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Wheels of Justice Rides to Prevent Childhood Trauma and Abuse

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Wheels of Justice Rides to Prevent Childhood Trauma and Abuse

Wheels of Justice Rides to Make a Difference

By Gregory N. Hoole, Sean D. Reyes, and Sim Gill

One in five children in Utah will be sexually abused before they turn 18. One in five. Child sex abuse alone costs Utah taxpayers $1 billion annually. And, these numbers do not include the victims of the child sex trade, nor do they say anything about the many other forms of childhood trauma, such as physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, as well as child sex trafficking. Wheels of Justice is committed to doing something about this.

Wheels of Justice

Wheels of Justice is a Utah-based cycling club dedicated to ending all forms of childhood trauma. Wheels of Justice welcomes all types of riders (roadies, mountain bikers, triathletes, commuters, casual riders, etc.) and even non-riders to its team. A nonprofit corporation, it raises money and awareness and provides limited pro bono legal services to support four outstanding organizations making a difference in our community: Prevent Child Abuse Utah (“PCAU”), Friends of the Salt Lake County Children’s Justice Center (“Friends of the CJC”), Operation Underground Railroad (“O.U.R.”), and the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (“UDVC”). Each of these organizations addresses specific aspects of childhood trauma. Together, they address all facets and stages of trauma, from prevention to recovery.

Prevent Child Abuse Utah

The mission of PCAU is to forge and guide a community commitment to prevent childhood trauma in all forms through education, services, and public awareness. PCAU provides prevention education to both students and adults throughout the state. Its student presentations include childhood trauma prevention, bullying prevention, internet safety, and healthy relationships. Its adult presentations are geared towards adults working with children and the overall community. It also administers a sexual abuse prevention training program for parents and caregivers. All of PCAU’s education is evidence-informed, age-based, and free of charge.

PCAU’s logo is a blue pinwheel. PCAU explains that the pinwheel “represents the carefree and innocent childhood we all wish for the children in our lives. The pinwheel symbolizes the innocence of childhood and the bright, happy future every child deserves.”

Friends of the Salt Lake County Children’s Justice Center

The Friends of the CJC is a private nonprofit that provides support to the Salt Lake County Children’s Justice Center. The Children’s Justice Center (“CJC”) is a public entity supported by state, federal, and county funding, as well as the caring generosity of donors, sponsors, and grants to provide the best possible care for children, teens and family members impacted by crime.

The CJC’s expert team empower childhood trauma victims to become survivors. The team provides crisis support, onsite medical exams, sensitive forensic interview sessions to record their statements, referrals to trauma therapists, client emergency fund, and much more. The CJC is administered by the Salt Lake County District Attorney to help abused children recover from their experiences and receive support through all phases of the investigation and criminal justice process.

The CJC has almost 30 offices and satellite locations throughout the state. Administered by the Utah Attorney General’s Office, the CJC works hand-in-hand with county attorneys in assisting victims of childhood trauma. As noted by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, “It seemed a natural evolution that the two agencies would eventually merge under the same vision for the benefit of crime victims” to accomplish the District Attorney’s goal of “no family violence from cradle to grave.”

The CJC’s yellow butterfly logo represents “the delicate and beautiful nature of childhood, as well as the empowerment that comes with exercising your wings to fly.”

Operation Underground Railroad

O.U.R. takes its name from the “Underground Railroad” network of secret routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early to mid 19th century to help African American slaves escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists, who were sympathetic to their cause. O.U.R. has taken on this name as it works to put an end to modern slavery in the form of child sex trafficking. O.U.R.’s Underground Jump Team consists of former CIA, Navy SEALs, and Special Ops operatives that lead coordinated identification and extraction efforts to free children.

Utah’s Attorney General leads the Secure Strike Force, and the Utah Trafficking in Persons Task Force, focusing on ending human trafficking in Utah. He is a passionate supporter of O.U.R. and has gone undercover in various countries as part of O.U.R.’s rescue teams. These operations are always carried out in conjunction with law enforcement throughout the world. Once victims are rescued, a comprehensive process involving justice for the perpetrators and recovery and rehabilitation for the survivors begins. In the past four years of their existence, O.U.R. has rescued 1,765 victims and assisted in the arrests of more than 858 traffickers around the world.

Although O.U.R.’s work extends throughout the world, human trafficking also exists right here in Utah. This prompted the Utah Attorney General’s Office and Governor’s Office to issue a proclamation last year declaring January Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Utah. The goal of the declaration-in addition to remembering victims and commending groups and individuals who work to educate and inspire others-is to “protect the inherent worth of each citizen and human being.”

Utah Domestic Violence Coalition

A lesser-known form of childhood trauma occurs when children are exposed to domestic violence between adults. Children who witness domestic violence are at serious risk for long-term physical and mental health problems. Children who witness domestic violence are also six times more likely to be involved in domestic violence relationships themselves in adulthood.

The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition is a nonprofit organization recognized nationally for providing expertise concerning issues of domestic and sexual violence to member programs, community partners and others in Utah. UDVC proposes, promotes, and advises on policies and practices that enhance victim safety and empowerment while raising awareness of the need for prevention and intervention.

UDVC’s team works closely with community-based victim service providers, key stakeholders, policy makers, and community partners to provide comprehensive, trauma-informed, statewide services and responses. They provide technical assistance and training to member programs, law enforcement, and community partners, as well as work with media and others to raise awareness of domestic abuse and the need for prevention and intervention. Finally, they operate a 24-hour confidential hotline known as the LINKLine, 1-800-897-LINK (5465), that offers trauma-informed support and connects survivors, friends, family, service providers and others to local resources.

Making a Difference

Wheels of Justice provides support to these four stellar organizations in a number of ways, including fundraising through the sale of its team “kit” and other merchandise, which Utah-based DNA Cycling has made available to club members at a steeply discounted price to assist in this effort. Wheels of Justice also sponsors a bicycle ride every September (in 2019 it will be held on September 21). The ride, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, is not easy. It ascends all five of Salt Lake City’s riding canyons (Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, Millcreek, Emigration, and City Creek) in one day. Last year, only a handful finished, but all who participated had a great time. (Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate, even if they want to ride only one or two canyons.)

The ride is not easy, but neither is the fight to put an end to childhood trauma. With more vert than the most prominent peak in the continental United States, this formidable ride, like its companion trail run, is meant to show that no mountain is high enough to keep us from protecting and helping children. It also shows that people can overcome any challenge.

Everyone who rides is given a free pancake breakfast at the Black Bear Diner in Sandy, a free finisher’s medal courtesy of DNA Cycling (Drive Marketing), and a free water bottle courtesy of UtahBikingLaw.com. The ride is free. Wheels of Justice simply asks that participants consider making a donation to the cause. Cyclists can register for the ride at www.aintnomountainhighenough.org.

The community support for Wheels of Justice has been exceptional and continues to grow. Dominion Energy and a number of Utah-based companies, including Black Diamond Equipment, Diversified Insurance, DNA Cycling, First Endurance, Gregory Mountain Products, Tour of Utah, Traeger Grills, and UtahBikingLaw.com in addition to virtually every ski resort, have all joined the fight.

Joining Wheels of Justice is easy and costs nothing. In fact, just adding your name to the list provides support for the cause. For more information, you can visit the Wheels of Justice website at www.teamwheelsofjustice.org.

In short, perhaps nothing harms our society more than childhood trauma. We are grateful for PCAU, the Friends of the CJC, O.U.R., and the UDVC, who work hand in hand with our federal, state, county, city, and community partners to eradicate childhood trauma. The solution requires all of us to work together. This is not a partisan issue; it is a humanitarian issue. Any of our loved ones are potential victims, and we all can contribute to the solution. Wheels of Justice offers cyclists an easy and fun way to make a difference. Come, join the team.

  • GREGORY N. HOOLE is the executive director of Wheels of Justice, a biking attorney at Hoole & King, and the founder of UtahBikingLaw.com.
  • SEAN D. REYES is the Utah Attorney General, an office he has held since 2013.
  • SIM GILL is the Salt Lake County District Attorney, an office he has held since 2010.

New Mountain Bike Race to be Held in Star Valley, Wyoming

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New Mountain Bike Race to be Held in Star Valley, Wyoming

Cycling West - Cycling Utah Magazine logoThe Salt River Challenge is a new one day mountain bike race to be held in Alpine, Wyoming on August 24, 2019. The race is also the official kick-off and media release of our 2020 stage race event.

The event will take place in the scenic Salt River Mountains of Star Valley Wyoming. Participants will enjoy a challenging race course in Wyoming’s incredible backcountry.

The Salt River Challenge will feature a race village where participants and their families can relax and have some fun! The race village consists of bunkhouse cabins and locations for trailer and tent camping. Comforts such as showers, restrooms, and recreational space for the kids are just a few of the amenities.

This event is organized by Robert Lofgran, the creator of the Vietnam Victory Challenge (see the April 2015 issue of Cycling Utah online). Participation for the inaugural event will be limited to just 300 riders.

For more information visit saltrivermtb.com.

 

Catching Up With Gear Rush, A Utah Consignment Store

Lou Melini
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Catching Up With Gear Rush, A Utah Consignment Store

By Lou Melini

Gear Rush Moves to Improve Your Consignment Sales Experience

Gear Rush’s new digs in Salt Lake City. Photo by Alex Grant, Gear Rush.

Gear Rush has been in the business of reselling used outdoor gear for 8 years. I have personally used Gear Rush to sell bikes and bike accessories, camping goods and a lot more over the past 5 years. Gear Rush has recently relocated their business. Below is an update from owner and professional rider, Alex Grant.

Cycling West: Alex, it has been several years since we last connected in Cycling West. Where are you now located?

Alex Grant: Lou, thanks again for the opportunity to connect with your readers here. We have moved to 53 West Truman Ave. in South Salt Lake. It is close to the State St. exit on I-80.

C.W.: I noted that you have a new appointment policy for dropping items off. What is the best way for someone to contact you?

A.G.: We are now taking drop offs by appointmet only to ensure that we have the proper time and attention to spend with each client. With the new appointment system we are able to give clients the best experience possible on drop off.

Please email us at [email protected] or call 385-202-7196 to make an appointment. We don’t have an app yet, and don’t check social media enough to have that become a reliable form of communication.

C.W.: Will customers be able to come to the store and buy directly from GearRush or are sales strictly on-line?

A.G: Customers can come buy items out of the store that are at a fixed price (Buy It Now) style listing on our eBay store page. Please see gearrush.com for a link to our eBay store. If an item is up as a fixed price we are always happy to sell it out of the shop. Please email or call us to set up a time to swing by if you are interested in a specific item. We are not set up for general browsing and shopping in store. We are also always happy to offer free local piC.W. on any items won at auction or purchased on eBay.

