Rock Racing’s Hamilton Has Victory In Sight

Huzhu, China — Rock Racing’s Tyler Hamilton is a short circuit race away from earning his first victory in a stage race in four years.

Hamilton survived a rather uneventful day in the yellow leader’s jersey Saturday in the penultimate stage of the Tour of Qinghai Lake, finishing in the lead pack of 19 riders at the end of Saturday’s 104-mile (168 km) race.


The final stage Sunday is a 61-mile (99 km) circuit race in the city of Xining. Time bonuses up for grabs on three of the 18 laps and at the finish are a concern, Hamilton said.

“It’s not over ‘till it’s over,” Hamilton said. “I have a 10-second lead (over Poland’s Marek Rutkiewicz), so really, anything can happen. We’ll just stay on our toes and control the situation, like today.”

Saturday’s race was the final mountain stage of the 10-day, 841-mile (1,354 km) event. But two of Hamilton’s chief competitors – Iranian climbers Ahad Kazemi and teammate Ghader Mizbani (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) – were stricken with mild cases of bronchitis overnight. Feeling less than 100 percent, they sought only to keep Kazemi’s lead in the king of the mountains classification.

Saturday’s race was won by Jure Kocjan (Perutnina Ptuj) who easily outsprinted Jackson Rodriguez (Serramenti Diquigiovanni-Androni) and fellow teammate Gregor Gazvoda. A third rider from the Perutnina Ptuj team, Kristjan Fajt, and Ukrainian Volodymyr Zagorodnyy, were on their way to contesting the finish themselves when the lead motorcycle led them off course with 2.5 miles (4 km) to go.


Hamilton won Friday’s Stage 8 in a two-up sprint to move into the overall lead. The Boulder, Colo., resident last won a stage race overall at the Tour de Romandie in 2004.

Photos: Copyright Tour of Qinghai Lake/Mark Gunter (www.pbase.com/gunterphotograph)

Dawson Wins To Protect Rock Racing’s Lead

Shorewood, Wis. — Peter Dawson continued Rock Racing’s dominance at the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic Thursday night in Shorewood, Wis.

Dawson scored Rock Racing’s fourth victory in seven races of the “SuperWeek” series by out-sprinting Jairo Perez Suarez (Colombian National Team) in The Shorewood Foundation presents The Tim Hart D.D.S./Rainbow Jersey Shorewood Criterium.

Rock Racing’s Sterling Magnell remains in the yellow jersey with a three-point lead over teammate Rahsaan Bahati, who wears the red jersey as leader of the Bianchi Sprints competition.

Dawson’s victory was his second of the year (he also won the Sandy Springs Cycling Challenge in May) and Rock Racing’s 26th overall. It was at the International Cycling Classic last year that the 26-year-old Australian track racing specialist drew the attention of the team by winning two races and finishing second in two others.

“I hadn’t won a race for awhile, so it was good for me personally and for the team,” Dawson said. “(Rock Racing Team Owner) Michael Ball has given me a lot of leeway this year and the best thing for me to do was to give him a win.”

Dawson and two other Aussies joined Suarez in a breakaway late in Thursday’s 62-mile (100 km), 48-lap criterium around a 1.3-mile (2.1 km) course. With a little more than a lap to go, the escape was down to three: Dawson, Suarez and Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling Team). Suarez attacked and only Dawson could respond.

“I knew I had to get to him (Suarez) before he had too much of a gap because a couple nights ago, he lapped the field by himself,” Dawson said.

In the furious sprint to the finish, it was Dawson – a four-time world champion in the team pursuit and Olympic gold medalist for Australia in Athens in 2004 – against the Colombian, who is headed to Beijing to represent his country in the Summer Olympics next month.

“I’ve been doing a lot of leadouts and covering a lot of moves for the GC (general classification) guys, so it was nice to get the win,” Dawson said. “Over the course of the next five or six days, we’re hoping to put the GC out of reach so it’s only going to get tougher.”

On Tap...

Take Back The Tour, Please
The Versus’ slogan for this year’s Tour sounds less like rallying cry for a militant movement these days and more like a complaint from a host of dissatisfied customers.

Really, we no longer want it, Take Back The Tour, Please!

Unfortunately, once the three-week race began the return policy didn’t account for an “in case of doping exception.”

As we head into the final week of the Tour, the race is still completely wide open. Bjarne Riis and CSC-Saxo Bank have already thrown down the proverbial gauntlet and promised to take the race to Cadel Evans and his Silence-Lotto mates in the Alps. But the ultimate beneficiary of such a match up could be Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Chipotle) who is ever so slightly flying under the radar.

Schedule
Stage 14 - Saturday, July 19 - Nîmes - Digne les Bains (194.5km)
Stage 15 - Sunday, July 20 - Embrun - Prato Nevoso (183km)
Rest Day 2 - Monday, July 21 - Cuneo
Stage 16 - Tuesday, July 22 - Cuneo – Jausiers (157km)
Stage 17 - Wednesday, July 23 - Embrun - L'Alpe d'Huez (210.5km)
Stage 18 - Thursday, July 24 - Bourg d'Oisans - Saint Étienne (196.5km)
Stage 19 - Friday, July 25 - Roanne – Montluçon (165.5km)
Stage 20 - Saturday, July 26 - Cérilly - Saint Amand Montrond - ITT (53km)
Stage 21 - Sunday, July 27 - Étampes - Paris/Champs Élysées (143km)

As usual, catch it on the Versus channel.

Next up for the USA Crit Series is the Wells Fargo Twilight Criterium in Boise, ID. The 22nd edition of the race will take place on Saturday, July 19th.


Right Here, Right Now
For races in and around your area, consult the listings below.

