Only the Health Net presented by Maxxis squad was faster over the 10.6-mile (17.1 km) course that traveled along a soon-to-be-opened stretch of the I-99 Port Matilda Interchange in Altoona, Penn. Health Net averaged 29.7 mph to finish in 21 minutes and 25 seconds. Toyota-United was 11 seconds slower while the Navigators Insurance Cycling Team finished third, 18 seconds behind the winner. The boys were so smooth,” Toyota-United Team Director Harm Jansen said. “They pretty much rode a flawless team time trial. The only way we could have gone faster was to have come out here a day earlier.” more >

Monday night's team time trial was run along a soon-to-be-opened
stretch of Interstate 99. Photo © Kurt Jambretz

Vinokourov Tests Positive; Astana Withdraws from Tour
7/24/07 - Vinokourov tested positive for homologous blood doping after his time trial win on Saturday. Double stage victor Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana)learned Tuesday that he had tested positive for homologous blood doping following his victory in Saturday's individual time trial. Vinokourov and his Astana team have reportedly withdrawn from the Tour. The 33-year-old had lost all chance of winning the Tour with a dismal performance in Sunday's 14th stage but then bounced back to take Monday's 15th stage in the Pyrenees. more >. Tell us what you think in our forum >

Rim Nordic Holds First State Event
7/23/07 - 317 racers decided to see what the cross country trails were like for mountain biking at Rim Nordic Ski Area, in Running Springs, CA, just before Big Bear Lake.  An 8.5 mile course of over 1100 vertical feet of climbing in one lap, and technical single track to keep it interesting, made for a day of testing for all who ventured to the San Bernardino Mts. for the So Cal State #6 event. It was Rim Nordic’s XC #2  of their series of 4 races to finish on August 26th. Top honors went to Pro Men racer, Cameron Brenneman from team Sho-Air finishing 3 laps in 2:15:50 for first place and top prize money..  Pro Women saw Chrissy Bono from Intense Cycles finishing in 1st place and top women prize money winner, finishing her 3 laps at 2:48:02. For more results, go to rimnordic.com

The Tour de France: I Tried to Avoid it, but Couldn't
7/20/07 - Is anyone watching the Tour? I broke down and got OLN, I mean VS., last Saturday. I guess the cycling fan in me can't be repressed. A couple of exciting mountain stages, so far. The Pyrenees should be good. I liked Astana's throwdown in the cross winds yesterday. It reminds me of some gnarly stages I did at the La Vuelta de Bisbee and HP Women's Challenge with brutal cross winds. Definately a sufferfest. Now, El Pollo Loco has some crazy allegations against him of trying to have a friend bring his shoes to Italy, that contained some bags of human blood substitute in the box. I knew there would be some sort of scandal. I am not a fan of the Chicken and it will be interesting to see how he does in the TT. Will he stay on the bike or flail around on the ground? I am hoping Vino makes a comeback... that would be exciting! Discuss the TDF in our Forum >

2007 National Championship Road Race - by Amber Neben
7/20/07 - It was another year racing the national championships without a team. Cycling is very much a team sport, and it is always difficult to be an individual racing against two very strong and deep teams (among others.) Once again, I had to do a good amount of controlling before I could race. And, (sigh,) this year I also had to chase back from a puncture. Our race was only 90km, two laps of a 45km circuit. Each lap contained (roughly) a 10km downhill, a couple km’s of rolling terrain, a steady, gradual highway climb of about 6km, another 10km’s of downhill and flat, a short 800m-1km climb, more downhill, flat and downhill back around to another roughly 6km climb, before the final few km’s which eventually ended with a slightly uphill finish. more >

The podium celebration gets a little bubbly a the Cascade Classic.
Runner-up Kirk O'Bee (Health Net PB Maxxis), winner Ivan Dominguez
(Toyota-United) and Dan Schmatz (BMC Professional Cycling Team).
photo © Cascade Event Photography

2007 National Championship Time Trial - by Amber Neben
7/18/07 - Well it’s always difficult when you have to beat the world champion to win the national title. I was second. Kristin won again. I will say that she is the world champion for a reason, and she is certainly riding like she will be again. We raced a new course this year. It was limited by last minute permit restrictions which prevented the use of all but 6km of a straight, wide open, rolling section of both lanes of the 219 N highway. The organizers used cones to divide these two lanes into four lanes, and we went out-back-out-and back in separate sections. Overall, I don’t think this changed the feel of the race that much. It did, however, provide a different mental dynamic, because I had both the usual 1min rabbit along with the ones in the next lane over, and I could take stock of where I was relative to the rider I was chasing and the rider chasing me at the turn around points. The course itself was mostly up while it rolled out, and mostly down while it rolled back. It was definitely more of a rhythm course this year. I guess you could say it was more of a pure time trial course. more >

