Showing posts with label Cross Vegas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cross Vegas. Show all posts

18 September 2013

Interbike, Cross Vegas tonight

Watching Cross Vegas ain't free

Cross Vegas takes place tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada. To many of us Cross Vegas shares equal (or greater) attraction to attending Interbike itself. Cross Vegas originated from the idea of having a bike race while so many in the bike industry were gathered together for an equipment convention. Now that the race attracts such big names, it stands on it's own as a main attraction. One thing is for certain, Cross Vegas + Interbike makes for a great two days of bike entertainment.

If only it weren't in Vegas. In know, I know, some people love Las Vegas, I love the bikes and the people. This year I am not there, but I have memories of my numerous visits. Many thousands of cycling enthusiasts are in Las Vegas, and most likely they are at Cross Vegas tonight. For those of us at home, we can watch Cross Vegas online, for a fee (info below).

We can also read the fantastic bike equipment reviews online, and catch up on the latest and greatest equipment that we may have missed at Eurobike last month, by reading the reports from Interbike by:
I have been to Interbike a number of times, so I know what we cannot get online are the typical sights and scenes of Interbike

Meeting Miguel Indurain (omg) in person (Tom Boonen and Sven Nys were at the show this year).
Miguel Indurain at Interbike 2012  Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®
Basically stalking Mario Cipollini
Mario Cipollini at Interbike 2012   Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®
Getting to meet Steve Hill of Steephill.TV and Michele Acquarone, Race Organizer of the Giro d'Italia (and hold that awesome trophy!). 
Steve Hill and Michele Acquarone at Interbike 2012  Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®
Looking at the BMC Team Machine SLR01
Or seeing a super fast McLaren Venge
Look over there it's a Scott Plasma Premium time trail bike
A Fuji Track Elite bike
Isle after isle of bikes at Interbike, and people!
People making business deals for apparel and equipment
Standing and staring at bikes
And drooling over disc brakes
Or fancy road shoes
And some Pinarello bikes
But there is more than just road bikes at Interbike
You will also see rows and rows of Zipp wheels
Plus they have really cool winning bikes on display like Tom Boonen's Paris Roubaix bike below (also Sagan's Cannondale, the Tour de France yellow winning Pinarello, and many other team bikes are on display)
It was cool to see this bike again since I had seen Tom Boonen race and win the Paris-Roubaix in that same year.
Lots of book signings go on as well - here is Louis Garneau
Sometimes the old classics are the best
And then I usually go up and down the same isle again just to make sure Mario Cipollini is still hanging around in his tailored white Italian shirt.
Say a quick hello to Elvis as he checks out the gear on the floor at Interbike
And finally after breathing air-conditioned convention air for seven hours, I walk outside where I realize - Las Vegas is one weird place. And hot!

Cross Vegas is fun, but it aint' free !

It is one of a kind, and while watching online is possible, it costs - and I am CHEAP.

I understand that ads and ads alone cannot cover the costs of broadcasting a race like Cross Vegas for free to us viewers, but I fear the viewership will drop drastically with this paid scheme. Race Organizers should increase visitor tickets by $2-4 and subsidize Cycling Dirt's coverage to promote their race around the world. They have the international riders, they should be delivering race viewing to international (and national) fans.

And/or Cycling Dirt should make viewing the race, the same as renting a video, a one-time renting deal for $6.99. No confusing strings of a magazine membership attached.

Cycling Dirt is charging to watch Cross Vegas online this year

Cycling Dirt is LIVE streaming Cross Vegas 2013, (more info) you'll have to pay $14.95. You have to become a PROdirt member, for a month, then cancel your subscription if you are no longer interested, or continue to be billed $19.95 a month. If you’re not already a member, sign up now (pay now).

