Cycling News
Mark Cavendish Nominated for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year
11/30/09 - Columbia-HTC's Mark Cavendish has been named one of the Top Ten nominees for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year. The BBC revealed Monday the shortlist featuring six-time Tour de France stage winner and star sprinter Mark Cavendish. The shortlist was composed by a panel of 26 sports editors from British national and regional newspapers and magazines. The 10 nominees will be put to a public vote on the night of the live show, which will be broadcast at 1900 GMT, Sunday 13 December on BBC One. The public will be able to vote for their BBC Sports Personality of the Year by telephone and details of the numbers to phone will be given out during the program. Cavendish's nomination follows a hugely successful season of 24 victories, including three stage wins at the Giro d'Italia, the prestigious Milan-San Remo and the honor of being the only British cyclist to win 6 stages at the Tour de France.
Mark Cavendish celebrates his sixth Tour de France stage win on the Champs-Élysées.
photo © TDWSport.com
Southern California’s Prestige Series of Cyclocross - CX Championships
11/28/09 - With clear skies, no winds, and a fantastic course Lake Casitas park was this year’s venue for the Southern California/Nevada Cyclocross Championships brought to you by Shimano. The wonderful location and beautiful views made for an epic day. The course supplied one of the most consistently flowing raced this season. The combination of turns with loose dirt, fast sweeping grass sections, climbs, and the two flat road sections gave riders a lot of opportunities to race more tactically, which was evident all day. There were many excellent races but a few that can’t go without mentioning are: the men’s 35-39, where Fritz Bottger (PAA) and Garnet Vertican (Giant Bikes) battled the entire race putting on one of the best shows. They destroyed each other, lap after lap, exchanging the lead until it ultimately came down to the final sprint were Bottger was able to take the title. In the men’s 50-54, it was Bob Langin Sr. who has been sidelined, off and on, recently due to a heart condition, however, it did not seem to slow him today as he pulled off his biggest win on the season. Coryn Rivera (Proman) was back in the mix this week as she tunes herself up for national championships and it was Rivera’s race from the start. more >
The women of Troupe Racing celebrate winning the 12 Hours of Temecula series title.
photo courtesy Troupe Racing Co.
Cyclists Around the World Ride to Commemorate 29 Years of the AIDS Pandemic
11/25/09 - On Sunday, November 29, 2009, thousands of bicyclists from around the world will ride in solidarity for 29 miles to recognize 29 years of the AIDS/HIV pandemic. All of the World AIDS Day rides will start at 8 a.m. in their respective locations. Organizers encourage participants to wear red. Some of the cities participating in this year's World AIDS Day rides include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Richmond, Va., Austin, Texas and London. Brian Hodes of UTACVelo started World AIDS Day rides three years ago. Through his promotion to the annual rides he helps make increase awareness of HIV and AIDS. "As much as we'd like to think otherwise, HIV and AIDS are not going away any time soon," Hodes said. "We need to continually remind our community that we need everyone's support if we ever hope that AIDS will be cured." In recent years, the largest World AIDS Day rides have taken place in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area, and this year should be no exception. UTACVelo expects more than 200 riders in Los Angeles and more than 150 in San Francisco. World AIDS Day, observed December 1 of each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. AIDS has killed more than 33 million people, with an estimated 38.6 million people living with HIV, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, HIV remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Those interested in learning more about the rides and supporting the cause should join the World AIDS Day rides Facebook event page and follow the event on Twitter. Contact Brian Hodes at 310.666.9922 or [email protected] to inquire about starting a new ride.
Gary Douville (Platinum Performance) takes the lead and also won the Elite Men's CX Championships.
photo © James Bowen
Thanksgiving Day Rides
11/24/09 - We have put together a list of some of SoCal's favorite Turkey Day Rides that will help you burn some extra calories and enjoy the day with your cycling friends. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Mount Baldy to San Dimas Mountain Bike Ride - The ride starts at the Cow Canyon Saddle (near where GMR and Baldy Road meet) at 8 am, then gathers at another saddle 2 miles up for a brief Thanksgiving celebration. The ride then "flys" down the Sunset Ridge and regroups at the bottom, at the top of Wheeler in San Dimas. Some riders ride up the Sunset Ridge trail from the top of Wheeler or ride up Mt. Baldy Road and meet up there, but most drive up, and are picked up at the bottom.