07/19/2008
Nicole Reinhart Memorial Tour de FCCC
Maxatawny/Trexlertown, PA
Watsonville Criterium
Watsonville, CA
Troy Classic on the Square
Troy, OH
Indiana State RR Championships
Fishers, IN
Nature's Path/3 Sports Time Trial
Midlothian, VA
Cornhusker State Games Time Trial
Yutan, NE
Northern California/Nevada Junior Track Championship
San Jose, CA
Sundance Hill Climb
Provo, UT
Sisquoc Road Race and SoCal/NV Jr St Championship
Santa Maria, CA

07/20/2008
Ontario GP Race #4 - 10th Annual
Ontario, CA
Bryan Park Circuit Race
Richmond, VA
Berkeley Bicycle Club Criterium
Albany, CA
Koehlinger / Kelley IN State TT Championship
New Haven, IN
Fort Cherry Road Race
McDonald, PA
San Luis Obispo Downtown Criterium
San Luis Obispo, CA
The Comeback Criterium
New Holland, Lancaster County, PA
Tour d'Burg
Miamisburg, OH

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


Up The Road
07/26/2008
Porcupine Chalk Creek Road Race
Coalville, UT
2008 Woodburn Pancake Race
Woodburn, IN
Breaking Away Movie Night
Indianapolis, IN
Diamond Valley Road Race
Woodfords, CA
Downtown Lenoir Criterium
Lenoir, NC
Flapjack Flats Time Trial
Florence, AZ

07/27/2008
Sportsfest Irving Park Criterium
Allentown, PA
Peter Teeuwen Memorial Omnium Time Trials #2
Chesapeake, VA
Chicago Criterium
Chicago, IL
San Marcos Circuit Race
San Marcos, CA
International Tour de 'Toona
Altoona, PA
Morganton Cycling Classic
Morganton, NC

Brilliant!

This just in, Cavendish’s fast is faster than your fast.


Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia), the precocious sprinting talent from the Isle of Man has set himself up for a hat trick tomorrow after taking today’s 182km Stage 13 from Narbonne – Nîmes.

Many talk about the “old guard” of cycling in reference to those riders who were nurtured in a culture of doping, but in the manner that the 23-year old has been winning, the “old guard” might better refer to the generation of sprinters, like a Freire, a McEwen, or a Hushovd, whom Cavendish has left in his wake.

Manxman is clearly the dominant sprinter in the field.

He currently sits tied for second, 28 points back from Oscar Freire (Rabobank), in the maillot vert competition.

Results
1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia
2 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Silence - Lotto
3 Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel

Points Classification After Stage 13
1 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank 184
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 156
3 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole 156

General Classification After Stage 13
1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto
2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 0.01
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.38
4 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner 0.46
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0.57
6 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 1.28
7 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia 1.56
8 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 2.32
9 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 3.51
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 4.18

Butcher's Bill Reclassification
According to Cyclingnews, Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval - Scott), the winner of Stage 10 from Pau to Hautacam, along with Riccardo Ricco, have been sacked by the team for "doping practices."

If that means that Piepoli has also returned a positive result, then the total for riders forcibly removed from the Tour increases 4.

When will the madness end?

SERENITY NOW!

Next: Stage 14 - Saturday, July 19: Nîmes - Digne les Bains (194.5km). With the Alps looming, this could be the final days for the sprinters until Paris. Can Manxman make it a hat trick and five stages overall?


More:
Cyclingnews - Cavendish winning streak continues, no change in overall
Melbourne Herald Sun - Mark Cavendish takes stage from Robbie McEwen
Times Online, UK – Mark Cavendish makes history with fourth stage win on Tour de France

Photo: Reuters

Rock’s Hamilton Rolls Into Lead At Qinghai

Menyuan, China — Rock Racing’s Tyler Hamilton won his first race in nearly four years Friday while grabbing the overall lead at the Tour of Qinghai Lake with only two stages of the race in China remaining.

Hamilton easily out-sprinted Mark Rutkiewicz (Polish National Team) at the end of Stage 8 as the pair finished more than a minute ahead of a decimated field that included previous race leader Hossein Askari (Tabriz Petrochemical Team).

Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball said Hamilton’s accomplishments complete a comeback that included the Marblehead, Mass., native having to rehabilitate a broken right wrist a month ago.

“No one believed in Tyler and I practically had to coax him out of retirement to ride for us this year,” Ball said. “Now he’s back and showing the form that won him the gold medal at the Olympic Games four years ago in Athens. It’s a tremendous story of how to make the most out of second chances.”

When Rutkiewicz attacked on the descent after the day’s only major climb on the 93-mile (150 km) race from Xining to Menyuan, Askari and teammate Ghader Mizbani were slow to react and Hamilton was the only one able to follow. The leading pair bombed down the 20-mile descent to put 1:13 on Askari and 1:17 into previous second-place David McCann (Giant Asia Racing) while Rutkiewicz climbed from fifth to second. He is 10 seconds behind Hamilton.


“You have to be realistic here – those two Iranian guys (Askari and Mizbani) are unbelievable, probably the strongest climbers in the race, so you have to take your opportunities,” Hamilton said. “You can do you best on the climbs, but I’d be kidding myself if I thought I could ride away from those guys on the hill.”

Hamilton climbed from fourth to first after scoring his first victory in UCI competition since Sept. 11, 2004 (a win in the Stage 8 individual time trial at the Vuelta a España) and his first in a road race since July 23, 2003, when he soloed into Bayonne on Stage 16 of the Tour de France.

Hamilton’s victory in the Vuelta a España was later taken away and the Boulder, Colo., resident sat out a two-year suspension, accused of using homologous blood transfusing. During that time, he won the prestigious (and non-sanctioned) Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hill Climb in New Hampshire in 2005 and 2006.

