H2O Overdrive Triple Crown-Bonelli Park Pre View

On the eve of the inaugural H2O Overdrive Triple Crown opener at Bonelli Park, things are shaping up to be a fantastic event.

Start of the 2009 Bonelli US Cup cross country event this season will include a short track and Super-D

The US Cup staff has been putting in the final touches on what has been hundred of man hours of re designing the Bonelli Park course.

Sunny skies and mild temps are on tap for the weekend, as the snow-capped San Gabriel’s set a perfect back drop to the Southern California venue.

Pro XC Course: The H2O Overdrive Pro cross country course features a four mile loop, with six hundred plus feet of climbing per lap. There will be the addition of a special start loop used on the first lap only, to let the pack sort itself out, and hopefully help alleviate the all too often bottle neck, and subsequent hike-a-bike that follows.

New singletrack, bridge crossings, steep punchy climbs and shaded switchbacks should be a welcomed site for riders and spectators, a far cry from the normal dusty fire roads that most people associate with a Southern California urban venue.

Rocky climb with dual racing lines

Pro men will do six laps, and women are slated for 5. The course is expected to get faster over the weekend, as the course packs down and dry’s out from the recent rains. Lap times look to be in the 15-17 minute range, making for a very spectator and media friendly course.

The players: In only its first year, the H2O Overdrive Triple Crown is drawing some of the world’s top tier talent, with riders like World Cup winner Geoff Kabush and Silver World Medalist Lene Byberg slated to attend. Both Kabush and Byberg will have heavy competition, as the men and women both go for a potential $20,000 dollar combined pro purse.

Other notables include Sho-Air/Specialized riders Sid Taberlay, Max Plaxton, Tad Elliot and Manny Prado. Gary Fisher/Subaru sends out Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Sam Schultz and Heather Irmiger, who were voted North American team of the year for 2009. The Kona team sends out Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks, and Specialized Factory rider Todd Wells is expected to be in the mix all weekend as well. Canada’s Adam Morka makes the trip down to test his early season form, as well as a host of the nation’s fastest men and women racers. The 2009 Bonelli event was won by Krista Park (Incycle/Cannondale) and Sid Taberlay.

The format: Saturday will be the H2O Overdrive XC race, while Sunday the riders will complete the Triple Crown event with a Short Track race and a Super D TT that will crown the first winner of the season.

Singletrack on the backside of the course. The San Gabriel mountains can be seen in the background

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News Flash -- 2010 24 Hour National Championship Venue Announced

USA Cycling has officially announced that the 2010 24 Hour National Championships will be held at 24 Hours of Moab on October 9-10.

The USA Cycling 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championships were originally scheduled to take place alongside the 24-Hours of Big Bear in Hazelton, W. Va., June 12-13. However, due to financial concerns, 24-Hour Race Series promoter Laird Knight cancelled the 2010 edition of the West Virginia race.

In its second year being hosted by the 24-Hours of Moab, the USA Cycling 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championships will award national titles in fifteen different categories: Male and Female Solo, Single speed, Duo, 4-person team, Junior 4-person team, Master 4-person team 35+, Master 4-person team 45+, as well as Mixed Duo.

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Help Yeti Betis, Buy a Coffee Mug/ Felt Extends Support of Mafia Racing

Team Yeti Beti, an all women's mountain bike race team based in Lakewood, CO, is selling swanky travel mugs as a fundraiser for the team. Unlike selling Girl Scout cookies, the mugs will not only last more than a day, they will bring a smile to your face every morning. They are great enhancement to your caffeinated (or decaffeinated) morning. The mugs are stainless steel inside and out, double insulated wall, with an additional rubber grip for those slippery mornings.

Swanky!

All team funds are distributed equally among the 10 riders to help subsidize the cost of racing.

Get yours today and thank you for the support!
www.yetibeti.com under "Events"

Team Yeti Beti

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Colorado-based off-road team strengthens its roster with new national-level talent

Felt Bicycles is proud to announce it is continuing its sponsorship of the Mafia Racing off-road team in 2010. The Colorado-based Mafia Racing program started in 2007 and has grown each year to extend its reach to the national level while still remaining true to its grassroots community-based focus.

