Cycling News

Ghent Six Day
By Austin Carroll
11/29/08 - Going into Ghent we were one of the favorites to win. That was a powerful feeling. We were on top of things tonight. Guy and I were riding well. The race was 240 laps with 4 sprints. Its a little weird how they do the lap cards in Ghent. The numbers counted down to the sprint. For me it was a little hard to really know how many laps we had to the finish. We scored in all the sprints and took a lap on the field with our closest camaraderie. Tosh and Van der Sande attacked with 3 of 4 laps to go they had a big lead on us, but we timed the last sprint perfect and Guy thru me in and it was the final lap. I closed the gap coming out of the last turn and passed Van der Sande. It was a big adrenalin rush for me as the crowd roared when I went by him and won the final sprint for the win. It is an unbelievable feeling to win a race in Europe. Read more about Austin's races at the UVI Six Days in Amsterdam, Dortmund, Munich, Gent and race in Manchester on his blog.

Guy East and Austin Carroll on their way to winning in Ghent.

$20,000 Raised at SoCal Interscholastic Cycling League Benefit Dinner
11/28/08 - Over $20k was raised last Saturday night for the SoCal Interscholastic Cycling League by dinner attendees and silent auction bidders. Cycling legends Gary Fisher and current BMC Professional Racer Tony Cruz elevated the evening, while 24 Hour National Champion "Pua" Sawicki interacted with several cycling stars of tomorrow at the event. Held at the famous Ca Del Sole Italian Restaurant near Universal Studios, the Benefit Dinner started off with a reception held amongst the raffle items in a private courtyard. While guests mingled with the media, racers, sponsors, and enthusiasts, volunteers for the league prepared for an evening of historical proportions. "When we look back in 20 years at how big and important cycling is with kids and the population in general, we'll be able to point back to the inception of the High School Cycling League as a catalyst," stated Gary Fisher, Master of Ceremonies for the event. "What Matt Fritzinger has done in Northern California, is ready to blow-up here in Southern Cal, and then go across the country like other trends..."  Fritzinger comments - "We were amazed by the turn out and enthusiasm at our first SoCal CycleFest Dinner. It was an important gathering of forward thinking stake-holders who all seem to have a tremendous sense of being at the beginning of something big."

Happy Thanksgiving
11/27/08 - Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hope your day is filled with loved ones, happiness and a little ride too!

WCCC & SCNCA Championship & Eco-Sportfest Weekend Report
11/27/08 - Fall weather finally showed for an historic two days of racing in Southern California “cooling” off the memories of two weeks ago and the “heated” Prestige Series’ UCI Dam Cross Weekend battles. SoCal’Crossers were filled with excitement, many participating for the first time ever as part of the West Coast Collegiate Cycling (WCCC) and the 2008-09 SCNCA cyclocross championships. The two-days brought incredible racing with local battles, new collegiate ‘crossers and names to town everyone should know, “The Lung” That’s right Ned Overend. THE Mountain bike legend was visiting and decided to come out to play at the State Championship race on Sunday! Oak Canyon Park nestled in the hillside of Irvine Lake was a picturesque, family friendly and the perfect setting to have the SoCal ‘cross family hanging-out, having beers, talking 'race' leading up to the final awards... it was a cool site to see, and even better to be part of! more >

Ned Overend (Specialized) made an appearance at Sunday's SoCal Cross.
photo © Johnny Dalton

Beverly Hills HS and Team UTAC Join to Raise Awareness on Worlds AIDS Day
11/26/08 - On Sunday, November 30 at 6 p.m., Cyclist and AIDS Activist Brian Hodes will begin a 24-hour bicycle ride to raise awareness around prejudice and stigma associated with AIDS and HIV. The event will take place at Beverly Hills High School with the help of the faculty and student body.  "The students and the faculty of Beverly Hills High School have embraced this beyond my wildest expectations," said Hodes. "From the moment I pitched the idea to Principal Guidetti, they ran with it. I'm happy to say tolerance is alive and well at Beverly Hills High." Hodes' daughter, Sophia is a senior at BH High who along with the 2,500 plus student body will participate in the World AIDS day event on Monday, December 1st.  ." Also on Sunday morning, Hodes and Team UTAC (Until There's A Cure Cycling) will host the second annual World AIDS Day Ride (WAR) in Los Angeles. For last year's inaugural ride Team UTAC mobilized cycling groups around the world to ride in hundreds of cities around the world including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Portland, Tuscon, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Montreal, London, Sydney, Malaysia, Ghana and more. This year's Los Angeles Ride will start at 8:00 a.m. at Beverly Hills High School and will be traveling 28 miles through Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Santa Monica.  Cyclists are requested to wear red and all are welcome. Until There's A Cure (UTAC) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating HIV/AIDS by raising awareness and funds for vaccine development, care services, and youth education.  

