Cycling News

Video - Dana Point Grand Prix Pro Men's Race
4/30/09 - Watch USPRO Criterium Champion, Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing), win the Dana Point Grand Prix NRC Pro Men's Bicycle Race in front of an enthusiastic crowd in downtown Dana Point.

The TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship is Back On
4/29/09 - Thanks to fans and supporters, the race is returning for the 25th year.  After several weeks of uncertainty, organizers of the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship announced today that the annual race will be held as scheduled on Sunday, June 7. “We are pleased to report that today we secured enough new sponsorship funding to produce the race as planned, and will announce the event’s new partners next week” said Dave Chauner, president of Pro Cycling Tour and co-founder of the Philadelphia race 25 years ago.  Chauner added that strong response to PCT’s Embrace the Race Campaign and high initial sales of VIP tickets were significant factors in helping to close the $500,000 funding gap the event faced early last week. “The new sponsors are providing enough to ensure we cover the City’s cost requirements, prize money and other budget items critical to running the race”, said Jerry Casale, Chief Operating Officer of Pro Cycling Tour and also a race founder. “But we still need to sell more tickets and merchandise to break even”, he added. To support the race via VIP ticket purchases and donations to the Embrace the Race campaign, go to www.procyclingtour.com.

Armstrong Returns to Racing at Tour of the Gila with Leipheimer and Horner
4/28/09 - Lance Armstrong has announced his return to racing will commence at the challenging 23rd SRAM Tour of the Gila in New Mexico. The Texan was back on the bike days after a crash and subsequent collar bone fracture in the Castilla y León stage race on March 23. Chris Horner, who fractured his collar bone and a rib in the Tour of the Basque Country on April 9 will return to racing as well in the same race. Three time Tour of California and recent Castilla y León champion, Levi Leipheimer, will also participate. Leipheimer stated, "Lance and I are psyched to race the Gila, its great preparation for Europe, and we know this race will be challenging. There is a hell of a lot of uphill." "I'm excited to get back to competitive racing. The recovery training has been going well but nothing compares to getting back into the bunch and racing," said Armstrong on his first trip to the Tour of Gila. The seven-time Tour de France champ has never participated in the Tour of the Gila and is expecting a challenging race with thousands of feet of climbing over five days. He considers it a great opportunity to race in the U.S. and continue his preparation for the upcoming Tour of Italy. The race also gives Armstrong and his Foundation an opportunity to further the LiveStrong Global Cancer Campaign. The 23rd Annual SRAM Tour of the Gila is a 5 day stage race in Silver City, New Mexico on April 29th - May 3rd. Due to a UCI rule, Armstrong, Horner and Leipheimer will start as individual riders in the Mellow Johnny’s jersey.

Rock Racing's Bahati and Webcor's Butterfield Win the Dana Point Grand Prix
4/27/09 - The Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling is quickly becoming one of the hottest races on the NRC and SoCal circuit for racers and fans alike.  Held in the beautiful beachside community of Dana Point, the course overlooks the Dana Point Marina providing fans with scenic coastal vistas. The Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling sets the standard with a huge prize list, vendor expo area, kids race, live bands, a jump demo by Downhill World Champion Brian Lopes, In ‘n Out Burger and Karl Strauss Beer Garden, in addition to a spectator friendly and technical course.

The Pro Men and Women were both vying for valuable NRC points and respectable prize lists, including $15,000 for the men and $ 7,500 for the women.  With so much money on the line, breakaways were short lived in both the Women's and Men’s race and never got more than 10 seconds on the field. In the Men’s race, previous Dana Point Grand Prix winner Karl Bordine (Mark Reynolds Memorial Bike Fund) escaped for a few laps with Tommy Nelson (Liquid Fitness), but the most significant break came with six laps to go and included Kirk O’Bee (Bissell), Brandon Gritters (Kahala LaGrange), Rudy Napolitano (Liquid Fitness) and Neil Shirley (Kelly Benefit Strategies). Unfortunately, Rock Racing and Colavita/ Sutter Home were not represented and it was only a matter of time before it was brought back. With two laps to go a $ 500 prime was up for grabs, which Tony Cruz (BMC Racing) easily won. With one lap to go a Gamblers Prime of $ 2,000 tempted the riders, with Colavita/Sutter Home rolling through first setting their team up for the final lap. Rock Racing had other plans and their sprinter Rahsaan Bahati snuck past Haedo and rocketed to the win followed by Jeremiah Wiscovitch (SC Velo) in 2nd and Lucas Haedo (Colavita/ Sutter Home) in third.

Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) pulled out a big win at the Dana Point Grand Prix with
Jeremiah Wiscovitch (SC Velo) in 2nd and Lucas Haedo (Colavita/Sutter Home) in 3rd.

The Women’s race was comprised of local talent, as well as some of the top women’s trade teams including, Tibco, Webcor Builders and Colavita/Sutter Home. Midway through the race, a break of seven formed that gained 10 seconds, but a serious crash in the field caused the race to be stopped for 15 minutes. When the race was finally restarted, all of the women were started together despite the time gap of the breakway and had 23 minutes left to race. Going into the final sprint, Webcor riders Gina Grain and Nikki Butterfield came out of the last turn with a slight gap and held off the field for a 1-2 finish with Catherine Cheatley (Colavita/Sutter Home) in 3rd and Coryn Rivera (Proman) in 4th.

