Cyclenews' : Top 10 inCycle videos of 2014 - Yelling in a cycling sprint train!

Here are some videos just in case you missed them.  They're all worth a watch but the first one is, in my humble opinion, bar far the most intense and telling of what goes on in the peloton (i.e. my favorite of the bunch and hence the reason I felt like sharing it here).  Check it out below or check it out on cyclingnews' cite.

 I think this shows how much effort goes into keeping a lead out together.  Here, it's for John Degenkolb who I believe is the one with the bandage on his elbow.  Cycling = contact sport. These guys make sure you know where they are.  The talking, that is shouting, going on lets you know how important it is to communicate while riding in a group and on a team.  This is good stuff. Ride on.

About Time I Post This : Links to Watch Cycling

The Tour de France has inspired me to finally post these links that I use when I really want to watch a cycling event.  More specifically the 5th stage of the Tour de France has inspired me.  I'm a fan of the day classics and well the 5th stage is taking it's route through several of the cobbles common to Paris-Roubaix.  GCN (global cycling network) put up a good video on Youtube discussing the cobbles.  There are some slow shots that are pretty telling of the torture the riders bodies will endure.  Anyway back to the links.  If I really want to watch a cycling event I have my go to site.  It's www.cyclingfans.com every now and again there won't be coverage of a race but usually there is.  I was watching Kittel take down Kristoff this morning ( I like Kittel but I would have liked to see Kristoff win) and I'll be watching tomorrow morning as they cross the cobbles!  There is another link that has some cycling for bigger events but is actually a good place to watch most other sporting events and it is www.livetv.ru .  or I guess for all of you non-Russian speakers http://livetv.sx/en/  .   Hope these help.  And I hope everyone can get out and ride!

Chico Stage Race: An Overview

  I've raced before but nothing official until this past weekend.  I raced in the Chico Stage Race.  I'll get to my experience in the 3 stages that I did in another post and maybe a little in this one but first I would like to go over all of the stages in a kind of spectator and/or racer point of view.  For the P 1/2 and 35+ 1/2/3 categories there were four stages and for everyone else there were three (stage one was not included).  I'll brake it down stage by stage.  You can get lots of info on the race at the race's website http://www.chicostagerace.com/

Stage One : Thunderhill Twilight Circuit Race

This was pretty awesome.  I wasn't in the race but I'm sure for the racer's this was a great experience.  Races on motorways seem to be only for the elite so to have this included in the Chico Stage Race may have boosted its chances for growth in future and it may turn the event into a classic in the U.S.   The field was 110 strong for the P 1/2 race!  The crowd didn't seem to be big but that can be thanks to the event being held about 40 minutes outside of Chico in Willows, CA (it took my family about an hour to get there).   There were probably a lot more people there than it appeared becuase of the courses size and the amount of places which the track could be viewed.  Several small bleachers could be found around the track but most people had brought lawn or camping chairs they could take around with them and sit pretty much anywhere along the track.  The race could also be viewed from a skybox which I happened to like besides not being able to take decent pictures through the tinted glass.  Almost the entire track was visible from the skybox.

  With sprint points being given out throughout the race it made for alot of action.  Several riders attempted breakaways but I think the courses nature pretty much drowned out any of those attempts.  It came down to a sprint finish  which was really close, because I couldn't tell who won from where I was standing and I don't think the riders knew either because no one raised their hands in victory.  Good fun, and a great experience.  Part of the reason I wanted to go, besides getting to watch the race, was just being somewhere I'd never been and it was a beautiful place.  The track is set in foothills and right now they are all green. 

  The best part was getting in the car.  Why? Because my three year old son thanked me for taking him to "the bicycle race" or more specifically "Papa...spacibo za to chto ti prines menja na velisopednaja gonka."  I'll tell you what. That made quite a happy person.  He thanked me several times actually.  He watched some of the race but luckily at the track there is a small playground area which made it easier for my wife to watch the kids (she is an amazing woman who let me have fun this past weekend at the races).  Besides having the playground there was lots of room for kids to run willy nilly and not get into any trouble.   Here's a couple videos from youtube of the race and the winner.

