It’s good to be Team MK!  The season’s final USA Crit Series race was held Thurs, Sept 24 in Las Vegas; it was here that Team MK dominated the field with Eric Barlevav’s win.  His win, coupled with Team MK Mark Hekman’s race from behind to win the field sprint, placed Team MK #1 and #3 in the individual standings (1-Hekman, 3-Myerson) and #1 in the team standings for the overall 2009 UCI Continental Pro season.

Thursday night’s 60-lap race was held under the lights of Las Vegas in front of the Mandalay Bay Casino, and coincided appropriately with the international ‘Interbike’ trade show.  According to Team MK Captain, Mark Hekman, “It’s been a good season; the team has raced so good all year long. I love this team.”

Managed by Premier Sports Partners of Winston Salem, NC, Team MK blistered the competition with its dominant streak through the 2009 season.  The team competed in over 90 international, national and regional races, with over 31 wins, 65 Top3 finishes, and over 120 Top10 finishes – leaving opponents gasping for air and spectators begging, “Who are these guys…?!”

“Our partnership with Mountain Khakis has helped us coast to coast with success advocating this national brand,” said James Bennett, owner of Premier Sports Partners.  “In return, we have brought them to the forefront of the dedicated and loyal customer base of the cycling community.  We anticipate this partnership lasting for years to come.”

“These guys have been champions to MK – individually and as a team,” said Mountain Khakis® Marketing Coordinator, Erin Fagan.  “They are top-notch, high-class competitors and superseded their promise to ‘represent the MK brand well’ and generate exposure for Mountain Khakis® in the road cycling community.”

Team MK is strongly committed to its mission of identifying young talent and teaching the trade of professional cycling. Pairing young high-potential riders with experienced captains and mentors speeds knowledge transfer and shortens the learning curve and everyone is given the common goal of delivering top performances in national caliber races. The team management is pleased to have found such a strong supporter of our mission and goals in the Mountain Khakis® organization.

The 2009 team was directed by Jason Snow, managed by Premier Sports Partners’ co-owners Jamie Bennett and Pat Raines, and consisted of many returning riders as well as some key additions. Andy Baker, Jackie Simes, Eric Barlevav, David Guttenplan, Mike Stoop, Tom Soladay, Daniel Ramsey, and Adam Myerson are returning riders. New additions include Mark Hekman, Toby Marzot, Logan Loader, Will Hoffarth, Spencer Beamer, and Issac Howe.

The All-American team alternated its young riders and experienced mentors through both a southeast regional calendar and a full NRC, USA Crit and U.S. Pro Tour schedule.  As part of the process of cultivating the next generation of US cyclists, Premier Sports Partners has established a unique talent identification process. Two riders on the 2009 team, Logan Loader and Will Hoffarth, were selected from our 2008 Performance Camp. It is an unprecedented opportunity and offers all young riders a legitimate forum to show that they have what it takes to ride for a professional team. We hope to take at least 4 riders from the camp this year for our 2010 team.

Team MK wishes to send a special “thank you” to those who support our mission and make this program not only possible, but SUCCESSFUL: Mountain Khakis®; Edifice Construction; Budget Self Storage; Hincapie Sportswear; Kazane; Dedicated Athlete; Cyclesafe.org; Freedom; Eleven81; Lazer; Hibros; Albabici; Scicon; Tifosi Optics; 360 Self Storage Advisors; Momentum Auto Sales; TRP Brakes; Sun Printing; and, of course, our financial benefactors and dedicated fans.

More information about Team MK and the Performance Camp can be obtained at the team website Team MKU or Uwww.teammountainkhakis.comU.

About Mountain Khakis®

Design. Quality. Consistency. Authenticity.  What started as a casual conversation at the Shady Lady Saloon in Jackson Hole, WY has become the Outdoor Industry’s top-performing ‘bottoms’ brand.  Established in 2003 and based in Jackson Hole, Mountain Khakis® quickly became a staple in the wardrobe of everyone from ranch hands to golf pros, those who travel by jet, as well as those who travel by thumb. The Mountain Khakis® brand story continues to resonate as it connects to the enthusiast who believes that freedom and rugged adventure is a way of life.  Mountain Khakis® is a proud member of 1% For The Planet®.

