Cycling News

Race Report: Masters World Championships in Austria
By Chris DeMarchi, Amgen-UBS Masters
8/28/10 - The Race was hard and the conditions were brutal.  The race started with a temp in the low 40's and it poured rain the entire time.  We raced over 9 small climbs in the Alps and still covered 122k in 2 hours and 34 minutes.  It was fast and hard.  Our race had 197 registered, but had 147 starters.  This is no joke,  75 Italians were in the race and they raced as one team wearing different clothes.  It was a little bit of negative racing. With 8k to go a small group of four went up the road by 10 seconds at the most.  It was nothing threatening until 12 Italians got on the front and break checked the remaining 60 guys in the pelaton.  They got 30 seconds quickly and it went crazy.  Guys were taking flyers but the Italians were disrupting everything.  We pulled them back to 15 seconds and with 2k to go, I got on the front and layed down everything I had because this race is for first or nothing. I thought to myself, I have got to give myself a chance.  Doing 35 mph head down in my 53 x 11, I caught the group of four with 350 meters to go and they started to sprint.  I started to sprint with them, but had no pop.  I held my position (finishing 7th) and 2 guys on my wheel passed me at the line.  The field of 30 guys left finished on the same time.  It was an great experience.  Thank you to Amgen, UBS, and Chris Allen for making this all possible.

Chris DeMarchi, Amgen-UBS Masters finished 7th at the Masters World Championship in Austria.

PV Bicycle Center Hosts Time Trial and Goldsprints Events Labor Day Weekend
8/27/10 - On Sunday, September 5th, PV Bicycle Center will have another installment of our extremely popular Time Trial up the PV Switchbacks (Palos Verdes Drive East). The course is 1.9 miles from the intersection of PV Drive South and PV Drive East to the traffic light in front of Marymount College, and the elevation gain is a little over 500 feet. Prizes will be awarded to the first-place finishers in each category.  The amateur course record is held by Bill MacLeod with a time of 6:55. The overall record is held by pro rider Sid Taberlay who set a blistering time of 6:19, followed by Mountain Bike Hall of Famer Ned Overend, who made it up in 6:38 on a cyclocross bike. Riders will separate into Mens, Womens and Masters categories. After the competition, join us at the shop for a post-ride barbeque. On Monday the 6th, from 12 - 3 PM we'll have a new event: Goldsprints. A Goldsprint is a bicycle rollers racing and social event. Riders on stationary bikes compete against each other in front of spectators. As opposed to traditional roller racing, where riders have to balance, Goldsprints use forkstands so that the riders don't have to balance, only pedal as fast as they can. This provides an easy way for anyone to try Goldsprints. The rollers are electronically monitored so the audience can see who completes each course, of a fixed virtual distance, in the shortest time. Successive heats pare down the winners until there are two left to compete for the prize. These events are held in conjunction with PV Bicycle Center’s Massive Labor Day Weekend Sale, September 3 – Septermber 6.

 Ontario Series Overall winner Beatriz Rodriquez (SC Velo) and runner up Pam Schuster (SC Velo)
celebrated on the podium. InCycle, Cannnondale and Pacific Sunset Velo sponsored
the prizes and PACITMO supplied the series winner's jersey. For the second year, InCycle
and Cannondale donated a carbon frameset to the Women 1/2/3 Ontario Series Overall Winner.
photo © Light & Shadows Photography

Team Garmin-Transitions Partners with Cervélo for 2011 as Felt Opts Out
8/27/10 - Team Garmin-Transitions and Cervélo SA will join forces for the 2011 season to create a new team that will be known as Garmin-Cervélo. Prior to this announcement Slipstream met with Felt Bicycles, who had the option to continue as the bike sponsor of Garmin-Transitions in 2011.  After careful consideration Felt Bicycles chose not to exercise its option. According to Slipstream Sports: “Felt has been an invaluable partner since the inception of our organization and is truly an exceptional company. Together we achieved quite a bit and we have a tremendous amount of respect and gratitude for the contributions and innovations they have made to our team, organization and to cycling as a whole.” According to Felt: “Our organizations met in good faith to discuss an extension. After exploring all options, we decided for the good of all parties to move on. We have enjoyed great success over the course of our four-year relationship and we wish the team and its athletes continued success in the future. Felt remains committed to the sport of bicycle racing and the ideal that accompanies professional cycling.  Rest assured we will continue to support elite teams and athletes in the future.” More >

