MTB News & Racing Round-up, March 11, 2010

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Date published:

March 12, 2010, 14:44

Edited by Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

Welcome to our regular roundup of what's happening in mountain biking. Feel free to send feedback, news, & releases to mtb@cyclingnews.com and results, reports & photos to cyclingnews@cyclingnews.com.

• Craig optimistic for second half of season following knee injury

  

  Article published:

  March 11, 2010, 21:45

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Rehab in progress for American cross country racer

  Following a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee, US short track mountain bike national champion Adam Craig has had to alter his racing plans for 2010. The 28-year-old Bend, Oregon, resident will have to miss the entire spring season while he rehabs his knee, but he's optimistic about the second half of the year.

  "I'm just trying to enjoy not riding and not having to do anything. I like doing what I do, but I'm trying to take advantage of the mental recuperation time after being on straight for about 10 years," said Craig, who has consistently raced for years at the international level and as one of the top American cross country riders.

  Craig sustained the injury upon falling while walking across a parking lot after a trip to the grocery store on February 3. "I ate crap in a parking lot, which is excessively stupid and annoying," he said to Cyclingnews at a team training camp earlier this week in Tehachapi, California. "I didn't feel a pop, but I felt an immediate sharp pain and my patella wasn't tracking right." On February 9, he underwent surgery to repair the ruptured ligament.

  Surgeons used a tendon from the shin of a cadaver as a new "tendon" to connect the tibia and femur. "There were two portals drilled in my leg: one vertically through the femoral head and one through the tibial plateau. The doctors looped the cadaver tendon around a pin through the femoral portal and fixed both ends back to the tibia. They did it all with dissolvable screws that will get absorbed by the bone structure."

  Craig had the option to use part of his own hamstring or a cadaver for the procedure. "If you do the hamstring, you have to rehab that, too, and there is only a two percent rejection rate with cadaver tissue." He noted that the general success of ACL reconstruction surgery overall is approximately 85 to 90 percent.

  He can already ride although he's under orders to be very careful and his range of motion is quite limited.

  "It's a ticking bomb until 16 weeks from surgery. That's when your body converts cadaver tissue to tendon tissue. Then that ligament needs to be strong enough. Any jar could rupture it or stretch it."

  "I rode around the neighborhood on Sunday before I came here. It's matter of getting my range of motion back - improving it enough to get my pedal stroke back to normal. That's when I'll ride more. I've got to take is slow and let the muscles recuperate and rebuild without causing some other overuse injury through compensation."

  Instead of his usual training, Craig does a half-hour of rehab twice per day and rides the trainer for 15 to 30 minutes. He gets around walking with a brace. "I've just gotten the range of motion to get over the top of the pedal stroke," he said.

  In his eight years under Giant sponsorship, Craig had always raced with the Giant Factory Team, but this year he will get extra support by virtue of his association with the Rabobank-Giant team. The relationship will give him more on the ground support when he's racing World Cups in Europe.

  "The timing of the injury is especially frustrating because with the Rabobank-Giant team, I was planning to have a big spring European campaign, with great support from my new team, then take a break mid-summer, but now I can't do that."

  "It's strange to not be going over there as I have for the past eight or nine years."

  "I'm hoping my season works out fine and I can get to training effectively in a few weeks. I think it will push everything back. I should be able to get back to racing in June," said Craig, who is even wondering about the possibility of making the late May US Pro XCT round in Texas.

  With US Nationals in July and the World Championships in September, Craig may have an advantage in that he comes into the second half of the season mentally fresh and hungry to race and win. He'll be hoping to defend his short track national title or win back the cross country national title he held in 2007 and 2008.

  "I am looking forward to worlds at Mont Sainte Anne [in Canada]," he said. "I've put all my eggs in that basket now. That's my opportunity to redeem myself from this slip. I've been fired up for that race since I heard about it." Craig first raced at Mont Sainte Anne when he was 16 and it's been a favorite venue for him ever since. "To go back there will be pretty awesome. I'm also looking forward to the World Cup finals in Windham, New York the week before."

  The ACL injury is Craig's first injury since he was 12 years old, when he fractured his tibial plateau. No injury has previously kept him from racing. "I've been lucky so far," he said, offering a theory as to how he's avoided broken collarbones and shoulder injuries common to cyclists. "I've always had a bigger upper body which I think has helped me stay injury-free."

