2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic - Stage 3 - Powers Wins Final Stage For Team Type 1, Colavita's Wamsley Solos

Redlands, Calif. — Alison Powers delivered a monumental victory for Team Type 1 Sunday on the final stage of the 25th edition of the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

The Boulder, Colo., resident jumped away in the final 500 meters and held off the charging pack in the Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race to score Team Type 1’s first National Race Calendar win in the brief history of the women’s professional squad.

“Coming into this race, I was pretty much happy to defend my third place overall because I have never been on the podium in a big race,” Powers said. “But there was the opportunity today and I took it. These corners are my specialty and I knew I needed to go early through them. So when we turned that corner, I thought if I had a chance to win, I needed to go.”

Team Type 1 Director Sportif Jack Seehafer, Kori Seehafer's husband, was equally as excited as Powers afterwards, calling the victory a “total surprise.” In addition to registering the Team Type 1 women’s 13th win of the season, Powers finished third overall in the four-day race that is the first event of the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series (WPCS).

“I never saw this one coming,” Seehafer said. “Ina Teutenberg (of Team Columbia-Highroad) is the one you’d expect to win this stage because she is the best sprinter right now. But Kori gave Alison the advice of what not to do and how not to break her collarbone like Kori did in this race two years ago.”

Kori finished fifth on the final stage and earned the WPCS sprint leader’s jersey while Powers became the series’ first leader.

Teutenberg, who won two stages on the way to taking the overall victory in the four-day event, is not eligible to wear the WPCS orange leader’s jersey because Team Columbia- Highroad did not register for the series. Neither did the team of Redlands runner-up Amber Neben (Nürnberger Shoair), who was overtaken by Teutenberg on the final stage to finish one second behind in the overall standings.

Jack Seehafer said Team Type 1’s other riders in Sunday’s race – Jacquelyn Crowell, Veronica Leal and Samantha Schneider – each made key contributions during the challenging 65.7-mile (105.7 km) race on an undulating circuit.

“Veronica and Jackie chased back twice to get back to help Alison and Kori,” Seehafer said. “That was what we needed – to have everyone step up a level – and they did it.”

Powers finished 27 seconds behind Teutenberg in the final standings while Kori Seehafer was 14th, 1:30 behind. Crowell was 24th, 6:38 back; Leal was 28th, 7:32 behind, and Schneider finished 78th, 1:20:27 back. Team Type 1’s sixth rider in the race, Morgan Patton, did not finish Friday’s road race after suffering a pair of flat tires. She is one of two riders on the women's team who has Type 1 diabetes.

Team Type 1 is the world’s only professional cycling team with athletes who have Type 1 diabetes. It was formed in 2004 by Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge, a pair of avid cyclists with Type 1 diabetes who are now professionals on the men’s team.

Southerland made a congratulatory phone call to Powers after the win — the 63rd overall in the two-year history of the Team Type 1 professional cycling program whose primary sponsor is Sanofi-Aventis. The company makes long-acting insulin Lantus® and rapid-acting insulin Apidra®.

“You bring dynamic leadership to the team,” Southerland told Powers during the call from his home in Atlanta. “To win a big race like this on a national level is just awesome."

Joanne Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO) and Nikki Butterfield (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) would round out the podium.


Stage 3 Results - Women
1. Alison Powers (Team Type 1)
2. Joanne Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO)
3. Nikki Butterfield (Webcor Builders Cycling Team)

Overall Classification - Women
1. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Team Columbia Highroad)
2. Amber Neben (Nürnberger Shoair)
3. Alison Powers (Team Type 1)
4. Mara Abbott (Team Columbia Highroad)
5. Katheryn Mattis (Webcor Builders Cycling Team)
6. Lauren Tamayo (Team TIBCO)
7. Kristin Sanders (Value Act Capital)
8. Alex Wrubleski (Team Columbia Highroad)
9. Meredith Miller (Team TIBCO)
10. Christina Ruiter (Value Act Capital)

In the men's race, the wearer of the Redlands Bicycle Classic Best Sprinter's jersey, Kyle Wamsely (Colavita-Sutter Home), took the final stage in un-sprinter like fashion as he easily soloed to the victory. Wamsley broke away late from a depleted peloton to claim his first NRC victory of the 2009 season. Kirk Carlsen (Garmin-Holoweko Partners-Felt) and Jacob Erker (Kelly Benefit Strategies) would finish in second and third, respectively.

For his efforts in the opening day's Prologue, fifth, and on Stage 1 in Beaumont, where he claimed the victory, BMC Racing's Jeff Louder took the overall title of the 25th Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Stage 3 Results - Men's
1. Kyle Wamsley (Colavita Sutter Home)
2. Kirk Carlsen (Garmin-Holoweko Partners-Felt)
3. Jacob Erker (Kelly Benefit Strategies)

Overall Classification - Men's
1. Jeff Louder (BMC Racing Team)
2. Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling)
3. Ben Day (Fly V Australia/Successful Liv)
4. Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team)
5. Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling)
6. Rory Sutherland (OUCH p/b Maxxis)
7. Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing)
8. Will Routley (Jelly Belly)
9. Jacob Erker (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
10. Kiel Reijnen (Jelly Belly)

Some materials used for this post courtesy of Team Type 1

Photos: VeloImages

Team Type 1's Seehafer Eyes Sprint Jersey; Powers Maintains Third

Redlands, Calif. — Kori Seehafer (above) didn't set out to go after the sprint jersey Saturday at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

The Team Type 1 rider said she was only taking advantage of a tremendous lead-out by teammate Jacqueline Crowell on the first of three special point sprints during the hour-long City of Redlands Criterium through the streets of Downtown Redlands.

"In the first one, Jackie did a lead-out for me, so I felt responsible to sprint,” Seehafer said. “I wasn’t sure what the point standings where and wasn’t aiming for the jersey at the beginning of the race, but I thought that if I won all of them today I might wear the sprint jersey.”

The Louisville, Colo., resident did win all three of the sprints but came up two points short of earning the special green jersey that goes to the sprint classification winner. That jersey stays on the shoulders of Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Team Columbia-Highroad), who maintained her lead in the competition by earning her second straight stage victory.

Team Type 1 placed three riders in the top 20 on Saturday’s Stage 2: Alison Powers was fifth, Samantha Schneider was 11th and Seehafter was 17th.

“Alison’s plan was to be attentive and watch for any kind of moves where she could get extra time in on Amber,” Team Type 1 Director Jack Seehafer said. “One of the big things in this criterium was to be up front where it’s safe.”

Powers maintains her third place overall, 38 seconds behind Amber Neben (Nurnberger Shoair) and 36 seconds behind second-placed Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Team Columbia-Highroad). Team Columbia-Highroad’s Mara Abbott is only two seconds behind Powers heading into Sunday’s extremely challenging Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race. The 65.7-mile (105.7 km) race covers nine laps of an undulating circuit.

Despite Seehafer’s lack of points for a top-five finish Saturday, she stands only two points out of the lead in the sprints competition. Two years ago at this race, she won the green jersey and finished seventh overall despite crashing hard in the final hundred meters of the last stage.

“In the past, I’ve won the points jersey, and I thought I would at least try,” Seehafer said, “but in the past, this race didn’t have points on the line for the finish.”

The only points on the line Sunday come at the finish line (seven for first, five for second, three for third, two for fourth and one for fifth). But Seehafer, who had questions about her fitness coming into the race, is performing beyond her expectations, her husband, Jack, said.

