News
4/29/08 - Don’t miss one of L.A.’s best-loved events! Everyone from expert riders to families with children can enjoy a day of rare views of hometown L.A. while two-wheeling along the scenic L.A. River from Griffith Park to Long Beach. 5 Great Rides in One! Choose 100, 70, 50, 10 or Kids' Ride featuring characters from the award winning “Storybook Theatre”. New this year: Activist/Actor Ed Begley Jr. sponsors and KTLA’s Sam Rubin hosts, live music throughout the day, plus a post-ride International Food Faire! Includes exclusive T-Shirts, goody bags, exciting raffle (win a bike!), games and prizes for the kids, medical and tech support, and rest stops with music, food and fun along the way. Meet local government and media VIPs and other cycling celebrities. Staggered start times begin at 6:30 am. And your ride makes a difference! Join us in supporting the completion of the L.A. River Bikeway, bikes for kids, and all the work of Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, the only non-profit organization working county-wide to make all of Los Angeles County a safe and enjoyable place to bicycle through advocacy, education and outreach. Best Deal: Join LACBC too -- Save $20! More info at la-bike.org.
Rock Racing made a $250,000 donation to the official beneficiaries of the
Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T. photo © Vero Image
Rock Racing Gives Georgia Something To Remember
4/28/08 - Fred Rodriguez capped Rock Racing’s first participation in the Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T with a fourth place finish on the final stage in Atlanta Sunday. The result by the three-time U.S. national road race champion was Rock Racing’s fourth top five finish of the seven-day, 600-mile stage race. Additionally, Rock Racing’s Oscar Sevilla placed in the top 10 overall, finishing sixth in his first international stage race in the United States. Rock Racing displayed its strength late in the race when it put its entire squad on the front to reel in the remnants of a breakaway that had been away since the first of 10 laps of a 6.2-mile (10.1 km) circuit through the streets of Downtown Atlanta. The chase was successful, setting the stage for a field sprint up the long uphill drag to the finish line. “The team had asked me coming into the last lap what we had to do and I told them we had to go now, now, now,” Rodriguez said. “We brought it back quickly and fast and it worked perfectly to my strategy.” In the end, it was Greg Henderson (Team High Road) who scored his second stage win of the week by beating Juan Jose Haedo (CSC), Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics Cycling Team) and Rodriguez. Henderson’s teammate, Kanstantsin Siutsou, won the race overall by four seconds over Trent Lowe (Team Slipstream-Chipotle powered by H30). Rock Racing fans who were among the thousands on hand for the race at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park were treated to a surprise when the team rolled out for the start in special uniforms. The kits, designed by Ball himself, featured a depiction of Georgia peaches on the jersey and shorts in a blending orange and yellow motif. They commemorated the team’s participation in the longest-running international-level stage race in the United States. The special “kits” were showcased after the race during Rock Racing’s presentation of a $250,000 donation to the official beneficiaries of the event – Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Georgia Cancer Coalition.
Rock Racing's Fred Rodriguez (middle in orange) gutted out a fourth place finish.
photo © Vero Image
Neil Shirley Tour De Georgia Diary - Stage 7 ATL Circuit Race
4/27/08 - Tour over! The final stage of this year’s Tour De Georgia was in downtown ATL. We did 10, 6 mile circuits of urban racing. All the beautiful weather finally caught up to us today. We started out with wet roads and a light rain. Due to the wet conditions a break away went immediately. Ten riders made the break including one Jittery Joe’s rider, Jared Barilleaux. With this being Jared’s first year pro it was great to see him riding heads up and making the break. Team Highroad kept the gap pinned at 1 minute for 8 of the 10 laps. Luckily the roads began to dry out so the technical circuit became faster and faster. Highroad was happy to leave the break to fight out the win but Rock Racing had a different idea. They lined up their boys to try to set up Fast Freddie Rodriguez. The gap came crumbling down on the last lap and the breakaway was caught only a couple of K’s from the line. Rock put together a great chase but it didn’t work out in the end for them. Highroads Greg Henderson picked up his second win of the tour with Haedo of CSC taking second and Canadian strong man Pinfold of Symmetrics in third. We didn’t have anyone up in the finish due to Cantwell almost being knocked off his bike as a lead out rider sat up in the bunch and went backwards. I sat up a K out to make sure I didn’t get mixed up in the chaos of the sprint. I wasn’t feeling so hot today, probably due to yesterday’s efforts. But, it has been the same story all week, when the speeds go way up I have a tough time. I will have to look closer at my training to try to determine what is going on with that. I do think that I am on the right path for the rest of the season, especially my next race, Mt. Hood Classic. It is a 6 day stage race that should suit my riding style well. I head home first thing tomorrow morning. I can hardly wait to see my 5 month old daughter Charlotte, she can almost crawl now! I’ll catch up with some coaching work on the 5 hour flight home and possibly catch a nap as well. But now I’m off to dinner and then the long awaited after party. I hope you enjoyed my journals for the week.
Neil Shirley ~ neilshirley.com
Greg Henderson (High Road) wins the final stage of the TdG in downtown ATL.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Neil Shirley Tour De Georgia Diary - Stage 6 Brasstown Bald
4/26/08 - Finally! This is the day that I needed dearly. Today was a relatively short 86 miles but don’t let that fool you. In that 86 miles we had a Cat 2, a Cat 1 and a H.C. category climb packed in. The finish was at the top of the monster climb known as Brasstown Bald. This is the climb that has helped make Tour De Georgia so famous. The pressure was on for me to make the break today. With tomorrow being a flat circuit race this was my last shot to do something in the mountains. The start was ballistic like normal. I traded off covering the moves with my teammates early on. Around 20 miles in we hit a section of hard rollers. On one of the rollers a group of six had gotten away so I knew I had to try and get across. I hit out and managed to make it across the gap just over the top of the roller. The break consisted of Sven Tuft (Symmetrics), Jason McCartney (CSC), Ivan Stevic (Toyota), Craig Lewis (Highroad), Stephen Schreck (Gerolsteiner), Mizurov (Astana) and myself. Slipstream wasn’t very happy with the break so they kept a tight leash on us, not letting the gap go over 2 minutes 30 seconds. We worked well together in the break other than Astana’s Mizurov, he sat on the entire day. Hog Pen was the first climb on tap, it is 10% for 3 miles. It hurts! With enough KOM points available on the first two climbs to take the jersey I kept that as my number one goal. On the climb I was feeling great, riding comfortably at the front and even setting the pace for some of it as well. Unfortunately Jason McCartney had the same game plan as me and was going for the KOM as well. He out sprinted me at the line and I had to settle for second. It was down to just McCartney, Tuft, Mizurov, and myself after the climb. All of us except for Mizurov continued to work well together keeping the pace high heading towards the next climb, Unicoi. At the KOM on Unicoi it was the same result, McCartney winning and I took second. With that win it gave McCartney the KOM jersey for the tour with me finishing second only 2 points back. We had 7 chasers less than a minute back at that point and a peloton of about 40 two minutes back. We were about to be caught by the 7 chasers and I still had relatively good legs so I attacked and went away solo. The idea was to try and get some critical time on the group before Brasstown and some extra TV time never hurts either. My gap went up to a minute at one point but as soon as we hit the first pitches I knew my time was up. Rubiera (Astana) came by me first, after that I think I tuned everything out and went into survival mode. With 3 miles to go up the steepest climb I do all year it was just about getting to the top. My job was done for the day so I tried to enjoy the last bit of the stage as much as I could. The Bean Team fans were out in force on the climb, which is always good for motivation. I was awarded the Most Aggressive Rider Jersey for my efforts in the break. I was looking for the KOM jersey but I’m not going to complain about a trip onto the podium and a fancy new jersey to wear in tomorrow’s final stage. It was the perfect day to have a good ride as well since the Jittery Joe’s team bus had brought 25 Team VIP’s up to the top of Brasstown to watch the race. They were able to watch the whole stage unfold on the jumbo tron TV as well. Tomorrow is the final stage and is going to be one for the sprinters I think. I will do my job and help out Stevenson and Cantwell in the finale, then off to the post race party.
