Beaumont, CA - After having succeeded the day before in placing so many riders within half a minute of the overall lead, the BMC Racing Team entered the Beaumont Circuit Race in a tactically strong position. Though stage 1 of Redlands is over 150km long, it was clearly still going to be a race of seconds.

Working himself into a 4 man breakaway with just a handful of kilometers left in the race, Jeff Louder won the stage and gained enough time in order to leap from 5th to 1st overall. He also earned the Points Jersey for his day’s efforts.

Change in the wind
As the course around Beaumont is quite exposed, the general assumption was that the wind would be a major player in the race. “When we previewed the course the night before, there was a very strong cross wind and we made our plans accordingly,” General Manager Gavin Chilcott explained. “But on race day, it had changed to being either a head or tail wind for the longer sections of the route.” With those wind conditions, it becomes much harder to break the race apart. “Depending on what direction we were riding, our speed could be 70 or 80 km on the flat or 25 km, the wind was so strong,” Jeff Louder said. “That sort of negates a lot of attacking space since it is hard to get a gap in either situation, but it does make the racing fast, interesting and scary.” Perhaps the biggest effect the wind had was to sap the strength of Fly-V, the team defending the race lead. “That head wind made it really tough on Fly-V,” Louder believed. “Going into the final climb, they were really
hammering it, and even Ben Day was pulling.”

Major selection on final climb
“The main group went into the last climb very fast, powered largely by Fly-V,” Chilcott said. “Their effort whittled down the field to around 15 guys, which played perfectly to our plans.” Positioning in the wind had a big role in deciding who still had a chance at victory. “The group that came to the final climb was vastly depleted, and it was not easy to keep up if you didn’t have a good position,” Louder explained. The nervous racing engendered by the tough wind did in fact play into the hands of Louder who was determined to make the most of the situation. “After we crested the climb and hit the false flat just after the descent, Peter Stetina had gapped the group a little but in doing so had isolated himself in a headwind,” Louder explained. “I knew that was the moment I had to make something happen so I rode into a block head wind for 300 or 400 meters to bridge up.”

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Finally seen in person, the rumored Athena 11 Speed groupset is real. RoadBikeReview forum member Kwantani snapped a few pictures of the newest 11 speed groupset in the wild tonight. Looks like the levers get the carbon treatment, while the rest of the kit is silver alloy. We’re assuming Athena will be the “entry” level into 11 speed for the upcoming season, though this has not been confirmed. Neither has a release date. But stay tuned… we’ll find out. Confirmed now for release in Fall of ‘09. Athena will in fact be the entry level into Campy 11 for 2010. We’re also told that the levers are basically alloy Centaur levers wrapped in thin carbon. If that’s so, we’re hoping there will be an option of carbon or silver for the levers.

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Redlands, CA - Coming into the Redlands Bicycle Classic with a high level of motivation, the BMC Racing Team packed 7 riders in the top 30 finishers of the Sun Time Trial Prologue. Considered one of the more demanding time trials on the US circuit, the Redlands opener takes the riders 5 kilometers up to Panorama Point.

Determined to make the results start rolling in, BMC’s talented group of riders effectively focused their efforts which resulted in Brent Bookwalter taking 2nd just three seconds off Fly-V Australia’s Ben Day’s winning pace. Jeff Louder grabbed 5th, another nine seconds down, while BMC’s U23 member, Chris Barton, took an impressive 16th.

Focused and motivated
“The guys stepped up to the challenge and rode really well today,” General Manager Gavin Chilcott explained. “They were all very serious about living up to expectations and prepared very thoroughly.” Fresh off of their racing together at the San Dimas stage race last weekend, the group benefited from the informal training camp atmosphere of the past week. “Last weekend was a nice dress rehearsal and since we have been able to train together, we’ve all been enjoying a sort of morale camp this week,” Jeff Louder, who was 5th place on the day, described. “Everyone is super motivated and went all out in the prologue; placing 7 guys in the top 27 shows just how ready we are.” Brent Bookwalter concurred: “When we get the chance to live together for an extended period, we all start to synch up and get our heads onto the same page.”

