Part 2 of Ridgetops original post “September in Tuscany”. click here for the original post.

The passes and climbing were my favorite part. The temps were in the low 80’s with large thunderstorms in the evening that helped to cool things down for sleeping. Although ultimately we would end up on the island of Elba, right now I was only thinking that horseflys were the most evil creatures on earth and where the hell was the next wine stop! Luckily lunch was always there waiting and there were lots of towns in between where I could at least get a caffeine fix to keep me going. Riding through the towns brought many new challenges, but luckily the Italians and million German tourists were pretty good at watching out for us hapless American tourists. But honestly, the people we met were probably some of the nicest people I had ever run into. I couldn’t understand 99% of what they were saying, but the arm waving and smiling seemed to work.

Originally posted by Ridgetop in the forums… click here for the original post.

Sorry it took so long to post these. I road this from September 4 through the 19th. I took over 2000 pics and its been hard to get them edited and reduced in number! One of the rides that will leave a good mark in my memories took place for me in September. My wife and I decided to ride (or zig zag ) across Tuscany over about a two week period. It was an organized ride through a touring group that focuses on “adventure” type vacations. I was pretty doubtful at first due to the total cost of everything, but boy am I glad we did it.

This picture post covers the first three or so days. We started in Bologna and ended up in Siena zigzagging through the Chianti Mountains outside of Florence before heading into the Monti de Chianti. We stopped at so many little towns for wine or coffee that I don’t remember all of them, but I know this pics include a stop in Montemarciano, an awesome medieval town at the top of a mountain (all our rides always had plenty of mountain tops to visit!). We had cappucinos (sp?) on the edge of cliff overlooking the Val D’Arno under a giant fig tree next to a church. I. Talking about awesome stuff. We then climbed up to the town of Loro Ciuffenna where we had lunch. We then doubled back to Dan Donato before heading over to Siena the next day. The route was awesome, the horse flys horrible, and the scenery beyond belief. Outside of the horseflys (I clocked these things at up to 28km/hr and they were still keeping up and able to land on me!)

It’s hard to describe everything so I thought I’d let my overly numerous photos do the majority of it. Quick note, the guy holding up his arm with all the blood is my friend Ken. He and three others went down in the first mile of the first day due to slick roads and new tires covered in mold release. Unbelievable. They went down in succession with a crunch. Lots of roadrash and bruises but nothing too permanent. The bottles were from a restaurant that we asked to see his wine cellar. The guy was unbelievable. Thousands of bottles of wine rotting and going bad down there. Oh the humanity!

Congratulations to Rachel Lloyd PROMAN Women’s Team is a Northern California based elite women’s Cycling Team comprised of seasoned race veterans and promising rising stars.

Elite Cross Nationals - Podium!
1 Katie Compton (Spike)
2 Rachel Lloyd (ProMan)
3. Georgia Gould (Luna)
4. Kerry Barnholt
5. Maureen Bruno-Roy
6. Sue Butler
7. Shelley Olds

Congratulations to Rachel for a fantastic race and another Elite National podium! Thanks to Sam and Tim for the great support and a massive thank you to all the sponsors who helped Rachel and her team this season. Rachel Lloyd received a nomination to race as a member of the Elite US National team at the Cyclocross World Championships in Italy. Rachel will be leaving after Christmas to Europe to compete in two World Cup races prior to the world Championships. Congratulations!

PROMAN Women’s Team is a Northern California based elite women’s Cycling Team comprised of seasoned race veterans and promising rising stars. After a strong breakout season in 2006, PROMAN, a United States Cycling Federation (USCF) team, continues to show impressive results and positive attitudes and is poised for the next level in 2008. The elite women’s squad was founded by Nicola Cranmer and is affiliated with 501 C3 non-profit club, Tam Cycling.

The PROMAN team are women of our community with full time jobs they have made a positive name for themselves with their results and their attitude. They share a passion for cycling and the outdoors and come together to train and race hard, but they never forget the reason they do it - to have FUN. Thanks to all our sponsors for their continued support we couldn’t do this without you!

Photo: Rachel by Larry Rosa
LARRY ROSA PHOTOGRAPHY

San Francisco, CA - Building off a successful inaugural season, the ValueAct Capital Professional Women’s Cycling Team has added top talent to its roster for the 2008 race season. New riders Nicole Evans, Leah Goldstein, Marni Hambleton, Lara Kroepsch and Chrissy Ruiter will join the current line-up of VAC women: Sharon Allpress (USA), Hannah Banks (AUS), Courtenay Brown (USA), Katie Mactier (AUS), Martina Patella (USA) and Taitt Sato (USA). The added depth and experience will help the team achieve their goal of being one of the top teams in the US.

