LOS ANGELES, CA – Specific route details for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race will be revealed beginning tomorrow via individual stage videos, AEG, presenter of the fifth-annual event, announced today. The videos have been created in collaboration between the start and finish cities of each stage (designated at “host cities”), highlighting features of the route for the eight-day event. Two videos will be released per day throughout the week of Feb. 8, and they can be viewed online at the Amgen Tour of California Web site (www.amgentourofcalifornia.com), as well as the Amgen Tour of California’s Facebook page and on YouTube.

One of the most anticipated professional cycling races in the world, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be staged over eight days and will travel more than 800 miles of California’s scenic roads, highways and coastline drives. Running from May 16 – 23, 2010, the race will visit 16 host cities for official stage starts and finishes, with communities along the route getting the chance to see a lineup of some of the most elite, recognizable athletes and teams in the world. Host cities for the eight stages include: Nevada City (new city for 2010), Sacramento, Davis, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Modesto, Visalia, Bakersfield (new city for 2010), Pasadena, Big Bear Lake (new city for 2010), Los Angeles (new city for 2010) and Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village (new city for 2010)/Agoura Hills (new city for 2010), title-sponsor Amgen’s hometown community.

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FLETCHER, NC – In recent years identifying proper headset fit for any given bicycle has been complicated by the evolution and introduction of new standards, as well as the use of tapered and conversion configurations, which often mix standards. With more than 20 different tapered and conversion headset configurations currently being used by bicycle manufacturers and the ongoing confusion and miss-identification of Semi-Integrated (ZeroStack™) and Integrated (IS) standards, Cane Creek pioneered the robust online Headset Fit Finder as a resource for the industry and consumers.

The Fit Finder (headsetfitfinder.com), which was shown in a beta version at Interbike, allows users to quickly identify headset requirements by simply choosing make, model and year information for one of the thousands of bicycles already included in the database. If a given bicycle is not in the database the user can navigate an easy step-by-step measurement approach that generates fit results based on frame and fork configuration.

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Norco CRR2 Road Bike Pro Review – by Twain Mein

• Size: 58 cm, frame weight 1790 grams (claimed)
• SRAM Rival drivetrain + Force rear derailleur
• Ritchey Pro Logic handlebar, Pro 4-Axis stem, Ritchey Pro 2-bolt seat post
• Mavic Aksium Black wheels (1795 total grams)
• 11-25 rear cassette/compact 50/34 S550 crank (825 grams)
• Vittoria Zaffiro Pro II 700×23 clincher tires (240 grams)
• Fizik Arione white saddle
• White bar tape, cables, seat, and brake covers
• MSRP: $3,236 USD
• 17lb 14oz with Look Keo Carbon Ti pedals

Norco is more known for it’s mountain bikes where they offer an astounding 50 different models. They’ve been making bikes in Canada for over 40 years, and they are branching out into the road bike arena. For 2010, they offer 4 road race bikes, all based on essentially the same frame but with varying component levels. Norco touts three main differentiators for their carbon road frames:

1. EPS Mandrel system “process”. This offers a much stronger and more controlled surface when laying up the carbon in complicated and high stress areas of the frame such as the head tube and BB shell connections. This process eliminates the chance of wrinkling inside the layup or cracking in these areas of the frame thus greatly improving the strength compared to conventional mandrels.

2. HTR- High Toughness Resin is used in all 2010 Norco carbon frames. It is a newly developed resin that is exclusive to our carbon manufacturer. The HTR resin increases the impact resistance by 20% making the frames less prone to damage. It also decreases the amount of resin required and therefore decreases the overall weight of the frame.

3. Thermoplastic Resin. Another new feature that Norco carbon frames feature for 2010 is the use of a thermo plastic mesh laminate in key stress areas inside the frame. This smoothes out THE carbon layering and disperses stress forces WHICH prevents the propagation of small cracks. This new mesh system is designed to work in conjunction with the EPS process.

