On Tap...

Into the Fray
As the passerby, above, at the last Chicago Cyclocross Cup race can attest, its never too late to just jump in and have some good clean fun. Below is a listing of some weekend races in specific areas of the country.

11/15/2008
Bay Area Super Prestige Series #3-Sierra Point CX
Brisbane, CA
Tech Cross
Blacksburg, VA

11/16/2008
Sandhell in the Sandhills - NC Cyclocross Series Race
Southern Pines, NC
2008 Bike Authority Cyclocross Series # 3
Broadview Heights, OH
Urban Cyclocross Series
Irvine, CA
Lan-Oak Cyclocross Race
Lansing, IL

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


Up and Over
For upcoming cross races in and around specific areas of the country, see below.

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

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

Photo: Amy Dykema

Slipstream Sports LLC Announces 2009 Team Garmin-Chipotle Launch Event

Proceeds will benefit The Children’s Hospital

Boulder, CO – Slipstream Sports LLC and its chief venture, the Garmin-Chipotle Professional Cycling Team, are providing fans with the rare opportunity to spend an evening with riders and staff at the Boulder Theatre in Boulder, Colo., on Saturday, Nov. 22. The event will feature the official announcement of the 2009 team roster, a silent auction, and an open forum Q&A with the riders. Additionally, guests will get a sneak peak at a feature length documentary from Nick Davis Productions about a year in the life of Team Garmin-Chipotle. The film will air on the Sundance Channel prior to the 2009 Tour de France.

Because Slipstream Sports is dedicated to philanthropy and the future, proceeds from the evening will benefit The Children’s Hospital Courage Classic, a three-day cycling event the benefits the hospital. Located in Aurora, Colo., Children’s is a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and wellbeing of children. Cancer survivor and four-time Courage Classic rider Paul Lemieux, 17, will be a featured speaker of the evening.

A limited number of VIP tickets, which include a private cocktail hour with the team, special seating, and a gift bag, are available for $250.00. VIP tickets are available for purchase at www.slipstreamsports.com/gala. General admission tickets are available for $25.00 via the Boulder Theatre website. Each ticket purchased comes with one raffle ticket for a custom fit 2008 team edition Felt F1. The winner will be announced at the end of the evening.

Silent auction items will include:

• Christian Vande Velde's Felt DA time trial bike, used in the 2008 Tour de France.
• A leaders jersey from the 2008 Giro d'Italia signed by the 2008 team time trial squad.
• A 2008 Garmin-Chipotle team jersey signed by the entire 2008 Tour de France team.
• A Zipp time trial wheelset signed by U.S. Professional champion Dave Zabriskie.

Event Details:
WHAT: 2009 Team Launch
WHEN: Saturday, November 22, 2009 - Doors open at 6 pm
WHERE: Boulder Theater - 2032 14th Street Boulder, CO 80302
TICKETS: VIP or General

Rabobank Signs On As Founding Partner of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California

LOS ANGELES and ROSEVILLE, CA – Rabobank, N.A., a leading California community bank, and AEG announced that Rabobank will be a “Founding Partner” of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Under the three-year sponsorship agreement, Rabobank will be a Founding Partner and the Official Bank of the Amgen Tour of California beginning in 2009 and extending through the 2011 event.

The fourth-annual professional cycling road race will make its way through 16 host cities down the coast and through the Central Valley of California, which will include some of the state's most picturesque highlights, along a demanding 800-mile course. The nine-day race starts on Saturday, February 14, 2009 in Sacramento and concludes on Sunday, February 22, in San Diego County, with a finish in Escondido. The race passes through many of the communities where Rabobank currently has a bank presence or in which it plans to grow.

As part of the sponsorship, Rabobank will present the daily award given to the “best young rider” for the just concluded daily “stage.” Each day, all riders who are under the age of 23 compete for this special recognition. The recipient is determined by his overall placement at the finish line after each stage. During the daily awards ceremony, special recognition is given to the winner of the award as he is presented with the specially branded Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey. At the race’s conclusion, an overall winner of the jersey is also named. Coincidentally, a rider from the Rabobank team has been the overall winner of this jersey for the past two years.

“We are pleased to enter into this partnership with AEG and to become the official bank of the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race,” said Ronald Blok, chief executive officer of Rabobank, N.A. “In just three years, AEG has built the race into a highly professional and well-organized event that attracts millions of spectators and cycling fans in California and, increasingly, around the world. Rabobank has a long association with cycling and a century-old heritage of community banking, so our sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California is an ideal synergy between our commitment to cycling and the growth of our bank in California.”

In addition to active participation in the awards ceremonies, Rabobank also will have a significant presence at the Amgen Tour of California Lifestyle Festival, where thousands of fans will engage in various cycling, healthy lifestyle and sponsor-supported activities in the city where the race finishes each day. Rabobank will offer special co-branded banking products to promote the bank’s involvement with the Amgen Tour of California and will feature these products at the Lifestyle Festival, along with games, giveaways and other items that showcase Rabobank’s position as the bank of choice in communities throughout California.

