Monday, July 07, 2008

Will Frischkorn? Who's he?

I was surprised to see this morning that American racer and Tour de France rookie Will Frischkorn not only came in second in today's Stage 3, but is sitting in third place in the general classification.

If that wasn't enough, Frischkorn was named the most aggressive rider of the stage, and his American-based squad, Team Garmin-Chipotle, is leading the team classsification.

Just who is Will Frischkorn?

Well, Tour of Missouri fans may remember that Frischkorn finished second to George Hincapie in last year's inaugural event. Frischkorn finished 1 minute, 38 seconds behind Hincapie in the six-stage race.

Frischkorn, 27, was born in Charlottesville, Va., and now lives in Boulder, Colo., according to his biography at the Team Garmin-Chipotle Web site. Frischkorn won the 2007 Univest Grand Prix and he won the U.S. Under-23 National Championship Road Race back in 2002.

Being in third place in the Tour de France, even this early in the race, is a career highlight.

"I felt pretty darn good," Frischkorn said in an interview on the Tour de France Web site. "I’m ecstatic to have done this. It’s weird to feel a little disappointed right now actually.”

Why was he disappointed? Because he had a chance to win the stage.

“The sprint at the finish was a long one," Frischkorn said in the interview. "It started from two kilometers out really. (Samuel) Dumoulin hit out and I had literally been planning to attack after coming back from my previous turn of pace but he timed it perfectly. That really started the game.

“He rode a great finish and I hesitated just a little bit with 400 meters to go and I think that’s where I made my mistake but I take my hat off to him, he was great."

Dumoulin won the stage, but fellow Frenchman Romain Feillu, who was part of the lead breakaway, is wearing the yellow jersey. Frischkorn is 1:42 behind Feillu in the general classification. The breakaway finished 2:03 in front of the peloton.

Frischkorn, one of four Americans in this year's Tour de France, is writing a journal about his experience at VeloNews. It should be interesting to see what he writes about Stage 3.

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour de France, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:07 PM

Friday, July 04, 2008

Tour de France 2008

Part of the reason I include the news feed that I do in the right column of this blog is because I know sources such as VeloNews can provide much better coverage of the Tour de France than I can in this humble little blog. Nevertheless, here's my two cents worth on the race:

I'm extremely disappointed former Discovery Channel riders Alberto Contador, the defending champion, and Levi Leipheimer, who finished third, won't be there because of the decision of Tour de France to exclude Team Astana from this year's event because of the team's past doping transgressions.

I suppose one could argue that Contador, Leipheimer and former Discovery manager Johan Bruyneel should have had some clue that Astana would be targeted for punishment, but I don't find it particularly fair that a restructured Astana team should be so severly punished for sins of previous team members.

With Leipheimer's absence, I have to wonder how much interest there will be in this year's Tour de France by casual cycling fans. The die-hard fans, of course, are going to care about the race, but the lack of an American among the major contenders will reduce coverage of the race by the mainstream media.

In addition to the greatness of the race -- even a heavy-handed management style cannot rob the Tour de France of its splendor -- there are two American teams in this year's race. One is Team Columbia, which includes former Discovery lieutenant George Hincapie, and Garmin-Chipotle, which is best known for its anti-doping stance. Christian Vande Velde is the best-known American on that team.

If your local newspaper or TV station provides inadequate coverage of the Tour de France, the three best sources are probably VeloNews, Versus and the Tour de France site itself. Versus, as always, will provide almost-constant TV coverage of the race. Gene Bisbee also provides a list of sources at his BikingBis blog.

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour de France

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:53 PM

Monday, June 23, 2008

Tour of Missouri to be ‘deceivingly tougher’

Organizers of the Tour of Missouri bicycle race Sept. 8-14 say this year's course will be "deceivingly tougher" than the course for last year's inaugural event.

For one, the race has grown from six to seven stages, and organizers say there are more hills this year.

That won't be comfort to the racers, many of whom were surprised by how hilly Missouri can be.

This year's Tour of Missouri starts in St. Joseph on Sept. 8, and roughly follows the Missouri River to Kansas City. "The first 50-plus miles feature a series of relentless small, uncategorized climbs, some of which form a panoramic view of the Missouri River. This differs from the relatively flat out-and-back course featured on the course last year for Stage 1," according to a description of the stages.