Cross Vegas - at night under the lights, every view is a good view of the race
Tons of fun for fans. I have no photos of the mens race because I was drinking beer and handing up dollar bills!
Being there far surpasses watching it online, because try as you may to stuff your dollars bills into your screen, only the stragglers at the back of the real pack of cyclocross racers in Vegas will gladly collect your dollars and stuff them into parts you don't want to know about. (Cross Vegas - Vegas style)

For this much fun, you must go to Cross Vegas. A ticket to Cross Vegas costs $10.00. Hotels (for 1 night) are about the same price as your flight to and from the city of glitz, taxis are ungodly expensive (and you will still walk miles and miles), but free shuttle buses are provided from Interbike to the park where the cyclocross race is held north of the Vegas stripe.

As always riding the bus (and also any plane to and from Interbike) is guaranteed fun as you will be surrounded by bike geeks on par with yourself. A scary but comforting notion.

Also this year Cross Vegas race organizers are offering a Special Interbike entrance for Cross Vegas Fans: CrossVegas fans are invited to attend Interbike for only $25.00 on Friday September, 20th, from 11am-6pm. Register here.

Cross Vegas Information and Schedule

Location: Desert Breeze Soccer Complex in Las Vegas, Nevada
Transportation Maps
Course Map
www.crossvegas.com
Men's Elite startlist
Women's Elite startlist
Wheelers & Dealers startlist
6:30 – Wheelers & Dealers to Start Grid
6:50 – Wheelers & Dealers Intros
7:00 – Wheelers & Dealers race Starts
7:40 – Wheelers & Dealers race Ends
7:45 – Course Open for warm-up
7:45 – Wheelers & Dealers Award Ceremony
8:00 – Course Closed for warm-up
8:00 – Elite Women to Start Grid
8:05 – Elite Women Intros
8:20 – Elite Women Start
9:00 – Elite Women Finish
9:10 – Elite Women Award Ceremony
9:10 – Elite Men to Start Grid
9:20 – Elite Men Intros
9:30 – Elite Men Start
10:30 – Elite Men Finish
10:50 – Elite Men Award Ceremony
11:00 – Curtains

World Champion CX Sven Nys is competing tonight!
Gambling men
An interesting photo Cross Vegas 2013, this is what it feels like to watch CX under the lights at night in Las Vegas.:
Results Cross Vegas 2013 

Elite Mens Race
1. Sven Nys (Crelan-Euphony)
2. Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus)
3. Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox Racing)

Elite Womens Race
1. Katerina Nash (Luna)
2. Lea Davison (Specialized)
3. Catharine Pendrel (Luna) 

Wheelers and Dealers Race
1. Christian Heule
2. Johnny Sunndt 
3. Edwin Bull (Van Dessel)

Cross Vegas is sponsored by Cliff Bar!! Thank you.
All photos in this post taken by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®

Tom Boonen signing autographs at the Specialized booth for a "thrilled fan" at Interbike 2013 in Las Vegas.