Rabobank has been a sponsor of one of the world’s top elite cycling teams for the past 12 years. Having participated in the Amgen Tour of California the past two years, the team is expected to once again compete.

Additionally, Rabobank’s sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California will include VIP hospitality opportunities and promotional exposure through onsite advertisements, the Amgen Tour of California Web site, a commercial on the official television broadcast and all race marketing materials. Rabobank’s sponsorship will also include stage entitlement for a yet-to-be-determined stage of the race.

“The addition of Rabobank as a 'Founding Partner' of the Amgen Tour of California is a perfect fit,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. “Rabobank's commitment to the sport of cycling through their sponsorship of this race and of their professional cycling team is important to the growth of the Amgen Tour of California and to cyclists everywhere."

During the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, elite international and domestic cycling teams will traverse the state from north to south with scheduled stops in the following host cities: Sacramento, Davis, Santa Rosa, Sausalito, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Modesto, Merced, Clovis, Visalia, Paso Robles, Solvang, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, Rancho Bernardo and Escondido. A portion of the Tour proceeds will be dedicated to raising awareness and support for people affected by cancer.

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

“Ride The World Cup” Fundraiser #3 at Hellyer Velodrome Welcomes Track and Tour de France Veteran Frankie Andreu

Next Ride the World Cup (RTWC) Event Will Feature Nine-Time Tour de France Veteran Andreu and Local Hellyer Track Champions; Video Coverage by CyclistVillage.com

Marin County, Calif. – PROMAN riders Shelley Olds and Nicola Cranmer traveled to Manchester, Great Britain, to compete in the first World Cup track event in front of a sold out stadium and electrifying crowds. Olds was able to build on PROMAN’s growing prominence in track cycling’s most important international series by taking 6th and 8th in the Scratch and Points races, respectively.

“We are very excited,” reported Olds from Manchester. “Everything seems to be falling into place for our racing squads at just the right time. It is also humbling and inspiring to be here in Manchester, one of the world’s track racing Meccas. The British Track Program is absolutely without equal; after dominating the Beijing Olympic track events, they’ve swept the highest podium steps in almost every event.”

For PROMAN, timing certainly seems key, as Olds and 30+ National Team Pursuit Champion/General Manager, Cranmer, return to the San Francisco Bay Area just in time to prepare for the third Ride the World Cup fundraiser on Saturday, November 15th.

Like the first edition, the event promises to showcase some exciting track racing, as well as spotlight local Hellyer track heroes at the Junior, Elite, Masters National and even World Championship levels. Several 2008 champions have been invited to show up with their complete collections of jerseys and medals for group pictures, including Daniel Holloway, Shelley Olds and multiple masters world champion Larry Nolan and many others which will make for unique photo opportunities. The photo session (all photographers are invited) will take place before the racing begins sometime between 12 noon and 2pm.

In addition, PROMAN will be introducing four new team riders at the event, all Juniors: Ruth Winder, Nikka Van Den Dries, Claire Jenson and Christina Noelle Yglesias.


“This represents an important milestone in the team’s history,” explains Cranmer. “Not only will we be continuing our support of women who are working their way up through the ranks in the form of our development squads, but we will have the opportunity to mentor and support promising young athletes who can follow in the footsteps of Shelley, Cari Higgins (below), Rachel Lloyd and other ‘PROMAN Girls’ who have excelled at the National and International levels.”


Frankie Andreu and sponsor CyclistVillage.com are supporting the team’s fundraising efforts in the hope that PROMAN riders can participate in multiple World Cups over the next four years in order to properly prepare for track World Championships and the Olympics in 2012. Frankie got his start in racing on the track and also was the PROMAN team director at several races this year.


Organizers are planning to modify the race formats somewhat, running the points races first, followed by motor-paced scratch events for the finale. Visit www.ridetheworldcups.com for additional information.

There will also be a "Frankie Fun Ride" on Sunday, November 16th, at 9am starting from The Java Hut in Fairfax, Calif. (760 Center Blvd, Fairfax). It will be a 42-mile recreational ride where cyclists can meet and mingle with Andreu and other celebrities while on their bikes, as well as win prizes afterward. More details are available here.

After what promises to be a memorable event and hopefully a successful fundraising effort, Olds, Cranmer and teammate Cari Higgins – four-time Elite National Track Champion – will already be preparing for the next track World Cup in Melbourne, Australia November 20-22, 2008.

“I can't wait to tell everyone about England,” added Olds, now back in the US. “I hope a lot of people can make it to the fundraiser on November fifteenth. It will be a truly memorable occasion; I’m really looking forward to it!”

More information about Frankie Andreu is available here. For more information about PROMAN Women’s Professional Cycling Team visit www.proman-paradigm.blogspot.com and www.promanracing.com.

Photos: Rob Evans

Team Type 1 Re-Signs Kobzarenko, Adds Slovenian Sprinter

Atlanta — Ukranian Valeriy Kobzarenko, who was one of Team Type 1’s most dependable riders in 2008, will return to the squad in 2009. At the same time, the second-year team announced the signing of promising young Slovenian sprinter Aldo Ino Ilesic.