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Redlands, Calif. — With five technical kilometers of time-trialing on the schedule in the opening prologue of the 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic, Ben Day of the Fly V Australia Team presented by The Successful Living Foundation and Amber Neben of Team Nurnberger/Sho-Air conducted a clinic for the Men’s and Women’s peloton (respectively).

With a winning time that spanned 25+ seconds to second place finisher Mara Abott of Team Columbia Highroad, Neben, the current World Time Trial Champion, ripped up the challenging prologue course to post the incredible time of 10:40.67. Teammates Mara Abott and Ina Tutenberg of Team Columbia Highroad rode incredibly strong posting finishing times within a single second of each other at 11:07.55 and 11:07.84 respectively. Rounding out the top five was Alison Power of Team Type 1 (11:18.50) and Katheryn Mattis of Webcor Builders Cycling (11:42.15).

In the men’s race Ben Day of Fly V Australia presented by The Successful Living Foundation continued his winning ways that started just one week ago with a Stage and Overall win at the San Dimas Stage Race. Day scorched the course in a time of 9:19.88, with Brent Bookwalter of BMC Racing and Tom Zirbel rounding out the podium at 9:23.42 and 9:26.13 respectively. Coming in at fourth and fifth for the men’s category was Chris Baldwin of Rock Racing at 9:28.44 and Jeff Louder of BMC Racing at 9:31.68.

With a long and challenging stage in front of the riders tomorrow in Beaumont, the teams of Nurnberger/Sho-Air and Fly V Australia presented by The Successful Living Foundation will have their work cut out to defend the coveted RBC race leaders jersey. Stay tuned for more updates at www.redlandsclassic.com

For more information, including race times, distances, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.redlandsclassic.com.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Cycling returns to Downtown Reno this June as the Northstar-at-Tahoe Tour De Nez gears up to bring the Reno/Tahoe area 5 days of racing action and parties galore.

The 18th annual Tour De Nez will take place over 5 days, June 17-21, in Historic Downtown Truckee, Downtown Reno and wraps up at the village at Northstar-at-Tahoe. The race will feature both pro and amateur events including men’s and women’s races, hand cyclists, messenger races, the infamous clunker classic and even The Biggest Little Kid’s Race.

Events will kick-off in Reno on the 18th at Amendment 21 bar. For $6, participants can park their cars at the bar and bike ride over to the Reno Aces AAA baseball team stadium, have their bikes valet and enjoy the game with the coordinators and cyclists of the Tour De Nez. The evening will close with a celebration party at Amendment 21, where The Reno Film Festival will project cycling oriented movies onto the wall outside the bar.

Racing begins on the 18th in Historic Downtown Truckee, shutting down the streets for the Downtown Truckee Criterium for Pro men and Pro women, Masters 35+1,2,3 and handcycles. Attendees will also have a chance to burn some of their own rubber in the clunker classic messenger race, and kid’s race through downtown. The festivities will begin late afternoon and run throughout the night. Live music, raffles and food will be just a few of the great activities going on that make the Tour De Nez so much more than just a bike race.

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Oakland, CA – Floyd Landis and two-time defending NRC points champion Rory Sutherland will lead the OUCH Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis into the 2009 NRC opening Redlands Classic, beginning Thursday, March 26.

“The team has had great preparation for this race,” noted team directeur sportif Mike Tamayo. “The guys really came together and raced hard at California, and that showed with our results in Mexico.”

Last year’s Redlands Classic saw NRC champion Sutherland fly to a win in the opening prologue and take a hard-earned 3rd place in the final road stage en route to 4th overall. While Sutherland will still be a marked man, other teams will have to contest with the presence of Landis as well.

“Having serious cards like Landis and Sutherland to play will make things that much more difficult for other teams,” Tamayo said. “It takes the pressure off of Rory because everyone was watching him last year.”

So will the presence of the teams two Canadians, rising stage race star Cameron Evans and sprinter Andrew Pinfold. Both riders enter Redlands on good form after each took a stage win at the Vuelta Mexico earlier this month, and Pinfold rode his way onto the podium in two other stages. Their ability to win out of breaks, as demonstrated in Mexico, adds another element of danger to the team. Joining them on break patrol will be the ever-aggressive Bradley White.