Stage 2 (Sept. 9) once again starts in Clinton and winds up in Springfield. This is the stage where George Hincapie pulled off a major breakaway that enabled him to win the 2007 event. Hincapie will be back to defend his title.

Stage 3 (Sept. 10) will be an 18-mile time trial on the hilly roads of Branson and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Stage 4 (Sept. 11) starts in Lebanon and will take competitors through a hilly course to Rolla. Plans call for the route to go through a portion of Fort Leonard Wood as a tribute to U.S. troops. The route also features a 12 percent grade near Waynesville.

Stage 5 (Sept. 12) begins in the wine country town of St. James and goes up and down a series of small hills to Jefferson City, the state capitol.

Stage 6 (Sept. 13) differs from the next-to-last stage in 2007. Last year, that stage started in Jefferson City and ended in St. Charles. This year, the stage will start in Hermann, the heart of Missouri's wine country, and ends in St. Charles. The new route eliminates the relatively flat part of the course between Jefferson City and Hermann, but the difficult climbs on Augusta Bottom and Schluersburg roads near Augusta remain, and a difficult climb of Old Colony Road near Defiance has been added to the course. From Old Colony Road, the route continues to O'Fallon, Mo., then heads into the flat Mississippi River valley before heading into St. Charles.

The final stage (Sept. 14) remains a circuit course in the city of St. Louis. Instead of starting and finishing at Union Station on Market Street, the start-finish line will be in front of City Hall a few blocks east on Market. Racers will be making five trips around the 14-mile circuit.

This year's course will start on Market, continue on Forest Park Boulevard, loop through a portion of Forest Park, returns to the Central West End -- a popular place to watch the race because of all the outdoor cafes -- turns east on Forest Park Boulevard, turns north on Compton Avenue, returns downtown on Olive Street to Tucker Boulevard, then back to Market.

In case you're wondering, the St. Louis Rams will have a home game at noon Sept. 14 against the New York Giants, but the St. Louis Cardinals will be on the road, so traffic may not be as big of an issue.

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:48 AM

Monday, June 09, 2008

RAAM 2008: They're off!

Race Across America is under way! Both female competitors, Janet Christiansen and Carolina van den Bulk and one male competitor, Richard Rupp, already have made it to Flagstaff, Ariz., as of this morning. The women and Rupp, competing in the 60-older division, started Saturday from Oceanside, Calif. The top solo male competitors, Gerhard Gulewicz and defending champion Jure Robic, started Sunday and have passed Congress, Ariz., as of this morning.

Back here in the Midwest, help is needed for the Greenville, Ill., time station. Help will be needed between Saturday, when the top male competitors are expect to pass through Greenville, and Tuesday, June 17. If you know someone who can volunteer, contact Joy Criner at 618-664-3342; 217-229-4237, ext. 231; or trixtip@sbcglobal.net.

Labels: cycling, RAAM, racing

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:35 AM

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Race Across America begins Sunday

Once again, the most dedicated of the dedicated ultramarathon cyclists will take off Sunday on the Race Across America. The solo riders take off at noon PDT Sunday, while the teams don't take off until Wednesday,

There are some changes for this year's event. The biggest change is that the race ends in Annapolis, Md., instead of Atlantic City, N.J. That means there's a major reroute of the course from 100 miles east of the Mississippi River to the end.

Instead of taking the busy National Road (U.S. 40) corridor that RAAM has taken through Indiana and Ohio in recent years, the route will go through the Midwest cycling mecca of Bloomington, Ind.; the quaint German town of Oldenberg, Ind.; Chillicothe, Ohio; and Parkersburg, W.Va. After Parkersburg, the racers will face some challenging climbs in the Appalachian Mountains. Here's a description from RAAM:

As the road (U.S. 50) narrows, it climbs over the Eastern Divide at 3,000 feet above sea level, and then climbs again to the ominously named Mount Storm before dropping into Maryland. Some of the most intense grades of the entire race are found on scenic U.S. 40 in the forty miles between Cumberland and Hancock. The fourth of these climbs, Sideling Hill, subjects Racers to a 1,000-foot ascent in two miles.

The route, however, remains unchanged through the St. Louis region. The time stations will be at Marthasville, Mo.; West Alton, Mo.; and Greenville, Ill. The West Alton time station is just before the cyclists cross the Clark Bridge over the Mississippi River into Alton, Ill. I would expect the riders to start arriving in the St. Louis area either June 13 or June 14.

