Recommended Reading: Christian Haettich

Read this inspirational story of French athlete Christian Haettich:

Cycling over the Pyrenees with one leg By Callum Robertson for BBC News Magazine. 

Christian Haettich was one of ten cyclists to complete the Triple Crown Haute Route in 2014. He did it pedaling with one leg and one arm, and at the age of 53! 

Triple Crown: three back-to-back seven-day events
Haute Route Dolomites
Haute Route Alps
Haute Route Pyrenees
22 days of racing
1 rest day
1,600 miles (2,575km)
60 ascents
60,000m of climbing

The 2015 Haute Route routes are already planned:
Pyrenees route 15-21 August 2015, Anglet to Toulouse, France (west to east)
Alps route  23-29 August 2015, Nice, France to Geneva, Switzerland
Dolomites Swiss Alps route 31 August - 6 September 2015, Geneva, Switzerland to Venice, Italy

How to enjoy 7 days in the Dolomites

Recommended Reading for a Friday

A number of topics have caught my interest this week

Time for a recommended reading list....

A tale of the toughest bike race held across northern France through the battlefields just after the end of The Great War. What rider today could you imagine being this tough to complete an arduous race such as this? Circuit des Champs de Bataille By Rouleur Magazine.

In a week of Armistice Day and Veteran's day around the globe, Pez Cycling reflects on how the battlefields crossed during the 2014 Tour de France left a big impact on what they thought would be a simple visit to cheer on a bike race. Remembrance at Le Tour de France By Peter Pestes for Pez.

News about an event organizer taking steps to ward off a damaged reputation by banning all formerly suspended dopers from participation. The Taiwan KOM Challenge: why we banned all formerly suspended riders from our race By Crankpunk

An honest interview about one female cyclist's view of the current state of women's racing. Exclusive Q&A: Nicole Cooke By Simon Withers of CyclingNews

Now that you read that article, read these 'Cycling is now one of Britain's best loved sports' and Sir Bradley Wiggins: I want my Team Sky development team to create a lasting legacy for next 10 years By Tom Carey of The Telegraph. It is interesting the things top cyclists negotiate into their contracts.

Anyone who has not yet discovered the Flipboard App or Longform online or app, needs to check them both out - they will expand your world through excellent writing.

This week on Longform I enjoyed reading the amazing story of Vivien Thomas (I had seen the movie years ago) titled Like Something the Lord Made A great read by Katie McCabe for The Washingtonian about an individual who truly advanced cardiac medicine.

On a fun note, the Mile High Urban Cyclocross Chaos race takes place this Sunday in Denver. An unusual race based near the rail yards of downtown Denver. An unlikely setting for a bike race but one with tons of character and good cheer. The temperature at 8:30am, when the first wave of racers are set to take to the frozen course, is estimated to be 14˚F. If a bike racer can work in that temperature, I sure hope my camera can. (video of the race by OnSightMedia)

To leave you on the note of good character and racing - read Be Your Personal Best by Selene Yeager of Bicycling

Recommended Reading: Cam Wurf blog for CyclingTips

“anything and everything can happen in the rockies!”

Australian Cameron Wurf is in Colorado this week racing with Team Cannondale. Yesterday he penned an account of the "four seasons" of epic Stage 2 into Crested Butte. It's a good read, you'll get a better feel for what the riders truly went through on the stage.

Please read:  Cam Wurf’s USA Pro Challenge Diary: Stage 2 In the rockies, always pack a warm pair of gloves! by Cam Wurf for CyclingTips - August 20, 2014

Cam is a rider well worth trying to identify among the bright green jerseys of Cannondale and giving a cheer for during the Pro Challenge this week in Colorado. Age thirty-one, Cameron has been a professional cyclist for eight years.

