Last week on the bike

Last week looked like it might be another mediocre week with very few miles but despite only 3 outings on the road bike, I ended up racking up a pretty good number.

Wednesday I snuck out between work and schoolwork for a 14 mile ride trying to find a new route that avoids the UoM area as much as possible. I found a decent route by going over the stone arch and along the light rail to the greenway and taking that to the river and then home. It offers a lot of options for distance so it might have to do until they rebuild the bridge and I can go the length of the river road again.

Didn't get out again until Saturday when Liane & I tried out a slightly longer version of my Wed ride. no big hills so it met with her approval, though we did throw in the hill by the Weisman as a spur of the moment addition.

Sunday was my big day though. I took off on my on around 9 and went along Victory to Theo Wirth, connected to the greenway and took that to the river, followed the river to Ford pkwy and around back to NE via the UoM for a total of 40 miles almost on the nose. I was pretty psyched that I was able to keep a 17 mph average for the whole ride as well.

Weekly Total - 70
Season Total - 1361

Last week on the bike

Not the best week ever I'll tell you.

After crashing and ripping my only pair of long tights, the temperatures, combined with homework, made it a little difficult to get out earlier in the week.

I was able to get out for a 12 mile ride on Wed with 2 good hills. I did discover that riding on the UoM campus after work is next to impossible though due to traffic, so I am going to have to find a new after work route.

Sat Liane & I went out in the late afternoon for a 14 mile ride down to the marshall ave bridge and back. Sun we attempted to go down to minnehaha falls but Liane is having a issue with one of her pedals not releasing her cleat so we turned back after just 4 miles.

I did get down to the World Cycling Productions pro shop on Sat and picked up a nice pair of Castelli thermal tights for only $50 as well as another baselayer and craft windstopper skull cap so I am set for the next snap of cold weather.

Week Total - 33
Season Total - 1291

Tour of Missouri wrap up

No surprise to anyone Big George took home the win. Hopefully if he hadn't been injured for the spring classics, Johan would have gotten the team behind him then but at least he got his chance once this year.

Ivan Domiguez showed why he is the man this year in the sprinter's realm by wining another stage and wrapping up the points jersey. Big up to Rollin for taking the intermediate sprint and making him work for it though.

Speaking of Rollin way to represent by getting third in the stage and grabbing third overall over Canada.

and of course big up to Slipstream for getting 2nd overall with Frisckorn, best young rider with Cozza, and #1 in the team classification. All this without the big names even starting...nice.

All in all not a bad beginning to what will hopefully be a regular addition to the US racing schedule.

Final overall
1. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery Channel, 21:00:33
2. William Frischkorn (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, at 1:38
3. Dominique Rollin (Can), KodakGallery-Sierra Nevada, at 2:09
4. David Cañada (Sp), Prodir-Saunier Duval, at 2:21
5. Michael Friedman (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, at 2:46
6. Frank Pipp (USA), Health Net-Maxxis, at 2:51
7. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr), Navigators Insurance, at 3:06
8. Andrew Randell (Can), Symmetrics, at 3:50
9. Stefan Parinussa (G), Team Sparkasse, at 4:26
10. Matthew Rice (Aus), Jelly Belly, at 6:16

2007 Tour of Missouri
Winner: George Hincapie, Discovery Channel
Points: Ivan Dominguez (Cub), Toyota-United
Mountains: Jeff Louder, Health Net-Maxxis
Best young rider: Steven Cozza, Slipstream-Chipotle
Team: Slipstream-Chipotle
Most aggressive: John Parr, Tecos

Tour of Missouri stage 5

Disco did that thing they do once again yesterday and made sure that the only riders to get into a break were not going to be a threat to the yellow jersey thus with the final stage being a circuit race George Hincapie essentially has the win in the bag.

Jeff Louder went in the break that finally stuck to sew up his hold on the KOM competition, but I have to wonder why it is necessary to have a KOM jersey when there are no mountains? I'm talking to you too Nature Valley Grand Prix. I mean the KOMs are essentially intermediate sprints on random hills. I mean the jersey and prize money are great I guess but....

I really thought that Kodak might try to pull the break back to set up Rollin for the sprint but they either waited too long or are counting on the intermediate and final sprints today. The battle for third should be the exciting part of today's stage.

Nice one to Danny Pate for attacking with 3km to go and making it stick for the stage win (surprisingly his first of the year). Slipstream is gonna rock next year.