The western part of the RAAM course has been changed so that it goes through Taos, N.M.

Slovenian Jure Robic won the male solo edition of the 2007 Race Across America -- the third time he has won the race. Robic completed the 3,042.8 miles of the race in 8 days, 19 hours and 33 minutes. His average speed was 14.38 mph.

Labels: cycling, RAAM, racing

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:00 AM

Thursday, May 29, 2008

O'Fallon Grand Prix

The Metro-East Cycling club will be putting on its first-ever O'Fallon Grand Prix this Saturday, May 31.

The start-finish line for the races will be in front of Fulton Junior High School, which is located at 307 Kyle Road in O'Fallon, Ill. Racing will begin at 11 a.m., and participants can sign up for the event starting at 8 a.m. and continuing until 30 minutes before the start of each scheduled event.

The event is the biggest cycling race in St. Clair County since the mid-1990s, when a leg of the Gateway Cup series of bicycle races was run in the Signal Hill neighborhood of Belleville.

The Elite Pro/Cat 1/Cat 2 race will begin at 11 a.m. and will cover 90 miles. Races also will be available in other men's categories, masters' categories, women's categories and junior categories. In addition, kids races from tricyclists to bicyclists ages 11-14 will begin at 10 a.m.

"It'll be really fun for people who enjoy bike racing," race director Steven Schmidt, secretary of Metro East Cycling, told the Belleville News-Democrat. "Our course is exciting. It's all on country roads. It's fast, hilly and twisty."

That's true. The map of the course shows all the twists and turns, and I can tell you from personal experience, there are hills on the course!

Racers should be aware of one major hazard on the course. There's a bridge on Simmons Road between Bethel School Road and Kyle Road that has cracks parallel to the length of the bridge. The cracks are wide and deep enough to grab a road wheel and can cause a serious spill. Racers need to be careful to position themselves between the cracks while going across the bridge.

Metro-East Cycling has worked hard on this event. One of the biggest challenges the club faced was getting approval from the O'Fallon City Council. The council did unanimously approve the event at its April 7 meeting, but with the caveat that the police chief has authority to close down the event if the insurance is not provided, communications concerns are not met or not enough volunteers are present.

From what I understand, it sounds like Metro-East Cycling has all its ducks in a row, so let the racing begin Saturday morning!

Labels: cycling, Illinois, racing

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:49 AM

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Missouri gets a D in cycling

On Monday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote about the Missouri Bicycle Federation's recent report, "Bicycling and Walking in Missouri -- A Report Card" (PDF file).

"The overall grade for Missouri's walking and bicycling environment for 2007 was a D," Missouri Bicycle Federation Executive Director Brent Hugh said in a recent post on MoBikeFed's Web site. "We are quite frankly behind most other states in accommodating for safe walking and bicycling. With gas prices near $3.50 a gallon and rising, it's hitting us right in the pocketbook."

The Post-Dispatch quoted a St. Louis-area cyclist who thought the area deserved a grade of C+. I would have to agree that the St. Louis area has a better cycling environment than the rest of the state, but that's not saying much.

Here's a couple of areas of concern MoBikeFed cited:

• MoDOT stops meetings of Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee for over 18 months; essentially shuts down bicycle/pedestrian program for most of the year; fires bicycle/pedestrian coordinator; halts Missouri Complete Streets bill; over 95% of MoBikeFed supporters disapprove of MoDOT's handling of bicycling and walking.
• Numerous important transportation projects statewide continue to move forward without needed bicycle and/or pedestrian accommodations or with facilities that do not meet ADA requirements--including Hanley Rd in St. Louis County, Hwy 45 in Parkville, and Hwy 150 in the Kansas City area, and many others.

Having done the former Cycle Across Missouri Parks ride twice in the 1990s and having been a volunteer/rider on last year's Cycle Across Missouri, I can say that part of the problem is the quality of the roads themselves. Once you get out of the state's metropolitan areas, the roads often are barely safe for motor vehicles, let alone for cyclists.

The roads often are in poor shape with potholes, cracks and crumbling pavement. In rural areas, there often are no shoulders whatsoever, not even an extra foot or two that would make a big difference for cyclists.

