It's All About the Bike » Bicycle Racing

Masters Nationals Heading To Bend

moto — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:56:24 +0000

The folks in Bend, Oregon are on quite a roll these days. They put on an epic U.S. Cyclocross National Championships event back in December, and now have released some info that Masters Nationals is moving to Bend from Louisville, KY. My good buddy Doug LaPlaca has lead the charge of creating long-term contracts to keep cycling events coming back to Bend. Bend will host Masters Nationals for 2011 and 2012, press release below:

USA Cycling awards 2011 and 2012 Masters Road National Championships to
Bend, Ore.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 25, 2009) – USA Cycling has awarded the 2011 and 2012 Masters Road National Championships to Bend, Ore. Following the city’s successful hosting of the Elite/U23/Juniors Road
and the Cyclo-cross National Championships, the cycling hotbed is now poised to host another round of the nation’s best. Held in Louisville, Kentucky 2008 through 2010, the USA Cycling Masters Road National
Championships are scheduled to go off in Bend, Aug. 30 – Sept. 4, 2011 and August 27 – Sept. 2, 2012.

The two-year agreement between USA Cycling, the sport’s national governing body, and Visit Bend is expected to bring more than 800 competitors and 2,500 visitors to the Pacific Northwestern city for
seven days of racing leading up to the Labor Day Weekend. Bend expects to continue to enjoy a significant economic impact in conjunction with the cycling championships. According to a study by Oregon State
University, the two USA Cycling National Championship events hosted by the city in 2009 brought Bend $2.5 million dollars in direct tourist spending.

“The National Championships we hosted here in 2009 left no doubt in USA Cycling’s mind that Bend’s enthusiasm for and appreciation of competitive cycling makes it unlike any other destination in the
country,” said Doug LaPlaca, president and CEO of Visit Bend. “It is our goal to turn that enthusiasm into a long-term partnership that provides USA Cycling with consistently world-class championships, while providing Bend with a substantial amount of visitation and tourism spending during traditionally slow times of the year.”

In 2009, Bend hosted the USA Cycling Elite, Junior and U23 Road National Championships, as well as the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships. Both events will return to Bend in 2010.

“In hosting the 2009 USA Cycling National Championships Bend showcased an entire community who passionately embraces the sport of cycling and its various disciplines as a lifestyle,” said Steve Johnson, CEO of USA Cycling. “That type of support is critical to growing the sport across the country and is a large reason why Bend was awarded the Masters Road National Championships for 2011 and 2012.”

About Visit Bend

Visit Bend is a non-membership, non-profit economic development organization dedicated to promoting tourism on behalf of the City of Bend. For more information or to order a complimentary Official
Visitor’s Guide to Bend, contact Visit Bend at 1-800-949-6086 or visit www.visitbend.com.

About USA Cycling

Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road,
track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 66,500+ licensees; 2,200 clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions
2,650 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.

I guess I better start training.

Goodbye Cyclocross Season. Hello Ski Season.

moto — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:52:49 +0000

When I rolled up to the Heber City Fairgrounds this past Saturday for the UTCX state championships race, winter was in the air. It had been warm and windy in the morning, but the temperature was starting to drop, and there were snow flurries just in time for my prerace routine. Lots of spectators sitting around in puffy coats. There was a tent set up in the parking lot section of the course, after exiting the dirt arena, and people were handing out bacon strips. Rev Big Ring was sitting in a lounge chair, wearing some sort of snow camo outfit that looked like half sleeping bag/half jumpsuit, like he was staked out in a snow cave waiting to shoot a polar bear.

I had been off the bike for a week, having been on a business trip in San Francisco, and was trying to get some legs back while doing a few warm-up laps, but it was hard to get warm. When we lined up for the start, I got a call-up to the front line by virtue of being top 8 in the points standings. The gun went off, and I took the holeshot ahead of John Burton, the kid who beat me at my last race at the Weber Fairgrounds race. Heber Fairgrounds, Weber Fairgrounds. I think it is a theme of sorts. I led most of the first lap and strung the field out, but as we entered the dirt track, I stuffed my front tire in a frozen rut and almost burped the tire off the rim. Damn that Stan’s, next year I am going back to tubulars. Yup, I said it. Next year.

