Second Edition Cycling News, Wednesday, February 1, 2012

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February 1, 22:00

• 2012 SRAM Red - Full details

  

  Article published:

  February 1, 09:55

  By:

  James Huang

  Lighter than ever with more refinement, slick new features

  
  

  This appeared on Bikeradar
  

  SRAM have bucked the trend of 11-speed cassettes and electronic shifting for their wholly revamped 2012 Red group, preferring instead to stick with 10 rear cogs and conventional cable actuation. The new 1,739g claimed weight lops about 150g off of what was already a superlight package and major improvements to the brakes, derailleurs and drivetrain provide better stopping power, smoother front shifts and quieter running to accompany the updated ergonomics.
  
  Trim-free and positive front shifting at last
  
  The rear derailleur receives new shaping, a lower-profile mounting bolt and inner carbon fiber pulley plate, new pulleys that again rotate on hybrid ceramic bearings, and a longer upper knuckle that now clears 28-tooth cogs. It's otherwise functionally identical to the current Red – which is just fine since SRAM's Exact Actuation geometry is already highly precise and impressively tolerant of hanger variances. Coming in May is a new 32t-compatible version as well.
  
  The front derailleur, however, is an entirely new design and a huge improvement over the existing version. Gone is the flexy titanium cage in favor of an aluminum-and-steel piece that's far stiffer for more positive shifts, particularly under power. Ingeniously, the parallelogram pivots aren't actually parallel to each other, either – a design SRAM call 'Yaw' – so that the cage doesn't just swing in and out as usual but also rotates slightly on a vertical axis as it moves back and forth.
  
  In other words, the tail of the cage points slightly inward when the chain is on the outer chainring but slightly outward when situated over the inner ring. Even extreme cross-gear combinations produce no rub and as a result, the new Red does away completely with trim positions. SRAM anticipated that setup of such a variable-angle cage can be tricky so the front and rear cage edges are etched to help with alignment.
  
  SRAM have also cleverly built a chain catcher into the braze-on front derailleur mounting hardware as standard equipment. Most other catchers simply bolt on top of a standard concave mounting washer and rely solely on friction to avoid getting pushed out of the way when you drop a chain. SRAM's version, on the other hand, mechanically locks the catcher in place with specific front derailleur mounting hardware and a neatly integrated adjustment screw. It's easy to set up and holds its position firm even under moderate loads. In addition, clamp-on derailleur variants are built with the chain catcher mounting base.
  
  Updated lever ergonomics
  
  SRAM have kept the best features of the old Red DoubleTap lever design but refinements to the shape give it a more natural feel in your hands. The lever bodies are slightly smaller in girth and offer a smoother transition from bar to hood but retain the same overall 'pistol grip' shape that so many SRAM users enjoy. There's even more room on the underside of the hood for your fingers.
  
  The sharp corner on the outer, upper edge has been eliminated, too, while still retaining dual derailleur housing routing options. The new rubber hoods are textured for a surer grip and lightly padded, and the knob up top is bigger for a more comfortable place to rest your hands when you've got your arms stretched forward. Shift action is highly tactile and mechanical-feeling, as before, with firm springs in the levers and loud clicks – there's simply no mistaking when you make a shift.
  
  As before, the carbon fiber brake and shift levers are independently reach-adjustable for a customizable fit that should accommodate most hand sizes and bar shapes. Tweaking the brake levers – which are now a few millimeters longer and more hooked at the ends – is again done via a handy Allen head bolt hidden beneath the hoods but thankfully, you now need a common 2.5mm hex key to set the shift paddle reach instead of searching for a sharp pick like on the old Red.
  
  True hollow carbon fiber cranks, XX-like cassette, but quieter
  
  The thoroughly overhauled crankset ditches the old foam core methods for true hollow carbon fiber construction for both the arms and spider tabs. Additionally, the BB30-specific non-driveside arm uses a co-molded spindle. Combined with the entirely new shape, it's a fair bit lighter but more importantly, much more rigid than before – in fact, SRAM claim it to have a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio than Shimano's benchmark Dura-Ace chainset.
  
