Cycling News

V Australia Invests in Cycling Long Term with Title Sponsorhsip Renewal
12/29/09 - Renewed sponsor support promises to make Fly V Australia’s upcoming season even more impressive than the long list of accomplishments it compiled in 2009. Team Owner Chris White announced that the team’s primary sponsor, V australia, has extended its agreement with the team’s management company, Pegasus Racing Pty Ltd, through 2011. White said, “We commenced working with Virgin Blue in 2008 and to have their backing for a further two years creates a four year partnership, we look forward to ensuring that the team has strong foundations from which to deliver on its primary objectives.” V australia is the international airline of Virgin Blue, and was launched in February 2009 by Virgin Group Chairman and Virgin Blue major shareholder Sir Richard Branson. The airline operates nonstop, round-trip flights originating in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Los Angeles. Other destinations that have come on-line recently include Fiji, Thailand and South Africa. White said the team goal for 2010 is to improve on the success of 2009 by becoming the leading professional team in North America and Australia and to build a platform for elevation to Professional Continental status in 2011. White said. “In between in the U.S., we won our first race (Boulevard Road Race) with Ben Day in the snow and our last one with Bernie on Stage 5 at the Tour of Utah.” White said an announcement on its 2010 roster is forthcoming, as is the squad’s race calendar, which will include a full slate of events in both Australia and the United States. In 2009, Fly V Australia scored more than 40 wins in North America and victories in all but one of the tours in the Australia National Road Series.

Team Type 1 Offers “Pedal With The Pros” Program at 2010 Training Camp for Fans
12/28/09 - Team Type 1 is opening up its 2010 training camp in northeast Georgia to cyclists of all skill levels as part of its “Pedal With The Pros” fundraiser. From Feb. 12-14, participants will experience what it is like to be a member of Team Type 1, the world’s only professional cycling team with riders who have Type 1 diabetes. They will enjoy a memorable, exclusive experience by riding, eating, learning and relaxing with members of the Team Type 1 men’s and women’s professional teams, as well as the Elite and Developmental squads. Team Type 1 CEO Phil Southerland said inquiries from Team Type 1 fans and supporters about how they could show their support for the program led to the creation of Pedal With The Pros. “This is a great way to give those people a real hands-on experience at what the ‘pro lifestyle’ – and more specifically, what the ‘pro lifestyle with diabetes’ is like,” Southerland said. “We can show people with and without the disease the additional steps our athletes take to be the best they can be, and how we use diabetes to make us better people.” Southerland said money raised from Pedal With The Pros will go toward supporting the European racing campaign for the professional men’s team in 2010. “This is just another step to put us on the fast track to the Giro d'Italia in 2011 and the Tour de France in 2012,” he said. more info >

Dorothy Wong (Team CICLE) powers through the course at Santa Cross.
Photo courtesy David Lawson

Lance Armstrong Book Signing is Today in Sherman Oaks
12/22/09 - If you have some free time today, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will be doing a book signing at Borders in Sherman Oaks at 3 pm. Armstrong's new book Comeback 2.0 is a first person photo journal that he collaborated on with photographer Liz Kruetz and covers his recent comeback to competitive cycling. Armstrong has been training in Santa Barbara for the past week and did a similar signing at Dave Lettieri's Bike Shop, FasTrack Bicycles. Dave's eleven year old son, Beau, captured the signing with a sweet time lapse video that shows Armstrong signing 750 books in a little over a minute!

Cannondale Boosts Domestic Presence with Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team
12/21/09 - Cannondale Bicycles confirmed today that it will be the official bike sponsor of the 2010 Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team.  The newly formed team, led by 2008 National Pro Criterium Champion and eight-time national champion Rahsaan Bahati, will be outfitted with the 2010 Cannondale SuperSix, the newest model in the Cannondale road race line possessing unmatched power transfer and ride quality. The 2010 Cannondale SuperSix is the ideal selection for the team and boasts the ultimate pedaling efficiency, superior comfort and refined handling. Cannondale’s new SuperSix is the lightest, stiffest carbon road frame in the line of bicycles. New carbon-fabrification methods shave the complete frame weight to only 900 grams in 56 cm, 150 grams lighter than earlier SuperSix models. "From the beginning we recognized Cannondale as one of our key partners due to their dedication to excellence and performance,” said Rashaan Bahati. “With the SuperSix, Cannondale has developed a bike that is incredibly responsive, light, stylish and comfortable on all day rides.   Sprinting on the SuperSix I can feel all my power delivered with no wasted energy, allowing me to consistently perform at the highest levels.  It is truly the best bike I have ever competed on and I look forward to a dominant season riding a SuperSix." The Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team will also be riding the Cannondale Si SL Hollowgram crank.  At 570grams, the Hollowgram SiSL remains the lightest production crankset in the industry and boasts the best stiffness-to-weight numbers of any crank available today.