Joining the Mafia team this year are former Under-23 National Champion Sam Jurekovic of Colorado and three-time Utah State Cross-country champion Kathy Sherwin. Also new to the team this year is Tristan Schouten, a versatile road and cross-country rider and also a standout cyclocross racer, winning the 2010 Wisconsin state cyclo-cross champion and placing top-10 at the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross’ Planet Bike Cup.

Returning to Mafia Racing in 2010 is Becca Blay, who had a strong 2009 season, finishing fourth in the Mountain States Cup and finishing in the top-20 at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Nationals in Granby, Colorado, last summer. Also back with the team is Jake Wells, whose strong 2009 cyclo-cross season culminated with a 12th place finish at the U.S. National Championships in Bend, Oregon. And finally, Seth Wealing will continue representing Mafia at XTERRA competitions. Wealing is a perennial favorite and former national champion in the off-road multisport competition series.

“We’re excited to be continuing our support of the Mafia Racing program in 2010,” said Jim Felt, the company namesake of Felt Bicycles. “It’s a unique program that accomplishes a lot with both its racing results and its community outreach efforts. Felt shares those same values, and this continues to be a great partnership.”

Mafia Racing athletes will compete on a variety of Felt mountain bikes and cyclo-cross bikes in 2010, including Nine series cross-country bikes, which set the standard in competitive 29-inch-wheel hardtails. They’ll also race the Virtue series full-suspension bikes, featuring Felt’s award-winning Equilink rear suspension, and the FX series cyclo-cross bikes.

“The goal of the Mafia Racing program is to inspire individuals to become more active in their communities,” said team director David Janowiec. “To reach out to people wherever we go and inspire them to incorporate health, the arts, culture, sustainability and creativity into their lives.”

Other Mafia Racing team partners include Pabst Blue Ribbon, Shimano, DT Swiss, Pearl Izumi, Skull Candy, Silverback Music, Nooka, GoFast, GU Sports, Nuun, Squirt Lube, Rudy Project, The TopShelf Lab, and Human Movement Management.

2010 MAFIA RACING PRO ROSTER
Andy Rigel (Seattle, WA), cross-country
Becca Blay (Boulder, CO), cross-country, cyclocross
Bradford Perley (Banner Elk, NC), cross-country, cyclocross
Dylan Stucki (Gunnison, CO), cross-country
Jake Wells (Avon, CO), cross-country, cyclocross
Jan Koles (Winter Park, CO), road, cross-country, cyclocross
Jared Berg (Louisville, CO), cross-country
Kari Studley (Bothell, WA), cross-country, cyclocross
Kate Scheider (Boulder, CO), road, cross-country, cyclocross
Kathy Sherwin (Heber City, UT), cross-country
Lindsey Bishop (Boulder, CO), road, cross-country, cyclocross
Meghan Korol (Madison, WI), cross-country, super-d, cyclocross
Sam Jurekovic (Jackson Hole, WY), cross-country
Seth Wealing (Boulder, CO), Xterra triathlon, cross-country
Spencer Powlison (Boulder, CO), cross-country, super-d, cyclocross
Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, WA), cross-country
Trevor Downing (Durango, CO), cross-country
Tristan Schouten (Plymouth, WI), road, cross-country, cyclocross

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News Flash: 24 Hour National Championships in West Virginia Cancelled for 2010

This year's 24 Hour National Championship was scheduled to be held June 12-13 in Big Bear, West Virginia. The National Championships was to be held in conjunction with the 24 Hours of Big Bear, a race promoted by Granny Gear Productions.

Spokes Magazine is reporting that Granny Gear director Laird Knight has decided to cancel this year's race siting difficulties obtaining sponsorship and low attendance at the West Virginia event.

Josh Tostado on the podium at the 24 Hours of Moab

The 2009 24 Hour National Championships were held in Moab, Utah as part of the 24 Hours of Moab, also a Granny Gear event. The Moab race was chosen only after the original venue in Payson, Arizona was cancelled in February of that year. The 2009 National Championship was won by Colorado racers Josh Tostado and Eszter Horanyi.