Velo Allegro Ride - The Velo Allegro Ride rides from Long Beach to Whittier, then screams back to Long Beach in long time tradition! The ride starts at 7:30 at the Marina parking lot near PCH and 2nd Street in Long Beach and has 2 rest stops. The ride returns at approximately 11:30 am.
58th Annual M*G*E Racing/SDBC Turkey Ride & Hunt - The San Diego Bicycle Club and Ralph Elliott, organize the 58th Annual M*G*E Racing/SDBC Turkey Ride & Hunt to Elfin Forest on Thanksgiving Day; 60 miles, No fee, No patch, No sag, just a good "old fashion fun ride"- and a great way to get ready to pig- out later in the day! The ride starts at 8:30am sharp from the La Jolla Village Square, UC Cyclery, Nobel Dr. off the I-5, and goes up the coast highway to La Costa, thru Elfin Forest, into Escondido, and back over Lake Hoges, RB, Poway, and Miramar Rd to Finish at UC Cyclery. Please ride safely, obey all traffic laws and never more than "two on a breast!" The object is to hunt turkeys, not be one! Happy Thanksgiving!
Agoura Hills Area - The ride leaves from the Starbucks in Agoura Hills at the corner of Thousand Oaks Blvd and Kanan at 8:00. The ride is about 40 miles with some rollers and a small climb with a regroup at the top of the climb.
More Rides in the San Diego Area - more info >
2010 SoCal Race Calendar Has been Announced
11/23/09 - The 2010 Race Calendar has been announced. For more great events please check out our Fun Ride / Tours and Mountain Bike Event Calendars. Please check back as new events are added continually throughout the year to the different event schedules as they become available. If you are an event promoter that would like your event listed on our event schedules please contact us for more info.
Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air) won Convert Cross after picking up time by bunny hopping the barriers.
photo © James Bowen
Team RadioShack Announces Complete Team Roster and Training Camp
11/23/09 - Johan Bruyneel, 2010 Team RadioShack manager, finalized the team roster. Team RadioShack, with seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, will count on 26 riders coming from 16 different countries. “It is a well balanced team”, comments Johan Bruyneel. “We have experienced riders - with some of them I worked already many years in my former teams – but we also have young talents who can develop in the perfect environment. I am happy that our sponsors want to invest in the future of cycling. Our main goal will be the Tour de France and other stage races but I am confident that, with these riders, we can perform very well in the one-day races as well. I look forward to the new season with Team RadioShack and our first training camp.” Title sponsor RadioShack Corporation looks forward to the 2010 season as well. "Johan and Lance have methodically assembled an enviable team of riders and staff as strong as any on the Pro Tour, and we are confident that Team RadioShack is positioned for tremendous success in 2010", said Lee Applbaum, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of RadioShack Corporation. The 2010 RadioShack Team will gather for the first time in Tucson, Arizona, United States during the second week of December 2009.
Team Roster
Riders: Lance Armstrong (USA), Fumiyuki Beppu (JAP), Sam Bewley (NZL), Jani Brajkovic (SLO), Matthew Busche (USA), Ben Hermans (BEL), Chris Horner (USA), Daryl Impey (SAF), Markel Irizar (SPA), Andreas Klöden (GER), Levi Leipheimer (USA), Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA), Fuyu Li (CHI), Tiago Machado (POR), Jason McCartney (USA), Dmitriy Muravyev (KAZ), Sérgio Paulinho (POR), Yaroslav Popovych (UKR), Gregory Rast (SUI), Sébastien Rosseler (BEL), Ivan Rovny (RUS), José Luis Rubiera (SPA), Bjorn Selander (USA), Gert Steegmans (BEL), Tomas Vaitkus (LIT) & Haimar Zubeldia (SPA)
Sports Manager: Johan Bruyneel (BEL)
Sports Directors: Dirk Demol (BEL), Alain Gallopin (FRA), Viatcheslav Ekimov (RUS) & José Azevedo (POR)
John Behrens (Bailey Bikes) on his way to winning the Dog Gone Cross in SLO.