“Last year, we had a young, spirited team that really proved they had the ability to succeed. Katie Mactier’s wealth of experience really contributed to making this team gel” commented Director, Lisa Hunt. “I wanted to build on that momentum, by adding more top stage race and single day race talent. It’s a great group of riders!”

Three-time Mt. Hood Cycling Classic winner, Leah Goldstein adds firepower for General Classification at the major stage races. Goldstein, the current Israeli National Road Race and Time Trial champion who resides in British Columbia, excels in tough, hilly races and has a wealth of experience racing in Europe as well. Lara Kroepsch (USA), who rode for TEAm Lipton for the past two years, brings added sprinting strength as well as solid stage race experience. Kroepsch is a two-time Collegiate National Criterium Champion, with numerous podium spots in major NRC races. Chrissy Ruiter, who rode for Cheerwine in 2007, garnered podium spots at the 2007 Athens Criterium and the Tri-Peaks Challenge. Ruiter’s experience racing with the US National Team in Europe, and her strong, aggressive style of racing, will benefit the team. Nicole Evans (USA), who also rode for TEAm Lipton in 2007, is another strong stage race rider, having won both the 2006 High Uintas Classic and the Elkhorn Classic stage races. Evans was also 3rd place on GC at the 2007 Valley of the Sun Stage Race. Marni Hambleton (CAN), who rode for Symmetrics in 2007, won the silver medal at the 2007 Canadian National Road Race. Hambleton also guest rode for the ValueAct Capital Team for several stage races in 2007.

Katie Mactier, who has already garnered two gold medals in the Individual Pursuit at the Sydney and Beijing World Cup Track events, will be racing with the squad, beginning in May. “I’m super excited to be hooking up with the girls again for another US road season. This year we are a bigger team and hungry to make our mark,” commented Mactier.

The team will be contesting a full NRC schedule for 2008, kicking off the season with the Santa Rosa Women’s Grand Prix on February 18th. Prior to that, the team will hold their training camp in Healdsburg, California the week of February 11th.

About ValueAct Capital: ValueAct Capital is one of the premiere value-investment firms in the United States, taking large ownership positions in publicly-traded companies and then working closely with company management to generate strong returns. ValueAct Capital is very excited to sponsor a dedicated, talented cycling team that embodies the firm’s own work ethic and drive for success.

Other Sponsors:

Blue Competition Bicycles: www.rideblue.com

Columbia Sportswear: www.columbia.com

DeFeet: www.defeet.com

Fi’zi:k: www.fizik.it

Michelin: www.michelin.com

Pictura Graphics: www.picturagraphics.com

PowerBar: www.powerbar.com

Reynolds: www.reynoldscycling.com

Ritchey Design, Inc.: www.ritcheylogic.com

Rudy Project: www.rudyprojectusa.com

Time Sport: www.time-sport.com

TRP Brakes: www.trpbrakes.com

Voler: www.voler.com

Sun Valley, ID, - The Saunier Duval - Scott team started a project called “100 years for a million trees” one year ago. One million trees. The goal we wanted to achieve is becoming a reality. The sustained efforts of Saunier Duval, ONG Planète Urgence, fans, respected figures in the world of culture and sports and, above all, the riders of Saunier Duval-Prodir were the foundation on which the project “100 Years for a Million Trees” was developed. The humanitarian initiative was launched to celebrate Saunier Duval´s 100th anniversary, and it proved to be a notable success.
Last week, a group of men of the yellow squad travelled to Mali, an African country where our project is intended to fight desertification. Headed by Mauro Gianetti, general manager of the team, and Carlos Doria, Saunier Duval Clima´s chairman, the riders who headed for Africa were Leonardo Piepoli, Rubén Lobato, Arkaitz Durán, and Rubens Bertogliati. They took part in a symbolic criterium around the capital city Bamako along with a group of top riders from Mali.

The yellow delegation could see how residents take care of the 200,000 trees that have been planted in Mopti since the team´s first visit to the area, in December 2006. The people in charge of growing the four best-preserved trees were given pedal powered water pumps, a donkey, a plough, and a wheelbarrow, which make up a true treasure to local people. Moreover, Piepoli planted tree number 200,000, a figure that will increase over the next months until it reaches as high as 1,000,000, thanks to the determined efforts made by so many people.