“She’s coming along really quick,” he said. “She was saying she was two months behind schedule is a little bit different from everybody else being two months behind schedule.”

Material used for this post are courtesy of Team Type 1

Photo: VeloImages

2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic - Stage 2 – Two For Teutenberg and BMC

Redlands, CA — With a Prologue time trial, and a Circuit Race already in their legs, the top flight women’s and men's fields tackled a criterium in downtown Redlands for Stage 2 of the 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic. The 1.2 mile course proved to be challenging for both fields, but in the end more than a few familiar names came to the forefront.

For the second day in a row, Team Columbia Highroad’s Ina Teutenberg took the win with Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home) and Webcor Builders Cycling Team’s Gina Grain right on her heels.

The field thinned halfway through the race with two distinct groups emerging, separated from each other by half a lap. Teams worked together with one eye focused on the stage win and the other on the overall and the Stage 3 Sunset Road Race. “I didn’t go for points today,” said Teutenberg. “I wasn’t allowed to attack because I needed to save my energy for tomorrow. It is very hard to pass people here. If you come around the corner second wheel, you will end second wheel.”

Despite back-to-back victories, Teutenberg sits in second to Amber Neben (Nürnberger Shoair) in the overall standings.

Stage 2 Results - Women
1. Ina Teutenberg (Team Columbia HighRoad)
2. Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light)
3. Gina Grain (Webcor Builders)

Images

Like the women’s race, the men would also welcome consecutive victors to the podium. But in this case, it would be the same team rather than the same rider as BMC Racing’s Jackson Stewart claimed the Stage 2 Criterium ahead of Andrew Pinfold and Brent Bookwalter. Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling) and Rory Sutherland (OUCH presented by Maxxis) took 4th and 5th respectively. Jackson's teammate Jeff Louder, the previous day's victor, retained the overall lead.

Stage 2 Results - Men
1. Jackson Stewart (BMC Racing Team)
2. Andrew Pinfold (OUCH presented by Maxxis)
3. Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team)

Images

For more information, including race times, distances, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.redlandsclassic.com.

Team Type 1’s Powers Climbs To Third At Redlands

Redlands, Calif. — Team Type 1’s Alison Powers climbed into third place overall following a wind-swept afternoon of racing Friday at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Powers finished seventh in the 72-mile (116 km) women’s race that comprised three laps of a 24-mile (39 km) circuit around Beaumont, Calif. On the final time up the climb through Bogart County Park, only 30 of the 138 starters made the decisive split – including Powers and Team Type 1 teammate Kori Seehafer.

But the sustained 30 mph winds ­– with gusts up to 45 mph – wreaked further havoc on the small group as it made its way toward the finish in downtown Beaumont. The runner-up in Thursday’s prologue, Mara Abbott (Team Columbia-Highroad), was one of those left behind and forced to chase.

The 12-second gap between the front group of 15 and the rest of the field allowed Powers to move up one spot on the overall classification. The Boulder, Colo., resident is now 37 seconds behind race leader Amber Neben (Nurnberger Shoair). Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Team Columbia-Highroad), the winnner of Friday’s race, is second overall, 14 seconds behind Neben.

“Holy cow, was it ever windy,” Powers said. “But it was cool, too, because the girls raced their bikes today. I haven’t raced many road races in the U.S. recently so it was cool to see aggressive racing. Team Tibco was very active the first lap. It was a really hard race.”

In addition to Powers’ seventh place, Seehafer finished 14th after figuring in a five-rider breakaway for the better part of a lap. Other Team Type 1 finishers were Jacquelyn Crowell (31st, 1:24 behind), Veronica Leal (43rd, 2:14 behind) and Samantha Schneider (74th, 13:05 behind).

Team Type 1’s Morgan Patton, the only rider with Type 1 diabetes in the race, was riding in a chase group on the first lap when a crash forced her off the road. Her detour through the dirt flatted her tires and ultimately led to her withdrawal from the race.

Saturday’s stage is an hour-long criterium in downtown Redlands, beginning at 1:15 p.m. The race concludes Sunday with the 65-mile (108 km) Sunset Road Race.

Materials used for this post are courtesy of Team Type 1

Photo: VeloImages

2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic - Stage 1 – Teutenberg, Louder Blow Through Field

Redlands, CA — This past Friday, top national and international racers took to the streets of Beaumont, California for Stage 1 of the 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic (RBC). Despite prevalent winds that battered both women’s and men’s fields, causing some to jokingly rename the city “Blowmont,” racing was fast and furious.

The day’s events started with an 18-mile Handcycle race through the downtown area. With nearly double the number of athletes participating, the 2009 edition at the Redlands Bicycle Classic once again kicked off the eight-round U.S. Handcycling Series. Nearly thirty handcyclists, including Carlos Moleda, a former Navy SEAL and Ironman world record holder (wheel chair athlete); Monica Bascio a former world handcycling champion (2002) and 2-time U.S. National Handcycling Champion; David Randall the defending U.S. Handcycling Series overall champion (long-seat); Erica Davis defending RBC champion (women’s division); Matt Updike former 2-time U.S. National Handcycling champion and 2008 Olympic Team member; and Scott McNeice winner of the 2008 RBC and defending U.S. Handcycling Series champion (knee-seat), battled over three days of racing, which began with an uphill time trial last Thursday, March 26th.

Harold Bostick would take the men’s competition, while Monica Bascio was the class of the women’s field.

Handcycle Results - Men
1. Harold Bostick
2. Matt Updike
3. David Randall

Handcycle Results - Women
1. Monica Bascio
2. Erica Davis
3. Katie Terry

The Stage 1 Circuit Race took place over a 22.3-mile loop that the men completed four times and the women three.

In past editions, the courses long leg stretches usually featured fast-paced sprints, but the wind turned the race into a chess match. “The hills on the course hurt, but the wind was more challenging,” said Ina Teutenberg (Team Columbia Highroad). “You really have to be mentally alert because there could be a breakaway at any minute and you can’t let it get away from you.”

Teutenberg was especially attentive on the day and took the win ahead of Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) and Team TIBCO’s Lauren Tamayo. Tamayo’s teammates, Kat Carroll and Meredith Miller would slide into 4th and 5th position, respectively.

Stage 1 Results – Women
1. Ina Teutenberg (Team Columbia Highroad)
2. Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light)
4. Lauren Tamayo (Team TIBCO)

Images

In the men’s race, a group of four decided the outcome. BMC Racing’s Jeff Louder would throw his hands up in victory as he powered past his three breakaway companions.

"It was a windy day, so sometimes it felt like you were riding straight into a wall," said Louder. "There was a low downhill drive and I knew if we got down there and pushed it, it should work out, and it did. Overall this was a really tactical race. You don't see a lot of these types of races in America, so it was good to be a part of it."

Will Routley (Jelly Belly) and Peter Stetina (Garmin-Holoweko Partners-Felt) would round out the podium. Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) and Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita Sutter Home) would finish in 4th and 5th, respectively.

Stage 1 Results - Men
1. Jeff Louder (BMC Racing)
2. Will Routley (Jelly Belly)
3. Peter Stetina (Garmin-Holoweko Partners-Felt)

Images

Next: Stage Two – Criterium (1.2 mile course) Redlands, CA

Neben, Day Set Early Pace In Redlands Prologue

Amber Neben and Ben Day Pull Out All The Stops At The Prologue Of The 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic

Redlands, CA — Ben Day (Fly V Australia Team presented by The Successful Living Foundation) and Amber Neben (Team Nurnberger/Sho-Air) conducted a time trialing clinic in their respective fields over the 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic 5km Prologue course.