  Fortunately, for Craig, as he waits for his body to heal enough to return to training and racing, he can still compete in one of his other favorite activities: rally car racing. "Since I'm not going to be in Europe for the World Cups, I will be at the next two rallies: the Rally Olympus and the Oregon Trail."

• US 24-hour National Championships at Big Bear cancelled

  

  Article published:

  March 11, 2010, 17:13

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Granny Gear puts 24 hours of Nine Mile and Big Bear on hiatus for 2010

  The 24 Hours of Big Bear, scheduled to be the US National 24-hour championships in Hazelton, West Virginia on June 12-13, has been canceled for 2010. In addition, the organizer, Granny Gear Productions, also canceled its 24 Hours of Nine Mile event in Wisconsin on July 31-August 1.

  "The cat is out of the bag," said Granny Gear's Laird Knight to Cyclingnews. "The bottom line is that neither of those events is large enough to be financially sustainable, and I can't risk it. I know folks will be disappointed."

  While both events are canceled for 2010, they are not permanently off the calendar.

  "I do have plans to operate those races in the future. I'd like to hit the reset button. That will give me the opportunity to put together a marketing and sponsorship plan that can have events grow to the size they need to be and and get the financial support they need to succeed."

  Knight cited the declining attendance of both races as the reason for the cancellation this year. "A five percent reduction in participation doesn't sound like a lot, but it adds up," said Knight. "When a company like mine operates on a thin margin, even a small decline in participation is a huge hit."

  He attributes the decline in participation to two factors. One is the recession and another is a larger trend in American mountain biking. The recession means less money available for sponsorship and less money available for racers to spend on racing.

  "There is a shift in the demographics in mountain biking. Mountain bikers are getting older and having families. Racing is a self indulgent activity. The market is awash in events. There are a bazillion cross country, 24-hour, 12-hour and stage races out there. We're even competing against things like Little League and the concert happening nearby on the same weekend. People have a lot of choice now in entertainment."

  Knight mentioned that another aspect of his decision is that he "needs a break. I've been promoting 24-hour races for 18 years, and I was a race promoter for 10 years before that. It's been no small amount of work."

  "We need 225 and 250 teams to make an event like Big Bear succeed. Something around 800 to 1,000 racers," said Knight. "People don't get how expensive it is to run a 24-hour race. My game is to run top drawer events. I'm not in this to run cheap events. I want to run superb events. We never made those events cheaper because they were smaller. We've always been committed to making those races excellent."

  In the past few years the Granny Gear National Points Series grew to a five-race series. The effort of promoting those took a toll according to Knight. "I'm proud of those efforts, but I'm looking forward to having a break. I've loved it, but it's been hard work." Last year, the series included three events in West Virginia, Utah, and Wisconsin.

  Of the 24-hour race series, only the 24 hours of Moab remains. It will be run in Moab, Utah on October 9-10. The race has historically been successful and as Knight says, "It carries its weight".

  Knight says that instead of the two 24-hour races in West Virginia and Wisconsin, he will host two rides on the dates when the the events would have happened this summer.

  "They will be gatherings. If you want to come ride and talk about the race, show up and let's talk about how to make it work. There will be no entries, no costs," said Knight.

  "I love Big Bear, and I love Nine Mile. They are awesome venues and great courses. They have everything they need to be successful, we just need to get the events to a scale where they are financially successful, too."

  There is no official word yet from USA Cycling on what will be done about the US 24-hour National Championships although the decision making is in process.

  "We were disappointed to hear the race was canceled.  It has a long history," said Andrea Smith of USA Cycling to Cyclingnews.  "We are working on what we will do about the national championships.  Granny Gear has been a good partner."

  Knight said he is talking to the national federation about relocating the 2010 championships to the 24 Hours of Moab, which hosted the nationals last year.

  Eszter Horanyi and Josh Tostado are the defending 24-hour solo champions.

• Giant Factory Off-Road Racing Team presented in California

  

  Article published:

  March 9, 2010, 07:41

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  New riders added to complement old guard for 2010

  The Giant Factory Off-Road Racing Team presented its 2010 line-up at Camp Woodward West in Tehachapi, California, on Monday night. In keeping with its longstanding approach of starting to support young riders early in their careers and then sticking with them for years, a mix of the team's newer younger and established older riders was introduced to the media.