Does this mean the '10 National Championship will once again be held in Moab? It is still unknown. After the previous year's last minute rescheduling, USA Cycling seems to have allied itself with Granny Gear Productions to host it's National Championship event. Because Knight has chosen to cancel the West Virginia event and 24 Hour of Nine Mile in Wisconsin, Moab seems to be the last resort. Check back with MTB Race News for the latest information from USA Cycling and more breaking news.

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Question: Alison, throughout your career you have been great at peaking for the big races whether it's National Champions or the Worlds. How can I time my fitness to peak at just the right time?

Peaking for the Big Race

Being able to peak for the “big race” is one of the hardest things to do in cycling. Even after 20 years of racing I still had races that didn’t go well after doing everything perfectly to get ready. There are things you can do, however, to improve your chances of having that “perfect” day at the most important race of the season.

Peaking for a race begins months earlier in the off-season. This is the time when athletes sit down and plan out their entire race season. Most cyclists know that they can’t physically race at their best from March through September, so most will prioritize their races by order of importance. Once a rider has established which races are the most important, she can then build her schedule around those particular events.

Designing a training schedule that brings you to your most important race in peak form takes years of experience and a little luck. Based on what kind of race you are peaking for, you’ll want to design your training so that the month before you’re doing the most race specific training possible; workouts that are most similar to the kind of race you’re doing. For example, if you are peaking for the Cyclocross National Championships in December, it doesn’t make sense to do 4hr endurance rides the month before your race. You instead need to be doing lots of short intense anaerobic power workouts.

It is also important to reach your peak event in not only super fantastic race shape, but rested and mentally motivated. You can use something called a “taper” in the weeks leading up to your big event. A taper is a way to maintain intensity and peak race fitness, while allowing your body to rest and recover at the same time. A taper typically lasts 1-2 weeks, depending on the athlete. In a taper the intensity stays high, but the volume goes way down. You can still do high intensity workouts leading up to your big race, but don’t add any extra mileage during your taper. You are basically doing short interval workouts and nothing else other than recovery rides. And skip the big weekend group rides as well during your taper.

The last two days before your event are the most important and can also be the most challenging. In these two days you need to make sure you are 100% rested, but also 100% opened up and ready to race. If you’ve had a few easy days leading up to your event, it is super important to get the legs “opened up” before your race. Pre-race openers can be done 1-2 days before your event and involve maybe some tempo riding and then some short, high intensity efforts. If you are doing a mountain bike or cyclocross race, your pre-race openers can be done on the course.

On race day it is super important to get a good solid warm-up before your event. I recommend doing a combination of endurance and tempo and then finish with some short high intensity efforts as close to the start as possible. In general, the longer your event, the shorter and less intense your warm-up needs to be. For example, if you are warming up for a 24hr solo race, it doesn’t make sense to do a bunch of vo2 intervals.

We all know there is a lot more that goes into having a good race than just fitness. There can be crashes, weather, and mechanicals that unfortunately affect the outcome. Coming into your most important race in peak fitness will give you the confidence to handle not only the physical stress of the race, but any unexpected bad luck that might derail your effort. When you cross the finish line you want to know that you did absolutely everything possible to have your best day. Don’t have any doubts or “what ifs”. The athlete that wins the big one is the athlete that is the most prepared.

Good luck and happy trails!

Alison

Alison Dunlap is a certified Level II USAC Coach and has been working with athletes for five years. She runs a coaching business called Alison Dunlap Coaching, and has mountain bike camps in Moab, UT through the Alison Dunlap Adventure Camps. Alison is also a two-time Olympian, MTB World Champion, and 13-time National Champion.

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Results, Report, and Photos -- Intermountain Cup #1: St. George, Utah

Once again the threatening early forecast for this weekend’s race failed to materialize. Fortunately, some of the most exciting racing in Utah Intermountain Cup history blew in just as predicted.

Men's podium Alex Grant, Burke Swindelhurst, Bart Gillespie, and Chris Holley (left to right) 4th place Rob Squire not pictured

Large fields were the norm for all categories with the Pro men boasting an impressive field 33 strong. The Pro women put 8 of the fastest women in Utah on the start line.