Also big up to Justin.tv which has been providing me with a live video feed for free. yes it is small...yes it is pixelated...and yes the sound is sketchy or sometimes non-existent but unlike cycling.tv or wcsn.com it is free. though I htink my productivity at work will definitely go up this week (no vuelta and no ToM)

General classification
1 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel 18.23.13
2 William Frishkorn (USA) Team Slipstream p/b Chipotle 1.40
3 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 2.22
4 Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodakgallery.com - Sierra Nevada 2.23
5 Michael Friedman (USA) Team Slipstream p/b Chipotle 2.48
6 Frank Pipp (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 2.57
7 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 3.04
8 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 3.48
9 Stefan Parinussa (Ger) Team Sparkasse 4.20
10 Matt Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 6.21
11 Andrew Guptill (USA) Colavita - Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 6.25
12 Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Professional Cycling Team 6.34

Tour of Missouri stage 4

Well I can't say that I was surprised by the way that yesterday's stage shook out.

It was obvious taht Disco wasn't going to let any of the GC contenders slip away and you could guess that Saunier-Duval would like to get a stage win.

Disco did their part and put up enough of a chase to keep the break close but not enough to cause problems for the race organizers.

I was surprised that the break couldn't stay away. My money was on Health-Net to take the stage with both Louder and Hesjedal in the break. It was not to be however and in the end Pagliarini was the man.

I think the big question is whether Rollin can push Canada off the podium with only a second separating them.

General Classification
1. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery, 13:30:26
2. William Frischkorn (USA), Slipstream, 1:40
3. David Canada (Sp), Prodir, 2:22
4. Dominique Rollin (CAN), KodakGallery, 2:23
5. Michael Friedman (USA), Slipstream, 2:48
6. Frank Pipp (USA), Health Net, 2:57
7. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr), Navigators, 3:04
8. Andrew Randell (CAN), Symmetrics, 3:48
9. Stefan Parinussa (G), Sparkasse, 4:20
10. Matthew Rice (Aus), Jelly Belly, 6:21

In other bummer news, Velonews reported in their coverage of the Vuelta today that Navigators Insurance (as well as Kodak) will be pulling out of cycling which is a major blow to US cycling.

Tour of Missouri stage 3

Well I can’t say that I was too surprised with the result of the TT at the Tour of Missouri today.



Levi kicked butt and George gained another chunk of time on the dirty dozen challengers to his win. I really think that the Domestic squads messed up by letting the competition get whittled down as much as it has. Disco is right at home protecting the lead in an event like this.



Barring anything drastic it looks like the only rider who can challenge Hincapie is Slipstream’s Will Frishkorn who is 1:40 back in second place

Cyclingnews has an interesting article on the organizers trying to force a chase and the safety concern behind it. I know that at times yesterday the peloton was only clocking like 16 MPH. Heck I could keep up with that and I am a slowpoke.

General classification after stage 3
1 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel 8.22.34
2 William Frishkorn (USA) Team Slipstream p/b Chipotle 1.40
3 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 2.22
4 Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodakgallery.com - Sierra Nevada 2.23
5 Michael Friedman (USA) Team Slipstream p/b Chipotle 2.48
6 Frank Pipp (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 2.57
7 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 3.04
8 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 3.48
9 Stefan Parinussa (Ger) Team Sparkasse 4.20
10 Matt Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 6.21
11 Andrew Guptill (USA) Colavita - Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 6.25
12 Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Professional Cycling Team 6.34

Tour of Missouri stage 2

Well I guess I shouldn't have opened my mouth because stage 2 of the ToM was just like stage 3 of this year’s Tour de Georgia with a small breakaway that had most team’s represented got so much time that the twelve riders in the break are now the GC contenders for the race.

So with a break that included George Hincapie, David Canada, Frank Pipp, William Frischkorn, and several others went the distance and Big George covered all the attacks in the final circuits to take the stage and in doing so the yellow jersey.

Notably absent form the break was Toyota-United and given the huge time gaps it looks like they will be fighting for stage wins only from this point on.

None of the domestic teams seemed to want to pull the break back but are content to try and take the yellow jersey from the select group that lead today’s stage. Personally, my money is on Disco taking George all the way home and winning all the big stage races of the US this year. I think the domestic squads made a mistake by letting the field get so narrow.

General classification after stage 2

1 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Professional Cycling 7.40.50
2 Dominique Rollin (Can) KodakGallery Pro Cycling p/b Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 0.04
3 Frank Pipp (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 0.07
4 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0.10
5 Stefan Parinussa (Ger) Team Sparkasse 0.11
6 Andrew Guptill (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 0.13
7 Michael Friedman (USA) Team Slipstream Powered By Chipotle
8 David Canada (Spa) Prodir-Saunier Duval
9 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
10 Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 0.52
11 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Slipstream Powered By Chipotle
12 Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Racing Team 2.30

Well its tour time –Tour of Missouri that is

The inaugural addition kicked off yesterday, so let’s hope that it is a little more Tour of California than Tour of Georgia. Don’t get me wrong there was excitement at the Tour of Georgia, but letting a breakaway get 30 minutes ahead and not pulling them back is kind of ridiculous. I understand if there is a crash, bad weather, or a protest by a French trade union holds up the peloton, but seriously the whole “I’m not gonna chase ‘em, you chase ‘em” thing was a little ridiculous.

