NorCal Cycling News

today’s stage finish is an example ~

… of why the phalanx was necessary.

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carlos,

next time,

bring friends if you want to cut down the invading marauders.

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and a big ‘ole axe.

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Big Marcus OWNED that stage.

If you haven’t seen vid of Cadel clawing his way up those final, awful alpine slopes today …

well ~ you just don’t love bike racing enough.

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And how lovely was it, that the same morning this sweetest, roughest grand tour battle in years, swashbuckling its way up d’Huez … we see announced a new, an inclusive, an expanding Tour of California route spidering its way into new towns, new territories, new markets.

Yes, cycling is on it’s way up.

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But what in the world are we going to do with Bernard Kohl?

I mean ~ this guy is half-guppy, half-orangootang on a bike.  There hasn’t been this much coyote-ugly on 2-wheels since Fernando Escartin crab-jabbed his way up Sestriere against the one-ball’d wonderLance.

Still, this kid is growing aces in my book.  I liked how he almost asked for permission to set pace over the KOM at Cwaw-duh-Fehr … taking his PolkaPoints, but deferring to the CSC threshing machine.  He’s no Virenque, that Bernard.  good on’em for it.

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… and what a CSC display today, indeed.  Still, it will take the most heroic of time trials for Sastre to win this race.

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as it should be.

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And speaking of fugly’in up the bikeworld … what’s with showing up to the SLO-Podium so RiccoEscrubbaEsquela?

i mean, if you’re going to play pro-bike racer, you might as well make the rudimentary efforts of showing kit and accessories on the show-steps, don’t you think?  Somebody did buy all that stuff for you, didn’t they Ricco?

It looks like Escuela is just out of jail and RockRacing’s young gun Finneran is on his way to it. All scowl and horsemeat for that so-cal youngster.  right on.

Although i must say i am becoming more a convert to R&R’s musical-chairs of bike race costumery.

keeps you on your toes.

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At least DHolla’s got his ghettofabulous gig going strong. Those lemonade-shades have me smiling backwards in appreciation.  Hollowheed shows that you can be a kookpot-original without snubbing the hand that feeds.

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respect the race, or don’t take the payout, yo.

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what the vandevelde?

who cares whether VdV gets on the podium.  Let’s just hope one-thousand percent that this is what clean racing can be at the pinnacle of the sport.  Let’s just hope.

the question will be …

will aMErica ever be sophisticated enough to adore effort over domination.

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we are a country that loves winners.  trite though that statement may be, it doesn’t take away from the very, very real-world ramifications of our addiction to destination over journey.

Vandevelde has displayed courage, determination, and an intense willingness to try and be the best.

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that IS the best.

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SHEILA MOON WAREHOUSE SALE!

Yup, MsMoon is fireballing her inventory to make way for the ‘08 merchandise.

~ CHECK OUT DETAILS ~

If you’ve never taken a look at her stuff, check out the Aug 9th shindig and get yourself or someone you fancy a lil’ of the moon romancy.

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… Fall is the season for fresh Moonies and weather to get fashionably filthed and frothed.

i can’t wait for ‘cross.

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CHICO DOWNTOWN CRIT!!!

ahhh …. yeah ~ put this one on your calendar, folks.

It’s September in Chico … best time, best place to ride your bike outside of the FrenchAlps in July.

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I’ll be on the mic for the race, doing my announcing shenanigans … slingin’ a six-shooter of lies and exaggerations amongst the NorCalCycled heathenry.

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see you there!

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VeloGirls coaches bicyclery

Shout out for the chick who knows how to work in the bike biz.

Check out the programs and maybe spread the word to those co-workers or family-sized friends who have been sneaking peaks at the thighs of JensVoigt up le’Tourmalet and wondering just how distant that vision is.

Everything is attainable if given enough practice. …. well, most things. Jens’ thighs are a little on the rare-ified side.

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… and adult education is the sexiest gawdamn thing.

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INDIE-BikeKrafstWerker STEVEREX gets new digs

more than just beauty bikes, eh? {thanks dino}

Rex Cycles specializes in custom frames, mechanical and frame repairs, parts and our complete bikes. We specialize in road racing, touring, and tandem bicycles, and the unique S and S Bicycle Torque Coupling travel system.

Rex Cycles has moved!
Our new location is:
1811 E Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Rex frames are designed around your body and riding needs. Optimum choice of tubing provides the desired amount of vertical suppleness and torsional rigidity, and results in the lightest possible frame for the rider. Precise construction insures your bike is a responsive, stable, intuitive ride that will last a lifetime. Intended use and customer expectation help determine geometry.

Rex Cycles | 1811 E Street | Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone + Fax (916) 446-5706

email rexcycles@rexcycles.com | http://www.rexcycles.com

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SLO-Town Criterium … best race of 2008?

