27 September 2012

Image of the Day: shoes

Cycling Shoes
Photo © Karen at PedalDancer.com
I've been learning more about photography...

These were the shoes (and legs) of Brent Bookwalter (BMC) prior to the ITT at the 2012 Tour of California. 
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26 September 2012

Looking Forward

A bright and fun-filled future
 
I am back, I took a break. I needed it. It was time to reflect on the past year, recover from so much running around and honestly, I must admit, read the words of others. Sometimes clarity comes from listening instead of speaking. I have never presented myself to be anything other than that of a fan and rider who wanted to learn more about cycling. And this, I gotta admit, has been quite a time of learning. I sit here this evening as a tremendous thunder storm rolls over my home in Denver, Colorado. Similar to the storm that has rolled through this sport recently threatening to shake it to it's foundation.
 
My brother said to me quite directly, that if I intended to write about this sport I needed to continue to learn about all of it's history, good or bad. Bad is hard to take, especially when I want to have some area of my life where good prevails. To believe. Belief is a close sister to hope; admiration a sister to respect; desire to dreams, and so on, all those values we hold dear, where we want to see hard work and honesty prevail.

I was never ignorant to the truth of doping, but I was perhaps indifferent to the ugliness of greed (and this coming from a person who has lived in a 4th-world country). It is just the way things are may have been a poor excuse. In the end all of this matters because I believe fans want to see honor in sport as in life, to physically see it, so that the suspension of disbelief can be maintained. Good for the journalists who ask the tough questions, even though it comes at a great cost to them and even though the truth is hard to hear. I remain a loyal fan, and more importantly a huge fan of the bicycle and of travel.
 
Then I got excited
 
The route of the Giro d'Italia will be announced this Sunday. The Giro excites me. The World Championships were fantastic, they excite me and next year they will be held in Tuscany, and in 2014 the World Championships Road will come to the United States! Right here in our country we will have the opportunity to see the best racers in the world, and a team time trial. 

Can you imagine arriving for a team time trial one weekend, spending the weekdays being a tourist and riding your own bike across some fantastic roads, and then seeing the road race at the World Championships the following weekend? Awesome. This is what the World Championships now offer fans, and I see it as the next big opportunity for traveling cyclists.
 
If anything gets a traveling cyclist excited it is hearing the news of race destinations and routes -
And oh do we have some great race locations to travel to over the coming years:
 
Giro d'Italia
  • 2013 Giro d'Italia begins with a TTT in Naples, summits the Col de Galibier in France, and also the famed Passo di Gavia in Italy, passes through Florence and ends in Brescia, not Milan as has been tradition. (possible route)
  • 2014 Giro d'Italia has a possible start in Ireland (Plans being considered for Giro d’Italia start in Dublin & Belfast, by Sticky Bottle)
  • 2015 Giro d'Italia could see a prologue in Amsterdam
Tour de France
  • 2013 Tour de France returns to Mont Ventoux and Alpe d'Huez (possibly twice) (possible route) and to the Le Grand Bornand (one of my favorite areas of cycling in France).
  • 2014 Tour de France start is rumored for Florence, Italy, although earlier rumors mentioned Barcelona and Qatar, and England is bidding for another grand depart as soon as possible.
Vuelta a España
  • The 2012 Vuelta a España proved to be one of the most exciting races of the year, I can't wait for 2013. Although I know little of the route, next August my focus will be on the Vuelta.
World Championships
  • 2013 World Championships will be in Tuscany, Italy, 21-29 September, 2013, (Tuscany 2013 world championship routes unveiled, By CyclingNews.com)
  • 2014 World Championships could be in Ponferrada, Spain (13-21 September. 2014)
  • 2015 World Championships will be in Richmond, Virginia, USA (with an estimated $135 million local economic impact - news)
  • 2016 World Championships will be in Doha, Qatar
Olympics
  • 2016 Summer Olympics - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (website)
We can always depend on the stable Spring Classics (whose locations vary slightly) but I can safely guess that the Paris-Roubaix will end in Roubaix, Here is the schedule of dates of the World Tour races for 2013:
 