The two join eight other riders already announced for Team Type 1, a team striving to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes. Co-founders Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge are two of four riders on the men’s professional roster who have Type 1 diabetes.

Kobzarenko is a three-time Olympian and past Ukranian national road race champion (1997). His season highlights include winning the Frank “Nap” Torpey Memorial Hills of Somerset County Road Race and finishing second on Stage 6 of the Tour de Taiwan and second on Stage 4a of the Tour de Beauce.

Team Type 1 Sport Director Ed Beamon said the 31-year-old has been the “rock” of the team that won 45 races as well as the team titles at the Vuelta Mexico and the Tour de Beauce.

“I honestly believe we would not have had the success that we enjoyed in 2008 without his undying, consistent, and selfless work and commitment,” Beamon said. “In every situation that I can remember this year where our leader may have been under fire, Kobza was always there to put out the flame. Valeriy can win when in the situation, but his experience and competitiveness make him one of the hardest workers on the team.”

Ino Ilesic, 23, was a late-season revelation on the U.S. racing scene, winning two races (Dylan Mitchell Memorial Criterium and the Vista Grand Prix) while finishing second in a third (USA Crits Finals) – all in a five-day period in September.

Beamon said Ino IIlesic’s tremendous finishing speed will be showcased in hard, one-day events and stages, as well as criteriums. In 2008 – his first season as a professional – he won 16 races and scored 23 podium finishes.

“He has extensive European experience coming from one of the top programs in central Europe,” Beamon said. “This was another move to improve our strength in the sprints and at the finish, especially in the harder internationally competitive finishes.”

Photo: Courtesy TT1

Yakima's Windmill and Foam Machine Bring Unique Spirit to 2008 Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships

The Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships were held in Portland, OR this past weekend, November 7-9. The course featured an extremely unique obstacle in the form of a huge windmill complete with a foam machine.

Yakima's company team, the Yakima Bike Vigilantes, developed the windmill for the event, which was perched at the top of the biggest run-up on the course. Racers had to dismount, run through as the blades tried to nail them, and then remount their bikes once they were through the contraption, all the while avoiding foam that was pumping out through a foam machine.

This is just another event where Yakima showcases their fun loving spirit -- it's about about having fun, making other people have fun, and Yakima is as authentic as it gets.



Cyclocross Magazine covered the event and shot the following video, which shows the windmill in full action.



Matt Karre filed the race report on the SSCXWC08 website. An excerpt follows.

...Olympic mountain biker Adam Craig hit the start line on a slightly modified version of his usual Giant ‘cross bike. It was, of course, single speed but Craig had a partner in crime. Attached to his bike was a tag-a-long trailer bike ridden by Tina Brubaker (who happened to be wearing his Short Track national champion skin suit). Technically not a tandem and not truly two bikes, the two raced around the course with surprising grace and speed, even trying to bunny hop the Vault. Trebon came to Portland with winning in mind. After winning two previous races, the Cross Crusade single speed race and Category A race, Trebon found himself caught behind the initial pile-up and was unable to catch the lead group.

While Craig may have had a unique racing bike, many other racers competed perhaps without speed in mind. One strong man raced on a Surly Big Dummy, a 45 plus pound long tail cargo bike converted to single speed. Another wore an outfit best called lots of moss. A crowd favorite wore PBaRmor, a knight suit made of PBR cans. Perhaps the slowest contender was Brody Boeger riding a plastic pony mounted to a 20 inch kid’s bike. Many donned bikini briefs. One man wore a women’s one piece bathing suit. Last year’s winner Wendy Williams wore her world champion bikini.

The women’s race saw crowd favorite Megan Farris take a huge early lead. Destined for victory, Farris suffered an untimely flat that allowed Butler and Williams to pass her. Over thirty racers qualified . Butler, Williams and Farris caught and passed most of the men’s field even after starting 30 seconds behind.

Trips for Kids to Host 11th Annual "Brews, Bikes and Bucks" Party

Quality drinks, food and mountain biking celebrities make this event the most fun cycling enthusiasts can have without being on a bike!

San Rafael, Calif. - Trips for Kids' annual "Brews, Bikes and Bucks" party will be held Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008 at the Broken Drum Brewery (1132 Fourth Street, San Rafael, Calif.) from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The popular event features local beer, terrific raffle prizes, delicious food and the chance to hobnob with famous mountain biking pioneers. Admission is free and all proceeds benefit Trips for Kids, the award-winning, Marin-based non-profit that has improved the lives of disadvantaged kids through trail rides and earn-a-bike programs for more than 20 years.

Now in its 11th year, this fundraiser has become a much-anticipated tradition. Mountain biking legends likely to attend include Gary Fisher, Tom Ritchey, Joe Breeze, Ned Overend, Scott Nicol, Jacquie Phelan, Otis Guy, Ross Shafer, Charles Kelly, Mert Lawwill and Chris Lang.

