Photo by Ken Conley

With his previous team Navigators, Zajicek twice finished second overall in 2007 and 2006 at the Mt Hood Cycling Classic, and now wants to move up to the top step of the podium. Health Net-Maxxis is sending a strong squad to support him including Rory Sutherland, winner of the Joe Martin Stage Race.

“I’ve got Rory working for me, got the best rider in America working for me so how can I lose.” replied Zajicek when asked if he was the leader for Hood.

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Fayetteville, AR – A three-day, full-gas effort by the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis delivered Rory Sutherland to his second consecutive – and the team’s fourth consecutive – overall title at the Joe Martin Stage Race, after the Australian took the race lead in the opening prologue.

In the final-stage criterium Sunday, Sutherland took advantage of teammate John Murphy’s lead-out for Karl Menzies, who finished second in a photo finish, to finish 4th on the final stage to seal the win.

“The guys are well-drilled in defending leads,” noted directuer sportif Jeff Corbett, who has guided the team to all four of those wins. “Everyone on the team was there to defend Rory’s lead last year, and Kyle (Gritters) and Tim (Johnson) were here in ’06 as well. There was never any concern that our guys wouldn’t be able to defend the lead.”

In fact, during Friday’s second stage, they were able to extend the 0:11 lead Sutherland had established in the opening prologue the day before. After spending much of the 110-mile stage patrolling the front and controlling the race, the team was able to line up a strong lead-out, with Karl Menzies dropping off Sutherland inside 200 meters to the line for the sprint. Sutherland earned second place on the stage, and a 10-second bonus to go with it. Teammate John Murphy finished right behind him in third.

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May 10 marks opening for shop that offers sales, service, and a mission to promote cycling for transportation, fitness, and a way of life.

Seven-time Tour de France winner and Austin hero Lance Armstrong is adding another project to his busy schedule—a bike shop in the heart of downtown Austin. The historic brick warehouse at 400 Nueces (adjacent to the soon-to-be-opened cross town bike path) is intended to catalyze Austin’s urban revival and encourage people to look at cycling as a means of both transportation and fitness.

The shop is envisioned as a one-of-a-kind concept facility, featuring a complete retail offering with bikes, equipment, apparel, and a professional service center. In addition, visitors will find Juan Pelota’s, an indoor/outdoor coffee house with healthy grab-&-go food, and a soon to be introduced power-based indoor training facility. With hours of operation from 8am to 7pm, the shop is awake and ready for those riding into downtown early, or dropping off bikes for same day service. The shop is equipped with shower and changing facilities and free bike storage for commuters.

”It’s more than a place to buy a bike. I want it to be a place where cyclists of all levels come in and are encouraged, inspired, and motivated to make cycling a daily part of life”, said Lance Armstrong. ”And of course—a place where racers and enthusiasts can get the best equipment, service, and know-how to go faster—or farther—on their bikes”

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Jerseys, shorts, gloves, technical T-shirts, technical polo shirts, and cycling caps can be ordered through the “TT1 Gear” link on the team’s website, teamtype1.org.

Champion System is discounting prices on several items to help support Team Type 1’s mission.

“Champion System is proud to support not only the Team Type 1 Pro Cycling Team but the cause for which they race,” said Charlie Issendorf, Vice President of Sales for Champion System. “We’re excited to offer our high quality cycling apparel to all Team Type 1 supporters and fans.”

Prices are $70 for a Team Type 1 jersey and $70 for shorts. Available sizes range from small to triple extra large (XXXL). All items being sold are worn by Team Type 1 professional and developmental team members.

Team Type 1 founder Phil Southerland said the team is thrilled to be working with Champion System to help others “fly the colors” at local races, American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure events or casual rides on bike trails.

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Bend, OR – The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team announced today that its riders and staff donated $5,000 cash to Fausto Munoz Esparza, the rider who was paralyzed in a horrific high-speed crash in last Sunday’s final stage of the Tour of Gila in Silver City, NM. The cash consists of the riders’ prize money they earned over last weeks 5 day Tour of Gila and staff donations.

In addition, Toyota-United will auction off a team jersey signed by all 14 riders on eBay beginning Monday in order to provide the general public with an opportunity to show their support for Fausto and his family.

Esparza 33, a former Mexican Nation Champion and father of three children, is in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit of El Paso’s Thomason Hospital in Texas with a broken back which has left him paralyzed from the waist down. “He is very depressed and not sure what to make of this terrible situation. His wife, three children and parents have all come to El Paso to be by his side for the next three weeks until he gets out of the hospital” said Jose Manuel “Chepe” Garcia a Toyota-United rider and personal friend of Esparza.

“When I first heard how bad his accident was from Scott Moninger, (Asst. Team Director for Toyota-United) I immediately sprung into action and called Chepe who is a friend of Fausto’s to see what was up. I could hear in his voice how upset he was and how Fausto is very depressed and makes his living racing a bike, which is no longer the case. Then Chepe told me how Fausto has three children and a wife to support. Being the Team Owner watching my riders risk everything each week and being married with a baby girl on the way in September, the whole situation really hit home for me. I then spoke with our riders and staff and we all agreed to do something for Fausto no matter how small it may be; but we want to start the ball rolling in hopes that other teams and fans will follow suit to help Fausto in his time of need” said Team Owner Sean Tucker.