  Despite the tolls of the recession on the bike industry, Giant is backing a larger team in 2010 than it did in 2009. "We've had a tough year as well, but we're staying committed to racing and development," said Giant's Global Product Marketing Manager Andrew Juskaitis. "We've only added riders."

  The United Kingdom's downhiller Danny Hart and two-time US national downhill champion Duncan Riffle are the team's new, young talent. Longstanding Giant Factory team riders Kelli Emmett, Carl Decker, Jared Rando and Oliver Beckingsale return for another year of racing in blue and white.

  "It's Giant's tradition to hire young riders. We've never been in the business of hiring flash-in-the-pan talent," said Juskaitis.

  Hart and Riffle will both focus on World Cup level gravity racing. Both will enjoy the support needed to compete against the more established riders on the international circuit.

  "Riding Giant bikes has always been a dream of mine. So has riding at Camp Woodward," said Hart, excited at the opportunity he has with his new team. Hart spent the day zipping around the facility's indoor bike park, buzzing up and down steep ramps and pulling tricks.

  Rando will continue to bring the voice of experience to the downhill portion of the team. The downhill and four cross racer splits his time between racing in the US and his native Australia. He's played an important role in the development of the team's Glory bike line-up, a downhill-specific race bike.

  The cross country tradition continues

  The squad's sole female rider, Emmett, who spent some time while at the team camp honing her high speed reaction skills by riding a motorcycle, will focus on US domestic cross country and short track as usual, but she is planning on more Super D racing for 2010 and will try to make the US National Team for the World Championships.

  "The Ashland, Oregon, Super D will be a new event for me this year. I'm pumped," said Emmett of her race agenda.

  Decker, who's been with the team for eight years will concentrate on his usual mix of cross country, short track and Super D in the US. "He'd probably race downhill, too, if we'd let him," joked Juskaitis at the presentation, "but we want to keep him in one piece."

  "Adam, Jared and I were three of five athletes who were on the original Giant Pearl Izumi team eight years ago," said Decker. Dustin Adams and Tara Llanes were the other two. "This team treats us well so it's hard to leave, and everyone gets along well."

  Decker, who would like to make the US team for the World Championships, will race the US Pro XCT, and he'll kick off his season this weekend at the opening Triple Crown round in Bonelli Park. "That first race is going to hurt. I'm on only on my 12th cross country ride of the season," said Decker, who will also race some Oregon Super Ds, Downieville and hope to keep his good form for the US Cyclo-cross Nationals, which return to his hometown of Bend again in December of 2010.

  Decker likened the team "a big family". "We have a unique situation in that our downhillers are a bit cross country and our cross country riders are a bit downhill and we all meet in the middle - sometimes doing Super D together."

  "Our downhillers are fit and watch what they eat and they don't go out on benders all the time, and the cross country guys drink beer - not to excess during the season, of course - and ride motorcycles. There is a lot of mutual respect and it's fun," said Decker.

  Beckingsale, who is based in the United Kingdom, will represent the team in Britain and on the continent for national and international events.

  What about Adam?

  Notably absent from the Giant Factory Off-Road Racing Team was Adam Craig, but it wasn't because Giant ditched him. Instead, Craig is part of the separate Rabobank-Giant Offroad Racing Team, based in Europe. Introduced separately, Craig will race for the new Rabobank-backed team as he competes internationally on the World Cup and World Championship circuit, enjoying a higher level of support overseas than he's previously experienced.

  Craig tore his ACL in February and underwent surgery to repair it. His injury will keep him out of competition for several months, though Craig was trying to look at the bright side.

  "According to Willow Koerber, the timing of my ACL injury is perfect," said Craig to Cyclingnews. "Hers was in December and she had great form in June. Mine was in February, so I expect to be flying in August." That will be just in time for the US-based World Cup in Windham, New York, and the World Championships in Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec, Canada.

  The team is in the midst of spending 14 days based out of Camp Woodward. It's the second year the squad had held its training camp and presentation in this part of California.

  Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for more coverage from the Team Giant Camp.