Last year, I rode on Highway 116 in northwest Missouri. The road had no shoulder and plenty of fast traffic. On top of that, motorists were not particularly accommodating of me or other cyclists, and I was forced to bail onto the grass once because of that. I was happy to get off that road, except that turning onto U.S. 63 toward Lawson was even less fun. Not only was it narrower than Highway 116, the edge of the road was in extremely poor shape. I didn't have to bail off that road, but I sure was saying plenty of prayers!

Early on CAM last year, cyclists were forced to ride on U.S. 136 toward Bethany. I was glad I was supporting the ride instead of riding that day. Again, there was no shoulder on much of U.S. 136, and cyclists weren't happy about that or the refusal of some motorists to give sufficient space to pass them.

Part of the problem in rural Missouri that there are few options besides the busy roads. Many of the country roads are dirt and gravel roads totally unsuitable for cycling (unless you own a mountain bike). Illinois has its share of country roads, but at least a great number of roads have oil-and-chip surfaces, making them viable alternatives to the busier highways.

While I would agree that the Missouri Department of Transportation is behind the times when it comes to maintaining road, I also would add that they are hindered by a lack of revenue. Missourians enjoy some of the lowest gasoline taxes in the country, but I would argue that the quality of Missouri roads is a case of you get what you pay for.

I can only base this on anecdotal evidence, but many motorists in Missouri have the attitude that bicycles only belong on the Katy Trail, not on the state's highways.

Clearly, Missouri has a long ways to go to become a truly bike-friendly state, but at least MoBikeFed saw signs of hope: the successful 2007 Tour of Missouri bicycle race, the addition of more miles to the Bike St. Louis system and new connections to the Katy Trail.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Missouri, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 8:49 AM

Monday, May 05, 2008

Bike St. Louis expands

Just in time for National Bike to Work Week, May 12-16, the Great Rivers Greenway District is announcing the opening of 57 miles of additional on-street Bike St. Louis routes through St. Louis County and St. Louis City.

With the expansion, the Bike St. Louis system will today 77 miles of dedicated bike lanes and shared traffic lanes.

The dedication of the expansion will take place Thursday at three locations:

• 10 a.m. in Maplewood, Mo., in front of Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Avenue
  
• 11 a.m. in Clayton, Mo., at the MetroLink station at Central and Shaw Park Drive
  
• 12:30 p.m. in St. Louis at the intersection of St. Louis Avenue and Blair Avenue
  (a half-block block west of Crown Candy Kitchen)

Here's a brief excerpt from the press release (Word document) Bike St. Louis has published about the expansion:

The new routes are the first major expansion of the Bike St. Louis network since 2005, when the first 20 miles of continuous on-street bicycle routes were dedicated and connected downtown St. Louis to surrounding neighborhoods. Nearly 50 miles of the expanded Bike St. Louis routes are located in the City of St. Louis, providing connections from downtown to neighborhoods, business districts, educational, cultural and recreation amenities in North and South St. Louis. The new routes also provide on-street connections to the North Riverfront Trail and the McKinley Bridge Bikeway along the Mississippi River in North St. Louis, as well as the River des Peres Greenway and Christy Greenway in South St. Louis.

“In just a few short years, I have seen an important change in residents’ attitudes about bicycle trails and lanes,” said St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay. “What was suspicion and resistance five years ago is now enthusiastic support. A nearby trail is viewed – and, more importantly for our physical fitness, used – as an important amenity for city neighborhoods."

All Bike St. Louis routes feature highly visible customized designation signs, standard federal bicycle route signs and on-street pavement markings. In addition, Bike St. Louis maps are available online at www.bikestlouis.org and at many convenient area locations throughout the region. The maps provide information to assist riders plan their routes and feature safety tips and other pertinent resource information.

And if that wasn't enough, the Great Rivers Greenway District will hold the grand opening of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle on June 7. After a major renovation, the bridge reopened to vehicle traffic late last year, and now the McKinley Bridge will link the Bike St. Louis system to the Madison County Transit Confluence Trail in Illinois.

Once the bridge is open, St. Louis cyclists will have four safe ways to cross the Mississippi River between the two states. The existing crossings are the Eads Bridge, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and the Clark Bridge, which connects St. Charles County, Mo., and Alton, Ill.

Not surprisingly, I applaud the efforts to make the St. Louis area more bicycle friendly, and I hope the trend continues.