Cyclists Injured in Car / Bike Accident on Mullholland Highway
8/25/10 - Three members of the Fast Friday cycling team were injured on August 23rd after being struck by a car driven by an 81-year-old women, while riding on Mullholland Highway. According to the Daily News, “The cyclists were riding single-file in the traffic lane on westbound Mulholland Highway when they were struck about 7:30 a.m. by a 2004 Audi A4 turning left from eastbound Mulholland onto Stokes Canyon Road, investigators said. California Highway Patrol spokesman Leland Tang said there is no stop sign or traffic signal at the location.” Three cyclists, including Maurice Azcarate, William Jessberger, and Yair Vetchtein, were airlifted to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. A fourth cyclist, Dave Yung, was not injured. Fast Friday team member, Danny Lupold told SoCalCycling.com, ”The guys are all doing well and recovery is underway. 3 of the 4 were airlifted to UCLA and all are in good spirits with some pain.”

After a morning of crit racing in Ontario, Efren Flores returned to San Diego to
compete in the Sambazon San Diego Cup at the San Diego Velodrome.
Team Swamis won the inaugural ominum-style event on August 22.
photo © Mark Johnson / Ironstring.com

Interbike's Annual Fashion Show Is "Ready to Ride"
8/23/10 - Interbike announced that the third installment of its fashion show, newly named "Ready to Ride," will showcase a broader spectrum of cycling fashion and have two presentations during Interbike 2010, held at the Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas, September 22 - 24, 2010. "The casual cycling apparel category has continued to grow along with the growth in transportation, urban and utility cycling," said Rich Kelly, Interbike marketing manager. "With many influences and trends coming from outside of the mainstream bike industry, the fashion show aims to showcase the latest styles, brands and apparel to the industry. The success of our fashion show has drawn fashion designers, and apparel and bike companies to Interbike whose influence reaches beyond bike shops, and we want this year's fashion show to convey that." Ready-to-Ride will feature stylish clothing, bikes and accessories for a broad audience of cyclists that suit high-fashion to recreation styles and urban to family needs. Interbike is once again partnering with Momentum Magazine to curate the selections for the show.  Due to popular demand, there will be two installments of Ready to Ride on Wednesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 23 at 3:30 p.m. on the main show floor in the Urban Lounge.  Those designers and brands interested contributing their products to Ready-to-Ride should complete the product submission form at interbike.com/submitfashion2010 and send it with a lo-res photo to Mia Kohout at [email protected] by September 3, 2010.

Photographer Carson Blume works the catwalk at Interbike's
Annual Fashion Show, which is always a fun event to attend.
photo © SoCalCycling.com

Jeff Louder Wins Park City Stage in Front of a Home Crowd
8/21/10 - With more than 30 minutes to go Jeff Louder of BMC Racing Team launched his solo attack in the second to last stage of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, presented by Zions Bank. Louder held onto his lead and won in front of his home crowd. The Heiden Davidson Orthopedic Criterium, followed a one-mile loop, climbing Park City's historic Main Street before plummeting down Swede Alley at speeds exceeding 40 miles per hour. Thousands of screaming spectators lined the course as the race began. With less than one lap underway, Alex Dowsett of Trek-LIVESTRONG started to attack off of the front of the group. It wasn't long before he was caught and then a barrage of other attacking riders went up the course. more >

