Archive for July, 2008

Product Review: fi’zi:k Saddles

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

I Found The Missing Saddle’s

fi’zi:k
It’s time kids for another adventure of “TEST THAT PRODUCT”
Today we venture to the equipment that caters to the most important part of the human anatomy …………….your private parts and yes we are talking about saddles.

I don’t know about you, but I can force myself to ride under any painful condition for a short period of time, knees, arms, numbing of the hands, pain in my neck, you name it, and I know you have all been there, but if your twigs and berries are just a gnats ass under the weather, its grounds for divorce and your standing on the side of the road. The saddle has become one of the most important pieces of equipment on our machines, and we are willing to go through several saddles, and if you are not given them for free, find yourself reluctantly wasting tons of your bank account to find the Golden Fleece.
Let’s face it; this is one product that has been over gimmicked in the industry to the point of complete confusion, if you ride this saddle you won’t have kids, if you ride this saddle you will have kids etc. etc., its like the Bush administrations war on terror tactics to convince you to put more money into this cause to make his buddies fat pockets bigger, and I have yet to find a pro cyclist in retirement who hasn’t popped out a kid or two, so needless to say I do not buy into the “slotted saddle” philosophy and lucky enough neither has Fizik. What I do believe in is a proper fit and saddle adjustment regardless what equipment you choose that your equipment is sitting on.

I have tried tons of saddles in my days, everything from the old Brooks “force your crotch to mold the hard leather saddle, saddle”, the Selle Italia turbo, the famous Concor, Serfas models slotted and not, and many more. But recently, I was given three models from Fizik to take for a spin and see what I thought. I know what your thinking, shi*, here we go again a saddle review from someone with a completely different set up than mine, and the guessing continues.

So here is what I am going to do, I will describe the three saddles we are testing by means of design and intent, I will give you my feed back and input from other people in the Tucson area who do ride and race these saddles. Hopefully with this information you can get enough input to come close to your preferred riding style and the seat that best fits it, the rest is up to you for slight adjustments.

Fair? O.K. lets go for it.

First let’s get a bit warm and fuzzy with some history regarding Fizik.
Fizik saddles are a relatively new kid on the block for saddle makers. Fizik started research and development back in 1996 here in the USA, and are handmade in Italy by the worlds largest and one of the oldest saddle manufacturer, Selle Royal. You will find Fizik saddles on more professional team bikes than you have fingers and they have produced some of the most hip advertising campaigns for saddles that I have seen in the past ten years, pushing their product as the “High Fasion” for cycling. They were one of the few companies to make the hype about the top secret saddle the Arione during the Simoni reign in the tour of Italy back in the day when everyone wanted to know about his top secret saddle weapon. So let’s talk about this secret weapon and two other popular models from Fizik.

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Arione Wing Flex
Arione Wing Flex
Statistics:
Color Tested: Chalk white
Cover: White suede
Thigh Glides: White microtex
Rail: K:ium
Weight: 225 gr
Integrated Clip System I.C.S. (This is a removable plastic clip that allows for the mounting of special Fizik designed saddle bags)

The Famous Arione was developed with the input of Gilberto Simoni back in 2003 and was introduce during this particular Tour of Italy that he won. Fizik abviously was well informed about the UCI amended Technical Rule 1.3.014 that was passed on January 3, 2003 in which The length of the saddle shall be 24 cm minimum and 30 cm maximum. Well, most of your saddles out there at the time and today hang around the 27 cm mark in length, Fizik just decided to go for the maximum length and increase the rail lengths in the process. This length increase allows for more adjustment in the fore and aft position on the post and for the rider to move along the saddle itself with greater range. The slots in the saddle or “Wing Slots” are designed not for ventilation, but to allow the saddle to flex more and allow for your inner thigh to have a bit more range of motion. It sounds like simple stuff, but you have to understand know one tried it before so it put Fizik up there as the progressive thinkers.

I put this saddle on my bike and I have to say it is on the cool side to look at, but I will warn you, the increase ability to adjust this saddle can also increase the difficulty on finding that happy sweet spot. Since most people are used to the 27’ish saddles, this saddle will feel a bit on the weird side the first couple of rides.

Now, I have had heard mixed input from friends who have this saddle, from tons of praise such as “I love the ability to move farther back while climbing”, or “I love the longer nose for moving forward into the power position”. To the only occasional dislike “I had that saddle and got rid of it because my balls went numb”.
I have to be honest, in my 20 years of riding it is the only saddle I ever heard this kind of extreme feedback from, and during my testing I have to say I personally occasionally encountered the numbing of the balls thing as well.
My engineering brain can only hypothesis that the added length in the saddle causes slightly more deflection to happen in the middle of the saddle and possibly pushing some riders gently in the wrong places, this is even after I adjusted it several times to eliminate the issue. But again it’s a different design and therefore will have extremely different types of feedback to different types of anatomies.

This is one of those saddles I would start with the question: Do I naturally move around a lot on my saddle and find myself needing more space? or, do I typically like my saddles to hold me firmly in one or two positions? If your answer is the ladder go to the next saddle review for the Aliante, if not, then this saddle will allow you unquestionably to have one of the greatest platforms for full movement from any saddle out there, and you will be crying like Mel Gibbson at the end of Braveheart without the unpleasant rectal torture……….. Freeeeeeedoooom!!!!!!