Stage Two - Paskenta Hills Road Race

  This is also a course that I think is worthy of making the Chico Stage Race a classic.  Mostly for it's 4 mile strip of gravel which rips apart races.  The higher category races hit the gravel twice since they do two laps which makes this race a 90 miler.   This had even fewer spectators since it's a bit further than circuit race was probably 50 minutes or so from Chico (it took me about an hour and 20 minutes).  This race is also set in foothills so it's pretty though while racing I didn't really look around too much, but I've ridden the course before when I did look around and there are streams and green hills with the cascades as a backdrop (still with some snow caps).  Last time I road here (not in the race and alone) I did a little talking to the livestock out there.  Call me crazy but it's fun to make the animals look your way and image them thinking, "Wh wh What? oh it's a crazy cyclist." There were sheep and goats and horses and cows so I got to make many farm animal sounds! You may think of stink when I mention all of the animals but none of them were close to each other.  Lots of open pasture for the animals to roam with a road running through it for cyclists to ride and race.  

   Back to the race.   Once there there was plenty of parking and space to warm up on your trainer or even ride around a bit.  The local elementary school was putting on a fundraiser with a spaghetti feed for any tired and drained riders.  The race course is pretty simple.  About twenty miles of flatness and then a bit more than twenty miles of mostly rollers where there is more up than down and don't forget the four miles of gravel (which is also rollers) towards the end of the lap.  The finish is pretty flat with a slight up hill at the very end which could make for a decent sprint finish but I didn't see one so I couldn't tell you how interesting it is and I don't think there were any mass finishes anyway. 

  I didn't bring the family out to this one because there's not much out there for little kids.  It's a very small town and the few times I've been out there I didn't see any playgrounds or anything so not much to do unless you are old enough to enjoy just being outside and waiting, longing, yearning to see, after almost two hours, a cyclist or if your lucky a whole group! Not good for watching, but definately fun and challenging to ride.  Here's a couple of videos one is really long (about and hour) but most of the rollers and all of the gravel on the course and the other is the P 1/2 winner.

 

Stage Three : River Road Time Trial

There's not too much to explain for the time trial other than it's just about as flat as you can ask for and has two easy right hand turns.  When I say easy I mean there's no need to get out of your tuck for the turns.  The pavement is decent.  It's not ideal but the road is definitely not bad.  I saw a few bikes that had flatted during my tt.  Riders were let off in 30 second increments throughout the day.  If you wanted to see screaming fast bikes with huge price tags then this was the place to hang out.  It was only a bit over a mile away from the downtown criterium so most everyone road there bike to the start and back to the criterium from the finish since most of the parking is downtown.   Here's a video of what I'm pretty sure is the P 1/2 riders.




Stage Four : Chico Downtown Criterium

 This one is for everybody.  In that there are a lot of people to come out and watch.  One of the main events is the kid's races!  I didn't get to watch all of them since my race had just finished but I know they had several different races for different age groups and I know that it was really cute.  I could see the younger kids all lined up across the road from a distance and it was quite the site.  The crit could be viewed from anywhere on the course since it's located in downtown Chico which also means that there are quite a few places you can choose from to eat.  From a viewers perspective there is one thing you need to be aware of.  My brother and I were talking before my race when he says," what's that smell?"  He was right it smelled bad.  We had stopped in front of a pair of benches.  He answered his own question,"Oh, yeah this is where the bums hang out."  It is true.  The park area in the center of the downtown criterium course is where the homeless/vagrants, whatever you want to call them spend a lot of time whether it be just sitting, or sleeping but worst of all using the bushes as their personal toilets.  Just a note to be aware of.  Better to stay around the perimeter of the course or close to the sidewalk on the inner part of the course.  
  With all of the primes being handed out, keeping the racing lively, and the larger crowds the crits were the most exciting part of the stage race.  One of the best moments was probably seeing Garrett Marking, a local rider who's only 15, win the Cat 3 crit.  It was simply great racing by him and his team (Limitless Cycling).  Garrett got into a 3 man break early and held it well over half of the race when they were swallowed up.  Another Limitless Cycling member counter attacked keeping the pace high.  I think the most impressive part came with three to go.  I believe a Team Audi rider was in a solo break and on this third to last lap the peloton caught and Garrett broke away.  He was able to hold on to the finish where he raised his hands up in victory and gave a few punches to the sky and of course the crowd loved it.  After the race I overheard several riders who were in the cat. 3 race talking about how they were pushing the pace but could not keep up with him (Garrett) and were stunned to find out he was only 15. Here's a link to Garrett crossing the line http://instagram.com/p/l5r-8SNQoG/ .  
   The course itself is a good one which I would consider fairly difficult though my only experience doing crits prior to this one were on fairly rectangular courses.  It is an L shaped course  with 6 90degree turns.  The finish line was pretty close to the last corner so pretty much anyone who came into that final turn holding pretty good speed took the win.  I think the pro 1/2 winner talks about it a little after his win.  Here is a video of that (P 1/2 winner) and of cat 4 45+ race.  It's the whole race but you can see the course.