C.W.: Given your experience in the on-line consignment business what should prospective sellers of merchandise need to consider before dropping off a bike, a box of bike parts or cycling specific clothing?

A.G.: We are focused on high-end outdoor gear from sports like cycling, skiing, hiking, climbing, camping, etc. We try to stay focused in this area, if you have a question about what we may or may not take please get in touch with us.

C.W.: What other services besides on-line consignment sales for individuals does GearRush offer?

A.G.: In addition to consignment we have begun to help some companies and reps liquidate extra inventory and samples in the form of bulk buys. We are keeping this to a business service at this time with select rep samples and inventory from some cycling and outdoor brands. If you fall in that category and want to find out some more information, please contact us.

C.W.: Is there anything else you wish to have to tell the readers?

A.G.: Gear gets us stoked. We love gear because of what it lets us do. Our goal is to offer a service that allows fellow gear junkies the ability to sell their no longer needed gear and gets it in the hands of a new user. On the flip side we have a large inventory of unique and sometimes hard to find items that are just waiting for a new owner to take out in the hills. We look forward to working with you!

C.W.: Thanks Alex for the update. I will see you soon with some Campagnolo parts I recently stripped from one of my bikes.

 

2019 Colorado Classic Women’s Stage Race Announces Host Communities

Cycling West
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2019 Colorado Classic Women’s Stage Race Announces Host Communities

DENVER, MAY 21, 2019 (PRNEWS) The 2019 Colorado Classic® presented by VF Corporation will race through four host communities each with a history of staging pro bicycle races — Steamboat Springs, Avon, Golden and Denver — August 22-25, organizers of the race announced today. This is the first time the Colorado Classic, the western hemisphere’s premier women’s standalone, UCI stage race, will be in a different Colorado town or city for each stage of the race.

While the courses have yet to be finalized in each location, it is expected the four-day race will follow iconic Colorado routes featuring tough climbs, spectacular sprints and fan-friendly circuits. All four communities have been part of Colorado’s more than 40-year history of staging world-class pro bicycle racing events.

There will be a Colorado Classic Expo at each host location celebrating cycling, health, fitness, and women’s empowerment with a curated array of exhibitors, events, and food and beverage experiences. More than a race, the Colorado Classic is becoming a movement, helping to create equity in female professional cycling while inspiring and empowering women of all ages to transform the world through sports.

“We have no doubt that our magnificent terrain will notch up the thrills as the Colorado Classic creates cycling history this summer with an all-woman format,” said Cathy Ritter, director of the Colorado Tourism Office, a major event sponsor. “We’re excited to know that cycling fans around the world will have a chance to see world-class racing in a world-class setting.”

This year’s host communities for the race include:

  • August 22 – Steamboat Springs. Located in northwest Colorado and known since 1947 as Ski Town USA, Steamboat Springs (elevation 6,695 feet) will kick off the pro cycling race in classic Colorado style with a route that goes against the rugged Park Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. “The 2019 Colorado Classic starting in Steamboat Springs is a great fit,” said Kara Stoller, CEO of the Steamboat Springs Chamber. “Our community lives and breathes the race mission every day. Steamboat is home to an incredible amount of female athletes; professional to recreational and from young kiddos to great-grandparents. We look forward to welcoming the professional female riders to Steamboat where I know they will feel right at home.” Stage 1 will be sponsored by Smartwool®, a leading brand within the VF Corporation family.
  • August 23 – Avon. Nestled in the Eagle River Valley at the base of Beaver Creek Resort and eight miles west of Vail, Avon (elevation 7,431 feet) will host Stage 2 of the race. Avon is known as the heart of the valley and is a popular gateway for all-season Colorado adventures. “We are thrilled that this world-class, women’s-only race is coming to Avon this summer,” said Avon Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes. “It will surely be a memorable event that will showcase the wonderful sport of pro women cycling, as well as the beauty of our town.” Stage 2 will be sponsored by FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks and the largest locally owned bank in Colorado, focused on “banking for good.”
  • August 24 – Golden. The former Gold Rush town located in the foothills close to Denver, Golden (elevation 5,675 feet) will host the third stage of the race. A popular spot for outdoor recreation, Golden is also a charming and historic home to iconic Colorado landmarks including Colorado School of Mines, Lookout Mountain and the largest single-site brewery in the world, Coors. “The City of Golden is honored to be in the Colorado Classic spotlight, shining brightly on Golden’s growing culture of healthy lifestyles, outdoor recreation, and a bicycle-friendly community,” said Karlyn Tilley, Golden’s Communications Manager. “ As a city with a female Mayor and Fire Chief, we are blazing trails of inclusivity and equality, just like the Colorado Classic. We are a perfect match!”
  • August 25 – Denver. The Mile High City will host a sensational stage 4 finish for the Colorado Classic for the third time. Fans in Denver (elevation 5,280 feet), will have multiple chances to cheer for riders as they streak through downtown along iconic spots such as LoDo, 17th Street, City Park and Coors Field. Spectators can celebrate the race before, during and after at special events and at a dynamic expo with food, culture, exhibitors and family-focused programs. “We could not be more thrilled that Denver has the privilege of hosting the final stage of the country’s premier women’s cycling race,” said Richard W. Scharf, president and CEO of VISIT DENVER. “We are particularly excited that this year’s Colorado Classic will showcase an elite pool of international and local female athletes while putting a global spotlight on Denver and Colorado.” Stage 4 will be sponsored by Gates Corporation, a leading manufacturer of power transmission belts and fluid power products for diverse automotive applications.

Full course routes in each community will be released in late June, including key details for riders and spectators about start/finish locations, mileage, circuit laps, elevation changes, sprints and Queen of the Mountain (QOM) climbs.

“We are excited to announce our four host venues for the 2019 race,” said Lucy Diaz, COO of RPM Events Group, organizer of the Colorado Classic. “These partnerships are paramount in the success of the event to engage the local communities around the racing action and the broader women’s empowerment initiatives. Together with local organizers we will create an engaging and exciting experience while showcasing the local flavors of each community. Attendees can expect to see a dynamic vendor expo, rowdy cheer zones and exciting ancillary events.”

The Colorado Classic earned a 2.1 class designation on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) calendar, making it one of only 13 such races around the world. Because of this 2.1 designation, riders at this year’s Colorado Classic can now earn significant UCI points for Olympic qualification.

USA Cycling has included the Colorado Classic in its Pro Road Tour (PRT), which showcases the premier domestic road calendar events in the U.S., including criteriums, road races, stage races and omniums. The Colorado Classic and USA Cycling also have partnered to form an all-star collegiate team, providing an opportunity for rising stars from the USA Cycling Collegiate Program to compete as members of a USA Cycling national team in the 2019 race.

As a UCI 2.1 and PRT race, the 2019 Colorado Classic, is expected to draw top teams and world-class competitors including WorldTour race winners, Olympians, collegiate champions and up-and-coming stars. Teams will be announced later this month.

This year’s race is committed to sustainability efforts and has been awarded “Certifiably Green” status by the City of Denver. The race will apply the sustainable principles of Certifiably Green Denver to its operations in all of its race host locations.

Cycling Fans can Cast Ballots to Select Designs of Tour of Utah Merchandise

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Cycling Fans can Cast Ballots to Select Designs of Tour of Utah Merchandise

SALT LAKE CITY, May 20, 2019 (TOU) – Fans of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah professional cycling stage race can select designs for limited-edition merchandise that will commemorate the 15th anniversary of the event. The America First Credit Union Fan Favorite contest launches on May 20 with voting for a Fan Favorite Jersey. Ballots will be counted online through May 30 at TourofUtah.com.

In addition to a cycling jersey, this interactive series will determine selections for this year’s podium cap and souvenir T-shirt. The designs with the most votes will be used by DNA Cycling to create official merchandise for race week on Aug. 12-18. Items will be sold through the Tour of Utah online store and the merchandise tent at the KUTV 2 Healthy Living Expo.

From the ballots cast for each category, one fan will be selected in a random drawing to receive a $100 Visa gift card, courtesy of America First Credit Union. There will be a total of three individual winners. Following the AFCU Fan Favorite Jersey category this month, fans can vote for the podium cap in June and the souvenir T-shirt in early July. This is the sixth year for the America First Credit Union Fan Favorite series. For a complete list of contest rules, visit TourofUtah.com.

The Tour of Utah will begin on Aug. 12 with a prologue (short time trial) at Snowbird Resort, one of four ski resorts that is part of the event. The Tour will conclude on Aug. 18 in Park City. Additional host venues are North Logan City, Brigham City, Powder Mountain Resort, Antelope Island State Park, North Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, and Canyons Village at Park City Mountain.

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique professional sports in the world today. It remains a 2.HC-rated stage race on the UCI America Tour, making it one of the premier events for professional cycling teams in North America. The Tour is also part of the USA Cycling Pro Road Tour. More information about the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com, as well as social channels Facebook (tourofutah), Twitter (@tourofutah), Instagram (@thetourofutah) and YouTube (Tour of Utah).

Bike Improvements Coming to Salt Lake County’s Little Cottonwood Canyon? Submit Comments by June 14

Charles Pekow
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Bike Improvements Coming to Salt Lake County’s Little Cottonwood Canyon? Submit Comments by June 14

By Charles Pekow

Cycling West - Cycling Utah Magazine logoLittle Cottonwood Canyon may get some bicycle improvements eventually. The Federal Highway Administration and Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) plan to update their Environmental Impact Statement for traffic improvements on two-lane SR-210 between SR-190/Fort Union Boulevard in Cottonwood Heights and the terminus of SR-210 in Alta in Salt Lake County, UT.

The agencies aim to improve safety at trailheads. SR-210, the main route in and out of town, includes bike lanes for 3.7 miles but not out of town leading to resorts and recreational areas, where many bicyclists ride. “It is a decent grade up but pretty fun to ride down,” says Brandon Weston, UDOT environmental services director.

“Cycling the canyon has become a popular activity and is listed on several cycling websites as a challenging but scenic ride,” UDOT’s draft statement says. But high traffic volume and narrow and unpaved shoulders force many cyclists into vehicle lanes. And Little Cottonwood Canyon Road does not include any designated bicycle facilities. “The 2017 Bikeways Map of Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County identifies S.R. 210 as a low comfort bicycle route because the bicycle facilities (bicycle lane and shoulders) are on a busy street or moderate-volume road,” the draft states

It adds “bicycles must share the roadway and the limited shoulders with cars moving through the canyon. This can lead to conflicts on the narrow canyon road. Where shoulders are available, they’re often in poor condition and are littered with road debris, which can be dangerous for cyclists. In other places, shoulders are narrow or are obstructed by cars parked on the roadside. In some cases, cyclists must move into the travel lane to avoid car doors or parked vehicles.When going downhill, some cyclists can reach speeds similar to, or greater than, those of motor vehicles. In some locations, the roadway curves are very sharp, and cyclists prefer (and might need) to use the travel lane to safely maneuver…When cyclists are traveling uphill and using the roadway on inclines or where passing is difficult, they can slow car travel substantially or lead motorists to pass unsafely. In part of SR-210 in the canyon, the shoulders are not wide enough to accommodate dedicated active-transportation facilities such as bicycle lanes.”