Regarding color choice, the white suede center panel sweat stains way too easily and was not easy to clean, I would highly suggest another color for this model, and Fizik has a ton to choose from, even custom combos, so color away.
Arione Wing Flex

I give the Arione 4 out of 5 saddles

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Aliante Carbon
Aliante Carbon
Twin Flex - Carbon Braided

Statistics:
Twin Flex
Aliante white
Cover: white perforated microtex
Rear Protection: Beige Scuff Guards
Rail: k:ium
Weight: 239 gr
Integrated Clip System I.C.S. (This is a removable plastic clip that allows for the mounting of special Fizik designed saddle bags)

Ahhhhliante, this is my new name for this saddle. I have to say after riding the Arione the Aliante was a cornucopia for my Bottom. It is more the traditional 27’ish cm length and has a traditional subtle lip to the back of the saddle to cradle you into a more focused position. A feature that was not found on the Arione but again obviously to allow for the freedom of movement it is designed for. The Aliante has a good amount of padding where you need it and they eliminated the suede material on this model, so no more sweat stains that need cleaning to maintain that fresh new look. The shape reminds me of the older saddles, and I stress the word “saddle” in the traditional sense because the curvature of this seat really wants you to find the center, it will push back at you when you are at the rear of the saddle and pushing on the peddles, and will want you to sit more centered if you try to go too far forward. For some riders this will work great for people who like well defined zones on a seat, for those who like the more open and subtle approach, once again take a look at the Arione.

Again check out the colors online, The Aliante also allows you to customize to your hearts content.

Aliante Colors
I give the Aliante 4.5 out of 5 saddles
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tn_aliante_gamma_dark_grey_perforated_top.jpg
ALIANTE XM Gamma
Statistics:
Twin Flex - with Technogel
Aliante XM Gamma white
Cover: White Perforated microtex
Rear Protection: Anthracite Cordura Scuff Guards Black Soft Touch
Rail: k:ium
Weight: 259 gr
Integrated Clip System I.C.S. (This is a removable plastic clip that allows for the mounting of special Fizik designed saddle bags)
Specifically designed for MTB use on bikes with suspension travel from 80 to 120mm.
The new high shape on the central and front part of the padding provides optimal weight distribution while you are riding in hard conditions.
Squared and well-padded front zone with Technogel gives you amazing comfort and increased traction during steep climbs.
Patented Twin-Flex gives extra softness on the genital area.

Check out the information on this saddle and it looks like your purchasing a freaking fighter jet, but for good reason, this thing is beyond comfortable. It takes the saddle shape of the Aliante and puts it on steroids.
The most impressive thing I found about the Gamma is its versatility. “It wins the good for anything you do saddle award” hands down. The Aliante XM Gamma is designed for mountain biking, but I have already seen it on several road bikes during races, and I myself did two time trials on this saddle on my TT bike. I found that I liked it better than any TT saddle out there due to it having just the right amount of cushion on the nose and center. Too many TT saddles put a freaking pillow so large on the nose that their saddle starts to push back on the private area and forces you to tilt your saddle to the point where you look like a freaking rookie. I thought this saddle was gifted in that department. I would even recommend this saddle for cyclocross due to its slightly more padded than the road Aliante and its increased structural build for those “not so smooth transitions”. If weight is your fear, a friend of mine told me that some people remove the scuff guards to reduce the weight enough to be competitive or lighter than most TT saddles out there. I have to say if weight is no issue for you and you are the “I am hard on my saddle events” go with the Gamma, it’s the best all rounder.

I give the Aliante XM Gamma 5 out of 5 saddle

Phew,
I have to say I am tired of typing, and I have enjoyed one hell of a rollercoaster adventure thanks to Fizik for letting us do the review. I hope that some of the information I experienced during this process gives all of you looking for a nice place to put your goodies that extra information for making the least painful choice. Regardless, Fizik has a saddle that will fit any style of rider and I guarantee the perfect cornucopia for your Bottom.

TdF Pre TT Recap - Teen Wolf, Ditka and Fish

Friday, July 25th, 2008

CaliRado Cyclist

Now that we have had sufficient time to forget the illusions of Ricky Ricardo and Dilated Piepoli, this seems like a good opportunity to look back on the last week or so and see what aftertastes are lingering from our menu of TdF goodness. Let us all ignore (momentarily) the mess left by Saunier-Robert Duval-Byron Scott and the other misfits, while acknowledging (begrudgingly) the repercussions of stringent testing and appreciating (thoroughly) the outstanding performances of a largely clean Tour. Okay?

Okay.

Mark Cavendish – Kind of fast

The young speedster whom I have now dubbed “Teen Wolf” made a shamockery of the bunch sprints of the 2008 Tour de France. I’m still not sure if he is more of a Michael J. Fox or Jason Bateman version but time will tell. It’s actually difficult to comment on Cav’s wins because he generally makes it look absurdly easy to jump 5-10 spots and then open a 3 bike-length gap in the last 200 meters. Team Columbia was very strong and the field was Petacchi and Boonen-less but still…it’s just not that easy.

One of my favorite parts about the Cavendish Experience is the guaranteed post-race interview awkwardness. He is exceedingly grateful to his teammates and usually answers most questions with references to them - Good job so far PR guys. But then he always manages to sneak in a “If I’m anywhere near the front I will win for sure” kind of line which just totally ruins the façade of humility.