"Many of us take for granted the pleasure of getting out in Marin parks and wild areas and enjoying a bike ride. That simple experience isn't available to everyone, though - especially to a number of vulnerable, inner-city kids," says Marilyn Price, Trips for Kids founder. "Our goal has always been to help set that straight a little bit. This fundraiser lends a big hand by supporting our entire program!"

Bike-related prizes will be raffled throughout the afternoon. The grand prize will be a dual suspension Jamis Dakar XCR Sport mountain bike (MSRP: $1,475) donated by Jamis Bicycles. A silent auction will include other items such as a 2009 Marin Bikes Alpine Trail 29er mountain bike.

Advance raffle tickets are on sale at the Broken Drum Brewery and at the Trips for Kids' Re-Cyclery Thrift Shop in San Rafael. Raffle tickets will also be available at the event. Ticket holders need not be present to win. All event profits will benefit Trips for Kids.

Sheer and Much Tops at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup #7

By Imelda March

The 7th stop of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup traveled to the Village of Northbrook, a suburb north of the City of Chicago. The village has many charms, including that of Hollywood fame with several scenes of the movies Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science and Ice Harvest filmed at a hotel located in the village.

A damp and partly cloudy day brought out the dedicated to mix it up in treacherous cross conditions with temperatures that hovered around the 30 degree Fahrenheit mark.

Garner/Northbrook Bike Club and Flatlandia Cycling did a fantastic job setting up a cross course that would make the ancestors from Belgium very proud. The muddy course had no barriers; however, the two-stair run up was enough to keep the heart beats well elevated. The mud filled course kept many of the riders hitting the deck multiple times. The culprit was a section near and around the stair case run up section that got worse as the day went on.


The course design and amenities received rave reviews from the riders who finally were able to let the mud fly with a course that was very difficult both technically and physically. To top things off organizers ensured that hot coffee and coco was available for a quick warm up just steps from the finish line.

Elite Men
In the Elite Men’s race, Mike Sheer (Pony Shop) made the trip up from Indianapolis,IN to school the locals. He pressed on the gas early and got away very quickly. He was followed by yet another out-of-state visitor, James Lalonde (Ellis Cycles) of Wisconsin who took second. Locals Scott McLaughlin (SRAM), Kevin Klug (Killjoy), and Luca Lenzi (Pony Shop) rounded out the podium.


Results - Top 10
1 Mike Sheer (Pony Shop)
2 James Lalonde (Ellis Cycles)
3 Scott McLaughlin (SRAM)
4 Kevin Klug (Killjoy)
5 Luca Lenzi (Pony Shop)
6 Wayne Simon (Verdigris Custom Homes)
7 Christando Lombardo (Verdigris Custom Homes)
8 Michael Hemmi (Bicycle Heaven)
9 Kyle Jacobsen (Iscorp)
10 Matthew Stewart (Bicycle Heaven)

Elite Women
In the Elite Women's race, Rebecca Much (xXx Racing/AthletiCo), the current United States U23 TT Champion plowed through the field. Unmatched, Much arrived solo at the line to take yet another win in the Chicago Cyclocross Cup series.


The battle held by the chasers went to Holly Klug (Killjoy). The remaining podium spots went to: Jessica Hill (Trail’s End Cycling) in 3rd, Pam Loebig (Bike Reg.com) 4th and June Upshaw (Verdigris Custom Homes) in 5th.

Results - Top Ten
1 Rebecca Much (xXx Racing – AthletiCo)
2 Holly Klug (Killjoy)
3 Jessica Hill (Trail's End Cycling)
4 Pam Loebig (Bike Reg.com)
5 June Upshaw (Verdigris Custom Homes)
6 Debbie Pielet (Albertos)
7 Leah Sanda (Flatlandia)
8 Wendy Gaddy (Albertos)
9 Beth Christensen (xXx Racing - AthletiCo)
10 Heidi Sarna (xXx Racing – AthletiCo)

Upcoming Events
The next stop for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup is the Lan Oak Park #8 scheduled for Sunday, November 16. This race will feature collegiate racing for both men and women. Additional information about his race and the series can be found by visiting www.chicrosscup.com

Photos: Luke Seemann (first through fourth); Amy Dykema (fifth through seventh).

Chicago Cyclocross Cup to Host Collegiate Race

Chicago, Illinois – The Chicago Cyclocross Cup is pleased to announce the addition of a collegiate race for both men and women. The race is scheduled for Sunday, November 16 in Lansing, Illinois. The Lan-Oak Park Race #8 allows collegiate riders to earn points toward the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference (MWCCC) Cyclocross Series.

This is the first time the series has incorporated a collegiate race as part of the race offerings.

Individual series winners of the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference (MWCCC) Cyclocross Series earn front row privileges in the upcoming 2008 USA Cycling National Cyclocross Championships scheduled for December 11-14, 2008.

Further information about the race and the series be found by visiting www.chicrosscup.com

On Tap...

Task At Hand
Cyclocross races dominate the calendar except for the Prostate Cancer Awareness Challenge. The track event will be held at the ADT Velodrome in Carson, CA on Sunday November 9th.