photo courtesy SCPS
Ouch’s Rory Sutherland Named VeloNews Domestic Male Roadie of the Year
11/20/09 - Rory Sutherland of the OUCH Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis has been honored as 2009 Domestic Male Roadie of the Year in the upcoming issue of VeloNews. Sutherland, who finished third in the NRC individual standings after winning that competition in 2007 and 2008, beat out NRC winner Tom Zirbell (Bissell) and sprinter Sebastian Haedo (Colavita-Sutter Home), second in the NRC. In awarding him the title, VeloNews said of Sutherland: “(He) possesses much of both of (Zirbell’s and Haedo’s) strengths. The OUCH-Maxxis captain can time trial better than almost every rider in North America, he can climb and he can sprint. Most importantly, he can win stage races, as he did at Joe Martin and Nature Valley, winning the latter on the final day’s tough Stillwater Criterium by catching Zirbel with a surprise attack on the last lap.” Sutherland also possesses slightly more intangible strengths as well. His strong leadership skills helped contribute to results all season, and whenever the team needed a good result, he was often the rider to step up and deliver. The VeloNews award caps off another strong season for the organization, which saw 2009 mark its seventh year of racing. This season saw the team collect 16 wins, including the National Criterium Championship, and 61 total podiums.
Rory Sutherland (OUCH pb Maxxis) caps off a great year and is
named VeloNews Domestic Male Roadie of the Year.
Photo © Jonathan Devich
NOW-MS U25 Women's Team Announces Their 2010 Roster and Program
11/18/09 - The recently formed NOW-MS U25 Women's Team, came together this weekend for a three day training camp in Santa Monica. The girls worked out at a boxing gym in Venice on Friday, and then joined the Westside group rides on Saturday and Sunday. This young elite team is part of the Los Angeles based club VRC (racing as NOW-MS) who are dedicated to helping develop tomorrow's top talent, while also raising awareness about Multiple Sclerosis. The team is sponsored by Phil Keoghan (host of the “Amazing Race”) and Louise Keoghan, and the MS Society. In a short period of time the NOW-MS Team has managed to make an impact on the race scene, with a number of podium finishes in World, National and State Championships. The team is made up of women, who race all disciplines including Road, Track, Criterium and Cyclocross. This team of young riders are an enthusiastic group of women who are very passionate about cycling and want to promote a healthy, active lifestyle and are great role models for young girls across the country. Having recently graduated from college, the women are primed to take on new opportunities as ambassadors for their sport and their sponsors. The 2010 U25 roster includes: Lauren Liscinski, Jennifer Johansen, Julia La Franchise, Jenna Kowalski, Kendall Ryan and Christine Barron.
The LA based NOW-MS U25 Women's Team just finished a two day camp in Santa Monica.
photo © Louise Keoghan
Momentum Sports Group and Floyd Landis Part Ways
11/17/09 - Momentum Sports Group (MSG) and Floyd Landis have mutually agreed to terminate Landis' Rider Agreement and thereby release both Landis and MSG from their respective obligations under the Rider Agreement for the remainder of the 2009 and 2010 racing seasons. Landis returned from a well-documented serious hip injury and subsequent hip resurfacing procedure to assist MSG's professional cycling team in winning the Nature Valley Grand Prix, The Tour of Elk Grove and the Joe Martin Stage Races during the 2009 racing season. For the 2010 season, Landis expressed to MSG that he desires to ride the longer, tougher stage races offered in Europe and internationally that better suit his strengths. Accordingly, given that MSG will be focusing its 2010 racing season primarily in the United States, MSG and Landis mutually agreed that it would be best for both parties to part ways at this time and allow Landis to seek a position with a team that could better accommodate his desires. "I wish to thank all of the sponsors for their support this year. I would also like to thank everyone at Momentum Sports Group," Landis said. "While I'm excited to pursue other opportunities, I will miss all of my teammates and everyone on staff."