Cameron Wurf (middle) enters for the team presentation with his teammates Ivan Basso and Ted King

Wurf with his Cannondale team (next to Ivan Basso)

Cameron Wurf (right) being interviewed by Paul Sherwen at the Opening Ceremonies on Saturday

Australia Cam Wurf and New Zealander Hayden Roulston approaching the start line in Aspen for Stage 2 yesterday

Cam wears bib #42

Also read Cam's story from Stage 1: kicking things off in colorado, dumb and dumber! Monday, August 18, 2014

I really enjoy reading the inside scoop stories of what really happened in the race, the very best come from the riders themselves. Cameron Wurf writes a regular blog - follow his adventures as a ProTour cyclist: cameronwurf.blogspot.com

Also Cameron Wurf palmares on ProCycling Stats, or on Twitter @CameronWurf

Cannondale Team roster for the 2014 USA Pro Challenge:

41	BASSO  Ivan	ITA
42	WURF  Cameron	AUS
43	KING  Edward	USA
44	KOCH  Michel	GER
45	MARANGONI  Alan	ITA
46	MOHORIC  Matej	SLO
47	SALERNO  Cristiano	ITA
48	VIVIANI  Elia	ITA

Recommended Reading: Colorado 2014: By the Days and Miles

Chasing Mailboxes rides 969 miles through Colorado 

It is interesting when a traveler comes from out of state (the state being D.C., the city being Washington D.C.) to ride a bike in Colorado. We have some big mountains here and wide open spaces between towns. Riding a bike in Colorado is not for the faint (or weak) of heart. I would think will has as much to do with it as way.

As the saying goes - if there is a will there is a way, only this couple took on the Rocky Mountains over a 13-day bike trip on a tandem bicycle!

Maybe I could do the miles and the passes, but I definitely do not think I would ever choose their way of doing it. Either I wouldn't survive the trip or my partner wouldn't survive, likely both. But that is precisely what M.G. of the bike blog Chasing Mailboxes achieved with her husband Felkerino in July 2014.

Read their story: Colorado 2014: By the Days and Miles (with links to their daily blog posts)

Their stated achievement:
Number of riding days: 11
Total days: 13
Total miles: 969 (plus some additional miles riding around towns for meals and miscellaneous errands)
Average mileage per day, including rest days: 74.5 Miles
Average mileage per day, not including rest days: 88 Miles
Number of Unforgettable Moments of Awesome: Too many to count

Cities and towns they visited as they pedaled around Colorado:

Day 1: Boulder to Kremmling, 150 miles
Day 2: Kremmling to Carbondale, 87 Miles
Day 3: Carbondale to Paonia, 62 Miles
Day 4: Paonia to Ouray, 100 Miles
Day 5: Rest Day, 0 Miles
Day 6: Ouray to Durango, 75 Miles
Day 7: Durango to Pagosa Springs, 65 Miles   
Day 8: Pagosa Springs to Creede, 68 Miles (here and here)
Day 9: Creede to Gunnison, 106 Miles
Day 10: Gunnison to Leadville, 105 Miles
Day 11: Rest/Backwards Pedal and Crankarm Day, 0 Miles
Day 12: Leadville to Winter Park, 83 Miles
Day 13: Winter Park to Boulder, 68 Miles

Read more: Colorado 2014: By the Days and Miles By Chasing Mailboxes

I have been a long time reader of Chasing Mailboxes since I first read about her on another blogging friend's website Suze Cycling. Chasing Mailboxes organizes Coffeeneuring Challenges almost every year that I delight in reading. The idea of riding somewhere for fun, in the depth of winter fascinates me. All my friends are pounding out watts in compu-trainer classes or out on frozen cyclocross courses. I like her style. I am now very impressed with her ride across Colorado.

I hope their bike ride offers inspiration to other visitors to Colorado.

This week, the USA PRO CHALLENGE professional cycling stage race begins on Monday, August 18th in Aspen, Colorado. The pro riders will race 550 miles in 7-days of racing. When you compare miles, M.G. and Flekerino rode 969 in 11-days, I'm not sure if they'd want to compare speed, but I dare any two pros to ride 969 miles on a tandem bike over numerous mountain passes in Colorado.

On second thought, I'd like to see Lucas Euser and Jens Voigt give it a try.

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Recommended Reading: Wines of the 2013 Tour de France

France = Wine

Recommended Read: Wines of the 2013 Tour de France, By Peloton Magazine.

Protect your noggin

Bicycle Helmets

There is a time when weight, color, price, aerodynamics and good looks probably should not matter. Yes, I know these are too often the 5 golden rules of buying any new cycling gear, but when it comes to a bike helmet we really should buy responsibly. When it comes to protecting our precious brains, many of us would pay top dollar to ensure our ability to take care of our family, rather than our family taking care of us. But what if even our big bucks could not buy what we need to protect our most valuable asset.