Mountain Khakis® ~ Built for the Mountain Life™ ~ Get in Our Pants!

For More Information Contact:

Jen Taylor, Partner & PR Manager

Mountain Khakis, LLC

970-250-9682

jen.taylor@mountainkhakis.com

www.mountainkhakis.com

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STARTING THIS WEEK: Enjoy 17 Consecutive Days of Professional Bicycle Criterium and Road Races, Scheduled in Wisconsin & Illinois. July 10 through 26

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (July 9, 2009) It’s been revered as the true American “Classic” series of bicycle criteriums and road races for good reason. That’s because SUPERWEEK is America’s longest-running, multi-day and multi-category series of bicycle races in the country.

And among its unique features: a series of especially challenging short-course criterium events that have prepared America’s top international cycling stars for Tour de France glory, including the legendary seven-time Tour winner, Lace Armstrong; and Greg Lemond.

In fact, in its 41 years of operation, nine other Superweek pro riders have leveraged their performances to go on to wear the Tour’s famous Yellow Jersey. Other Superweek top performers have gone on to win the Tour of Italy and other prestigious international events.

The 2009 Superweek Pro Tour is anticipated to be one of the best series ever, with riders representing more than 42 U.S. states, and over 20 different countries anticipated to be in attendance. All will be competing for a prize purse estimated to exceed $120,000.

These cyclists will be descending upon the Midwest for 17 consecutive racing days scheduled between Chicago and Northern Illinois, and throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, beginning this week!

The premiere sponsor of the 2009 International Cycling Classic and Superweek Pro Tour is Point Premium Root Beer.

The 41st Annual Superweek series begins in Chicago on Friday, July 10, and, 16 consecutive race days later, will conclude in Milwaukee for The Whitefish Bay Classic, on Saturday, July 26. These competitions have annually attracted crowds in excess of 300,000. And there’s something for everyone: Several amateur categories, for men and women, pro level categories, and even children’s races at select venues.

“Superweek features some of the most exciting, most colorful and most competitive pro bicycle racing you’ll find anywhere,” says Superweek veteran race announcer, Eddy Van Guyse, who celebrates his 31st consecutive year announcing the races.

“Superweek has a long and proud history of contributing to the development of our U.S. Cycling Teams who have gone on to win major international events. And one of them in particular has returned, as we cheer on Lance Armstrong in his effort to win yet another Tour title.”

You may recall Van Guyse’s role in the 1979 box office hit movie, Breaking Away, where, in his own words, he played the “Villain” Italian racer, riding for Team Cinzano. Breaking Away, which celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year, won the 1979 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Steve Tesich, and is listed 8th on the List of America’s 100 Most Inspiring Movies, ever.

“Yeah, I was the guy who messed up the gearing of the film’s star rider, and ultimately pushed my air pump through his wheels to slow him down. Of course, in the end, he goes on to win the main event and the top prize. It was a wonderful movie experience and, please let me be the first to acknowledge that, thankfully, we don’t see that kind of behavior during the Superweek Pro Tour!”

New This Year: Recorded Digital Audio Race Results and Highlights

“This year we’re going to be providing our global media editors with audio race day highlights recorded by our race announcer, Eddy Van Guyse, and distributed digitally through our media services group,” said Michael Garrison, marketing manager for Superweek. “As a former competitive bicycle racer, Eddy has a real passion for racing and loves to share his knowledge and experiences about the day’s events with our fans and media supporters. We hope that this new feature will help writers and editors get a real feel for these dynamic events.”

A Brief History of the Superweek Pro Tour

Superweek was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Otto Wenz, Jr., executive director of the International Cycling Classic and Superweek Pro Tour, who is a nationally recognized leader in competitive bicycle racing and a member of the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame.

In fact, for decades, Wenz’s name has been absolutely synonymous with cycling in his hometown of Milwaukee where he devoted his life to promoting bicycle racing. Among his major lifetime contributions to the sport was to break the barrier of single-day racing events back in the early 1970s, when he created Superweek, the country’s first weeklong series of competitive events. Prior to that, competitive racers were only able to find single event opportunities, so this was a major change for the sport. Wenz also served as president of the United States Cycling Federation, and afterward directed and chaired various USCF committees.