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

30 December 2011

Favorite moments as a Fan in 2011

Pedal Dancer looks back at a fantastic 2011
An attempt to summarize the highlights of a year of cycling involves a pleasant mix of reminiscence, gratefulness, and hope for the future. After 2011 I am reinvigorated with a promising outlook for this sport. Mark Cavendish's recent win of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in Britain marks a significant gain in the prominence of the sport of cycling. 
I see things continuing to improve, from impressive growth in local racing, to increasing numbers of cyclosportives, to an expanse of media, to improved access for fans. There is a clear reason why I love this sport so much - because cycling is an open sport. I believe the openness in cycling will lead us out of the haze of doping allegations and into a much brighter future. 
What is unique about cycling is that Sponsors pay for athletes who are placed inches away from the fan, which means the fan is inches away from any sponsor. In which other sport do the athletes cover themselves head to toe in emblems of their sponsors, and extend that coverage to their bikes, cars, buses, casual clothing, talk, plans, and hopes. Perhaps car racing, a wildly popular successful sport, but one in which the fans are cordoned behind fences. Most of our high paying sports are more subtle - a golf hat, a surfboard, a tennis shoe. The remainder wear team uniforms labeled primarily with team names and numbers. 
Cyclists are walking billboards. Instead of hiding in a locker rooms pre-race, our athletes train, warm-up, and race in broad daylight on a free battlefield of fun. Grasp the concept of how easy it is to be a fan of cycling, how much we are welcomed and needed. Cycling is an open sport. In my eyes, the more open, the more transparent, and the better chance we have of seeing performance enhancing drugs cleared out of this sport to level the field of competition.
Sure, sponsors have left, but more are jumping on board in 2012. Thanks to various forms of social media, sponsors have even more exposure, as the fans are treated to a greater sense of fun that inhabits the day to day lives of the athletes. Cycling is not all grueling pain and controversy, the Armstrong days are behind us; the mega-teams of pro cycling are fun and inspirational once again. 
Last year I spoke of a growing trend toward the orator, rather than the previous focus on the look at me opinion spouting individual. This year I see a feel good trend coming our way. The trend makes sense after a rough period of economic and political unrest, and a devastating 2011 for so many countries. Human nature naturally grasps for the bits of good after a storm. There is plenty of good to be found in the future of this great sport in 2012.
For now my most significant memories of 2011 as a fan:
Johan Vansummeren wins the Paris-Roubaix 
emotional unexpected local and he proposed!
Without a doubt this was an action packed unexpected race outcome, the coverage captured the emotional win by Vansummeren. Johan Van Summeren wins 2011 Paris-Roubaix by VeloNews, A big win for a Belgian and Recap of Roubaix by Pedal Dancer.

Independence Pass and the USA Pro Cycling Challenge 
friends old and new and a celebration of American cycling
We pulled it off, that was the thought running through my head as I descended in the frigid cold off Independence Pass in August after Stage 2 of the USPCC. I can't believe we did it right here in Colorado. And by we, I in no way mean me, I mean that they built it and they came, in huge numbers. The race that I barely believed would be a reality was a smashing success thanks to the organizers and over 1 million fans who showed up to the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. For me, the days of chasing the tour were as exhilarating as being on Alpe d'Huez or Plat d'Adet
Independence Pass  Photo by PedalDancer.com
Live online coverage of racing 
watching the action and reading results live on any device I wanted
Every year it keeps getting better, TV, apps, Tour Tracker, LeTour website, Twitter, YouTube. Last year I especially enjoyed the race coverage by OZcycling, Bicycling.com, O'nev Ciclismo Fotografia, and Eurosport, as well as a number of blogs. 
Bernard Eisel liked my dog's goatee 
the personal fun moments in relating to others are the best
Cycling is my hobby. No matter what the hobby, the joy is in being around others who enjoy the same hobby. Those who gather from different countries and backgrounds to unite in support of sport. We are uniquely the same. And so it was with great joy that Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Highroad, now Sky) called out in laughter to greet my dog as we walked by at the Tour of California, "he has a goatee!" 
Bernie Eisel  Photo by PedalDancer.com
This fan asked to have his picture taken with Jack Denny - matching goatees
Jens caught no fish 
a light shown in his eyes that told me the mighty Jens was so much like us
Jens Voigt is not only one of my favorite pro cyclists, he is an interesting man. I am fascinated with his ability to show a range of emotions, and then poof they have passed and he is onto the next thing. His ability to sit quietly reading a book and then give his all suffering in competition is astonishing. He has an instinct for race strategy while in the race, but cannot recall the road he has traveled upon after the race. 

I wish you could have seen his face light up when he spoke of fishing in Colorado. Here was a man 45 minutes away from racing an individual time trial describing to me the area near Ten-mile Reservoir where he and Fränk Schleck had gone fishing days prior to the start of the USPCC. Jens was so animated a light surrounded him that would have seemed eery if he had not been so gosh darn delightfully in his moment of joy. His enthusiasm is infectious.
Frank Schleck and Jens Voigt fishing in Colorado, August 2011 Photo from Twitter
Bikes 
frames, pedals, Interbike, and Nick Legan
Learning about bikes filled my year, and none of them were mine. These bikes were the fastest, lightest, meanest bikes on the market and ridden by the best cyclists in the world. I learned a lot about fast bikes in 2011. I also learned to love Nick Legan's mechanics column at VeloNews. The world needs more Nick Legans. 
S-Works Shiv TT bike, Photo by PedalDancer.com
Show me the money at Cross Vegas
could there be a more fun way to celebrate a bike race
If you can get to Las Vegas, Nevada, to watch Cross Vegas - go! If you cannot please read this post (Cross Vegas - Vegas style), get your friends together, and create your own Cross Vegas. 
grabbing money and beer at Cross Vegas cyclocross race  Photo by PedalDancer.com