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The Elite Men's field gets strung out during the Hart Park CX race in Bakersfield.
photo © Mark Colton
Sho-Air/Specialized Captures Two Titles at 17th annual La Ruta Stage Race
11/16/09 - In what can only be described as a Cinderella story, Sho-Air/Specialized riders Manny Prado and Ben Bostrom captured the Elite Men’s and Master Men’s A categories respectively at this years La Ruta race. The Sho-Air/Specialized duo placed 1st and 4th in the overall general classification, putting their S-Works Epic and Epic Marathon 29 bikes on the final podium. From his humble beginnings as a boy working in the local Costa Rican pineapple fields, to coming to America to chase his dream of becoming one of the best cyclists in the world, Manuel Prado’s story has come full circle after capturing the 2009 Elite Men’s La Ruta Title in his native country. Prado, the current 2009 Costa Rican XC National Champion, stamped his authority on the event, taking stage one’s victory, and then riding a controlled race in stages 2-4. Prado won this years La Ruta with a twenty one minute lead over second place, and is the first dual suspension rider to win the La Ruta event. AMA Superbike cross over rider Ben Bostrom turned some heads as well at this year’s La Ruta. Bostrom was the class of his field in the Men’s Master a category in his first year racing the epic race, and also placed a strong 4th overall in the general classification rankings. Bostrom is a relative unknown in the sport of Professional Mountain biking, but his 2009 La Ruta performance has confirmed he can ride with the top endurance riders in the world. Bostrom played a key role to the teams success on stage 3, when Prado “Bonked” hard early in the stage. Sacrificing a possible stage victory, Bostrom dropped back to play team domestique and towed Prado back into contention with the race leaders. Look for the duo of Prado and Bostrom to make some more waves as they team up in 2010 to do select endurance events.
Manny Prado and Ben Bostrom celebrate winning their respective categories at La Ruta.
photo courtesy Sho-Air/Specialized
Karen Weiss Promoted to Executive Director for Tour of Utah
11/15/09 - Tour of Utah President, Steve Miller, announced today the promotion of Karen Weiss to Executive Director. Weiss previously served as chief operating officer and then deputy director from 2006-2009. “I am pleased to announce Karen as Executive Director for the Tour of Utah,” said Miller. Karen has been an integral part of our success over the past three years and has helped to get us where we are today. With her dedication and expertise, I am confident that she can lead us to our goal of becoming a UCI sanctioned race in the future.” Weiss has more than 15 years of experience in sponsorship and special events. She has served as a Senior Vice President of Corporate Event Management for Bank of America in San Francisco, Calif, as well as the Event Director for the Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race in Moab, Utah. Weiss holds a Six Sigma Greenbelt which uses a business management strategy that emphasizes customer satisfaction, cost reduction, quality management, and decision making based on statistical data. “Receiving this promotion is bittersweet in that it acknowledges the loss of Executive Director Terry McGinnis, but also allows me to carry the torch for Terry and build on the platform that he established during his tenure,” said Weiss. I am very passionate about the Tour and look forward to taking it to the next level and continuing its reputation as one the most well-respected cycling events in the world.”
Neil Shirley talks to two school girls while donating bikes for World Bicycle Relief in Zambia.
photo © Neil Shirley
Video - A Typical Day at the Office for a Cycling Photographer
11/12/09 - Ever wonder what it's like to ride on the back of a moto during a professional bike race? This video of photographer Jonathan Devich and motorcycle driver Chris Monroe gives you a feel of what it's like during the 2009 Tour of Missouri.
Dominguez to Ride for Jamis-Sutter Home
11/11/09 - Ivan "The Cuban Missile" Dominguez had been hinting of riding for a new team in 2010 this past week and now the deal is finally done. He will be leaving Rock Racing, after racing for them the last few months of 2009, and has signed on with the Jamis-Sutter Home Team (formerly Colavita-Sutter Home) for 2010. Dominguez known for his fast and powerful sprint, will be joining with his fast finishing teammates Luis Amaran, and Alejandro Borrajo as they try to reclaim the NRC team title again in 2010.