In the Men’s 35 + Race, Amgen/ Giant displayed some phenomenal teamwork with a Turbo induced leadout from Thurlow Rogers that delivered his teammates to a 1-3 finish with Chris DeMarchi taking the win, Anthony Galvan in 2nd and Randall Coxworth in 3rd. results >

The Amgen/Giant Team took the top three places at the Dana Point Grand Prix in the 35 + race.
photo © Mark Johnson/Ironstring.com

Sho-Air/Specialized’s Sid Taberlay Wraps Up Kenda Cup West Series Pro Title
4/27/09 - Sho-Air/Specialized rider Sid Taberlay wrapped up the inaugural Kenda Cup West Series men’s pro cross country title with his convincing win at round # 5 in Santa Ynez on Sunday. Heading into the event, Taberlay needed to place 9th or better to wrap up the Kenda Cup West series with a round to go over Kenda/Tomac/Hayes rider Andy Schultz and third place rider Manny Prado also of the Sho-Air/Specialized team. From the beginning it was clear Taberlay wasn’t leaving anything to chance as he broke away from the 25 rider field on the day’s first significant climb.  From there Taberlay was in a league of his own as he put more time into his rivals on each of the 3 laps, including Kenda Cup West series second place rider Schultz, who would end up third on the day. In the end, Taberlay cruised home with a comfortable win, his third in five races of the Kenda Cup West series and in doing so, added the men’s Pro cross country title to his race palmares. Taberlay recalled his race, “All in all it was a smooth race mate.  There was a little pushing and bumping early on, so I got to the front on the days first climb to keep out of trouble.  When I looked back, I already had separation over Schultz and Olsen and was able to ride my own race from there on.” explained Taberlay. When asked how it compared to last years win at Santa Ynez, Taberlay had the following to say. “Well obviously it wasn’t as hot, and with the Kenda Cup just following up to last weeks PRO XCT at Sea Otter, I think everyone was a bit worn down. My Specialized really tore this course apart and it was a noticeable difference from my bike that I won on last year.” continued Taberlay.  “Now that I have the Kenda Cup West title, I’m going to focus on the PRO XCT where I currently sit third in points and see if I can make a go at that number one plate as well.”

Pro Men's Podium at the Santa Ynez - 1st Sid Taberlay, 2nd Sam Schultz, 3rd Aaron Olson.

Cycling Pros on Twitter
4/25/09 - Thanks to Oprah joining Twitter last week and Ashton Kutcher taking down CNN in a Twit Off, Twitter has officially become mainstream. In cycling circles, Lance Armstrong got on the twitter bandwagon last October and has led the way for many other cycling pros to join the Twitter Nation. This is great for cycling fans since you can get the inside scoop - some of it interesting, some mundane, in other words normal. Check out BikeChatter.com, which provides the lastest updates from some of the top pros and cycling teams on Twitter all in one place. A few that are missing from BikeChatter's List are Daryl Impey who suffered the nasty crash with Theo Bos in the Tour of Turkey and Fly V Australia's Ben Day who recently won the San Dimas Stage Race. Be sure to give SoCalCycling.com a follow too for the latest cycling and event updates.

Downhill World Champion Brian Lopes Jump Demo Added to Dana Point Grand Prix
4/24/09 - The Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling has just confirmed an exciting BMX jump event featuring Brian Lopes, Four Time Downhill Mountain Bike Champion and BMX Hall of Famer, this Sunday, April 26. The demonstration, scheduled for 11:50 am, immediately following the kids races, will showcase Lopes racing his BMX down the El Camino Capistrano towards Heritage Park. He will jump straight off the edge towards the Dana Point Harbor, and fly thru the air into the park reaching heights of 40 feet.  This is a photo opportunity that is not to be missed! Brian Lopes will also provide guest commentary in the announcing booth and discuss his BMX and mountain biking career, health and fitness, and the promotion of youth cycling. USA Cycling, the governing body of professional and amateur competitive cycling in the U.S., created the National Racing Calendar (NRC) in 1997 as a series of 34 races throughout America in prestigious cities as New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and Dana Point to recognize top pro-level talent in America. The NRC series of races awards accumulative points to the top Pro/Am finishers in each NRC event on the way to the overall USA Cycling NRC crown at the end of the season in September. Previous past top NRC finishers have been Team Astana team mates, Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, who recently won the Amgen Tour of California, San Diego native, Chris Horner and Murrieta resident, Floyd Landis of Team OUCH. The Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling is organized by the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation, a 501 c(3) non-profit corporation with a mission of community cycling advocacy and growth. A portion of the proceeds from the race will be donated to the Dana Point Boys & Girls Club and the US 5th Marine Regiment Support Group. 