 
Jeff Louder (BMC Racing Team) soloed to victory ona a difficult stage in Park City.
photo © Mitch Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride named an “Official Event” of the 2010 Bicentenario
8/21/20 - Bicyclists are getting ready to roll on September 25 at the historic bike ride that attracts thousands of riders from around the world. “I am honored and thrilled to be part of your nation’s Bicentennial celebration,” said event promoter Gary Foster of San Diego, attending a press conference in Tijuana with Baja State Secretary of Tourism Oscar Escobedo at which his Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride was named an official event of Mexico’s 2010 celebration. “We have been warmly welcomed by the people of Baja for 31 years, and we look forward to continuing the tradition for many years to come.” Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres, whose city hosts the event said: “The ride is one of the signature events for Rosarito and this region of Baja. It attracts excellent people and creates a great atmosphere. We are greatly looking forward to it.” The Rosarito-Ensenada ride has been called the Original Party on Wheels. Revelers in costume roll along, tossing candy to children along the course. Beach cruisers strap boom boxes to their handlebars. Parents tow children in bike trailers. And racing teams form pace lines, trying to beat the official record of 1:52:54 set in April of 2007. more >

The Rosarito-Ensenada ride is the Original Party on Wheels.

LA Bike-In Event At Cynergy
8/19/10 - Bikeside Speaks will join forces with Cynergy, Globe, and the Disposable Film Festival to throw a triple-header bash in Santa Monica. Saturday, August 21st, at 6:30pm sharp Bikeside Speaks will kick off a night of bikes, films, and P.A.R.T.Y!

LA Bike-In Details:
Saturday, August 21st
6:30pm – 8:30pm Bikeside Speaks!
8:30pm – 11pm “Bike-in” screening by the Disposable Film Festival
Afterward, party at the Hotel Erwin on Venice Beach

Left to right - Bissel Pro Cycling Team's Ian Boswell, Mellow Johnny's Levi Leipheimer,
Fly V Australia's Darren Lill and David Tanner Tanner, and Canyon Bicycles' Francisco Mancebo
photo © Brian Hodes, VeloImages

Taylor Phinney Pulls On Yellow at Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah Prologue
8/17/10 - Team Trek-LIVESTRONG came out swinging in the Tour of Utah Prologue, presented by the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, with Taylor Phinney and Alex Dowsett taking the top two positions. The course followed a 2.8 mile out and back course finishing near the steps of the state capitol. The seventh rider to start, Bobby Lea of ON THE RIVET pb Ion Sports Nutrition, posted up the time to beat early on in the day with a time of 6:15.07. One hundred riders would go by before Dowsett would finish taking the lead with 6:05.45. It wasn't long before Phinney came in beating last year's course record of 6:12, previously held by Brent Bookwalter of Team BMC, today's third place finisher, by ten seconds. George Hincapie of BMC Racing, Levi Leipheimer of Mellow Johnny's, Rory Southerland of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling pb Maxxis, and defending Tour of Utah Champion Francisco Mancebo of Canyon Bicycles all had strong showings. But at the end of the day, only two racers pulled on winner's jerseys. Phinney will start tomorrow in the yellow AT&T Leader's Jersey, Jeff Louder, previous tour winner of team BMC, will start in the red Siegfried & Jensen Best Utah Rider Jersey.  "Honestly with the race being so hard it has become a race people train for," continued Roll, "Terry McGinnis had the right idea. Create a great race and the riders and sponsors will follow." Tonight's Prologue was dedicated to McGinnis, the Tour of Utah's executive director during the 2008 and 2009 races. McGinnis died of cancer in October 2009.  Tomorrow's stage, the University of Utah Health Care Ogden to Research Park road race, will set the precedent for the rest of the difficult Tour with two category one and two European style climbs starting the Utah Toyota Dealers Association King of the Mountains competition and 86 miles through Utah's Wasatch Mountains.

Adageo Energy to Feature Sponsors At Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
8/17/10 - The Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team will put a unique twist on sponsorship this week at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah presented by Zions Bank. The UCI continental team will showcase four of its sponsors by wearing base layers emblazoned with the sponsor's logo and wearing their jersey open throughout four stages of the race. Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team director/rider Josh Horowitz said Siddatech will sponsor stage one, PowerBar stage two, Twinlab stage three and Wonderful Pistachios will sponsor the final “Queen Stage” of the race which finishes at the top of Snowbird Resort. "I wanted to come up with a way to thank sponsors of the team who have stepped up to help out the team during tough economic times," Horowitz said. Throughout the Tour of Utah, the team will be handing out product samples before and after stages. The six-day race begins today with a prologue in Salt Lake City. "The sample bags of pistachios from Wonderful Pistachios have been hugely popular with the fans," Horowitz said. "It's a tasty, nutritious snack, high in anti-oxidants, fiber and healthy fats. I know some of my riders practically live on these nuts." Competing for Adageo Energy will be: Horowitz, Eric Bennett, Austin Carroll, Tim Farnham, Evan Huffman, Alister Ratcliff, Freddy Cruz and Cody Stevenson. During the race, the team will visit its two Salt Lake City-based sponsors, Twinlab and ASEA. Twinlab is a manufacturer of vitamins, minerals and other sports nutrition products, while ASEA is a blend of redox molecules which react with the body on a cellular level to improve energy production and anti-oxidant production. The Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team is also running a prize giveaway promotion on their Facebook page. Complete rules and more details are posted on the Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team website