Saunier Duval and its cycling team´s efforts will benefit 1,000 families, each family in charge of 1,000 trees. The project, which is supervised by the local government, has been carefully planned: Firstly, the groves are cleared of bushes that keep both animals away and the desert at bay. Secondly, Eucalyptus trees are planted to reduce the shortage of wood, and finally, trees that will bear fruit are planted. “While we´re different as a team, our men are very close to each other,” says Carlos Doria. “And our riders have realized that they can do more for their fellow men. People admire them for the humanitarian project we´ve launched.” “Of course we know this is just a small contribution,” remarked Mauro Gianetti, “but we´re proud of it; we consider this project to be very important.” 100 years and one million trees: the first goal has been achieved, and Saunier Duval and its cycling team have decided to continue to work hard over the next months.

Images are available at:
http://www.saunierduvalteam.com/cyclingteam/imageGallery.jsp

Sun Valley, ID, — SCOTT USA announced today the addition of a new event vehicle to its fleet. The vehicle, a large truck with an attached trailer, will be used for race support at key events. “We keep finding that the more people we reach, the more fans we convert,” said Adrian Montgomery. “For a brand like ours that is still relatively new in the U.S. bike market, we can’t do enough outreach and educational seminars. Mobile marketing has been very effective for Scott Bicycles. This rig is going to be an enormous asset to our marketing efforts.”

Macedon, NY— What’s good for the bird is good for the biker.

That’s the spirit behind the Wild Goose Chase, a new women-only cycling event that’s taking place on Sunday, April 27, 2008 to benefit the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, MD.

The Wild Goose Chase is the creation of Georgena Terry, female cycling pioneer, avid rider and the founder of Terry Precision Cycling, the first bike manufacturer to focus on the specific needs of women.

While it is a benefit for the Blackwater Refuge, the day is for and about women. Four different rides are scheduled with routes ranging from 10 to 62 miles. More than 300 riders are expected to enjoy the exquisite scenery as they wind through the Refuge.

Terry first experienced the beauty of Blackwater during a busy family weekend in 2002. “I needed a break while attending a wedding. I went riding in Blackwater to find some quiet and I was instantly captivated,” says Terry.

Blackwater Refuge is a place of extraordinary beauty and a critical habitat for a wide assortment of wildlife in the Mid Atlantic region. It is home to a number of at-risk and endangered species as well as the second largest collection of nesting bald eagles in the eastern United States.

“Habitat conservation and cycling go hand in hand,” says Terry. “Without habitat, there’s no place to ride.”

All registration fees from the ride, as well as a percentage of sales made during the event by vendors, will go to support the Blackwater Refuge. The day is expected to raise at least $11,000.

The ride is co-sponsored by GORE BIKE WEAR™, manufacturers of technically sophisticated and fashionable bicycling apparel for women.

“Gore is pleased to partner with Terry Bicycles to ensure high performance GORE-TEX® and WINDSTOPPER® products are available for women so they can to fully enjoy their biking experience in any kind of weather,” said Cindy Woods, Gore Account Manager.

More than 30 companies are coming together to support this event with donations for rider bags and raffle prizes totaling more than $30,000 in product.

Riders interested in participating should visit www.terrybicycles.com/WGC or call 800-289-8379 for more information.

About Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge: Blackwater Refuge was originally established in 1933 as a haven for ducks and geese migrating along the Atlantic Flyway. Upwards of 35,000 geese and 15,000 ducks visit Blackwater during the November migration. Blackwater is also a haven for several troubled species including the American bald eagle, the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, and the migrant peregrine falcon. The Refuge is host to the largest breeding population of bald eagles on the East Coast, north of Florida. More information is available at www.fws.gov/blackwater.

ABOUT TERRY PRECISION CYCLING: Terry Precision Cycling was the first company to focus on bicycles designed for the unique needs of female riders. Founder Georgena Terry uses her own experience as a rider and engineer to create bikes and gear tailored for women. Terry Precision Cycling now offers a full range of cycling parts, accessories, and apparel, including the famous Terry saddle with strategically placed cutout for added comfort over long distances. More information is available at www.terrybicycles.com.