And his look of “Well…yeah. Duh” whenever the interviewer says that he proved he is the fastest, is absolutely great. Someone get this kid a self-esteem coach. He needs to work on the confidence. Sorry Meatball, but lookout Beijing.

Danny Pate – Close but no paté

It was another close call for the Garmin-Chipotle crew as Danny The Pate made the break and finished third in one of the hardest mountain stages in the Tour. Following up Frischkorn’s effort in Stage 3, it seems that the U.S. rookies are handling the biggest race in the world with remarkable courage and some darn good form.

Although it was especially heartbreaking to watch the final meters and post-race interview, The Pate should be proud of the effort and continues to prove that you can get to the top without compromising yourself. I just hope nobody called him Paté in the French press room.

Vande Velde – Better than Ditka

Staying with the Garmin-Chipotle theme, how about Christian Vande Velde? The kid from Illinois is making the Super Fans proud and again, setting a great example of a good guy, getting great results, the right way. Even Ditka could learn a thing or two from VDV.

The crash after getting detached on the Col de la Bonette will probably sneak into the “D’oh” column in his career retrospective but may actually be a good motivator for the TT on Saturday. I believe that he has a good ride left in him and certainly think that he can get on the podium if things go his way in the race of truth.

Regardless, the Chicago-land area is better known for Downers Grove and crit racing so it’s pretty cool to see VDV succeeding in France. Perhaps all his years in Boulder have a little something to do with that though. Actually, I wonder if he maybe he had a flashback of the annual carnage of Downers Grove after going so hard to bridge back up on the climb that caused him to crash on the descent. Just like home eh VDV?

Crashes and Descents – Winning and Losing the Hard Way

Speaking of crashing and descending, it seems like this Tour has been chock-full of both. Just about all of the favorites have hit the deck so far but there has also been an element of importance to descending to this year’s GC race that I don’t recall seeing much in the past. All crashes aside, I really enjoy the element of danger and risk that emerges when there is a tough descent near the finish of a stage. I’m guessing that Luis-Leon-Spinks Sanchez feels the same way after making his stage-winning move on the downslope.

Now, we all know that Pereiro has a flair for spectacular biffs but his aerial techniques apparently still need a little work. Matt Hoffman he is not. And as a result, his crash over the guardrail and onto the road below in Stage 15 was literally a nightmare. When the initial report came in that he had broken his femur (the biggest bone in the human body!) I felt like I was going to puke. Thankfully, he managed to escape with merely a fractured scapula so I ended up with just a little heartburn instead. I would imagine all the guys who had to ride past him as he lay screaming on the ground got a little verklempt as well.

Jon-Lee Hooker Augustyn’s Superman impression down the hillside was pretty scary at first but became somewhat comical once it was clear he was okay. Do we know if his bike ever stopped? Did he send a thank you note to the spectator that just happened to be standing there and helped him back up? These are the questions being overlooked in the Prime Time coverage.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see if the time that Menchov lost to Sastre, Evans and the Schlecks on the descent of the Bonette will come back to haunt him. I am always amazed that guys can work so hard and be so good on the climbs and then just lose it all back on the descent. It’s not a physiological issue – it’s all technique and mentality. To potentially lose the Tour de France because you can’t hold wheels on a descent is borderline inexcusable. Come on, you’re a Professional.

Bernhard Kohl – The Fish?

I have had the opportunity to see Bernhard Kohl up close and personal at the last few editions of the Tour of California and wasn’t really sure what to think of him. He’s a pretty tiny guy but his head is gigantic – so he kind of looks like a little kid on the bike.

But after watching him “swim” up the climbs of the 2008 Tour de France, as Bob Roll so eloquently described, I have become a huge fan of the young Austrian. I generally appreciate athletes with a lot of style and grace but often root for the guys that do it their own way – even if it looks weird. Kohl’s head-bobbing and swaying are almost like Jim Furyk’s golf swing or Rick Barry’s free throw shooting technique. Not exactly the prettiest to watch but certainly successful in getting the job done.

Now we just need to get Kohl a good nickname. I was thinking about “The Fish” but maybe we can do better than that. Perhaps “Porcupine Fish?” or “Puffer?” Hmm, I’m going to need to work on this one some more.

Sastre – It’s about time, literally and figuratively

There is not a single rider at the Tour de France that deserves to wear the yellow jersey more than Carlos Sastre. The diminutive Spaniard who Bjarne Riis and I call “Cahlos” has ridden a virtually spotless race so far and probably has the most accumulated credit in his Tour Luck Account. Plus, he’s just a really nice guy and has something like a dozen kids to take care of at home so he’s certainly going to be the sentimental favorite.

I also think that it would be fitting for CSC to win the Tour. They have been the best team so far and have really made the race exciting from a tactical standpoint. Say what you want about Bjarne Riis but the guy is like the Karl Rove of bike racing. Even though many people may not care for him – almost everyone respects his cunning and tactical sense. Plus, anyone that can put together a team like that needs to be recognized as a phenomenal leader. The whole team is a bunch of badasses but they all toe the company line because they know who they’ll have to answer to if they step out of it. I’d like to make a documentary called “CSC’s Brain.”

