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Back in March, the Triple Crankset celebrated its three-year anniversary. As we have grown over the years, it became readily apparent that we would have to switch to another blogging platform other than Blogger. We had pushed it to its limits. Frankly, our last redesign probably had those using Internet Explorer questioning whether we knew anything about design or creating a website.

So after three years we say goodbye to Blogger and enter a new, and hopefully better phase with the Triple Crankset.

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The Triple

Team Type 1’s Ilesic Second, Kelly Benefit's Veillux Victor At Charlotte

Charlotte, N.C. – They didn’t win the race, but Team Type 1’s Aldo Ino Ilesic and Valeriy Kobzarenko made a memorable showing Saturday night at the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium.

In front of a massive crowd in Downtown Charlotte, N.C., the pair integrated themselves into the decisive breakaway of the 50-mile (80 km) National Racing Calendar (NRC) event.

But it was David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies) who pulled off the most heroic move of the night, soloing to victory from Ilesic, Kobzarenko and eight others who had left the field behind at the race’s halfway point.

Ilesic went on to finish second, winning the sprint of the remaining breakaway riders. Karl Menzies (OUCH presented by Maxxis) was third.

“He surprised us,” Ilesic said of Veilleux’s move that earned him a check for $12,500. “No one expected he would go. And only two guys were pulling to bring him back, Kobzarenko and Luis Amaran (of Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light). I had to wait for the sprint. That was my job.”

Veilleux made his move with two-and-a-half laps to go of the 1.25-mile (2 km) course. With only Team Type 1 and Colavita-Sutter Home having more than one rider in the breakaway, it was up to them to take up the chase.

“His gap was growing lap-by-lap, even with 10 guys chasing him,” Team Type 1 Director Sportif Vassili Davidenko said of Veilleux. “He was amazing.”

Kobzarenko also put on an impressive show of force, integrating himself in nearly every significant breakaway during the race. The Ukrainian showed the strength that earned him the King of the Mountains title at the TD Bank International Championship in Philadelphia in June.

“Kobza was a super teammate,” Davidenko said. “I’m happy tonight because all of our guys rode aggressively and we were so close to winning the race. If it had come down to a sprint, Aldo would have easily won.”

Ilesic had hoped to score Team Type 1’s 50th victory of the season in his adopted hometown after winning a pair of races at the Giordana Crossroads Classic earlier this week. Now he turns his attention to Sunday’s Hanes Park Classic in Winston-Salem, N.C. The professional women will race for 50 minutes at 1:45 p.m. EDT, while the 90-minute professional men’s race begins at 3:05 p.m. EDT.

USA CRITS Series Continues with Presbyterian Hospital Invitational

2008 Winners Alejandro Borrajo and Katherine Carroll look for repeat in Charlotte

Athens, GA - The Presybterian Hospital Invitational Criterium hits the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina Saturday, August 8 as the USA CRITS National Series rolls into town. The 3rd stop of the Series will see the top men's and women's criterium racers take on the 1.2 mile course in hopes of moving up in the Series Overall and cashing in on the $75,000 prize list.

Team Mountain Khakis has dominated the races in the Series this year, slotting three riders in the top five of the Overall Competition and leading the Team Competition by 508 points over Kelly Benefit Strategies and Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light. Tom Soladay is in the VeloNews Red, White, and Blue Leader's Jersey and plans to not give it up, saying, "I'm going to be at all the remaining races. The team is going to be at all the races. Last year, the team competition was so close, we missed it by 3 points, and Adam placed second. We are not going to let that happen again."

The Winston-Salem-based team will certainly have its hands full Saturday night with a full Colavita squad looking to defend its 2008 win in Charlotte in Alejandro Borrajo. Borrajo and his hit squad will be in full force looking to make up lost time and points in the Team Competition, as well as another win in the USA CRITS Series. Luca Damiani already took top honors at Iron Hill Twilight Criterium in July.

Look for Kelly Benefit Strategies to be in the mix to protect Jake Keough's second place standing in the Series. Keogh will be racing in the Champion System Best Young Rider Jesey.

On the women's front, the Team and Individual Overall competitions are much closer. Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) is in the Overall lead, while teammate Kristen Lasasso is 99 points back in 2nd. Team Vanderkitten is leading the Team Competition with Team Kenda only 64 points behind. Fireworks will be flying on Saturday night as Tina Pic and her Colavita squad will be in the mix, as well as 2008 Presybterian Hospital Invitational winner Katherine Carroll and 2009 National Criterium Champion Brooke Miller and their TIBCO squad. Watch for 2008 Overall USA CRITS Champion Jennifer Wilson and the 2008 Team winner Vanderkitten fight for position as they seek a second Overall title.