Neil Shirley ~ neilshirley.com
Awesome Ride, Neil!
4/26/08 - I tuned into the WCSN coverage with an hour and a half to go and was thrilled to see our home boy, Neil Shirley (Jittery Joes), in a 4 man break that had 2 minutes on the field going into Brasstown Bald. Neil layed it down and rode an awesome race. I won't tell you the outcome, because you really should watch it for yourself. It was that exciting! Neil, I hope the race organizers award you with the Most Aggressive Jersey today, cause that was a great ride.
One of the many breaks in the TdG's longest stage. The peloton ultimately
ate them all up allowing Bissell's Richard England to win the field sprint.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Rock Racing’s Sevilla Ready To Rock Brasstown Bald
4/26/08 - Oscar Sevilla’s fifth place finish for Rock Racing Friday on Stage 5 sets the stage for an epic battle on what is expected to be the decisive day of the Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T. Sevilla was in the mix on the final climb, which came just 1.4 miles (2.2 km) from the finish. It was the third time this week that the Spaniard has figured into a move late in the race. “On the last King of the Mountain sprint, a small group of us got a little gap,” Sevilla said. “Unfortunately, a few riders caught back on in the final kilometer and some of them were Levi’s teammates. In the sprint, one of them (Chris Horner) pulled off and boxed me in. I had to nearly stop to get around him.” Despite the momentary loss of momentum, Sevilla registered Rock Racing’s third top 10 finish of the race and put himself in a position to contend for the overall on Saturday’s “Queen Stage,” an 88.4-mile (142.3 km) race from Blairsville to the finish at the top of Brasstown Bald Mountain. Sevilla said he is feeling strong and confident heading into a stage that has traditionally decided the overall winner of the Tour de Georgia. “It’s pretty obvious there is a battle going on between Astana and Slipstream,” Sevilla said. “Hopefully we can take advantage of that.”
The favorites massed at the front and reeled in a long breakaway
as the top of the climb approached. photo © Vero Image
Neil Shirley Tour De Georgia Diary - Stage 5
4/26/08 - Wow, that was hard! 135 miles, three Cat 3 climbs, some rain and a whole lot of tired legs, all within 5:15. I don’t think my Volkswagen Vanagon could average the kinds of speeds today. It’s just a reminder for me that Tour De Georgia is another level than any of the other races we do all season. I tried in vain to make the break today knowing full well that it was my shot at a jersey. I turned myself inside out multiple times trying everything I could to get off the front. But, I couldn’t make it happen today. The break took quite a while to finally get away. To everyone’s relief a group of four broke away 40 miles in. The race finally settled down for a few minutes and we were able to catch our breath. The break quickly gained 10 minutes and that’s when Astana, Highroad, and Slipstream went to work. I was impressed with the pace they set for the remainder of the race. They had it completely lined out the rest of the day. Every roller was like doing an interval, 425 watts for 2 minutes with an 800 watt sprint over the top, catch a breather for around 30-45 seconds on the descent and repeat that about 30 times. Then add in a few categorized climbs at “Pro Tour Tempo” and you will have the extent of my day. II was feeling pretty good considering how hard the race was. I didn’t have any problem sitting toward the front on the main climbs but going into the final Cat 3 of the day I hit my limit. It was only a 2 mile climb but the last 200 meters were 16%. After the summit it was a 2 mile dash to the finish line. Unfortunately for the break away they were caught on the final climb. Once we hit the final 200 meter 16% section I got dropped from the lead group. I suffered up the last bit and coasted in with a few of my teammates. Trent Wilson was on a good day and pulled off a top 10 in a tough finish. Bissell got a huge win with Richard England taking the 17 rider sprint with Rory Sutherland of Healthnet in second and crowd favorite George Hincapie in third.I I’m pretty disappointed with how the last couple of days have gone. I was expecting things to come together a little better than they have but I’m positive and will really be trying to turn things around the last two days. Tomorrow is the infamous Brass Town Bald stage. It will be a monster of a day but one that I’m looking forward to.
Neil Shirley ~ neilshirley.com
4/25/08 - As part of the team’s commitment to supporting the 2008 Tour de Georgia presented by AT & T, Rock Racing is donating $250,000 to the official beneficiaries of the event, Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Georgia Cancer Coalition. Team Owner, Michael Ball, will present checks to Eugene Hayes, Foundation President of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and to Bill Todd, President and CEO of the Georgia Cancer Coalition on Sunday, April 27 during the final stage in Atlanta. The donations will directly benefit pediatric cancer and blood disorders research through the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service, as well as support the Georgia Cancer Coalition’s efforts to strengthen cancer prevention, research and treatment in Georgia, with the ultimate goal of making Georgia one of the nation's premier states for cancer care.
Team Slipstream posted the best time in the TTT on the Road Atlanta track.
Neil Shirley (3rd in line) and his Jittery Joes Team look good on the track.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
What Do You Think?
Neil Shirley Tour De Georgia Diary - Stage 4 Team Time Trial
4/24/08 - This was definitely the worst day I've had on the bike this year. Today was the 10 mile Team Time Trial on the Road Atlanta racetrack. The spectator turnout was amazing! The race venue had a huge expo setup for the spectators to walk around and look at the booths. It was also a great opportunity for the fans to snap pictures and get autographs of the pro's as they warmed up on trainers. I felt I had a solid warm up, the same one I use for all my time trials. The course started out with a kicker of a hill immediately, which normally isn't a problem but for some reason today it was. One minute into the race I was ready for it to be over. I thought I would come around but it never happened. Larry Lactate was not my friend today! I still took all my pulls, even though maybe I shouldn't have. On the last lap we were falling apart, the team was down to six riders and we didn't have any cohesion. I was completely on the rivet and came off with one mile to go. I limped in, cracked and pissed! It was no one else's fault but my own. I just didn't have it going on today. I don't think that anyone was overly happy with how we did. We didn't really expect to beat the Pro Tour Teams but it would have been nice to hold our own a bit better, I have myself to partly blame for that. Oh well, tomorrows a new day. It also happens to be the longest day of the tour. 135 miles with three Cat 3 climbs to go over. I am really excited for this stage. I would like to go for the early breakaway, but if that doesn't workout that's fine because I think the finish will suit me as well. It finishes with a Cat 3 climb in the last 5 miles, you go over the top and bomb down to the finish. Hopefully the report tomorrow is more positive, and possibly include a picture of me in the KOM jersey?
Neil Shirley ~ neilshirley.com
Schroeder Iron Scores Big
4/24/08 - It was new Masters Cycle League (MCL) team Schroeder Iron who shined the brightest at the Torrance Criterium on April 20th. The pack was invigorated by Pat Caro, Craig Miller, Bud Owens, and Frank Schroeder. Several attacks took place throughout the Master 35+ race but the key attack was Kevin Phillips (Ironfly) who rode away solo to win each of the 2 point MCL preems. Later, Ironfly launched Todd Lipson to pick up 6 points for third in the final sprint bringing Ironfly to within one point of the MCL leader, Major Motion! Newcomer to MCL, Bob Spalding (PenCC) scored 3 points for his team keeping them tied with NOW/MS. The next MCL race is the Barry Wolfe Grand Prix on June 25th.
