Los Altos, California – Make sure to check your local listings so you don’t miss Amber Rais and Team TIBCO at the Tour de Nez in her hometown of Reno, Nevada today and Friday.

Versus will air the Truckee and Reno stages of the race from 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. ET today, with the third stage from Northstar at Tahoe airing Friday from 4:30 – 5:00 ET. Please check your local listings to confirm the air time, as they may be airing the program at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time both days.

Rais won the first and third stages of the race and finished 2nd in the second stage to win the overall title.

by Briggs Heaney

The final stage of the Tour de Nez tore through the Village at Northstar resort this Saturday, June 20th, and the crowd on hand was treated to an action-packed day of racing across all categories. Race leader and double stage winner Chad Gerlach had his hands full in defending his Omnium title against a rabid California Giant Berry Farms squad intent on putting Steve Reaney into the overall lead. In the end though Gerlach got it done, edging Reaney for the overall title in front of an elated crowd.

The final stage was contested on the difficult two mile Village circuit course at the Northstar-at-Tahoe resort that featured cobbled sections and tough climbs, as 62 of the top male riders in America took to the start line to contest the 90-minute timed event. Coming to the line out of an elite three man escape group, it was Jesse Moore who took top honors on the day, pulling away from Bissell’s Graham Howard and his teammate Justin England on the approach to the finish line.

Moore was the deserving winner on the day, as he went out on a solo escape just ten minutes into the 90-minute timed event. Behind him, a charging Howard was able to link up to create the twosome, while the main field chased behind. Never able to get closer than 25 seconds, the main chase group were unable to bring the twosome back in time to contest the finish. Meanwhile, with only about five laps to go, another California Giant Berry Farms rider, Justin England jumped away from the field managed to bridge up to the two escapees, giving California Giant two riders in the decisive three man group.

Down the stretch, it was England who turned himself inside out for his teammate, allowing Jesse Moore to finish things off for the northern California amateur powerhouse. Having come close on days one and two with Steven Reaney, Moore’s victory gave a hard-earned win to the California Giant Berry Farms team that had been knocking on the door all week.

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by Briggs Heaney

Reno, NV - Stage 2 of the Tour de Nez returned to its rightful spot in downtown Reno, as the revered Truckee river course challenged the peloton with ten technical turns on an up and down race course. Overnight race leader Chad Gerlach was marked throughout the race, but the Lifetime Fitness/Velo Vie rider once again bested the field, taking top honors in a bunch sprint in the 60-minute timed twilight event.

Gerlach launched probing attacks throughout the course of the race, but he was heavily marked by the California Giant Berry Farms team riders Steven Reaney and Justin England, as well as the OUCH/Maxxis tandem of Roman Kilun and Bobby Lea.

At the five laps to go mark, Fly V/Australia’s Ben King went on a solo flyer, and was able to stay away until the final lap of the race. Behind him, California Giant and OUCH led the chase, with Justin England doing the most work to bring the young up-and-comer King back to the group.

On the back stretch of the race course on the final lap, Gerlach was able to gap the group heading into the final straightaway, and the Sacramento resident maintained his lead ahead of a hard charging Steven Reaney and Bobby Lea. Gerlach was humble when asked to describe what winning for the second time in a row felt like. “I’m just really happy to be riding as good as I am. I’m looking forward to continuing to improve, and I’m just soaking this all in right now. It’s a great feeling.”

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Reno, NV - The 17th annual Mighty Mighty Tour de Nez bicycle classic welcomes the return of the hand cycling Omnium to the week’s schedule for 2009, and the event has also been chosen to host the prestigious Hand Cycling National Criterium Championship presented by IGT on June 19th, 2009 in Downtown Reno.

Fields of up to 50 participants are expected to battle it out on the streets of downtown Reno for the Stars & Stripes National Champion’s jersey. National Championships will be awarded in both the men’s and women’s categories.

In addition to the hunt for the national title, the hand cyclists will also contest a three day Omnium of their own, with criterium races in downtown Truckee on Thursday, June 18th and through the Village-at-Northstar Resort on Saturday, June 20th.

Point breakdown for each day of Omnium will be weighted, with Thursday’s downtown Truckee criterium counting for 25% of the Omnium points, Saturday’s Village at Northstar race 25%, and Friday’s National Championship 50%.

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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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Well, it all came down the final stage at the mighty Tour de Nez to decide the overall winner in the general classification. After a brutal day on Friday, the men faced the 44-mile (70 km) Northstar-at-Tahoe Village Circuit Race. The race course is a hilly, difficult 2-mile loop that includes a passage over the pavers in the Northstar Village, and the adjacent roads at the village.