Teamwork has played an integral role in Hamilton’s ascent into the yellow race leader’s jersey. In Wednesday’s stage, Hamliton suffered two mishaps – a flat tire and a broken spoke – before the main climb. Rock Racing’s Kayle Leogrande and Doug Ollerenshaw each gave up their wheels and Fred Rodriguez and Sergio Hernandez dropped back to help Hamilton regain his position in the pack. Unfortunately, the efforts by Rodriguez and Leogrande proved to be too much and the pair had to withdraw from the race.


That leaves the team with only Sevilla, Ollerenshaw, Hernandez and Michael Creed to help Hamilton in the final two stages.

“With only four of us to defend, it won’t be easy, but we will give it our best shot,” Ollerenshaw said. “I’m pretty confident we can pull it off.”


Saturday’s 104-mile (168 km) race is the last of three major mountain stages in the 10-day, 841-mile (1,354 km) race with a profile that resembles Friday’s stage. It begins in Menyuan and includes a 16-mile climb that takes the riders from 7,709 feet to the summit at 11,312 feet. A 20-mile descent to the finish in Huzhu follows.

Sunday’s final stage is a 110 km circuit race in the city of Xining.

Photos: Copyright Tour of Qinghai Lake/Mark Gunter (www.pbase.com/gunterphotograph)

Julich Chimes In

Few riders in the European peloton, with the exception of David Millar (Garmin-Chipotle) who wears his heart and opinions about doping on his sleeve, have encapsulated the current issue of doping at the Tour de France better than Bobby Julich (CSC-Saxo Bank).

From his most recent contribution, When will we stop shooting ourselves in the foot? to ESPN.com:

I was hoping we would have weeded out the "old guard" problem. But having a rider of Ricco's age and stature test positive changes a lot. And that scares me. It's not acceptable. Thursday was a wake-up call.

READ more…

Photo: Getty Images

Gastown Cooking

The USA Crits Series made a stop north of the border yesterday evening for the BC Cancer Foundation's Tour de Gastown in Vancouver, BC.

Both the women's and men's field saw dramatic sprint finishes that sent the residents of Vancouver home smiling. Gina Grain (Webcor Builders) of Burnaby, BC took the 36km women's race just edging out Cheerwine's Kelly Benjamin. While North Vancouver's own, Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics) beat Australian Hilton Clarke (Toyota-United) to the line in the 60km men's race.


Grain, who was just named to the Canadian Olympic Track Team in the Points Race, is now a three time winner of the event taking two in a row back in 2005 and 2006.

Despite her second place finish, Benjamin remains in second in the Women's USA Crits standings behind current points leader, Jennifer Wilson (Vanderkitten Racing) who finished in 12th. The top two women's teams, Cheerwine and Vanderkitten, will renew their battle this weekend as the series takes a stop in Boise, Idaho.

Women's Results
1 GRAIN Gina (Webcor Builders Cycling Team)
2 BENJAMIN Kelly (Cheerwine Pro Cycling)
3 CORSET Ruth (Jazz Apple Cycling Team)
4 TESTROETE Alison (Aarons Women's Professional Cycling)
5 HOWARD Lisa (Giant Bicycles/Team Whistler Canada)
6 TREW Jenny (Vanderkitten Racing)
7 SANBORN Melissa (Vanderkitten Racing)
8 PRYDE Susannah (Jazz Apple Cycling Team)
9 KROEPSCH Lara (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team)
10 HANLEY Monique (Team Type 1)

Men's Results
1 PINFOLD Andrew (Symmetrics Cycling)
2 CLARKE Hilton (Toyota-United)
3 BELL Zach (Symmetrics Cycling)
4 ELKEN Evan (Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling)
5 O'BEE Kirk (Health Net Pro Cycling Team)
6 SOLADAY Thomas (Time Pro Cycling)
7 HEKMAN Mark (TOSHIBA-Santo p/b Herbalife)
8 FALCON Yosvany (TOSHIBA-Santo p/b Herbalife)
9 HORNER Chris (Astana Cycling Team)
10 SAYERS Mike (BMC Pro Cycling Team)

Photo: Christophe Ena/Associated Press

Manxman to the Rescue?

Faster than a doped up sprinter [a few come to mind]. Able to leap small Cols in a single bound [nothing more than a Category 3, please]. It’s a team car, it’s a photo moto. No, it’s Manxman!

It’s ridiculous to think that Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia) or any other rider left in the peloton could save this year’s Tour, which has seen its darker underbelly rise to the forefront once again. But then again, the 23-year old sprinter from the Isle of Man isn’t being asked to save it.

He is at the Tour to do his job, and he is doing it better than most in the field. Cavendish won his third stage of the Tour de France by taking the Stage 12 field sprint in Narbonne.

With the win, he has already set his eyes on the future telling Cyclingnews, "I want to return to fight for the green jersey in the coming years. Now, I am really tired."

His last comment most likely signals his departure from this Tour; a Tour that is in dire need of some positive news other than a doping result.

More:
Cyclingnews - Manx Missile grabs number three
BBC - Cavendish dismisses Beijing fears
Cycling Weekly - Cavendish Celebrates His Third Win At Tour de France
LA Times - Tour de France/Olympics double

If he departs before the Alps, you don’t have to wait long to see Cavendish riding again as he is set to compete on the pines in Beijing with Great Britain teammate Bradley Wiggins in the Madison.

Results
1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia
2 Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française des Jeux
3 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step

The absence of Saunier Duval - Scott allowed several riders to move up in the overall classification and in the classification for the other leaders' jerseys.

General Classification After Stage 12
1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto
2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 0.01
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.38
4 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner 0.46
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0.57
6 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 1.28
7 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia 1.56
8 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 2.32
9 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 3.51
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 4.18

Next: Stage 13 - Friday, July 18: Narbonne – Nîmes (182km). Can Cav make it two in a row and four overall? If so, does he stick around to contest for the maillot vert on the Champs Ellysees?