The event, founded by a friend of le Triple, Robert Hess, Chairman of the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project, "is a combination of the three-person Olympic Sprint and Individual 500 meter Time Trial.

Each team will ride two Olympic sprint heats and each team member will ride one 500 TT. Team standing will be based on combination of the total time for all five rides. The winner in each category is the team with the lowest total time.

It is also the First Ever joint Prostate Cancer / Breast Cancer awareness event. Keep that fitness you honed for the state and national championships and let's see which gender can get the most teams to the event and the most points on the board.

There are age graded categories for men, women, mixed teams. Get your teams formed and compete for a set of three tickets to the VIP tent at the final stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California!"

For more race in and around your area, scroll below.

11/08/2008
CICLE Cross
Los Angeles, CA

11/09/2008
Urban Cross at IX 3
Charlottesville, VA
Prostate Cancer Awareness Challenge
Carson, CA
Old Towne Vande-Cross
Moline, IL
Sacramento Cyclocross - November
Sacramento, CA
NCCX #5 Dobson CX Race - State Championship
Dobson, NC
Save Ferris Northbrook Cross
Northbrook, IL
John Bryan Cyclocross Classic
Yellow Springs, OH
Dam Cross
Hanson Dam, CA
Stoughton Viking Cross
Stougthon, WI

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


Up and Over
For upcoming cross races in and around specific areas of the country, see below.

11/15/2008
Bay Area Super Prestige Series #3-Sierra Point CX
Brisbane, CA
Tech Cross
Blacksburg, VA

11/16/2008
Sandhell in the Sandhills - NC Cyclocross Series Race
Southern Pines, NC
2008 Bike Authority Cyclocross Series # 3
Broadview Heights, OH
Urban Cyclocross Series
Irvine, CA
Lan-Oak Cyclocross Race
Lansing, IL

Photo: Junior Track Cycling

Trips for Kids Establishes First Overseas Chapter with Addition of Israel-based Chapter

A community group in Israel gears up, taking inner-city kids mountain biking through the Judean plains


SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - Trips for Kids (TFK) today announced a significant milestone with the formation of its first overseas chapter - Trips for Kids Israel - Samson Riders Bicycle Club (TFK Israel-SRBC).

Located in Beit Shemesh, Israel, Trips for Kids' newest chapter provides disadvantaged Yehuda Plains youth a chance to experience the joy and challenge of mountain biking in nature, something they would not typically be able to enjoy.

"The Samson Riders Bicycle Club is very excited to become part of the Trips for Kids family!" said Renee Halpert, communication coordinator for TFK Israel-SRBC. "Many children and youth from our region will reach new heights of success because of this important association."

TFK Israel-SRBC was created on the foundation of the community group, the Samson Riders Bicycle Club (SRBC). One of SRBC's exceptional programs, Riding for Co-Existence, brings Israeli Jewish and Arab youth together to ride, learn about each other, break down social barriers, discover new interests and respect the land.

"We believe that with the support of TFK, we can continue to expand this program to involve youth from these and other ethnic communities in the planning and implementation of rides for their peers," Halpert said.

Across North America, and now in the Middle East, Trips for Kids chapters take low-income, inner-city and otherwise at-risk youth out of the city for mountain bike rides, which often turn out to be "the rides of their lives."

A simple concept with rich dividends, Trips for Kids chapters have touched the lives of nearly 50,000 young people during its more than 20-year history. Trips for Kids' organizes mountain bike rides to help youth have fun while gaining confidence, riding skills, a greater appreciation for the natural world and exposure to the lifelong benefits of exercise.

Each TFK Chapter is distinct, with different staffing and volunteer levels depending on the type and size of its program. Some chapters have been started by organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs, Police Athletics League and cycling clubs. Several have evolved from public and private non-profit organizations committed to serving underprivileged youth, e.g. charter schools, treatment centers and public health agencies. While the communities served by each chapter are unique, the youth share a common need - they are low-income kids facing an array of personal challenges.

For more information on Trips for Kids, including a list of chapters, please visit www.tripsforkids.org or call Marilyn Price at (415) 458-2986.

CHANGE

"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent." - Martin Luther King, Jr.


It has been said that all politics is local. As such, not all cyclists were happy with the results from last evening's US Presidential Election. It’s probably safe to say, however, that a great majority of us were.

Admittedly, I haven't always been in that majority of which I speak. I have associated myself with the all too common societal group of "moderates who lean to the right" for the better part of my voting life.

But since the announcement of his entry into presidential politics, the man and the message that is Barack Obama appealed to those liberal, and dare I say, more honorable fibers of my experiential fabric. And as we saw last night, the same can be said for most Americans.

His demeanor, intelligence, and steadiness are all qualities that I espouse. His minority status serves to elevate all of us of color. His message of change, a call to arms to be "our brother's keeper,” and to be inclusive and not exclusive resounds and demands all to reach for something better and brighter, both within and in our fellow citizens.

YES WE CAN.

The man and the message enticed me to attend my first ever political rally, on the lawn of the statehouse in Columbus, Ohio this past weekend, and to vote for change yesterday. But not for the change that might seem so readily apparent.