Trips for Kids Reaches 50,000 Youth in 20 Years of Hosting Mountain Bike Rides  
4/23/09 - Trips for Kids (TFK) today announced it has taken 50,000 underserved urban youth on mountain bike rides since its inception more than 20 years ago. "I'm proud that our efforts have helped thousands of young people experience the world's natural beauty and the excitement of completing a physical challenge - and so many more still need our help," said Marilyn Price, founding director of Trips for Kids. "There are more young people than ever who need to get outside, understand how to take care of our environment, spend a day with caring, supportive adults, and get tired from good, enjoyable exercise." More than 60 chapters advance the TFK mission. Located in a variety of communities, the groups identify at-risk youth and work through local youth services agencies to help them. Chapters are formed by a variety of individuals and organizations including environmental centers, schools, public health agencies, after-school learning centers, bike advocacy clubs, and non-profits like the YMCA, Boy Scouts, and Girls & Boys Clubs. In many cases the kids they serve have never visited the nearby parks and outdoor areas. TFK provides the bicycles, helmets and other equipment, along with a trained ride leader and adult volunteers. The children who participate in the rides receive safety instructions and are paired with adult ride buddies. Throughout the ride they learn environmental awareness as well as nutrition and fitness tips. Many of the participants report that the TFK mountain bike rides teach them to set goals and achieve them. It takes TFK chapter leaders, volunteers, bicycle industry sponsors and individual donors to make TFK rides successful. Visit the TFK website, tripsforkids.org, to learn more about the program and to find a local chapter.

Bicycle Dreams Documentary to Play at Two So Cal Film Festivals this Weekend
4/21/09 - Bicycle Dreams is a documentary about the Race Across America, a cross country bicycle race that challenges riders to cover 3000 miles in under ten days. The film examines the motivations of the riders and their dedicated crews, exploring what it takes both physically and mentally to deal with the extreme challenges of this incredible race. Filmmaker Stephen Auerbach and his crew worked around the clock to capture the highs and lows of the Race Across America. With 18 cameras in the field, the team found innovative ways to document this massive event. To uncover the inner workings of the race, embedded camera operators traveled inside the riders’ crew vehicles, gaining unprecedented access to the cyclists and their teams. Their footage captured emotional and physical breakdowns, late-night strategy sessions, and great moments of personal triumph, all in intimate detail. Auerbach then took on the enormous task of editing hundreds of hours of material into a powerful, inspiring look inside the most difficult race on Earth. “Bicycle Dreams” will be playing at the Newport Beach Film Festival on Saturday, April 25th at 3:15PM. The film will also be playing at the Fallbrook Film Festival on Saturday, April 25th at 2PM. The filmmakers will be present at both festivals for Q and A. For more info on the film, visit bicycledreamsmovie.com or view the trailer.

Joanne Kiesanowski (Tibco) and Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) won the Circuit Race at Laguna Seca.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

BMC Racing Team's Beyer and Nydam Win at the Tour of the Battenkill
4/20/09 - Upstate New York's answer to the cobbled classics of northern Europe, the Tour of the Battenkill challenges the participants with endless sections of dirt or gravel roads and constant undulations.  Fresh off a cobbled campaign in Belgium, the BMC Racing Team arrived in Cambridge, New York with high expectations for success.  Fulfilling all hopes, BMC's Chad Beyer walked away with the Pro/Amateur race on Saturday while Scott Nydam soloed his way to victory in the Pro Invitational on Sunday.  Saturday's race combined the professionals and the elite amateurs, taking one 100km loop around the environs of Cambridge with an added section making the route a 129km thrash-fest over the graveled, hilly roads of upstate New York.  Since Sunday's race was intended only for the invited professional teams, the length was nearly doubled and would see the riders taking two loops around the 100km course from the day before.  "It rained a little bit Saturday, so the dirt sections were a little more packed down," Sayers said.  "But it was still pretty dry, dusty and tough; the cars did a lot to turn over the dirt so it was by no means an easy task."  Knowing that the difficulty of the course would play to their advantage, BMC went out with an attacking game plan.  "Though I didn't necessarily mean to be solo for so long, the main plan of the day certainly was to get into the breaks," Scott Nydam said.  "Though we only had five guys in the race, we had a lot of cards to play and whenever one of us gets in the break, it gives the other guys a free ride to follow wheels."  Early in the first lap, Scott Nydam broke away from the group with Ouch's Bobby Lea, quickly gaining a 3 minute gap.  "The dirt roads were tough and there was mayhem back in the main peloton," Sayers said.  "At one point there must have been 30 guys at the side of the road with flats."  "Today was a crazy race," Sayers said.  "Scott and Bobby broke away early on the first lap and then Scott was on his own early in the second lap."  A strong chase eventually formed and managed to get to within one minute of Nydam.  "I knew there was a chase group behind us, so I put in an effort to drop Bobby and be off alone," Nydam explained. Believing in his chances to take the overall victory, Nydam road a steady race and managed to keep the chasers at bay.

Tiffany Cromwell (Colavita) and Levi Leipheimer (Astana) won the challenging SRAM Road Race.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Tyler Hamilton Retires After a Second Positive Drug Test
4/17/09 - Rock Racing’s Tyler Hamilton has retired from the sport of Professional Cycling after testing positive for the banned steroid DHEA during an out of competition test at the Rock Racing training camp on February 9, 2009. Hamilton says he was diagnosed with depression in 2003 and knowingly took an over the counter herbal remedy which contained DHEA to alleviate his depression, after he had stopped taking his prescription anti-depressants due to the side effects.  According to Hamilton, depression runs in his family. Hamilton has had some life altering set backs with a two year ban for testing positive for homologous blood-doping in 2004, a divorce and most recently dealing with his mother’s cancer.  Hamilton said,  "I took a banned substance so I need to take whatever penalty they will give me and move forward," he said upon his retirement. "I woke up knowing that I'd be talking to a few people to make it official. It really hit home and I am really sad. All careers have to come to an end."

