Cycling News

Rider Diary: California Racing Experience from a Dane
By Michael Smith Larsen, SoCalCycling.com Team
The SoCalCycling.com Team has been fortunate to have Michael Smith Larsen riding for the Team this season.  Michael, who is from Denmark, has competed in more than 20 professional Six Day races in Europe. He is a former Danish Champion, has medaled at European Championships in the Madison and has ridden for multiple UCI Continental team in Denmark. We are excited that Michael is riding for the SoCalCycling.com Team and racing in SoCal with us this year!

4/30/11 - Now I have been in California for more than 2 months and have already done a lot of good bike races.

The first race I did was the Imperial Valley Classic and it started good with a second place.

In the Callville Bay Classic, I almost felt at home in Denmark again in the very cold and rainy second stage. I think I had an advantage though and finished in 5th, which was okay. A second place in Ontario I got on another rainy day. I don’t know why the little amount of rainy days always have to be on a race day? more >

Claremont Hosts Amgen Tour of California Stage 7, Riders Ascend Mt. Baldy Finish
4/29/11 - On May 21, 25,000 people are expected to descend on the city of Claremont to enjoy the start of Stage 7 of the premier cycling race in the U.S., the 2011 Amgen Tour of California taking place from May 15 – 22.

Stage 7 of the race, presented by Nissan, will begin in Claremont on Saturday, May 21 with the signing-in ceremony, where the cyclists will gather to officially sign in for the Stage before they start the race at the Claremont Train Depot, located at 200 W. First St. in Claremont. Spectators may comfortably watch the entirety of the race on the Jumbo-tron at the Claremont Train Depot.

One of the more difficult stages of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California, the Stage 7 route will wind through the tree-lined streets of Claremont, visiting the Claremont Colleges and the beautiful downtown Village area, before heading north and ascending the San Gabriel Mountains to the famously steep Mt. Baldy Road, Glendora Mountain Road, Glendora Ridge Road, Azusa Canyon, and ending with the brutal climb to the summit of Mt. Baldy for a much-anticipated mountain-top finish. more info >


Confusion occurred in the Tour of the Gila criterium when the bell was rung with two laps to go.
Unfortunately, Shawne Milne and Cole House didn't get first and second and still had one to go.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / clintonphoto.com.


Clara Hughes, who has Olympic medals in both cycling and speed skating, has returned
to competing in cycling and will be aiming for a medal in the time trial in the 2012 Olympics.
She is off to a great start and leads the GC in the Tour of the Gila after winning the time trial.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / clintonphoto.com

Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix to Stream Live on YouTube
4/28/11 – Inside Cycling TV (ICTV) will stream live on YouTube the 2011 Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix this Sunday, May 1st beginning at 11am PST. The NRC 2011 Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix will host a record number of licensed USA Cycling amateurs and pro’s this Sunday, May 1st racing on a dynamic L-shaped .8 mile course through downtown Dana Point starting and finishing on historic Pacific Coast Highway.
 
A full day of racing action is scheduled beginning at 7am with USAC categorized amateurs, the COX Communications Women’s Criterium begins at 2:40pm and the USAC NRC Pro Men start at 4:10pm PST. The NRC Pro Men’s event is scheduled for 90 minutes and will have Dave Towle, Steve Hegg and Roger Worthington calling the live race action.
 
Inside Cycling TV (ICTV) will be streaming the BFC DPGP live via YouTube beginning at 11am PST with race coverage and interesting interviews and stories, the NRC race show will also invite online guests who subscribe to engage, interact and communicate live with the athletes. more info >


Frank Pipp (Bissell) and Heather Logan-Spencer (Colavita/Forno D'Asolo)
were victorious at the Inner Loop Road Race at the SRAM Tour of the Gila.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / clintonphoto.com