Labels: commuting, cycling, Missouri, St. Louis, trails

Roger 2 comments links to this post 12:10 AM

Friday, May 02, 2008

Hincapie to defend Tour of Missouri title

George Hincapie, longtime lieutenant to Lance Armstrong and winner of the inaugural Tour of Missouri, will return in September to defend his title in the state’s seven-day stage bicycle race, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Friday.

Organizers of the event made the announcement at a press conference Friday.

I would write more, but I better get a little rest before Tour de Stooges tomorrow!

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:23 PM

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Two rides for worthy causes

In recent days, I've received e-mails about two worthwhile charity rides.

The first is the Ride for World Health. R4WH is a national, nonprofit organization that advocates for improvements in the quality and accessibility of global health care. Each year, by utilizing a cross-country bike ride as a vehicle of communication, R4WH addresses this issue through political advocacy, fundraising and its unique Coast-to-Coast Lecture Series.

The riders currently are in Utah, and they're expected reach the St. Louis area in early May. Dr. Tracy Hall, the leader of the GEARS bicycle club in Greenville, Ill., asked me to pass along this bit of information about the R4WH stop in the Greenville area :

Ride for World Health, a charity cross country bicycle tour, will be stopping
at Greenville First Christian Church (1100 Killarney Drive, Greenville, IL 62246) on Tuesday, May 13, about 1 p.m., on the St. Louis to Kinmundy (Ill.) leg of their trip. The group is made up of doctors, residents and medical students. Please come and have a listen to the short presentation and meet the riders. Some of the GEARS riders are planning on accompanying the riders after the presentation.

R4WH is writing a blog about the journey, and the group is accepting donations.

The second ride is the 2008 Equal Parenting Bike Trek. Starting Aug. 7, five fathers will be biking 758 miles over five days between Lansing, Mich., and Washington, D.C., to raise awareness of a child's fundamental right to be loved, guided, educated and nurtured equally by both fit and willing parents. After the ride, the fathers will speak at the Family Preservation Festival.

Robert Peterson, one of the organizers of the ride, has been pushing bloggers throughout the country to write about this event, and he has done a amazing job in getting the word out. The site says more than 70 blogs throughout the world has written about the event, and now you can count mine among them.

The ride is seeking donations and sponsors for the event, and you can find out more at the ride's Web site.

Labels: charities, cycling, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 3:00 PM

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Do bicycle helmets do more harm than good?

A new study to be published Friday in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia suggest that bicycle helmets are "detrimental to public health in Australia."

The Australian newspaper reported in its Friday edition that bicycle helmets may in fact increase the risk of serious injury - and laws requiring their use Australia-wide have compounded the problem by deterring people from cycling altogether.

"Experimental studies have shown that in some circumstances, wearing a helmet can increase the rotation of the head (on impact), and that increases angular acceleration of the brain - which is the most damaging factor in brain injury," suggests the study, written by Bill Curnow, president of the Canberra-based Cyclists Rights Action Group.

Curnow's study also suggests that participation in cycling dropped by 50 percent in the two years after the helmet requirement went into effect in Australian jurisdictions.

Not surprisingly, other Australian groups reject those findings. Bicycle Federation of Australia Executive Director Peter Strang said, "We don't accept the view that helmets cause more injuries than they prevent."

My two accidents that landed me in hospital emergency rooms have me convinced that my helmet prevented more serious head injuries. Also, nearly 20 years ago, I saw one of my cycling buddies crash while going down a steep downhill near Elsah, Ill. Despite hitting the rocky side of the road, my buddy escaped with only a minor brain concussion.

I don't know about you, but I'm keeping my helmet on.

Labels: cycling, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 11:14 PM

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Cyclists see green -- and they're furious!

In the wake of the green bike boxes in Portland, Ore., here's an item I recently ran across from Great Britain:

Cyclists furious as council paint
everything else luminous green

Cyclists in Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire, UK) have reacted angrily to a decision by town planners to make buildings, trees, street furniture and the road itself much easier to see by painting them all luminous green. The decision follows a number of near misses where pedestrians almost bumped into street furniture or large buildings and then threatened to sue the council on the grounds that they should be more clearly marked. ...

But local cyclists are furious at the plan that has made them the same colour as their immediate surroundings. "We’ve all spent a fortune on these luminous jackets, trousers and cycle clips" said local cyclist Mark Randle. "Suddenly our hi-visibility cycling gear has turned into the most effective camouflage available. Now we’re completely invisible." Read more ...