Men's Overall Standings
1. Tom Soladay (Team Mountain Khakis) - 423 pts
2. Jake Keough (Kelly Benefit Strategies) - 396 pts
3. Mark Hekman (Team Mountain Khakis) - 380 pts

Men's Lap Leader Standings
1. Russ Langley (Battley-Harley Davidson) - 37 laps
2. Kyle Wamsley (Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) - 22 laps
3. John Murphy (OUCH presented by Maxxis) - 16 laps

Men's Best Young Rider Standings
1. Jake Keough (Kelly Benefit Strategies) - 396 pts
2. David Guttenplan (Team Mountain Khakis) - 245 pts
3. Isaac Howe (Team Mountain Khakis) - 222 pts

Men's Team Standings
1. Team Mountain Khakis - 1538 pts
2. Kelly Benefit Strategies - 1030 pts
3. Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light - 763 pts

Women's Overall Standings
1. Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) - 483 pts
2. Kristen Lasasso (Mellow Mushroom) - 384 pts
3. Jennifer Wilson (Team Vanderkitten) - 376 pts

Women's Lap Leader
1. Cath Cheatley (Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) - 19 laps
2. Lauren Tamayo (Team TIBCO) - 10 laps
3. Jacquelyn Crowell (Team Type 1) - 9 laps

Women's Best Young Rider
1. Jessie Maclean (Verducci/Breakaway) - 217 pts
2. Jacquelyn Crowell (Team Type 1) - 206 pts
3. Samantha Schneider (Team Type 1) - 205 pts

Women's Team Standings
1. Team Vanderkitten - 1262 pts
2. Team Kenda - 1218 pts
3. Altarum Women's Cycling Team - 988 pts

USA CRITS Remaining Schedule
Presbyterian Hospital Invitational, Charlotte, NC - August 8
Chris Thater Memorial, Binghamton, NY - August 30
TX TOUGH GRAND PRIX, Dallas, TX - September 17 (men only)
USA CRITS Finals, Las Vegas, NV - September 24

Team Type 1's Ilesic Makes It Two Straight At Crossroads Classic

Concord, N.C. – Team Type 1’s Aldo Ino Ilesic notched his fifth victory of the season – and won his second race in two nights – Wednesday at the Cabarrus Creamery Criterium in Concord, N.C.

Ilesic beat Eric Barlevav (Team Mountain Khakis) and Neil Bezdek (GS Mengoni) to the line at the end of the hour-long race. The criterium was the second in a series of five races this week that make up the ninth annual Giordana Crossroads Classic.


Tuesday night, Ilesic won a three-up sprint from a breakaway at the Mocksville Criterium in Mocksville, N.C. His victories are the 48th and 49th of the season for the Team Type 1 men’s professional squad.

Ilesic said his confidence is riding high heading into Saturday’s Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium in Charlotte. The event is one of the richest one-day races in the country, with a $12,500 prize to the winner of the men’s race.

“I’ve had to do a lot of work the past two nights – beating quality competition with no help because I was racing without teammates here,” he said. “Tonight, the Mountain Khakis team was attacking me all the time with six or seven guys. I was having to pull things back all the time on my own.”

Despite donning the yellow jersey of overall leader of the Crossroads Classic, Ilesic said he will not participate in the remaining three races on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Instead, the 24-year-old Slovenian said he would like nothing more than to score the team’s 50th win in Charlotte, his adopted hometown.

“I didn’t plan to do the whole series. I just wanted to do them as a warm-up for Saturday,” he said. “Now I have two rest days coming up. I’m really focused on the race in Charlotte because it’s where I live. I would love to win it.”

Joining Ilesic in Saturday’s 50-mile (80 km) race will be teammates Joe Eldridge, Ken Hanson, Daniel Holt, Valeriy Kobzarenko and Shawn Milne. Hanson is the reigning USA Cycling Elite criterium champion while Milne won the 2006 edition of the race. Eldridge is one of four riders on the Team Type 1 men’s pro team who has Type 1 diabetes.

The Team Type 1 women will be led in Charlotte by newly-crowned USA Cycling Under 23 criterium champion Samantha Schneider. She will be joined by Jacquelyn Crowell, Jen McRae, Morgan Patton, Alison Powers and Kori Seehafer. Patton is one of two riders on the women’s pro squad who has Type 1 diabetes.

Photos: Courtesy Jon Safka Photography

Women’s Prestige Cycling Series Finale Shakes Up Standings

Team classification takes unexpected twist and the Sprints tie is broken

Minneapolis, MN - The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series began in 2004 with the goal of highlighting women’s racing by giving them a spotlight that they don’t have to share with the men. Organized by the Nature Valley Grand Prix, the Series grew out of meetings that began in Minnesota in 2003 at the first Women’s Cycling Summit Conference hosted by that event.

The 2009 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series began at the Redlands Bicycle Classic (March 26 – 29), followed by the Joe Martin Stage race (May 7 – 10) and then the Nature Valley Grand Prix (June 10 – 14) before concluding at the Cascade Cycling Classic (July 21 – 26).

