Team Type 1 Announces New Directors For 2009

Atlanta — Team Type 1 has hired a new director sportif, Vassili Davidenko, and a new assistant director, Gord Fraser, for the 2009 season.

Davidenko was Team Type 1’s assistant director last year under Ed Beamon, who is not returning.

“We were very fortunate to have someone with Ed’s experience to help guide us down the path of success in our first year,” said Team Type 1 General Manager Tom Schuler. “With Vassili and Gord, we have two former pros who can also relate well to the challenges a rider faces on and off the bike.”

Davidenko, 38, brings more than a quarter-century of bicycle racing experience to the team. During his 14 years as a professional, he won the Russian national road (1996) and cyclocross (1998) titles and was a silver medalist in the 1988 Junior World Road Race Championships. He also represented Russia at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and won the Athens Twilight Criterium in 2005 and 2006.

Fraser raced professionally for 13 seasons and represented Canada in three Olympic Games and five Commonwealth Games. A veteran of the Tour de France, the 40-year-old works for Carmichael Training Systems. He helped the revolutionary training system developed by Chris Carmichael open a regional training center in Tucson, Ariz.

Team Type 1 is the only professional cycling team in the world with a mission to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes. It was created in 2004 by two racers with Type 1 diabetes, Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge. The pair led the squad to back-to-back victories in the Race Across America (RAAM) in 2006 and 2007 before joining Fabio Calabria and Timothy Hargrave as two of four professional riders with Type 1 diabetes on the roster in 2008.

Last year, Team Type 1 won 45 races, including team titles at the Vuelta Mexico and Tour de Beauce.

Southerland said the team hopes to build on that success by being a part of the field at the Amgen Tour of California in February.

“With everything that we accomplished last year, we certainly set the bar high for what lies ahead in 2009,” he said. “But with a solid management team in place, we are well on our way toward accomplishing our goal of participating in the Tour de France by 2012.”

In 2009, Team Type 1 is expanding to include a triathlon team, a developmental squad, a women's professional squad and two teams for the Race Across America (RAAM): Team Type 1 and Team Type 2. The athletes with diabetes in these programs serve as examples that diabetes can be controlled through diet, exercise and the use of the best treatment and technology available today.

Photo: Courtesy Team Type 1

Race Reduced, Women Anything But Forgotten?

A few days ago, the President of AEG, Andrew Messick, provided what some believed to be a rather generic and “meaningless” quote following the news that the 2009 Amgen Tour of California Women’s race had been effectively reduced from three days down to one.

Tonight, I had the opportunity to speak with Michael Roth, Vice President of Communications for AEG, regarding the situation. Although it had been widely reported that the cities of Sacramento and San Jose pulled out of hosting the women’s race, this was not necessarily the case.

“Each city is aware of the historic implications tied to hosting a women’s race,” Mr. Roth stated.

The decision not to expand the women’s race this year was solely the organizers’.

Logistical considerations due to the Amgen Tour of California’s expansion, which will include increased live television coverage, made a more substantial women’s agenda impractical.

“It would not have been worthwhile for the riders, and at the same time we didn’t have a comfort level with the way it was setting up.”

Also partly to blame for the uproar of what seemed to an abruptly and unjustly shortening of the women’s race were the expectations that were put on the AEG to produce a three-day women’s race.

In their due diligence, AEG contacted all the pertinent cycling federations and reserved the dates on the racing calendar. The implication that the women’s race would be expanded because of the reservation was premature and unfounded in the eyes of AEG.

However, the announcement and marketing of the "$25,000 Amgen Tour of California Women’s Stage Race, Feb. 14-16. Expanded from a single-day criterium in 2008, the three-day event provides women with a major opportunity to showcase their talents as the race is held in conjunction with the men’s Tour of California," had already occurred.

Though it may be of little consolation to the hard racing women who seem to have fallen victim of a “bait and switch,” AEG will be using the information gathered from the 2009 edition of the Tour of California to build on the women’s race in the future.

When asked about the possibility of expanding the women’s race to include a racing format other than a Criterium, such as a road race, Mr Roth responded, “Certainly, we are not ruling out any scenario.”

“Last time I checked, women made up more than half the population. The women’s race continues to draw fans, and [an expansion] will help expose these role models to their fans.”

Photo: Leonard Basobas (Inaugural Amgen Tour of California Women's Criterium podium)

Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Team Signs Powerhouse Sprinters for 2009

Set to start their season at the Amgen Tour of California, the women of Colavita/Sutter Home have reloaded for 2009. With the notable exception of Alison Powers, the team has added two Olympians, the USA Crit Series Champion and one of the most promising riders in the Women's peloton, in her stead.

Linden, NJ -- Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team has re-signed Tina Pic (inset), the #1 rider on the NRC circuit, who dominated the 2008 season with 12 individual victories and six podium finishes. Adding to its firepower for 2009, Colavita/Sutter Home has recruited Olympians Cath Cheatley and Rachel Heal and USA Criterium Series Champion Kelly Benjamin. Colavita/Sutter Home’s first race of the season will be the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Criterium February 15, 2009.

Managing the team as Director Sportif will be Jamaican Olympian and veteran Colavita/Sutter Home cyclist Iona Wynter Parks, who retired from competition at the end of the 2008 season after nine years on the pro circuit, where she achieved numerous top 10 finishes in road racing and world rankings on the track.

“What excites me most about working with this squad is that the riders have proven themselves not only as athletes but also as team players,” said Wynter Parks. “We’ve signed a great combination of accomplished North American sprinters and strong, savvy all-arounders. These women all recognize the importance of great teamwork, which we will use to our advantage in stage races and single-day events.”

“We’re looking forward to kicking off the year at the Amgen Tour of California,” Wynter Parks continued. “Criteriums are our strength and we are highly motivated to race hard and well there.”

The 2009 roster for the Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team includes returning riders Tiffany Cromwell (AUS), Andrea Dvorak (USA), Shontell Gauthier (USA), Tina Pic (USA), and Nichole Wangsgard (USA). New signings include Erica Allar (USA), Kelly Benjamin (USA), Cath Cheatley (NZ), Rachel Heal (UK), Heather Logan (Can), and Stacy Marple (USA).

About the riders of the Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team

Erica Allar -- A talented, up-and-coming sprinter, Erica captured numerous podium finishes racing for Aaron’s Professional Women’s Cycling Team last year. She won the U23 National Criterium Championship in 2007 and has consistently finished in the top 10 at Philadelphia’s Liberty Classic.

Kelly Benjamin – A former firefighter, Kelly (inset) was a top sprinter with Cheerwine Professional Cycling Team for the last three years. In 2008, Kelly took the overall title for the USA Criterium Series last year, recording over 10 victories and podium spots on the NRC circuit.

Cath Cheatley – A World Track Championships Points race bronze medalist currently ranked #5 in the NRC, Cath represented her native New Zealand at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, competing in both the road race and the points race on the track. She is a former New Zealand national champion on road and track and claimed NRC victories in 2008, including single-day criteriums and stage races.

Tiffany Cromwell -- Tiffany delivered Colavita/Sutter Home’s first win of the 2008 season with her victory at the Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix and never looked back. The Australian speedster went on to win the Sea Otter Classic and a top 10 ranking in the US Speedweek Criterium Series before heading off to Europe as a member of the Australian National Team.

Andrea Dvorak – Andrea’s versatility was on full display in 2008. The former triathlete with a law degree from the University of Virginia finished third at the CSC Invitational criterium and raced to top 10 finishes in the Tour of the Gila Mogollan Road Race and Fitchburg Longsjo time trial. At Nature Valley Grand Prix, Andrea finished fourth in the criterium stage and ninth overall.