A tip of the hat to St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation forum letting me know about this development.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, safety, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:21 PM

Monday, March 31, 2008

Bike box and bike lane videos

For your viewing pleasure, here's some videos about bike lanes. The first two are about bike boxes, which are meant to provide a spot for cyclists to stop and make turns at busy intersections.

The first is a video produced for the city of Portland, Ore., in an effort to explain the recently installed bike boxes in that city:



The second shows some bike boxes in New York City:



I haven't decided what I think about bike boxes, but John S. Allen, the author of "Bicycling Street Smarts" takes a look at them here: http://www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/facil/stopline.htm. Allen does have some concerns about the safety of bike boxes, and he cites some studies to back up his concerns.

The final video comes from Los Angeles, where Slate V Editor Andy Bowers describes "the stupidest bike lane in America":



I hope you enjoyed today's triple feature!

Labels: advocacy, bike boxes, bike lanes, cycling, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:29 PM

Saturday, March 22, 2008

"Russian roulette" in Indianapolis

After more than 200 accidents and four deaths involving cyclists and motorists in the Indianapolis area last year, the Indianapolis Star reports local cycling advocates are hoping education and respect will go a long way to a safer 2008.

"It's intimidating as a cyclist," said Jonathan Juillerat, general manager of Nebo Ridge Bicycles in Carmel. "Riding city streets sometimes feels like Russian roulette, so I made a conscious decision not to ride as much because of that. Eventually, I feel like my number will be up because motorists aren't paying attention."

Nancy Tibbett -- president of the Central Indiana Bicycling Association, best known for putting on the Hilly Hundred and N.I.T.E. Ride each year -- told the Star that Indiana has a long way to go before being thought of as a bicycle-friendly state. She also said most roads in the Indianapolis area aren't designed for motorists and cyclists to co-exist.

She did note that progress is being made on bike lanes and bike routes in the region. Until then, she suggest that motorists and cyclists can share the roads if they traffic laws.

The Indiana Bicycle Coalition is attempting to educate cyclists and motorists about their rights and obligations. The coalition has published brochures urging cyclists and motorists to share the road and to follow the rules of the road.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Indiana, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:46 PM

Monday, March 03, 2008

Reunited and it feels so good

I know the hardy souls who are able to ride their bicycles all year long won't be impressed, but I got around to getting in my first 14 outdoor cycling miles of 2008 on Sunday.

Even with the strong, steady winds that usually go along with unseasonably warm days in Midwest -- we were up in the 70s -- I had to get out Sunday. I rode from my house to lunch at the St. Louis Bread Co. restaurant in downtown Belleville, then I rode the MetroLink Trail to Southwestern Illinois College.

There were a lot of families and kids on the trail, which I think it is a good thing. It's good to see people using what few trails we have here in St. Clair County, and I hope someday officials in this county will learn something from our neighbors to the north, Madison County, and build more trails here.

Dave Luecking, who writes the 10 Speed blog for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, also hit the trails Sunday, and he offers a few tips in trail etiquette in Part 1 of his Bicycling Survival Guide. I agree with Dave with the points he makes about cyclists, but my experience on trails also is that a few non-cycling users of trails also can be less than courteous.

I blew a few chances this winter to get some decent miles in because of work on the Tour de Stooges and The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Ride. I tried being a winter cyclist years ago, but my lungs get too sore, no matter what I did, because of residual effects from my childhood asthma.

It looks like it may be a while before I get back outside on the bike. We're expecting about 7 inches of snow tonight and Tuesday and cold temperatures the rest of week.

Labels: Belleville, cycling, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:33 AM

Sunday, February 24, 2008

2008 Tour of California summary

"Seems it never rains in Southern California.
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before.
It never rains in California.
But, girl, don't they warn ya.
It pours, man, it pours."

With apologies to Albert Hammond, who wrote and recorded the 1970s hit "It Never Rains in Southern California," the finishers of this year's Amgen Tour of California certainly can tell you that it does indeed rain in California.

After getting soaked by the rains drenched some of this year's ride, including the final stage today that ended at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Levi Leipheimer soaked in the glory of having won his second straight Tour of California. Slipstream-Chipotle's David Millar and Christian Vande Velde, a Chicago-area native, filled out the final podium.

2007 Tour of Missouri winner and former Discovery Channel teammate George Hincapie won the final stage, nearly a minute ahead of the pack that included Leipheimer.