  SRAM stick with a standard 130mm bolt circle diameter but now integrate one of the chainring mounting bolts into the back of the arm itself, and both the base of the arm and each of the spider tabs sport impressively deep cross-sections. Add in the revamped X-GlideR chainrings with XX-derived ramping and solid outer skins – similar to SRAM's current TT-specific rings – and the end result is decreased flex for a much needed boost in front shift performance.
  
  Standard cranks will rotate on SRAM's familiar GXP bottom bracket with hybrid ceramic bearings and of course, there's a BB/PF30-specific option as well. Thanks to the recently added Gutter seal system, both bottom brackets are now actually reasonably durable and spin with much less friction.
  
  Red will get its first branded power meter this time around, too, using a similarly styled Quarq spider with an integrated LED indicator for battery life and setting the offset. Aside from the aesthetics and the same revamped chainrings, it's essentially just an updated S900 crankset, with arms that arms carry over the old foam core construction methods – at least for now.
  
  Out back, the new cassette borrows its design from SRAM's XX group, with similar machined-from-steel billet construction, new weight-saving cutouts in between the largest cogs and a pressed-on aluminum innermost cog. Those cutouts aren't obvious at first glance as each trough is now cut a bit deeper and is wrapped in an elastomer ring that's said to reduce drivetrain noise by absorbing vibration and directly damping the impact between the chain and cassette when shifting.
  
  Elastomer materials are also used to coat the rear derailleur pulleys for further noise reduction – a tactic Campagnolo have successfully used for years. Chains are carried over from the previous Red so riders can expect the same familiar options.
  
  No more dual pivots
  
  Perhaps the most radical change on the new Red is a move from conventional dual-pivot brake calipers to a new cam-actuated rim design. It's certainly lighter but the biggest claimed benefit is increased power, along with much more generous rim clearance. The pads contact the rim quickly when you pull the lever but the variable geometry then provides greater mechanical advantage to amplify the power.
  
  Cams are nothing new but SRAM have adopted a robust looking setup for their mass-produced Red brakes. The 'AeroLink' linkage (aero only in the sense that the new caliper has less frontal area than the old one) is a reassuringly stout piece of aluminum and rotates about a smooth and fairly sizeable pivot for longevity. Well hidden inside the mechanism is another shorter steel link that connects everything together.

  Cam-enhanced single pivot brakes like this can often be finicky to center but SRAM have addressed that as well. Each side is independently adjustable for spring tension so you just need to get it close when you secure the mounting nut then fine-tune the positioning as needed with SRAM's now trademark 2.5mm hex key.
  
  Capping off the brakes are aggressively machined cartridge-style pad holders with ball-joint mounting hardware and SwissStop blocks. The one visual disappointment is the four-position quick-release mechanism. It's integrated into the barrel adjuster and seems to work well but it isn't particularly elegant in either design or aesthetics.
  
  As for hydraulic brakes (both disc andrim), SRAM admit they're not quite ready yet but prototypes are already undergoing testing. Release is scheduled for this autumn and Zipp will also debut disc-compatible road wheels. It's a similar story for TT-specific integrated brake designs, too.
  
  Only 10 cogs and no motors but a lot less weight
  
  SRAM had already nailed the lightweight target with the current Red group but as expected, the new version is substantially lighter, making it an obvious target for weight-conscious riders who care more about shedding grams and easy-to-maintain mechanical systems than whirring motors.
  
  Some techies might decry the lack of an eleventh cog but given what Shimano have to do to fit in that extra gear, SRAM are smart not to rock that boat – Campagnolo's upper-end roads are superb but few people buy them specifically because they have 11 rear cogs and not 10.
  
  In fact, SRAM might ironically actually be setting themselves apart from their competitors by sticking to the status quo. There's a surprisingly prudent mix of forged aluminum and carbon fiber on tap, nearly every bolt is either titanium or aluminum, and at least on first inspection, nothing appears grossly underbuilt. It's characteristically mechanical and somewhat raw feeling, and the aesthetics are bold and edgy – which is precisely what many fans like about SRAM in the first place.
  
  Pricing for the new Red does go up but at least it's not by an exorbitant amount – and in terms of weight, it'll remain an enticing option. We'll be riding the new Red at the company's launch event here on the Spanish island of Mallorca so stay tuned for a first ride review soon.
  

   In case you missed it, here's a video of the 2013 SRAM Red groupset

   

  Use this on all articles. The player is narrow enough to fit next to the article gallery images box on the right.