Anyway, enough of that.

Yesterday’s first stage saw Discovery help pull back a 4-man break in the finishing circuits but the sprint finish went to Toyota-United’s Ivan Dominguez over Zach bell and Kyle Wamsley. The US pro teams should have some good motivation to really push it with Discovery winning both of the other big stage races in the US this year. Let’s hope that Disco aren’t just coasting through their finale as a team.


General classification
1 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 3.05.27
2 Zach Bell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0.04
3 Kyle Wamsley (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0.06
4 Luciano Pagliarini (Bra) Prodir-Saunier Duval 0.07
5 James Meadley (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
6 Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 0.08
7 Philipp Mamos (Ger) Team Sparkasse
8 Charles Huff (USA) Team Slipstream Powered By Chipotle 0.09
9 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
10 Danilo Wyss (Swi) Prodir-Saunier Duval 0.10

Last week on the bike

I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. on the one hand it isn't too hot and not too cold yet (though it has been a might chilly in the AM) so it is good biking weather. On the other hand it is fall allergy season and this one is a doozy.

This leaves me with a tough decision. stay home and avoid allergies somewhat or go out and the combination of riding and the ever present wind kick my allergies into overdrive. I have been trying to strike a balance somewhat and take days off when my allergies get really bad or the wind has really stirred things up.

Last week I got out on mon and tuesday for just short rides do to the allergies and avoided riding all together on Wed and Thu because they were so bad. Friday I toughed it out and checked out the newly paved "diagonal trail" in MPLS. IT is a short connection route that parallels New Brighton Blvd from Stinson and dumps you out on Walnut with a short ride into Roseville business district.

Sunday was the big day because Liane & I rode the St. Paul Classic. This was my third year and we rode the 30 mile loop for the 2nd time (last year we cut it short due to the rain). As always it is a mix of fun and irritation.

Fun because it is a 30 mile ride with virtually no traffic to even think about and you are surrounded by thousands of of cyclists.

Irritation because many of these cyclists seem to only get out on their bikes for this one ride (seriously about a dozen people I passed had the little sticker you attach to your handlebars from last year still on their bikes) and thus do not have great bike etiquette (or any bike etiquette). lots of people riding all the way to the left or 4 abreast at 10 mph, kids weaving along, etc.

Still in the end it is great to see so many on their bikes and the route is great with a couple of nice hills and lots of flat.

I had a little unwanted excitement about 20 miles in however.

All of the sudden my front wheel skipped and kicked to the right and down I went in a heap. Next thing I knew I was on the ground under my bike with a big rip in my full length tights. no one ran into me however and I was able to rinse off the road rash and after a quick bike check was back on the road. I have never hit the decks while riding before so I was a little tentative for the rest of the ride but I figure after 1000 miles once slight crash isn't too bad.

Miles will probably be light until I can put arm and leg warmers over the road rash, but by next weekend I will be back up to normal.

Weekly Total - 54
Season Total - 1258

cyclist struck from behind by bus

The star tribune had this little blip today about a cyclist getting hit by Metro Transit bus.

Luckily they were not killed but it doesn't say how badly injured they were.

they did say however that:

The bicyclist was riding when he was struck from behind by the bus.

nice.

even if they didn't have lights how do you hit someone from behind?

Last week on the bike - late edition

a little late here; this time not due to laziness, but out-of-towness.

went up to the in-law's cabin in Ely Thursday through Sunday and got in a couple of good rides up there.

Friday Liane & I rode out of Ely and around Shagawa Lake for a nice 15 mile loop with a few rollers in the mix.

Saturday we did an out and back from Ely to Babbitt that was about 31 miles and fairly rolling as well. Perhaps the worst part about it though was the headwind out that was just hard enough that you couldn't really coast down the hills once you climbed them. on the plus side however the way back was a breeze and we rode the route 15 minutes faster for a grand total of almost exactly 2 hours.

otherwise I only got in a short ride up the cemetery hill route at home earlier in the week due to school beginning and other commitments.

I'll be hitting 1000 miles on my road bike alone this week and it looks like I should have no problem hitting 1500 for the year.

week total - 52
Season total - 1204