Team Classification - The season long see saw battle between Team TIBCO and Webcor Builders ended in TIBCO’s favor at the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series grand finale at the Cascade Cycling Classic. Although Webcor’s guest rider Evelyn Stevens won the stage race, she wasn’t eligible for the Series. TIBCO finished with a wide margin and Webcor dropped to third, behind Team Type 1.

1. Team TIBCO - 1319
2. Team Type 1 - 819
3. Webcor Builders Cycling Team - 786
4. ValueAct Capital Cycling Team - 677
5. Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light - 437


Sprint Classification – The most dramatic fight for the jerseys was in the Sprint classification, where Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home) had been tied on points with Alison Powers (Team Type 1), with the edge going to Powers because of the tie breakers. By the end of the Cascade Classic, Pic had it all sown up the Series Sprint competition and Powers had slipped to fourth.

1. Tina Pic, Colavita Sutter Home - 429
2. Joanne Kiesanowski, Team TIBCO - 286
3. Gina Grain, Webcor Builders Cycling Team - 275
4. Alison Powers, Team Type 1 - 250
5. Kirsty Broun, Lip Smackers- 165


Individual Classification – In contrast, there were no surprises in the individual classification. Alison Powers seeming insurmountable lead going into Cascade just got wider and the top three positions were unchanged.

1. Alison Powers, Team Type 1 - 616
2. Katharine Carroll, Team TIBCO - 388
3. Katheryn Mattis, Webcor Builders Cycling Team - 285
4. Joanne Kiesanowski, Team TIBCO - 246
5. Christina Ruiter, Value Act Capital - 231


Young Rider – Webcor’s Rebecca Much maintained her lead in the Series Best Young Rider classification, despite losing ground to TIBCO’s Julie Beveridge. Alexis Rhodes (Webcor Builders) fell from second to third because she didn’t attend Cascade.

1. Rebecca Much, Webcor Builders Cycling Team - 649
2. Julie Beveridge, Team TIBCO - 528
3. Alexis Rhodes, Webcor Builders Cycling Team - 429
4. Amanda Miller, Lip Smackers – 352
5. Tiffany Cromwell, Colavita Sutter Home - 264

Cavendish Highlights Team Columbia–HTC Roster for Upcoming Tour of Missouri

Three-time world-champion Michael Rogers and 2007 Tour of Missouri winner George Hincapie also named as part of the squad

Jefferson City, MO - Mark Cavendish, who won six stages during the recently completed Tour de France, headlines a star studded international Team Columbia-HTC squad for this year's Tour of Missouri, scheduled for September 7 – 13, 2009.

Joining Cavendish are three-time world champion Michael Rogers and superstar lead-out man Mark Renshaw, both of Australia, Canadian Michael Barry, a stage winner in last year's Tour of Missouri, as well as former Italian time trial-champion Marco Pinotti.

"It is a very important part of our mission to contribute to the growth of racing in the US. The Tour of Missouri is a very well-run and promoted race that is attracting top teams from around the globe and is increasingly recognized as a top international event," said Bob Stapleton, the general manager and owner of Highroad sports, the company that runs Team Columbia – HTC. "We're pleased to be able to bring a top roster to the Missouri in the hope of repeating our success of last year and to be a part of a great spectacle for the fans of cycling in America."

American stalwart George Hincapie, who broke his collarbone in the last week of the Tour de France, is day to day, according to Stapleton, and a final decision on his participation will be rendered at the end of the month.

"To have the world's top sprinter, second place overall finisher from last year's race, and the 2007 race champion all on the same roster coming, it's a beautiful thing," said race director Jim Birrell. "Like last year, they certainly should be a team to contend with for both the overall classification title and individual stage wins."

Added Cavendish, a three-time tour of Missouri stage winner in 2008 and winner of more than 20 races this year: "I really enjoyed Tour of Missouri last year. Cycling fans in America are genuinely enthusiastic about watching us race which makes for a great atmosphere."

Tour organizers have also reached an agreement to feature Cavendish on several marketing materials, including the official map guide for the Tour. Columbia sportswear is the official clothing sponsor for the 2009 Tour of Missouri.

The race begins in St. Louis on Monday, September 7, Labor Day, with a 10-lap, 75-mile circuit race that will be fast and flat and favor a sprinter taking the leader's jersey. On Tuesday, September 8, the race will transfer south to Ste. Genevieve with a 112.4-mile road race to Cape Girardeau. The terrain is hilly to moderate and features finishing circuits.

On Wednesday, September 9, cyclists will face their toughest challenge of the race, with a hilly 114.3-mile stage in the Northern Ozark Mountains from Farmington to Rolla. After a short transfer on Thursday, September 10, the race will proceed from St. James to Jefferson City, with the circuit finish featuring a steep 300-meter uphill sprint to the finish.