• Moncoutié to skip 2012 Tour de France

  

  Article published:

  February 1, 10:46

  By:

  Cycling News

  Frenchman focused on Vuelta a España mountains title

  David Moncoutié (Cofidis) has admitted that the Tour de France is not in his plans for 2012 as he focuses his attention on winning a fifth consecutive mountains title at the Vuelta a España.

  The veteran Frenchman appeared on the brink of retirement last summer after a frustrating outing at the Tour, but a successful late-season run at the Tour de l’Ain and the Vuelta restored his morale to such an extent that he is open to extending his career beyond the end of 2012.

  “The Tour isn’t one of my goals. I’ve informed the team that it doesn’t suit me anymore,” Moncoutié told rmc.fr. “I prefer to leave my place on the team to young riders. I’ve ridden the Grande Boucle ten times and I think I should turn the page.”

  Cofidis are still waiting to hear if they have secured one of the wildcard invitations to this year’s Tour. The team failed to make a significant impact in 2011, with Moncoutié perhaps their most prominent rider, in spite of his own disillusionment.

  “In normal circumstances, I won’t be at the start,” he said. “I do know that it’s important for the Cofidis team, and if they needed me to cover for the absence of a sick, injured or out of form rider, I could possibly come. But if I can give it a miss, I’ll give it a miss.”

  The closest Moncoutié came to success at the 2011 Tour was on stage 13 to Lourdes, when he was ultimately powerless to stop Thor Hushovd from thundering to the win. After the stage, Moncoutié was criticised in some quarters of the French press for supposedly aiding Hushovd’s pursuit of lone leader Jeremy Roy (FDJ) after the descent of the Aubisque. He admitted that the affair had left something of a bitter taste.

  “I found it hard to understand that polemic. I spoke about it with Jérémy Roy too, and he didn’t understand either,” Moncoutié said. “I didn’t understand the criticism. It must be because on the Tour de France, the smallest thing is multiplied by ten. People always need to find a polemic. That’s what I don’t like about the Tour and this story didn’t make me like it any more.”

  Instead, Moncoutié’s priority will be the Vuelta, where he has enjoyed repeated success in the tail end of his career. “I’ve ridden it four times, and I’ve won four climber’s jerseys and four stages,” he explained. “I really prefer the Vuelta to the Tour. It’s easier in terms of pressure, and harder in terms of terrain. The Tour has a week of flat where I waste a lot of strength. In the Vuelta, there are mountains straight away and that suits me better.”

  37 in April, Moncoutié will not make a decision on retirement until the end of the season. “I still love the bike and my desire to win is still there. As long as I enjoy it and the legs are there, I’ll keep going,” he said. “I will stop one day. Maybe at the end of the season, I don’t know yet.”

  
   

• Contador hoping to ride Majorca opener

  

  Article published:

  February 1, 12:19

  By:

  Peter Cossins

  Saxo Bank leader’s plans dependent on timing of CAS verdict

  Reports in the Spanish press suggest that Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) is planning to take part in the first day of the Majorca Challenge as he awaits the announcement of the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s verdict into his positive test for clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour de France. The Majorca event kicks off the Spanish season this coming Sunday. The CAS verdict is due to be announced the following day.

  According to Spanish press agency EFE, Contador is likely to ride the opening event of the Majorca Challenge in Palma on Sunday afternoon, then return to Madrid that evening. However, sources close to the Saxo Bank team leader have indicated that his plans could change. All will depend on the exact day and time that the CAS verdict is delivered. These details will not be finalised before the end of this week.

  There is also a good deal of conjecture in the Spanish press about the timing of Contador’s ban if the CAS does not find in his favour. His positive test dates from July 21, 2010. He was initially suspended on August 24 of that same year.

  If he is banned for two years and that ban starts from the day of his positive test, Contador won’t be able to ride this year’s Tour de France, but could line up in the Vuelta a España, which starts on August 24. However, if a two-year ban were to be imposed from August 18, he would be unable to start in his national tour that month.