Schroeder Iron leads the chase in the 35 + race at the Torrance Crit.
photo © Lisa Hackenberg
Neil Shirley Tour De Georgia Diary - Stage 3
4/23/08 - Another 107 miles done and logged into the training journal! I think most of the racers would agree that today was harder than what we had expected. On paper it seemed like another rolling day that finished with two easy circuits. Well, on paper and reality are two different things. Just as in the previous days the break was not going to get away early. Generally in these types of races a break will get clear in the first 20 miles and then after a nature break and a slow pace through the feed zone the GC team will hit the front riding a tempo to keep the breaks gap steady. As the stage gets closer to the end the sprinters teams lend a hand and shut down the break altogether. The difference so far this week is that so many teams are motivated to make the break of the day. So just when you think the right combo is away all of a sudden a team that missed the break tries to send someone across. Usually that rider has the whole peloton on his wheel, which ultimately kills the break. My Jittery Joe’s teammates have done a great job covering all the moves going off the front but it just hasn’t worked out for us so far. Today’s break of four finally got away at the 40 mile mark. The break benefited from a terrible wreck in the group. We were doing 45 mph on a descent when a Healthnet rider went down taking with him two others. It was ugly seeing a wreck at those speeds. Amazingly two of the riders were able to continue. Slipstream’s Timmy Duggan was the only one that could not continue and was taken to the hospital. After the crash the peloton sat up to allow the riders that went down a chance to get back on. That allowed the break to get a gap and go for the long haul. Toyota went to the front to do their duty as race leaders. They had us strung out with little protection from the crosswinds. CSC and Highroad added to the chase in the last 25 miles to really push the pace and bring back the break just before the circuits. With Cody not feeling great due to leaving half his skin on the ground yesterday we were focused on helping Cantwell at the finish. As we hit the circuits I was surprised how hard they were. Yesterday had a cat 4 climb each lap but it was a cakewalk compared to today. The 2 mile lap had three short steep hills in it but the descents had tight corners so there was no letup. The race was single file with guys going out the back! Ryan Sullivan was a huge help to Cantwell towards the end. That paid off as Cantwell finally got his first top 10 of the tour. I stayed at the front to avoid any time gaps and ended up somewhere around 30th. I’m sure Toyota wasn’t to pleased today as all their hard work to keep the jersey on Dominguez’s back didn’t work out. The circuit ended up being to tough for Dominguez and he lost the jersey. Greg Henderson finally broke through and won the stage and in doing so took the race lead as well. Highroad wasn’t content with just first place, as Greipel took second for a 1-2 punch. Farrar put Slipstream on the podium in third.I don’t want to jinx myself but I think my legs are getting better and better each day. I hope I will be able to give a good report Friday night, as that’s the first mountain day. As for tomorrow, we have a Team Time Trial at the Road Atlanta racetrack. It should be interesting. I’m off to dinner now.
Neil Shirley ~ neilshirley.com
Greg Henderson (High Road) won the Stage 3 sprint after a great leadout from
teammates George Hinacapie and Andre Greipel. He moved into the overall lead.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
USWCDP joins forces with JETCycling
4/23/08 - Since 2005 the U.S. Women's Cycling Development Program has been working hard to support the growth and success of women's competitive cycling in the United States. Their goal is to provide all levels of support, leadership, establishing partnerships and collaboration to strengthen the professionalism and competition amongst the entire women’s field. Recently the USWCDP decided to begin a partnership with JETCycling and its founder Jet Tanner in order to begin this growth process at the junior level of racing to the experienced level of Professional Cycling. Both programs have the vision to promote the growth of competitive cycling across the country by providing the needed support on and off the bike to their talented athlete's. JETCycling founder Jet Tanner explains, "We were looking for the next step in the evolution of a junior cyclist and the USWCDP fills that gap for us.” JETCycling is built on the premise of not only teaching young riders from 10 to 18 how to ride a bike, but also the qualities they need to be a future professional rider in the peloton. In addition to teaching them how to be competitive cyclists, the program works on the sportsmanship, pillar of ethics, and overall education of the athlete. “JETCycling is building the foundation of cycling, and the USWCDP is the launching pad for these athletes to be successful. I am pleased that Michael and I share the same vision for the future of cycling,” says Jet Tanner, “we now have a three stream avenue for our juniors; collegiate cycling, national team representation, and professional cycling.”
Things that make you go, hmmm?
I wonder if these folks watching the TdG will be buying any Rock schwag?
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Neil Shirley Tour De Georgia Diary - Stage 2
4/22/08 - Two down, five to go. As I was staring at the wheel in front of me midway through the race it dawned on me, I love bike racing! How lucky am I to be riding my bike through the beautiful countryside surrounded by my friends (even if they don’t know it) on a Tuesday afternoon, it’s hard to imagine that I actually make a living doing this! Today was a mostly flat 117 miler with the exception of two cat 4 climbs on the finishing circuits. The team’s plan for the day was to protect me until the end so I could give it a go on the KOM which was on the first cat 4 climb on the finishing circuits. Also, we wanted to protect Cody and Jonathan for the finishing sprint. Everyone else’s job was to go for the breakaway. It seemed like we had made the break a few different times but each time it came back for whatever reason. It took nearly 50 miles for anything to get clear. To Justin England’s (Toyota) dismay he WAS the breakaway. A suicide break can be fun I guess but not when you are a 135 pound climber riding into a block headwind! Two others came across to him eventually and they built a lead of over seven minutes. Astana, Highroad, and Gerolsteiner put their guys to work on the front and the gap began to tumble down. With the mileage of the stage and strong cross winds I could tell that there were a few tired legs in the bunch. We caught the break just before entering the two 5 mile circuits. The guys helped me get into a good position going into the KOM but without knowing the climb it put me at a disadvantage. Frank Pipp attacked with around 300 meters to the KOM and by the time anyone reacted he already had the winning gap. I came across in 5th or 6th but I’m definitely kicking myself because I think I had the legs to have gone earlier, oh well. The hill wasn’t long enough to cause a substantial split in the field so coming into the sprint we still had our two sprinters left. With me again being worthless in a 37 mph lead out I stayed out of their way. Unfortunately, Cody crashed hard with 500 meters to go. He was in a great position and after running 11th yesterday he was motivated for a top 5. A few others went down as well, I managed to sneak by the carnage. Jonathan Cantwell was our top finisher somewhere in the top 15? J.J. Haedo went back to his winning ways and took the sprint with Greg Henderson of Highroad in 2nd and then Ivan Dominguez taking the last podium spot and hanging onto his leaders jersey. Funny enough all three riders on the podium got their careers started on the US domestic racing circuit. Haedo and Dominguez got started with Colavita back in the day and Henderson was on 7-UP. It’s massage time now and then off to dinner. I will update you on Cody’s condition tomorrow but he’s a damn tough Aussie so I think he’ll be good to go, minus a bit of skin.
Thanks for reading,
Neil Shirley ~ neilshirley.com
Tour de Georgia Stage 2 Podium - (L-R) 2nd Greg Henderson (High Road),
1st - JJ Haedo (CSC) and 3rd Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United).
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
A break of three was off, but in the end Haedo outsprinted Henderson and
Dominguez, who went just a little too early but kept the leaders jersey.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Lance Armstrong Finishes the Boston Marathon in 2:50:58
4/22/08 - Lance Armstrong pulled out a respectable time in his first Boston Marathon, while raising money and awareness for cancer and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. As I can imagine, he said he suffered the last 5 to 6 miles.