Neben showed off the form that earned her the World Time Trial Championship last year as she absolutely blitzed the Women's field. She would post an incredible mark of 10:40.67; over 25 seconds faster than her next closest competitor. Team Columbia - Highroad teammates, Mara Abbott and Ina Teutenberg, would slot in at second and third respectively, posting finishing times within a single second of each other at 11:07.55 and 11:07.84. Rounding out the top five was Team Type 1's Alison Power (11:18.50) and Katheryn Mattis of Webcor Builders Cycling (11:42.15).

In the men’s race, Ben Day continued his winning ways carrying over the form the brought him a stage win and the overall victory at the San Dimas Stage Race last week. Day scorched over the technical and demanding course in a time of 9:19.88. Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing) and Tom Zirbel (Bissell Professional Cycling) rounded out the podium with times of 9:23.42 and 9:26.13 respectively. Coming in at fourth and fifth were Rock Racing's Chris Baldwin (9:28.44) and Bookwalter's teammate, Jeff Louder (9:31.68).

Next: Stage 1 - Circuit Race (38.94km course) - Beaumont, CA
With a challenging Stage 1 in front of the riders tomorrow, both Nurnberger/Sho-Air and Fly V Australia presented by The Successful Living Foundation may find it difficult to control the peloton and defend their respective race leader's jersey.

Bausch & Sparks Unite To Empower Cyclists

Veteran coaches join forces to provide Olympic-level coaching for athletes of all abilities uniquely utilizing a methodology that stresses mind & body balance

They’ve raced at the highest level and coached athletes who have competed at the highest level. Now Dotsie Bausch and Andy Sparks have united to form Empower Coaching Systems that will create customized training programs for cyclists of all abilities – from professionals, Olympians, World Champions and National Champions to amateur racers, weekend warriors and newbies. Together the dynamic duo will coach each athlete providing a unique, dualistic fusion of guidance specifically tailored to the individual that will be rooted in fostering the development of mind and body symmetry that can be applied both on the bike and beyond.

Empower Coaching Systems, whose client list includes two-time World Champion and Olympian Sarah Hammer, World Champion and two-time Olympian Jennie Reed and National Champions Jimmy Watkins, Chris DeMarchi and Sonia Ross, will strive to provide the highest quality of service no matter what level the athlete rides in the belief that everyone should have access to Olympic-level coaching to aid in reaching their full potential. Driven to watch their clients achieve their goals, ECS aims to establish the premiere standard of coaching services in the cycling industry. In addition to the innovative physical training regimen they will design as part of each client’s Victory Plan, their methodology includes focusing on sports psychology and meditation. Three levels of Victory Plans – Victory Fitness, Victory Performer and Victory Racer - are available based upon the commitment, goals and budget of the cyclist. Every coaching package provides unlimited access to the coaches via phone and/or email. Although Bausch and Sparks are based in Southern California, they will coach cyclists from all over the globe as they have done successfully in their individual coaching businesses prior to forming their partnership.

Twice named USA Cycling’s Coach of the Year and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track Cycling coach, Sparks said, “The Empower Coaching Systems training methodologies, which emphasize both mental and physical performance, have achieved three World Championships titles in the past three years. As a coach who has developed riders at all levels, I believe that for athletes to fully maximize their ability, they should have Olympic-level coaching and an Olympic-level performance team. That is what we provide at Empower Coaching Systems. We deliver the same level of technology and research, and the same knowledge, intensity and focus that the top privileged athletes in the world receive. In addition, our methodologies have proven to have an enormous impact on the lives of our clients beyond their bicycles. We feel that achieving our clients’ goals begins with building winning attitudes that carry over to all aspects of our athletes’ lives.” Cyclists under Sparks’ guidance have won 15 World Cup medals and a trophy case full of National Championships.

A former National Champion and a Pan Am Championships gold medal winner, Bausch is in her eighth year of racing professionally and has been coaching for five years. She was a member of the U.S. National Team and has competed in the biggest races around the world for professional teams including T-Mobile, Colavita-Sutter Home and Jazz Apple, her present squad. “While our hope is to grow Empower Coaching Systems into a large on-line training facility with multiple coaches offering an array of ideas, innovative thinking and brazenly developed training programs, our coaches will always be committed to providing first-class service of unrivaled quality that will cater to dynamic and diverse individuals who demand the best from their coaches,” declared Bausch. “Andy and I possess a deep love of personal coaching and have experienced great successes with our athletes. We are excited to bring together our shared beliefs and values and approach the athlete/coach dynamic differently than anyone has before. Our approach is cutting-edge and we firmly believe in its genesis and its mission.”

Bausch also hopes that the Empower Coaching Systems’ website will blossom into an “Empower Culture” destination. “I want the site to be a place that people visit regularly and utilize as a helpful and informative resource. We’ll be posting new tips frequently in the Recovery section. Each month, the coaches will select an ‘Athlete of the Month.’ In our blog, we’ll post photos, news and the latest findings from our cutting-edge research. We’d love for the site to be like a coaching café with an abundance of information to help guide and inspire our athletes.”

2009 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series Kicks Off With Redlands

The 2009 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series Kicks Off This Week With The Redlands Bicycle Classic

Minneapolis, MN - The 2009 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series gets underway this week with the Redlands Bicycle Classic, the traditional opener for this women-only national series. Roster changes and changes in the Series schedule will add to the drama in this Series as it enters its sixth year.

“Women’s racing is alive and well”, said Redlands Race Director Dan Rendler. “Our women’s field is the largest we have had in years with the who's who of women's cycling.”


Katherine “Kat” Carroll (above), the 2008 defending champion for the Individual and Sprint classifications, returns to the Series, but will be riding for a new team. Carroll has joined Team TIBCO, a team that has added considerable firepower for the 2009 season. Last year’s Redlands champion, Alex Wrubleski (Columbia High Road), is again a threat to win this race. She claimed all three Series jerseys at Redlands last year while riding for Webcor, but then lost them when she missed subsequent Series events during her Olympic preparation. However, her 2009 team, Columbia High Road, hasn’t registered for the Series and so she may not be able to repeat this impressive feat.

Carroll’s defense of the Sprinter’s jersey may be under more threat since Colavita’s Tina Pic will be at Redlands this year. Pic, who topped the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar rankings for the fifth time in 2008 and has five US National Criteium wins to her credit, is a fearsome sprinter who missed Redlands in 2008.

The leading candidate for Best Young Rider appears to be Pic’s Colavita teammate Tiffany Cromwell, who finished second in this competition last year. Lauren Tamayo (nee’ Franges, Team TIBCO) will be present, but, at the ripe old age of 26, no longer qualifies for this competition. Cromwell may be challenged by Team Type 1’s Samantha Schneider and the Webcor duo of Amy Dombroski and Rebecca Much, who finished fifth through seventh in 2008’s Series Young Rider competition.

The Series team competition is a harder call. With the addition of individual favorite Kat Carroll, Team TIBCO seems to have the edge. However, the Series rules give bonus points for performances by Young Riders, and that could tip things in favor of Webcor Cycling if their three U26 riders do well. Webcor, who had dominated the Series team competition for three consecutive years, took a commanding lead at Redlands in 2008, then slipped to third after the Nature Valley Grand Prix before being eliminated from the Series when they missed the grand finale, the Presbyterian Hospitals Invitational. With the Series returning to its historical format of all stage races, Webcor is expected to finish the Series this year.