The change I voted for yesterday was less of a referendum on the failures of the past eight years, than on the failures of past generations. As New York Times columnist, David Brooks, recently commented, “Despite decades of [private] affluence, longstanding [public] issues of health care, education, energy and entitlement debt have not been adequately addressed.” Coupled with the numerous social and civil rights issues that Brooks fails to mention, our country’s agenda has continually confounded the most logical and pragmatic among us.

YES WE CAN.

Barack Obama holds within him the promise for a transformational change that Americans have yearned for, while we hold within us the unwavering and tireless spirit to bring that change about.

Unfortunately, the world of professional cycling is without such a transcendent figure; one that could bring the sport out from under a pervasive unethical “win-at-all-cost” culture. But, that may also be good thing. Instead, cycling has chosen to roll forward on unpredictable wheels rather than wait for the "wheels of inevitability" to carry us to a cleaner and more beautiful sport. And in that, we can all be proud.

YES, WE CAN!

NOTE: If you like the design above, a series of CHANGE t-shirts are now available in the CRANK Shop.

Photos: Leonard Basobas

Wilson, MacGregor Returning To Team Type 1

Atlanta — Team Type 1 will be bolstered in 2009 by the return of stage racing specialists Matt Wilson and Ian MacGregor, as announced by Sport Director Ed Beamon Monday.

Wilson, 31, rebounded from breaking his right wrist in March to score stage wins at the Tour de Beauce and the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic. The 2004 Australian national road champion also earned King of the Mountains titles at the Tour of Ireland and the Jayco Herald Sun Tour in Australia.

MacGregor (inset), 25, was a pivotal contributor in overall victories at the Tour of Arkansas and the Vuelta Mexico, as well as the Team Type 1’s team title at the Tour de Beauce. The 2004 and 2005 Under 23 U.S. national road champion enjoyed a spectacular July, winning Stage 2 of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic and the Colorado road racing championship while finishing second at the Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hillclimb.

Beamon said the pair represent the core of the team’s general classification hopes in 2009.

“Matt was brought on as a leader, and certainly in the second half of the season, he displayed his leadership abilities and matured in that capacity,” Beamon said. “Ian continues to improve and he showed last year that his climbing abilities – when he is on form – are up there with the top guys in North America.”

Team Type 1 previously announced the re-signings of Mexican Olympian Moises Aldape, stage racing specialist Fabio Calabria and American climbing specialist Chris Jones. The team has also signed sprinters Ricardo Escuela of Argentina and American Kenneth Hanson as well as promising young Belgian all-arounder Willem Van den Eynde.

Calabria and Van den Eynde represent the athletes on the professional team who have Type 1 diabetes. They join team co-founders Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge, who led Team Type 1 to back-to-back victories in the Race Across America (RAAM) in 2006 and 2007.

On Tap...

In the Mud
In my backyard, two cyclocross events take place this weekend at Veterans Park in Ann Arbor, MI. Both events are sponsored by local bicycle shop, Two Wheel Tango, and Tailwind Enterprises. Racing starts at 10AM.

Two Wheel Tango is having a barbeque to coincide with Veterans Park CX1 on Saturday November 1st. Chow time starts at 11AM by the tennis courts.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cycloross Cup series continues with the Campton Cross in St. Charles, IL on November 2nd.

11/01/2008
Team Polska Cyclocross Classic
Milwaukee, WI
Capcity Cross #5 Uncle Steve's
Marysville, OH
Veterans Park CX 1
Ann Arbor, MI
Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge
Bainbridge Township, OH

11/02/2008
Gun Club Cyclocross
Miamiville, OH
Convert CX
Ventura, CA
Bay Area Super Prestige Series #2 - Candlestick Pt CX
San Francisco, CA
2008 Bike Authority Cyclocross Series # 2
Cleveland, OH
Lenoir Cyclocross
Lenoir, NC
Campton Cross
St. Charles, IL
Veterans Park CX 2
Ann Arbor, MI
Estabrook Park Cyclocross 2008
Milwaukee, WI

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


Up and Over
For upcoming cross races in and around specific areas of the country, see below.

11/08/2008
CICLE Cross
Los Angeles, CA

11/09/2008
Urban Cross at IX 3
Charlottesville, VA
Prostate Cancer Awareness Challenge
Carson, CA
Old Towne Vande-Cross
Moline, IL
Sacramento Cyclocross - November
Sacramento, CA
NCCX #5 Dobson CX Race - State Championship
Dobson, NC
Save Ferris Northbrook Cross
Northbrook, IL
John Bryan Cyclocross Classic
Yellow Springs, OH
Dam Cross
Hanson Dam, CA
Stoughton Viking Cross
Stougthon, WI

Photo: Luke Seemann

The Finish Line

Here at the Triple, we don't step into the political arena [that is the non-cycling related political arena] too often.

But with the finish line of the US Presidential race closing fast, Barack Obama and his supporters have brought us, the cycling community, into the fray with this video.