Former World Champion Marion Clignet to Direct Nature Valley Pro Ride Men's Team
4/27/11 – Multi-time world road and track champion Marion Clignet will coach the Nature Valley Pro Ride men's team at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. She and women's team coach Michael Engleman will conduct a five-day camp for their squads before they compete in the Nature Valley Grand Prix, the top-ranked race on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. Clignet won a world title in the team time trial (1991), the individual pursuit (1994, 1996 and 1999) and the points race (1999 and 2000) and was an Olympic silver medalist in the individual pursuit in 1996 and 2000.  Following her retirement from competition, the dual American-French citizen became the first woman to coach a men's professional team (Bbox-Bouygues Telecom). "I was always told I'd never make it because I was too heavy at first and then because I had epilepsy," she said. "So I had a few points to prove as I worked my way up the ranks. more >


Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist.com) and Mara Abbott (Diadora-Pasta Zara)
celebrate winning the hilly Mongollon Road Race at the SRAM Tour of the Gila.
photo © Mitchell Clinton / clintonphoto.com

Neben Solos to First One-Day Victory of Career at Stad Roeselare Classic
4/25/11 - HTC-Highroad's Amber Neben rode to an impressive triumph in the Stad Roeselare Classic in Belgium on Sunday, the 36-year-old's first ever victory in a one-day Classic. Neben took off around 20 kilometers from the line and stayed away for a lone win, with  team-mate Adrie Visser then taking third and giving HTC-Highroad two places out of three on the victory podium. "I cannot recall ever having won a one-day Classic before, so that's really exciting," Neben said about her fifth win of the 2011 season. more >


Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) had the second fastest time in the Tour of Romandie prologue.
Photo © BMC/Tim de Waele

San Luis Rey Road Race Returns April 30th
4/24/11 - The San Luis Rey Road Race will be returning on Saturday, April 30 for its 24th annual iteration. The 2011 San Luis Rey Road Race will also be the SCNCA Super Master Road Race Championship. In addition to several Championship fields for men 65+ and women 60+, the big news this year is the increased prize lists for the Men Pro/1/2 and the Women 1/2/3 fields. The event is also returning to an all-cash payout for all prize eligible categories.  Also new this year, the Women Cat 4 riders will have a separate prize list from the combined Women 3/35+ field. San Luis Rey Road Race will be using the same challenging course it used in 2009 and 2010 with 15 mile laps finishing on a rolling climb that ascends 400 feet in the last 2 miles. So come on out to the last road race south of the Grapevine this season! more info >


Chuck Pontius Criterium Pro 1/2 Podium: 2nd Nick Brandt-Sorenson (Sho-Air),
1st Anthony Canevari (CashCall Mortgage) and 3rd David Robertson (SoCalCycling.com).
Photo © Eddie Meza

Home Depot Center to Host 2012 UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships
4/23/11 - The U.S. Olympic Committee has announced that the 2012 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships will be held at The Home Depot Center Velodrome, an AEG-owned and operated facility, in Carson, CA  February 10-12. The competition will welcome approximately 230 athletes from 30 countries and serve as the final qualifying event for U.S. athletes to be nominated to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team which will compete at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. U.S. athletes expected to compete include Allison Jones (Colorado Springs, CO), Greta Neimanas (Chicago, Ill.), Clark Rachfal (Annapolis, MD.), Jennifer Schuble (Houston, TX), Aaron Trent (Columbia, SC) and Anthony Zahn (Riverside, CA). The local organizing committee for the 2012 event is the Los Angeles Velodrome Racing Association (LAVRA). The 2012 championship marks the first time since 1998, and just the second time ever, that the UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships will be held in the United States. Previous UCI events to take place in the U.S. include the 2005 UCI Junior World Championships and 2004 UCI Elite World Championships, both held at The Home Depot Center, and the 1998 UCI Para-Cycling Road and Track World Championships which was hosted in Colorado Springs, CO.


Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) wins Liège-Bastogne-Liège
ahead of LEOPARD-TREK's Frank and Andy Schleck.
Photo © Mark Johnson / IronString.com

Rider Profile: Junior Cyclist Diego Binatena (Team Specialized Racing)  
4/22/11 - Fifteen year old Diego Binatena of Playa del Rey, CA  has earned five victories so far this season, including three in elite category men’s races. He also achieved a win in the Lance Armstrong Junior Race Series which aims to identify and recognize potential world-class cycling talent at the junior level as well as a major victory at the 21st Annual Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California, where he won the junior road race in a solo breakaway.