Adageo Energy’s Tim Farnham attacks at the TD Bank Philadelphia International Championships.
The Team will be competing at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah this week.
photo © Brian Hodes, VeloImages

Coryn Rivera Takes Bronze in the Omnium at the UCI Juniors Track Worlds
8/16/10 - Tustin, CA's Coryn Rivera won a bronze medal in the women's omnium on Sunday, making it the second medal the United States has claimed in as many days at the 2010 UCI Juniors Track World Championship. Rivera's path to the podium included a runner-up finish in the 200-meter time trial, fourth in both the points race and individual pursuit, sixth in the scratch race and second in the 500m time trial. Rivera is the reigning national champion on the track in the women's 17-18 individual pursuit, points race, sprint and keirin, and holds a total of 32 national championship titles in road, track and cyclo-cross. 2010 is Rivera’s final year as a junior. She will transition into the senior ranks full-time in 2011.

Track racing has been heating up at San Diego Velodrome's Tuesday Night racing series.
photo © Mark Johnson / Ironstring.com

Rebecca Rusch Sets New Record at Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race
8/16/10 - Rebecca Rusch, the 2009 Leadville Trail 100 Women's Champ and three-time 24 Hour Solo Mountain Biking World Champion, has scored another high-profile victory – taking top female honors at the 2010 Life Time Fitness Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race for the second year in a row. Finishing the grueling 100-mile race with a time of 7:47:35, Rusch beat her 2009 time by almost 30 minutes, and broke the course record set in 1997 by 11 minutes.  After a chilly early morning start, Rusch says the blue bird skies and temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s were a stark change over last year’s freezing conditions.  She spent most of the first half of the race trying to shake second place finisher Amanda Carey.  Rusch finally gained a sizeable gap at the Columbine climb.  “I just said it’s now or never,” said Rusch.  “I just knew it had to happen then.  And I just put the screws to her and it worked.”  Rusch battled through leg cramps during the last stretch of the race to cross the finish line 25 minutes before Carey and an hour before the 3rd & 4th place female finishers.  “Another win at Leadville is a huge. This race is just unreal,” said Rusch. “I’ve been training with this being my main goal all year. Still, I surprised myself.  I wanted the course record, but I didn’t expect to beat it by 11 minutes. This was the most painful day I had on a bike, but it was worth it.” The Life Time Fitness Leadville Trail 100 is one of the most high-profile mountain bike races in the sport, as well as one of the most punishing, with steep climbs and harrowing descents totaling approximately 14,000 feet in elevation gain.  This year the race had more than 1,500 riders from 48 states and 21 countries.  The race covers 100 miles of peaks and valleys all above 9,000 feet in elevation in Leadville, CO.  It draws some of the top names in the sport, and at least 20,000 spectators.  The race is an out-and-back course; 50 miles to the highest point on the course, the Columbine Mine Aid Station at 12,600’.  90-percent of the race is on back-country dirt roads, with some short sections of paved road.