Abbott Wins National Road Race Championship, Amber Neben Third
7/17/07 - Multi-time collegiate national champion Mara Abbott (Boulder, CO/Webcor Builders) notched the biggest victory of her young career on Monday by winning the national championship in the elite women’s road race at the 2007 USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs presented by California Giant Berry Farms. Abbott won a head-to-head sprint over defending champion Kristin Armstrong (Boise, ID/Team Lipton) after 92 kilometers of racing to claim her first elite stars-and-stripes jersey. Abbott, 21, was part of a six-woman breakaway late in the race that included Armstrong, a two-time winner of the event, 2003 winner Amber Neben (Irvine, CA /Flexpoint), 2005 winner Katheryn Curi (Mountain View, CA /Webcor Builders), Kori Seehafer (Louisville, CO/Team Lipton) and Christine Thorburn (Menlo Park, CA/Webcor Builders). more >

Annual Canari Cyclewear Warehouse Sale is July 27 & 28
7/17/07 - If you are looking for great deals on quality Canari clothing then be sure to check out the Canari Cyclewear Warehouse Sale on July 27 and 28 in Vista, CA. There will be great deals on men and women's wear that can be used for cycling, running, hiking, skiing and working out. details >

Specialized BG S-Works Road Shoe Product Review
By Mike Tettleton
7/16/07 - Body Geometry is Specialized’s term for their parts, accessories, and apparel that are highly engineered to fit like a glove (no pun intended) and to increase your comfort and performance on the bike.   Their top of the line S-Works shoe bears the Body Geometry name.  When picking up the pair in the box, you’ll almost swear there is only one shoe in there; they’re that light.  Their weightlessness comes in part thanks to a super-stiff FACT carbon fiber sole, which transfers power to the pedal efficiently.   The Body Geometry footbed features a metatarsal button and longitudinal arch support which helps eliminate the infamous “hot foot.”  The shoe’s upper is a mix of mesh and Micromatrix, which ventilates well and keeps your foot cool in the hot summer months.  more >

Junior Criterium Nationals, More SoCal Jerseys and Medals
7/16/07 - USA Cycling awarded ten more national titles on Sunday as men’s and women’s U23 and junior criteriums highlighted day 10 of the 2007 USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs presented by California Giant Berry Farms. In the men’s 17-18 race, Iggy Silva (San Diego, CA/Rock Racing) took the sprint from a 10-man breakaway that kept the remainder of the 125-rider field at bay in the closing kilometers. After 50 kilometers of racing, Silva outsprinted second-place finisher Alfredo Cruz (San Ysidro, CA/Major Motion) and Andy Baker (Easley, S.C./Time) to claim the top spot on the podium. In the women’s 15-16 category, once again it was Coryn Rivera (Tustin, CA/Kahala-LaGrange) who rode to a national title. Cory Williams (Los Angeles, CA/Major Motion) finished third in the 13/14 men's class.

Elite National Championships, Bordine & Rivera Win, Neben Second
7/15/07 - Reigning world champion Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho/Team Lipton) successfully defended her national title in the elite women’s time trial on Friday at the 2007 USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs presented by California Giant Berry Farms. Armstrong, one of the United States’ top Olympic hopefuls for the 2008 Games in Beijing, recorded a time of 30 minutes, 47.08 seconds over the 24-kilometer course to better second-place finisher Amber Neben (Irvine, Ca/Flexpoint) by 50 seconds. Christine Thorburn (Menlo Park, Ca./Webcor Builders) placed third, 1:18 off the pace of the world champion. Competing on the same 24-kilometer course as the women, Karl Bordine (Oceanside, Ca./5 Star Fish) recorded a 29:48.27 to capture the national title, while Russ Langley (Kensington, Md./Battley Harley Davidson) finished in 29:48.35 to place second and Alvaro Arnal (King of Prussia, Pa./Human Zoom) rode a 29:48.51 to place third. Coryn Rivera (Tustin, Ca/Kahala-La Grange) added a road race title to yesterday’s time trial victory in the women’s 15-16 category. more >