As the Cycling World Turns...
11/25/08 - It’s the calm before the storm, where teams and riders are preparing for next season and Astana’s first training camp is starting this Sunday in the Canary Islands. It appears that Armstrong is very eager to get going and is already in Paris meeting with Bruyneel opting out of Thanksgiving with the family ... Hard core ... There is an interesting interview transcript with Armstrong on the Guardian by Donald McRae ... Recently, I have been enjoying following Taylor Phinney on Twitter. Bonnie Ford wrote a insightful article on how and why Phinney chose to ride with Trek/ Livestrong and not stay with Garmin-Chipotle ... You have to admire Floyd’s determination and fighting spirit (two things that make him a such a great bike racer). Landis is taking his case to the US Federal Courts to challenge the ruling of the CAS that stripped him of the 2006 Tour de France and imposed a $100,000 penalty to offset the costs of prosecuting the case. He alleges that all three members of the appeals panel had conflicts of interest. To date, there have been no successful challenges to CAS’s rulings since the inception of WADA and USADA ... It seems that lawyers are the only ones that come out ahead from doping cases ... Part of me was wondering if this cyclist hatin' article “Cyclist culture wastes time and hurts others” was for real or not ... the comments are even better.

Troupe Racing's Race Report - 12 Hours of Temecula, Season Finale
11/24/08 - One week after this race, and I'm still buzzing from it. For me, it was one of the best races of the 2008 season. No surprise though; the 12 Hour of Temecula series has become my official favorite event, and having this event as the final race of 2008 was a perfect way to close out a great season. First up, the riders: Our 3 man team consisted of Ben, myself, and guest rider Amanda who normally races for the Platinum Performance team from Santa Barbara. She's a great friend of ours and offered to ride with us since Michelle was away on business. Big thanks to her boyfriend Greg who came in as our support and photographer! The race day started dark and early at 4:30 am. I made the drive out to Temecula in some intense Santana winds. Later, we would find out that these winds would be the start of some huge firestorms in SoCal. Set up went as planned. We secured a prime spot for our pits right along the exchange area and across from the timing tent. It was a perfect spot for us to watch the race and for others to check out our very unique Rivette bikes, which we proudly displayed along the course. They turned a few heads and we fielded a few questions. more >

Troupe Racing Co.'s new recruit Laura Knight heads out to the course at the 12 Hours of Temecula.
photo © - Tim VanGilder

Bike Hero  
11/22/08 - Bike Hero is Guitar Hero on wheels. It's pretty amazing.

Special Transportation Meeting Meets Today on Cycling Issues  
By Stephen Box
11/21/08 -  LA's Transportation Committee meets today in a special meeting to weigh in on an agenda that is full of cycling issues, all anchored by a motion to endorse the Cyclists' Bill of Rights. The Cyclists' Bill of Rights was penned early this year by members of the Bike Writers Collective, a group of bloggers and bike activists who write about riding in Los Angeles. Based on simple existing laws, standards, principles and directives, the Bill of Rights was created by the Collective as a tool for engaging the community in a discussion of the rights of cyclists and as a mechanism for engaging the City's leadership in a commitment to support cyclists and their place on the streets. The Cyclists' Bill of Rights has spent a lot of time on the road this year, picking up endorsements from East Hollywood, Silver Lake, Atwater Village and Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Councils along with the Caltrans and Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committees and then finally ending up in the Ventura County Bicycle Master Plan. more >

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Using a modified Schwinn Varsity, Butch Baum dusts-out one of the
old secret spots in the rocky hills around Chatsworth, CA.
photo © rappensuncle

Rock Racing Hires Pevenage and LaPage as Directors
11/20/08 -  Rock Racing is adding an experienced management structure to its already powerful roster by announcing the hiring of Director Sportif Rudy Pevanage and Assistant Director Laurenzo LaPage. “Without a doubt, we have two of the most experienced director sportifs that cycling has produced in the last 20 years,” Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball said. “Rudy built a dynasty with the powerful Telekom and T-Mobile teams, while Laurenzo comes to us from Astana, a team that has won three of the past five Grand Tours.” Pevanage, 54, followed a successful cycling career of his own with a management career that included stints with Histor (1989), Telekom/T-Mobile (1994-2002) and Coast/Bianchi (2003). He guided Jan Ullrich to victory at the 1997 Tour de France victory and three of his charges swept the podium at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia: Ullrich (gold), Alexander Vinokourov (silver), Andreas Kloeden (bronze). During his own cycling career from 1976 to 1988, Pevenage won more than two dozen races, including the second stage of the Tour de France in 1980 (on the way to winning the points classification) as well as the team time trial stage of the Giro d’Italia in 1985. LaPage, 42, helped direct Italian Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team) to victory at the 2005 Giro d’Italia and he was also part of the Discovery Channel staff when Lance Armstrong won his fifth (2003) and sixth (2004) Tours de France. LaPage raced professionally from 1989 to 2002. Ball said while Rock Racing fans can expect the team’s familiar flamboyant approach in 2009, there will be some changes that are not so noticeable – including a more comprehensive internal anti-doping program. “We are spending more money this year to hire the best riders and the best staff that go along with being one of the top professional cycling teams in the world,” he said. “We are also investing a lot of time, energy and money in 2009 on increased anti-doping measures through Scott Analytics.” Rock Racing is the only U.S.-based professional team that has had an internal anti-doping program in place – uninterrupted – since April.