The International Cycling Classic began as a single race at Milwaukee’s Summerfest in 1969 and quickly expanded into a successful week-long racing series in the Milwaukee metropolitan area under the name Superweek.

In 1985, Superweek added several races in cities to the north of Milwaukee. This expansion brought about the two-week racing format, which the International Cycling Classic (sponsored by Point Premium Root Beer) maintains to this day.

More recently, the event expanded southward starting with the addition of a race in Kenosha at the Food Folks & Spokes festival in 1991. In 2002, the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic debuted in Illinois with the Bensenville Criterium, which was followed in 2003 by the Beverly Hills Cycling Classic on Chicago’s South Side.

Sanctioned by USA Cycling, the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic is now the oldest and longest-running multi-category cycling race in the world with races in cities from De Pere in Northern Wisconsin to Chicago. The event has a long-running tradition of international participation. Each year, a European contingent travels overseas to compete in the Classic, many of whom are emerging stars on the European racing scene.

The International Cycling Classic has earned the distinction of being a world-class cycling event among the participating cyclists, sponsors, and spectators. Its many credits include:

• The longest running multi-day bicycle racing series.
• The Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic fields more competitors annually than any other American race.
• The event stages more races in a major American city (Milwaukee) than any other U.S. cycling event.
• Competitors are challenged with the most consecutive days of bicycle racing offered in America.
• The oldest and largest multi-day competitive cycling event for Men’s and Women’s Category 3 and 4 races, and Juniors.
• The first Pro/Am competitive racing series in the United States.
• Part of the first American Criterium Championship Series in 2003
• Hosted a stage in the 1999 Saturn U.S. Pro Tour
• Final Stage for the 1998 Tour of America.
• Provided the first national stage race and NPC Championship series for inline skating in Wisconsin.

2009 Superweek Race Schedule

(For the most up-to-the-minute schedule, please see the event website at:

www dot internationalcycling dot com slash schedule dot shtml )

Thu, July 9 Superweek Pro Tour Media Day Milwaukee, WI

Fri, July 10 Beverly Hills Cycling Classic,
Presented by Vee Pak/Beverly Bike & Ski
Chicago, IL

Sat, July 11 Metro South Medical Center Blue Island ProAm
Blue Island, IL

Sun, July 12 Sherman Health Elgin Cycling Classic — New Race!
Elgin, IL

Mon, July 13 Richton Park Criterium Presented by Chicago Dough
Richton Park, IL

Tue, July 14 Arlington Heights Criterium — New Race!
Arlington Heights, IL

Wed, July 15 Ray Basso Bensenville Criterium
Bensenville, IL

Thu, July 16 – Daytime Races
Lake Front Road Race (Short Course)
Milwaukee, WI

Thu, July 16 – Evening Races The Shorewood Foundation presents
The Tim Hart DDS/Rainbow Jersey Shorewood Criterium
Shorewood, WI

Fri, July 17 Hammer Nutrition Tour of Holy Hill
Hartford, WI

Sat, July 18 Schlitz Park – Endeavour Cyclng Challenge –
The Return to Brewers Hill!
Milwaukee, WI

Sun, July 19 The NorthShore University HealthSystem Grand Prix
Evanston, IL

Mon, July 20 Wheel & Sprocket Whitnall Park Road Race
Hales Corners, WI

Tue, July 21 – Daytime Races:
Schlossmann Whitnall Park Criterium presented by Honda & Subaru City Schedule Change,
Hales Corners, WI

Tue, July 21 – Evening Race:
Columbia St. Mary’s Urgent Care Cedarburg Cycling Classic Presented by WDSC,
Cedarburg, WI

Wed, July 22 AltoLab Lake Front Road Race presented by Hincapie Sportswear (Long Course) — Return of an historic course!
Milwaukee, WI

Thu, July 23 Racine.org Criterium
Racine, WI

Fri, July 24 Chase Food Folks & Spokes,
Kenosha, WI

Sat, July 25 – Daytime races: Humboldt Park Criterium,
Milwaukee, WI

Sat, July 25 – Evening race:
The Great Downer Avenue Bike Race presented by Midwest Airlines Home of the Super Prime!
Milwaukee, WI

Sun, July 26 Whitefish Bay Classic
Whitefish Bay, WI

For more information and to arrange personal interviews during the cycling series, please contact:

Michael Garrison, marketing manager, Breakaway Event Productions, LLC
Phone: 414 916 2200

James Dunn, media director, Dunn/Associates, Inc.
Phone: 414 375 7638

Davis has more bikes than cars, and some say more bikes than people. Davis has always been a place with a lot of bicycles, and with a large University in middle of town, thousands take to the streets on their bicycles each day.