Rahsaan Bahati will lead the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team on Cannondale’s SuperSix.
Photo courtesy Cannondale

New Documentary Series Entitled Bahati: Out of Compton is in the Works
12/18/09 - Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team and Endure Media Group announce a partnership to produce a groundbreaking entertainment documentary series preliminarily entitled Bahati: Out of Compton. Bahati: Out of Compton will blend professional footage with classic and current racing footage, behind-the-scenes screen shots, video interviews and charitable events to produce an action packed series in high-definition. In the first season there are 6 shows with a total of 4 hours of run-time. In conjunction, Endure Media will create a dedicated online presence through digital and social media. “ This will catapult the efforts of the Bahati Foundation to positively impact the lives of inner-city and underprivileged youth by bringing our message into the homes of millions of viewers,” said Rahsaan Bahati, Founder of the Bahati Foundation. “We are in the process of finalizing existing partners and identifying new partnerships that can benefit from national exposure through a television series, cycling team and social outreach initiative,” said Steve Owens, Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team General Manager. ”One of our key partners, Cannondale Bicycles, recognized the opportunity early on and is committed to providing significant resources to this project.”Bahati: Out of Compton will air in late summer/early fall 2010. Negotiations are underway with Universal Sports as the broadcast partner. Digital and online media are slated for distribution in February at bahatifoundation.org and enduremediagroup.com.

U23 Champion Danny Summerhill (Garmin) and Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific) give it their all.
photo © Mitchell Clinton/ www.clintonphoto.com

3rd Annual Hunger Ride and Food Drive - December 19th
12/18/09 - Our SoCalCycling.com Elite Team Sponsor, MOTOR TABS is partnering with Rock N' Road and Second Harvest Food Bank to help feed the poor and displaced in Orange County. During December, if you bring in 3 canned goods or 3 of any other items on the list below, to any of the four local Rock N' Road Cyclery locations, you will receive a Free Rock N' Road Cyclery water bottle. Give a little to those who need it most. Needed Items: Canned meats, canned fish, beef stew, chili, pasta, macaroni & cheese, rice, beans, Canned fruit & vegetables, canned juices, soups, hot & cold cereals, peanut butter.  You are invited to join the "HUNGER RIDE" December 19th. The ride will be starting at 8:00 a.m. from Rock N' Road's Irvine location at 6282 Irvine Blvd. just off the tollway, but please arrive by 7:30. There will be a post-ride breakfast compliments of Chick-Fil-A. The ride will head counter clockwise through Santiago Canyon (approx. 33 miles) and will regroup twice on the ride. No one will be left behind. Additional miles will be added afterwords for those really hungry people. more info >

UnitedHealthcare Steps Up as Title Sponsor to Replace OUCH 
12/17/09 - Momentum Sports Group (MSG), owner and operator of the OUCH Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis, is proud to announce UnitedHealthcare as the team’s title sponsor starting in 2010.  The team will be known as the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team PB Maxxis. “We’re very excited to partner with a forward-thinking health care company like UnitedHealthcare,” said MSG President and Director of Sponsorship Thierry Attias. “With the company’s focus on helping people live healthier lives, UnitedHealthcare’s work with our cycling team is an excellent partnership to help further that mission.  We hope that our riders, through their examples of healthy living and fitness, encourage fans and UnitedHealthcare customers to live healthier lives.”  Throughout the year, the cycling team will help advance UnitedHealthcare’s goal of giving back to the communities that it serves. Through various events, the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team will help raise money for the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF), a public charity that strives to enhance either the clinical condition or quality of life of children who have health care needs not fully covered by their commercial health benefit plan. UHCCF provides medical grants of up to $5,000 for costs associated with medical services and equipment. “Our partnership with Momentum Sports Group reinforces our commitment to encourage healthful lifestyles and promote the importance of exercise and outdoor activity,” said Steve Nelson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s west region. “Additionally, our title sponsorship provides a great opportunity to expand our efforts through the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation to support children in need across the country.” The members of the cycling team are looking forward to a competitive racing season and to working with its new sponsor to raise awareness about healthy lifestyles, Attias said. The team is scheduled to compete in 91 races in 26 states.