  
   

• Gilbert feels no pressure ahead of new season

  

  Article published:

  February 1, 13:39

  By:

  Barry Ryan

  Belgian on Valverde, Olympics and expectations

  After dominating one-day racing in 2011 and making a highly-publicised switch to BMC, there is a palpable air of anticipation about what Philippe Gilbert might achieve in the new campaign, but the man himself was an oasis of calm at his team’s recent training camp in Denia, Spain.

  Now backed by a powerful arsenal of support at BMC, the explosive Gilbert will be widely expected to replicate his exploits of last year, but the Belgian champion insisted that he felt no pressure from his new team ahead of the coming season.

  “BMC invest a lot in cycling, but they don’t push for results,” Gilbert told reporters. “We’re all motivated, we don’t need pressure from the management and they don’t put us under any pressure.”

  With the Olympic Games and a world championships course seemingly bespoke fitted to Gilbert’s qualities as a puncheur on the horizon in 2012, the Belgian has objectives littered throughout the calendar.

  “This year is a big season,” Gilbert admitted. “I have the classics, the Tour, the Olympics, the Vuelta and the Worlds, so it will be a long season. Hopefully I’ll be up to the level for those challenges.”

  In spite of his reverence for the rainbow jersey, Gilbert is aware that opportunities to take an Olympic medal are even more fleeting and he acknowledged that success in London would carry connotations beyond cycling. “It’s different,” he said. “You don’t have the jersey but after your career, you can say ‘I was an Olympic medallist,’ which is something very important.”

  Gilbert will spend the build-up to the Olympics riding in the service of Cadel Evans at the Tour de France, although it would a surprise if the he is not granted a certain degree of leeway during the race’s opening exchanges in Belgium. However, Gilbert ruled out the possibility of chasing the green jersey, rueing the impact it had on the second half of his 2011 Tour.

  “No, no, no, it was a bad experience last year,” Gilbert protested when asked if he would mount another bid for the jersey. “In the last week I lost all my chances because of that jersey, so in the end it was maybe a bad idea to do that.”

  Rivals

  Among the pretenders to Gilbert’s Ardennes crown in 2012 is the controversial Alejandro Valverde, who returns to the peloton after finally serving a suspension for his links to Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes, the doctor at the centre of the Operacion Puerto blood doping investigation.

  The Spaniard gave notice of his intentions with a stage victory during his comeback at the Tour Down Under in January, but Gilbert pointed out that the classics in April would present a different challenge.

  “I was surprised he won so early. I know that Simon Gerrans has a high level already now so to beat him you need a very good level,” Gilbert mused. “Valverde is maybe not at the top of his condition but really good. It’s difficult to say something, they were short stages of 150km, but the classics are 250-260km, so it’s completely different. But I’m sure that Valverde will be there.”

  If the local media are to be believed, Gilbert also has a rival within his own team, in the shape of Greg Van Avermaet. The pair appeared to be uneasy stable-mates at Omega Pharma-Lotto, but after a season apart, they once again find themselves as allies of circumstance at BMC. Both men presented a united front in Denia, even if Gilbert appeared to subtly outline his take on their places in the team’s classics hierarchy.

  “I saw he signed for two more years, it’s nice,” Gilbert said. “I’m sure we will have a good team with him in the classics, and I think everybody also knows his job in the team.”

  Coping with expectation

  Given his startling string of wins in 2011, the clamour surrounding Gilbert reached fever pitch in Belgium during the winter, and it was with a certain degree of weariness that he dowsed the prospect that he might one day attempt to broaden his repertoire still further and attempt to win a grand tour.

  “This thing started when Eddy Merckx said I could win the Tour,” he said, shaking his head. “It was bad because I had a lot pressure about this and a lot of questions. For me, I’m focused on the one-day races and I’m a great fan of those races.”

  Nonetheless, in spite of all of the adulation, speculation and expectation, Gilbert was quick to point out that his success is something he enjoys rather than endures, and that he is unfettered by pressure.

  “I’m relaxed, I like my job. Really, it’s more of a passion than a job,” he shrugged. “I always dreamt of being a professional, and riding those races, and winning those races, and now I’m doing it so why should I have pressure or stress? For me it’s just a dream and I like it.”

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Balanced 2012 Tirreno-Adriatico route unveiled

  

  Article published:

  February 1, 14:59

  By:

  Cycling News

  Summit finish to Prati di Tivo the highlight

  The route for the 2012 Tirreno-Adriatico was unveiled in San Vincenzo on Wednesday, with a summit finish at Prati di Tivo in Abruzzo on stage 5 the centrepiece of a well-balanced course.