Davis is located in northern California, about a hour east of San Francisco. A small college town and home to the University of California, Davis, it is surrounded by farm land and just 40 minutes from the Napa Valley wine country.

Davis has been a “Bicycle Friendly City” and at the forefront of incorporating bicycle lanes into the City traffic flow since 1966. The City of Davis has won national awards for bikeway planning and design and national Cycling groups and Outdoors magazines have bestowed many honors on Davis including “America’s Best Cycling City” in 1995.

In April 2009, the U.S Bicycle Hall of Fame decided to move it’s headquarters to Davis from it’s previous location in Somerville, New Jersey.

Each year an international bike race, the AMGEN Tour of California, runs right through downtown Davis as crowds line the streets and cheer.

Today Davis has over 100 miles of Bike Lanes and Bike Paths throughout the City and surrounding area.

A “Bike Lane” is a separate lane for bicycles only, which is built into the city streets, usually between the traffic lane and the gutter or sidewalk.

A “Bike Path”, on the other hand, is a concrete or asphalt path for Bicycle and pedestrian use, which is not associated with existing roads or auto traffic. It often winds through greenbelts that connect Davis neighborhoods.

Some of these bike paths allow riders to pass under highways and railroad tracks to easily get around town without encountering normal auto traffic congestion.

There are many scenic bike paths that take riders to city parks, along Putah Creek, through the University, and into the downtown area. Once downtown, riders can utilize bike lanes to go anywhere to shop, dine, meet friends, or get to work.

Some Bike Paths and Lanes allow riders to explore the countryside around town and help connect Davis to Winters and Woodland.

To see pictures and maps of the Davis Bike Paths, visit my website, the URL is below. I have included some photos of bike paths around Davis so that you will get an idea of the beautiful areas you can ride through.

Many of the neighborhoods in Davis are designed with Greenbelts and Bike Paths incorporated into them. Many homes can be found that back to a greenbelt or bike path. All the owner need do, is go out their back gate, or down the block, to get on the bike path and start to tour any of the 100+ miles of bike paths and lanes to take them anywhere around town.

Most of the City Parks can be reached via a bike lane or path and have bike paths incorporated into their design. It’s easy to ride from one park to another.

It is not just a popular mode of transportation for students, as many University employees and townspeople bike to work from their nearby homes.

One of the more popular routes is the Davis Bike Loop, a circle path around Davis that is 12 miles in length and takes you through the University and a cross-section of neighborhoods.

The path is marked in green with the Davis bike logo and the words “Davis Bike Loop”.

As a resource for more information about Davis Bike history, current activities and bicycle projects and news, I recommend the non-profit group Davis Bicycles!

If you are not a bicycle enthusiast when you move to Davis, you soon will be. The convenient facilities make bicycling a great way to get to work, get around town, or just get out and see the natural beauty of the area.

If you are considering a move to Davis, the Bicycle Friendly atmosphere is just another of the many reasons to make this your home.

Vicki Walker
http://www.davishomes2sell.com/bicycles.php

Boulder, CO, USA – February 4, 2009 – Women are different from men. From bike fit to nutrition to aging patterns, women ride differently. Most serious cycling books fail to address the specific concerns women have about cycling. In Bicycling for Women, cycling authority Gale Bernhardt discusses all things female for women who love to ride.

Bicycling for Women is up-to-date, smart, and clear. Gale addresses basic questions on bike fit, equipment, and training before moving on to more complex issues like cycling and pregnancy, injury prevention, nutrition and diet plans, and making cycling more comfortable. The book features five detailed training plans to help women meet their cycling goals, including 50-mile and century rides, improved hill climbing, and multiday bike tours.

Encouraging for newcomers and invigorating for experienced cyclists, Bicycling for Women is an essential resource for women who love to ride.