ABOUT GORE BIKE WEAR™: The GORE BIKE WEAR™ brand offers the cyclist the highest possible level of comfort in conjunction with optimum protection. For over twenty years, the membrane specialist W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., with its brand GORE BIKE WEAR™, has been synonymous with high-tech functionality and consistent premium quality. Its functional products are subjected to ongoing improvement and refinement to meet the stringent requirements of demanding cyclists. Perhaps best known for its consumer products like GORE-TEX fabric and ELIXIR guitar strings, Gore is a leading manufacturer of thousands of advanced technology products for the electronics, industrial, fabrics and medical markets. The company is headquartered in Newark, Delaware, and employs approximately 8500 associates in 45 facilities throughout the world. For more information about W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. and GORE products, call 1-800-431-GORE or visit www.gore-tex.com.

GORE, GORE-TEX, WINDSTOPPER, GORE BIKE WEAR™ and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. ©2007 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., 295 Blue Ball Rd., Elkton, Maryland, 800-431-GORE, gore-tex.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Specialized Bicycle Helmets

Units: About 3,000

Manufacturer: Specialized Bicycles, of Morgan Hill, Calif.

Hazard: The helmets fail testing required under CPSC’s safety standard for bicycle helmets. This can pose a head injury hazard to riders in a fall.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves the Specialized helmets, model 2D. Model �2D� is printed on the sides of the helmet in the rear. The helmets were sold for men and women in matte black, white, silver, blue, pink, and team colors.

Sold by: Specialized through its authorized retailers and online stores between July 2007 and October 2007 for about $200.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled helmet immediately and return it to an Authorized Specialized Retailer to receive a free replacement or a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Specialized toll-free at (877) 808-8154 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or visit the company�s Web site at www.specialized.com

SPEEDWAY, Indiana - Following a promising buildup The North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS), the world’s largest trade/consumer show for custom-built bicycles, is on the verge of selling out all 185 exhibitor spaces as it heads to the cycling-friendly city of Portland, Oregon, for the first time in the show’s three-year history.

The 2008 show will be held in the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, February 8-10.

Show director, Don Walker, the founder of NAHBS, and the show’s presenting sponsor, says “I am truly delighted. The show has had three good growth years already, but heading into our fourth we are growing beyond my expectations. I am very confident we will sell all our booth spaces. With seven weeks until the show, we only have ten spaces left, and I am talking with companies that wish to fill those spaces.”

The 2007 show, in San Jose, California, was the largest to date, featuring 103 exhibitors who collectively occupied 130 booth spaces. So far 134 exhibitors have signed up. That’s almost exactly 30% growth over ‘07 in exhibitors, and 43% growth in booth spaces sold.

On a recent visit to Portland, show organizers noted considerable public, as well as industry, interest in the show in the Pacific Northwest region, extending as far north as Vancouver, BC.

About The North American Handmade Bicycle Show

The North American Handmade Bicycle Show is dedicated to showcasing the talents of individuals around the world whose art form is the bicycle. It aims to be a gathering point - online and in person - for framebuilders and consumers looking for custom-made bikes, for the sharing of ideas and promotion of this industry and its traditions. After three years of growing by leaps and bounds, NAHBS 2008 will feature still more exhibitors, consumers and a wealth of seminars. For more information, see http://www.handmadebicycleshow.com.

The timeless elegance of a Townsend track bike, which apparantly has already uncorked its sprint. Photo: © Jessica Lifland

SAN CARLOS, Calif. - Ritchey Design Inc. today announced the re-signing of separate sponsorship deals with the Health Net Presented by Maxxis and the Symmetrics Fuelled by FarmPure top-tier North American-based bicycle road racing teams.

The 2008 racing season will be Ritchey Design’s fifth year sponsoring the Health Net Presented by Maxxis team and its third year sponsoring the Symmetrics Fuelled by FarmPure team with high-end carbon fiber and aerospace grade alloy cockpit components, such as handlebars, stems and seat posts.

“Health Net and Symmetrics are two of the toughest competitive teams on the professional road racing circuit,” said Steve Parke, general manager and vice president of marketing for Ritchey Design. “We believe bike racing is the best place to prove our component designs. By signing with these two superb racing teams, we continue to move forward in producing the most innovative, top-quality products on the market.”

Health Net Presented by Maxxis
“To run a consistently successful racing program we have to use equipment that can take the beating of 140 days of racing and 16,000 miles of training,” said Thierry Attias, president & director of sponsorship for Health Net Presented by Maxxis. “Ritchey products can do that. Its products are cutting edge and super reliable. Any other partnership would be a compromise.”