Photo: AP Photo/Laurent Rebours

The Butcher's Bill - Whoa Riccò

Yesterday, I brought up the notion of cycling's version of the "Butcher's Bill," based on Admiral Nelson's daily inquiry of the number of people dead during the war against Napoleon.

So what's the butcher's bill for today?

Today's tally - 11.

Riccardo Riccò, yes that Riccardo Riccò, who amazed everyone with his Marco Pantani-esque climbing acumen in winning two stages of this year's Tour has tested postive for a third generation erythropoietin (EPO), called CERA (Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator) or Micera.


As a result of his dismissal, the whole of the Saunier Duval - Scott team has pulled out of the 95th edition of the Tour de France.

Riccò and his 8 teammates join Moises Duenas (Barloworld) and Manuel Beltran (Liquigas) as riders who have either been forcibly or voluntarily dismissed.

More:
Cyclingnews - Riccò fails doping test – Saunier Duval out of Tour
Velonews - Riccardo Ricco tests positive; Saunier Duval team withdraws from Tour de France

This latest doping news brings up two issues for me, why do we continue to cover the Tour de France, and moreover the whole of the European racing circuit, and do you believe that the testers are finally catching up to the dopers?

In regard to the latter, I urge you to read the Cyclingnews article above. From it you can glean that the testers are still years behind the dopers, as there isn’t a validated test for CERA yet. And, the tone of Professor Michel Audran in the article suggest as much saying,

“We can tell when someone's used it but we can't declare them positive.”

I am all for good science, as I have seen too much “bad” science in my lifetime, so I’m a bit skeptical of this new science behind the testing, or “creating the test on the fly.” On one hand, I applaud the ingenuity of science, but on the other I wish the testers [especially when it comes to French labs] would just take the time to validate the tests so that we can unequivocally say this rider or that rider is guilty of doping.

Is science truly catching up, or is it making it up?

So why do we still cover the Tour de France and the European racing circuit? For me, it’s because the Grand Boucle and the other monuments of cycling that make up the European circuit are bigger than any individual talent, like a Riccardo Riccò, will ever be and therefore these grand races will continue well after he or any of us is gone from this Earth.

The essence of the sport of cycling, after all, resides within the children racing each other on your streets, in the people who participate in your local weekday crit, or in the riders of your local club or professional team. The soul of the sport is not localized or proprietary to the European peloton.

When I was growing up the most arrogant statement I ever heard from an athlete when asked who his role models were was, “I don’t have any role models. I don’t like to think anyone is better than me.”

Perhaps that statement shouldn’t be looked at for its arrogance but rather as a way to view the riders at cycling’s highest level, don’t look to them for heroes, know that you are your own cycling hero.

Photo: Bas Czerwinski/AP

Hamilton Second On Qinghai Stage 6; Sevilla Climbs To Third Overall

Xining, China — Rock Racing's Tyler Hamilton and Oscar Sevilla made big moves up the overall classification Wednesday at the Tour of Qinghai Lake in China.


Hamilton was second and Sevilla finished fifth on Stage 6 as Sevilla climbed to third overall and Hamilton to fourth. Sevilla is 14 seconds off the lead and Hamilton only one second behind him. Four stages remain in the 10-day, 841-mile (1,354 km) race.

Rock Racing nearly scored its first stage win in China when Hamilton attacked inside the final mile. The former Tour de France stage winner and Olympic time trial gold medalist was shadowed by race leader Hossein Askari (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) but it was Marek Rutkiewicz (Polish National Team) who passed the pair just before the finish.

“The last kilometer, it seemed to take forever,” Hamilton said.

On a day when blue skies and sun greeted the riders for the first time in days, the 71-mile (115 km) race climbed to a summit more than 12,500 feet above sea level – believed to be the highest point raced in any UCI-rated competition this season. But with the finish 34 miles away – all downhill – it was not decisive.

Hamilton and Iranian climbers Ghader Mizbani and Ahad Kazemi (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) separated themselves from the shattered peloton as it passed over the highest category climb. But the trio was eventually joined by Sevilla, Rutkiewicz and Rys Pollock (Marco Polo Team presented by Trek) on the long descent.


Although disappointed that he did not get the stage win, Hamilton said he is concentrating his efforts on supporting Sevilla.

“I don’t have my greatest climbing legs yet,” he said. “Had we stayed away, I could have taken the (yellow) jersey, but I think we have a better chance of winning the race with Oscar.”

Thursday’s seventh stage is a 133-mile (214 km) race from Xining to Minhe and back. The first 60 miles are downhill, while the final 60 miles (96 km) are all uphill.

Photos: Copyright Tour of Qinghai Lake/Mark Gunter (www.pbase.com/gunterphotograph)

Bahati Makes It Look Easy At Bensenville

Bensenville, Ill. — When the three riders in front of Rahsaan Bahati went left Tuesday night, Rock Racing’s star sprinter rolled right.

The result was an easy victory for Bahati at the Ray Basso Bensenville Criterium on the fifth day of the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic.

“They didn’t even know I was in front of them until it was too late,” Bahati said, noting that he even had time to post at two-arm victory salute.

The impressive finish at the end of the 80-lap, 62-mile (100 km) race resulted in Rock Racing’s third win of the series and moved Bahati into second place overall behind teammate Sterling Magnell. Bahati won Saturday night in Blue Island, Ill., while Magnell took the series opener Friday night in Chicago.

“Sterling has the yellow jersey on so he pretty much can’t go anywhere,” Bahati said. “But now that I have moved up to second, not only do they have to watch him, they have to watch me.”

Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling Team) finished second in Tuesday’s race and Jake Keough (Kelly Benefit Strategies presented by Medifast) was third. The two were part of a nine-man break that lapped the field on the three-quarters-of-a-mile course.