Astana To Have Training Camp In Solvang
11/20/08 - The Astana team will be having their second training camp in Solvang this February. For many years, Solvang was home to Lance Armstrong’s previous teams (US Postal and Discovery Channel) training camps. Solvang's terrain and weather offer great training conditions, plus there will be the opportunity to pre ride the Amgen Tour of California courses and get a leg up on the competition. This will give some fans the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the Astana team and their star riders, Contador, Leipheimer, Kloden and Armstrong, out on the road logging in some miles. My only question is ... will they be staying at the Windmill?

Bicycle Divas - Preview New Specialized Concept Store in Palos Verdes Peninsula
11/19/08 - Bicycling has become a major adult sport over the past 20 years. However, the men are having most of the fun. PV Bicycle Center is opening a new store with the goal of attracting more women to the sport. The networking begins November 21 at 7:30 pm. Specialized Bicycle Company is sending its Designs for Women demo team to offer a clinic on cycling from the woman's point of view. Diva Night will take place at the brand new PV Bicycle Center store in Rolling Hills Estates. There will be plenty of opportunity for those who attend to establish new friendships and set up future meetings, rides, or events. Refreshments will be served. Pro cyclist Anna Lang from Aaron’s Pro Women’s Cycling Team will lead road rides Saturday and Sunday morning, and the women's demo trailer will also be available from Friday through Sunday for test rides on the full line of Specialized women's bikes. PV Bicycle Center Steve Bowen has a goal: "We want the women of the South Bay to get in on the fun. Our new store has been created with a clear intention of creating a community of riders who will get together for exercise and fun in the phenomenal Palos Verdes area. What better place in the world to gather with friends for an outing on bikes?" more >

USGP Leader Georgia Gould (Luna) and teammate Katerina Nash navigate the sand pit,
while Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com-Cannondale) powers on to another win.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

SoCalCross Presents Collegiate Cycling, Eco-Sportfest '08 and SCNCA CX Champs
11/19/08 - On Saturday, November 22, the SoCalCross Prestige Series presents Race #8: "Cross Religion" and the first ever West Coast Collegiate Cycling (WCCC) cyclocross race hosted by UC Irvine Cycling and Bike Religion.  The weekend event will be held at Camp James at Oak Canyon Park beyond Irvine Lake.  Saturday's event will feature all the normal categories as racers vie for overall Prestige Series points.  Racers will also get to preview the course used for Sunday's 2008-09 SCNCA CX District Championships! Running alongside USCF and SoCalCross Prestige Series categories, the day will also tack on five new collegiate categories… Collegiate Men's and Women's A and B and Collegiate singlespeeders will be vying for WCCC cyclocross pride and determine the first collegiate cyclocross podium in Southern California, so come out and be a part of history! Sunday, November 23, the day offers something for everyone.  The early morning features SoCalCross Eco-Sportfest '08 … starting the day with a 5k 'cross country (XC) 5k run at 8:00AM on the cyclocross (CX) championship course.  Runners will do two laps totalling the 5k distance - the course is a mixture of pavement, dirt, grass and sand with a couple of obstacles in between.  Beginner cyclocross clinics will be available to runners.new racers before the racing begins.  Free Kids Fun Run and Kids CX race will highlight the eco-fitness festival including organic yummies from the Green Truck!  All SoCalCross Prestige Series events are solar powered courtesy of Energy Efficiency Solar! more >

Races Sought For Nature Valley Pro Ride Calendar
11/18/08 - A national program is offering race promoters the opportunity to send their top amateurs to the 2009 edition of the Nature Valley Grand Prix (Minnesota, June 10-14) to compete against the country’s top men and women professional bicycle racers. Entering its second year, the “Nature Valley Pro Ride” will select amateur men and women at regional races around the United States to become part of a pair of Nature Valley composite teams for the 11th annual edition of the five-day stage race that begins June 10. The Nature Valley Grand Prix ranks as one of the premier events on the USA Cycling National Race Calendar (NRC) each year, attracting tens of thousands of cycling enthusiasts, pro athletes and avid recreational riders to Minnesota. “This is a chance for a race promoter to raise the participation and visibility of their event at no extra cost,” Nature Valley Grand Prix Race Director David LaPorte said. “As for the riders who are selected, they can look forward to racing in front of huge crowds and being treated like a rock star at our event.” Amateur racers (Category I men and Category 1,2 women) who qualify at a Nature Valley Pro Ride event receive a “battlefield promotion” that earns them free entry to the race, travel stipends, team clothing, housing, ground transportation, and staff support for their composite team. Races that become part of the Nature Valley Pro Ride schedule can expect an aggressive marketing and media relations campaign, as well as on-site sampling of Nature Valley Granola Bars and complimentary staffing of the booth by company representatives. “We’re looking for the top regional races who want to take their game to a higher level,” LaPorte said. “We’ll consider road races, criteriums and stage races, as long as they get strong fields.  And our promotional programs will make those fields even stronger.” To be considered for the 2009 Nature Valley Pro Ride, a race must be permitted through USA Cycling and take place no later than June 7. Preference will be given to races that take place between February and mid-May. Interested promoters must submit their application by Dec. 15 at naturevalleyproride.com.