After the Redlands Bicycle Classic, the 2009 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series will continue at the Joe Martin Stage Race (May 7 – 10) followed by the Nature Valley Grand Prix (June 10 – 14) and then the grand finale will be held at the Cascade Cycling Classic (July 22 – 26).

Photo: Leonard Basobas

Thorburn To Be Honored At 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic

The 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic Names Christine Thorburn as the 2009 ‘Legends Award’ Recipient

Redlands, CA — In the world of professional cycling, there are legendary feats and there are legendary riders. Few, if any, ever attain the stature of the latter, but Christine Thorburn can certainly be classified among their ranks.

Thorburn’s dedication and self motivation represent the true essence of professional cycling; along with personal sacrifice and unrelenting determination Thorburn did everything right to leave an enduring impression on the sport. For her efforts she will be recognized by The Redlands Bicycle Classic Organizing Committee and honored as the recipient of the 2009 ‘Legends Award’.

As one of a few American cyclists to experience success on the world stage, Thorburn’s palmares include a silver medal at the 2005 Pan Am Games; two top five finishes at the UCI World Championships, including a bronze medal; as well as five others medals from U.S. National Championship competition.

Locally, Thorburn created some indelible memories with a victory in the 2005 edition of the Redlands Bicycle Classic, and a US National Time Trial Championship the year prior in Redlands. The latter helped solidify her spot on the 2004 US Olympic team.

Along with her legendary race results, Thorburn is equally, if not more so, accomplished off her bicycle. A graduate of the Stanford University School of Medicine, the Davenport, Iowa native is a well established Rheumatologist in the Palo Alto area. It was this balance and display of commitment that caught the attention of the Redlands Bicycle Classic Organizing Committee and ultimately awarded her the 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic ‘Legends Award’.

Thorburn was touched by the honor of being chosen as the 2009 ‘Legends Award’ recipient. “I am incredibly honored to be awarded the 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic ‘Legends Award’,” said Thorburn. “There are so many amazing athletes and individuals who have raced Redlands over the 25 years of its existence that I do not feel particularly special among them. The list of winners reads as a ‘who's who’ in North American road cycling.”

Race Director Dan Rendler shared his own excitement with the RBC Organizing Committees’ choice for the 2009 ‘Legends Award’ and said, “Christine is an excellent ambassador for the sport of professional cycling. I have had the pleasure of getting to know her over the past several years and found her to be an athlete and person of high integrity with exceptional character on and off her bicycle; she is well deserving of this award, my family and I wish her the best as she transitions into the next phase of her life.”

Thorburn continued her sentiments for the Redlands area by saying “Redlands has been a special place for me since my first visit in 2004. The volunteers and host families make the RBC so much more than a bike race – it feels like my home away from home. Thank you for this amazing honor as I transition from my cycling career to the next phase of my life.”

For more information, including race times, distances and volunteer opportunities, visit www.redlandsclassic.com.

Photo: USA Cycling

Team Type 1 Women Debut At Redlands

Redlands, CA – The Team Type 1 women’s professional team makes its debut Thursday at the 25th edition of the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

The eight-rider squad (six of whom will compete in Redlands, Calif.) is part of a larger program whose mission is to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes. In addition to the women’s and men’s professional teams, there are two teams for the Race Across America (Team Type 1 and Team Type 2), a triathlon team and a developmental squad.

Two riders on the women’s pro team – Monique Hanley and Morgan Patton – have Type 1 diabetes. They must closely monitor their blood sugar level because their bodies do not naturally produce insulin.

Women’s Director Sportif Jack Seehafer said one of the team’s primary goals is to get Hanley and Patton onto the podium throughout the year.

“We also want to show that we have put together a great team and that every rider has that potential,” Seehafer said. “My expectations are few, but they will be demanding.”

Patton will be joined at Redlands by Jacqueline Crowell, Veronica Leal, Alison Powers, Samantha Schneider and Kori Seehafer. Powers is the reigning national time trial champion and a former national-level ski racer, while Seehafer (the spouse of the team director) has won stages at virtually every women’s stage race in the United States and is an accomplished criterium racer.

Jen McRae, the eighth member of the team and the winner of the USA CRIT Finals last year in Las Vegas, will join Hanley in sitting out the second event on the women’s National Race Calendar.

The Redlands Classic consists of a 3.1-mile (5 km) individual time trial Thursday, a 72-mile (116 km) circuit race Friday, an hour-long criterium on Saturday and a 65-mile (107 km) road race on Sunday. Team Type 1 is one of 21 women’s teams in the race.

Materials used for this post are from a TT1 Press Release

Photo: Marco Quezada Photography

2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic To Feature Top National and International Racers

Redlands, CA — A full house is expected in both the Men’s and Women’s fields at the Prologue starting line of the 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic on Thursday March 26th. With more than 200 men and nearly 150 women, the 2009 edition promises to be one of the finest in the race’s history.

“Not only is this one of the largest number of entrants we’ve had for both the men’s and women’s fields, but it’s also one of the most prestigious,” said Race Director Dan Rendler. “The women’s field reads as a ‘who’s-who’ of female cycling, while the men’s field features 11 of the 13 registered UCI Continental teams!”

Some of the prominent names in the women’s field that will be scorching the streets of Redlands include Laura Van Gilder (Velo Classic Tours presented by Incycle.com), Amber Neben (Nurnberger Shoair), Ina Teutenberg, Mara Abbott, Kim Anderson, Emilia Fahlin, and Alex Wrubleski (Team Columbia-High Road), Alison Powers (Team Type 1), Brooke Miller and Kat Carroll (Team TIBCO), Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light), and Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders Cycling Team). Among those names are no less than five current national champions, one current world champion, the current NRC champion and over 20 race wins between them in 2008 alone.

The men’s field is a proven and accomplished bunch that could line up for any European race. It is highlighted by stand out performers such as Rahsaan Bahati and Justin Williams (Rock Racing), Jeff Louder and Scott Nydam (BMC Racing), Andy Bajadali and Neil Shirley (Kelly Benefit Strategies), Chris Wherry (Team Hotel San Jose), Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling), and Pat McCarty, Floyd Landis and Rory Sutherland (OUCH presented by Maxxis). The list includes two current national champions; a Tour of California KOM Jersey winner; a two-time NRC Champion; former RBC stage and GC winners; the recipients of the Most Aggressive Riders Jersey at both the Tour de Georgia and Tour of California; the 2008 Carroll King Sportsmanship Award winner and former US National Road Champion, not to mention the winner of the 2006 edition of the Tour of California, Paris-Nice, and the Tour de Georgia.