  2010 Giant Factory Off-Road Team
  Oli Beckingsale (Great Britain) (cross country, short track)
  Carl Decker (USA) (cross country, short track, super D)
  Kelli Emmett (USA) (cross country, short track, super D)
  Danny Hart (Great Britain) (four cross, downhill, dual slalom)
  Jared Rando (Australia) (four cross, downhill, dual slalom)
  Duncan Riffle (USA) (four cross, downhill, dual slalom)
  Kurt Sorge (Canada) (freeride)

  2010 Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team
  Adam Craig (USA) (cross country, short track)
  Fabian Giger (Switzerland) (cross country)
  Henk Jaap Moorlag (The Netherlands) (cross country)
  Emil Lindren (Sweden) (cross country)
  Bart Aernouts (Belgium) (cyclo-cross)
  Gerben de Knegt (Netherlands) (cyclo-cross)
  Jelmer Jubbega (Netherlands) (cross country)
  Erik Groen (Netherlands) (cross country)
  Tim Lemmers (Netherlands) (cross country)

• Rain cancels Maremma Cup mountain bike kermesse

  

  Article published:

  March 5, 2010, 14:51

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Slippery cobbles too risky in Grosseto

  A mountain bike kermesse, part of the Maremma Cup, was cancelled on Thursday due to rain. Riders were to have competed on the cobbled city streets of Grosseto. Maremma Cup President Francesco Cerdini cited the danger of crashing due to the wet cobblestones as the reason for the cancellation. He said he did not want his riders to take the associated risks by racing.

  Cerdini indicated that he was following the advice of technical managers of the Italian Cycling Federation and athlete representatives in making his decision.

  The Grosseto event was the third of four scheduled kermesses as part of the Maremma Cup, which also includes two cross country races.  Andreas Kugler and Rudi van Houts won the first two kermesses earlier this week, while Nino Schurter won the opening cross country event.

  One weekend of competition remains in the Maremma Cup. A festival, including another kermesse, is scheduled for downtown Massa Marittima on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, riders from 15 nations will start the opening round of the Internazionali d'Italia cross country series.

  Miguel Martinez is among the riders expected to attend. The 2000 Olympic Games champion injured himself and sat out the first cross country race of the Maremma Cup last weekend, but he assured Thomas Frischknecht, part of the race organzation, that he would be there on Sunday at all costs.

  Frenchman Julien Absalon, a second Olympic champion, will be accompanied by Orbea teammates Rubén Iñaki Lejarreta Ruzafa, and another Olympic Champion Bart Brentjens will race. Brentjens won the Olympic gold in the same year as women's winner Paolo Pezzo, who will be present, too, on Sunday.

  The start list for Sunday's cross country reads like a who's who with others like World Champion Nino Schurter, Jose Antonio Hermida and Leonardo Hector Paez also ready to race.

• Reid completes marathon mountain bike hat trick

  

  Article published:

  March 5, 2010, 12:00

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  South African junior excels on and off the road

  A young junior racer, James Reid (Specialized/Mr Price), has been earning high marks on the South African marathon circuit. Reid has scored 100 percent every time he's competed in a mountain bike race.

  Reid started his cycling career as a road cyclist before switching to mountain biking. Last weekend, he completed a hat trick of off-road wins in Sabie by taking the MiWay half marathon series and thereby claiming the title of South African champion. Reid also won the MiWay Attakwas and Barberton races, as well as the first junior race of the MTN National cross country Series.

  During Saturday's race, Reid made his intentions clear right from the start when he took off like a rocket at the boom of the starter's gun. His challenge to the rest of the riders was crystal clear: "catch me if you can".

  Reid's fast pace turned the race into one of elimination, with one rider after another dropping off on the first steep climb. Only Travis Walker (DCM) managed to stay with Reid for a while, but eventually even he had to throw in the proverbial towel of defeat.

  Understandably, Reid thoroughly enjoyed his race. "I slipped and slid through some of the corners and at times nearly crashed, but luckily I managed to stay upright."

  According to Reid he might have had a slight advantage over the other riders. "I had trained in Sabie for four days, which meant that I got to know the route quite well. I just loved the climb and the technical sections. For me it was almost like a longish cross country race with two serious climbs. That is why I decided to make the racing hard right from the beginning."

  Ten days ago, at the South African Road Championship in Klerksdorp, Reid also rode an impressive race. He finished sixth in the junior road race. In typical mountain biking style, he took the race by the scruff of the neck, getting mixed up in plenty of action right from the start. With two laps to go he was still fourth overall.

  "My problem is that, as a mountain biker, I am used to racing 150 minutes flat-out and not 210 minutes. I really suffered during those last two laps. I was broken," said Reid. "It was certainly the hardest race of my life, but I am glad that I was able to prove to myself that I can be competitive in road races that matter."