The second thing that excites a traveling cyclist is race dates -

2013 UCI WorldTour Calendar
Jan 22-27, 2013 Tour Down Under (Aus)
Mar 3-10, 2013 Paris - Nice (Fra)
Mar 6-12, 2013 Tirreno-Adriatico (Ita)
Mar 16, 2013 Milano-Sanremo (Ita)
Mar 18-24, 2013 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (Esp)
Mar 22, 2013 E3 Prijs Vlaanderen - Harelbeke (Bel)
Mar 24, 2013 Gent - Wevelgem (Bel)
Mar 31, 2013 Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres (Bel)
Apr 1-6, 2013 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco (Esp)Apr 7, 2013 Paris - Roubaix (Fra)
Apr 14, 2013 Amstel Gold Race (Ned)
Apr 17, 2013 La Flèche Wallonne (Bel)
Apr 21, 2013 Liège - Bastogne - Liège (Bel)
Apr 23-28, 2013 Tour de Romandie (Sui)
May 4-26, 2013 Giro d'Italia (Ita)
Jun 2-9, 2013 Critérium du Dauphiné (Fra)
Jun 8-16, 2013 Tour de Suisse (Sui)
Jun 29 - Jul 21, 2013 Tour de France (Fra)
Jul 27, 2013 Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian (Esp)
Jul 27 - Aug 3, 2013 Tour de Pologne (Pol)
Aug 12-18 2013 Eneco Tour (Ita)
Aug 24 - Sep 15, 2013 Vuelta a España (Esp)
Aug 25, 2013 Vattenfall Cyclassics (Ger)
Sep 1, 2013 GP Ouest France - Plouay (Fra)
Sep 13, 2013 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (Can)
Sep 15, 2013 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (Can)
Oct 5, 2013 il Lombardia (formerly Giro di Lombardia) (Ita)
Oct 9-13, 2013 Tour of Hangzhou (Chn)
Oct 16-20, 2013 Tour of Beijing (Chn)
 
And our popular American Tour races in the USA have 2013 dates as well (no they are not on the World Tour):
 
April 14, 2013 Tour of the Battenkill, Cambridge, New York
May 1-5, 2013 Tour of the Gila, Silver City, New Mexico
May 12-1, 2013 Amgen Tour of California, State of California
June 2, 2013 American Cycling Classic, Philadelphia
August 2-4, 2013 Tour of Elk Grove, Elk Grove Village, Illinois
August 6-11, 2013 Tour of Utah, State of Utah
August 19-25, 2013 USA Pro Challenge, State of Colorado
September 14, 2013,Bucks County Classic, Pennsylvania

My favorites
 
In 2012, I attended the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Amgen Tour of California, Tour de France, and the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. By far my favorite experiences as a fan came while in Belgium. I just loved being at the Ronde van Vlaanderen and the Hell of the North as a fan, it was more than I had dreamed it would be, in fact it was so good, I hesitate to go back soon because the memories are so sweet.
Tom Boonen leading on Kwaremont, 2012 Ronde van Vlaanderen  Photo © Karen at PedalDancer.com
My heart will always be with the Amgen Tour of California, even though Bakersfield was brutal this year, I have attended since the beginning and always will. The Tour of California attracts good teams and great riders and is an important preparation for the summer World Tour race schedule.

Peter Sagan at the 2012 Tour of California  Photo © Karen at PedalDancer.com
Someday I dream of going to the Giro d'Italia, I love the Giro (and traveling in Italy) and plan to follow the race daily online along with the Vuelta in 2013. I definitely plan to attend the World Championships Road within the next two years; again that combo of TTT + road race is so appealing.
The Giro trophy   Photo © Karen at PedalDancer.com
The USA Pro Challenge was a bit of a disappointment for me this year, lots of hard work, attendance was down, not as many teams, and a bit too much "home-town" theme after the incredible international epic grand-scale races I had attended this year. I admit I like the pageantry.
Froome and Wiggins arrive at Peyrugudes, Stage 16, 2012 Tour de France  Photo © Karen at PedalDancer.com
If you can manage it - go see a bike race in Belgium.  It will get you excited about the sport of cycling.
Philippe Gilbert happily preparing for a ride the day before the 2012 Tour of Flanders  Photo © Karen at PedalDancer.com
I can't believe I WAS THERE!