Shontell Gauthier -- In her first season with Colavita/Sutter Home, Shontell capped off an impressive series of top 10 finishes with a victory at the Bike Jam/Kelly Cup.

Rachel Heal – Rachel joined the North American peloton in 2006 as a member of Team Victory Brewing following a distinguished racing career in Europe. She won the Bronze Medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and represented the UK in the road race at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. Rachel earned 13 podium finishes as a member of the British national Team before turning pro in 2004. She comes over from Team TIBCO.

Heather Logan -- A former ice hockey player who went to numerous championships as a member of the Canadian National Team, Heather has used her toughness and work ethic to produce impressive results in only two seasons of pro cycling. She won the winter national points race on the track, provincial criterium championships, placed fourth in the 2008 National Road Championships, and held her own in the top finishing group at the International Tour of Thuringen stage race against Olympic contenders competing for selection by their respective countries.

Stacy Marple – A former competitive diver working towards completing her doctorate at the University of California at Berkeley, Stacy has distinguished herself as a strong climber with the strength and stamina to achieve top 10 results in tough stages races like the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Stacy comes over from Team Cheerwine.

Tina Pic – One of the most decorated cyclists in the North American women’s peloton, Tina claimed the overall NRC Champion title for 2008, the fifth time in her career. The five-time US National Criterium Champion raced to victory at nearly every major criterium, including the Mt. Tabor Criterium stage of the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic, Tour of Somerville, Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, Chris Thater Memorial Grand Prix, and Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic, 12 individual victories, including Fitchburg Longsjo and the Tour of Somerville, and captured the overall US SpeedWeek Criterium Series title.

Nichole Wangsgard – Nicky opened the 2008 season with a 5th place finish at the Tour of California Women’s Criterium. A savvy all-arounder with a doctorate in education, she went on to win the criterium at the Joe Martin Stage Race and took second in the Wells Fargo Twilight criterium.

Photos: Leonard Basobas

Team Kenda Announces 2009 NRC Roster

Chicago, Illinois –Team Kenda is entering its 10th anniversary of women’s bicycle racing with a roster possessing an impressive list of palmares. The team continues to fuse youth and experience as its formula for success, longevity, and growth of the sport.

Jakie Kurth, two-time Junior National Champion, will return to Team Kenda in her final year of junior eligibility. Espoir riders will include Denise Ramsden, the 2007 and 2008 Canadian Junior National Road Race Champion, Ashley James, who is currently racing for mountain bike powerhouse Lindsey Wilson College, and climbing specialist, Ally Stacher, from the Lees-McRae Collegiate program.

Team Captain Kristin Wentworth returns along with Kat Clark, Krystal McNutt, and 9-year team veteran and Masters National CX Champion, Catherine Walberg. They will be reinforced by capable team newcomers Silke Wunderwald and Christy Keely.

The team welcomes PearTreePens.com and Skins as new sponsors for the 2009 season.

Returning team sponsors include Kenda USA, The Allen Group, Plant Solutions, Blue Competition Bicycles, Vergesport, Rudy Project, LH Thomson, SRAM, LifeSport PT, CycleOps, Ferguson and Associates, Sigma Sport, Zipp Speed Weaponry, Timbuk2, Elete, SportCrafters, Terry Precision Cycling, Headsweats, PowerBar, Deen-Gross Eye Centers, Purple Extreme, Thule, and Moszkito.

Team Kenda will continue to have a local presence with 4 geographically-focused Regional Teams that will help to develop and promote women’s cycling while supporting the sponsors in those markets.

Garmin-Slipstream and ADSI Continue Anti-Doping Program

Participation in Anti-Doping Science Institute’s New Program Continues to Demonstrate Garmin-Slipstream’s Dedication to Anti-Doping and Ethical Sporting

Boulder, CO - Slipstream Sports LLC and its chief venture, the Garmin-Slipstream Professional Cycling Team, isn’t just sporting a new name in 2009, when it will officially be called Garmin-Slipstream. The top U.S. team today announced that it will participate in a new program run by the Anti-Doping Sciences Institute (ADSI) to further its anti-doping mission. The program will include profiles from testing conducted over the last year and will share data with UCI and other international and national anti-doping agencies. ADSI has been involved in the management of the Garmin-Slipstream anti-doping program since June of 2008 as part of its previous relationship with the Agency for Cycling Ethics.

All 29 athletes on the team are voluntarily participating in the program, which will test them over 600 times in 2009. There will be an intense focus on EPO and related substances as well as continued focus on longitudinal profiling of blood and steroid levels. Detection of traditional doping products will also be included. Providing the oversight and program design for ADSI is Don Catlin, one of the leading names in anti-doping in the United States.

“When we began our anti-doping program in 2007, we wanted to help turn the tide in professional cycling,” said Jonathan Vaughters, Director Sportif of Team Garmin-Slipstream. “We wanted other professional athletes and teams to put their resources and efforts into the fight against doping. It worked. In 2009, we’re on a mission to continue what we started. With partners like ADSI and Don Catlin, we aim to continue to foster the ideals of fair sport.”

The testing program will be comprised of both blood and urine sampling and will focus on EPO, CERA and related drugs, but it will also include full screen testing for doping agents such as testosterone, cortisone, anabolic steroids, and masking agents. In addition, blood and steroid profiles will be used to detect longitudinal abnormalities and remove a rider from competition if suspicious results are found. Analytical work will be performed by Anti-Doping Research, under contract to ADSI, as well as other labs selected by ADSI. This combines the best of traditional testing and longitudinal testing into one program. By participating in this testing regimen, Garmin-Slipstream’s intention is to simply prevent any rider who could be doping from competing, and to continue to inspire fair sport.

“I have been involved in doping control for decades. When I developed the first anti-doping laboratory in the United States at UCLA in 1982, my hope was to prevent doping in sports and to work with teams and athletes who shared that hope,” said Don Catlin. “Team Garmin-Slipstream has proven that they do. I’m thrilled to be able to work with them.”

Team Garmin-Slipstream has been dedicated to anti-doping since its inception and the new Catlin program is an extension of its original intentions. It began participating in independent monitoring programs under the ACE model in 2007.

“We’re collaborating with Team Columbia on this effort with ADSI because we strongly believe that by working together, we can continue to help inspire fair sport,” said Vaughters. “Trust between teams and management is essential to success – on and off the road – and our fans and athletes alike deserve that trust.”

Special Edition Vanderkitten Zero Gs

Lexington, SC - The Vanderkitten Elite Women’s Team will be stopping in style during 2009. Ciamillo Components will be outfitting the team with limited edition Zero G brakes.

Early production units of the Vanderkitten brakes have been so well received that they will be available for sale starting in January through independent bicycle dealers at $599.99 for the pair.

“We wanted to do something special with Vanderkitten Racing, and we are very excited that the team and The Hawley Company have decided to make the brakes available for purchase by consumers”, said Ciamillo Components’ Christian Ries Foster. “We’re raising the bar for the 2009 season and the Vanderkitten brakes are another great example of how we are doing it”, said Dave Verrecchia, co-owner of Vanderkitten.

Ciamillo Components’ Zero G brakes feature a patented Power Cam that provides a mechanical advantage with extreme, modulated stopping power. The brakes produce precision performance without the dead-spot that is common in other brakes. At an amazingly low 200g per pair, these made in the USA brakes are the perfect upgrade.