The women’s event started with a burst from top-ranked national rider Kathy Sherwin (Mafia Racing). In normal fashion Sherwin powered to the front and pulled the group along the opening road and toward the first technical climb of the day.
Once into the technical climbing, Lynda Wallenfels (LW Coaching) took a shot at the lead.Once out front the 24-Hour Singlespeed National Champion used her finely tuned handling skills to open up some breathing room on the group.

Sherwin stayed strong in second place with KC Holley (Gary Fisher 29er Crew), Sarah Kaufmann (Titus/Roaring Mouse), and Jen Hanks (Revolution/Peak Fastners) battling behind.

Throughout the 6-mile rock-strewn course, Wallenfels continued to put time between her and her nearest challengers. On her final lap the LW Coaching rider could be heard encouraging the other racers on the course as she passed at one point making her way past several of the Pro men who started minutes in front.

By the finish Wallenfels was 5 minutes clear of the field with Sherwin crossing the line comfortably in second. Third place went to KC Holley who used technical climbing skills to hold off Kaufmann who stayed close by powering through the open sections of the trail. At the finish the two riders were separated by less than 30 seconds. Jen Hanks crossed the line in fifth less than a minute behind Kaufmann.

Sarah Kaufmann, Kathy Sherwin, Lynda Wallenfels, KC Holley, and Jen Hanks (left to right)

The men’s event may have been a coming of age of sorts for Pro MTB racing in Utah. After years of slowly growing fields and deeper talent this weekend’s race was the pinnacle of that progress. Thirty-three of the state’s top riders took the start with names like Alex Grant (Cannondale), Bart Gillespie (Cannondale), Rob Squire (Jamis), Jason Sager (Jamis), Adam Snyder (Jamis), Burke Swindelhurst (Team Give), and Chris Holley (Gary Fisher 29er Crew), all vying for the top spot.

From the start it looked to be a show down between the Jamis and Cannondale teams. Adam Snyder led into the opening singletrack with his teammates Sager and Rob Squire close behind. Grant and Gillespie from Cannondale were still in the mix and quickly took the lead establishing themselves at the front of the pack.

Grant and Gillespie worked at the front getting clear by 20 seconds. On the second lap Snyder fell victim to mechanical while Squire and Swindlehurst stayed close to the leaders.

By the third lap of four, Swindelhurst had bridged to the leaders and launched an attack on the final section of doubletrack climb on the lap. Grant and Gillespie closed back down on the new race leader in the technical descent ending the third lap.
Again on the flat doubletrack Swindelhurst attacked again. This time the Cannondale duo couldn’t respond. Swindelhurst had too much speed in his legs and he held his gap through the final lap crossing the line 20 seconds ahead of Grant.

Gillespie took third just 15 seconds behind his teammate. 19 year-old wunderkid Rob Squire picked up right where he left off last season. Squire rode a strong race taking fourth just 38 seconds behind the veteran Gillespie.

Gary Fisher rider Chris Holley proved once again that you don’t have to have a great start to finish on the podium. After the opening road section Holley was toward the end of the 30-plus rider field. He battled throughout the race slowly making his way all the way to fifth by the finish.

Race Notes

The large turn out and fast course led to tremendous frustration among the racers as over 200 riders were battling on course at the same time. “It was really frustrating” commented Cannondale rider Alex Grant, “ we spent most of the race off the side of the course trying to pass people.” Indeed, many of the racers were disappointed with the conditions on course saying they were either passing lapped traffic or being passed all throughout the race.

Results

Pro Men

1, Burke Swindelhurst (Team Give) 1.43.46
2, Alex Grant (Cannondale) 1.44.06
3, Bart Gillespie (Cannondale) 1.44.21
4, Rob Squire (Jamis) 1.44.59
5, Chris Holley (Gray Fisher 29er Crew) 1.45.59
6, Jason Sager (Jamis)
7, Tom Bender (Kuhl/Specialized)
8, Scott Allen (Canyon Cycles)
9, Jake Pantone (Edge)
10, Rich Abbott (Rveolution/Peak Fasteners)
11, Kevin Day (Kuhl/Specialized)
12, Brent Steinberg (Gary Fisher 29er Crew)
13, Mitchell Peterson (Cannondale)
14, Dylan Cirulis
15, Geoff Montague
16, Danny Van Wagner
17, Zac Ramras (Ski Utah)
18, Dan Nelson (Racers Cycle Service)
19, Matt Ohran (Cannondale)
20, Shannon Boffeli (i Ride Adventures/MTB Race News.com)
21, Keegan Swenson (Cole Sport)
22, Brent Pontius
23, Taylor Foss
24, Brandon Firth
25, Ryan Krusemark
26, Tanner Cottle
27, Reed Wycoff
DNF Brian Tolbert
DNF Adam Snyder