That's right, money can't buy happiness and money can't always buy safety. Turns out that bike helmet we strap to our skull before our jolly bike ride is not good enough.

Bruce Barcott wrote a lengthy well-researched article for Bicycling.com recently in which he reported on a number of unnerving facts about the current lack of protection of bicycle helmets. Mainly concussions are a real problem and helmets are not helping the problem. Excerpts from his in-depth article:

• The basic setup (a thin plastic shell over a thick foam liner) hasn't changed much since the first [bike helmet] was sold in 1975. 
• By 1999 half of all riders were wearing [bike helmets]—up from just 18 percent eight years earlier.
• Between 1997 and 2011 the number of bike-related concussions suffered annually by American riders­ increased by 67 percent,
• Recent studies of football and hockey players­ have raised alarming questions about the disabling short- and long-term effects of concussions.  
• Bicycle-helmet standards were first developed in the 1950s by the Snell Memorial Foundation in Sacramento, California. 
• Though the standards were voluntary [in the 1980s], most major helmet ­companies adhered to at least one set (ASTM, ANSI, and Snell).
• The certifying authority. That would be the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The federal agency sets out minimum standards to protect consumers against shoddy helmets. 
• Standards set by the CPSC demand that helmets perform—that is, hold up through the 6-foot drop test (straight 90-degree impact)—at room temperature and in a variety of extreme conditions.
• Helmet experts call it "slowing the blow,"  By crushing and cracking, the inner EPS liner attenuates impact energy—that is, it extends the hit over a longer period of time. Six milliseconds, say, instead of two. 
• "A lot of the innovation in helmets has been focused on making them lighter, more ventilated, and fit better," said John Thompson, bike helmet product manager for Scott Sports. 
• Patients who arrived at ERs in seven Seattle-area hospitals after bicycle-related­ accidents. In that second study, 63 percent of all head-injured cyclists over the age of 39 wore helmets at the time of the crash.
• In 1994 when Congress mandated that all bike helmets­ sold in the United States meet minimum safety standards set by the CPSC ... ultimately­ enacted a rule that was essentially a hybrid of the existing ANSI, Snell, and ASTM standards.
• If you crash and hit your head, there are two types of impacts. One is known as linear acceleration. The second type is known as rotational acceleration —the technical term is inertial spin—which creates shear strain.
• There are other factors involved, but research has consistently pointed to rotational acceleration as the biggest single factor in a concussion's severity. The CPSC helmet benchmark is based solely on linear acceleration. 
• (We knew this a long time ago) In 1962, a team of Michigan State University researchers presented a study at the American ­College of Sports Medicine's annual convention. "It is fairly well established that the extent of skull fracture and severity of concussion are not closely related," they said. Further research, they added, should focus on "developing headgear which would ­provide greater protection from brain concussion."  
• ...the data led the UCLA researchers to implore the medical community to "discard the magical notion that wearing a helmet on the head is sufficient to protect against impact brain damage." 
• "Little has changed in helmet-safety design during the past 30 years."  
• "If a bicyclist is getting more than one or two concussions a year," he added, "he really needs to take up another activity." 
• "A lot of people think that because people sometimes suffer concussions while wearing helmets, that the ­helmet didn't do its job,"
• The problem lies in the way the head is attached to the body. When a rider falls, he said, "the head rotates like the end of a flyswatter, and the shear strain is high enough to break axons in the brain."

Then in the late 1990s a Swedish team stepped in, and a second group of engineers from Portland joined in the innovation wave:

• By 2008, after years of sketching, testing, and prototyping, they (the Swedish team) had a working ­model. Their MIPS (Multi-directional Impact ­Protection System) helmet contained a ­low-friction slip plate between the head and EPS liner. On impact, the helmet rotates independent of the MIPS liner, absorbing some rotational acceleration. 
• As the MIPS engineers fine-tuned their system, a group of inventors in Portland, Oregon, also attacked the problem. Bottlang and Madey hit upon a potential solution: They built an aluminum honeycomb liner with ultrathin cell walls that replaces the EPS liner, the prototype AIM (Angular Impact Mitigation) helmet.
• Few manufacturers were interested.  
• "We'd created a situation where good protection was available but no one gave a damn about it because you didn't need it to pass certification." 
• But their customers—from top pros to weekenders—haven't been clamoring­ for safer helmets, and the unchanging CPSC standards helped to ensure they were never offered one. 
• He has to convince customers that a MIPS-equipped helmet is safer, despite the fact that all helmets pass the same safety test.
• In late 2012, a third team jumped in. 6D, "It's suspension for your brain," "We're making a helmet to protect riders long-term."
• The new rotation-­dampening systems may not be perfect, but they are the biggest step forward in decades. The choices cyclists make with their money matter. 

