Epic Racing around the World

Sometimes things just click for you. And while there’s always a little good (if not an avoidance of bad) luck involved, I like to think its because we’re not out there tackling these adventures alone.

What’s the saying?…It takes a village to raise a child? I think that’s fairly accurate when it comes to getting a race team off the ground and then off to the races. With MonaVie/Cannondale tackling races on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts this weekend, the logistics of making it all happen were off the chart.

The team effort began in Bedford, PA, in getting the bikes out of the Cannondale factory in time to make the races on opposite sides of the country. Nadine, Julie, Casey, Rick, and Brian were shipping the fresh-off-the-presses team bikes to Utah, California, and Puerto Rico while Elena and the Utah MonaVie crew made sure everyone was stocked on their active gels, Kenda was sending tires to the far corners of the continent, pedals and eyewear crossing paths at the postal depots…

Chris Eldevick at Reynolds, Jason First at Crankbros, Steve Boehmke at Adidas, Jim Wannamaker at Kenda, the whole crew at Cannondale, down to the boys already in Puerto Rico who picked me up at the airport, this has been a team effort from start to finish.

Heck, when I arrived at Ciclo Mundo this afternoon Hadji had our bikes put together and ready to go. Let’s see that happen at the NMB.S.

Alders and Blake bumped into some Monavie cousins while braving the snow and ice outside Boulder last week…they look cold, but happy, don’t they?

Sue Butler and I did a little road racing west of Portland at Hagg’s Lake last weekend. I finished last out of two, in a sprint for the win. Boo…

Bart is hut-to-hut skiing in Wyoming, Ohran has been training in Moab, Spannring is tearing up the slopes at Deer Valley 40 hours a week, Tinker’s resting from his trip to Australia,and Leana is waiting for Spring Break….

Everyone has been spending time on the road lately, too, in preparation for the season….and some roads have been more smoothly paved than others.

One of our newest family members, Jamie Whitmore, has started a journey down a road far too many of us have possibly had some experience with.

Visit Jamie at her website where she’ll personally update you during her fight. Send her your thoughts, wishes, and inspiration….she’ll be sending us the same.

Our man Fred Dreier has been keeping the ink fresh on MonavieCannondale.com team coverage here (Bart in St. George) and here (Sager in West Texas).

And…we’re now up on the Cannondale.com site. Global media domination is only few World Championships and Olympics away.

by Bart Gilliespie (not really, but written by me as I think Bart would have written it)

Shhh, don’t let the secret out. All winter I’ve treated my recreational activities as if it was, well, winter. Bike training is over rated.

Skiing, working, family, and snow blowing. Sure, there’s been a bike ride thrown in here and there, but for the most part the balance of sport and life has swung right where I wanted it, and cycling has been reserved for when the grass is a little closer to the surface of the 4′ snow pack in my back yard.

Heading down to the land of Dixie in southern Utah was more of an opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the mountain bike ratherm than having any sort of race performance expectations. I fully expected to get waxed, speaking of skiing.

The race started aggressively, the long break in racing having done nothing to temper the aggression of big hitters like Troy Wells, Travis Brown, my USADA buddy Cale Redpath, Adam Snyder, et.all…

Much to my dismay, Travis seemed to have been doing more skiing than I had (he popped early), and Troy must’ve spent most of his winter on his road bike (he flatted on the DH) which left me riding the majority of the race alone. 3.5 laps of 4, solo in the wind, being chased by some of the region’s best is a tall order, but once out there…there’s little that inspires you more than a challenge like holding onto a lead once you’re in possession of it.

Congrats to Matt Ohran in his first Pro/Open race in eight years, bringing in a top 8 finish. Good thing he didn’t wait nine years, right? Has he laid down a new challenge for team managers and industry employees?

One thing’s for sure, some of Ohran’s Cannondale bicycle retailers had a some fun poking Matt about his “one piece racing leotard…”

I seem to remember Laurent Fignon making fun of aero helmets in the 1989 Tour de France, too.

A skinsuit is a bold choice…and one that you can only back up by talking with the legs. However, I’m noticing a chest to stomach ratio that seems to correlate somehow with age. Maybe we’re all becoming belly breathers as we exit our 20’s?

Mitchell Peterson pulled his knobbie tires out from the garage, awakening, albeit, slowly, from his post-cyclocross break.

And never one to wear white before Labor Day, Bart’s Dad, also known as Roger, showed his boys how to do it, winning against the young guys in the 45+ age group.

We have to do something about our team and the random red helmets.

Another story and some results can be found here.

Pirated photos should be credited to Zazoosh.