Katie Compton (Planet Bike) and Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) won CX Nationals.
photo © Mitchell Clinton/ www.clintonphoto.com

Hammer and Bausch Medal in Cali
12/16/09 - The US National Team Women brought home two medals from the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Cali, Columbia. Sarah Hammer (American Track Foundation) set a new national record when she qualified first for the individual pursuit with a time of 3:27.5. She then went on to beat out Canadian Tara Whitten for the gold medal in the final. Hammer's individual pursuit was the third fastest ever ridden, and the fastest ever outside of the 2004  Olympic Games in Athens. Hammer later joined forces with Dotsie Bausch (Jazz Apple) and Lauren Tamayo (Team TIBCO) for a silver medal ride in the women's team pursuit. In qualifying, the trio bested their previous national record of 3:31  by three seconds. Then in the final, they broke their record again, clocking a 3:28.4. Cari Higgins (Boulder, CO/Proman Hit Squad)  rode to 17th-place in the women's points race.

Chance Noble battled the muddy conditions at Cross Nats and took a Silver Medal in the U23.
photo © Mitchell Clinton/ www.clintonphoto.com

Cyclocross Nationals Kick Off, Coryn Rivera Wins 25th National Title
12/12/09 - The US Cyclocross National Championships got underway in Bend, Oregon this week under snowy and frigid conditions. Junior Coryn Rivera (Proman Hit Squad) went on to win her 25th National Championship Title in the Junior Women's 17-18 Category. Rivera tells how she won her 25th National Championship in this video. The Ryan sisters rode a great race with Kendall Ryan (SoCalCross) taking a bronze medal in the Junior Women's 17-18 Category and Alexis Ryan (SoCalCross) a silver medal in the Junior Women's 15-16 Category. The Master's events were also held with Robert Llamas (Montrose Bike Shop) winning a silver medal in the Men's 65-69. CX Nationals Results >

Dorothy Wong put in a good ride at CX Nats finishing 10th in the 45-49 category.
photo © Mitchell Clinton/ www.clintonphoto.com

PSA: Glendora Police Department to Ticket Riders on Montrose Ride
12/11/09 - We received a call from Corporal Joe Ortiz yesterday, who is in charge of Traffic at the Glendora Police Department. He asked us to spread the word that they will be ticketing riders in Glendora that run the stop signs during the Montrose Ride starting this week. Please pass this message on to your riding friends. As an FYI, the Montrose Ride goes through Glendora on two different sections - Gladstone and shortly after the construction in San Dimas before the right on Amelia where the Fire Station is (map). Please respect the rules of the road on this ride and all rides, so that our group rides can go on for many years to come.

Iggy Silva and Justin Williams made the leap to the next level and are riding for the
Trek/LiveStrong U23 Team in 2010. The Team's Training Camp is in Tucson, AZ this week.
Photo © Brian Hodes / veloimages.com

Bradley Wiggins to Ride for Team Sky
12/10/09 - After much speculation, Bradley Wiggins is leaving Team Garmin-Transitions after just one year and has signed a four-year deal with Team Sky. Wiggins finished fourth in the 2009 Tour de France. Team Garmin-Transitions responded with the following statement, "Bradley Wiggins will not be racing for Team Garmin-Transitions in 2010. Although we understand his strong desire to be a part of the UK’s first-ever Pro Tour team, we would have loved to continue with him through 2010. His departure is not the outcome we hoped for. That said, Team Garmin-Transitions has an incredible group of riders assembled for the season. As always, we have worked hard to build a team that will be competitive throughout the year. The team features Christian Vande Velde who was 8th overall in the 2009 Tour after significant injuries; including five broken vertebrae; sprint sensation Tyler Farrar, David Zabriskie, David Millar, Dan Martin and other outstanding athletes that we’re fortunate to work with. In addition to the great new talent we have signed including Johan Van Summeren and Jack Bobridge, we have renewed our partnership with Garmin and added Transitions and POM Wonderful to our family of sponsors. And we’ve expanded our sports science program to include some of the best sports scientists in the world. We will continue to give our fans many reasons to cheer in 2010 and we look forward to exciting racing in the months to come."