Levi Leipheimer and Rebecca Rusch show off their trophies at the
Leadville Trail 100 after both riders set new course records.
photo © Todd Meier

Veilleux Wins in Glencoe, Holloway Earns Stars ‘N Stripes, Neil Shirley's Power Data
8/15/10 - By becoming the first American to cross the line in Glencoe, Daniel Holloway (BISSELL Pro Cycling) earned the stars and stripes jersey at Saturday's AT&T USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championships at the Glencoe Grand Prix. Canadian national criterium champion David Veilleux of Kelly Benefits Strategies won the overall victory.  Veilleux and Fly V Australia rider Bernie Sulzberger of Australia broke away from a leading group of 12, which included eight Americans, with about five laps to go. The two stayed in front for the rest of the race. During the final lap, Sulzberger's teammate Alessandro Bazzana of Italy then soloed off the front of the chase group to take third. With the peloton hot on their heels, it was Holloway, a former track and elite criterium national champion, and Team Type 1's Ken Hanson (Santa Barbara), who emerged from the remaining breakaway riders around the final turn. Holloway edged Hanson to win the sprint and take the top American honors.  This was the first year the national championships have been held on the Glencoe course. The technical, 1.3-mile route included 10 corners and a short-but-steep climb. The race covered a total of 100 kilometers.

Neil Shirley, who rode to support his Kelly Benefits Strategies teammate David Veilleux to the win, shared his power files from the AT&T USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championships at the Glencoe Grand Prix.

Jamie Paolinetti (Amgen-UBS Elite Masters) celebrates on the podium after winning
the Master's Criterium National Championships (45-49) in Louisville, KY.
photo © Dianna DelFante

Leipheimer Sets New Record at Leadville Trail 100
8/14/10 – Levi Leipheimer won Colorado’s Leadville 100 on Saturday, knocking more than 12 minutes off of the old record and finished about nine minutes ahead of Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski. Todd Wells finished 3rd with six-time winner Dave Wiens in fourth. The Leadville 100 is a 100 mile epic mountain bike race within the high altitude mountains and valleys of Leadville, Colorado. The majority is on back-country roads with some short sections of paved road. The entire course starts at 9,000 feet and climbs to 12,600 feet (3840 m). In 2009 Lance Armstrong won the ultramarathon race in a record time of 6:28:30. Today, Leipheimer set a new course record with a time of 6:16:37.

Video Interview with Chris DeMarchi After Winning Masters Crit Nationals
8/14/10 – Chris DeMarchi (Amgen-UBS Elite Masters) tells how he won the Masters Criterium National Championship in the 35-39 age group.

Video: Brentwood Grand Prix Pro Race
8/13/10 – Watch Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation) win the Brentwood Grand Prix in a sprint finish, as well as the podium celebration with Eric Marcotte (Pista Palace) and Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia).

National Criterium Championship Title Up for Grabs this Weekend
8/13/10 – The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team PB Maxxis will take an eight-rider squad to Glencoe, IL Saturday in pursuit of the U.S. Pro Criterium Champion’s jersey. The Team won the jersey last year with John Murphy, the third time the Team has won it since 2005, when Tyler Farrar won it. “The US Pro jersey is a coveted jersey and it’s something we’d like to keep in the family,” said Team Director Mike Tamayo. “This race is one we’ve had a lot of success at in the past, and we’re highly motivated to bring home the jersey.” Previous editions of the race more often than not came down to a bunch sprint. But with a new course for this year – the race is moving from its traditional home in Downers Grove to Glencoe this year – the question is, will there be a bunch kick at the end? “We’re bringing a very strong sprint squad to the race,” Tamayo said. “But we’re also bringing guys who can create moves and win out of breaks. We’re looking forward to the new course. It should make the race more exciting and unpredictable.”At a shade over 2 km and with 10 turns, the course is longer and more technical than the Downers course, which hosted the championships for 24 years. Glencoe also offers up a decent bit of climbing that could cause separations and offer launching pads for attacks. In particular, the one-block climb up Hazel Avenue, followed by five blocks of false flat until the final turn and a fast run to the line. The last turn is wide open, and likely won’t prove as decisive as the final turn at Downers, especially if the race has already broken apart by then.  If the race does come down to a bunch kick, UnitedHealthcare PB Maxxis will look to its two young American sprinters Jake Keough and Eric Barlevav, to contend for the jersey. 2008 US Pro Criterium Champion winner Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation) will also be looking to win the title and don the Stars 'n Stripes again. He will have the help of his two teammates, Ian Burnett and Matt Rice.  Bahati previewed the course in May and said, "The course is pretty technical. If you’re 30 guys back you’ll be doing a sprint out of every corner.  On the way out, you’re going down; on the way back, you’re going up, and it’s going to hurt. This is not an easy course." When asked about the last corner, Bahati added, “There’s way more room than in Downers Grove. It won’t be the first guy out of the last corner; it will be the second or third guy who will win."

Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12 Misses Clean Sweep
8/12/10 - Coming into the last event for the 2010 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series, Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12 held all of the jerseys and the team classification. However, they let the sprinter’s jersey slip from their grasp, just missing the clean sweep.  US National Road Champion Mara Abbott won both the individual title and the best young rider category. Abbott pulled away from individual runner-up Alison Powers (Team Vera Bradley Foundation) by winning the final event of the four-race series. In the Best Young Rider (under 26) standings, Abbott easily out-distanced Amanda Miller (TIBCO/To the Top Pro Cycling Team).  Abbott will turn 27 next year, making 2010 her last year of Best Young Rider eligibility.  In the team standings, Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12 took the lead after the first Women’s Prestige Cycling Series race and never relinquished it. Colavita/Baci presented by Cooking Light finished second.  Women's Prestige Cycling Series co-founder David LaPorte, who also directs the Nature Valley Grand Prix, said Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12 showed an incredible depth of talent.  “They have so many strong riders that you never know who to watch,” LaPorte said. “It’s fascinating for the fans, but must be very frustrating for the other teams. They can’t mark all of the potential threats.”  In the sprint classification, Carla Swart (Team Vera Bradley Foundation) vaulted from fifth to first to keep Shelley Evans and Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12 from earning a clean sweep of the Series. Swart is a multi-time collegiate national champion from South Africa who is a 2008 alumna of the Nature Valley Grand Prix’s Collegiate All Stars team.  The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series is the only national bicycle racing series solely showcasing the country’s top female cycling talent. Its four events in 2010 were the Redlands Bicycle Classic in California, the SRAM Tour of the Gila in New Mexico, the Nature Valley Grand Prix in eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin and the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic.

Help Trips for Kids Earn $25,000 Through CLIF BAR 2 Mile Challenge
8/11/10 - Trips for Kids (TFK) is leading the six-month CLIF BAR 2 Mile Challenge and needs to continue increasing its lead to win. The CLIF BAR 2 Mile Challenge encourages people to bike instead of drive and will award the team with the most points by October 31, 2010 $25,000. "Trips for Kids is surrounded by an amazing international community that continues to uplift us and our cause," says Marilyn Price, TFK executive director. "We have signed up more than 1,200 supporters to date and hope to more than double that number by the end of October." TFK will use the CLIF BAR 2 Mile Challenge award to purchase equipment for chapters in need, give program materials to existing chapters and help develop new chapters. Participants can help TFK win this additional funding by registering online for the 2 Mile Challenge, joining the Red Team to pedal for TFK and logging their miles traveled by bike. For more information about TFK and to donate to the organization, please visit tripsforkids.org or call Marilyn Price at 415.458.2986.

Chris DeMarchi (Amgen-UBS ) celebrates his National Championship title in the Masters 35-39 Crit.

Bahati and Gillis Win in Brentwood, Dave Zabriskie Races in SoCal
By: Christy Nicholson, SoCalCycling.com
8/9/10 - In just three short years, the Raymond Foquet Brentwood Grand Prix has become one of SoCal’s premiere cycling events. Velo Club LaGrange puts on a first rate event, treating racers and fans to a day of fast racing on the famous San Vicente Blvd. through the streets of downtown Brentwood. The event also featured an always popular Kids Race, Expo Area and a free Bike Valet service sponsored by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

On Saturday, the buzz on Twitter was that National Time Trial Champion Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions), who now lives in SoCal, was going to show up to race. Upon arriving to the course, the rumour was confirmed when I spotted him fresh from registering and trying to cross the street. As he waited  to get the go ahead from the Course Marshall, several fans started taking his photo, which reminded me I should do the same. I whipped out my iPhone and said, “Hey Dave, can I get a quick picture to Twitter out?”  He said, “Sure!”, with his trademark smile. Unfortunately, my iPhone camera was VERY slow in cooperating as the diligent course marshall encouraged him to move along, so this was the best I could do as he rode off.