I was demoralized that 3 riders seemed to pass me with relative ease, like the effort was harder on me than them; The Kid, Ramirez, and Brent Cannon. We entered the 2nd lap, past the bacon tent, and Cannon stuffed it in the gravel right in front of me. I didn’t panic, closed the gap, got back on the wheels ahead, but was starting to fade. 2 more riders went by, then Cannon caught me from behind. Running 6th, I was getting blown away on the power sections. Seemed like everyone in front of me had much bigger gears. The front tire was getting softer. I started to ride slower.

On lap 3, I snatched a dollar from Sly Fox by the bacon tent, but maybe should have grabbed the bacon instead. Shannon Boffeli was coming up from behind, so my goal for the next 5 laps was to not get caught. That’s always a turning point in a race, when you stop trying to catch the guys in front and instead opt for trying to not get caught by the guys behind. A surrender that still hurts just as bad. I got close to 4th and 5th place with 2 laps to go, but just didn’t have the gear. Meanwhile, The Kid was laying down another stomping, and took the win.

Not the way I wanted to end my return to cyclocross racing, but content with the closure and the mental switch to ski season. Goodbye cyclocross season. On Sunday, I skipped the Wheeler Farm race and took my daughter to Park City Mountain Resort for the first turns of the year. Hello ski season.

The Juice: Kenny Williams & The Smackdown

moto — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:11:19 +0000

If you did a google search for “Kenny Williams Cyclist”, the first result you would find in the search rankings would be for his personal blog. The short description reads “Welcome to Kenny Williams cycling blog. Occasionally there will be posts here to thrill you with tales of what it’s like to lay the smackdown in a bike race …”

You know what? I have raced against Kenny on a few occasions, mostly at USA Cycling Masters National Championship Events when they were held in Park City, Utah. In the 35-39 criterium event, I found myself in a 6 man breakaway with Kenny and 4 other riders. It was a technical course with a screaming downhill, and an off-camber turn that seemed to be too hard for most of the field to figure out. Our group lapped the field at least once. At a certain part in the race, they stopped pulling people who were lapped, and it was a clusterfuck going into the last few laps. I kicked myself after that race for not attacking and taking a flier with one lap to go because I’m guessing the other riders would have watched Kenny for just long enough, it would have been game over. But I didn’t. I waited for the sprint. He won, I got 4th.

So, Kenny, I guess I was one of the racers who was out there when you got to “lay the smackdown.” On many occasions after that race in Park City, I have thought about how nice it would have been to win that day, and pull on the Stars and Stripes while holding my baby daughter on the podium. I just got beat by a couple riders who were just a hair faster. That’s life. But then I see the recent news about Kenny testing positive for taking DHEA. Says he only used it on one occasion to help get back in top form after an injury. Says he’s sorry. The problem with dopers is this: where there is smoke, there is fire.

What should his penalty be for failing both A and B samples? Serve 2 years suspension then be able to come back and compete as a 44 year old? I think I just found the motivation to start racing again, since in 2 years, we would still be in the same age class. It would be interesting to see what sort of smackdown old Kenny could deliver on this anonymous Masters racer at Nationals. Who’s with me?

SLC T-Bird Interview

moto — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:44:28 +0000

There are a lot of lean mean pro cyclists in town getting ready to contest the 2009 edition of the Tour of Utah. Some of the best climbers have gathered for this year’s race, including Dave Zabriskie, who had a great ride in this year’s Tour de France. Another local rider who is likely to bust out a big stick and wield it mightily on the epic climbing stages is Utah’s homegrown homie Burke Swindlehurst, or @slctbird on Twitter. We bumped into T-Bird on a ride up Millcreek Canyon, and conducted the following 1 question interview, a format pioneered by Dave Z.