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Los Altos, California – Team TIBCO brings its strongest roster ever into the first NRC stage race of the season this weekend, the Redlands Classic, beginning Thursday, March 26.

“We’re definitely focused on the overall,” said Team TIBCO directeur sportif Jeff Corbett. “It’s a wide open race. It’s not a pure GC rider’s race. Redlands isn’t for pure climbers or time trial specialists. Just about any one of our riders could be in contention for the overall. Someone like Lauren (Tamayo) or Kat (Carroll) could get in the right move on Beaumont (Friday) and get in contention.”

The team will still look to several riders in particular in pursuit of the overall title, including Carroll, who finished 3rd in the 2008 edition, and rising Canadian star Julie Beveridge, who posted a 9th overall last year.

The team also can look to Kiwi Joanne Kiesanowski, who finished 8th in the 2008 world championship road race, as well as veteran Aussie Emma Rickards, who returns to racing in the U.S. after four years with top-level teams in Europe and a 2nd place finish in the 2008 Geelong World Cup. Powerhouse Amber Rais gives the team yet another weapon for the overall and stage wins. For the downtown Redlands criterium, Tamayo is the top candidate for a sprint finish after posting strong results at the Tour of Qatar and the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Criterium.

But Corbett adds that “We’re coming out of a really good training camp and everyone is going really well. I’ve been impressed. We’ll see how things go in the opening prologue. That often decides the hierarchy.”

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Ever wonder what it’s like to be the head mechanic on a pro cycling team? What it’s like to hang out the side of a car fixing a derailleur at high speeds? Well, we got to sit down with Ian Sherburne of BMC Racing Team recently to ask him those very questions. His answers may surprise you…

Redlands, Calif. — As the anticipation builds for the 25th running of the Redlands Bicycle Classic, the U.S. Handcycling Federation has finalized its 2009 start list. As with the 2008 edition the RBC kicks off the eight-round U.S. Handcycling Series, but unlike ‘08 this year’s event will feature nearly double the amount of athletes. Nearly thirty handcyclists are set to do battle over three days of racing, beginning with an uphill time trial Thursday, March 26th.

Among those favored for glory are; Carlos Moleda, a former Navy SEAL and Ironman world record holder (wheel chair athlete); Monica Bascio a former world handcycling champion (’02) and 2-time U.S. National Handcycling Champion; David Randall the defending U.S. Handcycling Series overall champion (long-seat); Erica Davis defending RBC champion (women’s division); Matt Updike former 2-time U.S. National Handcycling champion and ’08 Olympic Team member; and Scott McNeice winner of the ’08 RBC and defending U.S. Handcycling Series champion (knee-seat).

“I’m impressed by the level of talent attending this year’s event,” said Race Director Dan Rendler. “With names like McNeice, Davis, Randall, Moleda, Updike, and Bascio attending our event it is easy to see why handcycling has become a core piece of our race, it’s going to be an exciting event!”

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Jefferson Cup Road Race in Charlottesville, Virginia, is first event of 2009 Series

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The enormously popular Jefferson Cup Road Race will be the first race of the 2009 Nature Valley Pro Ride, a six-race program that offers elite amateur men and women the chance to win a trip to the Nature Valley Grand Prix in June. Held on Sunday, March 29, the Jefferson Cup will select one man and one woman for the trip to Minnesota, where they will race on the Nature Valley Cycling Team against the country’s top professionals and amateurs.

“We’re thrilled to be part of this year’s Nature Valley Pro Ride”, said Jefferson Cup race director Ruth Stornetta, whose race was one of six chosen from 28 nominated by USA Cycling Local Associations across the country. “Our elite men’s field filled only 12 hours after we opened on-line registration and we’re expecting a strong turnout for the elite women’s field as well. The Nature Valley Pro Ride has created an added buzz around our event and we expect that it will make the racing more dynamic.”

The Nature Valley Grand Prix, which begins June 10 in St. Paul, Minn., is the top ranked race on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar and is the only race among the USA Grand Tours to admit amateurs. It serves as an amateur’s chance to have a full professional racing experience. It also provides amateur riders with a unique chance to be “discovered” by the pro team managers who use the Nature Valley Grand Prix to scout for new talent.

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