In the overall standings of the 17-day series, Magnell has 64 points to Bahati’s 59. Adrian Gerrits (Kahala-LaGrange) and Chad Hartley (Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team) are tied for third with 48.

In the Bianchi Sprints Competition, Bahati holds a one-point lead over Hartley.

Bahati’s victory was his eighth of the season and the 24th for Rock Racing this year. The team is also racing in the Tour of Qinghai Lake in China, where Oscar Sevilla is in fourth overall and Tyler Hamilton in seventh after five of 10 stages.

First

On a day where the contenders to the overall and their teams were more than content to let the “right” break go up the road, a group of 13 strong complied and took a flyer after approximately 40km into today’s race.


Norwegian National Road Racing Champion, Kurt Asle-Arvesen (CSC – Saxo Bank) proved to be the strongest over the remaining 127.5km of Stage 11 from Lannemezan to Foix, as he out-sprinted fellow breakaway companions Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale) and Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) to claim the victory.

For the 33-year old Arvesen, who we interviewed last year after winning the Danmark Rundt for the second time, he follows a laundry list of individuals [Samuel Dumoulin, Stefan Schumacher, Mark Cavendish, Riccardo Riccò, Leon Luis Sanchez, and Leonardo Piepoli] who have all tasted their first Tour de France victory this year.

Results
1 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
2 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale
3 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre

General Classification After Stage 11
1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto
2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30
4 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
6 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
7 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia
8 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saunier Duval - Scott
9 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott
10 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale

Butcher’s Bill
“In the war against Napoleon, when Admiral Nelson wanted to know how many people were dead, he'd yell to his orderly, "What's the butcher's bill for today?"

Last year at approximately this same time, cycling’s version of the "butcher’s bill" included the whole of the Alexander Vinokourov led Astana Cycling Team, Michael Rasmussen, and Cristian Moreni and the rest of Cofidis. Coupled with Erik Zabel’s and Bjarne Riis’ confessions of doping prior to the Grand Boucle, the total number of riders forcibly dismissed or who left voluntarily equaled the number of Tour stages, 21.

This year’s tally currently stands at two with the news of Spaniard Moises Duenas (Barloworld) recent positive added to countryman Triki Beltran’s (Liquigas) own positive late last week.

Unfortunately, until the question of "what's the butcher's bill?" is met with silence, the sport of cycling will never be regarded for its true beauty.

Next: Stage 12 - Thursday, July 17: Lavelanet - Narbonne (168.5km). Sprinters on your mark...


More:
PezcyclingNews - TdF’08 St 11: Arvesen by a Tires Width!
Velonews - Tour de France - Arvesen takes stage, Evans holds jersey
International Herald Tribune - Three Tour de France fans hit by team car

Photo: Reuters

FIXED To Fight Cancer

The 24 Hours of Booty began simply enough, with a man and a cause. Today, it is the official 24 hour cycling event of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Named after the famed 3-mile Booty Loop in the tree-lined neighborhood of Myers Parks in Charlotte, North Carolina, the 24 Hours of Booty has expanded this year to include a second event in Columbia, Maryland.

For those who do not know any of the Triple Crankset personally, we are all too familiar with cancer and the issues that surround it. Although we won’t be participating in this year’s ride, my friend, Pip Gregson, is once again about to undertake the challenge of the 24 Hours of Booty, which takes place July 25 – 26th.

In successive years she has ridden 200 and 250 miles, all on a fixed gear bicycle, or “fixie.” When asked why she rides a fixed gear (no coasting and only one gear) for this event, Pip’s response is both passionate and resolute, “if my Dad went through chemo and radiation for 18 months, I can suck it up for only 24 hours!”

As you can see from Pip’s 24 Hours of Booty personal page (excerpts below), she has an extraordinary stake in the matter.


I am riding for those who have battled and lost, for those who still fight, and for those who have won. We will ride together and battle for the cure.

In Honor of:
Anna Warren - My best friend in college and in life. She gave my Dad more crap than anyone [smiling].
Steve Maleski - Steve's Dad
Joe Hunter - Family friend

In Memory of:
Luke Gregson - Grandad
Peter Congelosi - Riding partner and the one who pushed me to ride
John Yorke - Friend and "on the fly" yoga sub
Christina Early - College friend
Terry Gregson – Dad

My Dad had the best laugh. It would start as a giggle, his shoulders bobbing up and down, and after a bit it would turn to a guffaw. My Dad also gave the best bear hugs in the world. He was my best friend and biggest supporter. I feel very lucky to have had him in my life.

On January 4, 2000 my Dad lost his battle against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

He was not there to walk me down the aisle or be a part of the birth of my son...he is missed and loved.

I am riding for the hope that others will watch friends and family grow old. I am riding for a cure.

Pip's blog: www.fixedpip.wordpress.com
Pip's 24 Hours of Booty personal page.
Black Sheep Cartel's 24 Hours of Booty team page.

Easily Forgotten?

I am as guilty as the next when it comes to the month of July, my attention becomes focused laser-like on the country of France for three weeks.

Easily forgotten is the incredible racing that goes on within our shores during that same time span.

The greatest criticism I have heard for not following the domestic scene is that the quality of event and rider is below par in comparison to those in the European circuit. But, even that is a poor excuse and frankly does an injustice to our domestic riders, many of whom have had experience abroad in their developmental years or have a mixed program currently.

Though the attitudes, fanfare, and style of racing still differ, with the emphasis of criterium style racing and the lack of a grand tour style race in the United States certainly playing a part in those differences, as I have gotten to know the domestic scene and the riders that participate in these events better, I have come to appreciate it and them that much more. Suffering after all is translatable to all languages.

That said, though my attention is currently fixed on France, my eyes are definitely wandering.