Anyway, Cahlos may not have gotten as much time on Evans as he would have hoped but I still believe that he can limit his losses and keep the jersey into Paris. The situation in last year’s final TT was very similar and Evans was not able to dislodge Contador. I see the same thing playing out this year except the gaps may be even smaller. Cattle has just been a little to rattled and tense, while Cahlos has been “muy tranquilo.” That will be the difference.

At the end of the day, or at the end of Saturday to be more specific, I see Sastre holding off Cattle Evans by a few seconds with Schleck holding on for 3rd, Menchov in 4th and Vande Velde slotting into 5th. It’s going to be tense for everyone and I just hope there are no mechanical issues that influence the GC.

Chavanel actually won a stage (I kid, but Sylvia has been working hard and deserved some success), so clearly anything can happen in this Tour de France. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait.

Leah Goldstein Goes On To Capture the Trans Alps

Monday, July 21st, 2008

San Carlos, Calif. - July 21, 2008 - In what Leah described as some of her best performances ever, Leah Goldstein of ValueAct Capital posted impressive results, finishing first, at the Israeli National time trial and road race championships as well as the Trans Alps road stage race (July 19-26, 2008). She rides a Blue Nx7 road bike complete with Ritchey WCS handlebar, stem and seatpost, and a Blue T-16 time trial bike with additional Ritchey WCS components.

Despite brutal heat during the National Championships, Goldstein blew away all competition. In the 25 kilometer time trial, she won by nearly four minutes. In the 135 kilometer road race, she attacked only 45 kilometer in, never to look back, and won with a more than five minute lead.

Shortly thereafter, Goldstein travelled to Germany with her coach, as her teammate, to compete in the road version of the Trans Alps Challenge. This seven-day stage race included more than 10,000 feet of climbing per day and took riders from Germany to the Italian Alps. Goldstein and her coach beat the duo who had won the race for the past six years.

Training and racing on Ritchey product for the past two seasons, ValueAct Capital has ridden to worldwide victories on Ritchey components solidifying the team’s confidence in, and decision to, ride high-performance, race-level Ritchey products.

Ritchey’s WCS (World Championship Series) level components represent Ritchey’s highest level performance components. WCS components use the latest technology and material to accomplish components of the highest strength with minimal weight - the ideal ratio for top-level cycling.

Watch for the ValueAct Capital team in the upcoming Tour de Toona, July 21-27 in Altoona, Pa.

Women’s Pro-Am Criterium to Take Place in Kansas City

Saturday, July 19th, 2008

September 8th during 2008 Tour of Missouri


Women’s Cycling Event Precedes Hard Charging Finish of Men’s First Stage
St. Louis, MO – (July 17, 2008) – The Tour of Missouri, a seven day professional cycling event featuring elite international men’s teams, is pleased to announce the addition of an invitational pro-am women’s race taking place on Monday, September 8th in Kansas City, Missouri. Top professional women’s teams and riders from across the US will compete in this inaugural event for a $7500 cash purse.

Starting while Stage 1 of the men’s event is underway, the Tour of Missouri Women’s Criterium will showcase the speed and energy of these exceptional athletes on a one kilometer course with multiple turns and hills. The men’s event is the 1st stage of the seven day race, heading from St. Joseph to Kansas City, Missouri, and expected to finish approximately one hour after the women’s finish.

The location of the women’s race is the world-famous Country Club Plaza, Kansas City’s premiere entertainment, shopping and dining destination. The challenging course includes several turns through the winding streets of this dynamic location. As racers fly past the many fountains, high-end boutiques, restaurants and pubs in the Country Club Plaza, spectators will find the course extremely easy to navigate with clear views of their favorite racers from multiple angles.  The Spanish-style architecture and high-energy atmosphere of the Plaza provides a backdrop unlike any Criterium course this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Women’s Criterium will start at 1:00pm and will cover 55 minutes plus five laps. In addition to the cash prizes, qualified finishers will also be awarded a commemorative jersey and jewelry courtesy of Kansas City’s Silpada. A combined awards ceremony will be held for the men’s and women’s races in the Country Club Plaza, following the finish of the men’s race at approximately 4:30pm.

“It is a privilege to announce this addition to the 2008 Tour of Missouri,” said Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder. “The Tour is the single largest professional sporting event in the state, and the women’s race will be an exceptional prelude to the excitement of the hard-charging finishing circuits of the men’s race.”

The Tour of Missouri is a free event which attracts thousands of race fans and enthusiasts from throughout the country, as well as an international audience through web and TV broadcasts.

The Tour of Missouri is presented by the Missouri Division of Tourism and sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, Drury Inns, Edward Jones, the Missouri Farm Bureau, Emerson and Monsanto. Additional support is provided by the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, Spencer Fane, Dr. Pepper, Felt Bicycle, Bissell and Capital Wind Management. For more information visit www.tourofmissouri.com.

TdF - Sprechen Zie Karma?

Friday, July 11th, 2008

The CaliRado Cyclist

The notion of Karma has various interpretations but the most common understanding would probably be something along the lines of “What goes around, comes around.” To put it in the context of bike racing and the Tour, it could be considered a “cycle” of cause and effect, so to speak.

karmacop-311x322.jpgEven though Stefan Schumacher is rocking a slightly Buddhist look with the bald head, it might take a while to appreciate the Karmic justice of being taken down within sight of the finish and losing the leader’s jersey to the very guy he made contact with. The fact that the other rider was George Hincapie’s teammate is a twist of comedic irony worthy of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. You never want to see someone deck it and lose the jersey but Stage 6 was right out of Hollywood. Only WAY better.