Parking along the road also impedes bicyclists, especially at White Pine Trailhead.

“There is no guarantee but we are looking at” adding bike lanes and other improvements for cyclists, Weston says.

Final action will probably require consultation/approval from other government agencies including the U.S. Forest Service and Army Corps of Engineers. An open house is planned April 9 in Cottonwood Heights City Hall and you can submit comments until June 14, 2019.

Submit comments here:

See https://www.udot.utah.gov/littlecottonwoodeis/

 

Editorial: Salt Lake City’s 900 South Redesign Will Result in a Better 9th and 9th Neighborhood

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Editorial: Salt Lake City’s 900 South Redesign Will Result in a Better 9th and 9th Neighborhood

May 20, 2019 – Salt Lake City is starting reconstruction of 900 South between Lincoln Street (about 950 E) and 1300 E. The redesign will include a new portion of the 9-Line Shared Use Path, a roundabout at the 5-way intersection at 900 S and 1100 E, better crosswalks, better and ADA compliant bus stops, and a loss of 20 parking spaces. We are in full support of this project but with some additions. It will create better biking conditions and infrastructure in the area.

The intersection of 900 South and 1100 East will get a 5 legged roundabout with the reconstruction of 900 S. Additionally, a bike path on the southside of the street will be added, along with uphill bike lanes to the east of 1100 East. Photo by Dave Iltis The intersection of 900 South and 1100 East will get a 5 legged roundabout with the reconstruction of 900 S. Additionally, a bike path on the southside of the street will be added, along with uphill bike lanes to the east of 1100 East. Photo by Dave Iltis

The 900 South project webpage  and fact sheet states that the following improvements will occur:

The project will include the following features:

  • New concrete pavement
  • Upgrades to the storm drain system
  • Upgrades to signs, crosswalks, and sidewalks as needed
  • Reconstruction or repair of driveway approaches as needed
  • A new bike path along the south side of the street between Lincoln Street and 1100 East [Section of the 9-Line Trail]
  • Uphill bike lanes from 1100 East to 1300 East
  • Improved and accessible bus stops
  • Additional landscaping between Lincoln Street and 1100 East 

From the fact sheet:
One of the City’s goals is a safer and more equitable transportation system. 16 months of robust engagement informed the design and decision making process. This project’s essential design elements include:

Five-Leg Roundabout [at 1100 East and 900 S]
One Travel Lane in Each Direction [down from two]
The 9-Line Trail
ADA Bus Stops for Route 9
Improved Crosswalks

Additionally, improved bus service is coming to 900 South in August. And, a low stress bike route is planned for Gilmer Street from 1100 E to 1300 E.

This map shows the details of the redesign of 900 South.

At a recent packed East Liberty Park Community Council forum, held on May 8, 2019, many residents spoke out in favor of the redesign. A disabled woman spoke in regards to the need for increased accessbility. Others spoke in favor of the improvements being good for air quality, the new bike path, and the roundabout. A woman noted that she watch a car go through the intersection of 1100 E and 900 S. at 40 mph, and that she wants her child to be safe. Most people were happy with Salt Lake City’s extensive engagement process, while a few thought that the city did not do much. Note that they have had numerous meetings, pop-up traffic solutions, and public engagement since 2016 as the project fact sheet shows below.

The project fact sheet for 900 S in Salt Lake City from May 8, 2019. The project fact sheet for 900 S in Salt Lake City from May 8, 2019.

Another person from the neighborhood commented, “Do we want more cars or a clean city?”

We support the project completely, and are glad to see Salt Lake City moving forward with improvements to the street. No one disagrees that the street itself needs rebuilding, as it is currently a pothole filled mess. The section of the 9-Line trail that will be built here on the south side of the roadway will lead to more ways to travel to and through the neighborhood safely, and without using a car. Eventually, the 9-Line trail will connect the Bonneville Shoreline Trail with the Jordan River Parkway Trail. The new section of trail will connect to the McClelland Trail, an intra city urban trail that connects from 800 South to Fairmont Park in Sugarhouse. 

But what about the loss of parking? Salt Lake City’s current plans show a loss of 20 parking spots, down from 29 as Salt Lake City planners were able to maintain or add spots to keep nine more places. Isn’t that a good thing? (More on the parking issue).

9th and 9th appears to have plenty of car parking currently. In our experience, we have not had much issue with finding a spot to park when we choose to drive to the neighborhood (yes, we do drive sometimes, but are always working to drive less). We have however had a tough time finding a spot to park a bike on a few occasions. 

More parking in 9th and 9th means more cars, and less room for people on foot, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs or other personal mobility devices. The character of 9th and 9th is so inviting because it is relatively easy to walk about, and with lower traffic speeds encouraged by the landscaped medians from 800 East to Lincoln, it’s generally ok for riding a bike (but not great). More parking also results in more driving, and less reason for people to get out of their cars and take transit, bike, or foot.

And, more cars in 9th and 9th means more air pollution, increased carbon emissions, denser traffic, greater traffic crashes, and ultimately a less inviting neighborhood that hurts those businesses that are successful because of the low car, low key character of 9th and 9th.

How do we get to a better 9th and 9th?

How do we get to a lower traffic, calmer, more inviting 9th and 9th? By encouraging non-auto based transportation. This doesn’t mean eliminating cars from the area, but it does mean creating better conditions for other forms of transportation to get to and move about 9th and 9th. Currently, there are some low key routes to 9th and 9th. 800 East is a low stress street (that should become a bicycle boulevard – neighborhood byway (Salt Lake City’s too subtle approach and name for quiet streets). 1100 East is a good route to get to 9th and 9th, but has some stressful barriers like 800 South along the way. McCllelland is a great option from the south. 900 East, however is not so great and needs more traffic calming. It would be make the area more friendly if 900 E were restriped between 800 S and 900 S to include bike lanes.

A calmer 9th and 9th needs lower speed limits. 900 South with the existing and new street design could be lowered to 20 mph similar to 300 South in downtown Salt Lake City. 900 East, while a busy street, is narrower, and needs to be lowered to 25 mph. 800 South’s high speed limits, like many others in Salt Lake City, are nonsensical, varying randomly between 30 mph and 35 mph. All of this leads to a more stressful neighborhood.

A calmer 9th and 9th will likely include a Greenbike bike share station soon. With this likely on the way, better biking and walking infrastructure and fewer cars is necessary.

A calmer 9th and 9th needs more bike parking. If 900 South is to lose 20 parking spots, then Salt Lake City should invest in and immediately add 40-100 new spots to park a bike in the 9th and 9th area. They did not have any foresight on this and did not include this in the project. If car parking is removed, it needs to be replaced immediately with the same or more bike parking.

A calmer, more inviting 9th and 9th means following Salt Lake City’s plan to reconfigure the street, make it more inviting through facilities for people on foot, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs, or other personal mobility devices, and buses. Losing a small amount of parking is not going to hurt the character of the neighborhood, and the additional infrastructure for everyone else is going to be great.

What you can do:

Write a letter of support to Salt Lake City asking them to fully implement the 900 S reconstruction project without any further changes. Ask them to immediately install at least 20 new bike parking spaces. Ask them to reduce the speed limits on 900 South to 20 mph and on 900 East to 25 mph.

Comments can be sent to the following people in Salt Lake City government:

900 South project team: [email protected]

Mayor Jackie Biskupski: [email protected]

Salt Lake City Transportation Director Jon Larsen:  [email protected]

Ride your bike

Stop in to the businesses at 9th and 9th on your bike. Let them know that good biking, walking, and transit are important to you and that accessibility for all is needed in the neighborhood.

Cycling West and Cycling Utah’s Late Spring – May 2019 Issue is Now Available!

Cycling West
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Cycling West and Cycling Utah’s Late Spring – May 2019 Issue is Now Available!

Cycling West and Cycling Utah Magazine’s Late Spring – May 2019 Issue is now available as a free download (8 mb download), Pick up a copy at your favorite Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Montana, W. Colorado, N. Arizona, and N. California bike shop or other location! downloadbutton

Cycing West - Cycling Utah May - Late Spring 2019 Cover Photo: John Roberson bike path south from Glenwood Springs on a bicycle tour of Western Colorado. Photo by John Roberson
Cycing West – Cycling Utah May – Late Spring 2019 Cover Photo: John Roberson on the bike path south from Glenwood Springs on a bicycle tour of Western Colorado. Photo by John Roberson

Contents

May is Bike Month! –  page – 3

Salt Lake City’s Bike Squad – Community Oriented Policing on Two Wheels –  page – 4

The Belgian Hammer – Book Review Highlights the Belgian Racing Experience; And an Interview with Jeff Louder –  page – 8

The Grand Enduro Set for Grand Junction, Colorado on June 1-2, 2019 –  page – 11

E-Bikes and Cities page – 11

El Tour de Mesa –  page – 12

Bike League Benchmarking Report Shows Need for Better Bicycling –  page – 13

Six Tips to Get Started With Intervals –  page – 16

The Spend Doesn’t End (with the purchase of a bike) –  page – 17

Docked or Dockless Bike Share? page – 17

Shifting Business – B Tension –  page – 18

Lessons from the National Bike Summit – Working with Reluctant Officials –  page – 18

SCC Slick Chain Lube Review –  page – 19

Sea Otter Photo Gallery by Photo-John – A Few of Our Favorite Shots! –  page – 20

Payson McElveen Crushes the 100 Mile White Rim Trail Record –  page – 22

Tinker and Felder Win 2019 Tinker Classic –  page – 23

The Santa Cruz Stigmata is an Amazing Bike to Ride for Road and Gravel –  page – 23

The Bicycle Art of Albert Michini –  page – 24

Summer Time is Smoothie Time! –  page – 25

Quinn and Shelden Win Desert Rampage ICup –  page – 35

A Springtime Bicycle Tour of Western Colorado –  page – 36

Ride the Golden Spoke –  page – 39

The Story of the Vietnam Victory Challenge; The Country’s First International Mountain Bike Race

Cycling West
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The Story of the Vietnam Victory Challenge; The Country’s First International Mountain Bike Race

By Robert Lofgran

Racers on course in stage 2 of the 2015 Vietnam Victory Challenge. Photo by VietnamMTB

It was the morning of May 12th, 2014 just after 6 AM. The sun was up and I could already feel the heat of the day setting in. From the balcony of my family’s 22nd floor apartment I could see downtown Ho Chi Minh City in the distance. On the streets below I could see a few cars trying to make their way through a sea of endless motorcycles. The Saigon River was bustling with traffic, barges hauling shipping containers while the occasional traditional canoes with local fisherman attempted to navigate the waterways around them. The city was full of chaos and commotion for such an early hour but appeared peaceful watching from above.