Preliminary Women’s Team Rosters
Canadian National Cycling Team
Karol-Ann Canuel, Joanie Caron, Carolyn Cartmill, Veronique Labonte, Joelle Numainville, Sarah Stewart, Jenny Trew, Alyssa Weininger

Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light
Kelly Benjamin, Tiffany Cromwell, Andrea Dvorak, Rachel Heal, Heather Logan, Stacy Marple, Tina Pic, Nicky Wangsford

DFT presented by Treads
Marisa Asplund, Linsey Bradshaw-Sandoval, Monique Hein, Megan Hottman, Karla Kingsley, Tiffany Pezzulo, Liza Rachetto

Kahala LaGrange
Betsy Bloom, Kathryn Donovan, Anna Drakulich, Erika Graves, Morgan Kapp, Kristen LaSasso, Beatriz Rodriguez, Melinda Weiner

Metro Volkswagen Cycling
Ashley Anderson, Casey Gale, Shannon Koch, Coryn Rivera, Whitney Schultz, Andrea Wilson

Metromint Cycling
Gabriela Ferrat, Anny Henry, Annie Malouin, Amy McGuire, Yuki Nakamura, Jane Robertson, Amanda Seigle, Stacy Sims

Nurnberger Shoair
Lana Atchley, Anne Guzman, Lauren Hall, Romy Kasper, Marie Lindberg, Amber Neben, Madeleine Sandig

Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus
Kathryn Bertine, Marilyn McDonald, Melanie Meyers, Heather Sborz, Maggie Williams

Team BC
Andrea Bunin, Marie-Claude Gagnon, Leah Guloien, Heather Kay, Moriah McGregor, Gillian Moody, Leslie Vice

Team Columbia - Highroad
Mara Abbott, Kim Anderson, Emilia Fahlin, Ina Teutenberg, Alex Wrubleski

Team Lip Smackers
Hilary Billington, Toni Bradshaw, Kacey Manderfield, Kate Ross, Carla Swart, Anna Young

Team Squadra Swami's
Nicole Brandt, Anna Gerber, Kelli Jones, Shoshauna Laxson, Catherine Robertson-Goodkin, Jennifer Weinbrecht, Tamara Wildgoose

Team TIBCO
Julie Beveridge, Katharine Carroll, Jo Kiesanowski, Meredith Miller, Amber Rais, Emma Rickards, Alison Starnes, Lauren Tamayo

Team Type 1
Jacquelyn Crowell, Veronica Leal, Morgan Patton, Alison Powers, Samantha Schneider, Kori Seehafer

Touchstone Climbing
Sarah Bamberger, Ruth Clemence, Olivia Dillon, Cara Gillis, Maria Monica, Megan Rathwell, Kristina Seley

Value Act Capital Cycling Team
Sharon Allpress, Nicole Evans, Robin Farina, Leah Goldstein, Martina Patella, Christina Ruiter, Kristin Sanders, Emily Zell

Vanderkitten Racing
Laura Bowles, Elizabeth Hatch, Melodie Metzger, Jennifer Reither, Melissa Sanborn, Jennifer Wilson

Velo Classic Tours presented by Incycle.com
Kathleen Billington, Jacqueline Cohen, Laura Hines, Lisa Turnbull, Laura Van Gilder

Veloforma / Zym
Becka Hartkop, Melisa McWhirther, Miranda Moon, Susan Peithman, Alice Pennington, Sabrina Savage, Robin Secrist, Christina Smith

Webcor Builders Cycling Team
Nikki Butterfield, Amy Dombroski, Gina Grain, Janel Holcomb, Katheryn Mattis, Rebecca Much, Alexis Rhodes, Erinne Willock

Wines of Washington
Tracie Akerhielm, Lori Barrett, Rachel Byus, Kimberly Fong, Gina Kavesh, Lindsey Myers, Jen Purcell, Jadine Riley

Preliminary Men’s Team Rosters
Bissell Pro Cycling
Howard Graham, Ben Jacques-Maynes, Andy Jacques-Maynes, Kirk Obee, Frank Pipp, Burke Swindlehurst, Jeremy Vennell, Tom Zirbel

BMC Racing Team
Chad Beyer, Brent Bookwalter, Steve Bovay, Jeff Louder, Scott Nydam, Florian Stalder, Jackson Stewart, Taylor Tolleson

Bobs Bicycles.com
Tad Hamilton, Chris Hong, Ben Kneller, Brandon Lynch, Kevin Rowe, Erik Slak, Chris Stuart

California Giant-Specialized
Jared Barrilleaux, Dirk Copeland, Justin England, James Mattis, Jesse Moore, Osvaldo Olmos, Mark Santurbane, Adam Switters

Champion Systems Racing
Alberto Blanco, Chad Butts, Wendy Cruz, Gavriel Epstein, Vladimir Sanchez Estevez, Euris Vidal Paulino, Rodney Santiago, Wilson Vasquez

Colavita Sutter Home
Anibar Borrajo, Alesandro Borrajo, David Frattini, Andy Guptill, Lucas Sebastian Haedo, Aaron Olson, Luis Romero Amaran, Tyler Wren

DLP Racing
Tiago Depaula, Steven Gordon, Tim Henry, Boyd Johnson, Alder Martz, Scott Tietzel

Empire Cycling Team presented by Northwave
Alexander Bremer, James Gunn-Wilkerson, Matthew Johnson, John Loehner, Michael Margarite, Michael Mathis, Aaron Olsen, Daniel Zmolik

Fly V Australia presented by Successful Living
Alessandro Bazzana, King Ben, Ben Day, Charles Dionne, Michael Grabinger, David Kemp, Bernard Sulzberger, Phillip Zajicek

Garmin-Holoweko Partners-Felt
Kirk Carlsen, Caleb Fairly, Alex Howes, Raymond Kreder, Peter Salon, Taylor Sheldon, Peter Stetna, Daniel Summerhill

Jelly Belly
Jonathan Clarke, Matthew Crane, Brad Huff, Kiel Reijnen, Nick Reistad, Matthew Rice, Will Routley, Bernard Van Ulden

Kahala-LaGrange
Anthony Aker, Jorge Alvarado, Victor Ayala, Raul Frias, Brandon Gritters, Adam Livingston, Alexi Martinez, Luis Zaamudio

Kelly Benefits Strategies
Ryan Anderson, Andrew Bajadali, Daniel Bouman, Alex Candelario, Jacob Erker, Jacob Keough, Reid Mumford, Neil Shirley

Land Rover-ORBEA
Josh Bartlett, Jim Camut, Logan Hunn, Carson Miller, Bobby Sweeting, Ryan Taylor, Aaron Barry Tuckerman, Roman Van Uden

Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team
Benjamin Baungarter, Chris Buttler, Peter Carey, Andrew Dahlheim, Christian Helmig, Chris Parrett, Cory Ray

Mt. Khakis
Eric Barlevar, David Guttenplan, Mark Heckman, Will Hoffarth, Charles Marzot, Daniel Ramsey, Tom Soladay, Michael Stoop

Ouch presented by Maxxis
Cameron Evans, Tim Johnson, Roman Kilun, Floyd Landis, Patrick McCarty, Andrew Pinfold, Rory Sutherland, Bradley White

Ride Clean Team
Norm Carter, Kyle Colavito, Matthew Cooke, Brian Forbes, Jared Gilyard, David Glick, Ron Jensen, Paul Thomas

Rock Racing
Rahsaan Bahati, Chris Baldwin, Mike Creed, Danny Finneran, Cesar Grajales, Sergio Hernandez, Caleb Manion, Justin Williams

Team Hotel San Jose
Heath Blackgrove, Cory Collier, Allen Krugoff, Barry Lee, Sean Sullivan, Carlos Vargas, Chris Wherry

Team Type 1
Moises Aldape, Jesse Anthony, Aldo Ino Ilesic, Christopher Jones, Darren Lill, Shawn Milne, Phil Southerland, Matt Wilson

Team VRC Now-MS Society
Eric Bennett, Brock Curry, Eric Losak, Nick Martinez, Peter Rennie, Spencer Smitheman, Michael Van Eerd, Alex Welch

Team Waste Management
Stevie Cullinan, Carter Jones, Sean Mazich, Kevin Solles, Scott Srewart, David Talbott, Grant Van Horn, Larry Warbasse

Ten Speed Drive / BH Bicycles
Adam Carr, Brian Husen, Emiliano Jordan, Chris Keane, Josh Liberles, Ronnie Strange, Cristian Velasquez, Garrett White

Trek-Livestrong
Ryan Bauman, Cody Campbell, Guy East, Benjamin King, Ryohei Komori, Taylor Kuphaldt, Julian Kyer, Bjorn Selander

Webcor / Alto Velo
James Badia, Brian Buchholz, Fabrice Dubost, Justin Fraga, Ted Huang, Rand Miller, Ryan Parnes, Frederick Stamm

With this much talent lining up to do battle for the coveted Redlands Bicycle Classic overall leaders jersey there is no clear favorite, but one thing is for sure, the Prologue of this years’ RBC is set to kick off 4 days of non-stop fireworks.