Riders will be able make up time Friday, September 11, during the individual time trial at Sedalia with an 19-mile race against the clock around Missouri's State Fairgrounds. On Saturday, September 12, cyclists will race from Chillicothe to St. Joseph while hitting moderate to hilly terrain.

The weeklong journey through the Show-Me-State concludes with a hilly circuit through the streets of Kansas City, Sunday, September 13. The Kansas City circuit will feature two king of the mountain points with more than 3000 feet of climbing over 72 miles. "I think they did a great job of capturing the challenging terrain of the state," said Rory Sutherland, the current national race calendar leader in the United States and a rider in the past two Tours of Missouri.

Though a stellar world-class field was presented last year, the three-year-old race is expected to be even better as the Tour of Missouri was granted an upgrade to one of the top five-ranked events outside Europe by international and national federation's for cycling last month.

The upgrade has drawn top pro tour teams Astana, Cervelo Test Team, Columbia- HTC, Garmin- Slipstream, Liquigas, Saxo Bank and Quickstep, all recent Tour de France teams, of which won 14 of 21 stages of the world's biggest race. Domestic teams participating in 2009 include BISSELL Pro Cycling Team, BMC Racing, Colovita / Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light, Jelly Belly, Kelly Benefit Strategies, OUCH presented by Maxxis, and Team Type 1. Canada's top team Planet Energy rounds out the field.

Photo: PhotoSport International

Former World Champion Will Compete At Glencoe Grand Prix

Glencoe, Ill. – The field for this year’s Glencoe Grand Prix presented by AT&T grew more impressive with the announcement that 2008 world omnium champion Hayden Godfrey will be competing in Sunday’s Pro-I-II race.

Godfrey is a 14-time New Zealand national champion who won the third world track title of his career in cycling’s version of the pentathlon. The omnium consists of five events: a 200-meter flying start time trial, five kilometer scratch race, three kilometer individual pursuit, 15 kilometer points race and a one kilometer time trial.

Glencoe Grand Prix Race Director Jon Knouse said news of Godfrey’s participation is creating quite a stir for the third edition of the race that boasts an $11,500 prize list.

“It's not every day a world champion comes to town,” Knouse said. “The people of Glencoe and the Glencoe Grand Prix are over the moon and thrilled to have Hayden Godfrey race with us in our community.”

Joining Godfrey for Sunday’s 70-minutes-plus-two-laps Pro-I-II race will be Jason Allen and Josh England. All three are members of the New Zealand-based Subway-Avanti Pro Cycling Team. They will be vying for a $5,000 prize purse that will also include 10 primes of $100 each.

“We're hoping this will give some of the top regional racers an added incentive to come out,” Knouse said. “Competing against these guys will be something they can tell their grandkids about.”

Cyclists of all abilities and categories will begin racing at 8 a.m. on a four-corner, 0.9‐mile course through the city’s downtown streets. Last year, the Glencoe Grand Prix was voted “Race of the Year” by the Illinois Cycling Association.

Riders are encouraged to pre-register online at www.bikereg.com. Same-day race registration opens at 7 a.m. and closes a half-hour prior to each race. Finish line (chip) timing is provided by Ultramax Events and SRAM will provide neutral support.

A complete schedule of race distances and times is available on the official race website: www.glencoegrandprix.com.

2009 Interbike Exhibitor List On Par with Last Year; Major Exhibitors Returning

With many category-specific events and show features, Interbike continues to serve as the annual gathering place for the cycling industry


SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. - Interbike continues to be the place for gathering members of the bike industry at the 2009 Interbike International Expo and Outdoor Demo in Las Vegas the week of September 21-25. While at the five-day event, attendees and media will see the latest products and technologies from every major bicycle, component and accessory manufacturer in the cycling industry.

"This year's Interbike is shaping up to be among our strongest shows," said Andy Tompkins, Interbike's show director. "Just as in years past, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with all their key suppliers along with enjoying the comradery and networking the show naturally provides. Regardless of individual sales and marketing strategies, manufacturers recognize the value of participating in the week-long industry event. We are looking forward to another successful show."

Advanced Sports Inc. is one of the 1,100 brands preparing to participate in next month's industry event.

"Interbike provides us the opportunity to tell our complete brand story and meet new and existing customers, especially with our Breezer, SE and Kestrel lines," said Pat Cunnane, president of Advanced Sports, Inc., parent company of Breezer, Fuji, Kestrel and SE Bicycles. "Even with a tough economy, Interbike is the place to be. Last year at Interbike we successfully launched the Breezer line of commuter bikes, and this year we are looking forward to a successful relaunching of Breezer mountain bikes as well."

Interbike will also host 65 new exhibitors including SANYO, a major electronics company that chose Interbike to launch one of its first electric bikes for the North America consumer bike market.