  When asked whether he might in future also race in the individual time trial and try to emulate the victory of Kevin Evans (MTN-Energade) as a mountain biker in the senior individual time trial, Reid's answer was that the time trial has always fascinated him.

  "Yes, I will definitely compete in the time trial. My most important cycling hero, and that of most of my peers, is Fabian Cancellara, the Swiss Olympic and World time trial champion."

• Iconic Karapoti Classic mountain bike race turns 25

  

  Article published:

  March 4, 2010, 22:07

  By:

  Cyclingnews

  Leishman to defend in men's race; Leary favored for women's win

  A quarter of a century ago, mountain biking was a new fringe sport. There were only a couple of brands of mountain bikes available and most races consisted of getting a few mates together. Then one day late in the summer of 1986, Wellington cycling enthusiast Paul Kennett sent 49 hardy souls into Upper Hutt's Akatarawa Ranges for the first edition of the Karapoti Classic in New Zealand.

  On March 6, the Karapoti Classic, the Southern Hemisphere's longest running mountain bike race, turns 25. From humble beginnings, Karapoti became the event that popularised mountain biking in New Zealand. Today, it attracts almost 2,000 entries though the race is limited to 1,000 riders.

  Founded by Paul Kennett and his two brothers Simon and Jonathan, the Karapoti concept revolved around an uncompromising 50km of four wheel drive trails, singletrack, wheel-sucking sludge, raging river crossings, wall to wall wilderness and huge hills.

  When the event began, it was a cutting-edge challenge, which seemed like a major expedition with many competitors sporting bush shirts and backpacks. Simon Kennett, who finished second in that inaugural race, recalls eventual race winner Tim Galloway offering him an apple as they started up the final hill. Since then icon elements of the course such as "The Rock Garden," "Devil's Staircase," and "Big Ring Boulevard," have become legendary, spoken in hushed tones of nervous anticipation and misty, sometimes bloody, memories. Completing Karapoti is a sort of Down Under mountain bike benchmark.

  Between them, the Kennett brothers have ridden every Karapoti Classic. Paul and Simon have both won the race, with Simon being the first to break the magical three-hour mark in 1988. They no longer organise Karapoti, but their names are forever etched into the history of mountain biking with other winners.

  This year Rotorua's Mark Leishman will wear number one as the defending champion. Leishman, a former national rep, was a surprise winner in 2009 ahead of national champion Stu Houltham. But these riders will need to keep a keen eye out for Brendon Sharratt and national junior champion Richard Anderson. Everyone, however, will need to watch for the return of Sydney's Peter Hatton, who won the Merida Karapoti Classic in 2004 and 2006.

  The women's elite race is also shaping up as a furious battle. National champion Nic Leary is the favourite, but Samara Sheppard and Anika Smail will test her.

  The Karapoti podium has been a who's-who of the sport, with trailblazer Jon Hume winning four years in a row (1991-1994) while world top 10 ranked Kashi Leuchs won in 1998 and 2002. Nelson's Tim Vincent won three times (2001, 2003, 2005) prior to taking the 24-hour world title, and in 2007 Rotorua teenager Clinton Avery put himself into mountain biking folklore when he won by 10 minutes in a race record two hours, 14 minutes and one second.
  
  The undisputed Karapoti legend, however, is South Islander Kathy Lynch. In 1994 Lynch set a record (2:49:42) that stood for 13 years. Winners since then, such as Sadie Parker (2000, 2001) and Commonwealth silver medallists Susie Pryde (2002, 2003) and Rosara Joseph (2006) couldn't match Lynch's record or winning streak. Nor could world number two Susan DeMattai of the US (1993) or World Junior Champions Australian Lisa Mathison (2004) and Swiss Nathalie Schneitter (2006). In 2007, American-based Kiwi Jenny Hopkinson finally chipped the record down to two hours, 47 minutes and 35 seconds and in the two years since, Palmerston North super-Mum Fiona Macdermid has come agonisingly close, missing the new record by six seconds in 2008 and 19 seconds in 2009. But it's unlikely that anyone will ever match Kathy Lynch's streak of eight wins.

  The full distance race will cover 50km, but a shorter, 20k Penny Farthing Challenge is also an option. Live music, a mountain bike expo and offbeat competitions such as bike tossing and mountain bike trials will also color the weekend.