For more information, including race times, distances, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.redlandsclassic.com.

Nature Valley Pro Ride Rolls Out This Weekend

Jefferson Cup Road Race in Charlottesville, Virginia, is first event of 2009 Series

Minneapolis, MN – The enormously popular Jefferson Cup Road Race will be the first race of the 2009 Nature Valley Pro Ride, a six-race program that offers elite amateur men and women the chance to win a trip to the Nature Valley Grand Prix in June. Held on Sunday, March 29, the Jefferson Cup will select one man and one woman for the trip to Minnesota, where they will race on the Nature Valley Cycling Team against the country’s top professionals and amateurs.

“We’re thrilled to be part of this year’s Nature Valley Pro Ride”, said Jefferson Cup race director Ruth Stornetta, whose race was one of six chosen from 28 nominated by USA Cycling Local Associations across the country. “Our elite men’s field filled only 12 hours after we opened on-line registration and we’re expecting a strong turnout for the elite women’s field as well. The Nature Valley Pro Ride has created an added buzz around our event and we expect that it will make the racing more dynamic.”

The Nature Valley Grand Prix, which begins June 10 in St. Paul, Minn., is the top ranked race on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar and is the only race among the USA Grand Tours to admit amateurs. It serves as an amateur’s chance to have a full professional racing experience. It also provides amateur riders with a unique chance to be “discovered” by the pro team managers who use the Nature Valley Grand Prix to scout for new talent.

Riders selected in each of the six Nature Valley Pro Ride qualifiers, held across the country, will receive a travel stipend, free entry, housing accommodations, and full team support. They will make public appearances, get pre-race introductions, participate in autograph sessions, and race in front of crowds in excess of 50,000 during this five-day stage race. This program provides riders with a full professional experience and is only available to the Nature Valley Pro Ride winners.

At the Nature Valley Grand Prix, Category 1 men and Category 2 women will be pursuing the coveted Nature Valley Top Amateur jersey. This special competition recognizes the accomplishments of “everyday athletes” as they compete against many of the best cyclists in the country, including international riders, and Olympic and World Champions. Since the program was started in 2004, every Top Amateur winner at the Nature Valley Grand Prix has received a pro team contract the following season.

The next race in the Nature Valley Pro Ride will be the Hillsboro Roubaix, held on April 4 near St. Louis, MO. For the full calendar and rules, visit the Nature Valley Pro Ride web site.

Small Bone, Big Pain

If you haven’t already heard, Lance Armstrong (Astana) suffered a broken clavicle while participating in the Vuelta Castilla y Leon.



Although a relatively common injury, occurring in about 1 in 1000 people per year, what is uncommon (besides the overt news coverage of Armstrong’s injury) is the recommended method of treatment: surgery.

Depending upon the type of clavicular fracture, most are treated conservatively through immobilization using a sling. The injury can take anywhere from 6-8 weeks to heal.

But as ESPN.com’s Stephania Bell, a physical therapist who is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, points out, a more aggressive approach to treatment has changed how physicians’ view these injuries.

But over the past decade, there has been a shift toward a more aggressive treatment, according to Dr. Frank Cordasco, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Cordasco, who has treated a number of cyclists ranging from recreational to competitive and is a cyclist himself, reports that the trend toward more aggressive surgical treatment, for athletes in particular, emanated from Europe.

One study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2003 examined high-performance athletes with minimally displaced fractures who underwent surgery using titanium nails to address the break. These athletes were able to return to training in an average of six days and to competition within an average of 17 days, far quicker than would be possible without surgery.

So while Lance Armstrong may be in some big time pain, it may not keep him off the bicycle that long. Good news for the Tour and quite possibly the Giro.

More:
AP: Astana says Armstrong will be in Tour de France
AP: Giro organizers holding out hope for Armstrong

In an unrelated bicycle accident, the Today Show’s Matt Lauer also pulled an endo after running into a deer. He is currently recovering from surgery to repair the shoulder he separated.

It might be the first time a deer has witnessed what being “caught in the headlights” actually looks like.

La Classiclisma - Manxman Delivers

The arrival of spring comes in many forms: buds on trees, rain giving way to flowers, chirping of birds, or warmer temperatures. In the professional cycling world, Milano-San Remo, also known as La Primavera or “Spring,” signals its arrival.

This year’s edition of the Italian Classic lived up to its other nickname, La Classiclisma, with a photo finish, two up sprint for the line. Mark Cavendish (Columbia- High Road) out threw Cervelo Test Team’s Heinrich Haussler to take the first of the season’s five monuments of cycling.

With his World Championship coming on the track with Madison teammate Bradley Wiggins, and despite a slew of stage victories in some of cycling most prestigious races, the recent victory has to be considered Cavendish’s most prevalent to date.

Some may not like the Manxman for his brashness or unapologetic self-confidence, but in the final 200 meters it’s hard to argue that he is currently the fastest man on two wheels.

Results
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - Highroad
2. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam
3. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam
4. Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step
5. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini
6. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
7. Aitor Galdos (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
8. Enrico Rossi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce
9. Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
10. Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram


Classics Favorites?
If you’re a fan of the Classics, the newly formed Cervelo Test Team may not only be contenders for the upcoming jewels of the Northern Classics, they might be the favorites. The one-two punch of Thor Hushovd (left), already a winner on the cobbles this year at K-B-K, and Heinrich Haussler, the Aussie sounding German who finished second in La Primavera as well as taking stages at this year’s Paris-Nice and Volta ao Algarve, gives their team management a formidable pair from which to deal. Add cobbled veterans Andreas Klier, Hayden Roulston, and Roger Hammond into the mix and the black clad Cervelo squad may spell doom for the rest of the field.

Fractured Message
An early crash during Milano – San Remo, and the subsequent news of a fractured clavicle, cut short the Classics campaign for Garmin-Slipstream’s Tyler Farrar. It is the second consecutive year that a broken collarbone has felled the leader of Garmin’s Classics’ squad; last year Magnus Backstedt suffered a similar injury at the Tour of Qatar.

Photos: Leonard Basobas (top); Cervelo Test Team (bottom)

Nearing Twilight?

San Francisco Twilight Criterium Seeks Sponsorship
The slowed economy has already felled one race on USA Cycling's NRC this year, and now a second is in danger of being consigned.


San Francisco, Calif. – Organizers of the San Francisco Twilight Criterium are putting out an appeal for additional corporate sponsorship to ensure this year’s race will take place.

The widely successful event that was run in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge attracted large crowds and a quality field in its inaugural edition last year. But given the current economic climate, more financial backing is needed to make the Sept. 5 race a reality, said race director Ryan Dawkins of Project Sport, LLC.