Dominguez Wins Downtown Criterium At Cascade Classic
7/14/07 - A perfectly executed lead-out by the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team delivered Ivan Dominguez to victory Friday night at the Stage 4 Desert Orthopedics/Rebound Physical Therapy Downtown Criterium at the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic. In front of a huge crowd stacked two- and three-people deep around the course, Dominguez held off Kirk O’Bee (HealthNet presented by Maxxis) while Dan Schmatz (BMC Pro Cycling Team) was third in the 90-minute race that had no effect on the overall standings. more >

Rose Bowl Ride in Jeopardy?
7/13/07 - For those of you that enjoy the Rose Bowl Ride, then you may be interested in this. It is recommended that the RBOC approve and recommend that the City Council direct the City Attorney’s Office to work with the Pasadena Police Department and Department of Transportation in preparing a City Ordinance. The intent of the Ordinance would be to prohibit the bicyclists from riding more than 2 abreast on any public street in the City other than pursuant to a City permit issued for an event or activity, including the area around the Rose Bowl. Talk about in our Forum and read the RBOC Agenda.

Race Face Cadence X-Type Crankset Product Review
By Jared Shimizu
7/13/07 - Race Face is a company that has been making great mountain bike components for years so I was excited to test their new Cadence X-Type road bike crankset.  The Cadence crankset is forged from 6066 aluminum with an I –Beam profile designed to improve stiffness and strength while weighing in at a weight of 860 grams (also available in a 820 gram compact chainring model ).  The CNC machined X-Type Bottom bracket  uses double sealed cartridge bearings for a weight of 99 grams.  Installation was as simple as it gets requiring only two tools, the splined bottom bracket tool and an 8mm Allen wrench. more >

Toyota-United’s Chris Baldwin Leads Cascade Cycling Classic
7/13/07 - Chris Baldwin of the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team rode into the overall lead at the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic Thursday by finishing second on Stage 2’s 79.5-mile (127.9 km) Meridian Realty McKenzie Pass Road Race. Stage winner Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team presented by Bissell) out-sprinted Baldwin to the summit of McKenzie Pass. The previous race leader, Ricardo Escuela (Successfulliving.com presented by ParkPre), was third, 11 seconds behind Jacques-Maynes and eight seconds behind Baldwin. more >

Riders Show Grit and Talent on Last Day of Masters Racing
7/11/07 - The temperatures cooled and the rain fell on the third day of masters road racing at the USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs Presented by California Giant Berry Farms. The youngest group of masters, the 30-39 age groups, along with the 55-59 men contested the 73 and 91 kilometer lollipop courses on the last day of masters competition and the last chance for these riders to take home a national championship. Almost immediately a group of nine riders, that did not include Frick, was able to get away. During that fourth lap the nine leaders were broken up into two groups of four with one falling back, but on the climb back up to Seven Springs Resort the leaders strung out and Peter Cannell (Ashburn, Va.) was able to power ahead and take home the win. Teammates Matthew Johnson (San Diego, CA/5 Star Fish) and Daniel Vinson (Lake Elsinore, CA/5 Star Fish) came across the line in second and third place. more >

Karl Bordine (5 Star Fish) soloed to victory in the 30-34 Masters
Criterium Nationals earning himself a Stars 'n Stripes jersey.
photo © Dave Haag

Masters Road Race at National Festival, More SoCal National Champs
7/11/07 - The second day of masters road racing at the USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs Presented by California Giant Berry Farms featured over 5,000 feet of climbing in all five contests. The 73- and 91-kilometer courses were tackled by more than 250 riders in the 40-55 age groups hoping to get their hands on a stars-and-stripes jersey. The final day of masters racing will be contested on Wednesday, giving way to the beginning of the U23 competition on Thursday. more >, results >

San Luis Obispo Hosts Downtown Criterium on August 12th 
7/10/07 - The heart-stopping excitement of live professional cycling is back as picturesque downtown San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California hosts the prestigious San Luis Obispo Downtown Criterium Classic and Cycling Festival on August 12 from 7am to 5pm.  The awe-inspiring race will captivate sports enthusiasts, spectators, visitors and residents alike, as professional, collegiate and amateur racers compete for cash purses of up to $5,000. “We are eager to bring this legendary cycling event back to the streets of downtown. Many remember, with great nostalgia, the unique excitement that this race showcased in the past, and look forward to participating in its revival,” said event organizer Shaba Mohseni of Nimble Creative, LLC.  “It’s so exciting to think about the cyclists dashing through the Mission Plaza once again!  Our beautiful Mission de Tolosa is a hallmark of our downtown and is rich in history.  For this race to be passing through it will be an honor and a thrill for competitors and spectators alike.” more >