Gale Bernhardt has coached and instructed athletes since 1974, and was selected to be the USA Triathlon team coach at the 2004 Olympic Games. An elite-certified USA Cycling Level I Coach, she has also served as the Chairperson of the USA Triathlon National Coaching Committee for five years. Bernhardt has traveled the world as a USA Triathlon World Cup coach. Bernhardt is the best-selling author of Training Plans for Multisport Athletes, Triathlon Training Basics, and Workouts in a Binder(r): Swim Workouts for Triathletes.

Bicycling for Women by Gale Bernhardt
Paperback. Illustrations, charts, tables throughout.
6\” x 9\”, 328 pp. | VP-BFW, $18.95 | 978-1-934030-28-8

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher focusing on the sports of cycling, triathlon, and running. VeloPress training books help both serious athletes and beginners build skills and fitness. VeloPress is the book publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., publisher of VeloNews, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines; and producer of Elite Racing marathons and half-marathons and the Muddy Buddy adventure series.

Author interviews, media copies, sidebar content, and events:
Dave Trendler, Marketing and Publicity Manager, (303) 245-2138, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Distributors/specialty retailers, please order through:
Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Surly Bikes are manufactured by a Bloomington, Minnesota based company that goes by the same name (Surly). The company was established in 1998 and first started producing diverse bike parts such as the dingle cog, Surly Singleator chain tensioner, and others, in addition to frames, forks, and complete bikes. Surly is also credited for playing a hand in establishing the Single Speed World Champions.

What?

Currently, Surly manufactures a number of models. Those models include the following:

STEAMROLLER
This Surly bike is designed as a single speed road bike and available as a complete bike from Surly. The frame and fork are made of 100% CroMoly. Handlebars are made of aluminum. The bottom bracket is Sugino. The cog and hubs are Surly. This is the one the fixies tend to gravitate to. And for obvious reasons.

CROSS CHECK
This was the original complete bike offered by Surly. It’s a versatile bike that’s not just intended for fixed gear fanatics. Both the frame and fork are made of 100% CroMoly. The stem is Kalloy and handlebars are Salsa Moto Ace Bell-Lap. For more details, check out the Surly website at surlybikes.com.

LONG HAUL TRUCKER
This bike is designed for what you’d think it would be designed for – long haul riding. It can handle long rides with significant weight. Both the frame and fork are made of 100% CroMoly. The headset is Ritchey Logic Comp, the stem Kalloy, and the handlebars Co-Union Cork Mix. A very versatile bike.

KARATE MONKEY
The Karate Monkey is a new mountain bike from Surly. A very versatile bike, you can handle multi-gear or single speed set ups, as well as disc brakes or rim brakes. Both the frame and fork are made of 100% CroMoly. The handlebars are Surly Torsion bars, stem Kalloy, and headset Ritchey Logic Comp.

BIG DUMMY
Probably the most unique bike Surly has made to date, the Big Dummy is designed as a pure transport vehicle. It was designed in conjunction with Xtracycle. You can carry up to 400 lbs of cargo. Included are Xtracycle V rack bags and snapdeck. Both the frame and fork are made of 100% CroMoly. The handlebars are Surly Torsion bars, stem Kalloy, and headset Ritchey Logic Comp.

Why?

Surly bikes are very durable, versatile, and offer a number of bike variations guaranteed to satisfy various types of bikers, fixies, and mountain goats. Crafted to last a lifetime, there’s no doubt a Surly will be the only bike you’ll ever need to buy. That is unless you want to diversify your bike riding activities.
Surly sells their bikes as complete bikes or parts. So if you want a Surly frame and want to Frankenstein the rest together, go right ahead.

If you want a serious bike, don’t bother with craigslist or the swap meet. Go straight to the source. Surly bikes will cost you a decent coin but you’ll poop easier knowing you have a bike that will outlast your bowel control.

By John Jacoby (pen name)
http://www.thefixedgeargallery.com/surlybikes.php

Suunto t6c

Ogden, UT—May 20, 2008—Suunto, a global leader in precision training instruments, has added new features to its premium heart-rate monitor, the Suunto t6c. The new t6c now has even more features to help committed and professional athletes take their conditioning to new levels.