Supporters may visit the Toyota-United website beginning Monday May 12th to link to an auction of a team jersey signed by all 14 members of the team to raise additional funds. www.toyota-united.com

In addition, people may make a private donation to:
Wells Fargo Bank
1201 N. Pope Street
Silver City, NM 88061
Attn: Fausto Munoz Esparza Donation Fund

Letters can be sent to:

Patient: Fausto Esparza, ICU/12
C/O Thomason Hospital
4815 Alameda Avenue
El Paso, TX 79905

Photo by Kathleen Poulos

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The world’s best men and women professional cyclists are preparing to wage a three-race battle on the streets of southeastern Pennsylvania next month in the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling. Don’t want to miss any of the action? Then you need to be a VIP for an up-close and personal vantage point of the sport’s international elite.

“We’ve created an exclusive Champion’s Club VIP ticket package to satisfy the demand for a real VIP experience among professional cycling’s and Triple Crown’s ever-growing base of fans,” said David Chauner, president of Pro Cycling Tour, organizers of the Commerce Bank races. “As always, this year’s events promise to thrill spectators by delivering an incredible roster of competitors on downtown circuits that simply cannot be found anywhere else in North or South America. These are some of the most important events on the international racing calendar – don’t miss them!”

Look for racers from high profile men’s teams such as Team High Road, CSC, Rock Racing, Slipstream Sports and more to tear up the course during the 2008 Triple Crown schedule:

o Commerce Bank Lehigh Valley Classic (all-new first leg): Tuesday, June 3 , 2008
o Commerce Bank Reading Classic: Thursday, June 5, 2008
o Commerce Bank Philadelphia International Championship: Sunday, June 8, 2008

The three events will draw over 400,000 spectators, 400 professional cyclists (men and women) from 23 countries, close to 1,000 amateur cyclists in ancillary events, and Lifestyle Expos in each city.

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Vittoria Open Pavè EVO CG Clincher

• 250 grams
• 290 tpi casing
• CG file tread pattern
• 100 - 130 psi inflation range
• Corespun Kevlar cotton casing for performance and durability
• 700×24

For anybody that watches the Spring Classics, the Vittoria Open Pavè should look fairly familiar. The green treaded Pavè’s are very popular during the spring classics, and until recently were only offered as tubulars. Vittoria is changing that, and is now offering the Open Pavè in the form of a clincher. Not only that, but they are available in the traditional green tread, or an all new all black tread. The open tubular version of the Pavè is made of the same “hand made” casing and comes in 700×24. These tires add a little bit of girth and a little weight, but in return, they offer the rider a plush, fast, ride. This is key when a rider is riding over anything from rough back country roads to the cobbles of Europe.

We’ve been riding two sets of the Open Pavè since winter and both sets have held up very well. The tires are very supple with their 290tpi casing and are even grippy feeling to the touch. This extra grip helped out greatly during our wet weather riding. Even with spring upon us, I’m still riding the Open Pavès because they ride very well both in bad weather and wet roads or sunny dry roads. The tires feel great rolling over rough roads, and don’t seem to give up much for being a wider tire on smooth flat surfaces. On mountain descents the Open Pavè’s grip impressed us and gave a very confidence inspiring feeling of grip in corners and didn’t slow us down one bit. They have quickly become our choice of winter riding tire.

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Bend, OR – The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team showed their character and spirit this weekend by answering the bell the very next day after learning Friday afternoon that the team’s title sponsor would not be renewing their sponsorship agreement at the end of the season by winning 3 of the 4 races they entered this weekend.

Team Captain Henk Vogels set the tone for the weekend’s action by storming to victory in Saturday nights Gila Criterium sponsored by Scott Nichols Toyota in Silver City, NM. The 43 mile NRC (National Race Calendar) criterium was dominated by the Toyota-United Team, who sent Vogels’ teammate Heath Blackgrove up the rode in an early breakaway with six other riders for the majority of the race. The break never gained more than 30 seconds, and it was Team Bissell who steadily brought the breakaway back since they had no one form their team in the breakaway. This set Toyota-United up perfectly for the end of the race where Chris Wherry dropped a bomb on the back straight away passing the entire Colavita/Sutter Home lead out train, who was trying to set up their start sprinter Alejandro Borrajo for the win. Wherry was followed by Vogels and Jonny Clarke who was on Vogels wheel to ensure Borrajo could not draft Vogels wheel on the final straight away. Vogels came out of the final turn in the lead by two bike lengths over Borrajo as he drove it to the line in his 53 x 11 gear at over 40MPH. “All credit to the boys today, especially Blackgrove, Wherry and Clarke. My role is normally to lead out Dominguez or one of the other sprinters, but today I wanted to show the boys by example that we are the best team and despite the news we received yesterday, we need to keep winning and go get a new sponsor for 2009” said Vogels.

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Southerland, a first-year professional, will have surgery performed on his left leg to repair a constriction in his iliac artery, a problem common in cyclists.

The diagnosis was made last week and solves a mystery that went undiagnosed in previous tests. Southerland has been sidelined since pulling out of Stage 1 of the Redlands Bicycle Classic on April 4.

“Every therapist I’ve seen has said something definitely was not right, but they didn’t know what was wrong,” Southerland said. “It’s been a bit of a mental strain because other than my left leg not working at intensity, I had know idea what the problem was, or when it would be fixed. Getting surgery is a relief in that I now have a time frame, and can set new goals accordingly.”

Performing the surgery will be Dr. Kenneth Cherry, Jr., a vascular surgeon at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, Va. Monday’s operation will place a patch inside the artery to act as a wedge and open it back up to its proper size.

Southerland must remain off the bike for at least six weeks and can essentially do nothing to exercise his cardiovascular system. For someone with Type 1 diabetes, it will be a shock to the system, he said.

“Exercise, next to my rapid acting insulin, Apidra, is my second-best form of blood sugar control,” Southerland said.

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