Ritchey will supply the Health Net Presented by Maxxis with its World Championship Series (WCS) Carbon one-bolt seatpost, Alloy Ergo handlebars, Carbon 4-AXIS stems and Pro Oversized 30-degree stems and alloy adjustable stems for time trial bikes.

Health Net is one of the most dominating domestic teams. The team has been home to multiple national champions, Olympians, world championship team members and one world champion. They have earned four consecutive USA Cycling National Racing Calendar (NRC) team titles and averaged 35 NRC one-day, stage and overall stage race victories, as well as averaging 66 NRC podium appearances per season since 2004. Overall, the team has averaged 72 victories per season in NRC, UCI and non-NRC races during the last four years.

Symmetrics Fuelled By FarmPure
“Signing with Ritchey Design for another season of sponsorship is a huge win for Symmetrics Pro Cycling,” said Kevin Cunningham, Symmetrics Fuelled by FarmPure’s team director. “Ritchey road parts are proven in some of the toughest professional races worldwide, and their philosophy of lightweight but reliable top quality materials will help to ensure success for Symmetrics Cycling.”

Symmetrics will be using Ritchey’s World Championship Series (WCS) Carbon one-bolt seatposts, Alloy Ergo handlebars, 4-AXIS alloy stems, as well as the new UD Carbon fork (sub 300-grams) and Streem saddles.

Canada-based with an all Canadian roster of racers, the Symmetrics team has an almost family like atmosphere, rare for an elite level road team. Team President Mark Cunningham and his brother Kevin have worked hard to retain top riders who are courted by bigger-budgeted U.S. teams.

In 2007, the team’s three-time Canadian national champion, Svein Tuft, won the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) America Tour, which is a season-long competition between teams from North and South America and is one of the world’s premiere events for professional cyclists. At the conclusion of the tour, Symmetrics was ranked 3rd out of 19 teams with 977 points (the second place team scored only 473).

As a result of Symmetrics Cycling’s 2008 season, Canada earned three berths at the World Championship Road Race, as opposed to the single one it had last year, as well as three guaranteed spots for Canadian racers in the Beijing Olympics road race.

For more information about Ritchey Design, please visit www.ritcheylogic.com, for information about the Health Net Pro Cycling Team, visit www.teamhealthnet.com, and for information about the Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team, visit www.symmetricscycling.com.

About Ritchey Design, Inc.
Northern California-based Ritchey Design was founded by road racer, mountain bike pioneer and product innovator Tom Ritchey in 1974. The company is well-known for its technical merits through attention to detail during the product design phase, resulting in high-quality, reasonably priced road and mountain bike components. Under its Fit Logic philosophy, Ritchey Designs offers a wide range of “cockpit” components (handlebars, stems and seatposts) that help riders custom fit their bikes for a more efficient and comfortable. Ritchey Designs also offers a complete line of innovative products ranging from headsets to tires for professional racers and the serious weekend rider, as well as its line of “Break-Away” travel bicycles for traveling cyclists. For more information about Ritchey Design, please visit www.ritcheylogic.com.

About Health Net Presented by Maxxis
The Health Net Presented by Maxxis clinched its fourth consecutive USA Cycling National Race Calendar (NRC) series team championship in 2007. Ritchey has been a sponsor of the team since its inception in 2003. The 2008 season will be the sixth year of professional racing for Health Net Presented by Maxxis. The team is owned and operated by the Momentum Sports Group, LLC, based in Oakland, California. For more information about Health Net Pro Cycling, please visit www.teamhealthnet.com.

About Symmetrics Fuelled By FarmPure
The Symmetrics Cycling Team is owned and operated by Rusty Chain Projects Inc. Established in 2002, Symmetrics Cycling provides support through leadership, guidance and development within a professional infrastructure to foster the personal and athletic growth of the next generation of Canadian Olympic cyclists. All companies involved see the team as an opportunity to support these values, widen their brand recognition, and unite employees behind a cause. Symmetrics Cycling is Canada’s largest sponsorship in the sport of cycling which includes a development team, women’s team, men’s professional team and the Cyclist for Charity program: a four-pronged approach with a common foundation based upon the team’s commitment to charitable and community projects. For more information about the Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team, please visit www.symmetricscycling.com.