The Bissell Team dominated the SRAM Criterium on the Laguna Seca race track.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Video - Fontana US Cup Mountain Bike Race

The Inaugural Ventura County Stage Race Kicks Off on May 16 and 17
4/16/09 - Competitive bicycle racing returns to the streets of Downtown Ventura for a timed stage race, May 16 & 17, 2009. The inaugural Ventura County Stage Race will consist of 3 stages over a 2 day period in Ventura County. Event organizers are committed to offering a quality stage race for So Cal residents, by keeping racer costs manageable, while also saving that extra work day for actual ‘work’ and not another day racing and away from home. Race day 1 consists of 2 stages with the exact same starting point for racing convenience. Stage 1 starts at 7:00 am with a 2 mile prologue that could be won on sheer strategy; the first 1.5 miles is flat and fast; however it gets vertical at the end, so plan accordingly.  Stage 2 is a 0.7 mile criterium around the newly paved streets of Downtown Ventura with Main Street and City Hall as the primary venues. Criterium racing goes all afternoon and finishes with the Pro 1/2 Men in the evening. Race day 2 takes us 10 miles north to Ojai for the 5.7 mile circuit course. The course will test each racer’s fitness with multiple sprint and climbing opportunities during each event. Racing will be complete by mid afternoon in an effort to send the tired home quickly to rest. The Ventura community has come together to produce this inaugural event for spectators, racers and curious observers in the So Cal area and the prize list will surely not disappoint. Primes range from food and beverage at Downtown locations, hotel awards, and much more. Saturday’s day long activities take place center stage Downtown Ventura with multiple retail, restaurants, bars, etc. for supporters, race enthusiasts, racers and their families to enjoy. There is no need for heavy travel while at this event, as the host hotel is right off the freeway and is only 0.25 mile from Downtown Ventura racing that Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Downtown Ventura Organization, City of Ventura, Watermark Restaurant, Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach, Smith Optics, Juice and Java and many more. Also enjoy free racer support from Williams Wheel Systems (neutral wheels), Win’s Wheels (free mechanical), E2 Hydro / Clif Bar (neutral feed) and Hincapie Sportswear (leader jerseys). Over the course of the weekend, participants will race in one of eight different categories, competing for $15,000 in cash/prizes. Future plans include alternative courses and increased stages for 2010. For more info, contact Colby Allen at [email protected] or go to bikestyleusa.com.

Tony Cruz Takes 4th in the Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen Semi-Classic
4/15/09 - Long Beach's Tony Cruz continued the BMC Racing Team's streak of successful races Wednesday by snagging 4th place in a mad sprint for the line which saw a handful of riders crashing within sight of the finish. Alessandro Petacchi took the overall victory with a blazing burst of speed, unhindered by the fracas behind him.  Even before Cruz's excellent finish, the stage had already been an eventful one for BMC which had Jeff Louder in a four man breakaway that stayed clear of the pack until nine kilometers from the finish. The past two years BMC has solidified its reputation as being a team for the breakaways.  This season the focus has shifted slightly from getting in the early breaks to saving more energy to be used in the later sections of the stages.  However, getting into the break today worked perfectly into the team's strategy.  "The idea was for one of us to get into the break and take some of the pressure off the sprinters in the team, but it took a lot of effort to get the move going," Jeff Louder said.  "The break started out as an echelon selection in the wind, and then Bernucci and Pronk took off; there was no immediate reaction so I bridged up to them."  With still over 100 kilometers to go to the finish, the breakaway companions who had also been joined by Pavel Brutt, would have a long hard road ahead of them if they were going to make it to the finish line in the lead. "The racing conditions were pretty good but there was a lot of wind and we had to ride full out for quite a while to get the move to stick," Louder explained.  "Once we entered the final three circuits it started to look really promising since we were still holding the pack off pretty well." The top sprinting teams were able to re-organize the chase which eventually reeled the breakaway back in. With 1000 meters left in the race, complete chaos erupted as everyone tried to elbow some space to make a sprint.  "I've been in that situation often enough and I was just sensing that a crash was about to happen," Cruz explained. "With about 300 meters to go I started my sprint, pretty sure someone was about to go down."  As Cruz was opening up his sprint, several riders crashed right next to him, bumping into Cruz and forcing him to lose momentum.  "I was hoping that I could accelerate away from the crash, but one rider fell into me."  Such boxing matches with handlebars seldom end happily.   Since the Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen has gained in prestige and notoriety the past several years, BMC can look to Tony Cruz's 4th place as one of its best one day Euro results.  "For me today is really special because it is a race for the best sprinters in the world," Cruz said.  "So to get a good result here is very important to me and very good for the team in general."  