13 September 2012

News, Stories and Movies

A movie about Bradley Wiggins?
I've been reading a lot lately, taking in the news about Lance Armstrong and The Repenters (now there is a title for a movie, or a band). I appreciated Joe Lindsey's recent reminder that we are all allowed to form our own opinions but not our own facts. Like many of you, I have been busy finding the facts to support my own opinions, isn't that how this works?
 
In the end I have discovered - nothing. We already knew this!
  • Power corrupts
  • Power and money can buy success
  • Doping pays
  • Cheaters point fingers
  • Each man is responsible for his own behavior
  • Medical Science advances quickly
  • The truth will eventually come out
  • Bad people don't always get their due
  • Knowledge will give you power, but character earns respect
  • Journalism exposes truth, courts determine truth
  • It is not cool to give your time to something only to be deceived
  • People forgive 
  • Everyone likes a happy ending

Feeling a little foolish that I should have known 
  
My opinions mostly center around certain key ideas. These include 1) we knew much of this a long time ago, but people who lie are motivated to keep a lie going - a long time, 2) this is the tip of the iceberg, after a long lie, increasing degrees of truth come out, 3) doping pays, and 4) even though I knew, I still feel foolish to learn the extent and depth of cheating.
 
1) Hindsight is 20/20. History makes sense looking back. If you read this conversation between Frankie Andreu and Jonathan Vaughters printed in 2006, you will realize we already knew all this a long time ago, long before Vaughters wrote his NYT confession. But liars wasted our time and made life miserable for those who attempted to tell the truth, destroying careers in their wake. Read: CBS Sports, In-Depth: Cycle of denial: Implicated on the Internet (from 2006).
 
2) It's only the tip of the iceberg. Be prepared for rolling seas for the next 2-years as some facts are locked-up due to pending court cases and Organization tug-of-wars. This will take some time to shake-out, unless Vaughters continues to out everyone in the name of his No Man is an Island campaign. We also have Vaughters to thank for complicating the course to correction by spreading the level the playing field theory which only served to give the uniformed an easy excuse to latch onto to proclaim that no one did wrong because everyone did wrong. Following this theory two wrongs make a right even when some were more wrong than others. Personal opinions are welcomed, but if you find yourself using the level playing field excuse or the he never tested positive explanation then you haven't read the news since initially making up your mind that you would never accept that Lance Armstrong doped.
 
3) Money money money. Anyone else frustrated to see dopers making the bucks? They made money then, they paid money, they make money now. They received contracts to race, they received jobs after they raced, they receive money for books written and movies made. Those who did not dope did not. How many people read Gregg Germer's confession that he did not dope? How many people read and paid for The Secret Race, Tyler Hamilton's confession that he did dope?

4) Ignorance was bliss.

Movies have a happy ending
 
Books may not always have a happy ending or make you feel good, but movies like happy endings. After years of talk about making a movie about Lance Armstrong, his story proved to be a tough one even by Hollywood standards. How quickly we shift gears onto the newest guy on the top of the podium. That guy is Bradley Wiggins. This morning VeloNation.com wrote that Hollywood (the notion that movies come from Hollywood is like saying extra virgin olive oil only comes from Italy - it's a label) is moving forward on a movie about Bradley Wiggins because, “Bradley is a larger-than-life personality and his story really appeals to movie executives.”
 
Bradley Wiggins is larger than life? 
 