Again, he may not see the humor of this situation right now but perhaps Stoolmacher will be able to laugh about it in the future. Big George probably never thought he would look back on the Benelux experience and smile - but I am quite certain he had a chuckle or two after the finish in Super-Besse.

bald.jpgSpeaking of the Republic of Columbia, General Hincapie and President Stapleton must be incredibly happy with Captain Kirchen and the rest of the fleet so far. Garmin-Chipotle may be more of a sentimental favorite for the public but the former High Roaders are giving CSC a run for the title of Best Pro Team. In fact, the inclusion of the Women’s program makes Columbia a clear leader in the world of professional cycling.

captain_kirk.jpgBy the way, I wasn’t kidding when I said President Stapleton - I would vote for him in a second. Let’s start a write-in campaign. Who’s with me?

Alright, back to the Stage 6 -

I am rapidly trying to hang on to the Riccardo Riccobra Bandwagon as it collects summit finish victories, spewing out a dense cloud of inflammatory statements on the rest of the peloton the entire way. Seriously though, the guy is fun to watch and listen to. What more do you want? Except better shorts, of course.

The crashes and first week aggression will catch up with Valvoodoo. Among other things. He would have beaten Ricco a few weeks ago. Oscar Periero is riding really well though and Caisse d’Epargne is stronger than I thought but…my Cycling Spider Sense tingles whenever I see those yellow handlebars.

Cadel Evans was solid as usual but had some choice words for one of the Moto guys after having a mechanical and seems a bit tense. Like, borderline Jack Nicholson as Col. Jessup in A Few Good Men tense. I imagine a lot of silence on the Silence bus.

jessup.jpgI have been listening to the Eurosport audio in the morning and Sean Kelly completely calls him Cattle Evans. It’s not even close to Cuh-del. I’ve heard that Evans will correct people on the pronunciation from time to time but I wonder if he would have the stones to say anything to Kelly. Anyway, I recommend listening if you don’t have video for the morning coverage. Or can’t covertly watch it online at work.

Other Random Things That May Not Have Anything To Do With The Tour:

I crossed paths with Tom Danielson a couple of times this past week as he was in Boulder for a while prior to the Cascade Classic. He was doing some motorpacing and passed me going up Lefthand Canyon at what must have been at least 27mph. It was kind of humiliating. Okay - quite humiliating.

Then Tommy D showed up at the Niwot Criterium along with a solid group of domestic pros. When the local weekend crit has a start list that reads like an NRC event - you may want to consider sandbagging it in the lower Categories for a while. Being a Cat 2 in Colorado is kind of like being a Freshman at a Senior party - you may have some classes together from time to time but you always know where you stand in the pecking order.

geeks.jpgFor the record, Toyota United were the cool clique and swept the podium with Ben Day, Ivan Stevic and Jonny Clarke out of a break that consisted of Phil Zajicek, Colby Pierce and Jason Donald among others. Len Pettyjohn then mentioned that the TUP guys had done 5 hours before the race. Oh, okay…I guess that 6th hour is when you really start flying.

I wonder if Will Frischkorn and Danny Pate are sitting in their hotel rooms in France, thinking how far they are from Cascade right now.

Check out the podcast with Will from the Tour if you haven’t already. I’m new at the whole podcast deal so forgive the slow start but I think there is some interesting stuff in there once we got rolling. Nice. Nice.

Brooks Stable Following Violent Crash

Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

Bend, Ore. — Team Type 1’s Ben Brooks is hospitalized in stable condition following a violent crash Wednesday during the opening stage of the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Ore.

The 29-year-old Australian fell victim to one of a half dozen cattle guard crossings along the 83-mile (133.5 km) Prineville Road Race. A cattle guard is a series of parallel metal bars installed in the road to deter cattle and other hoofed animals from crossing. The gaps between the bars are wide enough for an animal’s legs to fall through.

Team Type 1 Sport Director Ed Beamon said riders who witnessed the crash told him the cattle guard sent Brooks into a spin that catapulted him off his bicycle as the 150-rider field was traversing a mostly flat, but twisting, section before a descent about 50 miles (80 km) into the race.

“They had to be going about 60 kilometers and hour (37 mph) and it was single-file, full gas at the time,” Beamon said.

A rescue squad rushed Brooks to a local hospital.

“He is at an excellent facility with excellent care and his condition is stable,” Beamon said. “We are just reaching out now for good thoughts and prayers. We are fairly confident he will be OK.”

Brooks’s wife, Rachael, was en route to Bend Wednesday night, Beamon said.

Team Type 1 is a first-year professional squad that created in 2004 by two riders with Type 1 diabetes to inspire people living with diabetes to take a proactive approach to managing their health and overcoming the obstacles often associated with the condition. Brooks is not one of the four racers on Team Type 1’s pro team that has Type 1 diabetes.

Team Type 1’s Christopher Jones finished fourth in the stage that ended with a climb up to Pilot Butte State Park. Jones was joined by teammate Glen Chadwick in an 11-man break that was away most of the day. Santiago Botero (Rock Racing) won the stage.