Diego started racing competitively in February 2010, and it wasn’t long before he started winning races and established himself as a potent force on the race circuit. By the end of the season, Diego had won eight races, California State Junior Road Championship, Southern California Cup Point Series, and Ontario Race Series. Last June at USA Cycling Nationals in Bend, Oregon, Diego placed 7th in the individual time trial and finished 12th in the road race, impressive results for a first year racer. His results earned him an invite and a spot on the 2011 Team Specialized Junior Racing, one of the best teams in the nation.

Cycling at this level is a challenge for young racers and requires traveling to races most weekends. Diego trains 15 to 16 hours per week on the bike in preparation for upcoming races. This is in addition to a full school schedule, homework, and Boy Scouts. “It’s a lot of work and I make a lot of sacrifices,” said Diego. “My dream is to race in Europe and in the Olympics.”

 
Diego Binatena (Team Specialized Racing) wins in the Lance Armstrong Junior Race Series.

COX Communications Sponsors Women’s Criterium at Dana Point Grand Prix
4/20/11 - The 2011 Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix and the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation has announced the partnership of COX Communications for this year’s 2011 women’s race, part of our nationally recognized 5th annual event.
 
COX Communications will support the Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix as the ‘COX Communications Women’s Criterium’ with a prize purse totaling $2000 cash plus primes. The Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation fosters support for women’s cycling in the Southern California region through events such as the COX Communications Women’s Criterium. The 2011 COX Communications Women’s Criterium hopes to further fuel interest into women’s cycling through the Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix by establishing a dedicated event for female cyclists to build upon for the future and generating additional interest into women’s racing throughout Southern California. The hope and future for women’s competitive cycling at the Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix is to once again bring the women’s event to the national stage via NRC participation. more >


On the final lap of the Old Pueblo Grand Prix, Jeremy Hunt (Team Sky) drills it with
SoCalCycling.com's Michael Smith Larsen on his wheel, who finished 5th.
Photo © Rebecca Reza/US Cycling Report

L’Etape du California Lets Cyclists Ride Amgen Tour of California Route to Mt. Baldy
4/19/2011 – AEG, presenter of the Amgen Tour of California, is partnering with Pacific Sports, a leading sports and event management company, to produce the L’Etape du California, a race that will give amateur cyclists the opportunity to test their mettle by riding the same route as the professionals on Stage 7 of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.

Taking place on Saturday, May 7, 2011, riders participating in L’Etape du California will cover, arguably one of the most challenging stages in the race, which goes from Claremont to Mt. Baldy.  The route, breathtaking in its beauty and difficulty, will cover some of the most famous and iconic sections of road in the San Gabriel mountains: Glendora Mountain Road, Glendora Ridge Road, and of course the sharp “beyond category” switchbacks up to the Mt. Baldy Ski Area.  By the end of the ride, participants will have climbed close to 10,000 vertical feet and ridden nearly 100 miles. more >


The Old Pueblo Grand Prix, which was held in downtown Tucson, attracted big crowds and fields.
Eric Marcotte (SKLZ pb Pista Palace) won the Pro race taking the lions share of the $10,000 prize list.
Photo © Mason Ibas Photography

Cytomax© Sports Performance Drink Updates Formula – Adds Stevia
4/18/11 - CytoSport, Inc. will unveiled its newly-reformulated Cytomax Sports Performance Drink to cycling enthusiasts at the Sea Otter Classic  in Monterey, Calif.  The updated version features stevia, an all natural sweetener, while acesulfame potassium has been removed.  Thus far feedback has been phenomenal from elite and amateur athletes who have participated in preliminary testing of the new rendition.
 
“The new taste profile is lighter, while the product’s efficacy remains intact,” said Nikki Brown, CytoSport Chief Marketing Officer. “Athletes wanted a lighter, more refreshing taste – that’s exactly what we’ve developed.” more >


US Athletes Jennie Reed, Dotsie Bausch, Lauren Tamayo and Cari Higgins with
Eddy Merckx during the closing ceremonies at the recent Track World Championships.