As the call-ups got underway, the  Pro Men’s race featured many heavy hitters known for their criterium racing prowess; including former U-23 National Criterium Champion Justin Williams, former US Pro Criterium Champion Rahsaan Bahati, Olympian Tony Cruz, Jonathan Cantwell and Eric Marcotte. Prior to the race start, a moment of silence was given for former LaGrange member, Jorge Alvarado, who was tragically killed in a bike / car accident in April. As the race got underway, Zabriskie proceeded to show his Tour de France form by drilling it at the front for laps on end causing riders to get spit out the back every lap, while picking up prime after prime. As various breaks formed throughout the race, the last lap came down to a field sprint that saw Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation) blast to victory in front of a home crowd ahead of Eric Marcotte (Pista Palace) and Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia).

In the Women’s race, a break of four riders held off the field, with the win going to Cara Gillis (Specialized Designs). Jennifer Weinbrecht (B + L Bikes) sprinted to second, followed by Jennifer Rios (Helens/Cannondale)  in third and Morgan Kapp (Herbalife/LaGrange) in fourth.

On a side note, I would like to convey my gratitude and appreciation to the Brentwood Grand Prix’s namesake, Raymond Foquet, whose generous support was instrumental in helping me achieve my racing goals and reach the next level when I raced for Velo Club LaGrange (‘89-’91).

Rivera Wins Bronze at Junior World Championships
8/8/10 - Tustin’s Coryn Rivera (Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY 12) earned her first world championship medal, winning the bronze in the women’s road race at the UCI Junior World Championships Sunday in Italy. The four-member USA Cycling ladies squad placed three riders in the top ten of the junior world championship road race with Kaitlin Antonneau (Team Kenda) eighth, Kendall Ryan (VRC-NOW-MS Society) 10th. “Third at Jr. Road World Championships!” declared Rivera via Twitter. “But at the end of the day it couldn't have been possible without my team and staff! Thank you for everything!”  The world’s best 17-18 year-old female cyclists contested five laps of an exposed 16-kilometer circuit outside Offida, Italy on Sunday. Things began to get interesting on the third lap with the powerful Russia and Italian teams attacking which created a group of 25 riders off the front, including all four American ladies. On the final lap, seven of the world’s best were able to escape off the front, including the USA’s Rivera, the most decorated American junior cyclist in history. Following the final big climb the lead group was down to four riders leaving it all to the last 500 meters and a virtual photo finish which saw Rivera grab the bronze recording the same time as gold medalist Pauline Ferrand Prevot of France. After offering support throughout the race, each of her three U.S. teammates came in with the lead chase group less than three minutes later.

SoCal Masters Earn Stars ‘N Stripes at the Masters National Championships
8/8/10 - For the past few decades, many of the best Masters have lived and raced in Southern California. This year, they had the opportunity to compete for the Stars ‘N Stripes Jersey and National Championship Titles against the best Master’s riders from the USA in Louisville, KY.  Congratulations to the following SoCal riders who earned the Stars ‘N Stripes in their respective categories: Men’s  50-54 Time Trial - Thurlow Rogers (Amgen-UBS), Men’s  60-64 Time Trial - Kenny Fuller (Cycles Veloce), 50-54 Women’s Road Race - Pam Schuster (InCycle/SC Velo), Men’s 60-64 Road Race - Kenny Fuller (Cycles Veloce), Men's 45-49 Road Race - Jamie Paolinetti (Amgen-UBS), Men's 35-39 Criterium - Chris DeMarchi (Amgen-UBS), Men’s 60-64 Criterium - Kenny Fuller (Cycles Veloce) and Men 80+ Criterium - Link Lindquist (Team Velosport). Full results >

Far West Encino Velodrome Championships Recap
By: Kieron Menzies, RideTheBlackline.com
8/5/10 - With nearly 70 riders from around the country competing, the John Fitzpatrick & Dave Staub Memorial Far West Encino Velodrome Championships/National Qualifier was definitely the best and most exciting race day I’ve seen all season.
 