Shava Mohseni put together an amazing crew of SLO-hoodlums and sho’nuff they delivered a great event. When you talk about vibe and promotion and the local crowds turning on the style for the racing …

yup, the SLO-Town crit pretty much slammed it in the 11t and never looked back. What a race, what a race.

I didn’t get a ton of time to watch and play at this event … but, i can tell you that i will be back every year it’s put on. Fo’ sho! And maybe next year they’ll let me do some announcing for them. That would be boss.

The course was fast (really, a sprinters delight) and technically challenging enough to keep everyone awake and alert, but not so jiggy that anyone was really squirrelball’d out. The crowds were huge and REALLY into the racing. And the local vendors were … amazing.

AGallindo’s CalGiant Starberries brought a full squad and it was the first time i really got to witness what an effect this superteam has on a town’s event. As i was walking around, chatting up random folks ~ EVERYONE was impressed with how much oompf the CalGiants brought to the race. There were a number of solo superstars out there rubbing off some shine on the SLO-Crit (Tony Cruz, Danny Holloway, the Successful living nerdbuckets, etc) … but, when CalGiant rolls up with their full crew and a car full of berries to hand out … well, it just gives the race that bit of legitimacy and excitement that really does make all the difference.

Great event and one that made me remember how much i love bike racing.

thanks SLO-town.

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Halloway won it in a field sprint - and, let’s just say that prolly won’t be the last “V” for Holloheed this year. Holee crap is that boy on fire right now. I think it will be tough for him to repeat at Elite’s this year for the US Crit title … which is why i think he should just skip it and go straight for the USPRO title.

hell yeah.

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Trackiness de AlpenRose

holee crap … check out the footage of this Keirin qualifier ~
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luckily, no one was hurt in the making of this ridiculousness. But chingow, check out where that wheel lands in the final second of crash footage. Yup, that’s a carbon wheel flying right under that guy’s arm.

amazing.

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Speaking of amazin’s ~ there were a few updates that the GIO put out this weekend … but, all of it was so damn blackberried in it’s spelling and grammatery that i’m not sure if the results were true, or no.

So, i decided to just run to the horse’s mouth. HELL YEAH, check out how our locals did up in Alpenrose.

ALPENROSE RESULTS HERE

all i’ve got to say is … i wish i’d been there.

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EMAIL BAK-LAHG

547 unread emails as of this morning …

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really sorry if i haven’t responded/replied/emailed you.

i suck.

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i’ll get better (cough) …

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WatsonVile Crit’in

yeehoo … the race in the hood. I got there late, just as the 35/45s had finished up their epic bit of battlery. Bosch and Easterling went 1-2 in the race overall, and took the 35s easily. It’s obvious this is the year of the Fresburg bullies.

Without a doubt, Bosch is the dominant crit racer in NorCal right now. It was only a strong-man winning solo-move by JandyMendonca that stopped Bosch from winning back-to-back Elite NorCal titles for the crit.

Good for Jandy, i say. The way to beat Bosch is by attacking him so many times he eventually pulls his sac in and lets you go up the road.

but … with the strength of the SierraPacificBoys right now … it takes about 425 attacks to do it.

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get it!

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The Women’s race was won by Natasha Perry of VeloBella. Natasha is one of those huge talents that just doesn’t really know it. Ah well … still it was so very, very satisfying to see her up on that podium. Great win with a monstrous jump out of the final corner.

But apparently Natasha was told she really needs to work on her victory salootin’. So, VB vixen Laura Sanchez recommended going style like Brum.

egads.

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In the men’s p1/2 … it was a handful of cats going 400mph in the first few laps that shattered most the field and took me, personally, into the pain bucket. For the first race back in about a month … that was a doozy.

Jackson Stewart won the bugger in a sprint after he and a group of hardies had lapped the field at least once. But, i tucked my tail and went home before that ever happened. just plain ugly on the bike out there, for me. But great racing.

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Up next? Why it’s NorCal Masters of the GeezerVerse champyships in Minden this week. but then again, there’s that track race up in Seattle …

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Karla the Kingsley took a superb win up at SuperWeek … one of the coveted prizes for any true cyclista dey american.

The move came early in the Bensenville crit ~ Kingsley matching an acceleration by Team Revolution’s Katie Weber. The pair shot out of the pack for a long 2-up break, committing fully to the escape and riding with open throttles against a full-chase from behind. The pack left it far too late and only a moment’s inattention by Weber at 10 laps to go spoiled what would have been a perfect show-down drag race between the two break’mates.

Weber took 2 laps to sort out the mishap and chose not to contest the sprint with Kingsley after being inserted back into the break by the officials. Class act, that decision by Weber. And, i’m sure that Karla Kingsley being a super-cool chick on and off the bike had a bit to do with that choice, as well.