Beach Babe Bicycling Classic
4/17/11 - "The Tour of California may be the biggest cycling event in the U.S., but where are the women?” asks Janaé Noble, founder of the Beach Babe Bicycling Classic, Southern California’s first all-women’s cycling event in Long Beach, CA. While the pros in the Tour of California are pumping their legs full of lactic acid and screaming down California’s countryside, women all around Southern California are dusting off their bikes and putting on the suntan lotion in preparation for the most glamorous cycling event around, the Beach Babe Bicycling Classic. The cycling event is limited to 500 participants for its 2nd annual ride and welcomes women of all ages and abilities. Stunning coastline views, luxurious shoreline villas, and classic surfer style await. The route distances of 18 or 38 miles have catered rest stops along the way, roving mechanics to keep the party rolling, and guys volunteering as Beach Bums to cheer the ladies along. Designed to get women out of their cars and on to their bikes for health and fitness, the Beach Babe Bicycling Classic  is an insiders view of beach life, coastal living and wicked wahini. The course winds along the beach bike trail toward the Long Beach peninsula with a tour through fabulous Naples Village, past bobbing yachts in the Long Beach Marina and to neighboring beach towns of Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, and Huntington Beach for lunch. Then, it’s back to Long Beach for finish line festivities the whole family can enjoy. Knowing that special events like these are usually fundraising efforts for cures like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, Janae created the Beach Babe Bicycling Classic event as an alternative to what she calls “fundraising fatigue.”  “There is one way to truly get to the root of the health problems we are facing as a nation, and that is through prevention via exercise.” Women who cycle or exercise regularly can significantly reduce their risks of sedentary-related diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. More info >


The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team raced the 51st edition of the Brabantse Pijl race in Belgium.
Photo © Mark Johnson / IronString.com

BMX National Championships Start Today at Supercross Track in Chula Vista
4/16/11 - For the first time in American BMX history, the elite national championship event will be held on an Olympic-style supercross track at the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA, taking advantage of the facility built on the campus of the United States Olympic Training Center ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games. Amateur races will also be contested at the nearby smaller, traditional BMX track at the same venue. Hosted by the American Bicycle Association (ABA), the national championships is an American-only event but is sandwiched between two world-class UCI races (the ABA Super Nationals), which will feature both US and international competitors and run through April 17th. The national championship event, which gets underway at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, will crown national champions in various age groups of both challenge and cruiser categories. The day’s highlight will come when the elite men and women as well as junior men and women compete for the Stars-and-Stripes on the supercross track. All other riders will compete on the ABA track. Expected to be among the competitors are Mike Day (GT Bicycles), Kyle Bennett (Free Agent BMX) , Donny Robinson (Hyper Bikes) and Corben Sharrah (/GT Bicycles) fresh off his UCI BMX Supercross World Cup win in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. On the women’s side, Alise Post (Redline Bicycles) and Arielle Martin (Intense BMX) are expected participants. The event will be webcast live starting at 10 am on April 16. More info >

Video: Paris-Roubaix
4/15/11 - Beautiful footage from Paris-Roubaix as the peloton conquers the pave at Paris-Roubaix.

Amgen Tour of California Adds Women's International Time Trial Challenge
4/14/11 - AEG has announced details of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California Women's International Time Trial Challenge presented by Specialized and SRAM, which will take place in Solvang during Stage 6 of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California on Friday, May 20.  Using the same course as the Stage 6 men’s individual time trial in Solvang, the women’s event will be a 12-person invitation, showcasing some of the best women athletes in the world racing for a $10,000 prize pool.   The Amgen Tour of California Women’s International Time Trial Challenge will start at 11:30 a.m. PST on Friday, May 20, with the women leaving at one-minute intervals immediately before the beginning of the professional men’s time trial at 12:30 p.m. PST.  The women will traverse the exact 15-mile course as the professional men.   more >


Devan Dunn (CashCall) soloed to a win at the De Vlees Huis Ronde in Bakersfield.
Photo © SoCalCycling.com

Team Redlands to Host Women’s Cycling Clinic May 14-15
4/13/11 - Team Redlands will host the 3rd annual Women’s Cycling Clinic in Redlands May 14-15. The clinic is designed to encourage more women to enjoy the benefits of cycling, both beginner/intermediate recreational and race-focused athletes. The clinic begins Saturday with breakfast and instruction: riders get on their bikes early to learn and practice riding skills such as pedaling proficiency, cornering, pacelines, pack riding, race strategies, and eating/drinking while on the bike. “The instruction I received gave me the confidence and skill that I needed to bring my riding to the next level,” said prior participant Lisa Leaming. more >


Women's Clinic participants have the option to race a criterium with a course mentor on Sunday.