The updated Suunto t6c comes in an all-black model, plus the Fusion model in black with red accents. In addition to its comprehensive physiological analysis on PC, the new version offers real-time Training Effect and EPOC to gauge athletes’ personal aerobic improvement from each workout. The Suunto t6c is also compatible with all Suunto POD accessories, including the new Cadence POD and has a customizable screen layout for individual information needs. It also features the redesigned Suunto Comfort Belt.

The addition of real-time Training Effect and EPOC offers a big advantage to t6c users. On the original t6c, users had to download the information into their PC before they could access those numbers. Now that data is available at a glance. In addition to real-time Training Effect, TE value, and EPOC value, the Suunto t6c displays heart rate, energy consumption in calories, time and temperature, plus it includes an altimeter, thermometer and barometer. Users can easily personalize the display to show only the data they want to see during their workout. And multi-sport athletes can move easily from one screen mode to another as their workout needs change.

After the workout, exercise data can then be transferred to a PC for analysis with Suunto’s easy-to-use Training Manager PC software. By combining EPOC data with the athlete’s age, size and fitness level, the Training Manager PC program monitors their progress toward their training goals.

“For me, as a practicing physiologist and coach, Suunto t6c is an invaluable tool which brings laboratory accuracy to every training session my athletes do,” says Eddie Fletcher of Fletcher Sport Science, a leading a leading sports physiologist. “The principles of EPOC and training effect apply equally to professional athletes and active trainers. Suunto t6c is the most accurate and useful sports instrument currently on the market.”

By adding one of the Suunto POD accessories, users can view detailed performance reports on their own computer with the PC POD, plus monitor speed and distance in real time on their wristop via the PODs designed for their sport. Speed and distance data can be gathered by combining the Suunto t6c with the Suunto Foot POD, Bike POD, GPS POD, Cadence POD and PC POD accessories.

No heart rate belt looks, feels and performs better than Suunto’s new Comfort Belt. Traction strips keep the belt in place during intense workouts, plus you can unclip the heart rate module and hand wash the fabric strap. This stylish and comfortable heart rate belt comes standard with the Suunto t6c, and is also available for athletes who want to upgrade their standard t-series heart rate monitor. The t6c features an ANT Interference-free Heart Rate Monitor. The ANT monitor not only measures your heart rate and EPOC, it sends the data via wireless technology to your Suunto wristop or your PC POD so that you can record and analyze your data with Suunto Training Manager PC software.

Suunto is a leading designer and manufacture of sports instruments for training, diving and outdoor sports. Prized for their design, accuracy and dependability, Suunto wristop computers combine the aesthetics and functionality of watches with sport-specific computers. Headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, Suunto employs more than 500 people worldwide and distributes its products to over 80 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Helsinki-based Amer Sports Corporation with sister brands Wilson, Atomic, Precor and Salomon. www.suunto.com/training

I am all for Armstrong’s return. The man is among the greatest athletes, greatest competitors, and greatest stories on the planet, and maybe more importantly, the French absolutely hate him. During his seven-year run at the top of the Tour de France, he was constantly harangued by the French media and called a cheater despite never having tested positive for any banned substance. Allegedly a French newspaper found a b-sample if his and it tested positive for blood doping substances, but the claim was never supported, nor looked into. Sour grapes.

Another reason I am for Armstrong returning is that apparently he plans to do it for free. He doesn’t want a salary. He wants to win, and he wants to raise money and attention for a cure for cancer (not necessarily in that order). So what team wouldn’t want him?

Astana, who was not allowed to ride in the 2008 Tour because former members of the team had been dopers, is the strongest team in the world so Armstrong would be well supported there. They also employ some of his old teammates and his good friend and former manager/strategist Johan Bruyneel. But cycling is unlike most sports: it is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport. The other eight guys on a team are really only there to protect their star and get him the overall win in the end…not necessarily the daily stage wins. Armstrong would not automatically be the star on Astana, which already boasts one Tour de France champion and no less than four reasonable favorites (guys who would be The Man if on many other teams).

Armstong would be a great fit on either of the two American teams who rode in the 2008 Tour. Team Garmin/Chipotle (as in handheld GPS/Tacos) already has a legitimate #1 man, American Christian Vandevelde, who rode in Armstrong’s shadow before and would not likely want to give up his spot at the top of the pile too easily. However, the who the #1 man is is generally determined on the roads, not on the team bus.