"While SANYO is exhibiting at Interbike for the first time, we are not newcomers to the cycling industry," said David Cabanban, business development manager for SANYO North America Corporation. "Our first product was a bicycle lamp, and Interbike offers us the perfect stage to place our latest innovations in electric bike technology in front of top industry influencers and allow retailers and the media to ride the future."

Kicking off with the only industry demo event of its kind, the Interbike Outdoor Demo gives attendees the chance to put the latest bikes and accessories through real-to-life testing. Amid the backdrop of Bootleg Canyon, home to one of International Mountain Bicycling Association's (IMBA) "Epic Rides," Outdoor Demo will provide an extensive groomed trail network, downhill-specific trails and dirt-jumping section. Returning features will also include a closed-cyclocross course set up and managed by CrossVegas LLC.

For road bike dealers and enthusiasts, Outdoor Demo will also include a closed road loop for demos and the annual Tour de Lake Mead. The 24-mile ride to Lake Mead and back continues to be a fun networking opportunity and a great way to give retailers and journalists an extended demo on vendor's latest bikes and gear.

Once inside the expo at the Sands Convention Center, Interbike will host a number of product launches, business meetings and events tied to recent growth in the commuter and electric bike categories.

After positive feedback from attendees and exhibitors alike, the Urban Legend Fashion Show will highlight a range of stylish, smart, sexy and professional clothing that fit into everyday life and work great on a bike. Instead of a traditional catwalk, a road loop will be laid out in the main exhibit hall. Urban Legend attendees will gather in and around the loop, while models ride among the audience. The innovative layout, inspired by Momentum magazine, allows the models to display urban cycling apparel and bikes in action and allows each attendee a front row seat.

The Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA) will be hosting two seminars during the Interbike Expo aimed at helping retailers sell more electric bikes (e-bikes) and how to trouble shoot repairs for e-bikes.

BMX, a vibrant category that is also an important gateway for youth into many of the other cycling categories, will be prominently displayed at Interbike with a professionally built BMX track at Outdoor Demo, the BMX Zone, Rail Jam and a special BMX editorial section in the Interbike Event Guide produced by RideBMX magazine. For more information please see Interbike's recent press release.

Once the tradeshow workday is done, Interbike participants are invited to attend the third annual CrossVegas and USA CRITS Finals on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, respectively.

CrossVegas competitors will include both Elite Women's and Men's races along with the Wheelers and Dealers race for industry members. Interbike will provide complimentary shuttle service for attendees from The Sands to the race location from 6:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m., shuttles leaving every 15 minutes.

The USA CRITS Finals are the grand finale to the 2009 USA CRITS National Series and will be held at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The event will feature Pro Men, Pro Women and Amateur competitor categories along with an Industry Cup, all on a fast and technical 1-kilometer course.

For more information about the week-long Interbike Expo and Outdoor Demo event, please visit www.interbike.com.

Twenty-Five Corporate Partners for 25th National Pro Cycling Championships

Volunteer Positions Still Available for Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships

Greenville, S.C. - With one month until the nation's top professional athletes vie for the prestigious U.S. national cycling championships, a solid roster of 25 local and national businesses have committed to support this prestigious event. Organizers expect over 60,000 spectators for the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships, now in its fourth year in Greenville, S.C., which will take place August 29-30, 2009.

Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center (GHS), one of the largest not-for-profit healthcare providers in South Carolina, returns for a fourth year in partnership, third year as title sponsor, for the championship weekend. Both the City of Greenville and County of Greenville return as official event hosts, providing valuable public safety support that is vital to all spectators and competitors. One of the new sponsors for 2009 is Duke Energy, which joins as the event's presenting sponsor of the Individual Time Trial Championships held at CU-ICAR.

"Obviously, we are grateful for the continued public and private support of the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships, especially during these challenging economic times," noted Chris Aronhalt, managing partner of Medalist Sports, which produces the event on behalf of USA Cycling, Inc. "The Championships are a perfect fit to the Greenville community in many ways - a world-class cycling event which brings national attention to Greenville, promotes health & wellness activities, and, at the same time, raises significant fundraising dollars for the local cancer community."

Having commitments from 25 sponsors with a month to go to the 2009 GHS USA Cycling Professional Championships allows organizers to get a head start on activation programs. In addition to providing product and services for the Championships, Medalist Sports encourages all corporate and community partners to support the P3 charitable events and to get involved with volunteerism.

Nearly 400 volunteers are put into action each summer for this event, now in its fourth year in Greenville, S.C. Volunteers typically come from the Southeast, and some come from as far away as California for the weekend event. For many cycling fans, it is the best way to watch the event, and score an official T-shirt and complimentary Subway lunch at the same time. Others find it matter of community pride to help the city host an event that receives a national spotlight for the region, such as local RoundTowners, Hands on Greenville, Greenville Hospital System and Greenville Spinners Bicycle Club.