As I watched the city from above planning my day of business my phone began ringing. The screen said Bob Margevicius. Bob is the Executive Vice President of Specialized Bicycles. Since being transferred to Vietnam I’d gotten to know Bob fairly well but I was still surprised to be receiving a phone call from him as most conversations were by Skype. As I answered the phone I tried to sound as though I wasn’t still half asleep. Bob quickly asked if I was okay and if I knew how everyone at our surrounding factories were doing. I could sense urgency in Bob’s voice but I was at a loss at to why. I replied that I had been out at some of the factories the day before and that when I left at around 4 PM everything was business as usual.

After a moment’s pause, Bob advised me that he had just learned that the factories of multiple suppliers in the Binh Duong Industrial Park had been burned and looted by protestors. The acts were done as part of anti-China protests over China’s infringement on Vietnam’s continental shelf and the Spratly Islands. Although the affected suppliers were Taiwanese owned factories the signage on the buildings contained Chinese characters and employed Chinese management.

I spent the rest of the day and the following weeks navigating the streets on my 150cc Suzuki motorcycle checking on suppliers amid crowds of protestors. My task was simply to help gather information each day and meet with Specialized management via Skype each night to relay projected delays and plans to resume production. Each day of lost production was having a ripple effect of losses that started with local factory workers and reached as far as local bike shops globally.

A few days after the initial riots I was visited by the distribution manager for southeast Asia based out of Singapore. As I had developed a relationship with the local distributor for Specialized I was asked to join him for a business dinner where distribution problems in the area would be discussed. The distributor who had already been struggling to get a foothold in the local market with the high import costs of sporting goods was now under immense strain as their warehouse containing Specialized inventory was one of the victims of the burnings and lootings.

As we sat in an open air Vietnamese restaurant lit by traditional lanterns along the side of the Saigon River my colleague tried to keep a tough conversation with the distributor as friendly and relaxed as possible. Doing business in a country as foreign as Vietnam was a constant tight rope of politics and making sure you didn’t make a valuable business partner “lose face”. Long before the distributor had lost its inventory to arson they had been struggling to sell anything besides road bikes. My colleague was here to offer the company’s assistance but needed to push them to recommit to selling the entire product line. He wanted them to sell mountain bikes and kids bikes. In a moment when the conversation was taking a more serious tone, my colleague elbowed me as he spoke in a jovial tone. He said, “Bob, what we need is for you to single handedly build the sport of mountain biking in Vietnam.” I laughingly agreed to do whatever I could. The wheels in my head literally began turning at that very moment. I began envisioning a mountain bike race that would see athletes competing on parts of the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Over the coming weeks and months I began inserting myself in the local bike community, attending early morning group rides, hitting some local road races. Through these connections I arranged to have a Vietnamese friend meet with a local member of the Vietnamese Cycling Federation to pitch my mountain bike race idea. My friend returned solemnly informing me that he’d been told that an international mountain bike stage race wouldn’t be supported by the federation.

I continued my research on the Ho Chi Minh Trail realizing how nearly impossible it would be to create the race I had dreamed of given the fact that most of the trail was now lost. In a chance meeting with a local ride while chatting on a group ride I was informed of a small mountain bike race being put on by the federation on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. I decided I’d go to the race and see what the scene was like.

The race course was in and around what appeared to be a war monument and cemetery. As with most events, the federation made a very formal opening ceremony and a great show of patriotism and pageantry. I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever actually race our bikes. Finally we toed the line and set out at a blistering pace from the starting line. The course resembled a long cyclocross course and wound through the granite monument and on small trails surrounding it. After several laps and close to an hour of racing I crossed the finish line as the winner. Many of the very strong riders I’d competed with on the road were present. However, mountain biking was so new to them and Vietnam that many of the riders struggled with the off road nature of the event.

The member of the federation who had blown off my friend with my race idea was the organizer of the event. The organizer approached me with a translator to congratulate me. Through the interpreter we chatted for a couple of minutes. Not knowing if I’d ever have a chance to talk with a federation member again I used the opportunity to pitch my race idea once again. My idea of creating the event in the area of Pleiku in the central highlands was immediately shot down. I was told by the federation member to look into doing the event on the city of Dalat. The federation member provided me with contact information and we agreed to meet at a later date.

It was a struggle to find any information regarding trails in the central highland town of Dalat. Progress stalled as I couldn’t make any progress towards finding suitable trails. My first trip to Dalat was a bust. It was pouring rain throughout the entire trip and I could barely keep my rented Honda Dream motor scooter upright on the slippery mountain trails. After a couple of days of riding in circles without finding a single usable route I walked into a tour company called Phat Tire Ventures. I was greeted by their friendly staff who gladly pointed out some areas of interest on a large map on the wall. Phat Tire Ventures became one of the main supporters of the event who helped me over the months I travelled back and forth from Ho Chi Minh to create the routes and meet with the municipal government leaders of Dalat.

After riding thousands of kilometers on a 150cc Honda dirt bike exploring nearly every trail the area had to offer I finally had three routes to propose to the government leaders and the federation. It was January already and I knew if the race was going to work we needed a March date to avoid the rainy season and attract international participants from the region.

The first meeting didn’t exactly go well. The meeting began in a room adorned with Vietnamese flags and we sat at a conference table with a statue of Ho Chi Minh himself overlooking. Both the federation and the municipal government members of Dalat expressed worry I may embarrass them by not being able to pull the event off. The officials would have to get multiple officials from around the area and country to sign off and apparently a previous event organizer had greatly embarrassed them by cancelling a trail running event at the last minute after officials put forth great effort to get everyone to sign off on it. Through a translator I convinced the officials and federation that I’d ensure the event took place even if it came at a financial loss. Little did I know just how expensive the endeavor would be!

As our meeting wrapped up the federation and government members stated they would give me the go ahead under the condition that I take a selected group of Vietnamese riders to pre-ride all of the courses. They wanted to ensure that the courses were safe they said. I was given the go ahead to open up registration and begin promoting the event. Registrations began coming in very slowly and I prepared to take the group of selected riders to pre-ride the courses for the three day event.

On the first day of pre-riding we set out early in the morning. The pine covered mountains of Dalat were covered in misty fog and the temperature was brisk. Due to the characteristics of the region’s mountains and the fact that none of the selected trails were created for recreating, the course was admittedly somewhat climb heavy, especially for locals coming from Ho Chi Minh City at sea level. Each time we crested a hill top the leading riders would stop at the top to rest and wait for their friends, either having a smoke or making a picnic out of the stop. Soon night was falling and we were only just arriving back in the heart of Dalat. We were all exhausted and I was extremely annoyed at the cultural experience I’d just had.

The next day brought the same experience. As we loaded a bus to make the overnight trip back to Ho Chi Minh I was advised the event couldn’t go forward unless the courses were shortened to allow locals to be competitive. I was taken aback. The courses were already relatively short by comparison to other similar events. I had no choice but to agree and went back to my apartment and poured over routes I’d ridden to find a way to make the officials happy but still have quality routes.

A couple of weeks later I took the group of riders back to Dalat where we rode the modified routes. The experience was similar and the riders still struggled. The courses were now shortened to just 53 kilometers for the first two days and slightly less for the final day. So at just under 32 miles of riding per day I was worried riders outside of Vietnam would think the event wasn’t worth the trip. After riding the courses we met with the federation and other officials who again demanded I shorten the stages to allow the local riders better chances. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! At this point I already had athletes from the US, Canada, Singapore, and Malaysia committed to coming. As carefully but as confidently as I could I replied to the officials that the courses couldn’t be shortened any further without risk of being embarrassingly short. “Any shorter” I said, “would discourage athletes from making such a journey to participate.” There was a long silence and I was convinced the project was dead in the water. However, after a short conversation amongst themselves, the officials gave the go ahead.

I’d already spent more time creating the event dubbed the Vietnam Victory Challenge than I had ever imagined and the event was still two months away. We had only a handful of registered riders and besides having a website everything still had to be done.

Somehow we secured valuable sponsorship support from several large companies including support from one of the bike manufacturers I’d been working with who had lost their factory. And on March 20th, 2015 just over 100 riders from more than five countries took to the starting line for the first ever international open mountain bike stage race in Vietnam. The event was a major success and was widely publicized throughout Vietnam. Having participated in countless events as an athlete I never imagined the hard work and struggles necessary to create such an event. However, even as much as I absolutely love racing my bike, I can’t ever remember participating in an event that gave me such a feeling of accomplishment, pride, and happiness. I’ve never participated in an event where athletes were so hungry and so happy to be given the chance to compete at a high level with international riders.

Everywhere I looked from athletes to spectators, people were sincerely enjoying themselves and there were smiles all around. I couldn’t have been happier with the way the event turned out and with the effect it had on the local athletes and the businesses that were involved. Many of our sponsors sent teams of their employees to assist as volunteers, feelings of pride to be part of such a big event seemed palpable. I can never thank those who participated enough for being part of the event.

We ran another amazingly successful event March of 2016 with more than double the participating with roughly half of all participants coming from another country. At the request of locals in Ho Chi Minh City we also created a 50 km ultra marathon on one of the same courses used by the mountain bike race. Other companies who were affected by the anti-China riots of 2014 came on as sponsors in an effort to further build the sport of mountain biking in the country.

By June of 2016 arrangements were made for mine and my family’s return to the US after a more than three year stint as Supervisor of Southeast Asia Quality for Specialized Bicycles. Our time in Vietnam remains the biggest adventure of our lives as of yet. The Vietnamese Cycling Federation in conjunction with the the municipal government of Dalat now run the event under the name Dalat Victory Challenge. The event continues to give local athletes the chance to compete. The Federation now runs a mountain bike race series in southern Vietnam called Vietnam MTB Series and the sport continues to grow thanks to the enthusiasm of the locals.