Pro Women

1, Lynda Wallenfels (LW Coaching) 1.25.35
2, Kathy Sherwin (Mafia Cycles) 1.30.17
3, KC Holley (Gary Fisher 29er Crew) 1.34.14
4, Sarah Kaufmann (Titus/ Roaring Mouse) 1.34.38
5, Jen Hanks (Revolution/Peak Fasteners) 1.35.27
6, Joey Lythgoe (Kuhl/Specialized)
7, Erika Powers (Revolution/Peak Fasteners)

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Not So Fast with Brian Hester

After 6 Weeks My First Race Is Here

19 Sports located at the Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah

For the past 6 weeks I have been training with the folks at 19 Sports in an attempt to turn my whoa into go. For those who didn’t read the first installment of this series, 19 Sports www.nineteensports.com offers 8-week classes on a Computrainer with the goal of increasing power and overall fitness. In addition to the classes, the 19 Sports team set me up with a training schedule that details each day’s efforts on and off the bike.

The month of February was scheduled to get me ready for the Intermountain Cup season opener this weekend in St George, Utah. On average, I spent around 12.5 hours a week riding, hiking, running, playing racquetball, weight lifting, and even some yoga. My training plan had me doing easy days, moderate days with a few hard efforts, and impossibly hard days.

There is no coasting on the Computrainer

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I attended 70-minute Computrainer classes at 19 Sports. Each class focuses on a different type of riding. My favorite (said with heavy sarcasm) is the slow cadence riding in a huge gear with increasing tension from the Computrainer. It’s designed to build muscle and power in my legs. After an hour and three hard intervals my legs felt like bricks. All of the classes were hard. 19 Sports claims a 70-minute class is like riding outside for 2.5 hours. No doubt it’s hard, but I don’t think it’s quite that difficult. I usually rode outside for an hour or two after the class.

Is all this work paying off? I retook the 40-minute initial test and my watts have improved from an average of 189 to 223 or about 15% better. I must be doing something right but I won’t know for sure until race day. Check back to see if I can keep up with the 30-39 experts on Saturday.

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The Virginia Off Road Series vs. Mother Nature/Training Tips From Racing Superstar Sue Haywood

Last week, The Virginia Off Road Series race at Camp Hilbert, March 7th, was postponed due to the rough winter Virginia has experienced. After much thought, the decision was based on the current trail conditions at the venue and to give athletes adequate notice. The new date for Camp Hilbert will be April 11, 2010. All registrations will be moved to the new date.



The Virginia Off Road Series will kick off on March 28 at the Blue Ridge School’s ‘Ride the Ridge’. This event is known for its challenging ascents/descents. Ride the Ridge is more than a tough race. It’s also for a great cause. All proceeds from Ride the Ridge go to benefit the World Bicycle Relief. So get ready to race, the startline is getting closer all the time!

Don’t let Mother Nature believe she won this one. VORS doesn’t give up easily. We have recently announced the VORS PayDirt Program. PayDirt gives competitors the ability to earn VORS points while working on our trails around the state. Trail Advocacy groups around the state are encouraged to contact us with their projects. This weekend, CAMBC (Charlottesville) will be offering two days of trailwork projects around the Charlottesville area. Stop by the Virginia Off Road Series website for all the details on the PayDirt Program. So Mother Nature thinks she got us. She’s wrong. Mother Nature has created more ways for VORS athletes to score points!

One last incredible announcement: Sue Haywood ‘Year of the Tigress’!