Team Columbia (as in the clothing company, not the nation) has Armstrong’s old brother-in-arms Georgie Hincapie and no true elite #1 man. They do have plenty of very good support riders and that is what Armstrong needs most. But the reason that they are the most perfect fit, besides the blue jerseys that became his signature with USPS and Discovery (when he wasn’t in yellow), is that the team was founded on the sole principle of competing cleanly. They were originally called Team High Road to illustrate that point before gaining major sponsorship right before the 2008 Tour de France.

Armstrong would have to go through the sport’s doping program that says he must be tested randomly, any time, any day, for six months before being allowed to come out of retirement. But the first people who knew that he was planning to pull a Favre was the sport’s anti-doping people…he announced his intentions to them before the media, so I don’t think peeing in a cup 50 or 60 times is much of a concern.

Another wrinkle to the 2009 Tour de France that will almost certainly be the most watched Tour in history is the fact that disgraced American Floyd Landis will be eligible to ride in it after his two year ban will have expired. I still feel that Landis was innocent of the charges levied against him but a dramatic storyline will be if a team will take a shot at hiring him, if he was able to keep his form and competitive edge, and if his replacement hip will allow him to ride on form.

If that wasn’t enough, American former Olympic road racing gold medalist, Tyler Hamilton, who was also previously suspended for doping, won the U.S. National road racing championships last month and will almost certainly be looking for a higher profile team to ride on next season.

I think Armstrong will ride again next summer. I think he will have teams knocking down his door trying to sign him (imagine the literally free publicity for signing the greatest athlete in the sport’s history to a free contract). I think the major sponsors who walked away from the sport last year are probably scrambling to find a team whose backs they can slaps their names on. I think the organizers will “Lance-proof” the race like they tried over and over to do before. I think there will be at least two, and maybe three Americans on the stage on the Champs Elyse. And I think Armstrong’s hair may be a little grayer, but his jersey in Paris will be just as yellow as it always was.

Lance Armstrong Comes Out of Retirement

According to an article on ESPN, Lance Armstrong is coming out of retirement to ride next year’s Tour De France, and will join the Astana Team.  

Armstrong, who will turn 37 on Sept. 18, will join the Astana team and compete in five road races, the sources told VeloNews.

He will compete in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France. The sources told VeloNews that Armstrong will receive no salary or bonuses.

The story hasn’t been confirmed by Armstrong’s people yet, but if true, it’s big news.  So far, reactions tend to be positive, such as this from David Churbuck: 

This is a good news and will get me watching cycling again.

You can commute on your cycle!

I have been commuting on my bicycle now for two years my bike and my routine has gone through many evolutions as I have figured out what I need. this may not work for everyone, but I think it should be a good starting point.

Background:

I have a long commute by most standards (16.5 miles each way) but 75% of it is on bike trails so that makes it a little easier. I also have to carry a lot of gear, I’m IT professional so I have to carry computer gear plus a change of clothes a towel for the shower etc… I decided to start cycle commuting because I felt it was the right thing to do, plus I love cycling.

The Meat:

First the bike: for touring I ride a road bike with narrow tires drop bars… this is not right for commuting. to commute I decided to go with a mountain bike. done be afraid to spend a few bucks but dont break the bank either. I found a nice Giant Ricion for around $100 that is currently serving as my commuter. The important thing is to stay away from department store bikes. a good quality used bike will always serve you better than a brand new bike from wally world.

Bike Accessories: You’ll need to add a few things to your bike.

• Rear rack: carrying a back pack may sound like a good idea, but it sucks… make sure you get a real rack and not one of those seat post jobs. seat post racks are great if all you need is a trunk bag but you’ll need a full set of rear bags including…
• Panniers: you don’t need huge set but more storage is more better. consider what you have to carry… likely a change of clothes, a towel (if you don’t have a shower you’ll still want a towel so you can take a splash bath) etc… (more on the etc later)
• Fenders: trust me, if you commute you want fenders even if you don’t ride in the rain. if you ride a bike trail there is bound to be muddy spots and on the road some car will force you to hit a puddle. plus it’s great place to put your onelesscar.com bumper stickers!
• Trunk bag: this goes on top of the rack and will carry the stuff that you leave on your bike.
• Lights: early and late in the season it can be dark early in the morning. I use a cheap set of lights that picked up at walmart they don’t have to be fancy. and keep in mind these are less for you to be able to see and more so you can be seen. I recommend an led tail light that flashes.
• Cyclocomputer: again a cheap one will do, all you really need is a speedometer so you can keep your pace.