For more information on mountain bike racing in Vietnam, see vietnammtbseries.com

The field rolls out from the start of the 2015 Vietnam Victory Challenge. Photo by VietnamMTB
Vietnam Victory Challenge. Photo by VietnamMTB
Racer on course in the Vietnam Victory Challenge. Photo by VietnamMTB
Spectators in the 2015 Vietnam Victory Challenge. Photo by VietnamMTB

Amgen Tour of California: Pogacar Makes History; Van der Breggen Repeats

Cycling West
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Amgen Tour of California: Pogacar Makes History; Van der Breggen Repeats
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 18: Podium / Celebration / Amgen Race Leader Jersey / Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia riding for UAE Team Emirates and overall winner / Anna van der Breggen of The Netherlands riding for Boels Dolmans Cycling Team and overall winner / during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 7 a 126km stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 18, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

POGACAR MAKES HISTORY AS THE YOUNGEST AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA CHAMPION AS THE 2019 RACE CONCLUDES

Race Winners Awarded after Final Stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena’s Rose Bowl

PASADENA, Calif. (May 18, 2019) – UAE Team Emirates’ 20-year-old Tadej Pogacar (SLO) is the 2019 Amgen Tour of California champion after a fast and furious sprint finish at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl concluded a week of racing.

Two young first-timers to this race vied for the overall championship in an epic battle yesterday when Pogacar took over the race lead after the Queen Stage summit finish at Mt. Baldy, coming into the final stage +:16” ahead of EF Education First Pro Cycling’s 21-year-old Sergio Higuita (COL). With their time gap unchanged today, Higuita finished in second place overall.

Beginning the day in sixth place overall (+:22), Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Kasper Asgreen (DEN) fought to make up time with bonus points today. He joined a chase group that brought the peloton back together before it reached Pasadena, then leapt out to a solo lead on the first of three passes across the finish line to claim maximum Sprint points in the finishing circuits. UAE Team Emirates worked hard to reel him back in defense of Pogacar, who will also go home with the TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey in addition to his yellow jersey.

“This race was my main goal this year. I knew that I was prepared. I surprised myself a bit that I took the overall win. But I’m really happy and looking forward to next season,” said Pogacar.

Ultimately the peloton reunited with the WorldTour teams angling for placement in the bunch sprint finish, and Asgreen’s dash propelled him up the leader board from sixth to a third place overall podium spot (+:17), just one second behind Higuita, as well as locked his win in the Sprint competition.

Known as a race that brings together the world’s best riders while launching the careers of cycling’s next generation, past Amgen Tour of California winners have included French rider Julian Alaphilippe, who set a new race record for the youngest champion at 23 when he won in 2016, which was then overtaken in 2018 by Columbia’s Egan Bernal who won at age 21.

“What a fantastic week. This is our 14th edition, and I have to say this is our best edition yet. We had the strongest field for both the men and the woman….There have been spectacular performances by all of the riders,” said Kristin Klein, president of the Amgen Tour of California and executive vice president of AEG Sports. “We continue to have a platform that is a launching pad for all of the young talent. Looking back at our race, the likes of Peter Sagan, Mark Cavendish, then the past few years with (Julian) Alaphilippe and (Egan) Bernal, (Fernando) Gaviria, George Bennett… then this year, look at all the young talent. It’s phenomenal to see it, and we’re proud that we continue to be a launching pad for all of the riders. Congratulations once again to everybody,”

Stage 7 presented by Amgen wound riders 78.3 miles from veteran Host City of Santa Clarita to Pasadena. Two former race champions who won the title in Pasadena were in the race this year: Slovak three-time World Champion Peter Sagan (2015), who placed second for today’s stage in a furious sprint, and New Zealand’s George Bennett (2017), who ended the race in fourth place overall.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 18: / Arrival / Celebration / Cees Bol of The Netherlands and Team Sunweb / crosses the finish winning the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 7 a 126km stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 18, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

In the final meters of the race, Sagan and USA Cycling National Teams’ Travis McCabe (Prescott, Ariz.) sprinted shoulder to shoulder until Astana attacked and Team Sunweb’s Cees Bol (NED) leapt out and narrowly outpaced Sagan for the stage win.

EF Education First Pro Cycling’s Tejay van Garderen (Tacoma, Wash.), who wore the Amgen Race Leader Jersey until yesterday’s result, finished in ninth place this year (+1:22”), and still holds the race record for the largest winning margin of all time with his 2013 overall win +1.47” ahead of Michael Rogers.

STAGE 7 PODIUM:

  1. Cees Bol (NED), Team Sunweb (GER) 2h53’16”
  2. Peter Sagan (SVK), BORA-hansgrohe (GER) +00”
  3. Jasper Philipsen (BEL), UAE Team Emirates (UAE) +00”

OVERALL RACE RESULTS:

  1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates (UAE) 32h55’12”
  2. Sergio Higuita (COL), EF Education First Pro Cycling (USA) +0:16”
  3. Kasper Asgreen (DEN), Deceuninck – Quick-Step (BEL) +0:17”
  4. George Bennett (NZL), Team Jumbo-Visma (TJV) +0:29”
  5. Richie Porte (AUS), Trek-Segafredo (USA) +0:41”

JERSEY WINNERS AT RACE CONCLUSION:

  • Amgen Race Leader Jersey – Tadej Pogacar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates (UAE)
  • Visit California Sprint Jersey – Kasper Asgreen (DEN), Deceuninck – Quick-Step (BEL)
  • Lexus King of the Mountain (KOM) Jersey – Davide Ballerini (ITA), Astana Pro Team (KAZ)
  • Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Alex Hoehn (USA), USA Cycling National Team (USA)
  • TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey –Tadej Pogacar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates (UAE)

OVERALL TEAM WINNER:

  • EF Education First Pro Cycling (USA)

VAN DER BREGGEN AND HALL REPEAT HISTORY WITH 1-2 FINISH AT AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA WOMEN’S RACE EMPOWERED WITH SRAM

The Boels Dolmans Cycling Team dominated the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM with World Champion Anna van der Breggen (NED) and teammate Katie Hall (Oakland, Calif.) taking a decisive win and second place finish respectively as the women’s three-day race concluded at the Rose Bowl today.

Now teammates, the two had the same overall result as competitors in 2017 when van der Breggen pulled out the win 1 second ahead of Hall, who went on to win the 2018 race. In addition to her second race championship, van der Breggen will take home the Visit California Sprint Jersey. This is Hall’s third consecutive overall podium finish.

“It feels really good. It was a hard stage race. They had three beautiful stages, and they didn’t make it easy for us the last day….To finish first and second is an amazing result,” said the Boels Dolmans two-time race champion.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 18: / Arrival / Celebration / Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Valcar Cylance Cycling / wins the Amgen Tour Of California Women’s Race 2019, Stage 3 a 126km stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena / #AmgenTOCWomen / @AmgenTOC / on May 18, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The World Champion was challenged for the green jersey today by Valcar Cylance Cycling’s Elisa Balsamo (ITA) who outsprinted a tight field to take the stage win just ahead of Astana Women’s Team’s Arlenis Sierra (CUB), who placed second for the stage, and Hagens Berman | Supermint’s Leigh Ann Ganzar (USA) in third.

Van der Breggen came into the final day +29” ahead of Hall, which held through the final stage, and CCC-Liv’s Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) held onto her overall third place podium spot (+1:06”).

Astana’s Blanca Liliana Moreno Canchon (COL) picked up the maximum points on today’s climb, for the Lexus Queen of the Mountain Jersey win over Hall.

In the women’s event unfolding for the first time exclusively in Southern California, Stage 7 presented by Amgen wound riders 78.3 miles Santa Clarita to Pasadena with three fast circuits around the Rose Bowl to conclude.

Team Sunweb’s Juliette Labous (FRA) locked up the TAG Best Young Rider competition after taking the lead yesterday .

STAGE 3 PODIUM:

  1. Elisa Balsamo (ITA), Valcar Cylance Cycling (ITA) 3h19’57”
  2. Arlenis Sierra (CUB), Astana Women’s Team (KAZ) +00”
  3. Leigh Ann Ganzar (USA), Hagens Berman | Supermint (USA) +00”

OVERALL RACE RESULTS:

  1. Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED) 8h32’34”
  2. Katie Hall (USA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED) +0:29”
  3. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA), CCC – Liv (NED) +1:06”
  4. Clara Koppenburg (GER), WNT ROTOR Pro Cycling Team (GER) +1:25”
  5. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL), CANYON/SRAM Racing (GER) +1:34”

JERSEY WINNERS AT RACE CONCLUSION:

  • Amgen Race Leader Jersey – Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
  • Visit California Sprint Jersey – Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
  • Lexus Queen of the Mountain (QOM) Jersey – Blanca Liliana Moreno Canchon (COL), Astana Women’s Team (KAZ)
  • TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey – Juliette Labous (FRA), Team Sunweb (NED)
  • Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Kathrin Hammes (GER), WNT ROTOR Pro Cycling Team (GER)

 OVERALL TEAM WINNER:

  • CANYON//SRAM Racing (GER)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 18: AMGEN Race Leader Jersey Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE – Team Emirates / during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 7 a 126km stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 18, 2019 in Pasadena, California.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 18: Peloton / Landscape / during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 7 a 126km stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 18, 2019 in Pasadena, California.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 18: AMGEN Race Leader Jersey Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE – Team Emirates / during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 7 a 126km stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 18, 2019 in Pasadena, California.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 18: Katharine Hall of The United States and Boels Dolmans Cycling Team / Anna Van Der Breggen of The Netherlands and Boels Dolmans Cycling Team / Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio of South Africa and Team CCC – Liv / compete during the Amgen Tour Of California Women’s Race 2019, Stage 3 a 126km stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena / #AmgenTOCWomen / @AmgenTOC / on May 18, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 18: Trixi Worrack of Germany and Team Trek – Segafredo / Ruth Winder of The United States and Team Trek – Segafredo / compete during the Amgen Tour Of California Women’s Race 2019, Stage 3 a 126km stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena / #AmgenTOCWomen / @AmgenTOC / on May 18, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Optimize your Cycling

John Higgins
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Optimize your Cycling

In late 2018 I attended the International Symposium on Cycling Optimization held in Munster, Germany. In essence it was a conference focused on bike fitting, which sits at the crossroads of advancements in cycling technical products and gains in human performance.

The conference drew attendees from all curvatures of the earth, with representatives from Southern Hemisphere counties; Asia; North America and given the location; a strong contingent of European’s. Presenters included sports scientists, physical therapists, bio-mechanists, coaches, and practicing bike fitters. While of the presenters have worked with or are actively involved with elite level triathletes and pro cycling teams including Daniela Sammler, Team Sky, Bora Hansgrohe, (Peter Sagan), and Trek-Segafredo, the experience, lessons and information presented readily translate across to non-televised and unpaid cyclists.