Going into the stage, Andy Bajadali (Kelly Benefit/Medifast) had a scant lead of 4 seconds over Scott Nydam (BMC) and 5 seconds over Friday’s stage winner Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics). And right behing them in the classification were the Bissell duo of Burke Swindlehurst and Aaron Olson at 18 and 24 seconds respectively from the lead.

Game faces on for red jersey Andy Bajadali (Kelly Benefit/Medifast), mountain jersey Dan Bowman (Kelly Benefit/Medifast) and sprint jersey Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics)

In the end, Bissell loaded the deck and put 3 riders in a 9-man break, kept the pressure on by utting the engines of Tom Zirbel and Graham Howard at the front and grew a 27 seconds gap to Andy Bajadali by the end of the race, giving the overall win to Aaron Olson with a final lead of 13 seconds over second place Bajadali. Scott Nydam (BMC) rounded off the podium.

Health Net-Maxxis’ Roman Kilun outsprinted his breakmates to take his second win in the race. Another repeat is Jon Baker (Vitamin Cottage) who finished second for the second time behind Kilun. In third place was Ben Raby (SRAM).

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For the first time in his history, the Tour de Nez put on a women’s race on Saturday. Due to conflicts with other races, such as the NRC Austin Crit, a small but strong field of 17 riders lined up to tackle the 22-mile (35 km) circuit race in the Northstar at Tahoe village.

Sarah Bamberger (Cheerwine) outsprinted her 4 breakmates to take the win, with Amber Rais (Tibco) coming into second. After chasing for what seemed half the race following a crash, Stacy Marple (Cheerwine) joined the lead group in the final lap and finished third.

Happy to be racing at Tour de Nez: Amber Rais (Tibco), Bev Harper (Webcor), Betina Hold (Proman) and Sarah Bamberger (Cheerwine)

Amber Rais (Tibco) makes a move in the Northstar village and is soon joined by Betina Hold (Proman) and Sarah Bamberger (Cheerwine)

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The stage was set for an explosion with hot temperatures and tight GC for the fourth stage, the tough Northstar at Tahoe Road Race, of the Tour de Nez. On the second lap of the 10 laps around a 6.5-mile course, the 65-man field exploded on the 15% grade climb. For the rest of the race, riders littered the course in small groups or alone just trying to make it to the finish within the 15% time cut. The leader’s red jersey wearer Ian McKissick (BMC) was one of the victims as he cracked in the second lap.

A strong group of contenders formed at the front, and small breaks launched, and re-launched. Eight-time Canadian Champion Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics), riding without any teammates, won the stage on his patented solo attack from one of the breaks. Andy Bajadali (Kelly Benefit/Medifast) and Scott Nydam (BMC) chased from the front group to take second and third respectively. With a scant lead of 4 seconds, Bajadali is the new leader with Nydam in second place and Wohlberg in third, at 5 seconds back.

Dan Bowman (Kelly Benefit/Medifast) leds breakmate Tom Zirbel (Bissell) up the climb

Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics) and Aaron Olson (Bissell) work to bride up to duo; Scott Nydam (BMC) leads select front group chasing the breaks

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On Thursday evening, the 70 (or so) riders lined up in front of an enthusiastic crowd in historic Downtown Truckee, for the fast 75-minute Truckee Criterium. Ian McKissick and his three BMC teammates had their hands full trying to control the attacks. BMC’s Taylor Tolleson crashed out in Wednesday’s Reno Criterium, and broke his collarbone. In the end, a trio got away from the field, and Roman Kilun (Health Net-Maxxis) won the stage for his first NRC win. Amateur Jon Baker (Vitamin Cottage) took second and Justin England (Toyota-United) was third. McKissick kept the leader’s jersey, and England moved himself up to the second spot at 6 seconds back. Health Net-Maxxis duo of Corey Collier and Matt Cooke are at 17 seconds back.

(l-r): Strategy meeting for the Kelly Benefit/Medifast team; BMC’s McKissick and Scott Nydam; Riders lined up and ready to go

Aaron Olson (Bissell) checking behind him

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The second stage of the Tour de Nez, the time trial at the Northstar at Tahoe resort was held this morning under sunny skies and hot temperature (note to self: sunscreen!). Ian McKissick (BMC) set the fastest time and took over the general classification, Matt Cooke and Corey Collier, both on the Health Net-Maxxis squad came in second and third. Out of a field of 71 riders, only 10 men rode the uphill 2.75-mile (4.43 km) in under 9 minutes.

Curtis Gunn (Successful Living) took it easy

John Hunt, Cal Giant is going full gas

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