Cynergy Cycles “Be One with Your Bike” Event, a Night with BG Fit Experts
By Christy Nicholson, SoCalCycling.com
4/12/11 - Cynergy Cycles “Be One with Your Bike” event brought cyclists together for an informative evening in downtown Santa Monica with presentations by world renowned Body Geometry Fit expert Dr. Andy Pruitt and Body Geometry Product designer Dr. Roger Minkow.

Cyclists packed the 7000 square foot Specialized Concept Store, which also features many additional brands and products, in anticipation of learning more about Specialized’s Body Geometry Bicycle Fit (BG Fit) and Body Geometry Products (BG Shoes, BG Saddles and BG Gloves), which reduce pressure at contact points between the bike and body. more >
Photo Gallery >


L-R: Cynergy's BG FIT Professional Ron Peterson, Dr. Andy Pruitt and Dr. Roger Minkow.
Story & Photos >, Photo © SoCalCycling.com


Cynergy Cycles "Be One with Your Bike" Event. Story & Photos >
Photo © SoCalCycling.com

SoCal Riders to Represent Pan American Road and Track Championships Squads
4/11/11 - USA Cycling has named 16 athletes to the team that will represent the United States at the UCI Pan American Road and Track Continental Championships next month in Bogota, Colombia. Competition will open with the time trials and road races on May 5th and May 8th. In the men’s events, a young but talented pair of Americans will represent the red, white and blue. Jacob Rathe (Portland, OR/Garmin) earned an automatic nomination to the squad by virtue of his 93rd-place ranking in the UCI Americas Tour Rankings. He’ll be joined in the race against the clock, as well as on the road race course, by discretionary pick and time trial specialist Lawson Craddock (Houston, TX/Trek-Livestrong). In the women’s time trial, Amber Neben (Lake Forest, CA/HTC-Highroad) and Evelyn Stevens (Dennis, MA/HTC-Highroad) will both race the clock as discretionary selections. more >


World Champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) endures the cobbles at Paris-Roubaix.
Photo © Graham Watsom / Team Garmin-Cervélo Photos

Cantwell and Holcomb Claim NRC Victory at the Sunny King Criterium
4/10/11 – The reign of Australian sprinters at the Sunny King Criterium continued Saturday night when Jonathan Cantwell showed the field a clean pair of wheels and posted up in victory while crossing the finish line pointing to the V australia logo on his Australia National Champion’s jersey.  A six-rider Colavita/Forno D’Asolo squad dominated the women’s pro race from start to finish with Janel Holcomb riding to a solo win.  Over 5,000 spectators lined the .7-mile circuit on the streets of Anniston, Alabama while thousands of cycling fans all over the world watched the first criterium of USA Cycling’s 2011 National Racing Calendar, which streamed live online via four websites. more >


David Robertson (SoCalCycling.com) leads the Pro 1,2 race on the fun figure
eight course during the Redlands Downtown Criterium.
Photo © SoCalCycling.com

Video - Redlands Bicycle Classic Stage Race - The final laps of the Pro Criterium were exciting as Roman Van Uden (PureBlack Racing) held off the hard charging pack after a crash in the break happened on the last lap.

CicLAvia Closes LA Streets for Cyclists and Walkers to Celebrate LA this Sunday
4/9/11 - On Sunday, April 10th, from  10 am to 3 pm, CicLAvia will create 7.5 miles of car-free city streets for Angelenos. Promoting public health, alternative transportation, open space, economic development and community building through connected neighborhood, CicLAvia encourages participants to make the city “their own”. Bike, jog, take your dog for a walk, stroller small children or skate, it’s up to you!  Participation in CicLAvia is free and open to all, so enjoy this rare chance in discovering and rediscovering Los Angeles. The route extends from Boyle Heights, through Downtown and MacArthur Park, to East Hollywood. Businesses along the corridor will open their doors early so participants can make a full day of it. The program provides a platform for participants to create their own vision for LA; a way to discover and re-discover parts of the city; and not worry about traffic. Modeled after the decades old “ciclovía” in Bogotá, Colombia, and other similar carfree events like New York’s Summer Streets to San Francisco’s Sunday Streets. Participation requires no RSVP, simply show up and enjoy with friends and family and see what Los Angeles can become with innovative thinking! More info >