Levi Leipheimer and Lance Armstrong lead the way at Team RadioShack's training camp.
Photo © Brian Hodes / veloimages.com

Scooby-Roo's Rescue Ride Invites You to Ride on Sunday, December 13th
12/08/09 - This little dog warmed our heart and he will warm yours too. Scooby-Roo was left under a wrecked car in a gang-ridden neighborhood as a puppy. He is now six months old. Scooby-Roo was born without his two front legs and needs your help in raising $2000 for his rehabilitation and mulitple carts to help him get around as he grows. Scooby-Roo's Rescue Ride is being held on Sunday, December 13th in Santa Monica as a fundraiser to raise these necessary funds. Please visit FuzzyRescue.org for more info on how you can donate to help Scooby Roo and be sure to watch this video that will melt your heart.

BMC Racing Team Announces Roster for 2010 Racing Season
12/07/09 - The BMC Racing Team has finalized their 2010 roster including the current World Professional Road Champion from Australia, Cadel Evans, ex-World Professional Road Champion from Italy, Alessandro Ballan, as well as current US National Professional Road Champion, George Hincapie.  The final roster also includes other notable riders of great promise. “The past two seasons we have grown into a strong team, and combining that with the big recruitment effort we have made this year, we expect to be competitive in every race we enter from the one day classics, to the one week stage races to the Grand Tours,” the team’s Directeur Sportif John Lelangue confirmed.  The team will consist of twenty-three riders from seven different countries and an additional three riders competing at the U23 level.  
2010 BMC Racing Team Roster:  Alessandro Ballan (IT), Chris Barton (USA), Chad Beyer (USA), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Marcus Burghardt(GER), Cadel Evans (AUS), Mathias Frank (SUI), Thomas Frei (SUI), George Hincapie (USA), Martin Kohler (SUI), Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Karsten Kroon (NED), Jeff Louder (USA), Steve Morabito (SUI), Alex Moos (SUI), John Murphy (USA), Scott Nydam (USA), Mauro Santambrogio (IT), Michael Schär (SUI), Florian Stalder (SUI), Jackson Stewart (USA), Danilo Wyss (SUI), Simon Zahner (SUI),  U23 Team Members: Chris Butler (USA). Cole House (USA), Larry Warbasse (USA), Sports Director: John Lelangue (BEL), Assistant Sports Directors:  Fabio Baldato (IT), Noel Dejonckheere (BEL), René Savary (SUI), Mike Sayers (USA)

Team RadioShack gives a sneak peak of a prototype jersey design. The final Jersey is expected to
look very similar and will be officially unveiled in Australia in January during the Tour Down Under.
Photo Courtesy Team RadioShack

Team RadioShack's new Trek Madone for 2010.

From Wall Street to a Pro Cycling Career with Columbia-HTC
12/04/09 - Two years ago, new Columbia-HTC pro rider Evelyn Stevens was working hard in her career as a Wall Street broker. Then she got a bike.  "I started out doing a cyclo-cross event in Northern California after my sister, who's a cycling fan, invited me along," Stevens, 26, recalls. "Although I crashed a lot, I had a lot of fun, too.  Then I bought a proper bike and enjoyed that so much, I started racing." Stevens quit her job on Wall Street in the summer of 2008 to focus on racing. As Stevens puts it, "It wasn't that I had decided to be a professional bike rider, but everything kept on falling into place that pointed me in that direction."  She won her first event shortly after taking part in her first race organized in Central Park NYC with the Century Road Club Association. And from then on, Stevens kept on raising her arms in victory at bigger and bigger events.  In April 2009 she netted her first important stage race, the Tour of the Battenkill. Then she clinched the Fitchburg Lonsjo Classic in her home region of Massachusetts. Veteran Jeannie Longo, one of the most successful pro cyclists ever, finished third. "Fitchburg was a key moment," recalls Stevens. "It made me think I could really do something with this." But there were other key moments, too. Like when she took second place overall behind Columbia-HTC's Kim Anderson and a stage win in top European race, the Route de France. In September she took part in her first World Championships road-race. "I had to pinch myself when I stood there on the start-line," Stevens recalls.   A few hours later, in one of the toughest ever World Championships courses, she'd finished an impressive 15th,  And a now she will be turning pro with Columbia-HTC. The change in her life compared with two years ago, is she says, "dramatic. 