One of the all-time best female mountain bikers (seen here on the top of the '09 Shenandoah 100 podium) has written a column for the Virginia Off Road Series. Haywood's column gives female athletes insight for better training and motivation. Her new column was just released today. Her words will put a little more motivation into all our pedal strokes! Click Here to read Sue Haywood's "Year of the Tigress" column.

Woody Elliott
Director
-The Virginia Off Road Series-

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Question: I am doing a 24 hour solo race and am hoping to be competitive. How should I pace myself?

Answer: Oooh, this is a big thorny question! 24 hours is a long time to be racing your bike, and the answer to this question contains more than 24 hours worth of variables. The accurate pacing plan depends on race day/night weather, course profile, training and personal limiters.

For example, in a summer 24 hour race when it is hot during the day and cooler at night, it is best to put more effort into riding after sunset when the heat stress is lower. For a winter 24 hour event such as 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo this is not a variable to consider when formulating your pacing plan.

A 24 hour solo mountain bike race pacing plan is best broken down into five segments. It is easier to focus on distinct blocks of time as opposed to one full 24-hour chunk of time.

The Le Mans Start:
24 hour solo mountain bike races start with a Le Mans style run of about 800 yards to your bike. The race is never won on the run, but it definitely can be lost. Pacing the run is all about risk management.

If you haven’t run a lick in training, run at an easy pace with short frequent strides – kind of like pedaling on your feet! Taking long fast running strides and slapping your feet down without any training to do so will tear muscle fibers and create soreness in your legs. This will haunt you for the next 24 hours and may even create a DNF-causing injury. If you have been running short fast bursts in training, stage at the front and run fast.

Noon Start Time to 2 pm:
The next most crucial pacing period is the noon start time to around 2pm. You will have more than enough speed, motivation and energy on tap to over-pace. You need ‘governors’ in place – things to slow you down and keep the pace in check. The solo racer who comes in first place off the first lap is often also high up on the DNF list.

Use a power meter or heart rate monitor to pace yourself. Start the first couple of race laps in heart rate zone 2-3 (or with normalized power near 0.7 Intensity Factor (IF), or about 70% of functional threshold power). A power level and heart rate zone calculator can be found here.

Also, pace yourself by Perceived Exertion (PE). During the first 2 hours of the race, spin uphill in your granny gear, ride one gear easier than you feel you can on the flats, keep your breathing level quiet and ride with no burn in your legs.

2 pm to Sunset:
Keep your heart rate mostly in zone 2, and normalized power in the 0.7 IF range. Aim for even-paced lap splits. Chip away at the lap count at a comfortable PE.

Sunset to Dawn:
At the 6-7 hour mark in a 24 hour solo, heart rate becomes depressed with fatigue and natural circadian rhythm. Allow your heart rate to drop. Fighting to keep your heart rate up after sunset will lead to over-pacing. Lap splits and PE become the key pacing tools after sunset. Keep lap splits as tight and consistent as possible. Keep PE in a comfortable range. No drilling it yet!

Keep pit stops short to avoid cooling down and resist the temptation to crawl into your sleeping bag during the “witching hours”.

Dawn to Finish:
Dawn to finish is the time to spend what you have left. If you are in survival mode, keep it steady, manage problems that have appeared, and stay on the course for as long as possible. Placing is often determined by laps at this point. One more lap can bump you up ten places in the standings. Use the mantra “a slow lap is better than no lap”.

Ideally, you have paced and fueled the first 18 hours accurately. Dawn is the time to start spending big and pick up the pace. Ride faster, bring your heart rate back up and drop your lap split times. Push the pace a little past your comfort level and ride as fast as you can to the finish!

Below is a heart rate file from a beautifully paced 24-hour solo mountain bike race. This athlete finished on the podium.

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Product Review: Mountain Smith's Bike Cube Deluxe

written by: Kevin Day (K-Day Racing.com)

I would dare say that my bag and pack obsession rivals SDAY’s (Mrs. K-Day Racing), but Shan’s are generally a bit different in both form and function. I’m always looking for something nice that fits on my back rather than over my shoulder or if does go over the shoulder, it needs to hold at least a weeks worth of cycling clothing and accessories. That being said, KDAY Racing will now be sporting the Bike Cube Deluxe, at every cycling related event.