"We've come to consider the USA Cycling Professional Championships our signature event in Greenville, and we are just as excited to be a part of this today as we were four years ago," added Jim Bourey, City Manager of Greenville.

On Saturday, Aug. 29, the 20.7-mile Professional Individual Time Trial Championship will return to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). On Sunday, Aug. 30, the 110-mile Professional Road Race Championship will be contested, utilizing a start/finish location in the West End section of downtown Greenville and challenging athletes with four climbs over Paris Mountain on the north side of Greenville County. Both courses will also host new races for the U.S. Handcycling Series, presented by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, giving these elite athletes a final tune-up for the world championships in Europe in September.

2009 marks the fourth year of the Stars and Stripes Challenge and a partnership with the Palmetto Peloton Project (P3). Last year a record $110,000 was presented for cancer research by P3 with Stars and Stripes Challenge events. In the three years that the P3 organization has partnered with the Championships, it has raised over $400,000. Recreational cyclists, with advance registration, again can challenge themselves to the same road race course as the pros, including the Paris Mountain climb, or enjoy a six-mile Family Fun Ride. Funds this year will be distributed to GHS' Oncology Research Institute, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Activate Upstate. Event details and registration can be found at www.p3ride.org.

This summer will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Professional Road Race Championship. After 21 years in Philadelphia, Pa., the Professional Road Race Championship moved to Greenville in 2006. That same year the Professional Individual Time Trial Championship was added to the schedule. USA Cycling, Inc., which sanctions the event, extended a three-year licensing agreement for 2009 to keep the dual championship in Greenville. Strong corporate and community support are key factors in keeping this event in the Southeast.

2009 Sponsors:

• AT&T
• AVF Creations, official web services and technology provider
• AVIS/Budget, official rental car agency
• Budweiser of Greenville and Michelob Ultra, official beer products
• City of Greenville, host sponsor
• County of Greenville, host sponsor
• COSTCO Greenville, providing food and beverage supplies for volunteers and P3 charitable events
• CU-ICAR, official host of the Individual Time Trial Championships
• DUKE ENERGY, presenting sponsor
• Entercom Radio, official media partner (B93.7, WORD, Rock 101, and The Planet)
• GO Magazine, official media partner
• GREENVILLE HOSPITAL SYSTEM, Title Sponsor
• Greenville News, official media partner
• Hincapie Sportswear, official cycling merchandise vendor
• Hilton Greenville, official hotel
• Icelandic Glacial, official water
• Jani-King, official commercial cleaning services
• Level 42 Vodka, providing spirits for hospitality functions
• MAVIC, providing neutral support services to both events
• Rosen Associates Development
• Sutter Home, providing wine for hospitality venues
• Universal Sports Television, official media partner (recap show Sept. 12 at 4:00 p.m. EST)
• Wachovia, official banking services
• WYFF-4, official media partner (recap show Sept. 5 at 1:30 p.m. EST)
• Yakima, official roof rack/bike rack equipment

Applications for all volunteer positions, maps of race courses and updated events schedules are available online at the official event web site - www.usacyclingchampionships.com.

Schedule of Events

Saturday, August 29, 2009

• 11:00 a.m. - USA Cycling Professional Individual Time Trial Championship
• Tbd - Time Trial for US Handcycling Series, presented by Paralyzed Veterans of America
• Start/Finish - Millenium Dr. at CU/ICAR Greenville, S.C. 29607
• Cost - free for all spectators watching both Time Trials

Sunday, August 30, 2009

• 7:30 a.m.- Stars and Stripes Challenge Bicycle Ride
• Start/Finish - S Main & Camperdown streets in downtown Greenville, S.C.29601
• Cost - $50 adults advance registration for Stars and Stripes Bicycle Ride

• 10:00 a.m.- Stars and Stripes Challenge Family Ride
• Location - Falls Park
• Cost - Free for all families

• 1:00 p.m.- USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship
• Tbd - Criterium for US Handcycling Series, presented by Paralyzed Veterans of America
• Start/Finish - Main & Camperdown streets in downtown Greenville, S.C.29601
• Cost - Free for all spectators watching Road Race

Wind Tunnel Tests Prove That Speedplay Pedals Are Faster!

San Diego, Calif. - In recent wind tunnel testing, Speedplay, Inc. has discovered the aerodynamic importance of pedal choice. The first known wind tunnel test of clipless pedals, conducted at the San Diego Air & Space Technology Wind Tunnel, established a notable difference in the coefficient of drag when comparing Speedplay pedals to other brands.

"In order to measure the wind resistance of pedals, I created a fully-articulated robotic cyclist to accurately replicate a real-life racing scenario and to eliminate human variance in the wind tunnel," explained Speedplay's pedal designer, Richard Bryne. "The robotic cyclist pedaled the bike at a cadence of 100 rpm and at a speed of 30 miles per hour in each test."