Aggressive Racing Highlights Masters Crits at National Festival
7/9/07 - The country’s top masters riders aged 30-49 competed for eight national championships on Sunday at the USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs Presented by California Giant Berry Farms. Back at the Somerset Industrial Park for the second day of masters criteriums, the fast-paced racing continued on the mostly flat, rectangular course measuring 1.6 kilometers. Karl Bordine (Oceanside/5 Star Fish) put on an amazing show,making a solo break with 21 laps left in the 60-kilometer contest and holding on to take the men’s 30-34 national championship. Several riders tried to bridge the gap to Bordine, but he was riding strong and was able to finish over 1:25 up on the peloton. In the women’s 30-34 race, things got exciting very quickly as America’s Dairyland teammates Betsy Shogren (Morgantown, W.Va.) and Betsy Galenti (Pomona) used some textbook team racing tactics as Galenti went off the front early. more >

Masters Criterium Titles Awarded at National Festival
7/8/07 - Twelve national titles were awarded Friday as the masters 50 and over categories contested their criteriums at the USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs Presented by California Giant Berry Farms. The 50-54 women's race, yielded a national championship to Linda Schnepf (Newport Beach, CA/Simple Green). The most impressive solo breakaway victory of the day came from former world champion Kenny Fuller (Corona Del Mar, CA./Cycles Veloce) in the men’s 55-59 category. Although the race was one of the fastest of the day, averaging 26 miles per hour, Fuller was able to get 20 seconds on the field and ride away with the jersey over 30 other competitors. more >

Crashes Take Their Toll On Toyota-United At Cougar Classic
7/8/07 - Toyota-United's Ivan Dominguez and Henk Vogels were injured in separate crashes Saturday at the Cougar Mountain Classic Criterium at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. Dominguez went down in the final turn just as he appeared to be on his way to winning the 90-minute National Race Calendar event. The Cuban sprint specialist was part of a group of riders who had lapped the field during the 90-minute race. Dominguez, who only returned to racing last weekend after a crash sidelined him for eight weeks, suffered minor road rash and is expected to be OK. Vogels was not as fortunate. The Australian lead-out specialist struck a barrier with his shoulder and had to be rushed to the hospital. X-Rays and a CAT scan revealed a crack in his scapula that is expected to keep him out of action for up to eight weeks. Through Saturday, Vogels had compiled five podium finishes and two victories this season.

Dominguez surveys the damage after the crash in the final turn that knocked him out of the race, while Vogels is noticeably in pain. photo © Veronika Lenzi

Nationals Underway, SoCal Riders Bringing Home Medals
7/6/07 - SoCal is known for it's fast and ageless Master's riders. As expected, they are bringing home some medals from the USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs Presented by California Giant Berry Farms in Pennsylvania from July 5-17. Way to do SoCal proud and best of luck to everyone competing! Results & Coverage

Antony Galvan (NOW/MS), fresh off his win is the 35+ crit state championship,
easily out sprinting the field for his 2nd win and 3rd podium in two weekends.
photo © Linda Smith

More National Titles awarded at Junior Track Nats, SoCal Riders Medal
7/6/07 - The final seven national titles of the 2007 USA Cycling Junior Track National Championships were awarded on Wednesday as competition concluded at the 7-Eleven Velodrome. Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa./Team Fuji-Salamander) earned her third and fourth stars-and-stripes jerseys of the week by winning the women’s 17-18 points race and later teaming up with Coryn Rivera (Tustin, CA /Kahala-LaGrange) for a victory in the women’s team sprint. In the points race, Hayduk won three of the event’s seven sprints and scored 25 points to beat silver medalist Lauren Shirock (Emmaus, Pa./BMW-Bianchi) and third-place finisher Catherine Fiedler (Long Beach, CA /Home Depot Center) who collected 23 and 22 points respectively. more >

Hometown boy Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) delivers the goods at the
Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. photo © SoCalCycling.com

Masters Cycle League Battle Continues at the La Mirada Grand Prix
7/3/07 - The Masters Cycle League top four teams continue to battle it out in what has proven to be the closest competition ever! Leaders NOW/MS Society and Cynergy Cycles continue to change places in the overall standings by only a few points, while third and fourth place teams, La Grange and Central Coast Magazine threaten to strike back. Don’t miss round five this Saturday July 7th at the La Mirada Grand Prix hosted by Velo Avanti. Masters Cycle League is team competition for pro’s and top amateurs in the form of points race competition on spectator friendly short courses right in the streets of America!. Visit masterscycleleague.com  for complete schedule of events, current news and sponsorship opportunities.