Over the weekend, the Louisville Metro Police Foundation Criterium took place on Saturday, July 12th and the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic concluded on Sunday.

Toyota-United's Hilton Clarke took the victory in the Elite Men's field in Louisville, while Bri Kovac of Team Revolution took the prize in the Women's event. Mark Zalewski of Cyclingnews has a nice write up and photos of the event, while Kurt Jambretz has a great gallery of the event on Velonews and on his website.

Men's Top Ten
1 Hilton Clarke (Toyota- United Pro Cycling Team)
2 Adam Bergman (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team)
3 Nick Frey (Time Pro Cycling)
4 Matt Winstead (Team Inferno Pro Cycling)
5 Kevin Attkisson (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team)
6 John Puffer (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team)
7 Michael Lantz (Nuvo Cultural Trail)
8 Adam Myerson (Time Pro Cycling)
9 Derek Laan (Turin Bicycle/Barker+Nestor)
10 Paul Martin (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team)

Women's Top Ten
1 Briana Kovac (Team Revolution)
2 Allyson Brandt (Cheerwine Cycling)
3 Christina Smith (Lonestarworks.Com)
4 Jenette Williams (Hpc Powered By Altarum)
5 Erica Allar (Aaron's Womens Pro Cycling)
6 Laura McCaughey (Juice Plus)
7 Robin Farina (Cheerwine Cycling)
8 Louise Turner (Morris Trucking Velo)
9 Christi An Hansley (Team Medplan)
10 Kirsten Davis (Sorella Cycling P/B Bvm Engineering)

When Levi Leipheimer (Astana) and teammate Chris Horner registered for the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic, many thought it was a forgone conclusion that the third place finisher in the 2007 Tour de France would win going away even if he didn't have Horner along for the ride. Though everyone was indeed proven correct, Levi's victory didn't come as easily as many thought.

Men's Overall Classification
1 Levi Leipheimer (Astana)
2 Jeff Louder (BMC)
3 Darren Lill (BMC)
4 Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United)
5 Matt Wilson (Team Type 1)
6 Blake A Caldwell (Garmin/Chipotle p/b H3O)
7 Brent Bookwalter (BMC)
8 Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling Team)
9 Peter Stetina (Garmin/Chipotle p/b H3O)
10 Thomas I Peterson (Garmin/Chipotle p/b H3O)

Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo-Lifeforce), in her run up to the Beijing Olympics, proved that her form was of gold medal standard by winning the overall. Newly named US Olympic teammate, Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders) finished in second, while 2006 and defending champion Amber Rais (Team TIBCO) finished in 8th. The 2007 Women's event was canceled due to a scheduling conflict.

Women's Overall Classification
1 Kristin Armstrong Savola (Cervelo-Lifeforce)
2 Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders)
3 Julie Beveridge (Aaron's Pro Cycling)
4 Katheryn Mattis (Webcor Builders)
5 Felicia Gomez (Aaron's Pro Cycling)
6 Kristin Sanders (Aaron's Pro Cycling)
7 Janel Holcomb (Webcor Builders)
8 Amber Rais (Team TIBCO)
9 Kelly Mcdonald (Touchstone Climbing)
10 Meredith Miller (Aaron's Pro Cycling)

Kirsten Robbins and photographer Jonathan Devich covered the entire event for Cyclingnews.

Milne Caps Cascade With Runner-Up Finish On Final Stage

Bend, Ore. — Team Type 1’s Shawn Milne finished second on the final stage of the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic Sunday, capping an emotional five days for the team in Bend, Ore.

Matt Wilson and Moises Aldape each won stages for Team Type 1 and Aldape took home the polka-dot jersey as winner of the King of the Mountains competition. Wilson also finished fifth overall.

But what brought smiles to the faces of more than just Team Type 1 was the news that the condition of Ben Brooks had remarkably improved since his violent crash Wednesday, an impact that broke his bicycle in half and initially left him unconscious and unable to breath on his own.

Brooks was transferred out of intensive care Sunday, Team Type 1 Sport Director Ed Beamon said, and was actually kidding and joking around with members of the team who visited him after the race.

“Ben actually threw the guys out of his room and told him that he was tired of looking at them,” Beamon said. “We got the KOM jersey and won a couple stages, but I can’t remember feeling as good as I felt walking out of that hospital room, seeing Ben alert and his personality coming out.”

In Sunday’s Deschutes Brewery-Awbrey Butte Circuit Race, Milne and Aldape were part of a small group that came to the final 2.5 miles (4 km) together. Milne said he was feeling strong, despite the heat and humidity that had many racers pulling out early in the 83-mile (133.5 km) race.

“I kept talking to myself and told myself to toughen up and deal with the heat,” Milne said. “Finally, the adrenaline kicked in the last lap.”

Aldape led out the sprint for Milne, who was only beaten before the line by Ricardo Escuela (Successful Living presented by Parkpre). Ted King (Bissell Pro Cycling) was a distant third.

After the race, Brooks’s father thanked the riders, the race organization and the community of Bend for the overwhelming support of his son. Brook’s wife, Rachael, arrived in Bend Thursday and his parents flew in from Australia Friday.

“My dad had to go to through the same thing when I was hit by a car in 2001,” Milne said. “Hearing him talk about Ben had me starting to break down a bit.”

Photo: Copyright Kurt Jambretz (www.actionimages.cc)

One for the “Gregario”

Welcome to the Saunier Duval – Scott Playground!

With the high mountains out, the boys from Saunier Duval – Scott have certainly come out to play taking the first two stages in the Pyrenees. This time around, it was super-gregario Leonardo Piepoli who would emerge victorious on the top of the Hautacam, while teammate Juan Jose Cobo cheered him on from behind to claim second.