Evelyn Stevens (left) won the stage at the Route de France, while Kim Anderson won the overall.
photo © CJ Farquharson

"Mandeville Canyon Road Rage Doctor's" Sentencing Delayed
12/03/09 - The sentencing of Christopher Thompson has been delayed until January 8th. The former ER doctor was found guilty from a road rage incident on 7 counts that happenend on July 4, 2008 on Mandeville Canyon and now faces a possible 10-year prison sentence. According to attorney DJ Wheels the sentencing was postponed due to a lockdown at the North County Correctional Facility that won’t allow Thompson to meet with his defense team due to a potential outbreak of the Swine Flu.

What Do You Think?

Will Rock Racing Get Approved as a Pro Continental Team in 2010?
	Of course, this is just another publicity stunt for Rock to stand out over the other teams.
	Nope, they will be racing for SoCal Cup points at Ontario.
pollcode.com free polls

UCI Announces 19 Pro Continental Teams, Rock Racing Denied
12/03/09 - Based on the document presented to the UCI and following the reports given by the auditor Ernst & Young, the International Cycling Union has approved the registration of the following 19 UCI Professional Continental Teams for the 2010 season: Acqua & Sapone (ITA), Andalucia Cajasur (ESP), Bbox Bouygues Telecom (FRA), BMC Racing Team (USA), Carmiooro - NGC (GBR), CCC Polsat Polkowice (POL), Ceramica Flaminia (IRL), Cervélo Test Team (SUI), Cofidis (FRA), Colnago - CSF Inox (IRL), De Rosa - Stac Plastic (IRL), ISD - Neri (ITA), Landbouwkrediet (BEL), Saur - Sojasun (FRA), Scott - Marcondes César Sao José dos Campos (BRA), Skil - Shimano (NED), Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator (BEL), Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team (NED), Voralberg - Corratec (AUT).  Rock Racing was denied Pro Continental status, and in true Michael Ball fashion he has issued the following statement, “We’re obviously very disappointed but are working diligently to satisfy every requirement that is being asked of us. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure we can race next year.” According to article 2.16.017 of the UCI Regulations, teams whose registration has been refused as a UCI Professional Continental Team, can appeal to the Management Committee of the UCI by Friday December 4, 2009, at noon at the latest.

Todd Wells (Specialized) holds off Jeremy Powers (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com)
for the win at Day 1 of the USGP Stanley Portland Cup.
photo © Mitchell Clinton/ www.clintonphoto.com

Campagnolo 2nd Annual Toy Drive and Fun Ride
12/02/09 - Mark it on your calendar! Campagnolo is holding their 2nd annual Toy Drive and Fun Ride to benefit Rady Children's Hospital San Diego and San Diego Health and Human Services Foster Care Program.  The ride will be taking place on Saturday December 12th 2009 with the hope of making the Holiday Season brighter for many of children! Please bring a new unwrapped toy for children infant to 17 years of age. Toys will be collected leading up to the event and the day of the event. On the day of the event, Campagnolo will be accepting donations and will have refreshments and food available starting at 7:30 AM with the ride departing at 9:00 AM. There wiil be two distances for the ride, including a 30 mile flat ride and a 45 mile ride that has a few climbs. Everyone is invited to attend and doing the ride is not required. more info >

Riders clear the barriers at the Gene Galindo Memorial Turkey Trot.
photo © Kenneth Hill, Verdugo Photos

Columbia-HTC's Riders Visit Peru for Humanitarian Organization Right to Play
12/01/09 - As part of a continuing partnership with Right To Play, an international humanitarian organization which uses sport and play programs to improve the lives of children and communities worldwide, three of Team Columbia-HTC's athletes traveled to Peru to raise awareness of some of the programs set up there by Right To Play.   Ina-Yoko Teutenberg [GER], Craig Lewis [USA] and newly-signed Evelyn Stevens [USA], along with staff member Helge Riepenhof [GER] made the adventure to Lima and on to rural Huarez and the remote villages of El Pinar, Llata and Machac to meet the children and teachers in the schools and to help raise awareness for the programs in the area.
"It was great to have Team Columbia-HTC team members travel to Peru to visit the children who benefit from our programs," commented Martin Barnard, Right To Play's Manager of Global Sports Partnerships.  "The riders shared smiles, laughter, and learning with hundreds of children in remote villages, and saw how sport and play can make a huge impact on their daily lives." more >

Mark Cavendish's bike features a Pinup Girl clad in a British flag. Is this the secret to his success?
photo © SoCalCycling.com