What to Carry: you will need to carry a few things on your bike all the time, if your lucky you’ll rarely need them.

• Spare tube: at some point you’ll have a flat this sucks, but it’s life… nothing stings worse then getting a flat and having to call for a ride. it can be demoralizing been there done that…
• Small tool kit: I carry a Topeak Survival Gear kit it has every thing I need to do minor repairs. If I need more in the way of tools than what is here then I need a bike mechanic and my ride is over.
• Air Pump: Gotta have it… you can pick a cheap frame pump. I don’t remember where mine came from but you can’t exactly fix a flat with out one.
• Bike Lock: I hope I don’t have to explain. even if your employer lets you keep your bike inside, what if you want to stop at the coffee shop? of grab a loaf of bread on the way home?

That pretty much covers what you need. later I’ll write about how to get started and how to pick a route.

Chris Hoy of Great Britain in the closing 300 hundred meters of the Men’s Keirin to grab his third Olympic Gold Medal (his second in this Olympiad after capturing in Team Sprint the previous day).   That’;s quite an acheivement when you consider his marquee event was dropped from these Olympics.  From The Times (a great article on the victory):

The world governing body for cycling has dropped that event from the Olympic programme and Hoy was left without his specialist event. He switched to the keirin, a race that would take him away from the safe sport of racing against the clock and into the maelstrom of track sprinting. He had to learn and fast. He did so remarkably well, adapting better than even he expected and in his last 29 keirin races, he has lost just one.

To make the race his, he had to redefine it and perhaps that has been the single greatest feat in track cycling in the past two years. At its simplest, the keirin is a 2000m track race which begins in earnest when the pacing derny peels off the track with 625m to go and allows the riders to take it from there. Traditionally, it involved a brilliant tactical finale because no one wanted to lead until well into the final lap of the two-and-a-half lap burn-up. So there was much jockeying for position and tactical manoeuvring as every rider tried to play his card last. The premium was brilliant bike handling and nerveless decision-making.

Similarly, Britain Rebecca Romero took a second gold in Women’s Individual Pursuit. From CNN:

Romero’s was Britain’s fourth gold of the five events decided so far at the Laoshan Velodrome. Lesya Kalitovska of Ukraine took the bronze.

“I’ve done what I said I was going to do. I knew it was going to be the toughest race of my life. I hope I’m not going to wake up,” said Romero, who becomes the first British woman to take Olympic medals in two different sports. She won a silver medal in rowing in 2004.

Romero had feared her Olympic dream was gone when she arrived in Beijing and in training recorded the slowest time she’d set all year. But she “faced the demons again” and came through for victory.

And in yet another stunning victory for Great Britain, Bradley Wiggins pulled down the Gold Medal for Men’s Individual Pursuit. From Reuters:

Cyclist Bradley Wiggins won the Olympic gold medal in the men’s 4km individual pursuit on Saturday, beating New Zealand’s Hayden Roulston in the final to retain the title he won in 2004.

Steven Burke made it a gold-bronze double for Britain after he picked up his speed in the final rounds of the bronze medal match to edge out Russian Alexei Markov.

Wiggins, who had set an Olympic record in the qualifying rounds on Friday, had a huge smile on his face as rode up to the stands to hug and greet some supporters before he set off on a victory lap.

Spain also came up with more Olympic Gold when JoanLlaneras grabbed the medal for the Men’s Points Race.  From CNN:

Medal favorite Joan Llaneras of Spain won a gold medal in track cycling on Saturday, claiming the unique men’s points race event.

The 39-year-old Llaneras, who plans on retiring after the Beijing Olympics, won three of the 16 intermediate sprints around Laoshan Velodrome — they occur every 10 laps in the 160-lap race — and earned points by placing in the top four three other times.

Get even more Cycling coverage from the Olympics here…nbcolympics.com cycling news page.