Despite the horrible weather -- by Southern California standards -- a large crowd came out for the final stage, according to media reports.

Now that Leipheimer has won the Tour of California, maybe he can win his next battle, getting in the 2008 Tour de France.

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour of California

Roger 1 comments links to this post 6:56 PM

Monday, February 18, 2008

Let Levi ride!

Fans of Levi Leipheimer no doubt will want to go to his new Web site, LetLeviRide.com, to let their feelings known the Tour de France's decision last week to exclude his new team, Astana, from this year's event because of past doping problems with that team.

In the effort to "save the 2008 Tour de France," Leipheimer is calling on his fans to sign an online petition to have him and his team reinstated in the race.

"There can be no comparison between the Astana team of 2007 and the new Astana," the Web site states. "The entire organizational structure has been rebuilt under the direction of the team’s new General Manager, Johan Bruyneel, who has thoroughly cleaned house. What’s more, Astana has adopted the rigorous doping controls developed by anti-doping expert Dr. Rasmus Damsgaard, and Astana now spends more money on anti-doping controls than any other team in the pro peloton."

In addition to the online petition, T-shirts, hats and stickers will be available soon.

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour de France

Roger 3 comments links to this post 12:04 AM

Friday, February 15, 2008

Economic impact of the Tour of Missouri

Two recent reports by Tour of Missouri organizers and the University of Missouri’s Tourism Economics Research Initiative reveal some interesting numbers about the economic impact of the inaugural 2007 event. It already had been revealed that the race was estimated to bring in $26 million into Missouri's economy. Here's some more numbers:

• The estimated number of spectators totaled 367,566 with 255,529 unique stage spectators.
• St. Louis is estimated to have hosted the most spectators at the beginning or end of a stage,
  with an estimated 50,000 at the final stage of the Tour. Of those, 20,089 were at the St. Louis finish line (Union Station), with the rest scatted along the circuit.
• The fifth stage between Jefferson City and St. Charles came in second with an estimated 45,000 spectators. Of that, 7,478 were at the St. Charles finish.
  
• Household travel parties averaged 2.05 people spending $560.85. In Fiscal Year 2006, average expenditures by domestic travelers in Missouri (per household travel party) were $307.25.
• On average, 41.8% of the start/finish line spectators came from outside the local area. Kansas City had the highest percentage (60.19%), followed by Branson (59.24%) and
  St. Charles (48.23%).
• 25.6% of the out-state respondents stated they had not visited the interview site within the
  past five years. 73% said the Tour of Missouri was very important or extremely important
  in planning their trip.

The organizers of the event contend that the higher numbers at St. Louis and St. Charles stages were the number of spectators at the finish. That may be possible, judging from anecdotal evidence I heard from spectators and personal observations. Many people who may have watched an earlier portion of a stage also traveled to the finish line.

You can see the unfiltered numbers in the Tourism Economics Research Initiative's "The Economic Impact of the 2007 Tour of Missouri" (PDF file). Filtered numbers can be found in the Tour of Missouri's Annual Report (PDF file).

Labels: cycling, Missouri, racing, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:36 PM

2008 Amgen Tour of California

Will Levi Leipheimer defend his Amgen Tour of California title? We'll find out next week as the event kicks off Sunday with the Prologue in Palo Alto, Calif.

Although I will leave the expert commentary to the sources listed on the right column of this blog and to California-based blogs such as Fritz's Cycle-Licious, I may talk about aspects of the Tour from time to time.

For those of us stuck in the Midwest, the Versus cable TV channel will be providing same-day coverage of the race, beginning at 4 p.m. CST Sunday. If that's not good enough for you, you can watch each day's stages live, "as live" and highlights at Cycling TV. You can see a lower-resolution version (up to 400 kbs) of the race for free, or you can pay to see a higher-resolution version (up to 1,200 kbs).

It will be odd to see Leipheimer and George Hincapie racing for a team other than the now-disbanded Discovery Cycling Team. Leipheimer will be racing for Astana, while Hincapie will be racing for High Road.

Other top racers entered in the Tour of California include Bobby Julich (Team CSC), Paolo Bettini and Tom Boonan (Quick Step), and David Millar and David Zabriskie (Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30).

