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MTB & cyclo-cross news & racing round-up for September 22, 2005, part twoEdited by Steve Medcroft Welcome to our regular round-up of what's happening in the dirt. Feel free to send feedback, news and gossip to mtb@cyclingnews.com Aussie MTB champion upbeat about recoveryAustralian cross-country champion Emma Colson (Topbike-Giant) had an arthroscopy on her knee last Wednesday and is feeling confident about her recovery. Colson had a head-on with a motor bike the week prior to the world championships this year. An arthroscopy with Melbourne orthopedic surgeon Rob Howells last Wednesday revealed a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and small tears in the lateral meniscus and lateral capsule. The debris blocking the joint was removed with the surgical procedure. Colson (a qualified physio) elected not to reconstruct the cruciate at this stage, knowing that the rehabilitation period from such a procedure would certainly rule her out of the two Commonwealth Games selection races (December in Lysterfield at the venue and January MTB Nationals at Mt Beauty). One week following the 'scope Colson had this to say: "Walking is still difficult I managed an hour on the ergo this morning and hope to be back out on the road and MTB soon. I'm confident I have enough time to come up for the selection races; the longer break has probably done me good. If anything I am now more motivated than ever. The knee should be able to cope with riding without a cruciate ligament. Fortunately neither Lysterfield nor Mt Beauty are courses I would expect to have to 'dab' in – especially in summer." 2006 Canadian 'cross championshipsThe Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) has announced that Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, has been selected to host the 2006 Cyclocross National Championships. The final dates of the event will be determined following the CCA's annual general meeting this November. Multisport Promotion's bid for the event caught the attention of the jury panel in charge of the selection process; both the city council and the business community of Nanaimo back the organization of the event. Nanaimo has an excellent reputation in hosting major events and looks forward to hosting the Canadian cycling community once again. TIAA-CREF/Clif Bar Cyclo-Cross teamTIAA-CREF and Clif Bar have announced their continued support of the TIAA-CREF/Clif Bar Cyclo-Cross Team, a developmental 'cross program based in the USA. For the second year running, the team will contest the top cyclo-cross events around the country with an eye on developing the next generation of American cyclo- cross champions. After completing a hugely successful season last year which saw the team make 43 podium appearances and send two riders to the World Championships, TIAA-CREF/Clif Bar team manager Ben Turner got to work making sure the 2005/06 season would be an even bigger success. He has lined up 20 riders and a host of sponsors to achieve that end. This year's team will consist of a national-level program with four juniors, six under-23 riders, and ten elite/masters riders (including staff). The team will focus on the Crank Brothers US Grand Prix of Cyclocross, the premier national cyclo-cross series. Riders will wrap up their U.S. campaign with the National Championships in early December to be held in Providence, Rhode Island. The team's final goal will be to send as many members as possible to the World Championships in The Netherlands in late January 2006. The TIAA-CREF/Clif Bar Cyclo-Cross Team draws riders from the ranks of Jonathan Vaughters' development road cycling teams TIAA-CREF and 5280 Magazine. "These riders are some of the most talented young road racers in the country," said Turner. "We want to give them a chance to develop into world class cyclo-cross racers as well as offer them a way to support their winter training." Team roster Alex Howes (Junior) Staff Ben Turner - Team director, sponsorship coordinator, Sponsors TIAA-CREF (Fortune 80 financial services company) U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame inducts FurtadoThe U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame has announced its 'Class of 2005' inductees. Named this year are William Spencer in the veteran competitors category; Oliver "Butch" Martin in the modern post 1945 competitor category; Ron Skarin in the modern post 1975 competitor category; Greg Hill in the BMX category; Juliana Furtado in the MTB category; Michael Aisner in the contributor category and Pierre Lallement in the contributor category. The induction ceremony will take place at a dinner event on Friday, October 14, 2005 at the Bridgewater Marriott, 700 Commons Way, Bridgewater, New Jersey, beginning with a cocktail hour at 6:00pm followed by the dinner and induction ceremony at 7:00pm. Tickets for the dinner and ceremony are $85 per person and are available by calling the Hall of Fame at 732-356-7016. DIY: Build your own team for 24 Hours of MoabAkin to pumped-up personals listings, the Racer Message Board for this year's 24 Hours of Moab lists racers' strengths, weaknesses, and desires to race in the eleventh edition of this monumental, go-to event. Among the postings for racers seeking teams are teams seeking racers. The Message Board is there to help racers like Ilana Brito of Cambridge, Mass., who decided just this past weekend to travel to Moab for a mountain bike vacation around the same time as the 24 Hours of Moab, which takes place this year on October 15-16. Then she thought that since she'd be there anyway, well heck, she might as well enter the race. "I was poking around the website," explained Brito, "and I can't remember if I was on the team page or the registration page but I decided that I wanted to get the most riding in while I was in Moab and racing seemed