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Austin, Texas – Team Hotel San José heads into the 2010 season with a solid roster of riders and some promising newcomers who are ready to build on the success the team enjoyed in 2009.

The Austin, Texas-based professional team will field a multi-national roster of seven professional/elite riders to go along with five others who are part of the Team Hotel San José Under 23 Junior Development Program.

Headlining the pro squad is 2009 Athens Twilight Criterium winner Heath Blackgrove. The 29-year-old is coming off one of his best seasons, with victories at the Tour of Southland in his native country of New Zealand, the Mississippi Grand Prix, Texas Tough Grand Prix II and the Tour of Lawrence.

Team Hotel San José Executive Director Todd Reed said he will lean on Blackgrove, a ninth-year professional, to be a leader in a number of ways.

“We have built a developmental team around Heath and he will play a pivotal role when they are on the road,” Reed said. “Not only does he have the most experience, but he is also a terrific mentor for our younger riders and even the Team Hotel San José club members.”

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Six of the World’s top teams Powered by SRAM for 2010

Five years removed from SRAM’s road componentry launch, the company that changed the game continues their upwards arc with their 2010 professional team line-up. With best-in-class ergonomics, weight and efficiency, SRAM RED is the choice of six ProTour programs, plus the Pro-Continental Cervelo Test Team. Additionally, the last 11 Tour de France champions will race RED in 2010, including Armstrong, Pereiro, Sastre, and Contador.

AG2R La Mondiale (FRA): The French-based team managed by Vincent Lavenu took the yellow jersey in the 2009 Tour de France and held it for eight stages. For 2010 the team is excited to save significant weight, improve their ergonomics, and have more precise shifting performance with their upgrade to SRAM RED.
FRAME: Kuota
GRUPPO: SRAM RED

Cervelo™ Test Team (SUI): The second year squad, defined by innovation and product development, is a UCI Pro Continental team that features former Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre. Loaded with prolific winners the team won individual stages in every 2009 Grand Tour. The combination of Cervelo, Zipp, and SRAM will certainly provide for bikes that are at the forefront of innovation.
FRAME: Cervelo
GRUPPO: SRAM RED
WHEELS: Zipp

Team Astana (KAZ): The Kazakhstan team concluded 2009 as the number one ranked UCI ProTour squad in the World. Alberto Contador, who reminded us that his SRAM RED componentry has improved his climbing with its world’s best weight and ergonomics, has won each of the Grand Tours over the past two seasons with it. He remains a formidable favorite for the Tour.
FRAME: Specialized
GRUPPO: SRAM RED
WHEELS: Zipp

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WILMINGTON, Mass. – Neither ice nor mud nor snow nor sand could prevent Zdenek Stybar (”Stenek Steebahr”) from claiming the rainbow stripes of the world cyclocross champion this past Sunday in his native Czech Republic. Power and prowess mattered most from the ground up but surface textures that ranged from slick to sloppy sparked numerous mechanicals, including a first-lap flat by Stybar. Of course this violated his race plan but after a bike swap, Stybar fought his way forward and never looked back.

“It was only beginning of the race and I felt very strong,” Stybar said. “There was no panic, I started to ride hard and when I got to the head of the race, I attacked again.”

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It has been reported that Tour de France winner Greg LeMond and Trek Bicycles have reached an out of court settlement today. As reported by the New York Daily News…

“The terms of the settlement, which comes just a month before the case was scheduled to go before a jury in a federal court in Minnesota, are confidential. But a joint statement indicates that Trek has agreed to make a contribution to a charitable organization with which LeMond is affiliated.” Read more at the nydailynews.com…

Photo courtesy of CorVos

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Featured Review: Ridley Phaeton R
by CliveDS

Price Paid: $1050.00 at glorycycles.com
Review Date: January 20, 2009
Overall Rating: 4 of 5
Value Rating: 4 of 5

Bike Setup:
Built with SRAM Rival

Summary:
The Ridley Phaeton R is the ultimate second bike for any one who has a “uber bike” and is looking to add an all rounder to their stable. It’s also a fantastic bike if you plan on racing and need one bike for training, racing and time trials.