“Companies all over the country are tightening their belts, particularly when it comes to sponsorship,” Dawkins said. “Our hope is that there is someone out there who realizes the benefits of putting their name on an exciting, family-friendly event that promotes the healthy lifestyle cherished by so many Bay Area cyclists and San Francisco dwellers.”

Daniel Ramsey (TIME PRO Cycling) and Shelley Olds (PROMAN Professional Cycling Team) emerged as the winners of last year’s men’s and women’s professional races, which featured national champions, former Olympians and a combined $15,000 prize purse. The race through the Cow Hollow district – which includes “the Rodeo Drive of San Francisco” – was also the final one before retirement for two-time Olympian and 2004 National U.S. Time Trial Champion Christine Thorburn (Webcor).

This year, the San Francisco Twilight Criterium has further increased its stature by becoming part of USA Cycling’s National Race Calendar (NRC).

Dawkins said that a number of sponsors have signed up, but that a title sponsor is needed within the next 30 days in order for this year’s race to proceed. The race is certainly not alone in its struggle to make ends meet. Already, several NRC races around the country have been canceled due to sponsorship issues.

“We would hate to postpone our race after the fantastic crowd turnout and exciting races we had last year,” Dawkins said. “But we also know that we set the bar high and we do not want to lower our standards when it comes to putting on a quality event.”

Companies that are interested in becoming part of this year’s San Francisco Twilight Criterium can contact Dawkins directly at 415.287.4253 or by e-mailing him at ryan@projectsport.com.

For more information on the San Francisco Twilight Criterium, visit www.sftwilight.com.

Team Type 1’s Milne Is San Dimas Mountain King

San Dimas, Calif. – Shawn Milne added to Team Type 1’s polka dot jersey collection by winning the King of the Mountains classification Sunday at the San Dimas Stage Race.

The Beverly, Mass., resident scored the seventh King of the Mountains (KOM) title in the 15-month history of the men’s professional team program. Last week, it was teammate Jesse Anthony who earned KOM honors at the Tour de Taiwan.


Milne also registered his second top 10 finish of the three-day, three-stage event by placing fifth in Sunday’s Cannondale Incycle Old Town San Dimas Classic criterium. He finished sixth and Fabio Calabria was seventh in Saturday’s 84-mile (135 km) San Dimas Hospital Road Race.

Calabria was the only one of the 150 starters in the race who had Type 1 diabetes. The 21-year-old had to closely monitor his blood sugar level before, during and after racing because his body does not naturally produce insulin.

His top 10 finish Saturday was all the more remarkable considering he only learned on Wednesday that he would be racing in place of fellow Australian Matt Wilson, who is still fighting a stomach problem that forced his withdrawal from the Vuelta Mexico Telmex earlier this month.

“I’m pretty happy with my result,” Calabria said. “The road race was fairly challenging, with everyone hitting the climb pretty hard on every lap. As for my blood sugar, everything was fine.”

Ben Day (Fly V Australia presented by Successful Living Foundation) won the overall title by seven seconds after capturing Friday’s opening Glendora Chevrolet Time Trial. The winner of Saturday’s road race, Phillip Gaimon (Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team) was second and Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing) finished third, 15 seconds behind Day.

Milne finished 24th overall, 1:13 back, while Calabria was 32nd (1:33 behind). Team Type 1’s other finishers were Chris Jones (51st, 2:31 behind) and Ken Hanson (55th, 2:34 behind).

Team Type 1’s All-Time King of the Mountain Champions
2008: Glen Chadwick, Tour de Beauce (Canada)
2008: Moises Aldape, Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic (United States)
2008: Glen Chadwick, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah (United States)
2008: Matt Wilson, Tour of Ireland (Ireland)
2008: Matt Wilson, Jayco Herald Sun Tour (Australia)
2009: Jesse Anthony, Tour de Taiwan (Taiwan)
2009: Shawn Milne, San Dimas Stage Race (United States)

Photos: Brian Hodes (VeloImages)

AFLD: “We’re Not Just The President, We’re Also A Client”

Sy Sperling's trademark phrase, "I'm not just the president, I'm also a client," made Hair Club for Men, one of the most recognizable (and parodied) companies of its kind.

Now it appears that the French Anti-Doping Agency is also getting into the hair business.

On a recent random drug test, the AFLD took a hair sample from Lance Armstrong. Although it was the 24th tests since Armstrong’s comeback, among a myriad of tests during his career, it seems to be the first time the AFLD or any anti-doping agency has taken an alternative biological sample for testing as Armstrong was genuinely caught off guard by the request.

"Yet another 'surprise' anti-doping control…This one from the French authorities. Urine, blood, and hair! Classic...," he wrote from his Twitter account.

For CSI fans or for those in the drug treatment professions, forensic hair analysis isn’t novel.

“The scientific study of hair is called trichology and this field dates to the mid 1800s. Forensic scientists perform three major types of hair analysis. Chemical assays are used to assess the use of illegal drugs, to screen for the presence of heavy metals in the body, and to test for nutritional deficiencies. The root of the hair has cells that contain DNA, which can be used for DNA analyses. Microscopic comparison of hair collected from two different places is used to determine if the hairs are from the same person or animal…Because hair grows out of follicles in the skin, materials in the body are incorporated into the hair. Hair grows relatively slowly, so it takes several weeks for materials in the body to be reflected in the composition of the hair. Hair that is collected for the presence of drugs, heavy metals, and nutritional insufficiencies is usually clipped from the nape of the neck. About a spoonful is necessary for analysis.”

The use of alternative biological samples, like hair, is another weapon for anti-doping agencies to help "increase available data for accurately interpreting the drug-use history of an individual." But for these agencies, like the AFLD, that have purported themselves to be nearly infallible on blood or urine testing alone, it is surprising that it has taken this long to incorporate readily available alternative samples as a validation of their results.

More: Huestis, MA and Smith, ML (2006). Modern analytical technologies for the detection of drug abuse and doping. Analytical Chemistry.

Anthony Is Taiwan’s Mountain King; Powers Wins Again

Team Type 1 added to its early-season success over the weekend when Alison Powers and Jesse Anthony made headlines on opposite sides of the globe.

Powers won Saturday’s Bikes and Buffaloes Criterium hosted by the University of Colorado while Anthony captured the King of the Mountains jersey at the Tour de Taiwan, which wrapped up Saturday.

Powers’ victory in the 45-minute race around a flat, fast course at the Boulder Research Park was her third of the year and the 11th overall for the Team Type 1 women’s professional squad. The team makes its official debut later this month at the Redlands Bicycle Classic in Redlands, Calif.


Anthony said his King of the Mountains title doesn’t make up for missing a good chunk of the 2008 racing season with an Achilles heel injury, followed by a broken wrist.


“After a short season last year I really feel like I have something to prove,” he said. “I feel like this is a great beginning to the season.”

Following a loss of time on the second stage of the seven-day, 497-mile (800 km) race, Anthony said he set his sights on going after the polka dot King of the Mountains (KOM) jersey.

“I saw my hopes for a high overall placing slip away and became more focused on creating opportunities for myself and my teammates for a stage win,” the Beverly, Mass., native said. “The first KOM points were up for grabs on stage four, so we didn't have to think about it until that day.”

Scoring maximum points on Friday’s penultimate stage was paramount to capturing Team Type 1’s sixth King of the Mountains title in the two-year history of the men’s professional program. Anthony said teammate Ken Hanson helped him stay near the front and monitor the attacks leading up to the climb that came only eight miles into the 88-mile (147 km) race.