Video Coverage: Boston Marathon >
Ex-Wife, Kristin's, pre-race interview with LA for Runners World >
Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) easily snags a stage win in Stage 1 of TdG.
photo © Action Images
Toyota-United’s Ivan Dominguez Wins Stage 1 at Tour de Georgia
4/21/08 - As if he was shot out of a cannon, Toyota-United’s Ivan Dominguez, affectionately known as the “Cuban Missile”, won today’s opening 70.4 mile stage 1 of the 2008 Tour de Georgia Presented by AT&T. 119 riders contested the race which was held in sunny mild conditions on a mostly flat circuit. Ivan Stevic from Toyota-United was in an early breakaway of six riders that never gained more than a minute advantage over the field for most of the race. “With 8 kilometers to go, the Pro Tour teams formed an alliance and drove hard to catch the leaders. Our guys were waiting in the wings to spring Dominguez to the finish if Stevic’s group was caught” said Len Pettyjohn Team Director for Toyota-United. With 1000 meters to go, Henk Vogels the team captain of Toyota-United led the charge with Dominique Rollin, Ivan Dominguez and Hilton Clarke on his wheel to set up the sprint for Dominguez. “Henk put us in a perfect position and took me to 500 meters where I let loose with everything I had to deliver Ivan as close to the finish as possible before he blew past me with 200 meters to go and easily won.” said teammate Dominique Rollin. “With 50 meters to go, I looked under my arm and saw I had the same gap as when I passed everyone earlier and realized then I was the fastest and no one was going to pass me.” said Dominguez after the race. Due to the time bonus for wining the stage, Dominguez moved into the coveted Yellow Jersey.
The Tour de Georgia gets started with a friendly pace.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
SDBC Presents the 12th Annual Barrio Logan Grand Prix May 3rd
4/21/08 - Join in the thrill of fast-paced bicycle racing by pro racers, top-level amateurs, and a fun children's cycling event on May 3rd near downtown San Diego. The Barrio Logan Grand Prix has become one of Southern California's largest cycling events. It is a San Diego community event held in conjunction with the Logan Heights Family Health Center Health Fair including a race venue Expo Area. New this year, Barrio Logan Grand Prix will be part of Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Road Race Series (LAJORS). There is over 2 hours dedicated to Junior Racers in addition to the kids races. Free racing events for kids will be held 12:00-1:00 pm. SDBC gives away 300 FREE helmets to the youth participants in these events. For more information about the LAJORS program and its qualification criteria, see the USA Cycling web site. ALL Junior races qualify for SOCAL Cup Points and Women Category 4 also have their own event! Spectacular racing action is easy to view on the closed 0.8 mile “figure eight” course. Each race will have up to 150 cyclists and will be 25-80 minutes in length. Races start at 7:30am until 5:00 pm. Over $9000.00 worth in cash and prizes will be offered to participants in the racing events. The Barrio Logan is situated several blocks east of downtown San Diego, South of Balboa Park and the Zoo, and at the foot of the Coronado Bridge. The course is a 8 mile fairly flat, fast and challenging "figure eight" course throughout the streets of historic Barrio Logan in downtown San Diego. Check out the NBC promo video and the “Barrio Movie” at featuring the Free Kids Race and Pro Men’s 2006 Elite State Criterium Championship Event. more info >
Neil Shirley Tour De Georgia Diary - Stage 1
4/21/08 - It’s finally go time! To much hanging out can make you crazy. This was the first and shortest road stage of the tour. The race started on a little resort island called Tybee. The island of Tybee is 20 miles east of Savannah and is connected by a series of bridges to the mainland. We awoke to a beautiful morning Georgia. The high winds from the previous days had died down as well. The course was a pan flat 65 miles. The race seemed to be destined for a field sprint before it even started. Due to the low mileage and some sprint heavy teams present I couldn’t imagine much going up the road for the long haul today. We started out along the Atlantic beach front, that’s always a treat for us west coasters. The fans were out in force today, not bad for a Monday morning. With the first 6 miles neutral I had a chance to have a chat with some guys that I hadn’t seen for a while. Once the race got underway no one wanted to be “the one” to attack first, finally Zirbel from Priority did the dirty deed and it was on from there. The roads were flat and fast so nothing managed to get much of a gap. A few promising moves got off the front but Astana and Highroad kept a tight leash on things and brought everything back into the fold. Finally, just as I thought nothing was even going to get organized 6 riders were off the front. Oh well, that’s what I get for thinking. I’m pretty sure I don’t get paid to think. Although it was a strong group and the gap grew to almost two minutes with 15 miles to go it just wasn’t to be. Astana, Slipstream, Highroad, and Gerolsteiner took control of the front and wound it up to 34 mph. The break was caught with 5 miles to go. Since my job today was to do jack all I figured I would try to at least help position Stevenson and Cantwell at the end. I bounced around towards the front with 2 k to go and hopefully helped them a little but I’m not much help when it’s going 36 mph and dicey, I know my limits. I stayed safe and finished in the front group. I’m not sure where our guys ended up but I don’t think it was top 10. Dominguez took the win with a surprising Nic Sanderson of Jelly Belly in second and Forster of Gerolsteiner in third. It’s recovery time now. A massage and nap always do wonders for the legs. I might even catch some NBA Playoffs after dinner. Tomorrow will be another flat day except for the two category 4 climbs at the end. I’m hoping to have another easy day to keep saving myself for later in the race, we’ll see.
Thanks for reading,
Neil Shirley ~ neilshirley.com
Kayle Leogrande (Rock Racing) tries to stay hydrated in the heat at
the GLMGP, while the women get a little tree cover up the hill.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Tour de Georgia Gets Ready to Kick Off
4/20/08 - The Tour de Georgia gets underway in the Peachtree State tomorrow and ends Sunday. It should be a battle royale against some of the best teams and riders in the world. The first few days are tailored for the sprinters, so look for SoCal's Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) to pull out some stage wins. A team time trial takes place Thursday, on Road Atlanta's 2.5-mile, 12-turn track. This should be a good one to watch. Since the teams can't use time trial bikes due to the course being too technical in some turns, this will be a great equalizer to see who has the strongest team based on strength and not equipment. Look for a throwdown between Astana's Leipheimer and Horner and Rock Racing's Botero and Sevilla up the mountain-top finish of Brasstown Bald. Due to technical difficulties caused by spotty cell phone towers in the Georgia backwoods last year, the live coverage is going to be on WCSN.com, in addition to the Tour Tracker. This is probably a good thing, so I don't get frustrated again. This year, we are excited that Neil Shirley (Jittery Joes) will let us follow his TdG experiences in his daily journal, so be sure to check back daily for the inside scoop. We wish Neil and the Bean Team all the best in their home state race! Also, check out Neil Browne from Road Magazine's fun blog for more inside TdG coverage and his crazy escapades at Waffle House.
Sea Otter Day 3 - Colavita, Successful Living Win SRAM Circuit Race
4/20/08 - The wind again wreaked havoc on the day's races at the Sea Otter Classic. 19-year old Tiffany Cromwell of Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home won the woman’s NRC circuit race on a solo break, while Team Successful Living’s Michael Grabinger Jr. repeated the team’s success from last year with a sprint victory from a four-man break in the men’s race. Sabrina Jonnier returned to win her fourth, straight dual slalom while Greg Minaar prevailed over a pro men's crash-studded race. Cody Wilson of Eliminator/Kuwahara defeated strong winds to take all three motos in the men’s 26-30 expert BMX race. Finally, the qualifying rounds of the new SRAM Dual Stunt race tested racers new to the demands of the race format. more >
First Annual City of Aliso Viejo Grand Prix Set for July 12th - Press
4/19/08 - After hours of tireless work, and communication with the City of Aliso Viejo, the ShoAir/Sonance Elite Team is happy to announce the First Annual City of Aliso Viejo Grand Prix on Saturday July 12, 2008. The event, originally scheduled for May 31, 2008 has moved to July 12, 2008 to accommodate a better race schedule for all the athletes. With the first race starting at 9:25 am and the men’s Pro 1/2 race starting at 6 pm, this will be the first event of its kind in Aliso Viejo. The course will be in the heart of downtown Aliso Viejo, over some of the best roads Southern California has to offer. The course is a 1.3-mile loop over perfect pavement, or at least 3/4 of it is perfect payment. The course will take in some the best views in Southern California as it hits the courses 800 meter climb every lap. With a vertical gain of approximately 300 feet per lap, the race is sure to be a tough one, and to make things a little more difficult the entire climb is over a perfectly laid BRICK road. The City of Aliso Viejo will serve as the title sponsor for this event, and more information on Aliso Viejo, and everything it is has to offer can be found at CityofAlisoViejo.com. If you have any questions about this event please visit VeloSportElite.com, or email [email protected]. We should have video of the course up on the website soon, and a race flier to follow. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well. For more information on sponsorship please email Travis at the address above. We are looking forward to a great event this summer, and hope this can become a staple on the Southern California race calendar for years to come.