The Ridley Phaeton R turns out to be one of the most versatile bikes I have tested. The Belgian bike manufacturer has used the technology of the well established Ridley Noah and trickled it down to a very practical alloy frame at a reasonable price.

It’s an excellent second or “rain bike” the alloy frame rides a straight line and has a fantastically predictable nature to it, I felt I could keep going on the Phaeton and do some long miles without it tiring me out. The 73 degree seat tube angle and 73.5 degree head tube angle on the medium size I tested was just enough to be responsive and comfortable for an all alloy frame.

It’s a unique road bike that can be used as a TT bike because of it’s aerodynamic features. The Phaeton R has the Oval Concepts patent R-Flow fork that draws turbulence away from the spokes, something you only find on high end TT bikes. It Also has a special treatment to the paint Ridley calls R-surface, this is some sandpaper like strips placed in strategic areas to “increase laminar flow” All cables on the Phaeton R are internal to lessen exposure to wind and the seat post of the Phaeton is a teardrop shape with the rear wheel cut out and the post extended for aerodynamics. Simply swapping the drop bars for flat aero bars with extensions and putting your race wheels on this baby and you have converted your off season trainer into a TT killer.

The Phaeton R also distinguishes itself as a crit bike, the beefy alloy bottom bracket and chain stays ensure all the energy applied to the pedals propels the bike forward. The traditional Belgium race geometry is not sharp and skittish like many of the newer crit bikes it’s more inclined toward control and predictability. Rest assured you can hit the last corner in a tight pack and blast for the line with complete confidence.

The bike I tested was built with SRAM Rival and a pair of 3 cross hand built wheels. This was a prefect set up for this bike. The 3 cross wheels were comfy and although they are not light they took some of the edge off the alloy frame and added to the road feel of the bike. Obviously this makes for a pretty heavy bike 18lbs (frame weight is published at 1565grams)

Ridley has a way with graphics and finish, the founder of Ridley is a former Eddy Merckx employee and at Merckx he was the finish man. The Phaeton R has an excellent finish, the colors of the paint are deep and the paint is thick. It seems like it would not easily chip or fade.

This is a fantastic road, time trial and crit bike. Put it on your must-ride list and you might have to take one home. You could always justify it by saying it was a three for the price of one deal.

Strengths:

• Stiff and very versatile

Weaknesses:

• Rather heavy

Similar Products Used:
Ridley Noah, Ridley Dean

We all have different Ideas on winter training, for some it is a vital time of year, laying the foundation for a big race mid summer or tuning speed for the early season duathlons. For some, winter will be a success if they gain less than 10 pounds. What ever your motivations for this winter; balancing a structured plan with a good dose of spontaneity will get you in the best form ever, physically and mentally.

Outlook:
If you live in the northeast or anywhere that snows in the winter, and your not a pro, you simply can’t train as much in the winter. With darkness coming around 4:30pm, fridged morning temps and icy roads it just not possible. We won’t even get into jobs, girl friends, kids, wives, the patriots game schedule, etc…

So now that we are at peace with the fact that we simply can’t put in as much time as we may want, We can focus on what to do with the time we have.

Getting start:
Find a routine. With cold temps, warm beds and stale indoor air it is easy to get “off track”. Try to find some kind of routine. This could be 1 workout or rendezvous with a friend per week. ie. “every Wednesday morning john and I run together, no matter what.” “Thursday night I do the spinning class at my gym.” Even with only one appointment per week with your body you can maintain your fitness. Find something that works with your schedule so it will be easy to keep this apt and not get side tracked.

This can work for you in a great way if this one work out focuses on your weakness. I have known athletes to turn there swim that puts them 5 minutes down to 1 minute up, over the course of the winter!

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