How did I miss this fact? Bradley Wiggins seems like a pretty normal guy to me. He even mentioned his Mom while standing on the podium of the 2012 Tour de France. The only person larger than life in cycling is Mario Cipollini and that is because he has built his (Bond) brand around the image. And maybe The Badger (Bernard Hinault), anyone who at the age of 58, instinctively throws (video) an invading person off the stage at the Tour de France is larger than life, and whose reaction to the entire Lance Armstrong affair also happens to have been, “I couldn't give a damn.” 
Does this look like a larger than life individual?
Bradley Wiggins
The news is that British actor Rhys Ifans could play Wiggins in the movie. What do you think?
Rhys Ifans
Rhys Ifans was the zany actor in Notting Hill. The only problem is that Ifans is 45-years old. Anyone want a job as a cycling stunt-man double, and happen to look like Bradley Wiggins and Rhys Ifans?   
Rhys Ifans in the movie Notting Hill, or is it Bradley Wiggins?
After a couple weeks of lousy news about our fragile sport of cycling, the hard races up north in Canada and the fun of the Tour of Britain were fairly good distractions. I welcome the World Championships next week, 15-23 September 2012, in Limburg, Netherlands. How can a fan not get excited about riders representing their countries and themselves to really prove who is the fastest on a bike.  
This jersey IS larger than life
 
This week someone else wil be wearing this jersey...
Current World Champion Road - Mark Cavendish
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10 September 2012

Cyclocross Calendar

Cyclocross season in Colorado is here

For an updated calendar for the 2013-14 CX season, please see: 2013-14 Colorado Cyclocross Calendar, By Pedal Dancer®

The time of year when disappointment sets in when the sun shines and the sky is clear. Cyclocross is synonymous with muddy chains and freezing riders. When men and women attempt to hold onto their fitness for months extending across the Holidays, simply to race their friends across dirt, sand, water, obstacles and yes, snow.
 
I confess I attended only 1 local criterium race this summer in Colorado. My calendar was filled with pro races in the States and abroad with lots of travel, but when it comes to cyclocross, I plan to be out there many weekends this cold winter. Cyclocross in Colorado is a relaxed entertaining friendly sport, and one that is certainly on the rise for men, women, juniors, and kids.
 
With perfect timing Cross Vegas (in Las Vegas, Nevada) sort of kicks off the cyclocross season. Cross Vegas is the #1 reason to go to Las Vegas, Interbike is #2, there is no #3. Cross Vegas and Interbike are just over a week away and I will be going for two quick days. I have been reading the tech reports from Eurobike and although Interbike is not as big or well represented as Eurobike, it is the best offered in North America, so all those interested in the latest greatest from bicycle and equipment manufacturers file into Las Vegas to see shiny new cycling related things.
 
The other day I went to my first local cyclocross race of the year in Colorado Springs. Amy Dombroski was there, she will be racing at Cross Vegas on September 19th in Las Vegas (for her new team Telenet Fidea), she was second in the womens race in 2011 behind Katerina Nash, who will not be racing at Cross Vegas 2012, although Georgia Gould will be there, (see the 2012 USA Cycling Women Open start list for Cross Vegas).
 
Amy Dombroski, last Saturday in Colorado Springs    ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
We can also expect some big names for the USA Cycling Men Cat. 1-3 including Americans Ryan Trebon (riding for his new team cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale), Tim Johnson, Todd Wells, Jamie Driscoll, Jeremy Powers, Chris Jones, Zach McDonald, Jonathan Page, and Geoff Kabush. Also Europeans Lars Van der Haar (2011 winner), Rob Peeters, Bart Wellens, Ben Berden, Arnaud Jouffrey, Niels Wubben, Lukas Fluckinger and Lukas Winterberg. Cross Vegas 2012 should be very entertaining. 
Tim Johnson, 2 weeks ago in Aspen, representing Cannondale   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
If you cannot attend the race in Las Vegas, you can watch the action online: Live webcast of CrossVegas will be available at www.crossvegas.com beginning at 8:00 pm Pacific Time on race day, Wednesday September 19. 2012.  Related posts by Pedal Dancer from 2011: Cross Vegas - Vegas style and Interbike - I am a fan.
 
I will be taking more photos from Interbike and following up on the very popular pieces I did last year about Specialized Bikes and BMC Bikes. Sorry Colnago, Pinarello, Trek, and Cannondale bikes will not be on exhibit at Interbike. Giant, BMC, Specialized, Fuji, BH, Scott, and Cervelo will be exhibiting. There will also be lots of pedals, tires, wheels, saddles, and apparel to drool over.
 