Read the full article: SENSELESS, By Bruce Barcott for Bicycling Magazine

In the future look for products coming from POC, Scott, Abus, Easton-Bell, and Giro.  Every so often do a Google search for a MIPS or AIM bike helmet, and the day you get a result - BUY BUY BUY. Snowboarders already have a MIPS helmet. Motorcyclists do too. Mountain bikers, Road bikers, and equestrian athletes all gain to benefit in the future from better helmets for their specific sport.

Almost there but not quite yet. This helmet is for single track and enduro riders - POC Trabec Race MIPS

Meanwhile, all us cyclists are out here waiting, sporting anything that first and foremost fits us, and secondly matches with our bike or our favorite jersey, and of course is lightweight, a nice color, aerodynamic and good looking. Not so perfect consumer sense.

The pro peloton is right there with us, they are told which helmet to wear by their team helmet sponsor. Last year when the Giro Air Attack helmet showed up on the heads of the Garmin-Sharp and Rabobank teams at the Tour de France, and then this year when Mark Cavendish donned his Specialized Prevail helmet, the helmets caught on so fast consumer cyclists scooped them up. If only Mark Cavendish would sprint in a new MIPS helmet, we would all be better for it.

What kits (apparel) and helmets are the pro teams wearing in 2013? I bet most of our own helmets are represented among this list:

TEAM	CLOTHING	HELMET
AG2R LA MONDIALE (FRA)	ODLO	Ekoi
ASTANA PRO TEAM (KAZ)	Moa	Specialized
BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM	Pro	Bell
BMC RACING TEAM (USA)	Pearl Izumi	Giro
CANNONDALE PRO (ITA)	Sugoi	Cannondale
EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI (ESP)	Moa	Catlike
FDJ (FRA)	Pro	Uvex
GARMIN-SHARP (USA)	Castelli	Grio
LAMPRE – MERIDA (ITA)	Champion Systems	Kabuto
LOTTO-BELISOL (BEL)	Vermarc	Lazer
MOVISTAR TEAM (ESP)	Nalini	Catlike
OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP	Vermarc	Specialized
ORICA-GREENEDGE  (AUS)	SMS Santini	Scott
RADIOSHACK LEOPARD (LUX)	Craft	Bontrager
SKY PROCYCLING GBR)	Rapha	kask
TEAM ARGOS-SHIMANO (NED	Pro/Pearl Izumi	Uvex
TEAM SAXO-BANK TINKOFF	Sportful	Specialized
VACANSOLEIL-DCM  (NED)	SMS Santini	BBB

What kit and helmet am I wearing in 2013?

TEAM	CLOTHING              HELMET
PEDAL DANCER (USA)	Castelli                     Cannondale

What would I like to be wearing in 2014 - Castelli clothing and a MIPS equipped helmet please!
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Cycling Routes in Colorado by 5280

Come bike in Colorado - we have some great rides in this state

Good news, for all of us who enjoy riding a bike in Colorado and exploring new routes, this month's issue (May 2013) of 5280 Magazine has a list (with maps) of some of our best rides in the State of Colorado. Buy the issue and read over the routes, see how many you have already done, how many are left to be conquered.

5280 Best Bike Rides, May 2013 edition - on newsstands now!

I agree with the list of recommended rides, perhaps because Deer Creek Canyon is not on the list, but most likely because Lindsey B. Koehler, who wrote the piece for 5280 Magazine, seems to know her stuff. The magazine is named after the altitude of our State Capital Denver, which is 5280 feet above sea level. With 53 mountains rising to over 14,000 feet in this State, and our highest paved road at 14,240 ft (Mt Evans), the State of Colorado is one big challenge awaiting any road cyclist.

If you are traveling through Colorado on your family vacation - bring your bike. If you are coming to watch the USA Pro Challenge in August - bring your bike. If you live here - you are one lucky bike rider.