Landis and Bahati Confirmed for the Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling
4/14/09 - Floyd Landis, with top members of TEAM OUCH / Maxxis Cycling, and Rahsaan Bahati with Rock Racing, have confirmed to race in the 3rd annual Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling on April 26, a part of the prestigious USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. Last year, Floyd Landis offered color commentary and melancholy folk songs from the announcer's booth of the Dana Point Grand Prix. This year, Floyd Landis will let his legs do the singing. "I had a great time last year channeling Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash," joked Landis, "but I got a feeling the crowd would rather watch me race my bicycle." Bahati, the current Professional Road Criterium Champion, has won many top criterium races in America, and is looking forward to dueling the top pro teams in Dana Point, including Team OUCH and Landis. “Our Rock Racing Team has one of the best criterium squads in America, along with me is Justin Williams, the current under 23 National Criterium Champion, and last year’s Dana Point Grand Prix Champion, Sterling Magnell. We’ll be positioned to give our best at the finish line and certainly look forward to defending last years Dana Point Rock Racing victory”. This year will be the third annual Dana Point Grand Prix. "It's more than a bike race," said Roger Worthington, a mesothelioma/asbestos cancer lawyer who is also the DPGP title sponsor. "It's a festival for the entire family, complete with live music, a Karl Strauss beer garden, an exciting series of kids races, a Fan Zone expo, a BMX demonstration, an In-n-Out Burger stand, and a whole bunch of bike races,  from the crack of dawn to the orange glow of dusk." Worthington will again be working the race microphone. He will be joined by several celebrities throughout the day, including Brian Lopes, Steve Hegg, and skate board phenom and local hero Ryan Sheckler, as well as Mayor pro-tem Steven Weinberg.  The DPGP boasts a prize list of over $30,000.  The six corner .8 mile criterium is located in the heart of Dana Point near Heritage Park, which overlooks the Dana Point Harbor and the Pacific Ocean.

The BMC Racing Team Endures the Legendary Paris-Roubaix
4/13/09 - Having received a Wild Card invitation to the Paris-Roubaix barely a month ago, the BMC Racing Team was faced with the challenge of bringing a team made up almost entirely of Roubaix neophytes to the hardest one day race in the world. Though the team was fortunate to have Roubaix veterans like Directeur John Lelangue and team leader Tony Cruz to guide them, on the whole, the event was going to be a first time learning experience for nearly the rest of the team and staff.  Nevertheless, BMC was very proud to have three riders able to finish their laps around the Roubaix velodrome after the entire team worked cohesively like seasoned “hell of the north” professionals.  Though the overall finishing positions of the riders could have been better if they hadn’t suffered certain mishaps, there was going to be no stopping Tom Boonen who successfully defended his title from 2008, and joined the ranks of three-time Roubaix winners. “Paris-Roubaix is always a difficult race, but I am really, really proud of how our team did,” Directeur Sportif John Lelangue reported.  “It is such a challenging race not only for the racers but also for the staff that I am enormously impressed with how well our entire team worked throughout the day!” Though the first-timers on the team knew well the reputation of the race and had an idea of what to expect, the reality was still a bit shocking.  “First impression was that it was just such a crazy race,” first-time finisher Brent Bookwalter said.  “We all came in expecting it to be crazy, but the magnitude of the crowd and the nervous energy of the field really turn this into another animal.”  Inside the race itself, the BMC team members were working well together, keeping well-positioned and watching out for each other.  “We were very lucky early in the race with few mechanicals, and the guys were all able to keep themselves out of trouble for the most part,” Lelangue explained. “I was car number 24 in the caravan, though, so when one of the guys did have a problem, their team mates or a member of staff strategically placed along the route was there to help whoever from the team was in trouble.”  Alex Moos was BMC’s best finisher in 68th place.  However the end result could have been much better for Moos.  Entering the cobbled section Carrefour de l'Arbre Moos was well-placed in the main peloton, however he had the misfortune to have had a spectator accidentally put a flag pole through his front wheel.

The winning break of nine held off the chasing field at the Long Beach Grand Prix.
photo © SoCalCycling.com, LBGP Photo Gallery

Video - Paris-Roubaix Final Kilometers
4/12/09 - Quick-Step's Tom Boonen survives the cobbles and rides to his third Paris-Roubaix victory.

Alberto Contador Wins the Tour of the Basque Country
4/11/09 - Team Astana’s Alberto Contador won for the second consecutive time the Tour of the Basque Country. For Contador it is his tenth victory in a stage race as a professional rider. These ten victories include the three Grand Tours of the Tour de France, Tour of Italy and Tour of Spain. Earlier this season, Contador was already the best in the the Tour of Algarve. The overall winner was the fastest rider in the final stage, an individual time trial in Zalla (24 kilometer). Toni Colom finished second 22 seconds behind and Olympic Champion Samuel Sánchez third at 45 seconds behind. After only 5 kilometers Contador was the fastest man. Colom and Vincenzo Nibali had the second and third split times as 12 and 19 seconds respectively.  At mid-race, on the top of the Alto de Beci, Contador increased his advantage to 33 seconds. He never weakened and finished strong in 31 minutes and 59 seconds (average speed of 45 km/h). “It’s incredible how I continue to progress in my time trial work,” said a happy overall winner. “Two, three years ago this would have been impossible. I am a typical climber; in theory we are not so strong in time trial work. This gives me confidence for the next goal, the Tour de France. Maybe from now on I must concentrate on longer time trials as well. “ For the Team Astana Directors Sean Yates and Alexandr Shefer it was a hard week. “We had to work hard to control all stages,” said Yates. “Because of a crash we lost Chris Horner. Dani Navarro suffered the last days as well, but he was motivated to continue working for this overall victory, together with Zubeldia, Kireyev, Hernández and Rubiera. In theory we maybe have the best team in the world for stage races but believe me, the team has to work hard to obtain this result.” Alberto Contador takes some rest now before preparing for the Tour de France. “With seven victories, I may not complain about my first part of the season. Now I really need some rest. When I take off, I can really forget the bike. My bike will have the time to be covered with some dust. I need that to clear my mind and to begin fresh to part two of the season.” Basque Country Video Coverage >