Speedplay Zero pedals bested the two other clipless pedal brands tested by posting a substantially lower coefficient of drag score. While each of the other pedal brands posted the same coefficient-of-drag score of .243, Speedplay pedals produced a lower drag score of 237. The reduction in wind drag of Speedplay pedals, when converted into time saved, results in an incredible 33 seconds per hour advantage. "I suspected Speedplay pedals would prove to be more aerodynamic than the others because of their minimal frontal area, but even I was surprised by the margin of difference," said Bryne.

To put the significance of this speed advantage into perspective, using Speedplay pedals is comparable to switching from a standard front wheel to a deep-profile, aerodynamic front wheel, according to available data. This aerodynamic advantage is important to competitors because it is easier to gain speed by reducing drag than by increasing power.

The result is also good news for speed seekers who appreciate good value, since a change to Speedplay pedals is an inexpensive way for a cyclist to gain a meaningful increase in speed.

For more information, visit www.Speedplay.com/33seconds

Team Type 1 Goes 1-2 In Under 23 Criterium Championship

Bend, Ore. – Team Type 1 put the finishing touches on an already successful week of racing at the USA Cycling Elite National Championships with a 1-2 finish Sunday in the women’s Under 23 criterium.

Samantha Schneider and Jacquelyn Crowell attacked the field a third of the way into the race and rode away to finish first and second, respectively, in the 21-mile (35 km) race through the downtown streets of Bend, Ore. Lauren Hecht (Webcor Alto Velo) won the field sprint for third.

For the four days of the event, Team Type 1 came away with two gold medals, a silver, a bronze, and a fifth-place podium finish. It was an impressive performance that brought a big grin to the normally stoic face of Women’s Team Director Jack Seehafer.

“We’re definitely pleased with our performance,” Seehafer said. “It’s been a really good first year for us.”

Crowell’s silver medal adds to the gold she won in the Under 23 individual time trial on Friday. In the same event, Team Type 1’s Alison Powers earned a bronze medal in the elite ranks. And on Thursday, Team Type 1’s Kori Seehafer finished fifth in the elite road race.

In Sunday’s criterium, Crowell and Schneider bided their time in the back of the field as a flurry of attacks went off in the first 10 trips around the six-tenths-of-a-mile course during the 35-lap race. But with 22 laps to go, Crowell attacked with Schneider on her wheel and the pair quickly built a seven-second lead.


“I think we caught a lot of people off guard,” Schneider said of the attack through the second-to-last turn on the rectangular course.

Trading pulls on the front, the two ticked off lap-after-lap, averaging 26 miles per hour as their lead grew to 10 seconds, then to 15, then 20, but was pegged back to 10 with 14 laps remaining.

“I was getting a little worried when the gap dropped back down,” Seehafer said. “The field was actually getting organized and working together.”

But Schneider and Crowell produced their second-fastest lap of the race to push the lead back to 16 seconds and deflate the spirit of the chase behind. When their advantage grew to 38 seconds with three laps to go, the only question remaining was who would cross the finish line first.

Crowell said the decision was an easy one.

“The goal today was to get Sam a win and that’s what we did,” she said.

Schneider said she was happy to earn the victory – her second on the season – and the right to wear a special stars-and-stripes jersey for one year in every criterium she races.

“I think it was pretty fair,” Schneider said. “She (Crowell) got the time trial championship and I got the criterium.”

Photos: Courtesy Team Type 1

Cobb Cycling Introduces Newest Saddle: The Max

John Cobb Builds on Success of His V-Flow Saddle Line with New Model


Tyler, TX – Cobb Cycling has announced the immediate availability of its Max saddle, the latest addition to John Cobb’s line of rider-friendly bicycle saddles. Cobb has worked with many of the best cyclists and triathletes in the world, including Lance Armstrong, Greg LeMond, and top international Ironman pro triathlete Kate Major, and has been considered one of the foremost authorities on aerodynamics, ergonomics, biomechanics and component design for over two decades.

Cobb developed the Max – available in both white and black – to provide maximum comfort for triathletes, time trialists and cyclists of all disciplines. The lowered nose section combined with the deeply cut pressure-relief trough is designed to reduce pressure on the perineum, which includes a man’s prostate area and a woman’s most sensitive soft tissue. The Max utilizes the same narrow rear section of Cobb’s popular V-Flow models which does two things: 1) it encourages male and female riders to sit further back on the saddle, even when in an aero position, better incorporating their skeletal system for support via their sit-bones, and 2) it also facilitates the more natural rotation of a rider’s hips for better efficiency and power.

One feature of the Max saddle is a new, higher density foam. “Ongoing testing with riders who spend a lot of time on their bikes demonstrated that a firmer surface can provide longer-lasting comfort if the seat is shaped correctly,” explained Cobb. “The new foam will save weight while providing enhanced comfort for long rides and high volume training.” Cobb also explained that the rail design of the Max will make it easier for riders to achieve ideal positioning and proper setback for UCI-sanctioned events: “It boasts one of the longest sets of rails available, so the Max will easily adjust to a rider’s desired position.” The Max weighs 255 grams and is readily identified by its distinctive shape.