Surprisingly, today’s victory was a Tour first for 36-year old Italian climbing specialist. In his 13 years as a professional, he had never won a stage in the Tour de France, despite a 10th placed finish the year after he turned pro.

Best Laid Plans
Early on, it looked as if CSC-Saxo Bank had played its cards to perfection with Fabian Cancellara in the break and Jens Voigt and Kurt Asle Arvesen driving the yellow jersey group, which also included teammates Carol Sastre, and the brothers Schleck, up the slopes of the Tourmalet.

Only a select group could maintain the blistering pace set by CSC. Most notably left behind in their wake were pre-race favorite Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) and Damiano Cunego (Lampre). Neither was able to catch back up to the leaders even on the descent of the Tourmalet as once Cancellara was caught, he and Voigt upped the tempo once again to further distance the lead group from its chasers.

In the end, all the work would help launch the elder Schleck, Frank, who would match Piepoli and Cobo pedal for pedal up the Hautacam. Unfortunately, the virtual leader on the road would falter in the closing kilometers to see not only the stage go to Saunier Duval – Scott but also his maillot jaune chances slide to Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) by one second.

It Happened One Day On The Tourmalet
For most, it was a huge surprise to see pre-race Tour favorites, Valverde and Cunego blow up on the penultimate climb and not factor into the finale. But the Triple Crankset knows all too well the tortuous ascent [and descent] of the Col du Tourmalet.

Jonathan Vaughters, Director Sportif of Garmin-Chipotle, was asked by Cyclingnews what he thought of the Col du Tourmalet:

"I have ridden both sides and they are not that different," he said. "This side is straighter, more of a straight shot. It is one of the hardest climbs out there, even harder than Hautacam. It depends a lot on the tempo of the Tourmalet to know what will happen on the Hautacam."

Although the ascent is mostly straight at an average slope of 9.5%, the road really kicks up at various locations until you reach the ski station La Mongie two-thirds of the way up.


From La Mongie, a series of switchbacks gets you to the summit, which is adorned with a bar/restaurant and the famed statue of Octave Lapize, the Frenchman who first summited the Tourmalet in the 1910 Tour de France.


Sweet Home Chicago
While the Point Root Beer International Cycling Classic is forefront on the minds of most of the cyclists in or around the Midwest this week, Chicagoland must surely be rejoicing tonight as Lemont native Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Chiptole presented by H30) has ridden himself well into contention for a podium spot in Paris.

Vande Velde, an excellent time trialist who once rode with US Postal, Liberty Seguros, and CSC, persevered through the wave of attacks on the slopes of the Hautacam to finish in a group with the great climbers, Sastre and Ricardo Ricco, and Tour favorite Evans. He currently sits in third, 38 seconds back of Evans. Although there is a long way to go until the Champs-Ellysees, Vande Velde chances and confidence will only grow stronger as we get deeper into the Tour.

Results
1 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
2 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott
3 Fränk Schleck (Lux) CSC-Saxo Bank

General Classification After Stage 10
1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto
2 Fränk Schleck (Lux) CSC-Saxo Bank
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin Chipotle - H30
4 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
6 Carlos Sastre (Spa) CSC-Saxo Bank
7 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Columbia
8 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott
9 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
10 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale

Next:
Rest Day 1 - Tuesday, July 15 - Pau
Stage 11 - Wednesday, July 16 - Lannemezan – Foix (167.5km)


More:
Velonews - Evans in yellow as Piepoli wins atop Hautacam
Telegraph.co.uk - Tour de France: Leonardo Piepoli claims stage ten win as Cadel Evans takes yellow jersey
Il Messaggero.it - Tour de France, Piepoli vince la decima tappa Evans nuovo leader in classifica generale

Photos: AP/Laurent Rebours (top); Leonard Basobas, Steve Klein, and Amber A. (middle).

Wind, Rain Don’t Rattle Rock Racing’s Sevilla

Bird Island, China — Rock Racing’s Oscar Sevilla soldiered on Sunday at the Tour of Qinghai Lake following a Stage 2 crash that left him battered and bruised.

Riding with white bandages on his chin and wrists, Sevilla and more than 130 other riders slugged it out against strong crosswinds in rain showers during a race that began in Qinghai Lake and traveled to Bird Island. The 75-mile (120 km) course included one Category 3 climb in the final 10 miles (16 km).

Despite injuries to his left wrist and rib cage – which makes breathing difficult – Sevilla’s legs are good, Rock Racing Team Director Mariano Friedrick said.

“They (his legs) are the ones literally pushing him spiritually,” Friedrick said. “His morale is as high as ever and he is looking forward to the next few days, as he knows he’ll start to feel better physically.”


Sevilla and the Rock Racing team drove the peloton in the closing miles to significantly close the gap on a two-man breakaway that stayed away to the finish. However, the margin between stage winner Kristjan Fajt (Perutnina Ptuj) and Sevilla’s group – which included teammate Tyler Hamilton – was only 14 seconds. Sevilla finished 14th and Hamilton was 15th on the stage.

Fajt’s winning margin and time bonus lifted him into the overall lead while Sevilla slid two spots to fifth overall, 12 seconds back. Hamilton is 13th, 21 seconds behind, and Rock Racing’s Michael Creed is also in the top 25 (25th, at 19 seconds).

Monday’s 95-mile (152 km) Stage 4 goes from Bird Island to Xihaizhen and includes a pair of categorized climbs in the final 20 miles (32 km).

Photos: Tour of Qinghai Lake/Mark Gunter (www.pbase.com/gunterphotograph)

Bahati Makes It Two-In-A-Row For Rock

Blue Island, Ill. — For the second straight night, Rock Racing was unbeatable in a criterium at the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic.

This time it was Rahsaan Bahati who did the honors, winning the St. Francis Hospital Blue Island ProAm Saturday in Blue Island, Ill.