Q&A with Joe Parkin, 6 Years In a Rain Cape

moto — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:08:20 +0000

Looks like my buddy Joe is up to a new project. If you haven’t read Dog In A Hat yet, get on it. Should be required reading for anyone who follows modern cycling. Visit Joe’s latest blog, 6 Years In a Rain Cape, and maybe ask him a question. His head is full of all kinds of knowledge type stuff. I had to post a comment and disagree about whether or not the Tour has been boring thus far. I want to see Lance and Contador fight it out. It hasn’t happened yet. Never mind the fact that their jobs are to win the race, not entertain us, but I miss the drama. Here’s a question for Joe: while riding the Tour, did Alexi Grewal really refer to Bernard Hinault in the French media as “The Gerbil?” Note to readers: back then Bernard Hinault was Michael Jordan to the French, and his nickname was the Badger. Waiting for your answer.

by benmckune

Texas Hold’em. Lance is Back

moto — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:58:05 +0000

I thought the team time trial was tomorrow, not today? Nobody told that to Team Columbia. What happened in today’s Tour results is going to reverberate throughout the peloton, and give the GC hopefuls plenty to think about as they try to sleep tonight. It’s really no surprise that Mark Cavendish rocked to a 2nd consecutive stage win, he’s clearly the fastest guy in the sprints. Unlike the final 3k leadout his team has perfected to deliver him to the line, today’s win was based largely on the fact that his entire team forced a split in the peloton about 25k out, and left a lot of favorites for the overall losing time today. The entire fricking Columbia team was up front drilling it in the split. Shades of U.S. Postal from the Vuelta years ago, when Bruyneel had the team drilling it in the crosswinds, leaving the hopes of a few GC contenders smashed before they even hit the mountains. Guess who was also in the front group of 29? Yup. Lance and Popo. In terms of the Astana team pecking order: advantage back to Armstrong. It will all get sorted out in tomorrow’s critical team time trial, but Contador is going to have a hard time getting to sleep tonight. Lance is his boogey man.

Reflections On Horner Missing Out On Astana Tour Team

moto — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:00:19 +0000

Check out Chris Horner’s latest blog post with his account of “getting that call” informing him he wouldn’t be riding this year’s Tour. I think they should rename this team ASStana. The Kazakh sponsors don’t pay the team riders’ salaries while they are competing in the Giro, but then they pay up and mandate that a Kazakhi rider makes the Tour Team. Then they let Contador have some cronies, because he is a basket case and too worried the Yanks will gang up on him from within the team to support Lance. All of the sudden, there’s no room for Horner. I think the race just got less interesting with that one decision.

New Link to Blogroll: Service Course Blog

moto — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:31:29 +0000

Correction: I originally posted that Service Course was Dylan Casey’s blog, but it is not. He was only mentioned in the post. My apologies to the editor’s of Service Course, a great blog, so we are keeping our post here and links intact.

I picked this up via Twitter from Marty Jemison (@MartyJemison), who is over in Europe running his cycling tours. It must be absolutely electric to be in Europe right now, with all the buzz about the upcoming Tour. Despite the usual Juice News which we like to comment on, there seems to be a lot of speculation about a possible duel between Lance and Contador. Marty forwarded this link to a blog post on Service Course speculating that Contador had one foot out the door and was headed to Garmin. Interesting speculation on what it would do to the dynamic of Vaughters’ outfit. Read for your self and decide. What do you think? Will there be an Armstrong vs. Contador internal battle, like the LeMond vs. Hinault feud? It could be the most exciting thing that has happened in a long time.

Remember Steve Larsen

moto — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:37:12 +0000

Doug L. from Bend, Oregon passed on a link and some info about a memorial website set up to remember the life of Steve Larsen. If you ever met the guy, watched him race, took pictures of him crushing it in the hills of Deer Valley, you can post thoughts, well wishes, and even upload photos. You can also make a donation to the family. Steve left behind 5 small children. Just thinking about this cracks me to the core. Help his wife out with a small donation, a little bit goes a long way. And if you have any thoughts or photos, these are for the kids to someday read and have a sense of how many people knew Steve through his passion of cycling, running, triathlons, etc.

Capital of U.S. Cycling is Bend, Oregon

moto — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:46:01 +0000

At least for the next two years, Bend, Oregon will host the U.S. cyclocross championships, and the Junior, under-23, and Elite road cycling championships. Read the article on OregonLive.com. Add these events to the annual running of the Cascade Classic, and Bend has a pretty robust cycling schedule going. It would be a great place for the U.S. Masters road championships, but those are locked and loaded in Louisville, KY for 2009. Maybe our good friend Doug LaPlaca from Visit Bend can wrangle Masters away from Louisville, and bring them to Bend in 2010? I might actually have to start racing again if that happens. Bend is a great place to ride.