Sea Otter Day 2 Report
4/19/08 - Surprise victories in the Thule Adventure Race and the Pro Men's and Women's Super D added to the excitement of each event while the wind posed a challenge to the road race. Adventure race novice Lynn Trimble won his second-ever adventure race while Carl Decker (Giant) and Lea Davison (Trek/VW) each won the Sea Otter Super D for their first time. In the road race, Dotsie Bausch (Colavita/Sutter Home) and Evan Oliphant (Ploman-Craven) scored victories in the second day of road race action. more >
City of Oxnard Hosts the 2nd Annual Senior Legends Games!
4/16/08 - The City of Oxnard has, for the second consecutive year, organized an exciting month of celebrations to commemorate the Month of May as Older Americans Month. Registration for the Second Annual City of Oxnard Senior Legends games, specially designed to engage active older adults, is now open. Whether you are 50 or 95, the month of May will be an exciting month of celebrations, competitions, social events and fun activities for active adults. Physical activities/sports, mental challenges and social events will be offered throughout May to showcase senior programs that are currently offered by the City of Oxnard. The month-long event will include such activities as basketball skills, badminton, horseshoes, billiards, table tennis, bingo, golf, tennis, chess, social dance, mental gymnastics, lawn bowling, fun walk, bike ride and more! These events are intended for participation of all skill levels. Don’t miss your opportunity to become a part of these fun events in the Second Annual City of Oxnard Senior Legends Games! For additional information or to register, please call (805) 385-7995 or go to www.oxnardrec.org.We look forward to seeing you, and remember, an active senior is a healthy senior!
Rock Racing Will Rock The 2008 Tour de Georgia
4/15/08 - Rock Racing will be a part of the 2008 Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T after reaching a settlement with race organizer, Medalist Sports, LLC. The team’s roster for the race will be announced in the coming days. “The fans told us they wanted us to be there,” says Team Owner Michael Ball. “We are pleased that we were able to work with Medalist to come to a mutually beneficial decision. Now the race will truly field the best of the best of international and domestic pro cycling teams which will only build on the momentum created for domestic cycling at the Tour of California.” Today’s decision was made after ProTour team Saunier Duval-Scott announced they would not be racing due to numerous injuries of key riders. Rock Racing had filed an injunction earlier this month to be allowed entry into the race. A hearing in the case was scheduled for earlier today but the two parties settled out of court. Ball said a flood of e-mails, letters and phone calls from fans in support of the team could not be ignored. “The team is ready to race. Santiago Botero’s win and the team’s performance at Redlands is a clear indication of what to expect next week in Georgia,” said Ball. Rock Racing’s Botero convincingly won the Redlands Bicycle Classic by 54 seconds in his first ever race in the United States.
Kyle Gritters (Health Net pb Maxxis) won the GLMGP with teammate
John Murphy in second and Hilton Clarke (Toyota-United) third.
photo © Kathleen Poulos
Rock Racing Gets in Tour de Georgia, Ya'll
4/15/08 - This is no April Fools joke, it looks like Rock Racing will be racing the TdG afterall after a court hearing and coincidental withdrawal of the Saunier Duval-Scott team. How do we get a transcript of what transpired in court? (Edit - Rock Racing and Medalist Sports settled out of court. How do we get a transcript of that conversation?) Talk about it in our forum >
Island View Crit and GLMGP Offer Great Racing and Fun Venues
4/15/08 - For the last few years, I have heard what a cool race the Island View Crit in Isla Vista is. Since it shared the same weekend as the Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix, I decided to tag along to support our SoCalCycling.com team and enjoy a weekend getaway in SB. The Island View Crit was held on a fast four corner course at Party Central (UCSB Campus / Downtown IV). There were tons of spectators, including hundreds of hard partying college students that were walking or stumbling through the course, riding beach cruisers and skateboards. I watched the race from the sweeping horseshoe bend on the bottom of the course, which was pretty entertaining as the course marshall wrangled the oblivious and slightly inebriated students off the course just in time every 45 seconds. The men’s pro race had a stacked field, including teams from Plowman Craven RT, Successful Living, Time, Bissell and Health Net. The race was very aggressive with a lot of short lived breaks, but came down to a battle of the leadout trains with Successful Living derailing Plowman's and Cody O’Reilly taking the win. To my surprise, ATOC announcer, Dave Towle, was even there on the mic screaming “One to go, one to go, one to go ...” for what seemed like an eternity. After the race, we went for a ride on a nice bike trail along the coast to Santa Barbara and back. On Sunday, we headed over to Ojai for the GLMGP, which is a tribute for Garrett Lemire, who tragically lost his life in the Tucson Bicycle Classic a few years ago. Ojai is a quaint town with nice shops, a farmers market, art galleries, coffee shops and cafés. We arrived just in time to watch our friend, Rich Meeker (Amgen), win the 35 +, then watched our SoCalCycling.com team race the Cat 2 race, where Zack Simkover (Swamis) won the sprint. The temperatures were steadily heating up all day to a toasty 98 degrees, causing some riders to drop like flies. In the women’s race, Colavita/Sutter Home went 1-2 with local girls Rachel Tzinberg (Bicycle Johns) Anna Lang (Aaron's) and Jen Wilson (SBW) rounding out the top five. The men’s pro race was fast and furious the first 45 minutes, then finally settled in as a group of twenty riders got off the front. We had an awesome vantage point while enjoying lunch at a little Italian café in turn one. It was amazing to watch Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) control the front of the peloton lap after lap shutting down the field. I have a feeling the riders left in the pack were happy with the slower pace, so their heads didn't explode from the heat. In the end, Health Net pb Maxxis pulled out another 1-2 finish with Kyle Gritters taking the win, teammate John Murphy second and Hilton Clarke (Toyota-United) third. It was definately a great weekend of racing, with both venues offering a little something for everyone.
Morgan Kapp (SBW) had a good race at the GLMGP making the break.
Ivan Domiguez (Toyota-United) controlled the pack letting the break gain time.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Cannondale Introduces Two New Bikes
4/14/08 - 2008 is off to a great start and things are about to get even better... After months of engineering, testing, and feedback from the field, Cannondale introduces two "ALL NEW" mountain bikes. The Rize has a 130 mm suspension platform and the Moto has a 160 mm suspension platform. Test Ride one at Sea Otter this week!
The Moto (left) has a 160 mm suspension and Rize (rt) has a 130 mm suspension.
SoCalCycling.com Classifieds
4/14/08 - Do you have something to sell or a job position to fill? Our classifieds will let you connect with buyers and qualified job candidates. Check out our current listings >
Rose Bowl Ride Gets an Official Drink Supplier
4/14/08 - Rose Bowl Riders, there will be a group of Muir High School students at the Rose Bowl Tuesday night and probably more nights to come. They are part of a business club learning about economics by selling lemonade and are aptly called The Lemonade Brigade. They would like to be the official drink of the peloton. They will also have energy bars and cookies available, so be sure to bring a couple of bucks to help out these Rose Bowl Ride supporters.