For now check the dates of these cyclocross races in Colorado, mark your Calendar, and get out to see or race a cyclocross race in your local town. To see the best of the best, try to attend the New Belgium US GranPrix of Cyclocross in Fort Collins on October 13 to 14, 2012. What is cyclocross - this video should give you the feel of the sport.

Full Schedule of all races at the BRAC website: Calendar of cycling races in Colorado. Racers for full details view (.pdf): www.coloradocycling.org Calendar. To view this list of races in date order go to: COLORADO CYCLING PAGE. (**silver, ***gold)

Denver/Aurora/Brighton
09/15/12, Saturday - Kick It CX Festival and TT, Brighton
09/30/12 Sunday - Adrenalin CX, Highlands Ranch
11/11/12, Sunday - Mile High Urban Cross Chaos, Denver
11/18/12, Sunday - Alpha Cross, Centennial ***

Arvada/Golden/Morrison
09/23/12, Sunday - Queens of Cross, Arvada/Golden
09/29/12, Saturday - Primalpalooza, Arvada/Golden
11/04/12, Sunday - Routine Leg Works Cyclo-Cross, Golden
11/25/12, Sunday - Green Mountain Sports #1, Morrison
12/09/12, Sunday - Green Mountain Sports #2, Morrison

Parker/Castle Rock
11/24/12, Saturday - Parker CX **
12/02/12, Sunday - Castle Cross, Castle Rock ***

Louisville/Lafayette/Westminster/Broomfield
10/20/12, Saturday - Boulder Racing CX Series #3 - Interlocken, Broomfield **
11/10/12, Saturday - CycloX- Sienna Lake, Broomfield **
12/01/12, Saturday - CycloX- Louisville **
12/08/12, Saturday - Boulder Racing #5, Westminster ***

Boulder
09/16/12, Sunday - Boulder Racing CX Series #1 - Valmont Park
10/27/12, Saturday - CO Cross Classic (UCI - C2), Valmont Park **
10/28/12, Sunday - Victory Circle Graphics Boulder Cup (UCI - C2), Valmont Park ***
11/17/12, Saturday - Boulder Racing #4 TBA **

Longmont
09/22/12, Saturday - Boulder Racing CX Series #2 - Xilinx
10/21/12, Sunday - Blue Sky Velo Cup Xilinx **
11/03/12, Saturday - Schoolyard Cross, Longmont **

Fort Collins/Loveland
10/13-14/12, Saturday-Sunday - New Belgium USGP , Fort Collins
12/15/16/12, Saturday-Sunday - States CX with Cross of the North, Loveland ***

Colorado Springs
11/04/12, Sunday - Fall Back Cross 

Summit County/Buena Vista
10/06/12, Saturday - Frisco **
10/07/12, Sunday - Cross the River, Buena Vista **

Junior Cyclocross Camp
October 5-6-7, 2012, Fri-Sun - Junior CX Camp, Loveland (see BRAC events) 

Nationals/World Championships
January 4-8, 2012 - USAC National Championships, Madison, WI
January 29-February1, 2012 - UCI Masters World Championships, Louisville, KY
February 2-3, 2012 - UCI Elite World Championships, Louisville, KY
Photos from the Pikes Peak Velo Campus Cross cyclocross race in Colorado Springs last Saturday:
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

04 September 2012

More Photos from Aspen

It was the perfect morning for being a fan
I am ready to revisit a recent morning in Aspen at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Why? Because it was the perfect setting for any pro cycling fan and I have lots more pictures to share with you. In Aspen the ease of spotting riders and the who's who of cycling was non-stop, plus everyone was in a good mood. Aspen, Colorado is a nice town with nice accommodations, good food and beautiful mountain scenery (excellent fishing, skiing, mountain biking, cycling, nordic skiing, hiking). Even though the morning fell between two very difficult stages, everyone appeared to be well taken care of, happy and well fed. 
 