  As was the case last season, the race is book-ended by two time trials. The action gets underway on Wednesday, March 7 with a 16.9km team time trial in Tuscany, from San Vincenzo to Donoratico, and concludes the following Tuesday with a 9.3km individual effort in San Benedetto del Tronto on the Adriatic coast.

  In between, sprinters and climbers alike will have an opportunity to divide up the spoils between them. The opening two road stages, to Indicatore and Terni, should favour the fast men, but the terrain becomes significantly more rugged thereafter, as the race heads into Abruzzo for the weekend.

  Stage four sees a short but sharp uphill finish in Chieti, where Michele Scarponi jumped to stage victory last year. That finale comes after a day of constant ups and downs, including the Selle di Corno and the Passo Lanciano (20.8km at 4.7%) climbs, and at 252km in length, the stage should provide a useful exercise for riders preparing for the following weekend’s Milan-San Remo.

  The next day brings the queen stage of the race, and overall contenders such as Cadel Evans, Michele Scarponi, Vincenzo Nibali and – perhaps – Alberto Contador will be expected to be to the fore on the final haul up to the 1450 metre high Prati di Tivo. The climb featured on the route of the 1975 Giro d'Italia, with Giovanni Battaglin triumphant at the summit. At 14.5km in length and with an average gradient of 7%, Prati di Tivo will pose a significant challenge this early in the season.

  “I like the race a lot, and the stage to Prati di Tivo in particular is spectacular,” Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) said at the presentation on Wednesday. “That’s a real climb and the harder the race is, the better it is for me. But I know that I’ll have to fight against two giants like Contador and Evans.”

  After the hardship of the weekend, a rolling stage around Offida will pit the sprinters against the escapees, before the final time trial on March 13 around San Benedetto del Tronto, a town that has long been a staple of the Race Between the Two Seas.

  Last year's Tirreno-Adriatico was won by Cadel Evans, ahead of Robert Gesink and Scarponi.

  Tirreno-Adriatico, March 7-13:

  Stage 1: San Vincenzo - Donoratico TTT 16.9 km
  Stage 2: San Vincenzo - Indicatore, 230 km
  Stage 3: Indicatore - Terni, 178 km
  Stage 4: Amelia - Chieti, 252 km
  Stage 5: Martinsicuro - Prati di Tivo, 196 km
  Stage 6: Offida-Offida, 181 km
  Stage 7: S. Benedetto del Tronto ITT, 9.3 km
   

• Gallery: Indurain and Delgado attend Movistar team presentation

  

  Article published:

  February 1, 16:52

  By:

  Cycling News

  Valverde and Cobo to lead the line

  The 2012 Movistar team was presented at the Telefónica Auditorium in Madrid's company headquarters today with the company president Luis Abril asking the riders to "keep dignifying this sport".

  Abril also praised the team's performances from 2011, a year in which the Spanish team lost Xavier Tondo in a fatal accident and Mauricio Soler suffered a life-threatening crash at the Tour de Suisse.

  "Last year, I only asked you to do things well and honor the brand. The grade of your accomplishment was the highest. I don't think that there's anyone at Telefónica not feeling proud of you. In a really hard season from a psychological point of view, you defended the brand and its values and defended yourselves as professionals as real lions."

  The team picked up 20 wins in 2011 and has bolstered its attack by signing two returning riders in Alejandro Valverde and Juanjo Cobo. Two former greats, Pedro Delgado and Miguel Indurain, who rode for the team when it was branded as Reynolds and Banesto were also in attendance. The former professionals won six Tours de France between them and although Movistar will struggle to hit those heights, it remains Spain's number one professional team.