Recommended Reading: Spin Cities in 5280 Magazine, By Lindsey B. Koehler:

" ... With dry roads and sunny days stretching out ahead of us, we’re joining the frenzy—and helping you do the same—by highlighting some of the best road cycling routes (for beginners and experts alike!) along the Front Range and in Colorado’s famed high country. Clip in and enjoy the ride."

Features of the article:

In her article recommending 21 bike rides in Colorado, Lindsey B. Koehler has listed the major nearby city, ride distance, difficulty level, maps, profiles, and most importantly - rest stops or happy hour locations nearby the routes. I enjoy a destination or loop ride, and this 5280 article offers plenty of choices. I could fill the year riding these selected routes; there remain three I have yet to tackle.

The list of 21 road rides in Colorado that made the Best of list according 5280 Magazine - Spin Cities:

• Colorado Springs: The Ride: Cheyenne Cañon, Distance (Hard): 11.4 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Colorado Springs: The Ride: Pikes Peak Highway (Hard), Distance: 60 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Beaver Creek: The Ride: The Copper Triangle (Hard), Distance: 92 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Beaver Creek: The Ride: Eagle River Ramble (Easy), Distance 27 round-trip, (see the ride)
• Steamboat Springs: The Ride: Steamboat Springs to Lake Catamount (Easy), Distance: 22 miles round-trip, (see the ride) 
• Steamboat Springs: The Ride: Emerald Mountain Circuit (Moderate), Distance: 27.7 mile loop, (see the ride)
• Boulder: The Ride: Peak to Peak Highway (Moderate to Hard), Distance: 60 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Boulder: The Ride: Neva Loop (Easy), Distance: 15.4 mile loop, (see the ride)
• Boulder: The Ride: Super James (Hard), Distance: 40 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Boulder: The Ride: Boulder to Estes Park (Moderate), Distance: 78 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Boulder: The Ride: Super Flag (Hard), Distance: 10 miles round-trip, (see the ride) 
• Boulder: The Ride: Magnolia (17%!) (Hard), Distance: 9 miles round-trip, (see the ride) 
• Boulder: The Ride: Carter Lake (Moderate), Distance: 65 miles round-trip, (see the ride) 
• Bellvue/Fort Collins: The Ride: Rist Canyon Loop (Moderate to Hard), Distance: 42 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Bellvue/Fort Collins: The Ride: Centennial Drive Loop (Easy), Distance 22.7 mile loop, (see the ride)
• Aspen: The Ride: Maroon Bells (Moderate), Distance: 18 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Aspen: The Ride: Extended Maroon Bells (Hard), Distance: 52.9 miles on two branches, (see the ride)
• Denver: The Ride: Confluence Park to Cherry Creek State Park (Easy), Distance: 28.4 miles round-trip, (see the ride) [I personally like the extension of the Cherry Creek Path from the Reservoir down past Parker]. 
• Denver/Golden: The Ride: Lookout Mountain (Hard), Distance: 37.2 out and back, (see the ride)
• Breckenridge: The Ride: Lake Dillon Loop (Moderate), Distance: 31 miles round-trip, (see the ride)
• Breckenridge/Keystone: The Ride: Extended Lake Dillon (Moderate), Distance: 38.0 miles, (see the ride)

This is one of may favorite rides in the state - the famed Copper Triangle - and it is on the list! 5280 Magazine has added a side jaunt to Beaver Creek. I will have to try this addition.

5280's variation of the traditional Copper Triangle route.  Map created by 5280 Magazine

You might have noticed that a number of the cities listed above are Host Cities for the 2013 USA Pro Challenge, so if you are visiting to see the race, be sure to go for a ride before or after your stage viewing.

If you are interested in detailed information about the climbs in Colorado, also read: Recommended Reading: Guide to Climbing in Colorado

Recommended Viewing: Follow 3 Riders at the Giro

Elia Viviani, Alex Dowsett and George Bennett

I like this idea - Global Cycling Network (GCN) is following three young riders through the Giro d'Italia. I am fascinated by watching both the mental and physical challenge of what is involved in laying it all out there during a Grand Tour. Following these three riders should give us a picture of the ups and downs, physical demands, and hopefully triumphs.

(I will add more videos of this series as I find them...)

