Dale Stetina in serious bike accident

Last Saturday Dale Stetina suffered a serious bike crash

I was so saddened to hear this news. Dale Stetina, age 57, of Boulder Colorado, an icon in American cycling, husband and father to Ann, Kate, Claire and Peter (professional cyclist, age 26, with Garmin transferring to BMC), remains in critical but stable condition at Boulder Community Hospital after a bike crash on Saturday, August 31, 2013 in Lefthand Canyon.

Please read more from the Daily Camera Newspaper: Dale Stetina, two-time Coors Classic winner, remains critical following Lefthand Canyon crash, and VeloNews: Former national champion Dale Stetina in critical condition after Colorado accident

For progress and status of Dale Stetina's recovery, please follow the news from his family at:

For updates on Dale Stetina from the Stetina family, follow: @dalestetina. Prayers for all during this difficult time.
— Dan Wuori (@dwuori) September 2, 2013

Please send your prayers and good thoughts for Dale and his entire family. And follow his progress to show you care.

Update 09/02/13: Dale Stetina's condition remains critical, but family encouraged by milestones. By Brittany Anas, Camera Staff Writer.

My photos of the times I was so honored to see and meet Dale Stetina. 

Brothers Dale and Wayne Stetina together in Telluride in 2012.  They stood out in the crowd; I was so thrilled to see them together at a bike race, I ran up and asked, "Can I please take your picture?" "Sure" they said happily. Dale's son (and Wayne's nephew) Peter had just accepted the Most Aggressive jersey in Stage 1 of the 2012 USA Pro Challenge in Telluride, Colorado.  Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

Ron Kiefel driving his friend Dale Stetina (in the backseat of the car) last August over Independence Pass in Colorado.  Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

Connie Carpenter-Phinney, Davis Phinney, Chris Carmichael, Dale Stetina, and Ron Kiefel. The Greats together at the Host City Announcement party for the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge on 12/13/2011 in downtown Denver. Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

And this photo I took way back in 2009 of Dale gathered with fellow Boulder Cycling Legends: Nelson Vails, Len Pettyjohn, Ron Kiefel, Andy Pruitt, Connie Carpenter-Phinney, Hugh Walton, Dale Stetina (in blue and white jersey in the back row center), Davis Phinney, Alexi Grewal, Marianne Martin, Clark Sheehan, Thomas Prehan, Leonard Zinn.

The Legends of Boulder Cycling at a Davis Phinney Foundation fundraiser ride in Boulder, 2009.  Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

The world of cycling is a small community and I know many of us are sending positive thoughts for a good outcome for Dale and his family. Healing takes patience and a lot of fight, but mostly excellent support.

Update 09/26/13: Dale has transferred to Craig Hospital in Denver, a facility specializing in brain and spinal cord injuries. He will continue his rehabilitation at this inpatient hospital. You may follow along on Dale's care and treatment (and success) by reading his journal (greater detail than the Twitter updates). Please follow at Dale Stetina's Caring Bridge page. 

During a lucid moment y'day, told Dale almost 2k follow on twitter just to know how he is. He got teary that so many care about him! Thanks
— dale stetina (@dalestetina) September 23, 2013

Update 02/27/14: Dale Stetina back home in Boulder, 6 months after near-fatal crash, by Daily Camera Boulder News

Update 05/10/14: Dale made a trip to California to watch his son Peter Stetina (now riding with BMC in 2014) race. Tour of California: Santa Rosa-based cyclist looks to win for his dad, By San Jose Mercury News My Town

Riders at the 2013 Giro d'Italia

GIRO - Pro Tour

Riders in the 2013 Giro d'Italia

The Giro d'Italia begins tomorrow. Twenty-three teams of 9 riders each will roll across the hills and plains, and over the mountains of Italy for the next three weeks. The Giro is pageantry and competition at its best.

See the full preliminary roster of 207 riders from 23 teams of the Giro at VeloNews.com: Giro roster 2013 or at Steephill.TV.