In Friday night’s opener to the 17-day race series, Rock Racing’s Sterling Magnell won in the Beverly Hills Cycling Classic in Chicago. Magnell finished third in Blue Island to easily retain the yellow jersey of overall race leader.

And once again, Rock Racing did not let its lack of numbers stand in the way of an impressive performance. Bahati, Magnell and Justin Williams were up against a full squad fielded by Kelly Benefit Strategies presented by Medifast – considered to be one of the premier criterium racing teams in the country – and a Colombian national team loaded with track pursuit specialists.

“Fortunately, Justin rode really, really strongly tonight,” Bahati said. “He saved us from a lot of work so we could be fresh at the end.”

The four-corner, mile-long course was perfectly suited to Bahati’s strength: an all-out, drag race-type sprint. With nearly 700 meters to the finish line out of the last turn, the 2000 national criterium champion won four of five point classification sprints leading up to his furious charge at the end of the 60-mile race.

“Usually I like racing to the corner because I’m good at bike handling,” Bahati said. “But on this course you could come out of the corner sixth or seventh and take your time because it was so long to the finish.”

Last year, Rock Racing was victorious in four races at the International Cycling Classic (with Kayle Leogrande winning three of them) on the way to second place in the final overall standings.

Bahati said Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball has made it clear that the team will set its sights on reaching the top step of the podium this year.

“That’s why he’s sending in some reinforcements for us next week,” Bahati said. “We’re motivated to win the whole thing.”

Twice Bitten, Leaders Shy

The first day in the Pyrenees proved only to be an appetizer [and a small, cold one at that] for tomorrow's main course, the mountain top finish on Hautacam. There were no contenders slamming their fist on the table or announcing their presence with authority as we've seen in past Tours, just cautiousness and fear; fear of expending too much energy too soon, fear of showing your hand too early, or perhaps exposing your weaknesses too soon.

Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval - Scott), however, threw caution to the wind and won today's 224km Stage 9 from Toulouse to Bagnères de Bigorre in solo fashion.

Non-viable as a true contender for this year's General Classification, the 24-year old Italian struck with all the suddenness and quickness that characterizes his nickname, "the cobra." Riccò's decisive attack midway up the ascent of the Col d'Aspin would help him capture a second victory in this year's Tour and the minds of the tifosi, who are certainly dreaming of 2009.

No major movement in the General Classification occurred with the exception of Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner), who fell one spot down to fourth.

Results
1 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott
2 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale
3 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

General Classification After Stage 9
1 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30
4 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
6 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
7 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step
8 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
9 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
10 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank

Next: Stage 10 - Monday, July 14: Pau - Hautacam (156km). The first decisive day for those contending for the GC, look for Cadel Evans (Silence - Lotto) and Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) dual to the top of Hautacam.


More:
Cyclingnews - Riccò wins second mountain stage via solo Col d'Aspin flyer alla Pantani
Velonews - The Cobra strikes on the first real mountain stage of the 2008 Tour de France

Photo: AP Photo/Laurent Rebours

Aldape Wins Team Type 1's Second Stage At Cascade

Bend, Ore. — Moises Aldape won his first race of the season Saturday while scoring Team Type 1’s second stage win at the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic.

Aldape won the 83-mile (133.5 km) Cascade Lakes Road Race by out-sprinting five breakaway companions in the final few hundred meters of the mountainous finish of the Cascade Lakes Road Race at the Mount Bachelor Ski Resort. The 26-year-old also took the lead in the King of the Mountains classification and will wear the polka-dot jersey for the final stage Sunday.

Perhaps most impressive was Aldape’s ability to wait for the right moment to launch a vicious sprint, which quickly closed a huge gap that Blake Caldwell (Team Garmin-Chipotle) had opened up with an attack of his own in the final 500 meters.

Team Type 1 Sport Director Ed Beamon said he second-guessed Aldape’s decision to wait for the final sprint.

“It looked like Caldwell was going to win the stage at 200 meters, but at 150 meters Moises went flying by,” Beamon said. “He just stayed so calm and collected and composed, it was driving me nuts.”

The decision to remain patient for the most decisive moment of the 83-mile (133.5 km) race was an easy one, Aldape said. Caldwell first launched an attack with six miles (10 km) to go that gained him 20 seconds on the breakaway, which at that time included eight riders.

“When Caldwell attacked, Ed told me to ‘go, go, go,’ but I felt confident I could jump across,” Aldape said. “So I just waited. I was counting on a little difficulty in the terrain in the last kilometer. As long as I could see him (Caldwell) ahead of me in the last 500 meters, I was confident I could win.”

Caldwell faded to finish sixth, while Chad Beyer (Team USA) was second and Bradley White (Successful Living presented by Parkpre) was third.

Aldape has been on a tear of late, scoring the team’s best finish (seventh) at the Commerce Bank Philadelphia International Classic and winning the points classification at the Tour de Beauce in Canada. Next month, he heads to Beijing to represent Mexico in the Summer Olympic Games.

Saturday’s victory added to the emotion first raised by Team Type 1’s Matt Wilson, who won the second stage of the race Thursday. He dedicated his victory to teammate Ben Brooks, who was critically injured Wednesday in a high-speed crash.

Brooks has since shown signs of recovery, Beamon said, and is awake and conscious of his surroundings. The full extent of his injuries, which include head trauma, will not be immediately known.

Sunday’s final stage of the six-stage, five-day event is the Deschutes Brewery-Awbrey Butte Circuit Race, another 83-mile (133.5 km) race. Wilson is fifth overall, but only 25 seconds out of second place. Levi Leipheimer (Astana) remains the race leader by two minutes and 30 seconds over Jeff Louder (BMC).

Photo: Copyright Kurt Jambretz (www.actionimages.cc)