Zach Simkover (Swami's-FPPI DET) wins the Cat 2 race at
the Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix. photo © SoCalCycling.com
Gritters, Murphy Go One-Two at Garrett Lemire
4/14/08 - The Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis played perfect team tactics to put Kyle Gritters and John Murphy on the top two steps of the podium of the Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix Sunday. Gritters won out of what started as a 15-man break about 15 laps in, and grew progressively as the 45-lap race went deeper. Murphy and Rory Sutherland were the first two members of the team in the break, which at one point extended its lead to around a minute. But as the gap came down, numerous riders from the bunch started jumping across, including Karl Menzies of Health Net Presented by Maxxis. Gritters followed shortly thereafter, with another five or six riders in tow. the numbers in the break swelled, so did the gap to the main pack, and it became apparent that the winner would come from this group. As the laps ticked down, it was Sutherland who started to soften up the bunch. “Rory started smacking it up the climb with five to go,” Gritters said, “and Murph and I just floated in the pack.” Another effort with two to go separated Sutherland from the pack and forced a chase by Toyota-United and Colavita-Sutter Home, who were trying to set up their sprinters, Hilton Clarke and Alejandro Borrajo, who won a stage of the Redlands Classic last weekend.But when Sutherland was caught with one lap to go, he wasn’t done. He stayed on the front for the final lap to help with the lead-out. “Murphy got his wheel,” Gritters explained. “I was sitting on Borrajo about fifth wheel. There’s a gradual downhill to the last turn, and I knew you needed to hit the corner first to win because there’s only 75 meters to the line from the corner. I had some momentum so I hit out and got a couple bike lengths going into the corner.” Clarke of Toyota-United came charging after, with Murphy glued to his wheel. Despite the short distance to the line, Murphy was able to jump around Clarke to take the second step on the podium. Sutherland kept going after his lead-out to take eighth.
As the Cycling World Turns...
4/11/08 - Judge Judy is going to have her work cut out for her with all of lawsuits that are flying around in the cycling world these days. Rock Racing LLC, is sueing the Tour de Georgia Foundation, and its organizer, Medalist Sports in an effort to be on the start line in the Tour de Georgia which runs April 21st - April 27th. A hearing in the case is scheduled for April 15th in superior court in Fulton County, Georgia, ya'll. In addition, Trek and Greg LeMond are sueing each other, with LeMond filing a breach of contract lawsuit last month against Trek claiming they did not “exert best efforts regarding the LeMond brand.” Trek has had enough of LeMond's public doping allegations against Lance Armstrong and has decided to sue and sever their 13 year licensing agreement with LeMond. "We cannot continue to let Greg LeMond damage the Trek family. We need to step away from Greg LeMond and go about our business. It’s a great day to be working at the best bicycle company in the world," from Trek’s PowerPoint presentation. You can check out LeMond's filing here. If there is one thing I wish for in the cycling world, it is that everyone could just get along instead of tearing this fragile sport apart. On to local news ... this weekend we have the Cyclo-Vets Omnium happening in San Diego and the Island View Crit and Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix up in lovely Santa Barbara and Ojai. The GLMGP is not a NRC event for the women this year. Hopefully, the pro women's teams decided to hang out after Redlands and enjoy the awesome course and Ojai community. It should be great racing all around, which ever direction you head.
Tour of Flanders Video
4/10/08 - Watch Stijn Devolder win the brutal Belgian Classic in a bold solo move.
Doing Good by Pedaling a Bike at the Sea Otter Classic
Recreational Rides Benefit the Davis Phinney Foundation and IMBA CA
4/10/08 - If all goes well during his surgery on Friday, then Davis Phinney might actually get to go to Beijing in August to watch his son, Taylor, race in the Olympics. The mighty Phinney, one of the most victorious US bike racers in history, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease while still in his 30s and rather than lose out to the disease, Phinney established his namesake Davis Phinney Foundation with a mission to improve the lives of those living with Parkinson's disease. Together with Bicycling and Mountain Bike magazines, the Sea Otter Classic will host two separate recreational rides, which benefit the Davis Phinney Foundation and the International Mountain Bicycling Association California, and which strike at the passions of their inspired participants. "Davis' message of inspiration is truly unique in the Parkinson’s disease world,” said Kristie Henderson, communications director for the Davis Phinney Foundation. “As more patients hear his story and aspire to live life fully every day, there are more victories to celebrate and that's what we are all about.” more >
USA Cycling to Hold 2008 Women's Regional Development Camps
4/9/08 - USA Cycling has offered Regional Development Camps for junior and collegiate cyclists for a number of years, and with 14 camps on the 2008 calendar, the program is thriving. Open to both male and female cyclists from 14 to 22 years of age, the number of women enrolling in the camps has traditionally been small. Female racers between the ages of 17 and 25 will be invited to the camps, and while Miller said age and eligibility requirements will be somewhat flexible, they are looking for women with some racing experience; Collegiate A/B and Cat 3/4 cyclists, for instance. Recognizing that many women successfully cross over to cycling from other sports, Benjamin Sharp, USA Cycling’s Junior Programs Manager who oversees all Regional Development Camps, said that they will also “be very likely to take” women with elite level or NCAA Division I experience in another sport. more info >
Toyota-United’s Baldwin Gets 2nd GC, Clarke Wins Pro/Am Crit
4/8/08 - It was a close call for Toyota-United's Chris Baldwin in the final stage of the Redlands Bicycle Classic. After crashing hard and enduring two bike changes, Baldwin, with the help of his teammates Chris Wherry and Dominique Rollin, finished the day's race in the lead group and sealed his second place in the overall classification. Unfortunately, four of his teammates faired much worse than he. Ben Day, Henk Vogels and Ivan Dominguez went down in a crash in the first few miles of the race that claimed over 30 racers. Team Director Len Pettyjohn ordered Vogels and Dominguez to wait for Day to help bring him back to the group as he was slow to get up off the pavement with a bruised knee, but the racing at the front of the race was too fast and all three later retired from the race. Once racing hit the circuits of the Sunset Loop, Rock Racing went to the front and set a steady, hard pace that dissuaded most from attacking. The most significant breakaway of the day started 4 laps into the 12 lap race. Jeff Louder (BMC), yesterday's stage winner, attacked with Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) and stayed away for 2 laps. Their largest advantage was 45 seconds before a persistent Rock Racing brought them back. "Rock did a good job bringing those two back," said Pettyjohn. more >
The pro men get ready to start the Sunset Loop Road Race in downtown Redlands.
photo © Kathleen Poulos
Alejandro Borrajo (Colavita-Sutter Home) won the Sunset Loop field
sprint ahead of Tony Cruz (BMC) and Rory Sutherland (Health Net pb Maxxis)
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Botero Rocks Redlands With Decisive Victory
4/7/08 - Rock Racing used a simple strategy on the way to sealing Santiago Botero’s overall victory at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Like they have been for every road stage, Rock Racing rode at the front throughout Sunday’s 91-mile (138 km) Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race. The demonstration of flawless teamwork successfully protected the 54-second lead Botero had gained while soloing to victory on Stage 1 on Friday in Beaumont. By reeling in a number of breakaways during 12 laps of the challenging 6.2-mile (10 km) Sunset Loop circuit, Rock Racing guaranteed the race would end in a field sprint and preserve Botero’s lead. The result was Botero’s first-ever win in the United States and the first overall victory for Rock Racing at a stage race in the team’s one-year history. Botero also took home the red jersey of best climber in the four-day race. Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team) finished second overall and Burke Swindlehurst (Bissell Pro Cycling) was third, 1:06 behind Botero. Botero said he never felt his lead was in jeopardy – even when Jeff Louder (BMC Pro Cycling Team) and Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) were building more than a minute’s lead halfway through the race. Louder later joined with Peter Stetina (Slipstream-Chipotle) to keep the pressure on Rock. But gradually, the boys in venom-green-and-black brought it back. “We have a very strong team,” Botero said. “They worked hard for me and for that I am very thankful. I knew we could pull back any breakaway that tried to get away.” “This was an incredibly strong group of talented teams that would have made an impression on any European field,” Hamilton said. “Hats off to them. I’m proud to be racing in America.” After Hamilton, Oscar Sevilla and Victor Hugo Peña helped Rock Racing pull back a number of small breakaways on the Sunset Loop, the 30-strong field came onto the streets of Downtown Redlands together. Following five laps of Saturdays’ criterium course, Alejandro Borrajo (Colavita-Sutter Home) won the field sprint ahead of Tony Cruz (BMC) and Rory Sutherland (Health Net presented by Maxxis). Not everything went according to form on the day, though. Rock Racing’s Fred Rodriguez saw his chances to go for the stage win end when he lost control on a downhill, off-camber right-hand turn where a stream of water trickled across the course and slickened the pavement.