  2012 MOVISTAR TEAM ROSTER
  Andrey Amador 
  David Arroyo 
  Marzio Bruseghin 
  Jonathan Castroviejo 
  Juanjo Cobo
  Rui Costa 
  Imanol Erviti
  Iván Gutiérrez 
  Jesús Herrada 
  José Herrada 
  Beñat Intxausti
  Javier Iriarte 
  Vladimir Karpets 
  Vasil Kiryienka 
  Ignatas Konovalovas 
  Pablo Lastras 
  David Lopez 
  Ángel Madrazo 
  Javier Moreno 
  Sergio Pardilla 
  Rubén Plaza 
  Nairo Quintana 
  José Joaquín Rojas
  Branislau Samoilau 
  Enrique Sanz 
  Alejandro Valverde 
  Francisco José Ventoso 
  Giovanni Visconti

• Olheiser steps up with Competitive Cyclist

  

  Article published:

  February 1, 17:55

  By:

  Pat Malach

  37-year-old amateur star recruited to help Mancebo

  At 37, Mike Olheiser may be one of the oldest rookies ever to enter the US professional peloton, but the 18 national and world championship jerseys he's collected over his 11-year amateur racing career suggest he's anything but a new kid on the block this season.

  After considering several offers over the years but ultimately turning them all down, the full-time coach and personal trainer from Huntsville, Alabama pulled the trigger on an offer from Competitive Cyclist, the new sponsor for On The Rivet Management's second-year UCI Continental team that features 2011 National Race Calendar overall winner Francisco Mancebo and is run by director sportif Gord Fraser.

  "It just never seemed right before," Olheiser said of previous offers. "But everything really seemed to come together this time. You find the right mixture of team and personnel and management and everything else. I think it's a lot of everything, between Gord and (On The Rivet Management's) Josh Saint, and knowing that they're pulling in the right sponsors this year. You know, as my wife likes to say, it's the perfect storm, all the pieces just kind of fell into place to do it."

  Olheiser is a good fit for a team that, while losing seven riders and adding another seven to keep a total of 13, was looking to add a little more experience and depth from its inaugural team. Olheiser won back-to-back time trial and road race elite amateur national titles in both 2009 and 2010. As he's progressed through the masters age groups, Olheiser has taken home 10 national championship jerseys. On the international stage, he's earned four rainbow-stripe jerseys for his performances in the masters time trial.

  Fraser said Competitive Cyclist will be looking to use his time trial skills and big diesel motor help defend Mancebo's stage race dominance.

  "We were looking for someone who can really add to the grunt of the team," he said. "We had a lot of days in yellow last year. Pretty much 90 per cent of our season was defending the yellow jersey for Mancebo. So you can never have too much horsepower in that line of work. And he seems to fit the bill quite well."

  Olheiser will have to transition from a rider who often had to make his own breaks into a worker who is ready to lay it all on the line for the team leader. He said his experience racing against RealCyclist.com last year gave him insight into how important it was to beef up a squad around Mancebo, who he rode with on a composite team at the 2010 Tour of Utah.

  "It seems like last year he'd get the jersey pretty early in a lot of the races, and then it was defending the jersey," Olheiser said. "That's truly the key in races; you don't want your leader to be isolated into a bad position where he's got to maybe overextend at some point. I think (Competitive Cyclist) definitely did step it up and add some personnel that should really help build a stronger team around the goal of winning stage races and putting Mancebo on top of the podium."

  Fraser said that more than just adding needed horsepower to the 2012 squad, Olheiser's age and maturity will help provide leadership and a calming influence among some of the younger riders on the squad.

  "It's always good to have older riders, there is a certain calmness and serenity to them and the way they do things," Fraser said. "The younger riders kind of pick up on the vibe. We've got some hotheads, some young guys who are hard to tame sometimes, so it's always good to have leaders on the road when I'm driving back in the caravan."

  While understanding his worker role on the stage-race squad, Olheiser said he still has some ambitions of his own at the pro level, including taking a shot at winning a USPro stars-and-stripes jersey, one of the that he doesn't already own. He also pinned his hopes on the team getting invited to the big three US tours in California, Colorado and Utah. Those UCI 2.1 and 2.HC races were out of reach to Olheiser as an amateur, but they could be a reality now that he races for a professional team.

  It could be a big jump for a rider to make in his "rookie" season. So how long does Olheiser think he'll be racing at this level now that he's made the jump?

  "I'll probably keep doing it until I stop having fun," he said. "If you step up to the line and don't have butterflies in your stomach, then it's lost something. Because I still love stepping up to the line and your stomach's a little queasy and the butterflies are still going and you're nervous the night before. That's the feeling that I've had for the last 11 years. It's awesome."