Cycling optimization is not just for the 1%, it’s for anyone riding a bike. If your toes or undercarriage are going numb, your cycling experience is not optimized, regardless of whether you are a pro or a weekend Joe. And if you are hunting for podiums and medals, then marginal gains in positioning and aerodynamics can make a significant difference in performance and results.

So how can you optimize your cycling? As one of only a single handful of professional bike fitters to attend from the USA, I’m not going to give away the secret sauce recipes, but here are a few tasty samples to contemplate.

Feet

Feet issues are common in cyclists. Lashing a flexible foot into a rigid soled shoe and then fixing that to a rotating lever may be met with periodic uprisings of resistance. Having said that, foot pain or numbness while riding a bike is not considered normal. The resolution is usually multi-factorial and requires the right shoe, right insole, right cleat placement and sometimes other external adjustments like wedges. All of these factors have to be aligned to quell any issues, but it starts with the shoe selection. A common fault is to upsize to get a comfortable width. Don’t do it. Get the right size in the appropriate width, which may be a different make/model, or a wide last. Also, the insoles that come in a new pair of cycling shoes are just fillers which are intended to be thrown out and replaced with something that will do a respectable job of supporting your foot and distributing pressure. Show your feet some love.

Saddle

Saddle issues are even more common. However thanks to advances in saddle design and bike fitting, gone are the days when suffering pain, numbness or other discomforts were an expected and accepted part of cycling. Or those days should be gone. You don’t have to suck it up and put up with it. That’s not to say saddle issues are always easily solved and resolved. Some are particularly tricky, and again there are often multifactorial causative factors that can include: skin hygiene, chamois shape and padding (more is not always better), chamois cream, the saddle profile, the saddle position (height, setback, angle), handlebar/aeropad position (which changes your pelvic rotation), and the biggest variable of all – your own personal anatomical shape. Humans are similar but generally not identical, and so your best friends dream saddle could be easily be your worst nightmare saddle. Which is why resolving saddle issues requires evaluation not opinion (other than your own). Let’s just restate that it is not normal nor expected that you experience sit bone pain or genital numbness, swelling or chafing while riding a bike.

Crank Length

One of the presenters was none other than Dr Jim Martin from the Neuromuscular Function Lab at the University of Utah. Jim’s 77 page PowerPoint presentation on crank length, power production and aerodynamics can be distilled down to this: “you can ride any crank length you like without compromising performance, but there may be benefits to a “shorter” crank length to achieve other criteria.” Other criteria can include injury or mobility issues, and getting low to reduce aero drag without compromising power generation and pedaling smoothness.

Aero

Looking for marginal gains? If you are a triathlete, time trialist or breakaway specialist, being aero matters. At race speeds 90% of the resistance to forward progress is due to aero drag, and 70% of that is due to your body. Spend all you like on wheels, ceramic bearings, oversized pulley wheels and special chain treatments but none of it will add up to the gains that can be had from a good body position. An aero position has to be both comfortable and stable. Comfortable so you can maintain it for long periods, and stable to reduce airflow turbulence. Stability starts with the pelvis, and being rock solid on your saddle.

Team

If you are a serious athlete or have serious goals, how carefully have you assembled your support team of professional advisors?

Hi level pro’s will have a supervisor for oversight of all the ingredient for success who co-ordinate the input of specialist advisors for the athlete. As an unpaid professional you will most likely have to fulfill that role yourself. Specialist advisors specialize. They don’t try to fulfill all the roles needed for athletic success, but bring laser focus, training, and experience to one key aspect.

Bringing it together

You may invest in training. Maybe you pay for a coach or an online training program to get stronger and faster. You may invest in equipment. But more important than how many nanograms your frame weighs, what type of brakes it has, and what brand name is on the wheels, are your shoes and saddle and handlebars because this is where your body meets the bike.

Gains in either products or training don’t automatically translate to benefits unless the interaction of the person and the bike is optimized for performance, and the role of a bike fitter is to focus on that interaction. And gains in performance usually result from gains in sustainable comfort. Going longer and riding harder, but having an easier time of it. That’s cycling optimization.

John Higgins is a professional bike fitter and purveyor of unique and boutique bicycles and fit-related components and accessories in Salt Lake City. More info on bikefitr.com

Amgen Tour of California: Pogacar Climbs into Yellow on Stage 6; Hall Conquers Baldy on Stage 2

Cycling West
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Amgen Tour of California: Pogacar Climbs into Yellow on Stage 6; Hall Conquers Baldy on Stage 2

20-YEAR-OLD PRODIGY POGACAR CLAIMS MOUNTAIN STAGE AND RACE LEAD AT 2019 AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

Race Winners Will Be Decided Tomorrow at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl

ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 17: Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE – Team Emirates / Sergio Andres Higuita of Colombia and Team EF Education First / George Bennett of New Zealand and Team Jumbo – Visma / during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 6 a 127,5km stage from Ontario to Mt.Baldy 1959m / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 17, 2019 in Ontario, United States. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

BALDY, Calif. (May 17, 2019) – A determined ride by UAE Team Emirates’ 20-year-old Tadej Pogacar’s(SLO) today could make him the youngest ever Amgen Tour of Californiachampion when the race concludes in Pasadena tomorrow. First-timers to this race, Pogacar and 21-year-old Sergio Higuita battled to the steep summit finish atop Southern California’s Mt. Baldy, with the EF Education First Pro Cycling Columbian rider slipping into second place for the stage after a wide turn to the finish gave the younger rider clearance to the line.

“It was for sure a team effort. Once again, my team did a really good job protecting me all day and leading me out to the final climb and supporting me all the ways that they could. I just did my best the last 5 or 6km, and I was climbing really well today,” said Pogacar.

The penultimate race day began with just 36 seconds separating the top-10 riders on the overall race leader board, which shattered on the steep ascent up Mt. Baldy.

Pogacar, who began the day in fourth place 16 seconds off the race lead and in the TAG Heuer Best Young Rider jersey he has worn for four consecutive days, now holds the overall race lead +:16” ahead of Higuita. Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Kasper Asgreen (DEN) and Team Jumbo-Visma’s 2017 race champion George Bennett (NZL) kept the lead group within their sights up the final mountainous stretch to keep their overall contention hopes alive, ending the day in third (+:20”) and fourth (+:29”) overall respectively. Tejay van Garderen (Tacoma, Wash.) of EF Education First Pro Cycling, who has held the overall race lead since day two, lost time on the final uphill section, falling to ninth place in the overall (+1:22”).

The Queen Stage from Ontario to Mt. Baldy, presented by Visit California, was the shortest but toughest of the week with 12,000 feet of climbing – more than half of that in the last 27 miles. Through the village of Mt. Baldy itself, through Icehouse Canyon, and up the ten switchbacks, the brutal ascent averages 9.4% with a max incline of almost 16%. In fact, the last half mile alone averages 12.8%.

Two thirds of the way into the stage, today’s breakaway held a three-minute advantage before things turned upward near the Glendora Sprint, and contained Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team’s Mikkel Bjerg (DEN), who was awarded today’sBreakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey.

BORA-hansgrohe’s 25-year-old German rider Max Schachmann, who began the day in  fifth place and within reach of the overall win, attacked the peloton with less than eight miles left to ride and quickly caught then passed the lead group, the day’s first threat to the leader board. He nurtured his lead to 45 seconds, becoming the virtual race leader, as Trek-Segafredo and EF Education First worked together to close the gap in defense of their GC riders.

Pogacar and Asgreen rode near the front as the peloton gave chase. Van Garderen dropped off the back of the peloton with about 2.5 miles left to ride as it drove up the pace and bore down on Schachmann, a Giro d’Italia stage winner in 2018. Bennett and Pogacar were at the front of the chase group who caught him with two miles to ride.

Higuita soon attacked with Pogacar and Bennett responding, and Trek-Segafredo’s Richie Porte (AUS) following the trio, then leaped out to a solo lead with 1.7 miles left before Pogacar caught up to him in the final half-mile and sailed past on the final corner to victory.

“I think for sure my form is better now than what it was when we started. We’ve done some big days and I feel that I’ve gotten better but today is a really hard day… there’s no easy day in these races but today is a proper climb,” said Porte earlier today.

“We have a plan, we had a good team meeting, and the most important thing is there’s going to be pink on the top step of the podium tomorrow,” said van Garderen before the stage. “We expect an aggressive race out there but the fact that we have such a strong, deep team, I think that’s obvious to our advantage.”

FRIDAY, MAY 17

Podium: Stage 6 presented by Visit California

  1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates (UAE), 3h48’49”
  2. Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (COL), EF Education First Pro Cycling (USA), +00”
  3. George Bennett (NZL), Team Jumbo-Visma (TJV), +:05”

Jersey Winners after Stage 6:

  • Amgen Race Leader Jersey – Tadej Pogacar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates (UAE)
  • Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Mikkel Bjerg (DEN), Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team (USA)
  • Lexus King of the Mountain (KOM) Jersey – Davide Ballerini (ITA), Astana Pro Team (KAZ)
  • Visit California Sprint Jersey – Kasper Asgreen (DEN), Deceuninck – Quick-Step (BEL)
  • TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey – Tadej Pogacar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates (UAE)

FORMER RACE CHAMPS CONQUER MT. BALDY TOGETHER AS HALL WINS STAGE 2 ALONGSIDE VAN DER BREGGEN AT AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA WOMEN’S RACE EMPOWERED WITH SRAM

The Boels Dolmans Cycling Team staked their claim of Mt. Baldy at the midpoint of the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM, with the powerhouse duo of Katie Hall(Oakland, Calif.) and Anna van der Breggen (NED) coming over the summit finish together. Hall, the reigning race champion, picked up her first stage win this year, with van der Breggen putting more time into her overall race lead established yesterday when she rode solo to a Stage 1 win. The World Champion will ride into tomorrow’s race conclusion in Pasadena +29” ahead of Hall, who moved up to second place in the overall, and +1:06” up on CCC-Liv’s Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) in third.

ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 17: Arrivals / Celebration / Katie Hall

Hall’s epic climb catapulted her to the top of the QOM competition, which she has won twice before in this race, with Astana’s Blanca Liliana Moreno Canchon (COL), and van der Breggen still leading the Sprint competition by a large margin.

The Boels Dolmans duo took the lead on the steepest part of the climb up the mountain and was followed by Moolman-Pasio (RSA) in third for the stage. Before Boels Dolmans attacked, WNT ROTOR Pro Cycling Team’s Kathrin Hammes (GER) and CANYON//SRAM Racing’s Omer Shapira (ISR), who earned the Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Most Courageous Rider Jersey for time spent in a solo lead up the steep gradient, were out front as the last standing from the three-woman breakaway, with Team Sunweb’s Coryn Rivera (Tustin, Calif.) having fallen back to the chase group. Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team’s Olga Zabelinskaya (UZB) then made an appearance in the lead group along with Moolman-Pasio.