The now-familiar venom-and-black kits of Rock Racing rode on
the front of the field all day. photo © Vero Image
Every Second Counts Part 2, Wrubleski Wins by 1 Second
4/6/08 - There was no telling who would hold onto the yellow jersey as the professional women cyclists approached the starting line of the 2008 Redlands Bicycle Classic famous Sunset Road Race starting line. Pure determination was present on every face as the riders started the selective 68-mile course, with circuits in the Sunset Drive hills. For most of the race, two were in front of the field of 20 riders. As they hammered it out through the downtown Redlands finish, Alex Wrubleski of Webcor Builders charged, drilling across the line first, and not only winning today's stage race, but narrowly beating Mara Abbott of High Road for the overall 2008 Redlands Bicycle Classic win, by a slim one second margin. Leigh Hobson of Cheerwine and Kim Anderson of High Road were second and third for today's stage race, respectively. The Stage Four race started in downtown Redlands before it climbed into the Sunset Drive hills for nine laps of approximately seven miles. The pros displayed their super talents as they sped through the corners up and down the sharply graded hills. The biggest battle came to the last few yards of the race as Wrubleski and Abbott put everything on the line for the championship, with Wrubleski edging past Abbott for the win. "We knew what we had to do, but it didn't happen today," reflected Abbott. Today's win was pivotal, with the overall points balancing a miniscule gap. The win pushed Wrubleski to the front for the overall win. Abbott finished right behind Wrubleski and Katherine Carroll of Aaron's was third in overall points. Cheerwine took top honors for the overall team winner.
Alex Wrubleski (Webcor Builders) took back enough time to win the
overall by 1 second, while Santiago Botero (Rock Racing) just had to maintain his comfortable lead to win. photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
The pro men get ready for battle on the beautiful, yet brutal Sunset Loop.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Jeff Louder Wins the Redlands Classic Crit, Botero Holds on to Yellow
4/5/08 - Murmurs of Rock Racing filled downtown Redlands today as Stage Two of the Redlands Bicycle Classic brought cyclists one race away from their glory, with Santiago Botero of Rock Racing leading in overall points. Botero held onto his overall lead, but BMC's Jeff Louder won today's stage race, just ahead of Luis Alberto Amaran with Colavita Sutter Home/Cooking Light. Third across the line was Ivan Dominguez, from Toyota United. For the majority of the 1.2 mile, seven turn downtown Redlands criterium race, sponsored by 1st Centennial Bank/KWB Wealth Managers, four cyclists created the breakaway. Inside three laps to go, the stakes were high and the action non-stop as the original four reduced to three. As the pace accelerated to a blistering speeds, and the peloton continued to hunt down its 18 second lead on the field, Curtis Gunn, from Successful Living, and Shawn Milne of Team Type One crashed on the final lap, leaving third position up for grabs. Dominguez saw the opportunity and sprinted ahead of the pack. Louder felt the speed of today's race and was able to clinch onto his lead, despite the activity behind him. "It was a bit of a cat and mouse game," said Louder. "The rest of the group was coming hard. I led through the last half of the race and was just trying to keep it up. It was a tricky race. I'm not really a sprinter, but this race favors a strong technical rider. I don't have fast legs, but if I get in the lead group, like today, it works."
Emilia Fahlin (Team High Road) and Jeff Louder both celebrate victory
in the Redlands Crit. photos © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Women's Teams Battled it Out in the Redlands Bicycle Classic Crit
4/5/08 - A mass of wheels settled against each other as the professional women cyclists lined up in downtown Redlands for day three of racing in the Redlands Bicycle Classic. The Stage Two 1.2 mile downtown Redlands criterium race, sponsored by 1st Centennial Bank/KWB Wealth Managers, brought opportunities for riders to push ahead and grab the winning title. 19-year-old rising Swedish star Emilia Fahlin from Team High Road sprinted across the finish line first, with Alex Wrubleski, from Webcor Builders, and Brenda Lyons, from Advil/Chapstick rounding out the top three. Mara Abbott, with High Road continued her lead in overall points. The criterium race zips through downtown Redlands, giving riders technical corners and numerous opportunities for attacks. Place changes and fast paces created an ebb and flow, leaving the crowd guessing who would strike the hardest and pull ahead. "This course has a lot of corners and fast laps, which I like," said Fahlin, who was a first time Redlands Bicycle Classic participant. "Everyone talks about this race. It's a big goal for the team." Fahlin fought her way to the end, knowing she had to keep her wheels spinning. "After I took off seconds for the first bonus I was a little tired, so I had to push it." Mara Abbott, Fahlin's teammate, looks forward to tomorrow's Sunset race closer. "Every year Sunset is a good race, with something unexpected always happening. It's a great course."
Rock Racing's Santiago Botero drove the six-man break until he
attacked on the final lap of the 17-mile circuit. photo © Vero Image
David Clinger (Rock Racing) leads race leader, Botero, through the chicane.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Rock Racing’s Botero Solos To Victory And Into The Overall Lead
4/5/08 - Rock Racing’s Santiago Botero made the most of his first-ever victory in the United States Friday at Stage 1 of the Redlands Bicycle Classic. In winning the 85-mile (138 km) Beaumont Circuit Race, Botero moved into the overall lead, he won the sprinter and the climber jerseys and he scored his first victory since capturing the Vuelta a Colombia last August. “I am still not on my best form because I have only been training the past five months and I have not yet raced this year,” Botero said. “I wanted to win today for (Rock Racing Team Owner) Michael Ball, who gave me a chance to continue my career.” Ball, who was one of the first to congratulate Botero at the finish line, said the victory solidifies his vision of making cycling even more exciting by bringing world-class talent to the domestic scene. “What we did here was what would have happened at the Tour of California,” Ball said. “We were shortchanged and the fans were shortchanged. But there are more great things from this team to come. “If they allow us to race domestically, you’re going to see results like this time and time again. We have a tremendous amount of talent that has come onto this team to support the guys we had last year.” Botero, the 2002 world time trial champion and King of the Mountains in the 2000 Tour de France, leads the race by 54 seconds over Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United Pro Cycling). Francois Parisien (Symmetrics Cycling) is third overall, one minute and seven seconds behind. Botero powered away from a group of five breakaway companions who had been off the front since the second of five laps around a 17-mile (27 km) circuit featuring more than 700 feet of climbing each lap. The six gained a maximum lead of more than five minutes with about 30 miles (48 km) to go. But the chasing efforts of the Health Net and the BMC Pro Cycling teams trimmed the lead down to 3:10 with only one lap remaining. Knowing the gap was coming down, Rock Racing Team Director Mariano Friedrick told the 35-year-old three-time Tour de France stage winner to attack. Botero’s initial acceleration quickly gained him a 25-second advantage over the five that he eventually stretched out to 52 seconds by the finish line. Sebastian Haedo (Colavita/Sutter Home) finished second and Burke Swindlehurst (Bissell Pro Cycling Team) was third.