Favorite Videos 
the brain is faster than the mind, and I love humor 
What a surprise it was when I noticed a new post on my desktop screen by Paddy Sweeney of VeloPeloton. Only this wasn't just any blog update, this was Paddy announcing that he had stumbled upon the mistakenly published route of the 2012 Tour de France. To know Paddy Sweeney is to know an avid fan of cycling who could fairly challenge John Wilcockson in a battle of cycling trivia. The fact that Paddy wrote himself into the history of the Tour de France after devoting a lifetime to the sport (mostly making it happen for others) is incredible. 2012 Tour de France route discovered. He also happens to be the taker of some of my favorite photos of 2011: Gallery
Philippe Gilbert, the Giro and the TdF 
hours of online entertainment and incredible scenery
We watched Philippe Gilbert win a lot of races in 2011. The best part of cycling is that it can be watched in solitude, in a bar among strangers, with close friends or family on a roadside, or in a crowd of fans. However you do it, each person comes away thinking they had the best experience. 2011 was a great year for watching pro cycling. I didn't travel to all these places in 2011, but I felt like I was there. I am grateful to the cameramen who cover this sport
The cameramen at the Tour of California (I know - they imported the motos)  
Photo by PedalDancer.com
 
Remembering Wouter Weylandt (27 September 1984 – 9 May 2011) 
I wept so much in watching his memorial my tears malfunctioned the touch pad on my laptop
Stage 3 of the 2011 Giro d'Italia was a sad tragic day. Wouter Weylandt's sudden fall on the descent of the Passo del Bocco had everyone thinking about family and friends, and the meaning of sport and the life of a young man. On September 1, 2011 his daughter Alizée was born.
Learning to walk again 
never take for granted the freedom of riding a bike
The new year brought to me the personal accomplishment of being able to walk and ride a bike again after a multiple fractured pelvis. Through it all I was very fortunate to have this blog to express my ever growing interest in this sport.
Karen of Pedal Dancer on Vail Pass at the USPCC
Travel Plans for 2012 
Belgium, California, France, Colorado
Travel is my true love and in 2012 I will be traveling to Belgium in March/April to see the Tour of Flanders and the Paris-Roubaix, then to California in May for the Amgen Tour of California, followed by France in July for a number of stages in the Alpes and Pyreness (but mostly to ride, be with friends and drink wine). Finally in August I won't have to travel far for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. In between all that fun will be plenty of races to watch online including my favorites the Tour Down Under, Milan-San Remo, the Giro d'Italia, the Olympics, and so many more.
Have bike will travel  Photo by PedalDancer.com
What happened over at Pedal Dancer central in 2011
The most popular post in 2011: 2011 ProTeam Bikes 
The post that brings back fond memories of old and new friends: More Cowbell! 
The big surprise in popularity for a post: What pedals do the pros use?
Surpassed 1 year as a blogger: 1 year! - I'd like to thank the fans

Affecting change in the sport: with enormous pride I would like to share that I was instrumental in having the spelling of Johan Vansummeren's name corrected on his team website after he told us he had asked repeatedly. I could be bragging about my hour at 450 watts or my numerous race wins (neither of which happened in 2011), but instead I am proudest of a simple online spelling correction in a world where anyone can now publish a book on Amazon, and anyone can call themselves a writer. I strive to become a much better writer and photographer in the years ahead and to learn much more about cycling. For now I am a fan who knows how to spell Vansummeren, and that makes me smile.
Happy New Year to all!