Any rider who will be competing in the 2013 Giro d'Italia will obviously not be racing at the Amgen Tour of California, where I will be, enjoying the other riders on this list: Riders at the 2013 Amgen Tour of California

Some of the key riders competing in the 2013 Giro d'Italia which begins tommorow include:

SKY: Bradley Wiggins, Christian Knees, Danny Pate, Uran
Cannondale: Damiano Caruso, Elia Viviani (Ivan Basso pulled out this week due to a cyst)
BMC: Cadel Evans, Taylor Phinney, Marco Pinotti
Garmin-Sharp: Ryder Hesjedal, Peter Stetina, Thomas Dekker, David Millar, Christian Vande Velde, Tom Danielson
Omega-Pharma Quickstep: Mark Cavendish, Pauwels
Orica-GreenEdge: Matt Goss, Luke Durbridge, Michael Matthews, Weening
RadioShack Leopard Trek: George Bennett, Yaroslav Popovych, Jesse Sergent
Saxo-Tinkoff: Majka, Boaro, Daniel Bennati, Matti Breschel, Karsten Kroon, and Rory Sutherland
Astana: Vincenzo Nibali
Blanco: Robert Gesink, Paul Martens, Wilco Kelderman, Maarten Tjallingii, Jack Bobridge
Argos Shimano: Thomas Damuseau, Koen de Kort, John Degenkolb, Patrick Gretsch

Looking back at the podium - 2012 General Classification winners of the Giro d'Italia
Final General Classification last year

1. HESJEDAL, Ryder (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) 91:39:02
2. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA) + 0:16
3. DE GENDT, Thomas (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) + 1:39

* Thomas De Gendt will not be returning in 2013, he will be at the Tour of California.

2013 Pedal Dancer top bets for overall win at Giro d'Italia

1. Bradley Wiggins 
2. Robert Gesink
3. Vincenzo Nibali  

More information: 21 Stages, Previous winners, Top-10 GC ranking of riders at GIRO:
See the statistics page by ProCycling Stats - 2013 96th Giro d'Italia (WT) 

I can't wait for three glorious weeks of watching early morning bike racing across the hills, along the coastline, and over the mountains of Italy. May is here!

Riders to watch for at the Giro d'Italia

Recognizing your favorite rider is a big part of the fun of being a fan the races..... learn these faces.  All photos ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®  click any image to enlarge

Bradley Wiggins

Bradley Wiggins at 2012 Tour de France  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Robert Gesink

Robert Gesink at 2012 Tour of California  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Vincenzo Nibali

Vincenzo Nibali at the 2012 USA Pro Challenge  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Cadel Evans

Cadel Evans at 2012 USA Pro Challenge  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Rory Sutherland

Rory Sutherland has hit the big time and will lead the Saxo-Bank Tinkoff squad to the Giro in 2013  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Yaroslav Popovych

Yaroslav Popovych at 2012 Tour de France   ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Taylor Phinney

Taylor Phinney at 2012 USA Pro Challenge  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Peter Stetina

Peter Stetina at 2012 USA Pro Challenge  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Christian Vande Velde

Christian VandeVelde at the USA Pro Challenge  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Tom Danielson

Tom Danielson at 2012 USA Pro Challenge  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Wilco Kelderman

Wilco Kelderman at 2012 Tour of California  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Koen de Kort

Koen de Kort at 2-12 Tour de France  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Jerome Pineau

Jerome Pineau at 2012 Tour de France   ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Maarten Tjallingii

Maarten Tjallingii telling a story to my sister-in-law Suz at the 2012 Tour of California  ©By Mike at Pedal Dancer®

This year the Columbia team will not be at the Tour of California, they will be at the Giro d'Italia! Good Luck to them.

Team Columbia is going to the Giro, meanwhile Frankie Andreu will be back at the Tour of California, but as a Team Director for 5-hour Energy Powered by Kenda Racing Team.  ©By Karen at Pedal Dancer®

A Day at the Race on Independence Pass

A climb to 12095 ft (3687 m)

As if Cottonwood Pass at 12,126 feet (3,696 m) wasn't enough, the riders in Stage 3 of the 2012 USA Pro Challenge had to climb over Independence Pass as well. In the words of the BMC team car driver who was stopped on the pass awaiting the last 40 or so riders in the autobus to come over the top - "it's hard."

Where are they?

Independence Pass from either side is a significant climb, and this year the riders will do both sides. Yesterday they tackled the east side (17.5 miles). Today they will turn around and ride back over the pass in the opposite direction (20 miles). I was one of those many fans who cycled their way to the top of the pass yesterday to dance to the loud music, laugh at wild costumes, and cheer the pros. 