Vanderkitten Racing started in 2007 and in 2008 finished as the number one team in the USA Crits Series. The team has enjoyed immediate success and remarkable popularity. Plans for 2009 include Vanderkitten Club Teams in various cities across the US. The title sponsor for the team, Vanderkitten, designs lifestyle clothing and cycling apparel for “women who kick ass” and are sold direct, through retailers, and through The Hawley Company.

On Tap...

Tis' The Season
Last year fellow Wolverine Sports Club member, Don Amboyer, was on hand to photograph the Waterford Hills MI State Championships CX in Waterford, MI. With an anticipated high of 27 degrees and snow in the forecast, the race looks to be another cold and sluggish affair.

For more races in and around your area, consult the listings below.

12/06/2008
Virginia Cyclocross Series Finale
Charlottesville, VA
2008 Arizona Cyclocross State Championships
Gilbert, AZ

12/07/2008
Bay Area Super Prestige Series #5-CCCP CX-Coyote Point
San Mateo, CA
2008 Bike Authority Cyclocross Series #4
Copley, OH
Illinois State CX Championships
Chicago, IL
Salisbury Cyclocross Race
Salisbury, NC
Capital Cross Classic
Reston, VA
Waterford Hills MI State Championships CX
Waterford, MI
SoCal Prestige Series #11
Palmdale, CA
Brookside Cyclocross Cup
Indianapolis, IN

For results and photos of some of the races above, click through to Truesport.com.


12/14/2008
Vision Quest Indoor TT Series
Highland Park, IL

12/21/2008
Sacramento Cyclocross-December
Sacramento, CA

Photo: Don Amboyer

AEG Responds to Shortened Women's Race at 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Originally slated for a three-day stage race consisting of three criterium races in Sacramento, Santa Rosa, and San Jose, the Amgen Tour of California Women's race is now just a single criterium race in Santa Rosa.

Andrew Messick, President of AEG Sports, provided this reponse to our inquires about their reasons for shortening the women's agenda.

"We paid serious consideration to extending the women's competition during the Amgen Tour of California beyond a single day by carefully researching a variety of logistical and scheduling elements; however, we have decided to continue to hold this event as a one-day Women's Criterium race, which will, once again, be staged in Santa Rosa. The second-annual Women's Criterium will be held on February 15th."

Photo: Leonard Basobas

Route Details Announced for Expanded 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Professional Women’s Cycling Race to Return to Santa Rosa During Stage One of the Men’s Race



LOS ANGELES, CA – Specific route details for the 2009 Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race were revealed today by AEG, presenter of the fourth-annual event, which will once again have a world-class field of competitors, including two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer and seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong. Already considered cycling’s most important and successful stage race in the United States, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be expanded to cover more than 750 miles over nine days. In its fourth running, the race will travel almost the entire length of California on a demanding course from the state’s capitol, Sacramento, to Escondido, in San Diego County.

Scheduled over nine consecutive days from February 14-22, 2009, the race will visit 16 host cities for official stage starts and finishes, with communities along the route getting the chance to see, firsthand, a lineup of some of the most elite, recognizable teams and athletes in the world. Host cities for the Prologue and eight stages include: Sacramento, Davis (new city for 2009), Santa Rosa (site of the Women’s Criterium), Sausalito, Santa Cruz (new city for 2009), San Jose, Modesto, Merced (new city for 2009), Clovis (new city for 2009), Visalia (new city for 2009), Paso Robles (new city for 2009), Solvang, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, Rancho Bernardo (new city for 2009) and Escondido (new city for 2009).

"Each year, we continue our commitment to upgrading and enhancing every element of the Amgen Tour of California, not only for the cyclists, but also for the spectators along the route, by creating an even more challenging and exciting race," said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. “The added element of the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Criterium in Santa Rosa allows us to bring professional women’s cycling to the fans as well, even further enhancing the race experience.”

One of the most anticipated professional cycling races in the world, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be staged over a more challenging route, and will, once again, include a women’s criterium. Highlights of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California race route include:

Prologue: Sacramento (Saturday, February 14, 2009)
Start time: 1:30 p.m.
Start Location: Intersection of Capitol Mall and 9th St.
Finish Location: Intersection of L St. and 11th St.

The first day of racing in the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be a short, but intense, individual time trial of just less than three miles, known as a Prologue. The flat and fast route will likely take each individual cyclist less than five minutes to finish. Although it is short, the Prologue will be packed with excitement and high speed. With the start and finish lines separated by only two blocks, spectators will have the opportunity to easily see the racers at both the start and finish lines. Showcasing the State Capitol, the Capitol Mall area and the well-known Tower Bridge, the Prologue will provide a crowd-pleasing day of racing excitement.

Stage 1: Davis to Santa Rosa (Sunday, February 15, 2009)
Start Time: Noon
Start Location: Intersection of C St. and 3rd St. in Davis
Finish Location: Intersection of 3rd St. and Santa Rosa Ave. in Santa Rosa

A new stage for the Amgen Tour of California, the route from Davis to Santa Rosa will provide plenty of scenic settings for both the cyclists and the spectators. Beginning in the city of Davis, which recently was named the best cycling town in the United States by Bicycling Magazine, the route includes evenly spaced climbs throughout the stage and spectacular views. After 20 miles of flat roads, the riders will meet their first climb up a short, but steep section leading up to the Monticello Dam. Another long, flat section along Lake Berryessa will take the riders to their second climb up Howell Mountain Rd., followed by a fast descent into Napa Valley. After one final climb and a steep descent from Calistoga Road, the cyclists will finish the race with circuit laps in downtown Santa Rosa. In previous years, Santa Rosa fans have set the mark for one of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds of the entire race.

Additionally, fans in Santa Rosa will have the opportunity to watch the second-annual Amgen Tour of California Women’s Criterium. Held in conjunction with Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California, the Women's Criterium will begin at 1 p.m. and will showcase some of the world's top professional women cyclists competing for $15,000 in prizes. Set as a category Pro 1/2 race, the Amgen Tour of California Women's Criterium will have a limit of eight riders per team. Once again using portions of the Stage 1 men’s finishing circuit in Santa Rosa, the Women’s Criterium will bring the thrill of professional women’s cycling to fans in the hours just before the men’s finish in downtown Santa Rosa.

Stage 2: Sausalito to Santa Cruz (Monday, February 16, 2009)
Start Time: 8:30 a.m.
Start Location: Spinnaker Restaurant at 100 Spinnaker Dr. in Sausalito
Finish Location: Intersection of Front St. and Cooper St. in Santa Cruz

Starting on the northern side of the San Francisco Bay, Stage 2 will cover more than 100 miles from Sausalito to Santa Cruz. The stage will begin with a scenic start in Sausalito on the water and will head south over one of the most iconic structures in the country, the Golden Gate Bridge, and then through the streets of San Francisco. The route will then take the riders west down the California coastline on Highway 1, flanked by the picturesque backdrops of the Pacific Ocean on one side and Redwood forests on the other. This coastal stage will include two long, but moderate climbs on Tunitas Creek Road and Bonny Doon Road, which will be followed by lengthy and fast descents. The sprint to the finish in Santa Cruz will provide an exciting conclusion to Stage 2 of the race.

