213 to lower her own national record for the third time since January as she beat Rebecca Romero of Great Britain for the gold medal and rainbow jersey. “I couldn’t be happier,” explained Hammer after her victory. “The first one, of course, is always special, but I didn’t want to be non-world champion this year. I mean I lived it out all year, so I didn’t want to go another 365 days without the rainbow.” more >

The Rose Bowl Ride is in high gear now on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
photo © Dorothy Wong

Rosarito Ensenada - 7,500 Cyclists Gear Up to Help Families in Baja
New Elite Start attracts competition among regional cycling clubs
3/28/07 - Thousands of cyclists from Southern California and Northern Baja will be in Rosarito Beach next month for the start of the 28th Anniversary Spring Rosarito Ensenada 50 Mile Fun Bicycle Ride® on April 21, 2007. Event organizers have recently increased their support of economically challenged families in Baja by collecting cash donations for the local Red Cross. “We encourage our riders to donate through our events,” said Gary Foster of San Diego’s Bicycling West, Inc. “A dollar or two from each of a few thousand people really adds up.” All of the donations collected go directly to the Red Cross of Rosarito Beach and Ensenada. The event also generates over $10 million of tourism revenue each year for local Baja businesses. more >

Andrew Bajadali (Jelly Belly) and Amber Neben (Stahl/SC Velo) won the Redlands
Classic Overall, while Kim Anderson (T-Mobile) won the Sunset Stage.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Indio Grand Prix Offers Generou$ Prize List for Women
3/27/07 - Ladies, if you haven't signed up already for the Indio Grand Prix, you'll definitley want to show your support for the generous prize lists that the Indio Grand Prix has put up for the women in it's inaugural event. There is $ 10,000 for the Women Pro,1-3 event and $ 3,000 for the Women's 3/4 event. Spread the word and show your support for a great event that really cares about women's racing! If I had any semblance of race fitness, I'd come out of retirement and be lining up with you ladies for a shot at the dinero! Instead, I will be cheering all of you on! Online registration ends at noon on Friday, March 30th. more info >

Neben and Bajadali Win Overall at Redlands
3/26/07 - The Stage 3 Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race was the final chance for teams to push to the front. Scott Moninger and his BMC team came to the line of defense for their lead in the general classification. Health Net and Jelly Belly had other plans as the stage race hit the first of 12 climbs, corners, and high speeds. Nine riders got away without Moninger represented in the break. When BMC started to fade, Health Net rode to the front, keeping the tempo high. Back in town, in front of thousands of spectators, the five finishing circuit laps produced added excitement. Andrew Bajadali (Jelly Belly) cruised to the overall first, while Health Net’s Rory Sutherland took the stage race. The crowd was on edge as some of the country’s top female riders powered through the finish line at the final stage of the women’s competition at the Redlands Bicycle Classic as. Kim Anderson of T-Mobile closed the 3-day battle, seizing the 6.2 mile circuit course victory. Mara Abbott of Webcor took a close second with Amber Neban from STAHL/SC Velo closing off the top three. “The race was incredibly fast with a lot of attacks prior to the first KOM climb,” said Jill McLaughlin from ValueAct Capital.

Rory Sutherland (Health Net,) who has been living in Redlands the last few
months, won the Sunset Stage making it two stage wins in two days.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Ina Tuetenberg and Rory Sutherland Win Redlands Criterium
3/25/07 - A powerful stream of riders stormed through downtown Redlands for the Stage 2 1st Centennial Bank/KWB Criterium for men. The 1.6 mile, tight 9 turn course was basically level, but highly technical, giving the better strategies the advantage. A significant break rolled away with several riders including, Team Healthnet, two Sierra Nevada riders, and Rock Racing. Team strategy came into play as Team Slipstream, presented by Chipotle, chased the pack. Healthnet slowed the pace at the front to allow the break to stay away and give Rory Sutherland a chance to win the race. Kayle Leogrande of Rock Racing took second, and Josh Thornton from Kodak Gallery was third. Ina-Yoko Tuetenberg , of T-Mobile powered her way to another Bicycle Classic, presented by PossAbilities, victory at the Stage 2 1st Centennial Bank/KWB Criterium for women. She earned her win after taking a prime with 5 laps to go and then firing up the breakaway group formed by T-Mobile, Webcor, and Team Cheerwine. Laura Van Gilder (Team Cheerwine) came in second and Brooke Miller (Team Tibco) took third.