I am sorry for the breaking news today that Bradley Wiggins did not enjoy the Tour de France. He should have come to Aspen to race. It never occurred to me that winning the Tour de France should be coupled with niceties and enjoyment, but I think Bradley might be onto to something. Is a hotel room, a good meal, friendly press, no coach transfer and 8 hours of sleep too much to ask for from a stage race? Not in Aspen it isn't. 
Bradley Wiggins not having a nice time in France   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
The TV coverage of the Tour de France always shows the media hounding the Leader with lots of pushing and shoving and loss of patience. I was in France last summer, here was the crowd waiting outside the Sky team bus for Bradley Wiggins at the start in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateau in July. 
The wild mob of James Startt (of Bicycling.com) and a few pre-selected matching school kids   
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Here was the group waiting for Jens Voigt outside his RSNT team bus (and he wasn't even in the lead), in Breckenridge, Colorado, at the start of Stage 5 of the USA Pro Challenge.  
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
They don't let these kind of crowds form at the Tour de France, it is far more civilized and Gendarmmafied (I made that word up - it means policed in FrenchAmericanese), the French promote social order, through a constant joy of policing each other. America is the land of equal opportunity, that translates to freedom for fans, and unprecedented access. I mean it, you gotta come to this race! 
 
Maybe Bradley Wiggins would have a better time if he got closer to the fans and further from the media. Fans generally don't mention doping and who else is going to win, at least not to your face. Now that we are on the topic, I think everyone should join Bradley Wiggins in Aspen. Take a look at the fan access to riders and the scene on a beautiful morning in the Rocky Mountains (FYI Bradley - direct flights from London to Denver International Airport!). 
 
Photos by the luckiest fan in the world - me!  Karen at Pedal Dancer. And also Ron Long, the next luckiest fan in the world. Click any image to enlarge
Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda Cervelo team bikes  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Christian Vande Velde  ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Christian signing autographs for fans  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Christian  ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Taylor Phinney, Tejay van Garderen, Michael Schär    ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Race Director Jim Birrell and Levi  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Levi Leipheimer  ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Levi's Specialized S-Works bike   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Peter Velits  ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Peter   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Peter's brother Martin Velits   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Jeroen Hoorne  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Matthew Brammeier (Irish National Road Champion)  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Tanel Kangert (Estonia National Champion)  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Ivan Basso   ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Ivan Basso   ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Dave Towle and Danny Summerhill   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Joe   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Joe Dombrowski   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Fred Rodriguez   ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Suddenly I barely noticed cyclocross rider Tim Johnson off to the side of the road sitting on his super cool Cannondale Supersix EVO road bike. Tim was telling me he was in Aspen to ride with a Cannondale group when Taylor Phinney rode up happy to see his very good friend.
Tim Johnson    ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
a very warm greeting between friends   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
 Tim Johnson and Taylor Phinney   ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Taylor Phinney  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Taylor  ©Photo by Ron Long for PedalDancer.com
Mavic neutral support team  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Matthew Busche, Andreas Kloden, George Bennett  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Two of the thinnest guys in the peloton, Andreas Kloden and George Bennett   
  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Chris Horner signing autographs  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Jens Voigt's smile  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Jens Voigt's legs  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
The legs of Michael Creed   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda's Tyler Farrar, Lachlan Morton, Nathan Haas   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Everyone was focused on George Hincapie in his last race of his career. But as the "old' (George Hincapie) was heading out, the 'new' was heading in (Joe Dombrowski).  

©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
George Hincapie  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
The next big thing in cycling  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Tom Danielson sure was enjoying himself  ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Damiano Caruso and Christian Vande Velde sure look like they were enjoying themselves    
©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
Christian, Tom, George, and Joe doing alright   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
so were the fans in Aspen   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
A little quality fan time is all that Bradley needs   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com
That is why Bradley Wiggins enjoyed the Olympics so much - the awesome fans!
For additional stories and photos from Stage 5 Aspen to Beaver Creek of the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, please view A Day at the Race in Aspen  and  A Day at the Race in Beaver Creek.
 
I'd also like to mention that the Difficult Campground was the perfect location for camping and riding up Independence Pass from the Aspen side, and that the public showers at the Aspen Recreation Center were just fine (open 6am-8:45pm). But this is what happens when you are photo media and forget to charge your battery while out camping.
Camping in Aspen sans electricity
My camera battery charging near the team cars (thanks City of Aspen for the charge and thanks Optum Kelly Benefit Strategies team staff for holding it for me to pick up!)
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