Meredith Miller (Aarons) spends time off the front in the Beaumont Circuit Race,
while Mara Abbott (High Road) retained the overall lead in the Redlands Classic.
photos © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Rock Racing's Santiago Botero celebrates the win. He moved into yellow leaders jersey, red climbers jersey and green sprinters jersey too.
photos © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Southern California Velo Junior to Compete at Redlands Bicycle Classic
4/4/08 - Seventeen year old Scotty Tickemyer of Redlands, California is one of only two junior racers who have been invited to partake in the Redlands Bicycle Classic starting April 3rd, 2008. Tickemyer scored two big wins this year at the Merco Credit Union Road Race and the Murrieta Circuit Race. The Category 3 wins gave him enough points to upgrade to Category 2 just before the San Dimas Stage Race. Tickemyer finished a very strong 11th in the GC at the San Dimas Stage Race which included a 9th place finish in the San Dimas Hospital Road Race. “I’m very excited and nervous at the same time,” stated Tickemyer when asked about racing in Redlands. “It is a great honor to be invited to compete at such a young age in the Redlands Classic.” Tickemyer currently rides for the Southern California Velo Elite Cycling team. Tickemyer joined the SC Velo junior team in 2007 as a Category 4, winning races early on and moving through the cycling ranks quickly. Tickemyer was a key pillar in the building of the SC Velo junior team which grew from a two rider team in 2005 to one of the strongest junior teams in California. The team is headed by Dominic Galenti, Incycle Bicycle Shop co-owner and chief sponsor of SC Velo. “This is the first of what should be many success stories for the Southern California Velo juniors team,” said Galenti. “I am very proud of Scotty. He has worked extremely hard to get to the level he is at.”
Scotty Tickemyer (SC Velo) will be racing at the Redlands Classic for THF Racing.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Segment On dLifeTV Will Feature Team Type 1
4/4/08 - Team Type 1 will be featured this Sunday night, April 6, in a nationally-televised cable broadcast. The segment on dLifeTV (broadcast on CNBC at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST) will show how champion world-class cyclists are breaking new barriers in the world of diabetes. dLifeTV will take a brief look back at Team Type 1’s history and feature candid interviews with team co-founders Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge that showcase the challenges they face in managing their diabetes on the road. Racers from both Team Type 1’s 15-member professional team and the squad’s 11-rider two-time defending champion Race Across America (RAAM) team were filmed by dLifeTV during a pair of camps in Buellton, Calif., last December and this February. Every rider on the RAAM team has Type 1 diabetes, as do four riders on the pro team. The segment will also be available for viewing on dLife.com following the CNBC broadcast.
Dairyland runaway train: Clare Vlahopoulos leads GC winner Leda Cox
in Stage 3. Photo: Mason Ibas
Redlands Bicycle Classic Prologue Determines Race Positions
4/3/08 - With energy surging through their legs and determination beating in their hearts, professional cyclists from around the world fought for top spots at the 2008 Redlands Bicycle Classic, presented by PossAbilities, Prologue time trial on April 3. Rory Sutherland (Health Net - Maxxis) in 9:51, Ben Day(Toyota United) 9:53 and Dominique Rollin (Toyota United) in 10.00 took the top three spots for the men's race, respectively. Mara Abbott (High Road) in 11:10.21, Katharine Carroll (Aaron's) in 11:35.63 and Kim Anderson (High Road) 11:36.37 in were the top three women's finishers. "The time trial is tough. There are so many variables that it's hard to gage how well you're doing while you're racing," says Sutherland, a Canberra, Australia, native who won two stages of last year's race. "I feel good with my results, but you never know what could happen. By the end of tomorrow everything could be different." Cyclists powered up the tough 8% grade on Wabash Ave. in Redlands before sprinting across the Sunset Drive finish line. The racing was tight with only two seconds separating the top two men, and only 25 seconds between the top two women. This race was just a taste of the explosive racing set for the rest of the week. Friday's Stage One Circuit Race will test the cyclists' endurance as they climb through Beaumont. Saturday's Stage Two Criterium will give spectators the best opportunity to see the professionals fly by, and Sunday's Stage Three Sunset Road Race will determine the overall winners of four day event.
Kat Carroll (Aarons) and Ben Day (Toyota-United) both posted a
fast time, coming in second in the Redlands Prologue .
photos © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Solomon Repeats, Cox Dominate the 22nd Tucson Bicycle Classic
By Steve Bohn
4/3/08 - The 22nd running of the Tucson Bicycle Classic (TBC) stage race was graced with warm spring weather, spectacular wildflowers and the ever present winds. The TBC is Southwest’s oldest multi-category SR and one of the most popular, sticking to a unique TT/2 RR format, offering very challenging courses for 19 USCF cats in the beautiful Sonoran Desert west and south of Tucson.
Stage 1: Old Tucson/McCain Loop TT
The wind kicked up as the later categories rocketed down the start ramp for 3 miles of pain capped off with brutal stair- stepped climbs. Albuquerque's Joshua Liberles (Colavita NM) took the Pro/1 prologue at 7:35, shy of Gord Fraser’s 2003 course record time of 7:09. Drew Miller (Landis Trek/VW) followed :03 back and Phillip Gaimon (Fiordifrutta)@ :08. Earlier in the day, the women were the first group off and Melissa McWhirter’s (Colivita AZ) blazing 8:16 nipped Genevieve Jeanson’s 2004 record by :02. Tucson’s Sarah Swanson (Summit Velo) and Melanie Meyers (Specialized Designs), both :22 and :28 back, rounded out the podium spots. America’s Dairyland team was nearly 1/2 minute in arrears but that was soon to change. more >
David Solomon (P & S-Specialized) leads the Pro/1 field on way to
repeating TBC Champ. Photo: Mason Ibas
The 3rd Annual Island View Classic
4/2/08 - UCSB Cycling is proud to present the third annual Island View Classic on April 12th. The course is a flat, fast, half-mile loop around downtown Isla Vista, one block from the UCSB campus. We are located one hour north of Ojai and we expect to have a phenomenal turnout due to the Garret Lemire Memorial Grand Prix on Sunday. The day promises to be a great event featuring five USCF races, six collegiate races, and a cruiser crit open to the public. There will also be a street fair and bicycle rodeo for kids from approximately 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Pre-registration is available for the USCF and collegiate races at socalreg.com. The cruiser crit registration is $5 at the day of the event, cruiser bikes are available to rent for an additional $5; costumes are highly encouraged. The rodeo for kids is sponsored by the California Highway Patrol and free! So come enjoy a day of spectacular racing in Santa Barbara.
Cameron Evans (Symmetrics) in yellow with the points and KOM winners.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com
Rock Racing Receives Invite to Tour de Georgia
4/1/08 - Rock Racing has been invited to race in the upcoming Tour de Georgia, which takes place April 21st - 27th. Medalist Sports, Jim Birrell, had a change of heart after angry mobs of concerned Southerners stormed Medalist Sports headquarters Monday demanding that their favorite team be invited to the TdG or there would be hell to pay. “After watching all of the commotion and purrty ladies that Big Daddy brought to the Tour de California, me and my bubbas decided we needed some of that in the Peachtree State,” Rock Racing fan Billy Bob Elvis said. “They done got the short end of the stick and that just ain’t right. We done got ourselves Waffle House trucker hats and a Rock Racing trucker hat would just butter our biscuits.” Rock Racing owner, Michael Ball said, “I am pleased to see that my brand is making an impact in Hotlanta and the backwoods communities of Georgia. We will give the Southern fans what they want with cool Rock gear, hot chicks and some kick ass racing. I will be bringing in my reinforcements - Botero, Peña and Rodriguez, so we have a little more fire power than we did this weekend in San Dimas ... just in case we need to bring down the time gap a little bit more. We should be firing on all cylinders in Georgia." Happy April Fools!