Stage 3: San Jose to Modesto (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)
Start Time: Noon
Start Location: Intersection of San Fernando St. and Almaden Blvd. in San Jose
Finish Location: Intersection of I St. and 12th St. in Modesto

Fans of the Amgen Tour of California may recognize part of Stage 3 from the 2008 race when the cyclists traveled from Modesto to San Jose; however, in 2009, the racers will be traveling the route in reverse with several changes. Beginning with a climb that is synonymous with cycling and the Amgen Tour of California, the cyclists will head up Sierra Road (1,930 ft.) within the first five miles of the stage. This epic climb will be a defining moment in the race and will create an action-packed day of racing for the cyclists and the fans alike. After completing the Sierra Road climb, the riders will face fast and flat roads full of twists and turns (Calaveras Road alone has more than 40 switchbacks) before climbing Patterson Pass. The stage will finish with two circuits in downtown Modesto.

Stage 4: Merced to Clovis (Wednesday, February 18, 2009)
Start Time: 11 a.m.
Start Location: City Hall at the intersection of N St. and 18th St. in Merced
Finish Location: Intersection of Bullard Ave. and Pollasky Ave. in Clovis

Stage 4 will introduce two new host cities and the Sierra Mountains to the Amgen Tour of California. With four KOMs ("King of the Mountain" competitions) and several sprints, Stage 4 will be a test for the riders with consistently hilly and technical terrain. From the start in Merced to the finish in Clovis, this stage will be characterized by consistent climbing surrounded by the beautiful mountain scenery. Fans can watch the climbs, always a spectator favorite, at any of the four locations - Hwy 140, twice on Hwy 49 and Crane Valley Road. Coming to a finish in Old Town Clovis, this stage will introduce the beauty of Central California to the Amgen Tour of California.

Stage 5: Visalia to Paso Robles (Thursday, February 19, 2009)
Start Time: 10 a.m.
Start Location: Intersection of Aceqia Ave. and Church St. in Visalia
Finish Location: Intersection of Spring St. and 11th St. in Paso Robles

At more than 130 miles, Stage 5, sponsored by Rabobank, is the longest stage of the race. A new course for the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, Stage 5 will begin with a neutral start of parade laps through Visalia’s downtown area. Once the race wends its way through the start in Visalia, the riders will experience an amazing contrast between the previous day of racing in the Sierra Mountains, as they head through the vast stretch of flat roads on the San Joaquin Valley floor. For the first 100 miles of the stage, the riders will have virtually no protection from the wind, creating a challenging ride. Winding its way back to the coast, the route, which will include two sprints, will pass by vast cattle ranches and farms. Packed full of rolling hills and large horse farms, the final 30-mile run into Paso Robles will be a fast sprint to the finish.

Stage 6: Solvang Individual Time Trial (Friday, February 20, 2009)
Start Time: Noon
Start Location: Intersection of Mission Drive and 1st St.
Finish Location: Copenhagen Dr.

The quaint Danish village of Solvang hosts some of the ProTour teams annually for training camps, as well as some of the largest cycling events in the United States. With the start and finish lines located only one block apart, Stage 6 is an ideal location for spectators to view the race. The route will highlight the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, winding through quaint towns, vineyards, farms, and one short, but steep climb up Ballard Canyon. This year's short, flat and fast time trial will create a challenging test for the riders and is expected to be a decisive day of the race.

Stage 7: Santa Clarita to Pasadena (Saturday, February 21, 2009)
Start Time: Noon
Start Location: Town Center Drive in Santa Clarita
Finish Location: West Drive, alongside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena

The race from Santa Clarita to Pasadena proved to be a difficult one during the final stage of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California, and this year will be no different. The first 25 miles of Stage 7, sponsored by Herbalife, include a gradual climb from Santa Clarita, through Acton, to the intersection of Angeles Forest Road. The route continues uphill, showcasing the beauty of the San Gabriel Mountains, to the second highest elevation ever reached by the Amgen Tour of California on the towering Millcreek Summit (4,906 ft.). Descending with a 15-mile run to Angeles Crest Highway, the route begins a fast plunge to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. After more than 65 miles from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, with the mountains and the Rose Bowl serving as the backdrop, the peloton will complete the stage with five, five-mile laps on a very demanding circuit through the area surrounding the Rose Bowl. This course will provide a challenging, action-packed day leading up to the finale on Sunday.

Stage 8: Rancho Bernardo to Escondido (Sunday, February 22, 2009)
Start Time: Noon
Start Location: Bernardo Center Dr. in Rancho Bernardo
Finish Location: Intersection of Grand Ave. and Broadway in Escondido

With the final stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California as a difficult point-to-point road race, there is a chance to see an overall lead change, as well as a change in the KOM jersey leader on the last day. With four climbs, including the highest point ever reached in the Amgen Tour of California, and two sprints, Stage 8, sponsored by Amgen, can easily be characterized as the most difficult final stage that the Amgen Tour of California has ever seen. The cyclists will have to fight through the very end of the race, due to the addition of Palomar Mountain (5,123 ft.). At 11.7 miles, a seven percent average grade, 4,200 feet of climbing and 21 switchbacks, Palomar Mountain will provide a challenging conclusion to the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Organizers expect a hard sprint to the finish; as with all the Grand Tours of Europe, winning the final stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California is a prize coveted by the riders.

Snap Judgment
Perhaps I am missing something amongst all the excitement surrounding Lance Armstrong’s return to the professional peloton and in the continued growth of the America’s premier stage race, but count me among the disappointed that the originally announced three-day Women’s Stage Race has been reduced to a single criterium.

While we wait on a response from TOC officials as to the reasons why the three-day race was shortened, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat offers a small measure of an explanation, “there was to be three cities that hosted a Women’s Criterium, but San Jose and Sacramento eventually were dropped.”

Again, did I miss something?

There are lesser sponsored and organizationally challenged races on the US Cycling calendar that run full stage races of both genders concurrently, but we are led to believe that two criteriums on streets that are already planned to be closed off for the men’s race can’t be run at an event as large as the Amgen Tour of California.

Whatever the reasons, the sport of women’s cycling will continue to languish behind the men’s if they continue to receive similar treatment. As one commenter put it, “Women's pro cycling in the US will not develop beyond where it is now if we don't offer opportunities to race.”

Photo: Leonard Basobas (Team TIBCO's Brooke Miller - 2008 Amgen Tour of California Women's Criterium Winner)

Rotting Kayle

They say kale is good for you. In the cabbage family, it is known to be "a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties."

Apparently, Kayle Leogrande has never heard of his namesake vegetable as he chose to put other things in his body during his cycling career. He became the latest cyclists to be suspended for doping.

To no one's surprise, Leogrande denied the allegations and claimed he was targeted by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Velonews' Neal Rogers provided the details of Leogrande's case and suspension.

If you're still not swayed by the mountain of evidence against Kayle, then you need only to read between the lines of the reaction by Rock Racing's Owner, Michael Ball; the self-appointed advocate for cyclists against unfair anti-doping practices.

“Whenever a rider is suspended – be it for doping or any disciplinary issue – it brings negative attention to the sport that so many of us are working hard to cast in a positive light.”

“In Kayle’s case, knowing that several of the sport’s governing bodies were also conducting their own investigations, we felt it was not appropriate to prevent him from racing until a verdict was reached. USA Cycling and the UCI did not deny him the right to race. Rock Racing absolutely and unequivocally does not condone doping, but we do respect due process."

“The decision to not re-sign Kayle for the 2009 season had nothing to do with this case. It was based on performance."

Photo: Kyle Kuykendall

On Tap...

In The Pit
The next stop for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup, #9 in the series, is the Ed Brophy Memorial Cross For Life-Emricson Park scheduled for Sunday, November 23 in Woodstock, Illinois. The event will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

For other events in and around your area, consult the listings below.