  At age 43 Upper Hutt doctor Alister Rhodes was the oldest competitor in the inaugural 1986 event and has ridden all but two Karapotis since, yet he is no longer the eldest entrant.

  The 25th anniversary has attracted entries from eight countries.

  For more information, visit www.karapoti.co.nz.

• Armstrong's coach Carmichael takes on La Ruta de Los Conquistadores

  

  Article published:

  March 4, 2010, 20:39

  By:

  Hillary Harrison

  50th birthday goal is four-day mountain bike stage race

  Lance Armstrong's coach Chris Carmichael will mark the milestone of his 50th birthday by competing in La Ruta de Los Conquistadores, the four-day mountain bike stage race that crosses Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean. This year's race is scheduled for November 17 to 20, 2010.

  "I was looking for an authentic challenge, and La Ruta is the real deal. I've done events all over the world, and in my prime I raced the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France," said Carmichael. "Now that I'm turning 50, I'm looking for a different kind of challenge, something that's a very personal challenge."

  Although Carmichael may be currently best known as the coach of Armstrong, he was a talented pro cyclist in his own day. He was a member of the US National Cycling Team (1978-1984), competed in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games and was a member of the first 7-Eleven Cycling Team that competed in the 1986 Tour de France.

  Looking ahead to November, he said, "I'm not so worried about where I place against the competition, because La Ruta forces everyone - from the winner to the person in last place - to dig deep within himself or herself for the determination to keep going."

  "Some people buy a car or a big house when they hit 50, but I wanted to seek out the most significant physical and mental challenge I could find, and I found it in La Ruta."

  La Ruta follows the route of the original Spanish Conquistadores across the mountainous country. The race is well known for its intense challenge. World Cup mountain bike professionals have been humbled and awestruck more than once at the course that boasts 24,950 vertical feet of climbing and red clay mud sometimes too deep to gain enough traction to ride.

  Since his retirement from pro racing, Carmichael has built Carmicheal Training Systems, a successful coaching company. In his usual manner, he has taken preparations for the race to a new level, challenging 10 athletes to interview for the chance to train with him over the next seven months. Those successful applicants who can afford a US$10,000 price tag will train with Carmichael's staff and attend three training camps, including one recon trip in Costa Rica.

  Carmichael is using a carefully thought out process to screen applicants [Applications are no longer being accepted - Ed.]. "The rigorous interview process and the focus on preparation is out of respect for La Ruta. For events that aren't at the same caliber in terms of challenge, it would be reasonable to bring inexperienced athletes. But I don't want to put inexperienced athletes into an event they are not ready for."

  "When I was the National Team Director for USA Cycling, I put together teams for major events based on the athletes' ability to get the job done. When athletes weren't ready, they didn't go. I'm looking at this 10-person group for La Ruta the same way I looked at putting together a team of US National Team riders: only the riders who are completely ready are going to go."

  2009 La Ruta Championn Manuel Prado (Sho-Air / Specialized) of Costa Rica will lead the recon trip. "We plan on riding the vast majority of the course, if not the entire course. Knowledge is key for success in endurance events, and it's important for athletes to know what's coming later in a stage in order to understand how to pace themselves in earlier portions."

  Carmichael thinks the key to La Ruta success will be focusing on power at VO2 max. "That high-end, explosive power is the piece that a lot of endurance mountain bikers fail to consider," he said. "Even in long endurance events, it's important to have the power to accelerate and surge. When you don't have that power, you lose contact with the riders you're with, or you lose significant time when you hit challenging ascents."

  "Overall, riders lose the most time when the pitches are the steepest. With a big aerobic engine, you can maintain a high pace on flats and rolling terrain, but without a lot of power at VO2 max you lack the ability to maintain that pace at the critical times of the race."

  In 2009, Carmichael, who is no stranger to endurance mountain bike racing, placed 323rd, 3:32:51, behind Armstrong at the Leadville 100.

  Followers of Armstrong will not be surprised by Carmichael's meticulous preparation strategies, which helped the RadioShack rider to seven Tour de France wins.

• NorCal High School League to kick off 10th year

  

  Article published:

  March 4, 2010, 17:33

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Mountain biking popularity among high schoolers keeps growing

  The Northern California High School Mountain Bike Racing Series is celebrating its 10th season this year with a five-race season for more than 500 high school mountain bikers from 40 schools across northern California. Students have been in training, and eagerly await the opening round on March 7 at East Garrison, Fort Ord, near Monterey.