If you have ever been the front runner and can empathize with this video, I'm sorry. And for those who think that the current front runner in the presidential polls has gotten at all complacent, forget it.

Click on the image to be taken to the video.

McLaughlin Continues Streak, Upshaw Solos at Chicago Cyclocross Cup #5

By Imelda March

A sunny but extremely windy day greeted the riders in the Village of Bartlett, a northwest suburb of the city of Chicago. This was the second year that this race was held in this suburb. The race course was peppered with multiple twists, fast pavement, mud and four barriers. A single barrier greeted the riders moments after the gun, with a 3-barrier combination was strategically placed within yards of the finish line. A twisty section with an up hill combination would lead riders to a sharp left and onto the final straightaway up to the finish line.

Elite Men
Scott McLaughlin (Sram Factory Team) added a second victory to his racing resume in as many races. The winner of Chicago Cross Cup #4, McLaughlin took the victory in Barlett in front of Wayne Simon (Verdigris Custom Homes), Kevin Klug (Killjoy), Luca Lenzi (Pony Shop), and Christando Lombardo (Verdigris Custom Homes), respectively.

Elite Women
Several powerhouses decided to stay on terra firma rather than get blown away by the strong winds this past weekend. A smallish nine women field started the race and Holly Klug (Killjoy) took the hole shot into the first barrier followed closely by June Upshaw (Verdigris Custom Homes). Immediately after the remount Klug continued her assault on the hill. She went nowhere, however, having fallen victim to a bottom bracket mechanical.

Upshaw easily took over the lead. With her toughest competitor down with a mechanical, Upshaw needed only to battle the high winds over the course to take the solo win.

Leah Sanda (Flatlandia), Jessica Hill (Trails End Cycling), Debbie Pielet (Albertos), and Beth Christiansen (xXx Racing - AthletiCo) rounded out the five deep podium.


Upcoming Events
Racing continues with the Chicago Cyclocross Cup Race #6 on Sunday, November 2 in St Charles, Illinois. Further information about the series can be found by visiting www.chicrosscup.com

Rock Racing’s Sevilla Wins Colombia’s RCN Classic

Cali, Colombia – Rock Racing’s Oscar Sevilla became the first non-Colombian in 48 years to win the RCN Classic when the Spaniard finished second in Sunday’s final stage individual time trial to secure a 40-second overall victory.

Competing for the “Mayor of Tunja” composite team, Sevilla scored his fifth win of the season and his first in an international stage race since the 2006 Vuelta Ciclista Asturias in Spain.

“I am particularly happy with this win because Colombia is my second home,” Sevilla said. “The people here make me feel very much at home.”

Sevilla took the lead on the opening stage of the nine-day race when his team bested the 13 other squads in the 18-mile (30 km) team time trial. After relinquishing the lead the following day (to teammate Felix Cardenas), Sevilla hovered in the top five of the overall standings until the decisive seventh stage.

In that mountainous, 111-mile (179 km) race, Sevilla finished third, 62 seconds behind stage winner Fernando Camargo (Boyaca Lottery), but 31 seconds ahead of previous race leader Mauricio Ortega (UNE).

“In the final three kilometers, I sensed that the UNE team was not going well so I attacked,” Sevilla said.

Ortega went on to best Sevilla by 13 seconds in the final stage, 21-mile (35 km) time trial to secure second overall. Ortega’s teammate, Juan Carlos Lopez, finished third overall, 2:30 behind.

Previous winners of the RCN Classic include Tour de France mountain king Luis Herrera (1982-84, 1986), Tour de France stage winner Fabio Parra (1987) and Tour de France best young rider Alvaro Mejia (1988, 1989)

Rock Racing scored 45 victories and 100 podium finishes during the 2008 season.

Photo: El Tiempo (Alberto Urrego)

On Tap...

For those in the Chicagoland area, race #5 of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup takes place this weekend in Barlett, IL with the ABD Sunrise Park Cyclocross. The race will be held on an open grass field with several run ups, mutliple sections of pavement, as well as two wooded section. Racing begins at 10AM.

For other cross races in and around you area, review the listings below.

10/25/2008
Whirlybird 'Cross @ Bryn Athyn College
Bryn Athyn, PA
Spooky Cross SoCal Prestige Series #4
Irvine, CA

10/26/2008
City Bikes DCCX 2008
Washington, DC
Homegrown Cyclocross Series
Fresno, CA
VeloTrocadreo Halloween Classic
Milwaukee, WI
Urban Cyclocross Series
Torrence, CA
ABD Sunrise Park Cyclocross
Bartlett, IL
Surf City Cyclocross
Soquel, CA
Hawksnest Crossfest NCCX #3
Seven Devils, NC

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


Up and Coming
For upcoming cross races in and around specific areas of the country, see below.