Iggy Silva (Rock Racing) celebrates with his father, "Daddy Iggy", at the Long Beach Grand Prix.
photo © SoCalCycling.com, LBGP Photo Gallery

Hincapie and Columbia-Highroad Ready to Take On Paris-Roubaix
4/10/09 - Columbia-Highroad Classics specialist George Hincapie says he’s keen to get to grips with Paris-Roubaix on Sunday. The 2005 runner-up of the hardest and most legendary Classic on the calendar, Hincapie states categorically that for him, victory will be the only thing that counts.  “There’s only one objective for me and that’s to win it. It’s the one big thing missing from my career. I’d  still  keep going [and not retire if I win], but maybe I wouldn’t come back to Roubaix. I’d always want to end it on that note.Paris-Roubaix is such an epic event. It and Flanders are definitely the hardest one-day races in the whole calendar. It’s always suited me, Paris-Roubaix has always been a really appealing event for me because of the whole history it has. You could easily fill several coffee table books of photos from just that one race because it’s so special. On Sunday I think we’ll try to have one or two guys in the breakaways and then the rest of them with stay with me and Marcus. We’ve got a strong team. I’ve still got that endurance you need for these races, I can still do a good job and fight for a win in certain races. Like Paris-Roubaix.” The Columbia-Highroad team went to ride over the critical cobbled sections of Paris-Roubaix on Thursday. Ghent-Wevelgem winner Edvald Boasson Hagen, who will ride Paris-Roubaix for the first time in his career on Sunday, formed part of the group. “After winning Milan-San Remo and Ghent-Wevelgem, the pressure on us is a little bit lower,” commented team sports director Brian Holm. “But at the same time, we proved in Ghent-Wevelgem that we’ve got  a lot of different options and that the team is going really well, and on Sunday that will be important.” Columbia-Highroad for Paris-Roubaix:- Michael Barry (Can); Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor); Marcus Burghardt (Ger);  Bernhard Eisel (Aut); Greg Henderson (NZ); George Hincapie (USA); Vicente Reynes (Spa); Marcel Sieberg (Ger).

Idyllwild Spring Challenge is Set for May 2 and 3, Pre-Ride the XC Course April 11
4/9/09 - We recommend meeting at the Hurkey Creek Campground day parking area at 9:00 AM so you're ready to roll by the ride start time, 10:00 AM. The Idyllwild Spring Challenge celebrates its fifth year anniversary on May 2 and 3!  Come race on one of the best Cross Country courses in Southern California.  Pros can expect $5000 in cash prizes and Category 1 riders (19 and over) will compete for their classes $50 first place prize money and all category winners will unique handmade granite plaques.  Since this is a USA Cycling National MTB Cross Country Calendar event, Pros can earn valuable UCI points.  A big thank you go to 2009 Cross Country Sponsor, PossAbilities!  This year’s raffle includes a Spinergy 29er Wheelset, an Intense Spyder frame, $1000 off of an Ellsworth frame and much more!  Stick around for Sunday and ride our Super D sponsored by Intense Bicycles and Time Trial race sponsored by our local Mexican restaurant, La Casita.  Both races have courses that are incredibly fun and true to mountain biking and both have great prizes. The Idyllwild Spring Challenge also hosts a free kids race and a free Novice Women’s Cross Country class sponsored by Kenda Tires. Bring the whole family and enjoy the beautiful San Jacinto mountains for the weekend! In addition, The Idyllwild Spring Challenge is hosting a free Cross Country course pre-ride Saturday, April 11.  An Idyllwild Cycling member will lead you on your choice of any of the five different Cross Country courses.  Before the ride rolls out they will be raffling off two free Cross Country entries!  If you have already registered your money wll be refunded!  

Donate Your Bicycle to Wheels4Life at Rock N' Road Cyclery Event and Ride
4/8/09 - Rock N' Road Bike Shops and Team Sho-Air/VeloSport are hosting a bicycle donation day for the Hans Rey Wheels4Life Charity.The donation day will take place on Saturday April 11th. Here is your chance to give a fantastic gift to someone who will really use your trusted old steed, and greatly appreciate your contribution.   Your donated bicycle will be used by Wheels4Life to provide bicycles for people in developing countries in need of transportation. Wheels4life was founded by extreme biking legend and former Mountain Bike World Champion Hans Rey. According to Rey, "For us bicycles are recreational equipment, but for some people a bicycle can mean survival.  A bicycle can make all the difference in a persons life. It can be the difference between having a job or not, going to school or not, seeing a doctor or not..." Hans has been a professional athlete for 20 years, he still travels the world promoting biking and riding the unridable. He has been competing and demonstrating his talents in 60 countries, in recent years he been filming documentaries with his 'Hans Rey Adventure Team', combining his extreme biking skills with different cultures, always in search of something historical or mysterious. Wheels4Life is Hans's way of giving something back to the people he has met on his journeys; Hans remains grateful for the opportunities and career he had through the sport. The Rock N' Road Laguna Niguel shop at 27281 La Paz Rd, Suite N, will be the focus of the donation day and Hans Rey will be present to visit and lead a fun MTB ride at Aliso/Woods Wilderness Park at 10:00 AM.  Rock N' Road will host a lunch after the ride for all participants.  You may also drop your bicycle of at Rock N' Road locations in Mission Viejo, Anaheim Hills, or Irvine.  For directions visit RocknRoadCyclery.net.  Please be sure the bicycle you are donating is in good working order. If you are not sure of the bicycles condition, the Rock N' Road repair shop can take a look at it and give you a cost estimate for any necessary repairs.  Your donation does qualify under IRS laws as a charitable donation.  The value of the bicycle and any repairs can be used as a tax benefit to you. For further info, contact the Laguna Niguel Rock N' Road Store for any questions or additional details at 949-360-8045.