Before the climbing began, speeds were high (nearly 30mph),  as the peloton pushed off for Stage 2 presented by Visit California from Ontario and Valcar Cylance Cycling kept up the pace trying to thin out the lead group. Their rider Elisa Balsamo (ITA) placed second for yesterday’s stage and went into today leading the TAG Heuer Best Young Rider competition, however, Team Sunweb’s Juliette Labous (FRA) overtook that lead today.

FRIDAY, MAY 17

Podium: Stage 2 presented by Visit California

  1. Katie Hall (USA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED), 2h36’39”
  2. Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED),+ :00”
  3. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA), CCC-LIV (NED), +0:33″

Jersey Winners after Stage 2:

  • Amgen Race Leader Jersey – Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
  • Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Omer Shapira (ISR), Canyon//SRAM Racing (GER)
  • Lexus Queen of the Mountain (QOM) Jersey – Katie Hall (USA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
  • Visit California Sprint Jersey – Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
  • TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey – Juliette Labous (FRA), Team Sunweb (NED)

LOOKING AHEAD – RACE CONCLUSION

Tomorrow’s Amgen Tour of California will see the women’s and men’s teams ride from veteran Host City Santa Clarita to Pasadena’s famed Rose Bowl, where the winners will be decided.

Fans can stay up to date on the race via daily live airings on NBC Sports Network with the May 18conclusion live on NBC, and via the free Amgen Tour of California App, Voxwomen and daily recaps on the race’s youtube channel.

Amgen Tour of California fans can connect with the race through all of their favorite social media platforms and use #AmgenTOC to join the conversation.

ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 17: Tag Heuer Best Young Rider jersey Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE – Team Emirates / during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 6 a 127,5km stage from Ontario to Mt.Baldy 1959m / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 17, 2019 in Ontario, United States. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 17: Alex Howes of The United States and Team EF Education First / during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 6 a 127,5km stage from Ontario to Mt.Baldy 1959m / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 17, 2019 in Ontario, United States. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 17: / Peloton / Landscape / cyclists compete during the Amgen Tour Of California Women’s Race 2019, Stage 2 a 74km stage from Ontario to Mt.Baldy 1959m / #AmgenTOCWomen / @AmgenTOC / on May 17, 2019 in Ontario, United States. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

 

2019 Tour of Utah: New Award Jerseys Show Off Distinctive Features of State

Cycling West
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2019 Tour of Utah: New Award Jerseys Show Off Distinctive Features of State

SALT LAKE CITY, May 16, 2019 (TOU) – Want to easily spot the overall race leader in this year’s Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah? Look for the one-of-a-kind yellow jersey emblazoned with the skyline of Salt Lake City. The six Tour of Utah award jerseys have been redesigned to recognize classification leaders and fan favorites during race week on Aug. 12-18.

2019 Tour of Utah Leaders Jerseys
2019 Tour of Utah Leaders Jerseys

Five jerseys will be presented daily for top performers in the peloton, which include the General Classification (G.C.) leader, sprint leader, best climber, most aggressive and best young rising star. The America First Credit Union Fan Favorite jersey will be awarded daily in special categories using online voting by fans.

The updated designs showcase classic landscapes of the state of Utah from the Bonneville Salt Flats to Arches National Park. A distinct color is paired with the featured design to identify each unique jersey. It is the ninth year that Tour organizers have partnered with Utah-based DNACYCLING for design and production of all award jerseys.

Here are the award jerseys with presenting sponsor and scenic image:

  • General Classification Leader — Larry H. Miller Group of Companies and Salt Lake City skyline
  • Sprint Leader — Utah Sports Commission and Bonneville Salt Flats with land speed record race car
  • King of the Mountain — Utah Office of Tourism and Wasatch Mountain Range and snowflakes
  • Best Young Rider — WCF Insurance and Mount Nebo
  • Most Aggressive Rider — Larry H. Miller Dealerships and Arches National Park
  • Fan Favorite — America First Credit Union and herd of buffalo on Antelope Island State Park

“The Tour of Utah has been proud to pass many of these iconic locations during the race in the past several years, and for our 15th edition we wanted to pay tribute to many of these scenic sites. DNA Cycling has done a great job with award jersey designs to commemorate what makes Utah special,” said John Kimball, managing director of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.

All award jerseys will feature branding for three Tour Partners — Larry H. Miller Dealerships, Utah Sports Commission and the Utah Office of Tourism, an agency of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development — on the collar, sleeves and side panels.

The Larry H. Miller Group of Companies General Classification (G.C.) jersey is worn by the overall race leader, determined by the lowest accumulated time. The yellow color replicates the same type of G.C. jersey used by the Tour de France, which began this tradition in 1913. Last year, American Sepp Kuss of Team LottoNL-Jumbo secured the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies G.C. jersey after winning three individual stages.

The Utah Sports Commission Sprint jersey is awarded to the rider who specializes in speed. Each day, riders can accumulate points for this classification along the route at designated points, as well as bonuses at select finish lines. The top sprinter from the 2018 race was American Travis McCabe of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team, who captured the Utah Sports Commission Sprint jersey for a second consecutive year.

The Utah Office of Tourism King of the Mountain (KOM) jersey will return with its popular motif of blue snowflakes and the Ski Utah brand. Designated KOM climbs along the route will provide points for this classification. The rider with the most accumulated points is awarded the KOM jersey each day as the best climber. Overall winner Kuss proved to be the best climber in the peloton and earned the Utah Office of Tourism KOM title last year.

The WCF Insurance Best Young Rider jersey goes to the foremost up-and-coming rider under the age of 24. This light blue jersey recognizes the qualified rider with the lowest accumulated time in the G.C. standings each day. Mexican Luis Villalobos of Aevolo Cycling won this jersey in 2018.

The Larry H. Miller Dealerships Most Aggressive Rider jersey is awarded to one rider each day who is judged by a panel of race officials to have exhibited a courageous or decisive performance. There is no overall champion for this award jersey since the selection is based on voting rather than G.C. standings. There were seven different riders to wear this award jersey last year, including American Nathan Brown of EF Education First-Drapac presented by Cannondale on the final stage in Park City.

The America First Credit Union Fan Favorite jersey returns for a sixth year as fans choose to recognize rising stars, past champions and inspirational riders. Each day a different category is named online at TourofUtah.com, with a winner tabulated by popular votes. Last year, American Taylor “TJ” Eisenhart of Holowesko-Citadel presented by Arapahoe Resources received the most votes to capture the Overall Fan Favorite prize. Voting for the daily America First Credit Union Fan Favorite award will be begin on the opening day of racing on Aug. 12.

The Tour of Utah is one of the premier events in North America for men’s professional cycling teams, ranked 2.HC by the Union Cycliste Internationale and positioned on USA Cycling’s Pro Road Tour. The Tour of Utah will begin on Aug. 12 with a prologue (short time trial) at Snowbird Resort, one of four ski resorts that is part of the event. The Tour will conclude on Aug. 18 in Park City. Additional host venues are North Logan City, Brigham City, Powder Mountain Resort, Antelope Island State Park, North Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, and Canyons Village at Park City Mountain.

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique professional sports in the world today. It remains a 2.HC-rated stage race on the UCI America Tour, making it one of the premier events for professional cycling teams in North America. The Tour is also part of the USA Cycling Pro Road Tour. More information about the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com, as well as social channels Facebook (tourofutah), Twitter (@tourofutah), Instagram (@thetourofutah) and YouTube (Tour of Utah).

The Grand Enduro Set for Grand Junction, Colorado on June 1-2, 2019

Dave Iltis
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The Grand Enduro Set for Grand Junction, Colorado on June 1-2, 2019

The Grand Enduro is a premier regional enduro mountain bike race that will be held on the Lunch Loops Trail System in Grand Junction, Colorado on June 1-2, 2019. With the cancellation of both the Scott Enduro Cup and the Idaho Enduro Series for 2019, this event will be a mainstay on the enduro calendar. We caught up with race organizer John Klish of Mad Racing Colorado to ask about the event.

Highlights from the Grand Enduro, held in Grand Junction, Colorado. Photo by Light Bulb Media, lightbulbmediacolorado.com

Cycling West: Tell us about the event. What’s the main draw to the Grand Enduro?

Mad Racing Colorado: The Grand Enduro hosts the most exciting features of enduro mountain bike racing on a world class mountain bike trail system within the Lunch Loops and Tabeguache trail system. This is a unique opportunity to race a professional course within a laid back fun event where the sense of community is large and good vibes abound.

CW: Tell us more about the stages. What are the highlights?

MR: Stage 1 of the Grand Enduro features the world famous Ribbon Trail which giving you an incredible moon like landscape, vistas of the whole Grand Valley, and a 7-10 minute brake burner downhill with several challenging technical features, some cliff exposure, and runs with multiple technical lines. Midway through this stage you’ll enter the Wine Glass featuring speeds approaching 50 mph. At the bottom part of this section is a radar gun to catch the fastest of each category.

Stage 2 is the Gunny Loop with lots of technical features, high speed rocky sections, and a lot of tight turns. The lower part of the Gunny Loop is fast, with loose rock, and tight squeezes. Be prepared with what you need in case of a flat and save some juice for the uphill at the end.

Stage 3 begins on Free Lunch, the first purpose built free ride trail built on public land in the United States. This 3rd and final stage features multiple play areas and various lines, making it essential to pre-ride this to choose which line is best for you. Then comes a rowdy section called Pucker Up including drops, a wall ride, and Cathedral Rock area with a gnarly drop. There is a walking bypass for those not comfortable dropping in on this feature.

CW: Racers are encouraged to bring their families. Tell us more about some of the things to do in the area before and after the race.

MR: We encourage people to make this into a family trip. The beginning of June is one of the best times to visit the Grand Valley with great weather and endless fun activities.

Beginning May 26, Grand Junction hosts of the Junior College Baseball World Series (JUCO). Mike the Headless Chicken Festival on May 31st is a super fun family festival in Fruita, CO. This festival is dedicated to the amazing story of one chicken’s will to live.

Finally, in downtown Palisade, CO, more than 100 bikes from near and far will be on display for the The Unknown Motorcycle Show. Admission and parking are free along with live music, contests, and fun for the kids!

CW: What sort of festivities are planned?

MR: Less than a mile away from the finish line is where the MADness will begin and end at the event venue and also Stage 2 sponsor, the Handlebar Tap House, serving up gourmet burgers and craft beer. There will be vendors, live music, and games featured Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon.

CW: Where can people stay? Are there motel discounts? Camping nearby?

