NorCal Cycling News – Cycling and Racing in Northern California

Quick notes from a bike bitch for the weekend:

HTC is crushing it on the women’s side of things.  Amber Neben in the front of her teammate Evie Stevens.  TIBCO’s Erinne Willock is a close third and Carmen Small in 6th.  Peanut Butter has KArmstrong in 5th, but it’s Colavita with 3 riders in the top-10 as the danger women, in my opinion.

Tomorrow’s road race is forecast to be f*ckall hot … as the Santa Ana winds are going to blow demons from the south.  The Beaumont stage is hard ~ very hard in the wind.  I’m doing the no-crash dance all night long tonite, as it’s going to be a serious test of balls and bikehandling for the racers tomorrow.

The results aren’t posted yet … as Redlands is notorious for delays in getting them up.  But they’re supposed to be online at the redlandsclassic website … sometime.

Local NorCal’ers in attendance were many, and looking spectacular.  The WEBCOR ladies looked fine, and I think Rebecca Werner and Mary Maroon will make wind selections tomorrow.  Red Racing had a composite team – and I can’t wait to cheer those rockstars on through the Beaumont feedzone.

The Danbury-Audi team has Ruth Winder, Lindsey Myers, and Beth Newell on it – and I am pretty impressed with Myers fitness and poise right now.  I think she’s going to have a stellar ride this Redlands.  Winder is in good form, but I totally choked as her bike mechanic today and didn’t check her rear derailleur out of the trainer before the TT.  It had somehow bent, and threw her chain 3 times in the TT … once per mile.  Fuck – I feel so bad about that.

Beth didn’t have the ride she wanted – feeling like she went out too slow in the first half of the TT.  But that’s part of learning how to road race … it’s just a different beast – and Redlands is pretty much in a different genus of beast.

Tomorrow, it begins in earnest.

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BISSELL rocked it pretty solid, with BJM in 2nd by less than a second to RealCyclist’s Francisco Mancebo.  I can’t tell you how much that chaps my chamois.  I mean, I know there’s a lot of people who say Mancebo’s a stand-up guy and got ‘mixed up’ in the Operation Puerto bullshit without true association with the drug ring … but, what can I say.  I’m biased.

BJM got robbed of the leaders jersey in the Tour of California a few years back, and it seems like he’s the guy playing it clean and getting the shaft more often than not.  But, with 3 riders in the top-6, I’m hoping that Bissell just slays the racing this week and claims a Redlands win.  But again, I’m biased.

Still, not having race radios is going to be a huge benefit to the Bissell boyz – they are a team so well versed and rehearsed with each other … that I see them taking the monsters down, one by one.  AJM is sitting 4th, and that’s a huge weapon.

Unleash, fellas.

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It’s good to see Lynn and Stephanie from Podium Insight here again.  Those women are just hot.  So be sure to check out there coverage of the event all weekend long.  You can view the live feed at: , or read the best articles & see the best pictures of each stage at: http://www.podiuminsight.com/

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It’s also very cool to see the NorCal officials down here keeping shit in order – Paula Mara, Ryan Fu, Luca Ratazzi, and we’ll even steal Chris & Patti Black from SLO-town.  I’m sure there’s more working the race, but those are who we saw this morning.  Cool crowd.

ADD: awww yeah, got a note from Bob Norem that he and Carla Geyer are working the event, too.  Word up_ thanks for the note, Bob.

And thanks to Josh G of Williams Wheels/Exergy men’s team for the wrenching help.  It’s so cool when folks lend helping hands.  We appreciate it, bud.

And maestro wrench Reno-Eric paid us a huge solid by straightening out Ruth’s rear derailleur while working for Team Juvederm.

Lots left out, but gotta jam.  Follow Redlands, and cheer on the champs, local and grand.

m