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Amgen Tour of California Creates Educational Handbook for 4th-6th Graders
11/18/08 - In preparation for the highly anticipated return of the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling road race in February 2009, a specially developed classroom curriculum has been developed for fourth- through sixth-grade students.  The educational handbook will be distributed to schools in the 16 California cities that will host the 2009 Amgen Tour of California.  Already considered cycling’s most important and successful road race in the United States, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be expanded to cover more than 800 miles over nine days.  The event’s fourth running is scheduled for February 14-22, 2009, and will showcase some of the world’s top professional cycling teams. Through interactive lessons, the 2009 educational handbook will teach students about the history of cycling and includes bike safety and maintenance tips.  Provided to more than 60,000 students, the booklet also provides information about the State of California, including targeted lesson plans that use cycling as a means to teach core subjects. "We are proud to work with the Amgen Tour of California in bringing you an educational booklet for students in grades four through six," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in his opening note to teachers.  “This informative handbook – which includes valuable lessons in bike safety and maintenance, history, geography, science and math – can help make our kids safer, smarter and healthier.”  "Part of the mission of the Amgen Tour of California is to give back to the communities that we visit," said Andrew Messick, president, AEG Sports, presenter of the race.  "We always see such an incredible level of support from young people throughout the state during the race, so we designed this curriculum to further engage young Californians; not only get them excited about cycling, but also educate them on how to lead an active lifestyle and ensure they have the necessary tools to develop healthy habits at a young age."

Fires Cause Unhealthy Air for Riding Across Southern California
11/17/08 - An afternoon sea breeze today could spread wildfire smoke across wide areas of the Southland including portions of the Inland Empire, causing air quality in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range or higher. All individuals are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in any area directly impacted by smoke. This includes areas where residents can see or smell smoke. A weakening offshore breeze and the return of an afternoon sea breeze are forecast for today. The sea breeze may transport smoke from the coastal area as far as the Inland Empire.Depending on the continuing fire situation, areas of direct smoke impacts and Unhealthy air quality will likely include: The Corona/Norco Area,  Chino Hills area, Pomona/Walnut Valley, Orange County,  San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel, Mountains near the Sayre Fire,  Santa Clarita Valley, portions of LA County, including downtown, coastal areas, the Long Beach area and the west and south San Gabriel Valley. Check Air Quality >

Chris Jones (Sonic/Jittery Joes/Louis Garneau) leads the way over the barriers.
photo © Eric Colton

Rock Racing Announces 2009 Roster
11/16/08 - Rock Racing bolstered its ranks for 2009 with the signings of European specialists Baden Cooke, Francisco Mancebo and José Enrique Gutiérrez, as well as top domestic talents Ivan Dominquez, Glen Chadwick, Chris Baldwin and Caleb Manion. Rock Racing Owner Michael Ball also announced the re-signing of U.S. National Champions Tyler Hamilton (Road), Rahsaan Bahati (Criterium) and Justin Williams (Under 23 Criterium) as well as stalwarts Oscar Sevilla, Fred Rodriguez and Victor Hugo Peña. “We have assembled a world class team and acquired a mix of tremendous talent and experience,” said Ball. “We have the strength, depth and tenacity to compete in any race around the globe.” Rock Racing’s line-up for its third season includes riders from eight different countries who have won stages at all three of cycling’s “Grand Tours” – the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España – as well as multiple national championships. “Last year was a year of redemption,” Ball said. “Given the opportunity to ride, we proved we were able to win. In 2009, we will continue our winning tradition, and from a branding and fan perspective, be the No. 1 team in the world.” In 2008, Rock Racing scored 45 victories and 106 podium finishes. Every month brought a new highlight for Rock Racing fans: Santiago Botero won the Redlands Bicycle Classic in April and led a 1-2-3-4 finish in the prologue of the Vuelta a Colombia in May; Sevilla won the second leg of the Triple Crown of Cycling in June at the Reading Classic; Hamilton captured the Tour of Qinghai Lake in July; Bahati (criterium), Williams (Under 23 criterium) and Hamilton (road race) each won national titles in August. In the final two months of the season, the team came away with five medals at the 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships and Sevilla became the first non-Colombian in 48 years to win the RCN Classic. Among those not returning to Rock Racing for 2009 is Botero, who represented Colombia at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. The 2002 world time trial champion decided to race closer to home following the birth of his daughter earlier this year. Full Roster >