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Once again, i’ll just say that i think the VanMuckey led SpecialSugerE’s are rolling along the best and most consistently of the talent laden NorCal amateur women’s circuit (nice win in Lafayette, ME!).

It’s a squad I love watching race.

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thanks for letting time pass in between posts.

but, back at that hack machine ~ so, let’s splice the life:

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She’s down, she’s up, she’s down again

The lovely was involved in one of those freak track crashes that should have been innocuous, but ended up a real pain in the ass. She’s got a plate-date with the sawdoc on Friday to connect her floaters. It’s a pretty clean, middle break of the clavicle … so, not as gawdawful for surgery. But still ~ any time you have to go under anesthesia it’s a situation worth avoiding.

Reckin’ bicycles. It’s what we do.

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The more years that pass underneath these tires, the more i see that … it takes a good bit of luck.

in all things.

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the Tour reminds …

There is beauty in this year’s Tour de France. Without a rah-rah superstar to be all e-invested in, without any uber-team menchenhausen pedal hero or anti-s storming unstoppable …

this year’s Tour reminds us that bicycle racing kicks ass.

The ‘08 Tour will be remembered as a staging point, not yet a starting point. The culture of clean is being sniffed at, toyed with … tested. If Jens Voigt can ride clean at the front of the Tourmalet … anything is possible. and glorious.

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Cadel Evans as a winner in Paris seems unthinkable. I won’t be disappointed if it’s him. I like what Evans shows us on the televisions. But, equally so … i won’t mind it if we see some new shake-ups or crack-downs over the next half of a glorious event. This bicycle race has been all the two-wheeled soap operatic show that it should be and the prospects of a few more plot turns, twists, or dive bombs excite … streetlike.

all hail sport.

it’s better than war on the chamois and a hell of a lot less costly.

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AlpenRoses for some, girodayWatsonVile for others

my homies are heading north for the Alpenrose fiesta of velodrome’ness. i have to be honest, it’s causing me some suck that i can’t head up there with and show those fine northwest’ers some of our Hellyer wares. i’ve been looking forward to this trip for awhile, but with Sabine going under the knife on Friday … it’s homebound without doubt. I might scoot out for a couple hours to race the crit in Watsonville … but, we’ll have to see how she’s doing.

Watsonville is a crabgrass little crit through a neighborhood that splits the sides of the tracks something straight out of mason-dixon. You park in vato-centrAL, and race through aunt Mae’s lemonade stand.

c’est america.

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And then there’s Albany

This is a crit i’ve loved the hard way. It’s an attacker’s race requiring a decent bit of bike handling and isn’t one for the pure sprinters. But this year the BBC are scheduled against the re-newed San Luis Obispo Criterium … so, attendance might be split some between the two Sunday events.

San Luis Obispo ~ man, that sounds like a good time. may just have to consider …

we’ll see how the woman is doing.

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VanderKitten’s JenWilson bubbling away at the head of USA CRITS

I’m super-psyched for Jen to be leading this prestigious series. Cheerwine’s Kelly Benjamin will be a monster to keep away from the front of the USA CRITS for the rest of the year ~ but Wheels will fight for it.

Jen is one of these fabulous women getting involved with our sport nowadays. I’m proud to be associated with women like Wilson … strong, intelligent, loving the bike and willing to give everything to the life. These women kick ass.

And ~ they are great spokespeople for businesses, products, organizations.

You watch for it … women’s cycling is going to be generating strong advertising dollars in the coming years. And it will be internet driven.

very cool.

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dreams day hernando

For some reason, night visions of vampires have feasted on me the past few weeks. I’ve been reinserting myself into this running world where vampires do exist, but constrained by our popular myths of what a haunting spirit should be.

The vampires are these invisible, undetectable, uninfluencible undead filled with unrest that only gain manifestation by some psycho-psychic bite into us ~ marking us as there own … bonding, seducing, overpowering or whatever vampy types do ~ causing some sort of hybrid linkage of live and haunted, breathing and wanting, parasite and now-influenced host. The vampy spirit can only be seen by the bitten and the relationship is utterly symbiotic and ruthlessly volitile. The bitten, smitten humans are at the whim of the infestation, the manipulations of mad or mean spirits ~ making us talk out loud, unedited and unhindered as to public menace or perceived arrival in crazy-town USA.

But some vampy spirits are cultured, fighting beasts … aware of each other and their undead rankings of great and small, power hungry all. And the dreams gather more interest to me when seen that human existence is but a pretty-painted chess board for haunted hands to move, bid for, break. Politics, sport, business … all but filled with individuals bonded, beholdant, benefiting or not from these feasting beasts.

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dreams distract …

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supa-training

i’ve decided that my now-favorite training day is filled with fat tread and never-ending ups.

so, i’m out to try and steal some at lunch.

lates~m