11/22/2008
Nebraska SOBE No Fear Cyclo-cross Weekend
Lincoln, NE
Wonderland Cyclocross
Lancaster, PA
North Carolina Grand Prix Races #1 and #2
Hendersonville, NC
Superior Cyclocross
Catharpin, VA

11/23/2008
Spring Mountain Cross
Spring Mount, PA
Ed Brophy Memorial Cross For Life-Emricson Park
Woodstock, IL
Cap City Cross State Championship
Upper Arlington, OH
Wisconsin State Cyclocross Championships presented SunRinglé
Hales Corners, WI
Squadra Coppi Tacchino Ciclocross
Leesburg, VA

For results and photos of some of the races above, click through to Truesport.com.


Around The Way
For upcoming cross races in and around specific areas of the country, see below.

11/29/2008
PA State Cyclocross Championships
Allentown, PA

11/30/2008
Bay Area Super Prestige Series #4 - Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA
Murrysville Cyclocross
Murrysville, PA
Trashmore Cross
Virginia Beach, VA
Gene Galindo Memorial Turkey Trot Cross
Glendale, CA

Photo: Luke Seemann

Rock Racing Hires Pevenage, LaPage To Director Positions

Culver City, Calif. — Rock Racing is adding an experienced management structure to its already powerful roster by announcing the hiring of Director Sportif Rudy Pevanage and Assistant Director Laurenzo LaPage.

“Without a doubt, we have two of the most experienced director sportifs that cycling has produced in the last 20 years,” Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball said. “Rudy built a dynasty with the powerful Telekom and T-Mobile teams, while Laurenzo comes to us from Astana, a team that has won three of the past five Grand Tours.”

Pevanage and LaPage are part of an elite group of Belgians who have been successful in management in professional cycling. Joining them on that list are current Astana Director Sportifs Johan Bruyneel and Dirk Demol and former Astana Director Walter Godefroot.

“With these two heading up our team, Rock Racing will have the infrastructure to compete against the very best,” Ball said. “The caliber of riders on the bike will be matched by brilliant leadership behind the scenes.”

Pevanage, 54, followed a successful cycling career of his own with a management career that included stints with Histor (1989), Telekom/T-Mobile (1994-2002) and Coast/Bianchi (2003). He guided Jan Ullrich to victory at the 1997 Tour de France victory and three of his charges swept the podium at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia: Ullrich (gold), Alexander Vinokourov (silver), Andreas Kloeden (bronze).

During his own cycling career from 1976 to 1988, Pevenage won more than two dozen races, including the second stage of the Tour de France in 1980 (on the way to winning the points classification) as well as the team time trial stage of the Giro d’Italia in 1985.

LaPage, 42, helped direct Italian Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team) to victory at the 2005 Giro d’Italia and he was also part of the Discovery Channel staff when Lance Armstrong won his fifth (2003) and sixth (2004) Tours de France. LaPage raced professionally from 1989 to 2002.

Ball said while Rock Racing fans can expect the team’s familiar flamboyant approach in 2009, there will be some changes that are not so noticeable – including a more comprehensive internal anti-doping program.

“We are spending more money this year to hire the best riders and the best staff that go along with being one of the top professional cycling teams in the world,” he said. “We are also investing a lot of time, energy and money in 2009 on increased anti-doping measures through Scott Analytics.”

Rock Racing is the only U.S.-based professional team that has had an internal anti-doping program in place – uninterrupted – since April. The team’s testing program was developed by respected anti-doping researcher and Scott Analytics Founder and President, Paul Scott, who also served as Director of Clients at the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory and Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Agency for Cycling Ethics, Inc.

Snap Judgment
The rumors of Rudy Pevanage's return have finally been substantiated by the Rock Racing hire. Although Pevenage's qualifications, which are as famous as they are infamous, nor his cycling acumen are in question, on the forefront of every one's mind at the moment has to be if and when Pevenage's most prized pupil, Jan Ullrich will shed his standard 6-7 kilos and come out of retirement.

After all, with Michael Ball's flair for the dramatic and his ability to pull rabbits, like a Mario Cipollini, out of the proverbial hat, an Ullrich reappearance wouldn't be that out of the question.

If the German locomotive does decide to don the spandex again, it begs the question, exactly how many riders mentioned along with Operacion Puerto are you allowed to have on one team?

And even if Ullrich never races a bike again, the speculation of such will have been all worth it to Rock Racing's entrepreneurial owner.

McLaughlin and Klug Take Elite Races; Lindsey Wilson College Dominates

By Imelda March

The 8th installment of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup traveled to the southern suburb of the Village of Lansing for the Lan-Oak Cyclocross Race. The course was flat as a pancake. But what the course lacked in elevation, it more than made up for it with multiple twisty sections and a loose sand pit. The trickiest part of the course was the run up to the sand pit. A well placed barrier just before the sand pit forced riders to dismount and quickly remount just before, and sometimes in the sand pit.

This section was promptly renamed “Hecklers Lane” because it was lined with enthusiastic spectators who got more and more “creative” in their support as the race wore on. The group decided to provide the riders with the unofficial “dip for dollars” prime. The “hecklers” placed half-sunk dollar bills into the sand which tempted each passing rider to get creative in their grab for cash.


The course itself was bone dry with no mud in sight since no precipitation had fallen the day before. The weather was partly cloudy with periods of sun through out the race. Temperatures stayed steady in the low 30 degree Fahrenheit; however, as the day progressed things did not get any better because as the wind picked up the thermometer dipped south. By late afternoon a few flurries started falling and embrocating was highly recommended.

Twenty one collegiate riders represented the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference (MWCCC) in which they earned points in their respected categories.

Elite Women
In the Elite Women's race, it was Killjoy vs. Verdigris Custom Homes. The women kept a close watch on each other, but it was a familiar Chicago Cyclocross Cup podium name who took the initiative. Holly Klug (Killjoy) took on the vaunted duo from Verdigris Custom Homes and kept the gas on all the way into the finish. Verdigris Custom Homes teammates, Debbie Dust and June Upshaw rounded out the three-deep podium.


Results - Elite Women
1 Holly Klug (Killjoy)
2 Debbie Dust (Verdigris Custom Homes)
3 June Upshaw (Verdigris Custom Homes)
4 Leah Sanda (Flatlandia)
5 Jessica Hill (Trails End Cycling)
6 Debbie Pielet (Albertos)
7 Lisa Distel
8 Beth Christiansen (xXx Racing - AthletiCo)
9 Sue Semanszczuk (ABD)
10 Gina Kenny (ABD)

Elite Men/Collegiate Men A
The 8th race of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup would be a tale of “two’s;” two fields and two races. A relatively large 25 man field, created by combining the Collegiate Men A with the Elite Men, contested the fast and flat course in the Village of Lansing. The race itself would end up being a story of two men, one who would make the race and the other who would win it.

In the first part of the race, Scott McLaughlin (SRAM) pushed hard to stay ahead of the both the Collegiate and Elite riders. Further back, the Lindsey Wilson College duo of Clayton Omer (below) and Daniel Estevez anxiously waited their turn. Working well together, Omer and Estevez would eventually catch up to McLaughlin.