Important Forest Service Directives Distance Bicycling From Motorized Uses
11/15/08 - The U.S. Forest Service is taking important steps to differentiate mountain biking from motorized use. Fresh revisions to administrative directives include important new language clarifying bicycling as a non-motorized activity.  With more than 130,000 miles of trails, the Forest Service provides some of the best riding on both coasts, and nearly everywhere in between. "Mountain biking is incredibly popular in national forests and we believe it's appropriate to clarify the distinction between mountain biking and motorized use. Better policies will foster improved partnerships and riding experiences," says IMBA Executive Director Mike Van Abel. For several years, IMBA has asked the Forest Service to further document its mountain biking policies. While most national forests understand bicycling is a quiet, non-motorized activity, a few have implemented rules rendering bicycles akin to motorized travel. IMBA believes the new revisions to the Forest Service Handbook and Manual-the primary basis for control and management of agency programs-represent an important step in standardizing mountain biking management at the field level. "We're extremely pleased the Forest Service is taking these steps to formally recognize bicycling as low-impact and human-powered. Embedding this information in their employee handbooks will promote better understanding and practices in all 175 national forests and grasslands," says Van Abel. Updated construction standards will assist Forest Service staff when building new routes and determining appropriate uses on existing trails. Notably, bicycling joins hiking as a potentially suitable use on all trail classes, from the most primitive of designated routes to more developed paths. While decisions regarding bicycle access remain at the local level, this national change is further recognition that the environmental impacts of bicycling are similar to hiking and less than other uses.

UCI Dam Cross Elite Men's winner Chris Jones (Sonic/Jittery Joes/Louis Garneau) celebrates.
photo © SCPS Photo of the Week - Eric Colton

Tour de Georgia Canceled for 2009
11/14/08 - Following the conclusion of a very successful 2008 Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T, the Board of Directors of the Tour de Georgia Foundation, Inc., announced today their plans for the future of the Tour. Speaking on behalf of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, long time member Tom Saddlemire announced that the Tour de Georgia will not be held in 2009 but will return in 2010. Mr. Saddlemire, newly retired CFO of GE Energy, explained that “with the help of the Lt. Governor, the Tour had its most successful year yet, raising close to $3.2 million in operating expenses and commitments for more than $500,000 in support of cancer research through the Aflac Cancer Center at Children’s Healthcare and the Georgia Cancer Coalition. We believe that this unique and exciting event will endure. We have decided to use 2009 as a time to plan ahead and properly position the Tour de Georgia to make the best use of the new partnerships we forged during the 2008 Tour de Georgia Presented by AT&T, such as our relationships with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Road Atlanta. The planning process for the Tour de Georgia requires a tremendous amount of time and effort and we wanted to give all of our partners enough time to plan and allocate their resources to take full advantage of the event. Therefore, we will skip 2009 and the Board will petition USAC and the UCI for the Tour de Georgia's return to the world calendar in 2010". The Tour de Georgia attracted the best teams in the world and previous champions included such stars as Lance Armstrong, Tom Danielson and Chris Horner. Over the course of six years, the Tour de Georgia has attracted 3.2 million spectators, many of whom traveled to Georgia from out of state, and generated a direct economic impact totaling over $186 million. The 2008 Tour de Georgia, the most successful Tour yet, yielded over $38.6 million in direct economic impact for the State.

SoCal Interscholastic Cycling League Hosts Cycle Fest 2008 Benefit Dinner
11/13/08 - Saturday night, November 22nd will be the kick-off fundraising event for the Southern California cousin of the enormously successful NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League. Held at the famous Ca Del Sole Italian Restaurant near Burbank, the Benefit Dinner will feature celebrity cycling speakers and hosts, a silent auction of impressive cycling and non-cycling related items, a fine Italian dining experience, and most importantly an opportunity to support the growth of a cycling curriculum throughout hundreds of high-schools in Southern California. Founded in 2001 by Berkeley High School teacher Matt Fritzinger, the the NorCal League has grown to over 400 racers, at over 38 schools. The League provides resources for teachers, coaches, parents and of course the kids, to start their own Interscholastic Mountain Bike Team and compete against other schools in their region Modern Mountain Bike Pioneer Gary Fisher will be the official MC of the night, providing quips and commentary of the various activities that will be taking place during the dinner and auction. Current BMC and former Discovery Channel professional racer Tony Cruz will be the Official Guest of Honor for the gala event at Ca Del Sole. Extremely limited seating availability is now open for purchase at SoCalDirt.org for $125 a seat, or $1500 a table (10 seats + VIP perks.) more info >