Giro d'Italia - Rider Diaries Episode 1
Elia Viviani (Team Cannondale, Verona, Italy, age 24)  @eliaviviani
Alex Dowsett (Team Movistar, Essex, England, age 24) @alexdowsett
George Bennett (RadioShack Leopard Trek, NZ, age 23) @georgenbennett

Update 05/09/13: Giro d'Italia - Rider Diaries Episode 2

Then watch the GCN video series - Inside Line:  

Giro d'Italia - Stage 1 Inside Line
Giro d'Italia - Stage 2 Inside Line - Team Time Trial
Giro d'Italia - Inside Line On Team Cars

Team SKY

Also team Sky has by now fully developed their own team marketing social network system of getting news out there to the public about their team members and races. SKY is the model of the future for disseminating team news. You can follow Sky Pro Cycling at the Giro d'Italia for playlists, apps, photos, stage previews, before and after race video and results.

Visit the SKY Pro Cycling team website to follow the team through the Giro d'Italia

Related posts by Pedal Dancer - for the other teams social media links, see this list:
2013 Pro Teams, and Social Media links (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, websites) By Pedal Dancer

Pro Cycling Stats

This would be a recommended reading today - I like Pro Cycling Stats, they offer the meat of the race. The results, the route and profile. Sometimes pure facts are all that is needed. Well facts, and the magnificent Italian landscape. Please follow: http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/1169441-Giro-dItalia-2013. Click through all the links for deeper information.
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Teams for 2013 Tour of California Announced

And the 16 teams will be ...

UCI ProTeams
BMC Racing Team, USA
Cannondale Pro Cycling, Italy
Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team, Belgium
Orica GreenEDGE, Australia
RadioShack Leopard Trek, Luxembourg
Team Garmin-Sharp, USA
Team Saxo-Tinkoff, Denmark
Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team, The Netherlands

UCI Professional Continental Teams
Champion System Pro Cycling Team, China
Team NetApp-Endura, Germany
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team, USA

UCI Continental Teams
5-hour ENERGY presented by Kenda Racing Team, USA
Bissell Pro Cycling, USA
Bontrager Cycling Team, USA
Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies, USA
Team Jamis – Hagens Berman, USA

Update 05/06/13: Riders at the 2013 Tour of California 
Update 05/09/13: Team Jerseys for the Tour of California

Amgen Tour of California  May 12-19, 2013
 
Who is missing?

Robert Gesink! Last year's winner of the Amgen Tour of California. His team Blanco Pro Cycling (formerly Rabobank) will not be racing in California in 2013, and thus my favorite VIP tent of all time will also be absent (I know my priorities). Robert Gesink and his team will instead compete in the 2013 Giro d'Italia. Peter Sagan (Cannondale) will be back, so too will his affable teammate Ted King. World Champion Philippe Gilbert is expected to compete along with his My-bet-is-on-him teammate Tejay van Garderen. French team Vacansoleil-DCM is new to the race, maybe they will take back with them to France a lesson on hotels and race food from California.

Let the smack talk of the best teams, best riders, hardest route ever, hardest tour in America begin. They (ATOC, Tour Utah, USA Pro) all make this claim. Every year. Truth is I am just happy to see these races continue into 2013 and will be there to watch these excellent athletes race while I can on home soil. Here is the list of Sponsors that make this race possible ATOC sponsors - thank you thank you!

I'm betting on Tejay

Tejay van Garderen  ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Joanna, Tejay and Allison on the podium in 2012  ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

This is one of those pictures when I do a photo search for "tejay" in my photo files and then say ... Did I take that picture of Tejay? ... cool!

Tejay in the white jersey at Tour de France 2012  ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

And I'll put my money on Peter Sagan again (easy bet), it is so much fun to watch this kid race a bike.

Peter Sagan in Beverly Hills  ©Photo by Willie Reichenstein for Pedal Dancer®

Peter Sagan at ATOC sign in 2012.   ©Photo by Willie Reichenstein for Pedal Dancer®

Peter Sagan at ATOC ITT 2012.  ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

I wish them both well.

Peter Sagan and Tejay van Garderen at ATOC 2012  ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

But I'm most happy to see this guy return ... Tom Boonen!