“The KOM leader (Shinri Suzuki of the Shimano Racing Team) attacked early, then blew up,” Anthony said. “But another rider attacked with three kilometers to the top, and I only caught him in the last 300 meters. We sprinted and it was really close at the top, but I got him with a bike throw. I always find it ironic when the KOM sprints are so close.”

Hanson, who was the only other Team Type 1 rider to finish the race, registered the squad’s sixth top 10 placing of the week with sixth on Saturday’s final stage in Taipei City. Only 80 of the original 109 starters finished the event.

“I was happy to place decently well in the sprints,” Hanson said, “but I left the race really hungry for a stage win. Aldo Ino Ilesic and I were not able to stay in contact with each other at the end of the stages early on in the race before he got sick. However, we are getting more familiar with each other and it is only a matter of time before we start to gel and win some big races together.”

Let The Madness Begin

Although we are mostly about cycling on the Triple, it does not preclude us from following any, or all, other sports.

With March Madness set to start this week, I thought it a good time to give away another FREE TripleCrankset T-Shirt.

How to Participate:

1. Head over to ESPN’s Tournament Challenge
2. Create a free ESPN account
3. Login
4. Scroll over the Tab “My Groups +” and select Create or Join a Group
5. Group name is “Basketball for Cyclists”
6. Create your bracket (you can create up to three entries)**
7. Winner will be automatically tabulated by the system

**Entries will be locked once play begins

And if you’re interested in creating your own basketball hoop out of bicycle parts, like the one above, click HERE. Not sure if its actually up to basketball standards, but if you happen to have some time and an extra front end of a bicycle, you're in business. And no, its not what we in the snow belt convert our bicycles to in the off-season.

Let the games begin!

Dare To Dream - Shelley Olds To Worlds

PROMAN's Shelley Olds only woman named to USA Cycling's 4-person squad for Track World Championships in Pruszkow, Poland

By Nicola Cranmer, PROMAN team founder/manager
It only seems so recently that I got a call from Shelley that she had won her first cat 4 race. It was one of the best and most enthusiastic messages I had ever received and I kept it for months. She was so ecstatic and I could see her desire to win early on. Fast forward 3 years, and she will be representing the USA at the Track World Championships in Pruszkow, Poland, March 25-29. The ultimate goal being the London Olympics 2012.

"I just received the news and I could not be happier," said Shelley. "I am so proud to be representing our country on the track at the World Championships. It's an absolute honor. It has taken so much work and support from many people to get to this point and its another step towards 2012. I have a month of hard work ahead of me as I prepare, but I am looking forward to having fun with it. I am ready for the challenge and excited for what lies ahead of me."

Shelley is a dedicated athlete; dedicated to her training, her team and her family. I am so proud of her.

The PROMAN team and Shelley have worked tremendously hard to get to this place. Two years ago, we formed a UCI track team. And with the generous donations from sponsors, family, friends and even fellow racers we were able to attend every World Cup race.

As a result, Shelley earned her spot with consistent top ten results in both World Cup points and scratch races and finished the World Cup season in Ballerup with a bronze medal.

Shelley's Overall
UCI Standings
5th Scratch
10th Points

World Cup Standings
6th Points
7th Scratch

This grass roots team effort showed that anything is possible. There are so many people to thank for the opportunities set before us, I cannot begin to name names in fear of leaving someone out. We are so grateful for all of the support.

The PROMAN Hit Squad is a dedicated group of women with a national and international presence, ranging from ages 12 to 49 with current national champions in every 10 year age span. The team is here to stay and hopes to encourage and inspire women of all ages to reach for their goals. We are the little team that could...and did.

The Heart Of It All, East Coast Bias - North American Handmade Bicycle Show

Indianapolis, IN – At the heart of the North American Handmade Bicycle Show is Don Walker. It was Walker’s foresight, some five years ago; to bring together the world of hand built bicycles under one roof so that the masses might be able to partake in what the attentive few already had.

“Framebuilding is truly a labor of love,” Walker wrote in his NAHBS director’s note. “NAHBS was created as a medium to validate the talents and ingenuity of these extraordinary individuals who have dedicated their lives to the art of fabricating bicycle frames.”

The 5th edition of the show saw a relocation to Walker’s current homestead, the Midwest.

In Part III of our NAHBS series, we’ll take a look at some of the handmade offerings from the Midwest, specifically Indiana, and also at some of the giants back east.

Don Walker isn’t only the founder and director of the NAHBS, but also a frame builder who runs Speedway Handmade Bicycle Works out of Speedway, Indiana. Walker “specializes in fillet-brazed or lugged steel frames and has created bicycles of performance, durability and beauty in road, track, time trial, cyclocross and tandem styles.”


Shamrock Cycles are hand built by Tim O’Donnell directly from “the mountains of Indiana,” or more specifically Indianapolis, IN. O’Donnell’s creates “custom-lugged and fillet-brazed steel road, cyclocross and mountain bike frames,” but it was this utility/city bike that caught my eye.


Stephen Bilenky of Bilenky Cycle Works also has a penchant for creative writing as noted from his NAHBS biography. “My tinkering career began at age three with a percolator coffee pot. I sat on the kitchen floor taking it apart and putting it back together, preparing the skill set for my tween year’s Sturmey Archer three-speed hub rescue missions…Now the BCW framebuilding superheroes stand ready to take on your bike-building project. Our happy, dirty place turns out exquisite, clean machines.” The Philly based Bilenky Cycle Works won this year’s NAHBS “Best Tandem” award. See other award winners.


Drew Guldalian of Engin Cycles took home the NAHBS “Best Off-Road Bicycle” award at last year’s show. This year, the Philadelphia based builder brought in four customers’ bikes that illustrated his craftsmanship with lugged steel frames.


Rich Adams made the trip to Indianapolis from Wilkes-Barre, PA with pet rabbit in tow to showcase his steel framesets. Framebuilding for 10 years now, Adams combined his framebuilding business and full-service retail store five years ago so that he can “interface with my clients, showcase my custom frames, and serve the basic needs of my community.”


Serotta Competition Bicycles was founded in 1972 by owner and master framebuilder Ben Serotta. It’s fair enough to say that Serotta is one of the giants in the world of customized bicycles, and his fabrications at this year’s NAHBS further validated the point. It's easy to see why Serotta's creations are some of the most sought after in the bicycle industry


Another member of NAHBS’ “original six,” Richard Sachs began his career in framebuilding as an apprentice in London based Witcomb Lightweight Cycles. And after 35 years in the business, the Chester, CT framebuilder still maintains a one-man shop using traditional methods because “technology alone is a poor substitute for experience.”


Independent Fabrication was founded in 1995. Since that time, the bicycles fabricated at the Somerville, MA company have won numerous awards and drawn plenty of accolades. Their creations, from the "her’s-and-her’s" pair of pink roadies to their Asian inspired fixie, continue to impress. For their efforts, IF came away with the "Best Carbon Fiber Bicycle" award. See other award recipients.


October Hand Made Bikes, based out of Lynn, MA, was founded by framebuilder Andrew Frasca. October specializes in titanium and titanium/carbon fiber composite road, cross, mountain, and track bicycles.


Alternative Needs Transportation, or ANT, in owned and operated by Mike Flanigan and Betsy Scola. The bicycle builder from Holliston, MA specializes in “making complete bicycles for the transportation market, and everything is done in-house.


Parlee Cycles was founded by Bob Parlee, a high-performance boat builder, in 1999. Building exclusively with carbon fiber, Parlee has added triathlon, cross, and track frames to their repertoire for 2009.


Photos: © Leonard Basobas