Garmin-Chipotle Team Launch Event Will Benefit the Children’s Hospital
11/12/08 - Slipstream Sports LLC and its chief venture, the Garmin-Chipotle Professional Cycling Team, are providing fans with the rare opportunity to spend an evening with riders and staff at the Boulder Theatre in Boulder, Colo., on Saturday, Nov. 22. The event will feature the official announcement of the 2009 team roster, a silent auction, and an open forum Q&A with the riders. Additionally, guests will get a sneak peak at a feature length documentary from Nick Davis Productions about a year in the life of Team Garmin-Chipotle. The film will air on the Sundance Channel prior to the 2009 Tour de France. Because Slipstream Sports is dedicated to philanthropy and the future, proceeds from the evening will benefit The Children’s Hospital Courage Classic, a three-day cycling event the benefits the hospital. Located in Aurora, Colo., Children’s is a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and wellbeing of children. Cancer survivor and four-time Courage Classic rider Paul Lemieux, 17, will be a featured speaker of the evening. A limited number of VIP tickets, which include a private cocktail hour with the team, special seating, and a gift bag, are available for $250.00. VIP tickets and general admission tickets are available for $25.00. Each ticket purchased comes with one raffle ticket for a custom fit 2008 team edition Felt F1. The winner will be announced at the end of the evening. more info >

Amgen Tour of California Signs on Rabobank as a Founding Partner
11/12/08 - Rabobank, N.A., a leading California community bank, and AEG announced that Rabobank will be a “Founding Partner” of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Under the three-year sponsorship agreement, Rabobank will be a Founding Partner and the Official Bank of the Amgen Tour of California beginning in 2009 and extending through the 2011 event. The fourth-annual professional cycling road race will make its way through 16 host cities down the coast and through the Central Valley of California, which will include some of the state's most picturesque highlights, along a demanding 800-mile course.  The nine-day race starts on Saturday, February 14, 2009 in Sacramento and concludes on Sunday, February 22, in San Diego County, with a finish in Escondido.  The race passes through many of the communities where Rabobank currently has a bank presence or in which it plans to grow. As part of the sponsorship, Rabobank will present the daily award given to the “best young rider” for the just concluded daily “stage.” Each day, all riders who are under the age of 23 compete for this special recognition.  The recipient is determined by his overall placement at the finish line after each stage. During the daily awards ceremony, special recognition is given to the winner of the award as he is presented with the specially branded Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey. At the race’s conclusion, an overall winner of the jersey is also named. Coincidentally, a rider from the Rabobank team has been the overall winner of this jersey for the past two years.

PV Bicycle Center Grand Opening Party November 21-23
11/11/08 - Ride with Six Time Norba Champion Ned Overend, Professional Triathlon Champ TJ Tollakson and Aaron's Pro Team riders through some of the most spectacular country in Southern California.  Then, after the ride, take a tour through the newest Specialized Concept Stores in the USA.  Come join the grand opening of PV Bicycle Center in the heart of Palos Verdes Peninsula.  Take part in the the largest poker game maybe ever and win one of three new bikes or dozens of other prizes. Get in on the raffle with another three bikes, VIP Laker tickets, and a $300 gift certificate as prizes. Check out the exhibits or take a test ride of the latest in Specialized product line for 2009. For the ladies, there will be a special "Diva Night" women's cycling clinic led by representatives of Specialized Bicycle's Designs for Women team and a women's road bike ride led by team members from the Aaron's Womens Pro Cycling Team. It's all taking place November 21-23. For details of times and location visit the PV Bicycle Center website at PVBike.com.

2009 Junior Development Camp to be Held January 10-11
11/11/08 - The mission of the SCNCA Junior Development Road Camp is to introduce the Junior Athlete to the fundamentals of effective cycling and basic training guidelines. This year there will be an advanced course for the more experienced riders. The Junior Camp will offer professional coaching and instruction that will assist the Junior Athlete in improving their cycling performance, skills and knowledge about the parts of a training program they should concentrate their efforts on. The itinerary includes on the bike skills sessions, group rides, team building exercises, as well as presentations. details >

So Cal Does It Again With It's Second UCI Cyclocross Race
11/10/08 - It was another Damn bumpy cross race this past weekend for stops 6 and 7 of the Southern California Prestige Series (SCPS) as Southern California hosted its second UCI Cyclocross race. The events were held at the Hansen Dam recreation area which offered an impressive backdrop for UCI-level racing. This San Fernando Valley location is the home of last year’s first California UCI, C2 cross event. The Hansen Dam Park’s bowl-like features were a perfect setting for plenty of striking racing. Series Promoter, Dorothy (DOT) Wong, pulled together another great UCI, C2 event by presenting a race with her Green SCPS, as it is completely run on solar energy (powered by: Energy Efficiency Solar), a lot of recycling, yummy organic/wholesome goodies from the green truck and rewards to competitors who practice their greenest efforts each week.TThe course this weekend was the magical challenge to create a top quality UCI power course consisting of 60% grass, 30% pavement and 10% dirt that demanded the most from its challengers! The course is a true love/hate relationship amongst competitors as they can be eaten alive by the physical demands of Dam Cross. It is the type of course I would like to see a few more stars like Kona’s Twin Towers (Wicks and Trebon) or CyclocrossWorld.com’s Triplets (J.Powers, Driscol, and Johnson) come to try. more >