It is always a thrill for me to see Tom Boonen rolling under the palm trees of California.
©Photo by Willie Reichenstein for Pedal Dancer®

Tom Boonen chomping at the bit in CA 2012  ©Photo by Willie Reichenstein for Pedal Dancer®

Tom Boonen in Bakersfield ITT   ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Tom Boonen in the ITT ATOC 2012.  ©Photo by Willie Reichenstein for Pedal Dancer®

I am thrilled that Boonen will be back at the Amgen Tour of California in 2013. Please bring your new teammate Mark Cavendish back with you, the Tour of California has not been the same without him. The last time Mark Cavendish raced ATOC was in 2010, much too long ago. And yes, I am thrilled to hear of Cavendish back in the news for being brash and aggressive, I don't want my sprinters cute and cuddly. His return to attitude signals he might be back to winning races.

Please come back Mark Cavendish. Mark at the ATOC in Los Angeles 2010.  ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

More good news for the day

USA Cycling Announces ‘RaceClean’ Initiative, By PavedMag.com

...“The development of this innovative and collaborative RaceClean program is intended to send a strong statement about anti-doping, further establish the trust in our sport, and ensure a level playing field at all levels of racing,” said USA Cycling President & CEO Steve Johnson.

Good. This is needed. For some reason doping in the lower ranks of cycling bugs me almost more than at the pro level. Perhaps because I see it as a greater risk of spreading among the junior riders. But also because there is something disgusting about people who do not depend on racing for a living cheating their neighbors and friends on weekend races, with no apparent moral compass to see it as wrong.

Local doping is personal and I have definitely lost interest in local road races, track and crits in recent years because of it. I turned instead to cyclocross, a something-for-everyone sport, and to event rides where real individuals challenge themselves simply for the sense of accomplishment, not only for the win. I say let the spring cleaning commence in this sport. More details of the nationwide programs at USA Cycling and USADA launch new anti-doping program, By VeloNews.com.

Tour of California Route Information

For more ATOC information on routes, maps, cities, stages, please see the Pedal Dancer Guide Page:  TOUR OF CALIFORNIA or visit the official ATOC website.

2013 HOST CITIES and SCHEDULE  2013 Combined Stage and Profile PDF
Stage 1    5/12    Escondido
Stage 2    5/13    Murrieta to Greater Palm Springs
Stage 3    5/14    Palmdale to Santa Clarita
Stage 4    5/15    Santa Clarita to Santa Barbara
Stage 5    5/16    Santa Barbara to Avila Beach
Stage 6    5/17    San Jose (Individual Time Trial)
Stage 7    5/18    Livermore to Mt. Diablo
Stage 8    5/19    San Francisco to Santa Rosa

See maps of the route at TOUR OF CALIFORNIA or at 2013 Combined Stage and Profile PDF

As a friend, Jason Maxwell commented, there will be no Team Type I or Jelly Belly this year at the Tour of California (Also no AG2R, or Argos-Shimano who are currently doing so well at Paris-Nice. Exergy and Spidertech stopped sponsorship in 2012). I will miss those teams, although it is nice to see 5 HR Energy/Kenda back on the list of teams for ATOC in 2013. For Jason, I am going to share a photo I received a couple of days ago from Coloradoan John Sladek, who was lucky enough to host the Jelly Belly team at his home in 2011 before the USA Pro Challenge.

Recommended Reading: Joe Dombrowski

Read: Cycling's Road Forward - Can Joe Dombrowski ride out of Lance Armstrong's shadow? By Rick Maese in The Washington Post

"...With dark-framed glasses and unassuming presence, Dombrowski looks more like a computer analyst than a world-class athlete. It wasn’t long ago that he was simply riding his bike on weekends along Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park. As he kept getting faster, opportunities opened up, prompting him to leave his home near Warrenton, abandon his studies at George Mason University and uproot his life."

Joe Dombrowski of Team Sky (read his team rider profile)

In the past two to three years I have intentionally snapped as many photos as I could of three particular athletes because I thought, I will want these later when they are big. Well big came soon for Tejay Van Garderen, Peter Sagan and Joe Dombrowski.

