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!

Uphill Cog Classic : Start / Finish Locations

Starts will be in this order Honey Run, Coutalenc, and Cohasset in these locations :

                                                   here

here

and here

While finish locations will be 

here

here

and here

respectively.

Check out the "more info" section for just that, more info.

Honor to Paris-Roubaix : A couple ways you can honor The Hell of the North too

Yesterday I paid my respects to The Hell of the North in my own way.  For those who don't know, the Hell of the North is a more formally known as Paris-Roubaix and is a cycling road race known for it's many sections of cobbled and muddy roads.  It's taking place today. In fact it might be over by the time you read this but as I said I paid my respects to the race yesterday and you can too. All you need is a handful of this :

yes it's gravel

and one of these 

a driveway

or just the street.

This is how it's done.  Get all dressed up in your cycling clothes. Toss the gravel on the driveway (not to all-over since you're probably going to have to sweep it up).  Climb on your road bike. Ride through the gravel. Hop off the bike and go inside to enjoy the rest of the day!  

The next way takes a little more effort or premeditation.  If you've seen a cobbled driveway or sidewalk near your home then just spin over to it and quickly ride across it so that no one notices that you're trespassing.

 Respects paid to the race and you can go home or enjoy a normal ride.  If you're lucky you might even have a cobbled road (I know there are some in Pittsburgh) or public with cobbled sections.  I don't recommend this second method or trespassing.

Ok so I didn't do either of these but I thought about them as I road.  I did ride through a short section (a mile) of gravel on my ride yesterday.  This is probably the best route to take if you have the time and sturdy tires and wheels.  If you are going to do this just remember to stay seated if you have to do go uphill at all in gravel.  If you stand your rear wheel is very likely to just spin and kick up rocks.  This is bad.  Leave your weight on the seat and suffer.  Better yet don't go uphill at all if you're not into torture.  

On the subject of torture or self torture I have come to the conclusion that cyclists (or any athletes for that matter) are at least a little masochistic.  I actually never thought about this doing any other sport except cycling so I relate this more to cycling than anything else.  Completing a hundred mile ride earlier this year for the first time which included a five mile strip of hilly gravel secured this conclusion in my mind.  When all was done I told my wife I had fun.  And I'm still going back for more.  

I'm going back to bed.  Ride. Watch the Pros suffer today if you can while you rest or at least be amazed by their suffering after the race and all of the pictures of the muddy dirty riders come out.  www.cyclingnews.com is a good place to check out news and pics for cycling.

A Filter, Cough, and Power : How to Have More Energy While You Ride

I've been sick the past few days with a cyclingy nose and a slight sore throat but this has not kept me from riding.  I've mostly just been spinning inside but today I went out and about.  I have this baseless idea that if I exercise myself to death I will in turn make my body uninhabitable for any bacteria or virus that is causing me to feel lousy.  I do know that my sinuses clear up quite nicely by the end of my ride where 'er it may be.  The beginning of each ride though is most uncomfortable as was the case with today.

   I started out and was quickly reminded of my hindrances.  My nose allowing no air in as though clothes pinned shut and my throat felt like it has an air filter in it only it wasn't filtering grime from the air it was filtering air from the grime leaving me wheezing and coughing and grasping for air.  As I was so desperate for air my mouth was gaping open and a wide open mouth dying for air on a warm spring evening while many little friends are out and your traveling at 28-30+mph is a bad combination.  Yes. I got a little friend who should have traveled straight on down the tube stuck in the filter of my throat.  I have no problems swallowing a gnat.  It happens.  In fact racing cyclists on average swallow three to four times more bugs than your average person (just made that up, but it sounds good).  The problem here was that it just did not want to go down or up for that matter.  This left me coughing and hacking and nearly lung chucking for a mile and a half if not more.  All things, it seems, have their purpose.  On this day this gnats purpose was to lead me to discovery.  
   The first discovery was that I can ride with no air for a mile and a half if not more at a fairly slow pace.  The second discovery was that once the gnat went down I felt a better.  This may seem trivial but it has grounds.  You see as I explained to my wife, I was able to ride a bit quicker than usual after swallowing that gnat and the reason being is that I got a tiny shot of protein which boosted my energy for the remainder of the ride.  Do not forget if you need a little oomph during a ride, open your mouth and invite the protein bites to get that energy boost.

On very special occasions I take my favorite treat - a bag of Haribo Gold-Bears.
Interestingly enough the flavors are different in Russia than in the U.S.  This
is and image I think of German vs. U.S. Haribo Gold-Bears.  I don't care where
they're from. They're good. 

  Actually by the time I did get rid of the gnat I was all cleared up and able to ride at my normal pace.  And further more there are lots of good ways to keep your energy level high while riding.  It's called drinking and eating.  I always brink two 28 ounce bottles with me when I ride even if I know I won't be out long. 
I usually fill the bottle with Gatorade since it seems to give me that little extra that water does not i.e. sugar and those lovely electrolytes.  Plus from all the reading I've done it seems that Gatorade keep your body going quite well.  I've actually filled one bottle with a protein drink during a longer race.  I don't know if doing this has any positive research results but it  seemed like a good idea and I felt good during the race.  When your about to leave don't forget to bring that banana or something that will keep your body fueled.  Sometimes a short ride turns into a long one and then when you're towards the end of the ride you'll wish you had that sustenance in your back pocket.

a day late and a chance short : no dream bike for me this year

Bicycling Magazine has a contest each year in which one lucky contestant wins a bike.  The bike can be any of the bikes from their editor's choice edition as long as it's $5,000 or less!

This wasn't one of the options to win but I wouldn't mind spending my time riding one of these Diamondback Podium 7 with Sram Red. Notice the similarities with the bike-trike below.

  Don't mind if I do. I found out about this last year after the contest was over and have been waiting anxiously until now.  Now I will have to anxiously wait another year.  The entries were due yesterday the 8th and of course I remembered about it today the 9th.  Was I unprepared? No. 

   This year the contest was to write a parody in 150 words or less of one of the bloggers/writers for Bicycling.  You were supposed to read his blog and write a parody and you also had to send it in.  I did the reading and the writing but oops like a said it is now a day late.  I'm going to share my parody anyway.  You might have to read his blog to get where it's coming from but it's kind of cute in and by itself.  Here it is unedited (I didn't get around to trying to fix it much). 

Tolik’s Tipsy Trike Troubles

 

I would ride forever, but Ma makes me sleep.  My trike gets at least two miles a day.   I carry my bottle in mouth as I ride.  My parents think it’s cute but it’s necessity.  The walls blur as I spin around the kitchen island.  This is my island.  My cousin comes over sometimes to race but I know my route; each angle and stretch.  I swerve deep into each corner, release wide to maintain speed, drinking as I ride, and dive into another turn.  THUD!  The plastic tire smashes into a cupboard door flinging me into my handlebars and to the floor as my trike topples over.  I don’t feel the pain.  I pick up my bottle and take a sip of juice.  I take a step and collapse.  More juice will be my remedy.  Where did I find this bottle? Oh well, I ride again tomorrow. 

Keep spinning and thinking those cycling thoughts.

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!