The Pro women make their way through the chicane in the Redlands Criterium.
photo © Steve Cohen

Rory Sutherland (Health Net) wins the 1st Centennial Bank/KWB Criterium.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Mercurio Pozzato - Mercury Rising
3/24/07 - Filippo Pozzato Has a Special Ride to Deliver Victory to the Gods of San Remo. In order to repeat a win at Milan-San Remo, Liquigas rider Filippo Pozzato knows he needs all the stars working in his favor. He needs the sacrifice of his team, he needs to be on form, he needs a little luck—and he needs to have confidence in his equipment. Cannondale knows that Pippo has an affinity for fast and beautiful machines—namely his Ferrari and his SystemSix. “For Milan-San Remo I wanted something special on my bike to inspire me. The color is Mercury Silver. In ancient Rome, Mercury was the messenger to the Gods. And, as a substance, Mercury is very hard to catch!” more >

Oak Glen Returns to Redlands Bicycle Classic
3/23/07 - The scenic ride was tempered by the painful grade of the course’s trek from Redlands through rolling canyon roads and a final climb into Oak Glen. Scott Moninger grabbed the race title with a time of 4:14:36. Close behind in second and third, respectively, were Justin England and Anthony Colby with 4:14:43 and 4:14.48. The race was all about endurance and climbing skills, as this year brought back the grueling final climb into the finish. “This is one of those stages you don’t know how it’s going to turn out until the last climb,” said Moninger. “I was feeling better as the race went on. The second and third climbs on the course helped warm up my legs for the last climb. I’m glad Oak Glen is back. Last year was anti-climatic for both race spectators and the riders; this makes it more exciting.” A steady stream of colorful jerseys exploded past the Oak Glen finish line at the Redlands Bicycle Classic’s Stage One Women’s race. Mara Abbott stormed to the front of the pack on the final challenging hill, pedaling her way to first place. Amber Neban clenched second and Christine Thorburn rounded out the top three finishers.

Scott Moninger (BMC) and Justin England (Toyota-United) drop the hammer up Oak Glen. Amber Neben (Stahl / SC Velo) finished second, but held on to the Overall.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

The colorful Pro men's peloton is still together before the Oak Glen carnage begins.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Redlands Classic Revisited - By Christy Nicholson
3/23/07 - In my racing days, I competed in the Redlands Classic nine times and have many great memories today. The Redlands Classic always marked the first big NRC race of the season, usually held the first week of March, where all of the pro teams were represented with full rosters.  Every year, it was an opportunity to see old friends and teammates, team managers, souigneurs, mechanics and photographers; the family that made up our crazy traveling circus world for the next six months. One thing that makes the Redlands Classic so special, was the community and the generous host families that open their homes to so many riders. I stayed with the Breyer family for seven years and still stay in touch today. The courses and number of stages have varied over the years, with Street Sprints, different Prologues and Time Trials, including on the California Speedway, and the tough twisty turny Highland Circuit Race.  Each year my team gave a school presentation to an elementary school on the Highland course, so we had an automatic cheering section of several hundred kids every lap. Today, they are bringing back the classic Oak Glen Stage, but have thrown in a few climbs before hand to wreak havoc. Hopefully, the riders that struggle today can look back one day and have good memories too. Redlands Classic History >

Local girls Dotsie Bausch (Colavita) and stage winner, Amber Neben (Stahl / SC Velo), put in a good effort in the Redlands Prologue.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joes) and Redlands Prologue winner Svein Tuft (Symmetrics).
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Cool Race Videos of Recent NRC Races
3/21/07 - XPMultimedia has put together some awesome videos of some of the recent NRC races, including the Central Valley Classic and Merco Credit Union Grand Prix. The videos are nicely edited with some rockin' tunes that make you want to get out there and ride. They'll also be serving up some cool videos of the Redlands Classic. Check It Out >

2007 Indio Grand Prix & Healthy Lifestyle Festival Announced
3/20/07 - K&L Sports Group and the city of Indio California today announced the inaugural 2007 Indio Grand Prix & Healthy Lifestyle Festival. The Grand Prix will be showcased in Downtown Indio on a closed 1 mile course, Saturday march 31st 2007.  The event will feature both Men’s and Women’s professional races. The 2007 Indio Grand Prix is a new event developed in partnership with USA Cycling, the national governing body for the sports and the SCNCA “Southern California Nevada Cycling Association”. The race will become one of the cornerstones of American cycling and will attract top teams and athletes from around the country. Furthermore, the event will showcase the historic Coachella Valley’s scenery and attractions. more >

Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joes) soloed in for the win in the SDSR Crit, while Scott Moninger (BMC) took the overall win after a big chase from his BMC teammates.
photos © Danny Munson

It’s a Sweep For Toyota-United At Quad Knopf Sequoia Criterium
1-2-3 Finish Of Dominguez, Stevic and Vogels Is a First For The Team
3/19/07 - A textbook lead-out to the finish delivered the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team its first-ever 1-2-3 finish Sunday at the Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling Classic Criterium. Ivan Dominguez took the win – his fifth of the season – while teammates Ivan Stevic and Henk Vogels crossed the finish line in second and third, respectively, at the end of the 40-mile (64.4 km) race in Visalia, Calif. “You can pretty much say domination was the word of the day,” Vogels said. more >

Press - Toyota-United Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling Classic TT Report
3/18/07 - Led by Chris Baldwin’s runner-up finish, the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team placed five riders in the top 10 Saturday at the Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling Classic Time Trial in Exeter, Calif. Toyota-United’s Chris Wherry was fourth, Sean Sullivan was seventh, Ivan Stevic finished eighth and Justin England placed 10th in the 18.3-mile (30 km) mostly uphill race that played out under sunny skies with temperatures in the mid-80s. Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team) averaged 27.7 mph to defeat Baldwin by 35 seconds. Anthony Colby (Colavita/ Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) finished third, 1:21 behind Jacques-Maynes’ winning time of 39 minutes and 41 seconds. more >

Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health) blazes the Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling
Classic Time Trial in Exeter. photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Alison Powers (Colavita/ Sutter Home ) won the women's TT.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Riders Gearing Up for SDSR
3/15/07 - I rode over to GMR this afternoon to see if there was any action going on. I had my spycam out and spyed a good fifty riders reconning the course, including riders from Navigators, BMC, Nerac, ExpressCopy.com, Team Lipton, Coates, and SC Velo. The climb is looking good and here's my time trial tips for you to help you shave a few seconds off your time. 1) don't go soooo hard on the flat section in the beginning that you blow on the climb 2) take the shortest, shallowest and smoothest lines through the turns and straights and 3) put a motor on your bike and start it when you are out of sight from the officials. Follow these tips and you will podium for sure. Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed and may vary based on your fitness level.

Meredith Miller on her way to victory in the San Dimas Stage Race road race.
photo © Steve Cohen

USA Cycling National Festival Schedule Announced
3/15/07 - USA Cycling announced today that a full competition schedule for junior, U23, master and elite categories for the 2007 USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs is now available. Scheduled for July 5-17 in Champion, Pa., the event will once again offer national championship events in road, time trial and criterium disciplines. Course maps and profiles, as well as registration information, were also announced. more >

The Pros go up the first climb at Southridge Series # 5.
photo © Terry Martin

U.S. MTB Team wins eight medals at Continental Championships
3/15/07 - The United States Mountain Bike Team swept the elite women’s podium and collected a total of eight medals – two of them gold – at the Continental Mountain Bike Championships in Nequen, Argentina on Sunday. Georgia Gould won gold in the elite women's contest ahead of silver medalist Mary McConneloug and bronze medalist Willow Koerber. In the women's U23 race, Chloe Forsman took the continental title, while other medalists on the day included Todd Wells, Sam Schultz, Sam Jurekovic, and Melanie Meyers. more >

Henk Vogels found his wings at the Central Valley Classic.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Meet Chris Carmichael at Cynergy Cycles in Santa Monica
3/13/07 - Lance Armstrong's coach Chris Carmichael will make a special appearance at Cynergy Cycles in Santa Monica on Friday at 6:30 pm. He’ll be signing his new book "5 Essentials for a Winning Life" and discussing his plan to help everyone discover the champion within. In addition, it will be customer appreciation night at Cynergy Cycles with 10% off bikes and 15% off parts and accessories. more >

Toyota-United's Henk Vogels Wins Crit at Central Valley Classic
3/11/07 - Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team’s Henk Vogels won his first race in nearly four years Sunday when he captured the third and final stage of the Bentley’s Central Valley Classic Stage Race in Fresno, CA. Vogels easily won the field sprint at the end of the 80-minute Tower District Criterium to give Toyota-United its fifth victory of the season and its second in two weeks in a National Race Calendar event. Last year, Toyota-United won 24 NRC races and scored 55 victories overall. more >

Tina Pic (Colavita) makes it look easy with win #2 at the Central Valley Classic.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Spring Forward Tonight, Ride More Tomorrow!
3/10/07 - This year Daylight Savings is starting almost a month earlier than normal tonight when we set our clocks forward one hour. This is the best news ever for cyclists, since more daylight means more riding. Even better news is that Daylight Savings will not end until the end of November. Awesome training rides like the Buds Ride, Rose Bowl and Eldo will now be in full swing allowing you to get some midweek race simulation in.