like a good way to do that." Finding a team was easy for Brito and while her move to race at Moab may seem bold and sudden, it is far from uncommon. Racers moseying about the venue on race day dressed in sandwich boards that read "I need a team" or campsites posting signs that say "Looking for a racer" capture a gusto typical of mountain bikers. The main draw to 24 Hours of Moab could be its status as the biggest 24-hour race in North America, which makes for some spirited competition in a lively atmosphere. Or maybe it is the racecourse, which has a reputation as one of the longest, fastest, most challenging courses in the world. It is also one of the most scenic as it winds its way through the red-rock, high-desert, south of Moab. For an East Coaster like Brito, Moab itself becomes the main attraction since the desert landscape affords scenery usually available to her only in pictures. To build your own team or find a team to race with for the 11th Annual 24 Hours of Moab, racers should visit The Racer Message Board at www.grannygear.com Cape Cod MTB festival raises over $6600 for victims of Hurricane KatrinaThe New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) has announced that it has raised $6652.45 for the American Red Cross from its annual mountain bike festival, the finale of the Harpoon-Topeak MTB Adventure Series, held on September 18 in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Four hundred mountain bikers attended the grand finale of the Harpoon-Topeak MTB Adventure Series, presented by Dirt Rag Magazine, to raise funds for the American Red Cross and enjoy a day of trail bicycling, a bicycle industry expo, swimming, music and food. "This event is usually a fundraiser for the New England Mountain Bike Association's trail advocacy programs. However, because of the national calamity caused by Hurricane Katrina, with some of the victims staying nearby at Otis Air Force base, we decided donating the proceeds to the American Red Cross was much more important," says NEMBA's executive director, Philip Keyes. Neal Todrys, owner of Topeak Cycling Accessories (Foxboro, MA) commented that "Topeak is pleased to be involved with an organization like NEMBA because of its ability provide great riding opportunities for cycling enthusiasts throughout the region, and its ability to raise money for good causes." Individual riders who gathered more than $200 in pledges were entered to win a custom cruiser bicycle donated by NEMBA member, William Noonan. Author of Mountain Biker's Training Guide headline coach and athlete training conferenceThe Peaks Coaching Group will host the 2005 East Coast Training Conference Oct. 21-23 in Bedford, Virginia. This 3-day event will bring together many of the nation's leading experts and top athletes to provide a unique and exciting experience for participating cycling coaches and athletes. Highlighted at the conference will be a keynote presentation by renowned author and cycling coach, Joe Friel. The East Coast Training Conference was developed to foster a synergy between coaches and athletes and to introduce the hottest topics and presenters to the cycling public. The Peaks Coaching Group emphasizes that the conference will focus on the most innovative methods and information currently available. The conference will kick off with a series of presentations including, Sports Psychology for Cycling Coaches and Athletes, Advanced Strength & Conditioning Techniques for Performance and Electromyography Applications for Improving Pedaling Efficiency. The opening day's presentations will culminate with Coaching, Training & Racing Using Wattage lead by the world's foremost authority on the topic, Hunter Allen. The event's second day will feature the presentations Special Considerations for Training the Ultra Athlete, Practical Applications for Computer Assisted Training, and Physiological Responses to Different Interval Approaches: Targeting Adaptations. Following the morning seminars, participants will have the opportunity to enjoy a group road ride with professional cyclist, Jeremiah Bishop. Many conference presenters, including Joe Friel and Hunter Allen, will also take part in the ride – an excellent opportunity for participants to get expert advice while riding. The afternoon's energy will build as the conference re-groups for a special keynote presentation by Joe Friel. Friel will speak to attendees on the lessons he has learned throughout his successful 25-year career coaching cyclists. Following Friel's address, conference presenters, coaches and athletes will gather for an evening meet-and-greet at the Bedford Social Club. The East Coast Training Conference will wrap up on Sunday morning with the presentations Technical Issues Using a Power Meter and Endurance: What is it and how do we train it. Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the incredible riding opportunities around Bedford, Virginia after the event's conclusion. For more information and to register to attend the 2005 East Coast Training Conference, call The Peaks Coaching Group at (540) 587-9025 or e-mail info@coachinggroup.com. Registration is limited. IMBA Report Card opens for votingMake your voice heard! Voting for the 2005 IMBA report card is underway. The annual mountain biking evaluation covers U.S. States, Canadian Provinces and a nation-by-nation analysis. Click here to vote: www.imba.com IMBA's annual report card evaluation begins with voting by IMBA members. Input from club leaders, state reps and IMBA staff also factors into the final grades. West Virginia received the highest mark in last year's poll, due to boundless riding opportunities, a dedicated network of IMBA-affiliated clubs and strong support among government agencies. IMBA Summit/World Mountain Bike Conference headed to Whistler in 2006Mountain biking leaders and land managers from around the world will gather