Joe Dombrowski in Aspen 2012 ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

Joe said "sure" when I asked him if I could take his photo, he paused calmly ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

Joe Dombrowski   ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

Christian, Tom, George, and Joe doing alright at the startline in Aspen ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

Winner of the best young rider at the 2012 USA Pro Challenge   ©Photo by Karen of PedalDancer.com

And from the 2012 Tour of California

Joe Dombrowski (Bontrager-Livestrong)   ©Photo by Willie Reichenstein for PedalDancer.com

Joe Dombrowski climbing at the 2012 ATOC    ©Photo by Willie Reichenstein for PedalDancer.com

Col de la Madone, France

In this recommended reading article, Joe Dombrowski now lives and trains in Nice, France, and frequently rides Col de la Madonne. I have never ridden this climb so I refer to others who have.
Pez Cycling ride report: Top Rides: The Col De La Madone! With lots of great pictures of riding in the area near Nice, France. 
Cycling Challenge: Col de Braus and Col de la Madone
Climb by Bike page: Col de la Madone climb
 

Profile of the Col de la Madone climb. Red = lung-busting muscle-ripping steep.

Location of Col de la Madone in France. A long way to ride for a nice view of the sea.

“When you watch the Tour de France on TV, is it just because it’s entertainment? Or is it the beauty, seeing these guys suffering and struggling up mountains over the course of three weeks? There’s a beauty in pure human performance, isn’t there?” he said. “I think that’s what’s so great about cycling." ~ Joe Dombrowski

For sure there will be more of Joe Dombrowski to come ...

Related Posts: Image of the Day: Joe Dombrowski and The Sky was blue (with the team in Belgium 2012)

A wild ride

An Unexpected Drive

"Honey what are you doing in Belgium? I thought you were going to the market. Where are my eggs?"  I imagine this story because,

This Guy's Car Got Stuck at 125mph—for an Hour, By The Atlantic

The car reached speeds of 125mph (201km/h) as he sped in his Renault Laguna, without control or the ability to stop, from Amiens, France to Alveringem, Belgium. Well that day didn't turn out as expected. But all ended well.

[The speed limit on all French motoways is 130 km/h on dry roads, 110 km/h on wet roads.]

Mysterious creaks, squeaks and clunks

What is that sound?

A perfectly good ride spoiled. Spoiled by that sound emanating from your bicycle. Certain that everyone within one-hundred feet must be equally annoyed by the noise pollution, you nevertheless ride through the racket. Squeak, tick, click, rattle rattle. My bike is driving me crazy - what is that sound?

We all have stories of the mysterious sound that drove us nearly crazy on a bike ride. Sure it gives us something to think about other than the pain, and sure it can be a nice conversation starter - "Can you tell where that sound is coming from?" But these sounds must be eradicated.

You have three choices to deal with the odd sounds coming from your bike: Find new people to ride with every ride, explaining "that sound just started this morning"; Design an entire playlist around the click tick rhythm; Fix that darn noise.

Please make it stop

Recommended Reading: Discovered this morning while reading my Road Bike Rider newsletter over a morning cup of coffee; from the mechanic's bench of Jim Langley and his blog Bicycle Aficionado, comes this great compilation of possibilities for the reason your bicycle might be clanking.

Read: Keep it Quiet! Finding and silencing clicks, squeaks, clunks, rattles, and other annoying noises.

I look back curiously over the episodes of the loose saddle screw, the loose cogs, the locked up hub, the loose allen wrenches in the seat bag, and the dirty cleat. But at the time they drove me crazy.

*I have no idea how this article organized by rattles, squeaks, clunks, skipping, clicks, ticks, squeals, creaks, and other will translate into other languages (it just adds to the mystery) but hopefully you will resolve your greatest annoyance.

The squeak - a common experience

"Do you hear that noise?" The FDJ team checking their bikes pre Tour of Flanders 2012   
©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Gregory Rast wanting fine adjustments before the 2012 Tour of California ITT   
©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Absolute attention to detail by the Cannondale mechanics at the 2012 USA Pro
 ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

If Tom Bonnen's bike wasn't squeaking before the dusty 2012 Paris- Roubaix, it might have been after.
 ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

The best mechanics build, clean and check these bikes yet they still get "mechanicals"   
©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Tom Boonen's perfectly clean bike before the start of the 2012 Paris Roubaix 
©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Don't we all wish we had a fleet of support team cars (at the 2012 TDF) to follow us just in case we have a squeak.  ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

Or at least our own private Mavic support car, even if we are not in the Tour de France.  
©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

But no, we keep treating our bikes like this and wonder why they click and clank (at the 2012 Ride the Rockies).  ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer®

I can only imagine what this bike sounded like after the recent CX Worlds in Louisville, KY.   
Photo by CX Magazine