The Pro Men's field spreads across the road at Bentley's Central Valley Classic.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

US Track Team Announced for UCI World Championships
Women
Sarah Hammer (Temecula, Ca) – Individual Pursuit, Points Race
Neva Day (Manhattan Beach, Ca) – Individual Pursuit
Becky Quinn (Quakertown, Pa) – Scratch Race
Jennie Reed (Kirkland, Wa) – Sprint, Keirin

Men
Michael Creed (Colorado Springs, Co) – Points Race
Brad Huff (Fair Grove, Mo) – Points Race, Omnium

Tina Pic (Colavita) wins another one at Bentley's Central Valley Classic.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

San Diego Program Supports Youth Cycling
3/8/07 - San Diego VeloYouth  (SDVY) introduces underprivileged kids to the sport of cycling.  A partnership of the San Diego Velodrome, the DeWalt/Big Ring Racing team and Quality of Life Connections, a local non-profit, is bringing 20 kids from National City Middle School (NCMS) to the velodrome for a 6-week course in track racing. The kids have the opportunity to take their bike and equipment home at the end of the program by participating in fundraising and community service activities.  Rosa DuBost, head of the Before and After School Program at NCMS said, “The kids are so excited to be out there – they can’t stop talking about the bikes!” more >

San Diego VeloYouth Team – Spring 2006
Photo Courtesy of Donna Duarte

SoCalCycling.com Sponsors Cycling Team
3/6/07 - SoCalCycling.com is proud to announce our continued support of our Elite Team for the fourth year in a row. In addition, we are happy to have a great group of people represent SoCalCycling.com through the SoCalCycling.com Club, now in it’s fifth year. We are excited to partner with new co-sponsors LaRocque Better Roofs Incorporated and Matco Tools (Sean Liske) for 2007. Guy LaRocque and Sean Liske are both avid cyclists.

Team Director, Frank Sarate, has rebuilt the Elite Team to include eight Category 1/2 riders.  The team is comprised of seasoned riders including, Frank Sarate, Rob Kampilla, Juan Bravo, and former Mexican National Team Member, Raul Estrada Frias.  The team also includes four young riders under the age of 24, which will add youth and enthusiasm to the team, including Steven Ballenger, Pro mountain biker Mike Tettleton, Alan Wagenbach and returning member Jared Shimizu.  “I am very  excited about the composition of the team and excited to be working with this group of young riders to assist them in their development and cycling goals,” explained Frank Sarate. more >

Ernie Sanchez (Cal Pools & Spas) looks smooth at the Tour de Murrieta.
photo © Brian Weaver

Press Release - San Dimas Stage Race
3/3/07 - Local bike club, SC Velo are getting ready to host their 8th Annual San Dimas Stage Race, sponsored by Schroeder Iron. It will be held on March 16th, 17th & 18th, with the backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains creating an arena for 800 cyclists and 100 plus children to put on their race faces and battle out 3 days of racing in different formats. This year we welcome a new Race Director Al Wiscovitch who is looking forward to making this race a success for the cyclists and safe for the spectators, as well as a new club sponsor Stahl Erectors. Schroeder Iron/Incycle elite master’s cycling team will also donate all of their winnings in 2007 to the development of the Junior SC Velo team. more >

Rock Racing teammates Kayle Leogrande and Jeremiah Wiscovitch will be at the SDSR
photo © SC Velo

MOTOR TABS™ Sports Drink Signs Eight Domestic Road Teams
3/2/07 - Sports Engine LLC’s MOTOR TABS™ Fluid Replacement System recently signed sponsorship agreements to be the official sports tablet for eight professional and elite, domestic road cycling teams for the 2007 campaign:

What Do You Think?
3/1/07 - If you'd like to see the Amgen Tour of California have a mountain top finish, let us know which climbs you'd like to see used in our forum.