US Cup: Kenda Cup # 3- Sage Brush Race Report
4/7/09 - The US Cup presented by Specialized concluded round # 3 of the KENDA CUP WEST series down in Sage Brush this Sunday. Having not been to the East San Diego county venue for several years due to closure from fires, the five hundred eighty six cross country racers were greeted with arguably the best riding trails California has to offer. Both Pro and Amateur’s alike came away from this year’s Sage Brush with ear to ear grins as the flowing off road vehicle trails gave way to great cross country racing! The Pro Women’s field saw nine riders, stacked with five of the top fifteen riders from last weeks PRO XCT opener, including Kenda Cup series second place rider Krista Park, Ellsworth’s Pua Sawicki and Kenda/Tomac/Hayes veteran Kathy Sherwin among others. Amgen’s Natasha Hernday attacked first, but was countered by Sawicki who quickly out distanced the field on the climb up to four corners. New comer Alison Mann showed good form in only her second Pro race ever and rode second to Sawicki for most of the race. “The course was unbelievable today,” beamed Sawicki. “I can’t remember when I rode a cross country course that put a smile on my face like Sage Brush did today. I felt strong all day and just rode my own race…it worked out perfect,” explained Pua. At the end, Sawicki was clearly in a league of her own this weekend, coming in first ahead of Alison Mann, who gave her sponsor IE bikes its best female Pro finish for 2009. Kenda/Tomac/Hayes rider Amanda Carey placed 3rd, when she out sprinted Amgen’s Natasha Hernday for 4th. Kathy Sherwin rounded out the women’s top 5 for the Kenda/Tomac/Hayes team. more >

John Murphy and Catherine Fiedler-Cook Win the Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix
4/6/09 - The inaugural Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix Festival and race held in Downtown Long Beach put on a great event for cycling fans, racers and the Long Beach community. There was something for everyone to enjoy with live music, food, an expo, fashion show, Gold Sprint roller racers, criterium racing including a $10,000 men's pro twilight crit, and an after party at Wokcano Asian Restaurant and Lounge.

Long Beach is no stranger to downtown races, and has been home to some great events over the years, including a Criterium at the Convention Center that was held in conjunction with Interbike in the late 80’s, the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1993, the Winning Grand Prix that was held on the Toyota Grand Prix race course in 1994 and the Amgen Tour of California Stage in 2007. BMC’s Tony Cruz, who is the City of Long Beach Bicycle Ambassador and 2000 US Olympian, was instrumental in getting the Long Beach Grand Prix off the ground and designed the technical race course. In 2010, Tony hopes to make the Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix part of a Southern California Series, that includes the San Dimas Stage Race, Redlands Bicycle Classic and Dana Point Grand Prix.

Tony Cruz (BMC) attacked from the field with two to go in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
photo © SoCalCycling.com, LBGP Photo Gallery

In the Pro race, John Murphy (Team OUCH) followed up his Redlands Criterium win from the week before by winning a convincing sprint from a nine-rider break in the inaugural Long Beach Bicycle Festival.“The break went about halfway into the race,” Murphy said. “There were two guys from Fly V, two from Colavita, a couple from Rock. I had decided early on I was only going to get in a break if all three of those teams were represented. Any other combo and I wouldn’t go. Because I was on my own, they didn’t have too much problem with me hanging in the back of the break,” Murphy said. “I wasn’t going to work and no one really pushed me to. If the break stayed, I was going to sprint for the win. If we got caught, I was going to sprint for it. Either way, it didn’t matter.” Free from having to do too much in the break, Murphy was able to come into the final laps fresh. Coming out of the final turn with about 350 meters to the line, Murphy was sitting fourth wheel. “Nobody really sprinted out of the turn so I hit it,” he said. From there, it was just a matter of holding on. Alejandro Borrajo (Colavita-Sutter Home) sprinted to second, with Iggy Silva (Rock Racing) close behind in third. In the Women’s race, Catherine Fiedler-Cook (Team Leaderbike/Canari) won by outsprinting her breakaway companions, Michelle Orem (Helens/Cannondale) who was second, and Morgan Kapp (Kahala/ LaGrange) who was third. Photo Gallery >

