Want to see who came out to the AZ State Team Time Trial Championships, aka “Sufferfest 2009″?

Click here.

Just in from Bryan Staub and the AZMRPS crew:

Thanks to all the Arizona Cycling Teams and Masters Road Racers who participated in The 2009 Cycling Fitness Performance Arizona Masters Racing Points Series!

The Award Ceremony will be at the upcoming ABRA meeting where the Copper Cup Individual Points Series are awarded as well.

$1000.00 1st Place Cash Prize to GST Racing

$300.00 2nd Place Cash Prize to Swiss American Racing

$200.00 3rd Place Cash Prize to Team RPM

Final Results

2009 Cycling Fitness Performance Arizona Masters Racing Points Series

Final Series Totals

GST Racing – 1056 pts.

Swiss American Racing – 662 pts.

Team RPM – 579 pts.

Team Waste Management – 233 pts.

Bicycle Haus – 224 pts.

White Mountain Road Club – 190 pts.

Honeywell Cycling Team – 187 pts.

Team One Racing – 168 pts.

San Tan Racing – 130 pts.

RideClean – 114 pts.

Colavita – 89 pts.

Summit Velo – 65 pts.

For more information on the AZ Masters Racing Points Series, please visit: www.azmastersracing.com

——————–

Congratulations to GST Racing from everyone here at velocitygroupcycling.com!

How about a good video? Video’s are always a nice time killer for a Friday afternoon at the office.

-D0n’t forget to mute the volume before clicking ‘play’-

No need to blow your cover.

This video comes from the 2008 Arizona State Cyclocross Championships – Cat 4 Men’s Race.

Enjoy.

Just in from Erik Luebkert over at South Mountain Cycles:

Hello,

Ok, so I’m a little fair weather when it comes to our group ride. I admit, last Saturday turned out to be very nice. Erred on the safe side though. So, as earlier prescribed, we will redo our around the mountain ride.

Saturday Road Ride – Around the Mountain, 2 groups, 23-26mph pace line 2nd group, faster in the 1st group… 6AM behind the shop

Thursday Night Mountain Ride, 2 hrs
7:30 behind the shop

Thanks, see you out there

Erik Luebkert
South Mountain Cycles
www.smcycles.com
480-706-0858

Just in from David Herzog, organizer of the West Valley Cycle group ride:

All,

Last Saturday delivered a nice rain storm, 5 brave riders shunned off the torrential downpour and completed the route. John C, Chris, John (TX), Jeremy and Shaun took all sprint honors.

For us fare weather riders, Paul, Jim P, Jim S, Vicki, Steve, Scott, Amad, and new rider John H rode the full route on Sunday under sunny skies.

Notes:

· How nice it was on Sunday to enjoy the neutral portion of ride out to Cotton…

· Matt Duke represented and finished strong in Skull Valley road race

· Kathy posted a nice 11th place in Alabama tri

· Thanks for marketing contributions for ice/water at Estrella. Look for refills outside this Saturday and skip the fountain if possible

· 6am start time

Velocity Group Cycling Link:

http://velocitygroupcycling.com/

Saturday route:

West Valley Cycling Saturday Group Ride

Web Site:

http://members.cox.net/westvalleycycle/

Sprint Points:

1. Cotton: after you crest the top of Cotton, approx 100 yards from the end, there is a sign that says, BUMP

2. Estrella Parkway: approximately 100 yards from the end, there is a White no parking sign.

3. WestStar: 50 yards before the end there is a sign that says 35 MPH.

4. San Gabriel: the short climb before the first Market stop, at the beginning of the Center divider, 50 yards from stop sign.

5. Verrado: the far end of the second bridge. Where the pavement turns black.

Thanks!

David

949 212 4000 Mobile

david.herzog@aspect.com

Skull Valley Road Race results have been posted!

Click here to check them out.

We’ve got that covered, thanks to local bike company Velo Vie. Check out their new cross bike:

The all new Velo Vie Versa 300

Smokin….

Here’s what they got to say about it:

The new Velo Vie Versa 300 is 2 years of development with the intent to create the finest cyclocross bike ever designed. Using tube to tube construction to assemble a frame that is lighter than most of our competitors top end road bike. Each tube is mitered and then assembled by hand using the Velo Vies carbon axis formula. Working with Velo Vie top engineers the Versa was designed with one thing in mind. Like all Velo Vie’s it was designed to win races on a racer’s budget.

Any more excuses?

I just received this and wanted to pass it along:

Hey Austin if you can post this link www.gopetition.com/online/30316.html I need 250,000 signatures on this petition to try and change our state laws on cyclist hit and killed by reckless drivers. Also if they are not killed, at least have their medical expenses covered by the person who struck them through insurance or civil court sanctions.

Steve Donaldson

Just in from Steve Elwell:

Tour De Scottsdale Registration Discount!!!

David Benjes of DCB Extreme Adventures is offering all Cyclists affiliated with a cycling club or team (like the Lifetime Fitness Cycle Club) a discounted entry of $70.00, payable on packet pick up day for the 2009 Tour De Scottsdale. All you have to do is check in with your local club leads and get on their list. The details of this AWESOME race can be found at the following URL:

http://www.dcbadventures.com/DCB/Tour_de_Scottsdale.html

Here are the entry instructions for the Lifetime Fitness Cycling Club members Nation Wide:

IF you are a member of a Lifetime Fitness Cycle Club, EMAIL Me the following information:

• Club affiliation (Landis, Curbside, Team Waste Management, SMC, etc…)

• First name

• Last Name

• Gender

• Date of Birth

• Age

• Resident City, State and Zip Code

• Phone Number

• Email Address

I will spreadsheet this info – and a week prior to the race I will provide the list to David Benjes.