Bend, Ore. — Team Type 1’s Ben Brooks is hospitalized in stable condition following a violent crash Wednesday during the opening stage of the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Ore.

The 29-year-old Australian fell victim to one of a half dozen cattle guard crossings along the 83-mile (133.5 km) Prineville Road Race. A cattle guard is a series of parallel metal bars installed in the road to deter cattle and other hoofed animals from crossing. The gaps between the bars are wide enough for an animal’s legs to fall through.

Team Type 1 Sport Director Ed Beamon said riders who witnessed the crash told him the cattle guard sent Brooks into a spin that catapulted him off his bicycle as the 150-rider field was traversing a mostly flat, but twisting, section before a descent about 50 miles (80 km) into the race.

“They had to be going about 60 kilometers and hour (37 mph) and it was single-file, full gas at the time,” Beamon said.

A rescue squad rushed Brooks to a local hospital.

“He is at an excellent facility with excellent care and his condition is stable,” Beamon said. “We are just reaching out now for good thoughts and prayers. We are fairly confident he will be OK.”

Brooks’s wife, Rachael, was en route to Bend Wednesday night, Beamon said.

Team Type 1 is a first-year professional squad that created in 2004 by two riders with Type 1 diabetes to inspire people living with diabetes to take a proactive approach to managing their health and overcoming the obstacles often associated with the condition. Brooks is not one of the four racers on Team Type 1’s pro team that has Type 1 diabetes.

Team Type 1’s Christopher Jones finished fourth in the stage that ended with a climb up to Pilot Butte State Park. Jones was joined by teammate Glen Chadwick in an 11-man break that was away most of the day. Santiago Botero (Rock Racing) won the stage.

TdF - Talkin’ Tour and TT’s

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

The CaliRado Cyclist

First of all, check out the podcast interview I was fortunate enough to do with Tour de France rider Will Frischkorn of the Garmin-Chipotle team after the Stage 4 Time Trial on MissingSaddle.com. It’s fairly entertaining if you’re interested in hearing some Tour talk from one guy who is not used to doing such things and another one who is. I am not Larry King yet but Will is a good guy and played along nicely. Even got a question about the kits in at the end.

schweddy.jpgActually, I’ve only listened to it once but I’m concerned that my style is a little more like the ladies from the “Delicious Dish” sketch on SNL. Good times. I’m glad it was Will and not Alec Baldwin (aka Pete Schweddy) on the other end of the line.

Hopefully we’ll be able to get some additional updates from France as the race progresses.

Okay, so now for the TT and yet another close call for both Columbia and Garmin-Chipotle:

Say what you want about Stefan Schumacher (such as…reputed amphetamine user and doper, self-proclaimed blood-value altering diarrhea sufferer, confirmed drunk driver and George Hincapie crasher for example), the guy rode one fast time trial in Cholet. So fast that he got himself a somewhat shocking yellow jersey over Kim Kirchen of Columbia and David Millar of Garmin-Chipotle.

Without getting into any of the things one could say about Valverde and Schumacher wearing yellow (cough), I have to say that it would have been exceedingly good for professional cycling to have either Captain Kirchen or Miller Time to get the jersey. Nothing against Gerolsteiner or Caisse d’Epargne, but it would have been nice to see a leader from an American team with a cutting-edge internal testing system. I’m just saying.

With that said, it was great to see Danny The Pate on top of the leaderboard for a while, even though dang Sylvia Chavanel knocked him off. Thankfully Jens Voigt beat the crap out of his bike like he was Chuck Norris (oh yeah) and took the lead for a while until Menchov lowered the bar. Christian Vandevelde put in a really solid performance and slotted in at 8th, one spot ahead of George Hincapie.

Ultimately, Cadel Evans gained time on everyone he needed to (Liggett: “He pulled out a big one and struck a psychological blow to his rivals” - ok), Valverde lost time to everyone he didn’t want to, Cancellara proved that he is mortal and Schumacher almost seemed not to be.

Anyway…we will see what happens later this week. The race is wide open and I have a feeling that Shoe Maker and the Water Boys will be under an incredible amount of pressure over the next few days. I can’t wait.

TdF 2008 - 3 Up, 3 Down

Monday, July 7th, 2008

The CaliRado Cyclist

Well, we’re three days into the TdF and I am already beginning to lose my resistance to the impending dementia caused by that infuriating “Take Back the Tour” commercial on Versus. I can only hope (with every fiber of my being) that the VS producers get as sick of it as I have and end the madness before someone (like me) gets committed to a mental institution. I’ll be on the stretcher mumbling “I’m gonna get myself straight” right before they put me into the straightjacket.

straitjacket_new1.jpgSpecifically, the reverse-footage is exceedingly depressing, a little offensive and the song kind of makes me want to kill myself. Or start doing drugs to numb my ears and the resulting suicidal tendencies. Good job VS!! Only two and a half more weeks to go!! I hope we all make it. The riders might be clean but now the entire viewing public will be pill-popping alcoholics by the end of the month.