Team Champion System To Compete In the US and Canada
4/7/11 - Following a very successful early season race campaign that included Team Champion System rider Mart Ojavee capturing the Green Sprint Jersey at the Tour of Taiwan, the Champion System Continental Cycling Team (Team Champion System) will be competing in some of the most prestigious U.S. and Canadian races in May and June. The schedule will include a mix of NRC and UCI one-day races and stage races:

  • May 30 – Tour of Somerville (NRC criterium)
  • June 2 – Base Camp International (NRC criterium)
  • June 6 - TD Bank  Philadelphia International Championship (UCI Road Race)     
  • June 14-19 – Tour de Beauce (UCI Stage Race / Canada)

Former Tour de France yellow jersey holder and stage winner Jaan Kirsipuu will be competing with the team in the Base Camp International and TD Bank  Philadelphia International Championship.  Also joining the team will be 5 time Hong Kong BMX National Champion Steven Wong who is making his professional road racing debut with the team.“One of the goals of Team Champion System is to support and promote the Champion System worldwide offices” stated Scott Kaylin, one of the founders of Champion System. “With offices in the U.S. and Canada it made sense to have our team compete in these prestigious races.”


Team Champion System is outfitted in kits by Champion System.

Quiznos Pro Challenge Changes Name and Announces Broadcast Agreement
4/5/11 - The USA Pro Cycling Challenge, formally known as the Quiznos Pro Challenge, today announced that it has entered into a television agreement with the NBC Sports Group to present 25 hours of cycling coverage over seven days.

NBC Sports will broadcast the final day of the inaugural seven-day professional cycling competition live on August 28, 2011.  VERSUS, a member of the NBC Sports Group, will extensively cover the event with 3.5 hour broadcasts each day from August 22-28.   

The event also announced the change of its name to USA Pro Cycling Challenge in order to showcase the global scale of the event to a worldwide audience.  Quiznos will continue as a founding sponsor with the same level of participation in the event.
 
NBC will broadcast the USA Pro Cycling Challenge live for two hours on August 28, 2011, while VERSUS, the official home of the Tour de France in the US, will cover 30 minutes of pre-race coverage and one hour of post-race coverage in addition to live event coverage throughout the entire competition.

Neben and Mancebo Hold On to Yellow at Redlands
4/4/11 - The Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race culminated the weekend’s events of the Redlands Bicycle Classic with both a grueling hill loop and a highly technical speed criterium. The sudden attacks and unstoppable team work reflected the last attempts to clench the overall title.

After three days defending the leader's jersey, the HTC-Highroad women put Amber Neben in first overall at Redlands. After a quick start, the first bonus sprint came on the first KOM. "Neben won the three second bonus, and was leading with a comfortable gap of twelve seconds. Our team set a steady speed to avoid attacks, but Kristin Armstrong and the Colavita girls gave us a hard day. It came down to a sprint of 8 girls at the finish and Catherine Cheatley from Colavita was the fastest. With no changes in the GC after the final stage, Neben came in first with Stevens in third and Amanda in the top ten.
 
Men’s Sunset Road Race winner Cole House (Realcyclist.com) said, “We went for bonus sprints out there today and Mancebo gunned it from the corner. I didn’t know if he could hold it, but he did. He told me ‘You can still win this stage,’ which motivated me to push it in.”

Francisco Mancebo, Realcyclist.com said, “Today we were looking at GC guys sprinting it. It’s good to get as many sprinters that are left to take the time bonuses to get the points. The team worked really hard today; it was key that we were able to attack and take the lead.”
Results >
Photo Gallery (Sunset RR, Pro 1/2 Downtown Crit) >

Van Uden and Cliff-Ryan Sprint to Victory in the Redlands Bicycle Classic Criterium
4/3/11 - Stage two of the Redlands Bicycle Classic transformed downtown Redlands, California into a racing speedway, opening the window to point gains, tactically team strategies and intense competition. Huge crowds lined every corner of the criterium course with spectators cheering for the blur of jerseys flying by. 