• Wilcoxson steps up to pro ranks

  

  Article published:

  February 1, 20:59

  By:

  Pat Malach

  From Nature Valley Pro Ride to Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies

  After five years of amateur competitive cycling, Jade Wilcoxson has parlayed her 2011 Nature Valley Pro Ride opportunity into a real pro contract with the new Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies women's team.

  Now the 33-year-old physical therapist from tiny Talent, Oregon is making dramatic changes to her lifestyle to accommodate her new profession, including quitting a full-time job that required eight years of education, renting out her house and converting a 300-square foot shop into a studio apartment for herself.

  "It's a big change, putting all of that on hold and knowing that I can come back to it when I've tapped out the racing," Wilcoxson said. "But I'm diving in head first and trying not to worry about how am I going to make it work. I'm just enjoying the opportunity of a lifetime."

  Wilcoxson got the attention of team directors by winning multiple elite amateur races and consistently placing in the top 10 at USA Cycling National Race Calendar events throughout 2011. In April she traveled to California for the Sea Otter Classic, which featured Olympic gold medalist and former world champion Kristen Armstrong's return as part of the Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty-12 professional team.

  "I got there and I was intimidated, and I was just hoping not to get dropped," Wilcoxson said. "I did all four races down there and ended up second overall and won the circuit race. So then I'm standing on the podium next to Kristen Armstrong, and I was like, 'Wow, maybe I could give this a go.' That really inspired me for the rest of the season, trying to find more national opportunities to race."

  Wilcoxson followed Sea Otter with an overall win at Washington's Enumclaw Stage Race, where she qualified to compete at the NRC Nature Valley Grand Prix as part of the composite "Pro Ride" team. She finished sixth overall at the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic riding with a Mike Engleman-coached composite team that featured Canadian Olympic gold medalist and multi-time world champion Clara Hughes in a showdown with Armstrong and the Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty-12 squad.

  Then Wilcoxson made the most of her Nature Valley Pro Ride opportunity, finishing seventh overall while winning the best amateur jersey and grabbing fifth place at the difficult Stillwater Criterium stage.

  "There were a lot of big teams there, and I was top 10 overall," she said. "So a lot of the teams were wondering who I was."

  She followed that with a fifth-place overall finish at the NRC Tour de Toona, almost making the podium with fourth in the time trial and finishing inside the top 10 during all the stages. She capped off her national results with a 10th-place overall finish at the Cascade Cycling Classic riding as a guest with the Now and Novartis For MS team, once again finishing each stage in the top 10.

  At the end of the season it wasn't long before an offer from Heal and Colavita came in. Wilcoxson said her consistent results and knowing the right people paid off. She specifically credited Engleman's help.

  "He has a ton of contacts," she said. "He and I really hit it off. He was my team director when I got to ride for Clara Hughes at Mt. Hood. Just before that I qualified for Nature Valley, and he was also the team director for the Nature Valley team. So he and I got to work together for two stage races in a row, and I did well in both of those. So having him in my corner and pushing for me and promoting for me was a big factor."

  But before Wilcoxson was able to celebrate too much; news came down just a couple of weeks after signing a 2012 contract that Colavita was pulling out as a sponsor.

  "Before the news came out, they had contacted us and said this is what's happening and don't worry because everyone who had signed a contract with Colavita was going to Optum Health," Wilcoxson said. "So the Colavita people were really respectful of our contracts by not leaving us high and dry and making sure that we had a home to go to."

  Since then Wilcoxson has focused on clearing her calendar and simplifying her home life to prepare for a season of travel and racing, including a lot more time devoted to training.

  "Since September I've been in the gym lifting weights and getting base miles in, so at this point I feel like I'm a lot stronger than last year," she said. "It's kind of hard in Southern Oregon because there are only a few other female races, and so it's really hard to know how I measure up against other women. I ride with the boys all the time, but that's entirely different. So I never really know how strong I am until I go to my first race, and then it's apparent."

  Wilcoxson also said that after five years of basically riding solo, she's excited but also a bit apprehensive about learning the team game and finding her place on the new squad. But most of all, she's just ready to race.

  "I'm ready to get this party started already," she said. "There's been so much anticipation since September when I signed. I'm just ready for the anxiety to be done with and just start racing and see how it goes."