11/01/2008
Team Polska Cyclocross Classic
Milwaukee, WI
Capcity Cross #5 Uncle Steve's
Marysville, OH
Veterans Park CX 1
Ann Arbor, MI Cyclocross
Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge
Bainbridge Township, OH

11/02/2008
Gun Club Cyclocross
Miamiville, OH
Convert CX
Ventura, CA
Bay Area Super Prestige Series #2-Candlestick Pt CX
San Francisco, CA
2008 Bike Authority Cyclocross Series # 2
Cleveland, OH
Lenoir Cyclocross
Lenoir, NC
Campton Cross
St. Charles, IL
Veterans Park CX 2
Ann Arbor, MI
Estabrook Park Cyclocross 2008
Milwaukee, WI

Catching Up on Interbike
An increased workload at the job that pays the bills, and a bit of burnout from a long season, has cut into my blogging time. Stay tuned for still many stories, reviews, photos and race write-ups from Interbike on the horizon.

Photo: Luke Seemann

Interbike's OutDoor Demo East Has Successful First Year

Retailers and exhibitors pleased with the energy, participation and organization of Interbike's inaugural east coast demo-style even


SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. - Amid off-road and road demo courses, bicycle manufacturers, retailers and industry groups participated in two days of product demos, clinics and networking during Interbike's first regional demo event, OutDoor Demo East, held October 21-22, 2008, at the Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island.

"In hosting our first regional demo-style event, we had great support from exhibitors and strong attendance from east coast retailers," said Andy Tompkins, Interbike's show director. "Whether I was visiting a seminar, checking the trails or chatting with exhibitors in the expo area, attendees were pleased to see that OutDoor Demo East shared the same energy, festival-type quality and bottom-line value the industry enjoys and appreciates at the OutDoor Demo in Nevada."

Presented by SRAM and Jamis Bicycles, Interbike OutDoor Demo East saw strong attendance from New England and Mid-Atlantic states, as well as retailers from Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin to name a few. Retailers from as far away as California, Florida and Oregon were also in attendance.

"Given the cost and time associated with taking an entire staff to Vegas for Interbike, I was pleased at the opportunity to attend OutDoor Demo East," said Lee Rogers, owner of Philadelphia-based Bicycle Therapy. "It was valuable for the staff to test product and then meet up immediately to share feedback with each other. Between the demos, clinics and industry party, Interbike identified the most important elements of a demo event and created a great package that my entire staff could participate in."

Brad Hill, owner and president of Goodale's Bike Shop in New Hampshire, said his employees came back from OutDoor Demo East with rave reviews.

While only Hill and three of his staff were able to attend the 2008 Interbike Expo and OutDoor Demo events in Las Vegas, he was able to send 16 of his employees to attend OutDoor Demo East.

"Without a demo event local to the east coast, a fair amount of my employees would never be able to attend a trade event," said Hill.

Preliminary figures indicate close to 700 retailers attended the inaugural event. The more than 60 exhibiting company's booths, product displays, demo products and staff stretched across more than 60,000 gross square-feet of exhibit space in Roger Williams Park.

"We saw a lot of dealers we didn't see out west," said Steve Thomas, national sales manager for Jamis Bicycles. "It was good for us to get New England and Mid-Atlantic dealers under our bikes. They are an important market for us and they carry different categories and selections of bikes than western United States retailers do. We also brought our marketing and product development staff to OutDoor Demo East, so they could optain feedback from the attending dealers. It was definitely worth it for us to attend this event."

Besides trying product from manufacturers like Cannondale, Felt Bicycles, Fox Racing, Giant, Mavic, Pedro's, Specialized and SRAM, retailers also attended the Super Seminar series hosted by the National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA) in the Roger Williams Park Casino.

"Holding our East Coast Super Seminars in conjunction with Interbike's OutDoor Demo East was very successful," said Fred Clements, NBDA's executive director. "Dealer participation was incredibly strong with standing room only in all of our seminar sessions. It was great that Interbike and the participating suppliers brought the Demo to east coast dealers, and we look forward to partnering with Interbike next year."

In addition to the NBDA seminars, Fox Racing Shox, Mavic and SRAM also offered technical product clinics to packed audiences during the two-day event.

"Despite very cold weather that affected attendance on the last day of the show, suppliers and retailers seemed to be very pleased with the event," said Tompkins. "We need to get back to the office and discuss how we can make the event better. However, based on the feedback so far, it looks like the industry needs the event, so it will be on the calendar next year."

For more information about Interbike, please visit www.interbike.com.

Snap Judgment - Le Tour 2009 Route

Aesthetically, the route of the 2009 edition of the Grand Boucle is what Keats would have described as "a thing of beauty." The maritime theme employed by the ASO will see the participating riders take in two of the more beautiful European coastal towns, Monaco and Barcelona, early on.

But, the true beauty of any grand tour route unveiling is in the speculation. With only three mountain top finishes, the climbers will need to exercise patience over the three weeks and plan their attacks accordingly. Will they wait until the barren slopes of Mount Ventoux or will they attempt to stamp their names on the Tour earlier at Verbier?

Similarly, the stronger time trialist in the field will have to ride definitively in their discipline knowing that the Ventoux awaits them in the penultimate stage rather than another race of truth. Will they be able to distance themselves from the climbers by then, and how much will their teammates be able to help their cause during the Team Time Trial?

With only one week into the off-season, July can't come soon enough.