Ivan "The Cuban Missile" Dominguez will be riding for the Jamis-Sutter Home Team in 2010.
photo © SoCalCycling.com
Kelly Benefit Strategies and World Bicycle Relief Zambia Trip
By Neil Shirley
11/10/09 - In his presentation at the Kelly Benefit Strategies February training camp, FK Day announced that KBS was partnering with World Bicycle Relief to raise funds throughout the season to support WBR’s work in Zambia. Besides having the opportunity to raise funds for WBR, some of the riders were going to be selected to travel to Zambia at the end of the season to see first hand what the fundraising had helped accomplish and also to see what else we could do in the future to further the organization. At that time the team set a fundraising goal to raise $100,000 by the end of the year.I I was ambitious from the beginning with the fundraising efforts and was hoping I would be one of the KBS riders selected to represent the team in Zambia. I found out in July that I would indeed be making the trip along with teammates Alex Candelario, Scott Zwizanski, and Reid Mumford. Also making the trip was John Kelly, CEO of Kelly Benefit Strategies and the driving force behind the partnership between KBS Pro Cycling and WBR. FK Day, founder of WBR, and SRAM would be meeting us in Zambia. more >
This bike is put to good use, transporting 200 lbs of charcoal.
photo © Neil Shirley
Kelly Benefit Strategies Team were recently in Zambia helping World Bicycle Relief
distribute bikes. This 17 year old rides 40K round trip every day for high school.
photo © Neil Shirley
Liquid Fitness Team Enters Pro Ranks as Adageo Energy Team for 2010
11/9/10 - The new Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team aims to build on the foundation of its highly successful grassroots programs, the Southern California-based Liquid Fitness/Adageo Energy Elite Team and the 400-member Liquid Cycling Club. Adageo Energy, an Austin, Texas-based investment firm that capitalizes on high-growth, high-return opportunities in the energy sector, will sponsor the U.S.-registered, UCI continental professional team. Team Director Josh Horowitz said Adageo Energy Founder and Managing Director Clay Womack has a long-term vision of success, as well as a firm commitment to run a clean program. “A lot of the growth of this team to date – and moving forward – stems from his passion to promote the sport of cycling,” Horowitz said. “Clay and I have been developing this program for several years now and we have a long term plan to see it grow into 2011 and beyond.” more >
Adageo Energy's Matt Landen launches an attack on Levi
Leipheimer (Astana) during the Sea Otter Classic in 2009.
photo © Greg Epperson
BMC’s Directeur Sportif John Lelangue Goes Back to School
11/8/09 - This past week BMC’s Directeur Sportif John Lelangue joined 25 fellow team sports directors at the first installment of the UCI’s newly establish training course for current and future sports directors which took place at the UCI’s headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland. TThe initiative which is part of the UCI Academy is intended to professionalize the position across the board. Though to take out a sports director’s license in many European countries including France, Belgium and Italy does require a university degree, not every nation has comparable programs. By providing this mandatory training course, the UCI hopes to expand the number of managerial tools the directors can draw on in the course of their jobs. “This is the first time that the UCI has sponsored a course like this, even though in a lot of countries being a sports director is a regulated job for which you need to take a University degree,” Lelangue explained. “I already completed a diploma in France and in Belgium before I joined Phonak, but the course this week has been completely different and should prove very helpful.” Joining forces with the University of Manchester, the UCI-sponsored class is slanting the education more towards the managerial challenges a modern sports director will face, rather than the training, medical or sporting requirements addressed in other established courses of this nature. “There were 26 guys registered for the course, all coming from the Pro Tour teams and of all different nationalities,” Lelangue said. more >
The Elite men tackle the surf and sand at Storm the Beach.
photo © David Lawson
Video: 24 Hours of Moab Preride
11/05/09 - Topeak-Ergon's Coed Duo Team of Sonya Looney and Yuki Saito preride the 24 Hours of Moab course to check out the good lines. Enjoy the ride!
Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team Announces Roster
11/04/09 - Rahsaan Bahati headlines the roster for the newly formed Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team. Newly signed rider Rahsaan Bahati says, “I'm blessed to have a talented group of individuals who can deliver the message for the Bahati Foundation while winning races at a professional level. I’m truly excited to know my future is in the hands of people who are dedicated to the sport and want to give back to the communities that are lacking structure and resources. ” Rahsaan Bahati also contributes as part of the management staff and is an owner in the team as part of RAHA Sports Management. The team is built with established riders along with up-and-coming talent that will make the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team an immediate presence on the domestic pro racing scene. The 2010 Pro Team Roster: Rahsaan Bahati, Nathan O’Neill, Hilton Clarke, Jason Donald, Matt Rice, Cesar Grajales, Ryan Baumann, Corey Collier, Bobby Lea, Alex Hagman, Peter Carey, Phillip Mann, Evan Hyde, Ian Burnett, Lanell Rockmore.
Tim Johnson (Cannondale-CycloCrossWorld.com) leads the USGP Series at the Boulder Cup.
photo © Mitchell Clinton/ www.clintonphoto.com
Transcend Sports Announces the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team
11/03/09 - Transcend Sports, a partnership between Colorado Premier Training and RAHA Sports Management, has registered a UCI Continental team that will compete in the NRC series and international races. The Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team is currently in negotiation with three Pro Tour riders who will add great depth, experience and leadership to a new program. The roster will also include top-level domestic and international riders. The Bahati Foundation is a non-profit organization that inspires and empowers underprivileged youth to rise above their circumstances. Statistically, those at greatest risk for poverty today are inner city families and single parent families. The problem of persistent poverty is a complex one that includes communities and individuals, who through no fault of their own, find themselves unable to make ends meet in this globalizing information-intensive world. In many families today, children cannot say they expect to be better off than their parents. This is perhaps the greatest challenge now facing our society. Their goal is to work with our partners in helping today’s underprivileged youth overcome poverty. We provide the resources, support and inspiration to help young people succeed in life. Founder and spokesperson champion cyclist Rahsaan Bahati says “this is a step in the right direction for cycling, the riders, our partners and most importantly, the hard hit underprivileged areas that need the support from organizations like the Bahati Foundation. I‘m thrilled and humbled at the same time to know I can be the difference in someone’s life by supporting this cycling team and I look forward to seeing the team in action."
Rahsaan Bahati (right) will be inspiring underprivileged youth through the
Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team and Bahati Foundation.
photo © SoCalCycling.com
Doctor Found Guilty in Road Rage Attack on Cyclists
11/02/09 - Former ER doctor, Christopher Thompson, has been found guilty from a road rage incident on 7 counts including; 2 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, 2 counts of battery with serious bodily injury, reckless driving, reckless driving causing specified injury and mayhem. The charges stem from an incident that happenend on July 4, 2008 on Mandeville Canyon where Thompson yelled at cyclists Ron Peterson and Christian Stoehr as he passed them then slammed on the brakes of his car in front of the two cyclists causing them to crash into the back of his car. Thompson now faces a possible 10-year prison sentence.
World Champion Cadel Evans Signs with BMC Racing Team
11/01/09 - The BMC Racing Team today announced the signing of current World Professional Road Champion Cadel Evans to a three year contract. This partnership will create mutually beneficial opportunities for both the current World Champion as well as the BMC Racing Team. “Cadel brings a wealth of experience in the Grand Tours to the team.” BMC Racing Team co-owner Jim Ochowicz stated. “As I said earlier, our team will have multiple chances to measure ourselves against the greatest teams in the world. We are pleased that we will have the opportunities to send out our most successful riders, now including Cadel Evans, to tackle these challenges," Jim Ochowicz added. Cadel Evans compliments the current team roster that consists of seasoned professionals and young emerging talents. more >
Tim Johnson (Cannondale-CycloCrossWorld.com) and Katie Compton (Planet Bike) get muddy.
photo © Mitchell Clinton/ www.clintonphoto.com