Kenda Cup West #3-Sage Brush Cross-Country is the Next Stop on the US Cup
4/4/09 - Round number three of the Kenda Cup West Series rolls into the famed Sage Brush venue near Lake Morena County Park in East San Diego County this weekend on April 5. After being ravaged by wild fires for the last few years, the venue is hosting its first cross country race since 2006. If last week’s PRO XCT opener and round #2 of the Kenda West was any indication, sparks are bound to fly this weekend;no pun intended! Kenda Cup West Points- Sid Taberlay of Sho-Air/Specialized currently leads the Kenda Cup West men’s points after his 1st place at Bonelli Park and 6th place finish at last weeks PRO XCT in Fontana. Taberlay is looking to keep his points lead over Kenda/Tomac/Hayes rider Andy Schultz, with Canadian Geoff Kabush now sitting in third place after his win last week out at Fontana. Taberlay will be bringing with him his two additional Sho-Air/Specialized team mates, Sam Jurekovic and Manny Prado in hopes of protecting the Kenda Cup West point’s series lead. Prado now sits 4th in the Kenda Cup West series, just one point off third place rider Geoff Kabush! On the Pro women’s side its Sho-Air/Specialized’s Melanie McQuaid with a scant five point lead over Incycle rider Krista Park, followed by Amgen rider Natasha Hernday just another thirteen points back in third. With only five points separating McQuaid and Park, who ever comes out on top at the Sage Brush race will leave with the Kenda Cup series points lead. More info >

The Pro men get ready to start at the Kenda Cup #2 in Fontana last weekend.
This weekend they will be battling it out at the Sage Brush Safari.
Photo Courtesy of US Cup

Video - Redlands Bicycle Classic - Pro Men's Sunset Road Race Finishing Circuits
4/4/09 - Watch Kyle Wamsley (Colavita-Sutter Home) win the Pro Men's Redlands Bicycle Classic Sunset Road Race with a solo move off the front in front of an excited crowd in downtown Redlands, CA. BMC's Jeff Louder finished a few seconds back in the lead group winning the Overall GC in the prestigious Redlands Classic Stage Race.

Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix Festival Kicks Off April 3-4 with Expo and Racing
4/3/09 - Recreational and competitive cycling is set to take over the streets of Downtown Long Beach for a two-day event, April 3-4, 2009. The inaugural Long Beach Bicycle Grand Prix Festival and race will consist of anything and everything bicycle-related: from vendors to fashion shows, from fixed gear demonstrations to criterium road races. The event represents the launch of Bike Long Beach, an innovative plan to make Long Beach "the most cycling friendly urban city in the United States." The festival is sponsored by the Downtown Long Beach Associates, the Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency. The festival will commence Friday afternoon around First Street in the East Village and will feature live music, delicious food, and the Wokcano Beer Garden on 1st Street. The momentum of the festivities will increase in anticipation of the competitive atmosphere that is certain to fill the air on Saturday. Over the course of the day, participants in seven categories will put rubber to the pavement, culminating in the $10,000 men's pro twilight race Saturday evening. Attendees are invited to stick around after the men's pro race to take in the Bikestation CYCLESTYLE Fashion Show, highlighting the hottest bike gear for 2009. Following the Fashion Show will be The Pro Awards Ceremony, which will take place on Pine Avenue from 7:30 – 8:00 p.m. The city streets will keep rocking into the evening hours with live music and an after-party on Pine. The revelry will include vendors, expo booths featuring local non-profits and advocacy groups, and delicious fare from Pine Avenue restaurants. The races on Saturday will run from 12:40 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. There are both men's and women's events for all skill levels and ages, and a featured Fire and Police competition. The 0.83-mile course in Downtown Long Beach starts and finishes at Broadway and Pine. A shorter course means high speeds, quick laps, and excellent viewing opportunities anywhere on the track for spectators.  The grand finale, the men’s pro twilight race starts at 5:40 pm, featuring 125 racers and a $10,000 purse and more than a $1,000 in Primes for a total purse of more than $16,000. Come for the racing and stay for the Festival, Bikestation CYCLESTYLE Fashion show, Band – Was (Not Was), Gold Sprints and afterparties. More info >

US Cup Announces TrailWatch.Net Triple Crown Short Track pb Escape Adventures
4/2/09 - The US Cup presented by Specialized is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with TrailWatch.Net and Escape Adventures.Com to bring back Pro short track racing at selected stops of the US Cup series. For 2009, the US Cup, in conjunction with TrailWatch.Net and Escape Adventures will offer three stand alone Short Track events at Sea Otter, Windham Mountain and the PRO XCT finale in Vegas. These races will offer Pro’s the chance to shake out their legs in the fast paced, hi drama short track arena. Additionally, it will draw in the spectators who love seeing the intense bar to bar action that short track offers. TrailWatch.Net will be offering $250 at each round for the most aggressive male and female Short Track rider. This may or may not be the actual race winner, but instead the bonus will go to the rider who instigates the most attacks and who livens the race up! “I’ve been getting a lot of input from the Pro riders, team mangers and industry insiders to bring short track back in any capacity for 2009, responds US Cup marketing director Ty Kady. “The simple truth is the budget was tapped to offer these male and female Pro riders a short track series and prize money, given we have focused all our energy into legitimizing cross country racing in the U.S. again. However, Dave McElwaine of TrailWatch.Net and Jared Fisher of Escape Adventures.com both stepped up to the plate as the naming and presenting sponsors to make this a reality, so I really can’t thank them enough. This is the kind of synergy the U.S. Cup series is all about continues Kady. “It’s our hope to get some more sponsorship dollars for 2010 and run a full blown short track series in conjunction with the PRO XCT tour next year.”

Mountain Bike Champion Tara Llanes (Giant) participated in the Handcycling Races
Presented by PossAbiliities and CH&E Investments over three days in Redlands.
photo © Terry Martin