But first I had to get myself up to the top. Let me tell you, this altitude stuff everyone is talking about is very real. The usual excitement carried me up the pass for the first 10 miles, then my body said wow this is an effort and I knew to sit in and relax, it wouldn't be over for quite some time. By the time I reached tree-line I could definitely feel the altitude, if trees couldn't grow up here, my muscles surely were feeling the effects of the high dry mountain pass. Yet I pedaled onward, visions (and memories from last year) of the fun at the top as my inspiration. I knew the climb would be worth it, and it was.  

Fortunately the scenery of Independence pass was majestic and wide-sweeping and kept me occupied, together with my fellow cycling fans who were friendly and entertaining, I felt just fine. I rode with a fun group of guys from Carbondale who knew the climb well. 

Independence Pass the numbers Independence Pass climb summary 

Today they climb the steeper side (click to enlarge)

Photos from the climb up from Aspen to Independence Pass (from my ride yesterday) ©Photos below by Karen at Pedal Dancer® (except the last one by Laurie Valaer)

Aspens in Aspen

Cycling Fans on their way to the top

"The Narrows"

These climbs are very doable with determination and time, next year - ride your bike

Looking down the west side of the climb

Arriving at the summit feeling the accomplishment

Were you one of these fans - at the top of Independence Pass for the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge? Photos by Karen of Pedal Dancer® and deNavaille Photgraphique

BMC was throwing keychains to the crowd, these nice fans picked one up and gave it to me - I was thrilled (since I have a collection)

bikes, marshalls, fans, music and mountains

Add really loud music to this scene and you get the idea of what it was like on the pass

Fans of all ages were there

We stood at the top of the world waiting for a bike race

We formed a corridor of fans

Fans looked down the east side watching the helicopter, team cars and riders approach from far below

This is the view the riders see as they attempt to part the crowd of fans, would you have the nerve to race through this?

Entertainment from the fans before the race arrived

Other folks on the pass

Who let Ron Kiefel drive the car?

Kevin from BMC waited on the pass ready with water, food, jackets, and spare wheels

This is Larry a photo moto driver (who lost is photographer down the pass). He rode his bike from North Carolina and works all the races - ATOC, Tour of Utah, and USPCC. He is sometimes a Marhsall sometimes a photo moto, but he is certainly one of the many who make this race happen.

Even the (USF) US Forest Service was out on their bikes on the pass

Rider Photos from Stage 3

Tom Danielson

Francisco Jarley Colorado Hernandez (COL) of EPM-UNE earning his Most Aggressive Jersey (orange) for the day

Jens Voigt suffering

Peter Stetina

Devon Mannion

Peter Velits

By this point in the race after a super hard effort David Zabriskie was really hurting, it was written all over his face - that this race is hard!

This EPM-UNE rider encourage this young boy to run along with him the entire way to the KOM banner

The fans were so close to the riders

Zipping up for the downhill in Aspen after the KOM

The two vehicles fans always recognize but don't like to see - The Broom Wagon (read more about the broom wagon: Word of the day at the TDF: voiture balai) and the sign-in pick-up truck. They mean the race is over for today. 

Meanwhile down in the town of Aspen Tom Danielson took the stage win and Jens Voigt rolled into town.

Tom Danielson arrives alone in Aspen  ©Photo by Ron Long

With the chase group close behind him  ©Photo by Ron Long

Jens leading the way around the blocks of Aspen   ©Photo by Laurie Valaer

More of the Peloton chasing   ©Photo by Ron Long

Stage 3 of 7 and Cadel Evans looked so tired  ©Photo by Ron Long

Stage 3 Results from the desk of Nicole Okoneski of Rogers & Cowan
·         First Place – Tom Danielson (USA) of Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
·         Second Place – Damiano Caruso (ITA) of Liquigas-Cannondale
·         Third Place – Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) of RadioShack-Nissan-Trek

Jerseys
·         Exergy Leader Jersey – Christian Vande Velde (USA) of Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
·         Waste Management Sprint Jersey – Damiano Caruso (ITA) of Liquigas-Cannondale
·         Nissan King of the Mountains Jersey – Tom Danielson (USA) of Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
·         Aquadraat Best Young Rider Jersey – Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) of Bontrager Livestrong Team
·         Evolve Most Aggressive Rider Jersey – Francisco Jarley Colorado Hernandez (COL) of EPM-UNE

Visit the official race website at: www.ProChallenge.com

Keeping up with Training Peaks race analysis of the effort and power over the climb of Independence pass by 3 riders: http://bit.ly/REKqby

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