Rachel Lloyd (Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized) wins the UCI Dam Cross.
photo © SCPS Photo of the Week - Eric Colton

As the Cycling World Turns...
11/9/08 - It’s that time of year where riders are tring to secure their future with a decent contract that will allow them to keep racing while making a living. Unfortunately, a few teams have folded (on both the men's and women's side) or have downgraded their pro status to amateur status making the supply of talented riders greater than the demand. Locally, Rock Racing has cleaned house and will be picking up several riders from the now defunct Toyota-United team, including Ivan Dominguez, Chris Baldwin, and Chepe Garcia ... You can still have a piece of cycling history by purchasing some of Toyota-United's inventory. It's always sad to see good teams go ... Disappointing news came when VeloNews reported that Toyota-United rider Ivan Stevic is facing a lifetime ban by CONI for use of a prohibited substance, possession of prohibited substances and illegal trafficking of prohibited substances from 2004. Stevic has hired a lawyer and has filed an appeal with CAS ... Dr. Brent Kay and the Ouch Medical Center have shown generous support to cycling many times through sponsorship and will now take over as the title sponsor for Health Net pb Maxxis. Floyd Landis has been added to the roster and will showcase his Birmingham Hip Prosthesis being dubbed “The Bionic Man” ... Unfortunately, the Agency for Cycling Ethics, who provided independent drug testing for Garmin-Chipotle, Team Columbia and BMC is closing it’s doors immediately. This leaves these teams the task of finding a new firm to work with to continue the independent testing ... And in mountain biking news, Sue Haywood was awarded $ 318,647.14 in a civil case against USA Cycling for not being awarded a spot on the 2004 Olympic Team after a sketchy selection process.

SoCalCycling.com Elite Men's Team is Looking for Cat 1 Riders
11/8/08 - The SoCalCycling.com Elite Men's Team is accepting resumes to fill 3 roster spots for the 2009 season. The team will be accepting resumes through November 15th. Riders must have a USA Cycling Category 1 license, be experienced team players and live in Southern California. Please send a resume with a photo and brief cover letter to [email protected].

Australian Olympian Sid Taberlay and CX National Champion Mark Noble at the Convert Cross
photo © KennedyPhotoWorks.com

California BikeFest Presents Cycling Sherpa!
11/7/08 - Have you ever wondered what it’s like to ride in a professional peloton? Well, now is your chance to ride with some of your favorite pros as part of the Cycling Sherpa program at California BikeFest. Cycling Sherpa are past and current professional cyclists who are ‘for hire’ for the rides in Ventura, California on Saturday, December 6, 2008 starting at the Crowne Plaza, Ventura Beach.
 
Cycling Sherpa are offering their domestique services to the highest bidder for the day, with all proceeds benefiting Breakaway from Cancer™ -- a national initiative created by Amgen to increase awareness of the important resources available to cancer patients from prevention to education, and patient care to advocacy and financial support.
 
Currently signed on as part of Cycling Sherpa program and available for bids:
Ivan Dominguez, Aaron Olson (Team Bissell), Thurlow Rogers (legend), Kim Anderson (Team Columbia), Roy Knickman (legend), Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing), Wayne Stetina (legend), Dotsie Bausch (Team Colavita), Daniel Ramsey (TIME Pro Cycling), Mari Holden (legend).  Visit cabikefest.com for detailed info on each of the riders and the bidding process.

Want to learn more about being a pro, what it’s like to draft behind them, or get some great training advice? Hire a Sherpa, have fun and help a cause.   Why fix a flat when your Sherpa can do it for you? Cycling Sherpa bidding is now open, so place your bid today! Please visit cabikefest.com for more info.

Lance Armstrong Video at Web 2.0 Conference
11/6/08 - Talkin' about cancer, politics, riding, the web and twitter.

Troupe Racing's Race Report - 24 Hours of Chamberlin Ranch
11/6/08 - Just over 1 year ago, during a road riding trip to Solvang, Michelle and I stumbled across a special area in the rolling meadows and vineyards. Seconds after thinking that it would be a cool place to do some cross country riding, we discovered that there was in fact a 24 hour race going on at that moment. I could never have imagined that a year later, we would be at that event and riding to win it! Troupe sent a 2 man team to the event of Kevin Akerman and myself. Michelle was our support and as always, she did a great job, but this race was not without a few unique challenges. We arrived early on Saturday to check in and get set up. The crew at the Stumpgrinder Dirt Club put on a great event, and I was amazed at how easy check in went. They even had custom printed number plates for all the racers - that was a nice touch! We unpacked, set up tents, tools and got the bikes ready. No surprises there. For some reason, 24 hour races seem to start with a LeMans format - we have to run, in our cycling shoes, to our bikes. But here, we had to carry our front wheel with us. Luckily, it wasn’t far, and actually added to the casual vibe that was at the start. more >

Kevin Akerman during the 24 hours of Chamberlin.
photo © Michelle VanGilder

Quote of the Day
11/5/08 - "He's right, I am older. I raced with Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche, Miguel Indurain and Greg Lemond of all people. I have been around a long time and I don't know who the hell Linus Gerdemann is, but I know that when I rolled up in 1992, I started winning races. And when I roll up in 2009, I am gonna be winning races. He better hope he doesn't get in a breakaway with me because I can still ride hard," said Armstrong in response to Gerdemann's questioning his return to cycling. He's still feisty!