With a lap and half to go McLaughlin would get dropped by Omer who rode the sandpit cleanly. Clayton Omer (Lindsey Wilson College) would not relinquish the lead and rode to victory in front of the hard working McLaughlin. Despite his second overall, McLaughlin would take the Elite Men’s division; his fourth win of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup series. Kevin Klug (Killjoy) rolled in for third overall, 2nd in the Elite division, followed by Daniel Estevez (Lindsey Wilson College) who earned second in the collegiate segment. They were followed by Brian Conant (Pony Shop) in 5th (3rd in the Elite category) and Derek Lan (Purdue University) in 6th (3rd in the collegiate division).

Results - Elite Men
1 Scott McLaughlin (SRAM; inset)
2 Kevin Klug (Killjoy)
3 Brian Conant (Pony Shop)
4 Tim Boundy (Verdigris Custom Homes)
5 Brad Zoller
6 Brian Dougherty (Verdigris Custom Homes)
7 Eric Sondag (Vision Quest)
8 Lou Kuhn (Pony Shop)
9 Teodoro Ramos (Verdigris Custom Homes)
10 Ara Oggoian (Bicycle Heaven Chicago)

Results - Collegiate Men A
1 Clayton Omer (Lindsey Wilson College)
2 Daniel Estevez (Lindsey Wilson College)
3 Derek Laan (Purdue University; inset)
4 Jonathan Schutter (University of Missouri)
5 Kip Spaude (Lindsey Wilson College)
6 Matthew Dooley (Lindsey Wilson College)
7 Jake Zimmerman (Lindsey Wilson College)
8 Peter Smith (Lindsey Wilson College)

Collegiate Women
Not to be outdone by their men, the women of Lindsey Wilson College likewise came ready to ride. Ashley James (below) and Emily Benson would represent the mountain bike powerhouse located in Columbia, Kentucky. The teammates did more that show up to earn their points, they obliterated the field.


Like their male brethren, the collegiate women were combined with another category, in this case the Category 4 women, which made for a crowded 22 woman field. It quickly became apparent that the Cat 4 field was duly over matched by the three co-eds in the race. Ashley James (Lindsey Wilson College) took immediate command of the race and seemed to open up the throttle with each passing lap. With a lead that would swell to a gargantuan 60 seconds at times, Ashley earned the 80 points with very little difficulty. Ashley, who will be part of Team Kenda’s NRC Elite team for 2009, swept the collegiate weekend that began Saturday at Purdue University. Emily Benson (inset) took 2nd while Rebecca Chan (University of Illinois) took 3rd.

Results - Collegiate Women
1 Ashley James (Lindsey Wilson College)
2 Emily Benson (Lindsey Wilson College)
3 Rebecca Chan (University of Illinois)

Upcoming Events
The next stop for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup is the Ed Brophy Memorial Cross #9 scheduled for Sunday, November 23 in Woodstock, Illinois. This cause event will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Additional information about his race and the series can be found by visiting http://www.chicrosscup.com

Photos: Amy Dykema (first through third, fifth, seventh, eighth); Luke Seemann (fourth); Joe Gaspar (sixth); Paul Forsythe (ninth & tenth)

Twisted Pip - And So It Begins

Each time I get a cycling publication there is something about:

• injury prevention
• greater endurance
• how to gain strength
• how to stay in the zone
• how to maintain an even pedal strokes
• bike and body adjustments
• how to gain core strength
• lactic acid

I have a twisted solution to help you on you way to being the bad ass rider you are meant to be. It is something that cyclist think they can not do. No, it is not riding until your legs fall off, ignoring back pain or making it up the hill of death.

Are you ready…

I am talking about yoga.

It is something that we all know we should do but the excuses flow out of us like a water spout. “I don’t have time,” “I will suck at it,” “isn’t that for girls,” and my favorite “I can’t even touch my toes.”

You gotta let go of your excuses. I realize the thought of your hamstrings ripping off your legs comes to mind as many people think that they need to be flexible to begin yoga. But that's a little bit like thinking that you need to be able to win The Tour in order to start racing.

Let’s start with the first step:

Show up to a class

I feel like my legs are about to explode! I feel my quads tighten…to the point of reminding myself “this is not permanent.” My once dry pigtails are dripping on my back, “this is not permanent” and then the dreaded happens. A river of sweat is mainlined into my eye. There is no way to rub my eyes…at least it made me not think about my legs. With each passing second I try to relax and not fight with my body. With each passing moment I remind myself to breath. As I become aware of my surroundings I hear thumps of music and a calm voice making me push my edge. I am screaming in my head but my face is calm with a slight smile.

"This is not permanent!!!”

Then it ends! I relax my legs, rub my eyes and come back to my breath. Then I am asked to do it again.

"This is not permanent.” Nothing is permanent…good or bad.

Then it finally ends! I roll up my mat and hop on my bike.

I have found two ways to push my edge: yoga and on my bike. For years I avoided yoga. ”Why would I want to sit in a room and….do nothing.” I grew up playing sports: swim team, track, basketball, cross country, soccer, mountaineering climbing and mountain biking. I didn’t have time for “stretching.”

But, I lost a bet and I had to pay up by taking a yoga class. When I walked into the studio I saw people with a “light” about them. I also noticed people had cut arms and strong cores. As the class began my feet settled on to the mat and I felt like I was home. I know what you are thinking, “Are you kidding me…How is that possible???”

Think about the first time you rode…it is the same thing.

It is said the way you react on your mat is the way you react in your life. Your mat (and your bike) will show you the thoughts you have when things are hard. Both will show you that it is easier to relax and let your body figure out where it needs to be. Both are a million times harder if you hold your breath. Both give you moments of no outside world, a place of being in the moment. Both take complete commitment and acceptance of where you are at this moment. Both will force your ego to take a back seat and let you know compassion with others doesn’t mean jack. It only means you’re not focused on what you are doing.


I had told Triplecrankset I would write about yoga and riding, but I dragged it out for a year and a half. I have been teaching yoga for six years; athletes tend to gravitate to my classes. I am flexible as all get out but I understand where and how athletes are tight.

The reason it took me so long to write about riding and yoga????

As my teaching schedule and my personal practice (we call it a practice because it ain’t perfect, plus it sounds cooler) took up my time I became a bendy yogini (female “yogi,” a person who practices yoga) who taught and forgot what it is like to be tight. Over the past year, I have done the reverse. I had my first cyclocross season (talk about ditching your ego), rode 250 miles on my fixie in a 24 hour period, and decided to fully commit to riding.

My views of yoga have changed over the year. It is the perfect partner to riding! When my hips are open I create more power. This is a little teaser of what I want to do. At least twice a month I will give you guys ways to add yoga to your training and focus on certain postures. I would love for all questions, goofy comments and concerns (if you can cruise around in spandex after a ride: YOU CAN DO YOGA! To kick this off, answer the following and send it to me:

1. Can you touch your toes?
2. What is this core thing they speak of???

All right my little yogis…until next time.

Namaste (the inner good in me honors the inner good in you…or my badassness honors your badassness)

Pip

Photos: Mike Hammer (middle)

Races Sought For Nature Valley Pro Ride Calendar

Minneapolis – A national program is offering race promoters the opportunity to send their top amateurs to the 2009 edition of the Nature Valley Grand Prix (Minnesota, June 10-14) to compete against the country’s top men and women professional bicycle racers.

Entering its second year, the “Nature Valley Pro Ride” will select amateur men and women at regional races around the United States to become part of a pair of Nature Valley composite teams for the 11th annual edition of the five-day stage race that begins June 10.

The Nature Valley Grand Prix ranks as one of the premier events on the USA Cycling National Race Calendar (NRC) each year, attracting tens of thousands of cycling enthusiasts, pro athletes and avid recreational riders to Minnesota.