MR: Amazing camping is available just across the street from the venue at The Camp. You’d never know while at your tucked away camp site that you are a 2 minute walk from restaurants and a shopping plaza with a grocery store, liquor store, pet store, and more! Several hotels offer discount rates throughout the weekend. Details will be included in the Grand Enduro digital guidebook viewable at www.grandenduro.com

CW: The Colorado National Monument is nearby. Tell us a little about the park and the history of the area.

MR: The Monument, as locals refer to it a gorgeous plateau of sheer walls, steep canyons, pinyon, and sage protected by the National Park Service. It hosts tons of wildlife, including red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, desert bighorn sheep, and coyotes. It’s great place for a scenic drive or camping at many locations throughout The Monument.

CW: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

MR: This is a super down to earth, fun, and exciting weekend event. All are welcome, we love meeting new participants and their families each year.

June 1-2 — Grand Enduro, Grand Junction, CO, 3rd Annual, Race the top 3 trails of the Lunch Loops (Ribbon, Gunny, and Free Lunch) with amazing views in the background. This is the only race on the Ribbon… come see what it’s like to ride up to 50mph on a big slab of rock! 22-35 minutes of racing over 6.2 miles of trail. 2.5-4 hours of total ride time covering ~22 miles., John Klish, 970-744-4450, [email protected], madracingcolorado.com

Highlights from the Grand Enduro, held in Grand Junction, Colorado. Photo by Light Bulb Media, lightbulbmediacolorado.com
Highlights from the Grand Enduro, held in Grand Junction, Colorado. Photo by Light Bulb Media, lightbulbmediacolorado.com

Amgen Tour of California: Ivan Garcia Cortina takes Stage 5 sprint; Anna van der Breggen solos to Stage 1 victory

Cycling West
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Amgen Tour of California: Ivan Garcia Cortina takes Stage 5 sprint; Anna van der Breggen solos to Stage 1 victory

WORLD CHAMPION VAN DER BREGGEN SAILS TO A SOLO STAGE WIN AS AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA WOMEN’S RACE EMPOWERED WITH SRAM DEBUTS IN VENTURA

Queen Stage from Ontario to Top of Mt. Baldy Looms for Both Pelotons Tomorrow

VENTURA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 16: Arrival / Celebration / Ivan Garcia Cortina of Spain riding for Team Bahrain – Merida during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 5 a 219,5km stage from Pismo Beach to Ventura / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019 – Stage 5 on May 16, 2019 in Ventura, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

VENTURA, Calif. (May 16, 2019) – Though intact, the leader board has grown tighter after day five of the Amgen Tour of California, with the crucial Queen Stage on tap tomorrow.

Stage 5 presented by Lexus from Pismo Beach to Ventura was the longest road day of the week at 136.4 miles. BORA-hansgrohe’s three-time World Champion Peter Sagan (SVK) was determined to get into the breakaway today with multiple attempts, finally bridging to the early leaders with a small collection of others to form the day’s lead group of 12. However with no Sprint wins today, Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Kasper Asgreen claimed enough bonus points to pull the green jersey from Sagan as well as move two seconds closer to the race leader Tejay van Garderen (Tacoma, Wash.) of EF Education First Pro Cycling, who now leads by just four seconds with two racing days left.

BAHRAIN-MERIDA did some heavy lifting throughout the stage to chase down the breakaway and put their sprinter Ivan Garcia Cortina (ESP) into the mix for the final bunch sprint where he seized his first pro victory, fending off some of the race’s Sprint favorites and overtaking Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Maximiliano Richeze (ARG), who came in second for the stage.

On the fast approach to Ventura, EF Education First Pro Cycling’s Sergio Higuita (COL) attacked at the top of the final climb with Jumbo-Visma’s 2017 race champion George Bennett (NZL) on his wheel. The two sped together over the final two miles before being caught by a large chase group containing Higuita’s teammate and race leader van Garderen (Tacoma, Wash.). Higuita remained in hot pursuit to the finish, picking up third place and valuable sprint bonus points; with Bennett claiming points at an intermediate Sprint, both rose in the overall standings to 6 and 8 respectively.

The infamous climb up Mt. Baldy looms tomorrow, with just 36 seconds separating the top 10 overall race leaders.

“We just gotta try to get into the base of Baldy with our top guys with as fresh of legs as possible, which means it’s going to be a lot of heavy lifting from guys like Lawson [Craddock], Alex [Howes] and Lachlan [Morton] – but those guys have been stellar all week, and they rode like champions today,” said van Garderen.

Today’s hilly stage caused the polka dot jersey to switch hands to Astana Pro Team’s Davide Ballerini (ITA), while the TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey remains for the fourth consecutive day with UAE Team Emirates Tadej Pogacar (SLO).

RESULTS: 2019 Amgen Tour of California Stage 5 Men’s Results
THURSDAY, MAY 16
Podium: Stage 5 presented by LEXUS
  1. Ivan Garcia Cortina (ESP), Bahrain – Merida (BRN), 4h56’11”
  2. Maximiliano Richeze (ARG), Deceuninck – Quick-Step (BEL), +00”
  3. Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (COL), EF Education First Pro Cycling (USA), +00”
Jersey Winners after Stage 5:
  • Amgen Race Leader Jersey – Tejay van Garderen (USA), EF Education First Pro Cycling (USA)
  • Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Matteo Badilatti (SUI), Israel Cycling Academy (ISR)
  • Lexus King of the Mountain (KOM) Jersey – Davide Ballerini (ITA), Astana Pro Team (KAZ)
  • Visit California Sprint Jersey – Kasper Asgreen (DEN), Deceuninck – Quick-Step (BEL)
  • TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey – Tadej Pogacar (SLO), UAE Team Emirates (UAE)

AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA WOMEN’S RACE EMPOWERED WITH SRAM

The Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM began today with the punchy and windy 60-mile course beginning and ending in Ventura.

VENTURA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 16: Anna Van Der Breggen of The Netherlands and Boels Dolmans Cycling Team / competes during the Amgen Tour Of California Women’s Race 2019, Stage 1 a 96,5km stage from Ventura to Ventura / #AmgenTOCWomen / @AmgenTOC / on May 16, 2019 in Ventura, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The wind and challenging hills saw the peloton shatter and reform many times over, including on the final climb to the finish. As the teams were organizing to launch their sprinters to the line, World Champion Anna van der Breggen (NED) of the Boels Dolmans Cycling Team attacked and ran away to a solo victory despite a wicked headwind. Van der Breggen is a returning race champion, having won the event in 2017.

“There was a beautiful climb 5k’s from the finish so it was a good moment to go and try to see if I could go solo to the finish line,” said van der Breggen. “It was up to us on that final climb to try something…I’m really happy for the team and for myself to take the stage win and to have a good start on this stage race.”

Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team’s Olga Zabelinskaya (UZB), the former Russian National Time Trial Champion and three-time Olympic medalist, attacked at Casitas Pass and grew her lead to a minute and a half, but was caught shortly before the finish where attacks then began flying. Valcar Cylance Cycling’s Elisa Balsamo (ITA) came in second (+18”), with Astana’s Arlenis Sierra (CUB) in third (+18”) for the day.

Earlier on the stage, presented by Lexus, Hagens Berman | Supermint Pro Cycling’s Lindsay Goldman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) made a solo break that held for nearly an hour, earning her the Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Most Courageous Rider Jersey.

“It’s [the women’s race] grown every year…the challenges are huge and the field is amazing,” said Amgen Tour of California Race Ambassador Kristin Armstrong, a decorated former pro and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist. “The platform that the Amgen Tour of California provides for women’s racing across the world is very impactful. In fact today, the racers that are here at the race, you’re going to see them one year from now in the Tokyo Olympic Games. The qualification for the Olympics for all federations starts now at the [Amgen] Tour of California. And I’m telling you what, there’s a lot of races within the race happening out there this week…it’s fantastic, and it’s thrilling.”

RESULTS: 2019 Amgen Tour of California Powered with SRAM Stage 1 Women’s Results
THURSDAY, MAY 16
Podium: Stage 1 presented by LEXUS
  1. Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED), 2h36’17”
  2. Elisa Balsamo (ITA), Valcar Cylance Cycling (ITA), +0:18”
  3. Arlenis Sierra (CUB), Astana Women’s Team, +0:18”
Jersey Winners after Stage 1:
  • Amgen Race Leader Jersey – Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
  • Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Lindsay Goldman (USA), Hagens Berman / Supermint (USA)
  • Lexus Queen of the Mountain (QOM) Jersey – Blanca Liliana Moreno Canchon (COL), Astana Women’s Team (KAZ)
  • Visit California Sprint Jersey – Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
  • TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey – Elisa Balsamo (ITA), Valcar Cylance Cycling (ITA)
LOOKING AHEAD

Tomorrow’s Amgen Tour of California will see the women’s and men’s teams contest the grueling climb from Ontario to the summit of Mt. Baldy, a critical stage for riders pursuing the overall win. Both races wrap up on Saturday at Pasadena’s famed Rose Bowl.

Fans can stay up to date on the race via daily live airings on NBC Sports Network with the May 18 conclusion live on NBC, and via the free Amgen Tour of California App, Voxwomen and daily recaps on the race’s youtube channel.

VENTURA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 16: Podium / Celebration / second place Ariel Maximiliano Richeze of Argentina and Team Deceuninck – Quick-Step / third place Sergio Andres Higuita of Colombia and Team EF Education First / during the 14th Amgen Tour of California 2019, Stage 5 a 219,5km stage from Pismo Beach to Ventura / #AmgenTOC / @AmgenTOC / on May 16, 2019 in Ventura, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
VENTURA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 16: ( L-R ) Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio of South Africa and Team CCC – Liv / Anna Van Der Breggen of The Netherlands and Boels Dolmans Cycling Team / Katarzyna Niewiadoma of Poland and Canyon SRAM Racing Team / during the Amgen Tour Of California Women’s Race 2019, Stage 1 a 96,5km stage from Ventura to Ventura / #AmgenTOCWomen / @AmgenTOC / on May 16, 2019 in Ventura, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
VENTURA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 16: / Peloton / Landscape / during the Amgen Tour Of California Women’s Race 2019, Stage 1 a 96,5km stage from Ventura to Ventura / #AmgenTOCWomen / @AmgenTOC / on May 16, 2019 in Ventura, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
VENTURA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 16: Alice Maria Arzuffi of Italy and Team Valcar Cylance Cycling / has a wheel replaced during the Amgen Tour Of California Women’s Race 2019, Stage 1 a 96,5km stage from Ventura to Ventura / #AmgenTOCWomen / @AmgenTOC / on May 16, 2019 in Ventura, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
 
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