AT PACKET PICKUP on October 3rd (Saturday) Each athlete will be checked off the spreadsheet and will pay their entry fee of $70.00 at that time!

Steve Elwell

LTF Tempe Cycle Club Ride Lead

s.elwell@cox.net

602-499-1133 cell

VGC: So first off, before we go much further, explain to everyone just what exactly cyclocross is?

Cyclocross (Cross) is a fall/ winter time cycling based sport that combines cycling and running on multi-surfaces with natural and man-made obstacles/barriers. It is a sport that must be observed to truly understand. I explain it to non-cyclist as steeplechase on bicycles.

VGC: Ah, the old steeplechase… I haven’t a clue what that is?

I understand it as a track and field event where runners have to jump obstacles and ponds of water. It also is a term used for a horse event where rider and horse jump barriers.

The bunch dismounts to clear the barriers.

VGC: Will I get laughed off the course if I show up on a mountain bike? How about my road bike?

Definitely Not! Mountain bikes and road bikes will work just fine with few modifications. A mountain bike would just need some thinner tires for lower rolling resistance. If you have a 29er, you can actually run cross tires. A 700X35c Cross tire would work well for most conditions. A road bike would need some tires with traction which is trickier, but doable. I have seen people race a road bike without any modifications and race competitively.

VGC: Like who? A road bike hanging with cross bikes and mountain bikes?

One person comes to mind… the current Arizona Cyclocross Champion- Ryan O’Connor. He raced his road bike without any changes other than air pressure, and placed in the top five of at least one Pro, 1, 2 race. I am not condoning every person do this with their $11,000 Pinarello, but realize it is possible.

VGC: Now, what if I don’t really think I’ll be ‘race fit’ in the Fall and Winter months, how can I still use cyclocross as a benefit?

The great aspect about cyclocross is that it helps maintain your anaerobic fitness during the off-season. Many professional cyclists use cyclocross as a way to stay fit or gain fitness during the off season. Racing cyclocross is way more fun than doing intervals solo. Cyclocross really can compliment a road or mountain bike race season.

Professional road cyclist JR Grabinger using cross to stay fit!

VGC: How much are entry fees? If I’m going to do this as ‘training’, I don’t want to spend $40 a race!

$25 online without fees, or $30 day of event. I would love the events to be even cheaper, but park fees, USA Cycling fees, insurance and payouts take every bit of that money. AZCROSS is not getting rich or even profitable. Last year, we lost quite a bit of money. This year our park fees increased and USA Cycling insurance went up from $2 per rider to $3 per rider. We are just trying to find that “happy medium!” I understand why Arizona is losing more and more classic road races and criteriums. They are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain road permits and expensive to promote.

VGC: How did the whole “azCROSS” thing come about?

Arizona has had various forms of a cross series over the years. There was a series in Flagstaff put on by NAU students and grads. Tucson ran a series for a few years. I am told that many years ago Phoenix even had its own series. In 2006, I met Jay Seymoure. We both had the same frustration with the current situation of not knowing whether or not there would be a place to race cross in AZ. We both decided to not wait for others to put on a series and created a true series with courses as challenging as any other area in the country. Since azCROSS.com’s inception, our goal has been to grow cyclocross racing into a legitimate off season racing series modeled after the ones in the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, and New England. Each year we want to bring new venues and courses to the series, so that it stays fresh and exciting. New this year is AZCROSS, LLC, a company set up to take cross racing in Arizona into the future. Even more exciting, we have added three friends, Josh Christensen, Jarrod Barnes, and Travis McMaster into the company. So, we are growing and so is cyclocross. In fact, according to USA Cycling, Cyclocross is the fastest growing cycling sport in the US. Come to one of our races and find out why!

VGC: How is this year’s series shaping up? We want the lowdown.

This year is shaping up to be a very cool race series. We are starting in Flagstaff for a back to back race weekend on Oct. 24th & 25th. Then, we will have our first night race under the lights on November 7th in Mesa (Cross Vegas style); followed by a race in Phoenix on November 14th and in Mesa on November 28th. The Arizona State Championships will be held in Gilbert on December 19th which happens to be the weekend after US Cyclocross Nationals in Bend, OR.

I bet this incline gets old after 5-10 laps...

VGC: Now typical cross races can be crazy, especially in Europe. What’s the spectating scene like in this series? Does it every get wet, cold, or rowdy?

The spectating scene is growing! We have had some rowdy fans at a few races, but typically our crowds are family and friends of participants. We want it to be a scene for everyone.
It can be cold and wet- It is the Valley in the winter, you never know what the weather will do. We have had rain and mud in many races.

And now for the re-mount!

VGC: Anything else you’d like to throw in? Any pearls of wisdom before I get geared up for the cross season?

I here many excuses of why people don’t come out and race cross! The most common excuse is that people feel they are not fit enough to be competitive! I would like to dispel that myth- You don’t need to be peaking or in top condition to race cross and have a good time.

Editor: Thanks again to Jeremy Bounds and everyone at azCROSS. For more information on Arizona’s upcoming cyclocross season, please visit www.azCROSS.com.