“This is a chance for a race promoter to raise the participation and visibility of their event at no extra cost,” Nature Valley Grand Prix Race Director David LaPorte said. “As for the riders who are selected, they can look forward to racing in front of huge crowds and being treated like a rock star at our event.”

Amateur racers (Category I men and Category 1,2 women) who qualify at a Nature Valley Pro Ride event receive a “battlefield promotion” that earns them free entry to the race, travel stipends, team clothing, housing, ground transportation, and staff support for their composite team.

Races that become part of the Nature Valley Pro Ride schedule can expect an aggressive marketing and media relations campaign, as well as on-site sampling of Nature Valley Granola Bars and complimentary staffing of the booth by company representatives.

“We’re looking for the top regional races who want to take their game to a higher level,” LaPorte said. “We’ll consider road races, criteriums and stage races, as long as they get strong fields. And our promotional programs will make those fields even stronger.”

To be considered for the 2009 Nature Valley Pro Ride, a race must be permitted through USA Cycling and take place no later than June 7. Preference will be given to races that take place between February and mid-May.

Interested promoters must submit their application by Dec. 15. More details and a downloadable application can be found at www.naturevalleyproride.com.

The 2009 Nature Valley Pro Ride schedule will be announced Jan. 5, 2009.

2009 Amgen Tour of California Education Curriculum Released to California Educators

Endorsed by Governor Schwarzenegger, Curriculum for 4th-6th Grade Instruction Contains Lessons to Encourage Students to Practice Bike Safety and Live Healthy Lifestyles

LOS ANGELES – In preparation for the highly anticipated return of the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling road race in February 2009, a specially developed classroom curriculum has been developed for fourth- through sixth-grade students. The educational handbook will be distributed to schools in the 16 California cities that will host the 2009 Amgen Tour of California.

Already considered cycling’s most important and successful road race in the United States, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be expanded to cover more than 800 miles over nine days. The event’s fourth running is scheduled for February 14-22, 2009, and will showcase some of the world’s top professional cycling teams. Traveling almost the entire length of California on a demanding course, the race will begin in the state’s capital, Sacramento, and end in San Diego County for the first time.

Through interactive lessons, the 2009 educational handbook will teach students about the history of cycling and includes bike safety and maintenance tips. Provided to more than 60,000 students, the booklet also provides information about the State of California, including targeted lesson plans that use cycling as a means to teach core subjects.

"We are proud to work with the Amgen Tour of California in bringing you an educational booklet for students in grades four through six," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in his opening note to teachers. “This informative handbook – which includes valuable lessons in bike safety and maintenance, history, geography, science and math – can help make our kids safer, smarter and healthier.”

Classroom activities such as weather charting and word searches allow educators to reach students with engaging material developed specifically to supplement the curriculum of students in grades four through six. The handbook also includes a lesson on world geography, as it relates to cyclists that have participated in the race, math, science and a cycling glossary to help students better understand the intricacies of professional cycling.

"Part of the mission of the Amgen Tour of California is to give back to the communities that we visit," said Andrew Messick, president, AEG Sports, presenter of the race. "We always see such an incredible level of support from young people throughout the state during the race, so we designed this curriculum to further engage young Californians; not only get them excited about cycling, but also educate them on how to lead an active lifestyle and ensure they have the necessary tools to develop healthy habits at a young age."

Host cities along the route will augment the curriculum with exciting activities targeted to students such as drawing, coloring and essay contests; bike safety and other bike-related school assemblies; as well as spirit and participation contests among local schools.

Building on last year's third annual stage race, which attracted 1.6 million spectators, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will visit 16 host cities for official stage starts and finishes, with communities along the route getting the chance to see firsthand a lineup of some of the best and most recognizable teams in the world. Host cities for the nine stages include: Sacramento, Davis (new city for 2009), Santa Rosa, Sausalito, Santa Cruz (new city for 2009), San Jose, Modesto, Merced (new city for 2009), Clovis (new city for 2009), Visalia (new city for 2009), Paso Robles (new city for 2009), Solvang, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, Rancho Bernardo (new city for 2009) and Escondido (new city for 2009).

Snap Judgment
The “Governator” certainly remains one of the more fitness oriented and progressive state leaders of our time. The incorporation of cycling into the educational curriculum is certainly something to be applauded. The interactive handbook is available for both English and Spanish speakers and is a wonderful resource for not only those students in 4th through 6th grades, but for anyone who wants to learn more about cycling and the sport of cycling.

For additional information on the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Storck Delivers for Vanderkitten

Lexington, SC - Storck Bicycle and Vanderkitten Racing have announced a multi-year sponsorship deal that will place the Elite Women’s Team on Storck road bikes beginning with the 2009 racing season.

“Our organization enjoyed a terrific 2008 season and we are confident that 2009 will be even more successful now that we will be riding Storcks”, said Robin Zellner, Managing Director - Vanderkitten Racing.

“We are delighted to be associated with this first rate team and are looking forward to a strong partnership which will benefit both our dealers and consumers”, said Dave Goeppner, GM for Storck in the US.

Liz Hatch and the rest of the -Kittens will make their assault on the
2009 circuit on Storck's Absolutist 0.9 (below)

Vanderkitten Racing was established in 2007 and finished the 2008 season with a first place team ranking in the USA Crits Series. The team has enjoyed immediate success and remarkable popularity. Plans for 2009 include the creation of Vanderkitten Club Teams in various cities across the US. The title sponsor, Vanderkitten, designs cycling apparel and lifestyle clothing for “women who kick ass” and is available direct, via retailers, and through The Hawley Company.
Storck Bicycle is a German brand that has experienced a surge in popularity in the US. Storck has a reputation for making the world’s lightest and stiffest bikes. The brand recently released the new Fenomalist and Absolutist road bikes to rave reviews.

Photo: Kurt Harvey

Rock Racing Announce 2009 Roster

Cooke, Dominguez, Gutiérrez and Mancebo among top names signed

Culver City, Calif. — Rock Racing bolstered its ranks for 2009 with the signings of European specialists Baden Cooke, Francisco Mancebo and José Enrique Gutiérrez, as well as top domestic talents Ivan Dominquez, Glen Chadwick, Chris Baldwin and Caleb Manion.

Rock Racing Owner Michael Ball also announced the re-signing of U.S. National Champions Tyler Hamilton (Road), Rahsaan Bahati (Criterium) and Justin Williams (Under 23 Criterium) as well as stalwarts Oscar Sevilla, Fred Rodriguez and Victor Hugo Peña.


“We have assembled a world class team and acquired a mix of tremendous talent and experience,” said Ball. “We have the strength, depth and tenacity to compete in any race around the globe.”

Rock Racing’s line-up for its third season includes riders from eight different countries who have won stages at all three of cycling’s “Grand Tours” – the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España – as well as multiple national championships.

“Last year was a year of redemption,” Ball said. “Given the opportunity to ride, we proved we were able to win. In 2009, we will continue our winning tradition, and from a branding and fan perspective, be the No. 1 team in the world.”

In 2008, Rock Racing scored 45 victories and 106 podium finishes. Every month brought a new highlight for Rock Racing fans: Santiago Botero won the Redlands Bicycle Classic in April and led a 1-2-3-4 finish in the prologue of the Vuelta a Colombia in May; Sevilla won the second leg of the Triple Crown of Cycling in June at the Reading Classic; Hamilton captured the Tour of Qinghai Lake in July; Bahati (criterium), Williams (Under 23 criterium) and Hamilton (road race) each won national titles in August. In the final two months of the season, the team came away with five medals at the 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships and Sevilla became the first non-Colombian in 48 years to win the RCN Classic.