Team Type 1’s Leal Is Mexican National Time Trial Champion

Ameca, Jalisco, Mexico – Veronica Leal rode to victory in the rain last Saturday at the Mexican individual time trial championships, earning Team Type 1 its second national title in as many days.

Leal was 10 seconds faster than Pan American gold medalist Giuseppina Grassi in the 12.4-mile (20 km) race against the clock over soggy streets in Ameca, Jalisco. Fernanda Jurado was third, 42 seconds behind Leal, who completed the distance in 28 minutes and 25 seconds.

Leal was happy to have exacted a measure of revenge against the rider who beat her by nearly 90 seconds last week in a time trial of nearly the same distance. It also erased memories of her runner-up finish to Grassi in this same race a year ago.

“I’m extremely excited and very grateful to the people who have supported me,” Leal said. “I have been training for this since January and it’s been my goal to win all along. I’m extremely thankful for all the things Team Type 1 has given me this year. I’m very happy to be part of such a great team.”

Team Type 1 Women’s Team Director Jack Seehafer said he wasn’t surprised at Leal’s performance.

“We knew she had the capability and the big thing was that she was continuing to get used to her Orbea Ordu time trial bike,” he said. “The whole team is exited about her win. It was something we talked about at the beginning of the season.”

The victory was the 30th for the Team Type 1 women’s professional squad in its inaugural season. Team Type 1 is currently No. 1 in both the team and individual standings of the National Racing Calendar (NRC). Leal’s teammate, Alison Powers, also won the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series (WPCS), an overall competition comprising stage races around the United States between March and July.

Leal’s time trial success follows a gold medal performance Friday by Jacquelyn Crowell in the Under 23 time trial and a bronze by Powers in the elite time trial at the USA Cycling National Championships in Bend, Ore.

Photo: Courtesy Wenceslao Rodriguez

Team Type 1’s Crowell Earns Gold, Powers Bronze In Time Trial

Bend, Ore. – Jackie Crowell made history with her victory last Friday in the Under 23 time trial at the USA Cycling Elite National Championships in Bend, Ore.

In winning the 21-mile (35 km) race against the clock, the 21-year-old earned Team Type 1’s first national title. Jerika Hutchinson (Team TIBCO) was second, 14 seconds behind, and Rachel Warner (Charlottesville Racing Club) was third.


Team Type 1’s Alison Powers earned a bronze medal in the elite women’s time trial over the same distance, finishing 23 seconds behind the winning time of Jessica Phillips (Team Lip Smackers). Evelyn Stevens (Century Road Club Association) was second, one second behind Phillips’ winning time of 50:35.


The Team Type 1 women’s professional squad was created this year as an extension of the already successful program of Race Across America (RAAM) and professional men’s teams founded by Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge. Every team includes athletes who have Type 1 diabetes who are striving to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes.

Team Director Jack Seehafer said the two medal-winning performances add to an already outstanding season. Team Type 1 leads the National Racing Calendar (NRC) standings, Powers is No. 1 in the individual NRC competition and she recently won the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series (WPCS).

“I know Alison is a little bit disappointed, but she gave it her all out there,” Seehafer said. “It’s a good motivator for the off-season for her. I think we’re really going to end the season pretty strong and go out and try and win some criteriums now.”

By virtue of her victory, Crowell earns the right to wear a stars-and-stripes jersey in time trials next year. Friday’s national title was her sixth after earning five as a junior (under the age of 18), including two in the time trial discipline.

“But this will be the one I am most proud of because it’s at the elite level,” she said.

Crowell said equipment and good advice helped make the difference. Her time was the 14th fastest overall on a day when temperatures in the 90s and wind made the race against the clock all the more difficult.

“I had our mechanic, Paul (Mazurek) put a 55 tooth chain ring on the front, which was the key to winning,” she said. “And my Orbea Ordu (bike) was awesome. I also have to thank our director, Jack, who has helped me so much in my first year as a professional. He’s been very supportive.”

Following a day off, Crowell, Morgan Patton and Samantha Schneider will look to reach the podium again for Team Type 1 in Sunday's 21-mile (35 km) Under 23 criterium. Patton is one of two riders on the women’s team who has Type 1 diabetes.

In the elite men’s time trial, Team Type 1 Elite Team member Jeff Bannink had a problem with his saddle a third of the way into his 21-mile (35 km) time trial. The end result was a 46th place finish for the rider from Beaverton, Ore., who was one of eight members of this year’s squad that won RAAM in record time.

Photos: Courtesy Carson Blume Photography (top); Team Type 1 (middle & bottom)