Okay, back to the race. Well, sort of…

Alejandro Valverde is obviously a great cyclist. After all, he’s been winning races since he was a kid and has continued a fairly steady rise to now challenge for the Tour de France. However, among a few other concerns, there is just something inherently cheesy about Valvoodoo which prevents me from enjoying many of his victories. I feel kind of bad saying it, but I call ‘em like I see ‘em and something about the Spaniard’s style bugs me. Okay, I actually don’t feel that bad.

vhair.jpgFrom the historically low-cut socks (a little triathlon-weird looking but still better than Moreau’s white tube socks), to the prematurely balding, yet oddly Jheri-curlish hair (just shave it off dude, trust me), to the overly-coordinated yellow, black and red of his new Spanish National Champion’s kit (the yellow on the bike and helmet make it seem like he’s trying too hard), the man who may or may not be DIRECTLY linked to Operacion Puerto has track record of questionable style (and nickname) choices.

But considering he got his big break in those horrendous old green Kelme kits – maybe he was doomed from the start. Or maybe Fuentes should have been a fashion advisor too. He seemed pretty slick in all those Mafioso-style photographs.

vsocks.jpgAnyway, despite the relative ease with which he won Stage 1 and coasted to the finish of Stage 2, I am sticking to my prediction that bad things will surface for Valv.Piti and he will not be sporting those garish yellow-gold Oakleys in Paris. ASO cannot be happy that he is prowling the top of the GC right now. “Umm…can someone get that Spanish judge on the line? Patrice Clerc would like to speak with him.”

Scandinavian By Design…

I have said it for quite some time now and I’ll say it again – I like me some Scandinavians. Especially Norwegians. Or should I say “Noorveejins?”

viking.jpgThis goes for just about everyone I’ve ever met but Thor Hushovd seems to reinforce this opinion. My guess is that the French like Thor quite a bit as well. Considering the publicity he has been able to generate for Credit Agricole over the last 5-6 years, he should be an honorary Frog at this point. I bet he’s more popular than Moreau.

These things I know: The sun will rise again and Thor Hushovd will win a stage of the Tour de France.

So Frisch and So Clean, Clean…

The Outkast song may not have been playing on the race radio but the title seemed apt after what our local Boulder representative Will Frischkorn did in Stage 3. After over 200k’s off the front, the Colorado Buffalo alum just missed grabbing what may have been the most surprising stage win for an American since Greg LeMond’s TT in 1989 and cemented the fact that Slipstream/Garmin/Chipotle are going to be able to do some good things over the next few weeks.

I hope to have more details about Stage 3 from the source in the near future. But in the meantime…Way to go Man!

Between Missouri, Milan-Sanremo and now the Tour, Willdren of the Frischkorn is making getting into day-long, race-making breakaways look remarkably easy. Come on…it’s only 200k’s off the front. Let’s go.

stmalo.jpgIt’s probably nothing compared to the Bus Stop Ride though and I think the start in St. Malo must have reminded him of the chapel with the same name on Peak to Peak Highway.

Next Stop for Garmin-Chipotle: A Yellow Jersey for David Millar after the TT tomorrow. Cancellara can’t possibly win again, can he? We’ll see.

TdF Preview - Caught Pickin’

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

The CaliRado Cyclist

Twas the night before the Tour and I’m finally ready to declare my picks for the Overall, Points and Mountains Classifications of the 2008 event. And of course, I will also pick the Lantern Rouge to complete the spectrum. This is setting up to be a pretty interesting Tour and none of these choices was easy.

Mountains:

1) Ricardo Ricco

The Cobra won’t be looking at the GC so he will probably be given some extra leash. I anticipate a lot of great quotes and some post-Giro aggression from the fiery Italian. Not to mention a polka-dot jersey to go with those heinous “widows peak” shorts.

Points:

1) Erik Zabel

This is a bit of a sentimental pick but for some reason I think the Flat Top will finish in Green for the 7th time. Without Boonen in the mix I see the German veteran being able to make enough of the smaller group finishes to gather a 13th stage win and enough points to distance himself from the likes of McEwen, Hushovd and Cavendish. I see all of these guys getting stages though, in addition to Friere - who could win the Green if he wanted to, but who will focus on stages and then prepare for the Olympics.

Ciolek may make it interesting if he can manage to keep his head still when he sprints. Seriously, keep an eye on that. It’s pretty crazy.

General Classification:

1) Denis Menchov

What can I say? I don’t really WANT to pick the Russian but I think he has the best resume and will be the most consistent rider over the next three weeks. He knows what it takes to win a Grand Tour (even though he only knew about one of the two Vuelta wins at the time) and his performance in Spain last year was more impressive than anything I have seen Cadel Evans do. I always thought Menchov was the scariest rider in 2006 when Floyd won and I see 2008 shaping up similarly.

2) Cadel Evans

He’s got all the tools and has been perhaps exceedingly vocal about his total dedication to improving on last year’s 2nd place. But I just don’t see it happening. I envision a very close race between Evans and Menchov but the Australian’s lack of experience when truly fighting for the lead (he was out of it last year until the final time trial after Rasmussen got canned) will cause him to lose more time in the mountains than he can get back in the time trials.

I just don’t see Cadel in yellow when they finish in Paris.

3) Carlos Sastre

The little Spanish climber knows that he is running out of time and will be uncontrollable in the final mountain stages. With the Schleck Brothers waiting to pounce, CSC will likely have some serious cards to play when the groups start to thin out. Somehow I don’t see Bjarne letting his new Sexy Back sponsors down and expect to see the red and black off the front a lot over the next three weeks. Jens Voigt presented by Chuck Norris will be getting much camera time.