Among those not returning to Rock Racing for 2009 is Botero, who represented Colombia at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. The 2002 world time trial champion decided to race closer to home following the birth of his daughter earlier this year.

Rock Racing’s 2009 Roster:
Rahsaan Bahati, Chris Baldwin, Alex Boyd, Austin Carroll, Glen Chadwick, Baden Cooke, Michael Creed, Freddy Cruz, Ivan Dominguez, Danny Finneran, Jose Manuel “Chepe” Garcia, Cesar Grajales, José Enrique Gutiérrez, Tyler Hamilton, Sergio Hernandez, Sterling Magnell, Francisco Mancebo, Caleb Manion, Ian Moir, Víctor Hugo Peña, Fred Rodriguez, Oscar Sevilla, David Taner, David Vitoria and Justin Williams.

2009 Rock Racing Riders At A Glance:

Returning:
Rahsaan Bahati (USA) is the reigning U.S. National Criterium Champion and a two-time winner of the Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. The 26-year-old won nine races in 2009, including two stages of the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic.


Austin Carroll (USA) is a track specialist who recently teamed with Guy East in the madison to give the USA Cycling Under 23 developmental program its first major success winning the UIV U-23 Dortmund three-day in Germany. The 21-year-old is also a former Under 23 national champion (2006) in the points race.

Michael Creed (USA) was one of the team’s most dependable stage racers in 2008, winning a hard-fought fourth place on the final stage of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California. The 27-year-old also finished in the top 10 at the U.S. National Time Trial Championships the past three years.

Freddy Cruz (USA) was a member of Rock Racing’s winning National Team Pursuit squad at the 2008 USA Cycling Junior Track National Championships. The 18-year-old went through the Major Motion Cycling developmental program with current Rock Racing teammates Ian Moir and Justin Williams.

Danny Finneran (USA) was a member of Rock Racing’s winning National Team Pursuit squad and was the bronze medalist in the 3 km pursuit at the 2008 USA Cycling Junior Track National Championships. The 18-year-old also finished third at the USA Cycling 17-18 Junior Men’s Criterium Championship.

Cesar Grajales (COL) missed much of the 2008 season with a knee injury sustained at training camp. The 35-year-old did return to racing in May and later won the Gwinnett Bike Fest. In 2004, he beat Lance Armstrong on the tortuous climbing stage up Brasstown Bald at the 2004 Tour de Georgia.

Tyler Hamilton (USA) enjoyed a storybook season in 2008 after nearly retiring from cycling in 2007. The 37-year-old won his first U.S. national road race title by two-thousandths of a second in a thrilling finish a month after winning his first stage race in four years at the Tour of Qinghai Lake in China.

Sergio Hernandez (USA) scored a pair of third-place finishes in his second year as a professional. The 23-year-old joins Rahsaan Bahati, Austin Carroll and Sterling Magnell as third-year riders with Rock Racing in 2009.

Sterling Magnell (USA) enjoyed his most prolific season with five victories in 2008, including two at the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic. The 25-year-old was also a winner of the U.S. National Criterium Pro-Am Challenge a day before helping Rahsaan Bahati earn the national criterium championship in Downers Grove, Ill.

Ian Moir (USA) is a track specialist who finished third in the Madison at the 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships. The 18-year-old is one of three riders on the Rock Racing roster who is under the age of 20.

Victor Hugo Peña (COL) figured prominently for Rock Racing in stage races in 2008 while scoring a victory of his own in the seventh stage of the Vuelta a Colombia in May. The 34-year-old is one of three Rock Racing Riders (joining Tyler Hamilton and Michael Creed) who are former teammates of Lance Armstrong.

Fred Rodriguez (USA) showed no signs of slowing down in his 13th season as a professional in 2008. The 35-year-old finished third at the Commerce Bank International Championship in Philadelphia and was second in the ING Direct Capital Criterium in Washington, D.C.

Oscar Sevilla (ESP) delivered one of Rock Racing’s biggest victories in 2008 by winning the Commerce Bank Reading Classic. The 32-year-old also had a team-high 21 podium finishes, including overall victory at the RCN Classic in Colombia and second in the Spanish national road race championships.

Justin Williams (USA) joined Rock Racing teammates Rahsaan Bahati and Tyler Hamilton as individual national champions when he captured the USA Cycling Under-23 National Criterium Championship. The 19-year-old also excels on the track, where he won three medals at the 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships.

New Signings:
Chris Baldwin (USA) is a two-time U.S. National Time Trial Champion (2003 and 2005) who spent the past three seasons riding for the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team. A stage racing specialist, he has 22 podium finishes to his credit the past two seasons.

Alex Boyd (USA) won the 2007 Collegiate National Road Cycling Championships during his freshman year at Midwestern State University and displayed tremendous potential in nine seasons as an amateur. The 21-year-old raced for Team Waste Management/Racelab U23 in 2008.

Glen Chadwick (NZL) won the Tour of Arkansas and Vuelta Mexico stage races in 2008 while earning King of the Mountain jersey classifications at the Tour de Beauce and the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. The 32-year-old also represented New Zealand at the Summer Olympics and the UCI world road race championships in Italy.

Baden Cooke (AUS) is a past stage and green jersey (sprints) winner at the Tour de France (both in 2003) who has won six stages of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour in his home country of Australia, including one in this year’s edition. The 30-year-old also earned a national championship in 2000 on the track in the Madison.

Ivan Dominguez (CUB) also known as “The Cuban Missle” is considered the top sprinter on the North American circuit. The 32 year old has won stages at all three of the U.S. “grand tours” (California, Georgia and Missouri) while racing for Toyota-United the past three years.

José Manuel “Chepe” Garcia (MEX) is the current Mexican National Time Trial Champion and winner of his country’s National Road Race Championship in 1996. The 35-year-old was a dependable teammate the past two seasons for former Toyota-United (and current Rock Racing) teammates Ivan Dominguez, Chris Baldwin and Caleb Manion.

José Enrique Gutiérrez (ESP) is a climbing and stage racing specialist who has participated in all three of cycling’s “Grand Tours” – finishing second at the Giro d’Italia in 2006 and winning a stage of the Vuelta a España in 2004. The 34-year-old comes to Rock Racing from the L.P.R. Brakes-Ballan squad.

Francisco Mancebo (ESP) won the 2008 Vuelta Chihuahua Internacional in Mexico for the second straight year while riding for the Portugese Fercase-Rota dos Moveis team. The 32-year-old has competed in all three of the “Grand Tours” and was the Spanish National Road Race Champion in 2004.

Caleb Manion (AUS) is one of four riders coming to Rock Racing from Toyota-United where he compiled nine podium finishes in 2008. The 27-year-old won two stages of the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic and the Nalley Historic Roswell Criterium on his way to capturing the overall win at Nalley/King Omnium.

David Tanner (AUS) is a one-day specialist who had nine podium finishes while competing for Barloworld in 2008. The 24-year-old is one of three Australians on the Rock Racing roster (all new to the team in 2009).

David Vitoria (SWI) compiled 10 podium finishes in 2008 while riding for the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia team. The 24-year-old also won a stage and briefly led the Under 23 version of the Vuelta a España. In 2007, he raced for the BMC Cycling Team.

Photos: Vero Image (first through third); Leonard Basobas (fourth)