This was the first time the new London-style Olympic Omnium has ever been contested. Omnium riders competed in six events: Flying 250m Time Trial, Points Race, Scratch Race, Individual Pursuit and Elimination Race and the 1000m Time Trial for men or 500m Time Trial for women.

Quiznos Pro Challenge Brings International Racing Back to Colorado
8/4/10 – Quiznos, pioneer of the toasted sandwich and one of the nation’s premier restaurant chains for sandwiches, salads and soups, and Lance Armstrong,  seven-time Tour de France champion, today officially announced plans to hold an international pro-cycling competition in Colorado, August 22-28, 2011.  Titled the Quiznos Pro Challenge, the race is expected to become one of the most significant international pro-cycling events worldwide.  The event will reinvigorate the legacy of the Colorado-based Coors International Bicycle Classic, which stood as the pre-eminent international pro-cycling event in North America from 1979-1988. Last year, Armstrong began working with Colorado Governor Bill Ritter to bring international pro-cycling back to Colorado.  “Lance and I were committed to bringing this stage race to fruition in 2011, and today’s announcement is a great victory for Colorado and the sport of cycling,” said Ritter. Armstrong will be a partner in the Quiznos Pro Challenge, helping plan and execute the race.  Full details regarding his role will be announced in the coming weeks. “I’m very excited about the Quiznos Pro Challenge set for August 2011,” said Armstrong.  “What started out as a ‘daydream’ of mine on a long ride outside of Aspen will now become a reality.  This race, although new, is already rich in history as is Colorado’s storied cycling background – a perfect way to honor our past champions and highlight our future ones.” The world’s top professional cyclists and teams are expected to compete, including several North American teams.  The seven-day race will likely include a mix of mountainous, sprint and downtown stages, highlighting the beauty of Colorado and its communities.  Current plans would showcase Denver, the Colorado state capital, as either the start or finish location of the event with other host locations announced at a later date.

Stay Cool and Hydrated with MotorTabs MotorSicles
By Greg Sellers, MotorTabs
8/3/10 - Are you getting tired of ingesting pre-training or pre-race electrolytes by sipping on your bottle? Give yourself a change of pace and enjoy them as a refreshing, frozen treat. These frozen popsicles will be sure to bring back childhood memories and take the rut out of your training routine. All it takes is a simple 3-step process from start to finish. Let's get started!
Step 1:
Pick your favorite flavor of Motor Tabs, or do them all! Don't be afraid to mix flavors either... different tabs mixed together actually give a nice change to the palette.
How to Make MotorSicles >

Several hundred guests enjoyed a special screening of "The Ride" starring
The Amazing Race host and NOW-MS sponsor Phil Keoghan at Paramount Studios.
"The Ride" is an inspiring movie documenting Phil's Ride Across America in 2009, where
he raised nearly a half a million dollars for the National MS Society.
photo © SoCalCycling.com

Fly V Australia’s Cantwell Wins the Tour of Elk Grove
8/2/10 - Jonathan Cantwell added Stage 3 to his Stage 2 win and in doing so has won the prestigious and lucrative Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove. The three-stage format of the Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove provides close racing.  Cantwell placed well in the Stage 1 prologue Time Trial and clinched the Tour overall with wins in both Stage 2 and 3. With time bonuses for the first three places each day of 20 – 12 – 8 seconds respectively to win the Tour, winning stages was imperative. Jonathan noted, “Mateship played an important role in Fly V Australia winning today.  After Stage 1, David Tanner was best placed and I was actually working for him in yesterday’s finish.  In a hectic final we lost each other and I came up with the win, which put me within 7 seconds of the lead.  As a result Dave and my other teammates were perfect in delivering me to the line today for a great win for them and the team.” Jonathan went on to add, “Ben Day was meant to be racing with us this week and has been great all year, unfortunately for us and Ben he came down with a fever and a nasty virus that has him temporarily in Hospital, this win is for Ben.”

Eric Marcotte (Pista Palace) soloed to victory at the San Marcos Circuit Race, followed
by Chris Walker (Team Coastal Tree Care-SGBC).
Photo © Eddie Meza