Don't Miss the UCI Dam Cross Weekend in Los Angeles on Nov 8-9th
11/4/08 - Don't miss Dam Cross Weekend startying Saturday, Nov 8th at CICLE'cross as the SoCalCross Prestige Series presents… ECO-SPORTFEST '08 making its second stop at Hansen Dam Park in Los Angeles starting out with the 5k ‘Cross Country Run at 8:00AM. The 'cross 5k course is a mix of pavement, dirt, and grass with a couple of race obstacles in between. Runners will do two laps of the 2.5k course. With our focus on youth fitness the 5k is FREE to all Juniors 18 and under! The day continues with a full schedule of cyclocross racing from Juniors to Masters and Beginners to Elite. Demo bikes are available in all sizes. Junior sizes bikes from Redline provided by the SCNCA! Each day the Clif Kids GoGreenRacer run and bicycle race will treat the young ones to be a part of the racing action. Helmets will be given away thanks to Montrose and H&S Bike Shops. Bring a friend to race any of our Eco-Sportfest '08 events: 5k cross run and CX racing. Each time you bring someone new to 'cross, you get a $5 discount coupon off the next Prestige Series race! Do the 5k run AND the cyclocross race for only $5 additional. Special prizes for best overall "IRON CROSSERS" best male/female finishers overall for 5 race eco-sport series! Don't miss Sunday's UCI Dam Cross. This day will feature a full day of cyclocross racing complete with national-elite cyclocross action. The best cyclocross racers from the Western US will make their way to Southern California as they chase UCI points in their quest for national and international glory! Cal Giant, Redline Factory will challenge the SoCal’s best in a West Coast Showdown! More info >

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A rider remounts his bike at the Fairhill Maryland Cyclocross Race.
photo © Michael L. Kirk

Guy East and Austin Carroll Win In Dortmund UIV Talents Cup
11/3/08 - Four teams managed to take a lap from the bunch on the finale stage of the UIV Talents Cup in Dortmund Sunday afternoon, but none of them came in question for the final victory. From the first day, Guy East and Austin Carroll, the American leaders controlled their closest opponents, Tino Thömel and Julian Tuchol, and won the leg in Dortmund as the best team of the race. The Swiss team of Luic Perizzolo – Pierre Kaeslin won the stage ahead of Italians Sonda and Mareschini, Germans Heil and Rielde and Danes Lollesgaard and Rydicher.

Austin Carroll and Guy East celebrate winning the UIV Talents Cup in Dortmund.
Photo © Karl Franke

Armstrong Continues Comeback With Time Trials and Wind Tunnel Testing
11/3/08 - Over the weekend, a very fit looking Lance Armstrong tested his time trial skills by beating up on some locals at the Tour de Gruene in Gruene Texas, which is located in the Texas Hill Country. He competed in the individual time on Saturday easily winning in a time of 33:14 for 16.6 miles. On Sunday he raced the Team Time Trial with his long time friend, John "College" Koriath posting the fastest time of 56:37 over the 27.3-mile loop, which was 2:37 faster than second place. According to Chris Carmichael, he was able to gather important power data from Armstrong's SRM to use as a benchmark. The data gathering will continue in San Diego this week at the wind tunnel as they fine tune Armstrong's and Taylor Phinney's TT position. Photos >

An SC Velo / Incycle rider comes out of the tunnel at Mt. Sac.

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Chrome messenger bag - message "Obama has my back". Be sure to get out and rock the vote!
photo © Marian Hunting

USA Cycling Expands International Track Racing Opportunities
11/1/08 - On the eve of the opening round of the 2008-09 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics in Manchester, Great Britain, USA Cycling announced a revamped track program designed primarily to expand international track racing opportunities for emerging talent. With an emphasis on cultivating the next generation of U.S. track racers, the program will closely align itself with existing European-based development programs currently utilized by USA Cycling. USA Cycling aims to identify and develop a deeper pool of track racing talent by providing increased exposure to world-class competition at various non-traditional events. Traditionally, U.S. track riders have been exposed to limited international competition with national teams competing at just four World Cup races annually. Instead, the new program will expand its scope to provide opportunity at UCI Track Calendar events, including European Grand Prix races and Six-Days. Additionally, USA Cycling will also conduct several domestic-based track training camps. The initial emphasis will be placed on men’s and women’s endurance programming, followed by a long-term sprint program scheduled to be implemented in 2010. Both the men’s and women’s endurance programs will focus its efforts on developing athletes who are relatively new to track cycling at the international level.

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Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson enjoys her Starbucks on her Paul Frank cruiser.
photo © Fixed Gear