  Brand new executive director Vanessa Hauswald is as excited as anybody. "As expected, more than 530 riders have signed up for this series already, and we may get close to 600 by the time registration closes. This is a 20 percent jump over last year's membership."

  "We're proud to be going into our tenth year with such a strong showing of teams, coaches, athletes and volunteers. Once again we have a challenging line up of courses that suit young riders, and we are really looking forward to watching our athletes enjoy themselves out there."

  The 10th year of the series marks a turning point, necessitated by the popularity of the races. Hauswald said, "Now that we've grown beyond 500 riders, our venues and infrastructure are bursting at the seams. We are looking at options to accommodate the ever-increasing numbers and next year we will implement some changes."

  "In the four years I've been with the League I have witnessed its growth, with each year getting even more fun and exciting than the last," said top ranked returning Varsity rider Will Curtis of San Rafael High School. "The lineup for the courses this year looks awesome! I think it will be a fun year for sure."

  Curtis is confident of his form going into the season and says he hopes to perform to the best of his ability each race. "If that is good enough to win, that would be awesome. If not, I can be happy knowing that I gave it all I have. Can't wait for next weekend!"

  The 2010 series opener is held on a course featuring singletrack through the rolling hills in mountain biking's classic Fort Ord venue. Riders will complete on a circuit of approximately five miles per lap. The series final and state championship race will be held in Grass Valley, a stone's throw from the opening stage of the Amgen Tour of California that same day in Nevada City.

  In 2009 the Drake High School team won both series and state championships titles. Coach Paul Chourre is looking forward to another year, but with his team going from strength to strength he remains realistic. "Having graduated only three members of the 2009 squad, and picked up a record 23 new racers for a total of 49 this year, I would think that we are in good shape, but repeating as state champs is a very difficult task given the caliber of athletes that the League is producing," he said.

  While the high school mountain bike events enjoy a relaxed, friendly, fun atmosphere that harks back to the early days of the sport, one feature that sets them apart from other mountain biking events is the number of course marshals. In addition to over a dozen trained stationary monitors, each wave of racers also has at least two "sweepers". Sweepers are course marshals that monitor riders' behavior and respond to emergencies should they occur. Parent and coach volunteers enjoy these active roles, carrying radios, first aid kits, and many are trained in wilderness first aid.

  For 2010, the series has picked up a new sponsor, Santa Cruz Bicycles. The increase in sponsorship for high school cycling mirrors the national trend. NICA, the national-level organization for high school cycling recently picked up sponsorship from SRAM and Trek.

  2010 Northern California High School Mountain Bike Racing League Series
  March 7: Central Coast Invitational (Monterey)
  March 21: Granite Bay Challenge (Folsom)
  April 11: Boggs Mountain Classic (Cobb)
  May 2: Mountain Goat Challenge (Monterey)
  May 16: State Championships (Grass Valley)

  For more information on the League's racing, visit www.norcalmtb.org.

• McConneloug and Broderick safe following Chilean earthquake

  

  Article published:

  March 4, 2010, 12:04

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Cyclingnews bloggers training in the US

  Cyclingnews bloggers Mary McConneloug and Mike Broderick (Kenda / Seven / No Tubes) confirmed that they are safe and sound following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake last weekend on February 27 in Chile. Thanks to some fortunate timing, the pair had left the country to return to the US just prior to the quake.

  "We are fine," they wrote in a email to Cyclingnews. "Made it out of there 72 hours before it happened!"

  The American couple had been racing and training Chile for several weeks before the quake happened. They won the mixed division while competing at the Trans Andes Challenge, and then stayed on for additional time to train in the warmer climate of the Southern Hemisphere and to visit with friends.

  Fortunately, their friends, still in Chile, were physically ok following the quake and resulting tsunamis. "Our friends in Chile are a bit shaken up, so to speak, but thankfully, they are ok. We feel very blessed."

  McConneloug and Broderick were touched by the concern of Cyclingnews' readers who inquired about their wellbeing.

  With the domestic season about to begin in earnest, the two are training in Sebastapol, California. They will begin racing in a few weeks.

  Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for future blogs from McConneloug and Broderick.