4) Kim Kirchen

He claimed that he wanted to win the Tour de Suisse but I think his failure to do so may indicate that he will be peaking for the Tour de France. I’m sure Bob Stapleton and the Columbia people hope this is the case. I am also certain the former High Roaders will take their fair share of stages and General Hincapie will be savvy enough to help get Kirchen to Paris among the leaders.

5) Stijn Devolder

This may sound silly but Lance said Devolder could do well - and I think Kate Hudson’s current boyfriend may know a thing or two about the Tour de France. Additionally, the Belgian’s performances in Flanders, Roubaix and Switzerland were enough to get me on the Stijn bandwagon. I think he will fly under the radar for much of the race and have good enough time trials to jump over the better climbers. I’m bummed that he won’t be rocking the Belgian National Champ kit anymore though. That has to be one of the coolest jerseys ever.

- You may have noticed that there are some prominent names left off this list. Without getting too much like the little weird lady in Poltergeist…I see some problems for Valverde which prevent his arrival in Paris (he can’t hang for three weeks and bad things will take place), Cunego will crack at least once (and really regret that stupid tattoo eventually), Zubeldia will finish Top 10 (and be invisible) and Christophe Moreau will continue to annoy me (although I could see him challenging for the Mountains Classification…and losing).

Lantern Rouge:

The last place finisher of the 2008 Tour de France will be a battle between Wim Vansevenant and Jimmy Casper, both of whom have been manning the caboose on two previous editions into Paris. I see Vansevenant winning/losing this battle, primarily because I don’t like the name Casper and I can’t really think of much else to guage them on.

Well, those are the picks. If I am right, I will take all the glory. If I am wrong, somebody else messed things up.

Managing Expectations - Poorly

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

There is a powerful concept in business (as well as cycling and life, for that matter) that can be loosely described as “managing expectations.” Understanding that there are often sizable gaps between Expectations, Delivered Value and Perceived Value, the ability to avoid or at least minimize potential dissatisfaction can greatly influence the Outcome of virtually all business and personal interaction.

Patrice Clerc, President of Tour de France organizer ASO, does not seem to be familiar with this concept. In fact, many of the most influential people in Professional Cycling do not seem to fully grasp this principle. And the sport is setting itself up for failure as a result.

sinkewitz.jpgOften, a key element in effectively managing expectations is clearly acknowledging that uncontrollable events may occur which affect the desired Outcome. No matter the extent of due diligence, things happen from time to time which cannot be anticipated or avoided. Understanding this fact and being prepared to deal with the consequences of unforeseen events generally creates an environment in which the gaps between Expectations, Delivered Value and Perceived Value can be minimized, often resulting in a greater sense of satisfaction for the parties involved.

I think it is safe to say that no one wants to see another positive drug test at the Tour de France. Not the ASO, the UCI, the teams, the fans and especially not the riders. But the underlying sense that the Tour and the sport of cycling will be irreparably damaged should another rider test positive creates an environment where the unforeseen and uncontrollable actions of a single individual carry far more weight than they deserve.

agile_estimate_ranges.jpgSpecifically, the Tour de France is setting itself up for failure by instilling an Expectation that it will be an “incident-free” event. Not to be too pessimistic, but a precedent has been set for this race which is not likely to disappear in 2008. And the reality is that, despite all anti-doping efforts, the riders and the testers are human and prone to errors in both judgment and action. As such, it is historically unwise to create an environment in which there is an Expectation that no riders will test positive at some point during the next three weeks, either as a result of cheating or lab error.

If we are to believe Clerc, German Television and the rest of the Doomsayers, even the very real possibility of a false positive could potentially ruin the reputation of a sport that really is trying to clean up. The entire field could be fed bread and water for months leading up to the Tour but if a highly sensitive spectrometer in France has an optic that is slightly degraded or out of alignment - a false positive could surface and “destroy the reputation of the Tour and the sport.”

But Clerc doesn’t really want to admit that last part, now does he? The Cloak of Invincibility which shrouds the drug testing labs prevents this from even being an acknowledged possibility. And yet again, Expectations are unmanaged and therefore unrealistic. And the sport suffers.

With this in mind, I can’t help but recall what happened to Phil Zajicek and Scott Moninger a few years ago as examples of what constitutes a “positive result” and how there are many shades of grey in the world of Doping. Does anyone really think those two were evil cheaters? Or, more likely, do you view them as unfortunate individuals who fell victim to unforeseen and somewhat uncontrollable events – but were branded with a scarlet D nonetheless?

assistance.jpgAgain, is it rational to fear that an unforeseen and uncontrollable event, isolated to one individual, will make all prior and existing efforts of everyone else involved in the sport less valid?

Additionally, does anyone really believe that an “incident-free” event or sport is truly 100% clean? I don’t remember many drug busts in Major League Baseball back in the Canseco days, do you? A legitimate positive result should be viewed as evidence that cyclists are human beings capable of deceit and that the sport has a testing system that is able to catch cheaters. The harder you look, the more you find.

We can and should hope for a “clean” Tour de France. But we should not expect it.

The CaliRado Cyclist


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