The conclusion here is that this race is getting bigger and better.  It has all of the elements to attract bigger teams and better riders.  The courses are great and a couple of them are ideal for spectators.  I'm already looking forward to doing this one again next year.  And... the overall winners (P 1/2) were... I don't know.  You'll have to look it up.  Cruel maybe to those who really want to know but they were all from the same team - Optum Pro Cycling (who also won the team competition). Pretty sure two of the top three are Routley and Friedman from the videos above.

Keep Spinning!

It'll Make You Laugh! - Video

Saw this a few weeks ago.  My sister-in-law sent it to me and I'm glad she did because we got some good laughs over it.  I'm sure you will too! Enjoy. 

Sure in my Cycling Novicehood

  Yesterday my brother and I went for a ride and on this ride I was reassured that I am a beginner cyclist.  Luckily I'm able to laugh off these uncomfortable and pride crippling situations.  We had made it 20 miles or so through our ride when my brother noticed he had a flat tire.  I was behind him so I noticed he was slowing down.   I slowed down as well and as he got off his bike he said, "I've got a flat... and you're.... falling of your bike."  Yes it was true, I was falling off my bike.  What happened?  Well I almost always, no, always unclip my left foot and get off my bike to the left.  Here there was not and option for that since it meant going into the road and I'd pulled to the right of my brother.  I unclipped my right foot and took mental note that I had to get off my bike on the ride side but I think my body naturally leans left now and well I leaned left and timber.  Down I went.  My bro. broke my fall for the most part.  No blood or even torn skin on the road, just some pieces of my pride were left behind.  This hasn't happened to me in a very long time but it should definately keep me aware of how much of a begginer I really am.   Besides falling off my bike I was able to give my brother all that he needed to fix his flat since he wasn't with a saddle bag and I was.   We went on our way and as we went I got a few chuckles out of the way he said I was falling off my bike.   The moral of this story is to be prepared to stop getting off either side of your bike.  Here's a short video of some pro cyclist falls.  Most of which I'd never seen.  Even the pros fall just not like me.  But we do have the same attitude in common.  We get back up and spin on. 

Nice little video I came across

Bakersfield Ride

So I went for two rides in the three days that I was in Bakersfield.  They were both quite refreshing since I didn't push the pace at all.  Just explored some unmapped territory (to me anyway).  Though I grew up and lived in Bakersfield most of my life, I only rode on the Kern River Parkway Bike Trail once and that was when I was well... riding a single speed 16 inch wheeled bike with training wheels pedaling a mile a minute to keep up with my Dad and older brother.   The bike path since then I believe has grown quite a bit along with the city.   I believe it boasts something like 30 miles of traffic free riding!!  But the bike path was saved for the second ride and this is about the first ride I took.  I kept this ride relatively close to home which is ok because the only hilly part of Bakersfield is around where my parents live.  The only nice part is that the AMGEN Tour of California has come through Bakersfield several times, most recently in 2012 where they held a Time Trial.  It's cool that the race was held in Bakersfield, but what is even better is knowing that I was able to ride the same roads as professional cyclists like Tejay van Garderen.  I didn't do the same course that they did, only part of it with the the biggest decent and acent.
 
Here's a video of the route they took.   Even though I didn't do the whole route that they did I would like to the next time I'm in Bakersfield.  I like taking existing routes and using them (as well as making up my own routes).  Before my brother and I started riding last year we did a little research to see where the local races took and take place so we could get a taste for what we were getting in to.  I would recommend this to everyone.  Strava is a good place to do this, but it's also a good idea to look up races that have taken place in your area.  I'm sure if you just search in google "cycling race in..(your area)" you'll come up with something.  There is always a chance you don't come up with something but then you get to do some exploring, check out a map and go on an adventure.   On this morning when I did this short 15 mile ride I found a new (to me) trail that I didn't know was there.  When I was done I told my Dad about it and he in turn told me about part of the Kern River Parkway Bike Trail that I was unaware of.  So the key here is research, get out, ride and have fun! 

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you can check out the full article here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2401156/Eat-heart-Chris-Hoy-Amateur-cyclist-reaches-speeds-80MPH-handmade-bicycle.html