San Pedro Grand Prix Masters Cycle League.
Photo by Lisa Hackenberg

Bahati Wins MBGP, Second Place Nearly As Sweet For Dominguez
7/2/07 - Ivan Dominguez’s will to win was strong Sunday at the 46th edition of the Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. But after a month-and-a-half of rehabilitating a back injury, his legs were not quite fast enough to deliver him first to the finish line at the end of the 90-minute race."I wanted to win badly because so many people came out to see me,” Dominguez said after finishing second to Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing). “But I just didn’t feel fast enough today. I only had two weeks of real riding.” Dominguez was quick to add that Bahati – a former junior national criterium and road champion – won the field sprint impressively. Bahati’s teammate, Kayle Leo Grande, also made the podium with his third-place finish. more >

The MBGP women's podium featured winner Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine),
Malindi Maclean (Jazz Apple) and Shontelle Gauthier (Team Ultralink)
photo © SoCalCycling.com

Four National Titles Awarded on Day one of Junior Track Nationals
7/1/07 - In the men’s keirin, Justin Williams (LA / Rock Racing) came out on top of a photo finish to earn the national title over Jim Lennon (TIAA-CREF-5280). In the only other national championship category contested on the opening night of competition, Catherine Fiedler (Long Beach, Calif./Home Depot Center) won the women’s 17-18 7.5-kilometer scratch race by outsprinting Hayduk and Lauren Shirock (Emmaus, Pa./BMX-Bianchi). In the women’s 10-12 race against the clock, Tara McCormick (Lighting Velo/Long Beach, Calif.) clocked a time of 41.503 seconds to win the event and move into the early lead in the omnium-style competition that also includes one- and two-kilometer scratch races. more >

Still In Some Pain, Ivan Dominguez Says He Is Ready To Race
6/30/07 - You wouldn’t know it by the sound of his voice, but it has been a frustrating six weeks for Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team’s Ivan Dominguez. The Cuban super sprinter has been sidelined since a bizarre crash May 17 during Stage 1 of the Tri-Peaks Challenge in Arkansas. Dominguez had already crossed the finish line that day when his front wheel suddenly twisted sideways, tossing him headfirst over the handlebars. The 5-foot-9, 160-pounder landed squarely on his back, bruising his ribs. He was off the bike for more than two weeks and still has trouble sleeping at night. So what are his expectations for his return to racing this Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix? more >

For Those Who Sweat, Some Small Stuff
6/29/07 - Southern California's Premier Energy Drink Company, Motor Tabs, was recently featured in this New York Times Article.
To stay hydrated, athletes must replace electrolytes like sodium and potassium that are lost in sweat. But many triathletes and runners prefer to eat their carbohydrates (like chewy bars) instead of gulping Gatorade or Cytomax, carb-loaded drinks with a hint of electrolytes. This long-distance set now has a new option that leaves carbohydrates out of the equation: electrolyte-drink tablets. Tablet makers figure athletes already eat enough energy bars and gels to meet the roughly 80-gram limit that their bodies can shuttle to their muscles in an hour. more >

2007 Bicycle Film Festival Comes to LA June 28-July 1
6/28/07 - Returning for a third year to Los Angeles, the 2007 Bicycle Film Festival is making the second stop off its annual tour in the city better known for its highways than its greenways, with four days of bike-related fun. This year, the BFF features films from over ten countries, including Romania, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, and the United States. The festival kicks of Thursday, June 28 with a huge Bikes Rock! Show, bands to be announced. Headliners include Toronto Film Festival Special Jury Award Winner Monkey Warfare, BMX flick Grounded, a fourperson manned vessel of adventure in BikeCar and history of mountain-biking documentary Klunkerz. In Los Angeles, the BFF will be screened at The Vine Theatre (6321 Hollywood Blvd.) with films on June 29 & 30, and a block party on July 1. website >

Pacific State Bank Grand Prix
6/28/07 - The mens pro/1/2 race was definitly the highlight event of the day. With a full field, this race had it all. Attack after attack, crashes and big prize money, made for an "edge of your seat" race. Finally, with about 10 to go, 3 riders managed to hold a gap. Cal Giant had their entire squad in the front of the chasing pack, determined to move their sprinter up to a winning position. With 2 laps to go, they... well, just watch the video.

The Pro 1/2 riders chase after the $10,000 purse.