June 20-23, 2006, in Whistler, British Columbia, for a combined IMBA Summit and World Mountain Bike Conference. The merger of the two conferences creates an opportunity for mountain biking advocates, land managers, trailbuilders and the bike industry to come together for education, collaboration and strategic planning for the future of mountain biking and trail access. "The merged conference promises to be the largest single gathering of mountain bike advocates ever," says IMBA executive Mike Van Abel. "Rolling these two events together will result in a better conference which will attract a broader audience of mountain bike enthusiasts. I personally look forward to celebrating and shaping our sport for growth." The 2006 IMBA Summit/World Mountain Bike Conference is open to the public and will feature advocacy seminars, trailbuilding workshops, networking, classic Whistler riding, great food, parties and celebrity guest speakers. "The opportunity for riders and land managers to come together at one location to discuss the future of mountain biking is a logical and significant step in the development of the sport," said Richard Juryn, event producer. "We look forward to the 2006 at Whistler as a stepping stone for delegates to collaborate toward staging the event farther afield in subsequent years," he added. The International Mountain Bicycling Association's (IMBA) bi-annual Summit has been held at various locations since 1996, and the North Shore Mountain Bike Event Society's World Mountain Bike Conference has been hosted in North Vancouver since 2004. U.S. 'cross season opens in SeattleThe American pro cyclocross scene gets under way October 1st in Seattle with the fourth annual Clif Bar/FSA Star-Crossed Cyclocross at King County's Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA. Called the Daytona 500 of 'Cross and held under the lights of the Group Health Velodrome on a fast and spectator friendly course, is as much a festival for the 'cross season as it is a race; Star Crossed features DJ spun tunes, the Tona Cerveza beer garden and a Giant Bicycles free raffle for the crowd. Brats, sandwiches and coffee by Zoka Roastery. Expected to race is 2004 U.S. Gran Prix overall winner Ryan Trebon, who is just recovering from a fractured wrist suffered in the International Tour de 'Toona, NORBA National Series Cross Country and Short Track Champioan Geoff Kabush and Notrthwest-based cyclists from Ann Knapp to Barry Wicks. GPS-based bike computer goes global and GoogleBy Steve Medcroft
The online bike-computer data management service MotionBased has expanded its database of maps to cover as much of the entire world as current map coverage provides. Which means subscribers to the service, who use Garmin GPS units to record data while riding, can map their treks anywhere from the Amazon to the Alps to Africa. In another product enhancement, the company has leveraged the growth of the popular Google Maps function and now allows their subscribers to upload recorded GPS treks and view locations from their and the MotionBased TrailNetwork (with more than 100,000 public entries) database in Google Maps format. "There's not doubt that the introduction of Google Maps and Google Earth in last 6 months has not only revolutionized the way we view maps on the Internet but how we use maps in general," says MotionBased in their product release. By exporting a stored trek (a GPS rendition of a ride), subscribers can view trek data on a 3D map or overlaid on a satellite image. Felt Racing and Troy Lee Designs offer special Limited Edition "Happy Hour" Cruiser
Bike maker Felt Racing has joined creative forces with Troy Lee Designs (aka 'TLD') to develop a limited edition cruiser called the Happy Hour. Debuting at the 2005 EuroBike and InterBike shows, the Felt/TLD Happy Hour collaboration was born from the mutual racing heritage both companies share and enjoy together. As inspiration, Troy Lee and his design team opted to tap into the culture of an annual event they host that has reached celebrity status in the southwestern U.S., A Day in the Dirt. This gathering of motocross and bike riders, film celebrities and aficionados, for a day of riding and socializing in the spirit of the legendary Steve McQueen has quietly reached cult status. Commenting on the project and its design, Troy Lee Designs company namesake and founder Troy Lee says, "Inspired by the unique event A Day in the Dirt and Steve McQueen - the essence of cool - it's impossible not to have a good time on this bike." The co-branded Felt/TLD limited edition Happy Hour cruiser features a classic Felt tank-style cruiser frame, super-wide 50mm rims, 24 x 3.0 rear and 26 x 2.125 front tires, heavy duty stainless steel spokes and a special "Happy Hour" graphic and color scheme. Most of the parts and components also have been specifically color treated and/or tailored to match. A virtually identical model version will be available worldwide (including throughout Europe), however, the bike might have slightly different specs to meet local safety standards. This special collaborative bike will have a limited run, each individually identified and numbered with its own unique plate mounted on the monostay just behind the bottom bracket. Target MSRP on the Happy Hour is $499 with bikes available exclusively through Felt's IBD channel and certain select TLD dealers. Felt company president Bill Duehring believes the partnership is a perfect fit as both companies share similar visions about racing, performance and the product design that evolves from that. "The Happy Hour embodies all that is great about racing and competition life. Those that do it share a unique bond built around speed, adrenaline and overall camaraderie. It is fantastic to be working with Troy in offering this very special limited edition bike."
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