Mountain Smith isn’t known for their cycling related packs but this one should put em on the map. I’ve never found a more perfect bag that not only holds a large volume of clothing, but has more than a handful of pockets and compartments for all the extras you pack along to your events.



The Bike Cube Deluxe has three main compartments, two of which are specked with a heavy duty mesh on the top side that allows wet items the ability to vent. A large changing mat is stored in a fourth compartment/pocket located on the back-side of the bag which proves to be extremely valuable when you’re slipping on some shoes and socks and you don’t want to stand in the dirt or on the hot pavement.

Within each compartment are more pockets and dividers that help to allow even better organization. Spots for extra food, gels, bottles. You name it. There’s even a sleeve that holds a roll-up tool pouch that comes with the Cube.

At 56 L. the Bike Cube Deluxe so far has been the pack-all of all my bags. It’s especially nice for those days when you’re just not sure how much clothing you’ll need to bring for your afternoon ride. When in doubt, bring everything. And the Bike Cube Deluxe can handle it.

You can purchase the Bike Cube Deluxe on Mountain Smith’s website or many other online retailers. Check it out here. If you’re a team manager you may want to consider snagging some of these and having them custom embroidered. Not a bad way to show up to any race or event.

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US Cup West #1: Sagebrush Safari

Sawicki and Taberlay start off the 2010 US Cup season with wins

Pro Men's Podium: Vincent Lombardi, Jeremiah Bishop, Sid Taberlay, Manuel Prado, and Dana Weber (left to right) Photo courtesy of Manuel Prado

1, Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air/Specialized) 2.00.20
2, Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale Factory Racing) 2.02.59
3, Manuel Prado (Sho-Air/Specialized) 2.07.31
4, Vincent Lombardi (Velosport) 2.08.02
5, Dana Weber (Trek/World Bicycle Relief) 2.08.06
6, Adam Snyder (Jamis Bikes) 2.08.07
7, Romolo Forcino (Bear Valley Bikes) 2.08.17
8, Miguel Valdez 2.10.03
9, Menso De Jong (Santa Cruz Bicycles) 2.12.05
10, Jason Siegle (Bike Religion) 2.14.42
11, Doug Johnson
12, Charles Jenkins
13, Sean Donovan
14, Dezmin Wilder
15, John Nobil
16, Paul Freiwald
17, Tsering Alleyne
18, Matthew Connors
19, Eric Biermann
20, Alex Boone
21, Robert Herber
22, Ryan Clark
23, Tom Koerner
24, Chris Heinrich
25, Noah Holcomb
26, Matt Freeman
27, Derek Hermon

Pro Women

1, Pua Sawicki (Okolestuff.com) 2.17.03
2, Allison Mann (Rock 'n Road Cycling) 2.26.30
3, Rebecca Tomaszewski (Niner/Ergon) 2.42.21
4, Anna Fortner (Team Socal Cross) 2.49.08
5, Dorothy Wong (Team Socal Cross) 3.16.10

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Online registration is now open for the Beti Bike Bash. On June 12, 2010, women of all ages and abilities will converge at Bear Creek Lake Park in Lakewood, Colorado to take part in a little piece of mountain biking history.

Hosted by Yeti Beti with the support of Yeti Cycles and Bigfoot Productions, the first ever women's only event will offer several races for all ages and abilities. Whether you are a first time racer or a seasoned professional, this event is truly for everyone. The five-mile, non-technical, singletrack loop, with views of the surrounding Red Rocks Park, will see beginners, sports, and elites race two, three and four laps respectively. There will also be a three-woman relay fun race for those who want to experience the camaraderie of a mountain bike race with their friends.



"Mountain bike races are intimidating for beginner women for several reasons," said Sarah Rawley, Bigfoot Productions public relations and Team Yeti Beti rider, "Steep climbs, rocky descents, high altitude, and often you are gone all day from your family. We wanted to break down those barriers and offer something that any woman who rides would enjoy. With Bear Creek's close proximity to Denver and great trail system, it was a perfect venue for an event like this."

For more detailed event information and registration, please visit www.betibikebash.com.

For event sponsorship opportunities, please email betibikebash@gmail.com.

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