In the men’s race, Roman Van Uden (Pure Black Racing) was in a late break of five  with five laps to go. On the last lap a crash in the break enabled Van Uden to hold off the hard charging field as they swallowed up the remaining break members going into the sprint. Ken Hanson (Jelly Belly pb Kenda) was second followed by Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia). Roman Van Uden, Pure Black Racing said, “I made a few attacks out there today to pick up sprint points. There are a lot of guys to contend with out there, so I tried to keep my spot at the front, and with five laps to go the GC field was pushing hard, so I took the benefit and sat on. I came off the corners fast and aggressive, and with three corners to go, I knew I had the win. For tomorrow, there are a few sprints early in the race that I am going to focus on.”  

Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita Forno D'Asolo) won her second stage after a leadout from her Colavita Forno D'Asolo Team. Jennifer Purcel (Danbury Audi) followed in second with Chloe Hosking (HTC-Highroad) taking third.  Race Leader, Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) said, "Today’s race was more of a day to stay out of trouble. It’s a really big field with a wide range of abilities. An hour in, there are a lot of people taking risks on corners to win. Tomorrow’s stage is my favorite, and with the GC so tight, I will need my team’s support. It’s so nice to have their support and help with the race." The Redlands Classic concludes with the challenging Sunset Road Race, which has been known to shake up the GC.
Results >, Photo Gallery >

Redlands Bicycle Classic Beaumont Stage is Fiercely Contested
4/2/11 - Today's Stage One race in Beaumont, California, rolled out intense speed, leg-pounding hills and a chance to claim an early edge in the overall 2011 Redlands Bicycle Classic, presented by PossAbilities. Soaring temperatures taunted the snow-capped mountains surrounding Beaumont's scenic 24.1-mile course as the women completed three loops of the course and the men five.

The women’s race came down to a field sprint that was won by Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita Forno D'Asolo) with Christi Gokey-Smith (Rouse Bicycles) in second and  Jen Purcel (Danbury Audi) rounding out the podium in third. Women’s Stage Winner Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita Forno D'Asolo) said, "All in all, today was a good race. There were a couple of crashes on the course, so that brought some chaos, but we were successful. I was stuck in the middle about 150 meters before the turn, but I saw a space, so I took it. It was a major team race today. We were talking, looking after each other, and Janel stayed with me on the last hill, helping me stay relaxed. Redlands has a big history, so this was a great race to start off our season."  Amber Neben held onto the leaders jersey.

In the men’s race John Bennett (California Giant) won from a breakaway, followed by Lachlan Morton (Chipotle Development) in second and Andres Diaz (Team Exergy) in third. Race Leader Francisco Mancebo (Realcyclist.com) said, “Today's race was tough. To keep our front position, the team had to work to keep the gap closed. The hills were big, but they weren't as tough for me. It was on the flats where everyone attacked that you have to really work hard to keep your position.” Get a recap of each race day’s events at insidecycling.tv Friday-Sunday at 6 p.m. PT with Dave Towle and Danny D’Angelo. The broadcast will feature men’s and women’s interviews, race footage and more. Results >

CLIF BAR Partners with Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix
4/1/11 - The Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation (DPCCF) is pleased to announce CLIF BAR® as a new partner sponsor for the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix. CLIF BAR, whose athlete-inspired foods and drinks use only all-natural and organic ingredients, is the official provider of energy bars, gels and chews to the 2011 Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix. This year’s Breakaway from Cancer Dana Point Grand Prix has chosen the Pacific Meso Center at the Pacific Heart Lung Blood Institute in Los Angeles as a recipient of this year’s proceeds.
 
“CLIF BAR is excited to be the official bar, gel and chew of the 5th annual Dana Point Grand Prix”, commented Brooke Donberg, Field Marketing Manager for Clif Bar & Co. “Given the Dana Point Grand Prix’s commitment to excellence, we’re thrilled to have our name associated with this prestigious event in a beautiful downtown setting.” more >