Sadly, too, this will be the first Tour of California without Jana Ireton as the Specialized Angel. As reported here last month, a woman from Spain will be the new Specialized Angel. Jana said Specialized wanted an Angel who spoke multiple languages.

Jana said she still be along the sidelines watching the races. While I'm sure the new Specialized Angel will be lovely as she blows kisses to the cyclists as they pass, it won't be the same. Jana really impressed me as a class act; she always sent me and other bloggers who featured her thank-you notes for writing about her.

Although the race is only three years old, it is the gem of Medalist Sports' stable of multiday American stage races. Medalist Sports also plays a key role in the Tour of Georgia and Tour of Missouri.

Let the racing begin!

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour of California

Roger 2 comments links to this post 11:24 AM

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Billie Teneau faces life head on

The Suburban Journals has a nice feature today about Billie Teneau, easily the Gateway Council of Hostelling International's most dedicated volunteer. Here's a brief excerpt from the story:

"A tiny woman, Teneau (pronounced Tea-no) has a big presence. She does nothing halfway and believes in 'supersizing' almost everything she does."

The story focuses on Billie's 50 years of service as an actress and director with the Hawthorne Players, a St. Louis-area community theater group, but it doesn't talk about her contributions to the Gateway Council.

Let me fill in a few of the gaps.

This year alone, she will be one of the ride leaders for the Flat-as-a-Pancake Century Ride on May 31 in New Baden, Ill.; the Peach Pedal Ride on July 26-27 in Belleville, Ill.; and Cycle Across Missouri on June 8-13 in central Missouri. Those are just the major rides. She also leads lots of smaller rides for the Gateway Council over the course of the year.

She's always willing to lend a hand on other people's rides. She is a regular volunteer on the Tour de Stooges that I lead for the Gateway Council. After helping out with registration, Billie then goes out and rides the 30- or 42-mile route.

Billie truly is one of the unsung heroes of the St. Louis cycling scene. If you're on a bicycle ride in the St. Louis area and see her at registration or on the road, be sure to thank her for all she does for cycling in our community.

In the article, Billie is coy about her age, describing herself only as "being a senior citizen for years." I roughly know how old she really is, but in deference to Billie, I'm not saying a word. Let's just say that I hope I have a fraction of her energy when -- or if -- I reach her age.

Labels: cycling, Gateway Council of Hostelling International, St. Louis, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:09 AM

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Sheldon Brown: 1944-2008

One of the pioneers of the Internet cycling community, Sheldon Brown, passed away Sunday night. Fritz of the Cycle-Licious blog reported that he died of a massive heart attack.

Although I never met or communicated with Sheldon, his site was one of the first I visited as I created this Web site back in 2001. Sheldon established the Web site for him and the Harris Cyclery shop in Massachusetts on Dec. 4, 1995.

The site has a bit of a retro look by today's Internet standards, but it has a wealth of information about a wide range of topics from basics for beginners to information about fixed-gear bikes.

It is my hope that someone will keep his site alive as friends of another Internet cycling pioneer, Ken Kifer, did after he was killed by a drunk driver in September 2003.

In the meantime, you can leave a comment at his memorial site.

Labels: cycling, Web site

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:22 AM

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Got $5,000 to spare? Then go to Italy!

Today, I read with great interest -- and great envy-- the St. Louis Post-Dispatch story by Scott Anderson about his recent Backwoods trip to the Tuscany region of Italy.

"Riding a bike offers a unique up-front and personal perspective on whatever strange land you might be visiting. On our ride, the best part was stopping and talking to the folks along the way," Scott wrote.

That also sums up the reason why I do so many weeklong tours, although not nearly as luxurious as the Backwoods trips..

Scott wrote in detail about his travels, and he had this to say about the hills of the region:

To an active bicyclist, 45 miles a day doesn't sound like a lot. And, to be sure, Backroads and other touring companies offer trips in Italy that feature more mileage and more elevation each day.

But you must consider the hills when planning a trip for Tuscany, because these are hills in the big sense of the word. In some cases, they stretch for several miles, with an angle of incline approaching 8 percent, with five or six "switchbacks" to help in the ascent. (For comparison, the Tour De France features hills in the 10 percent to 12 percent range of incline).

He took several wonderful photos, so I encourage you to go take a look.

I was ready to go right now -- until I saw the price tag. The ride itself cost nearly $4,000 per person. Air fare from St. Louis to Rome was $900 per person. The train trip from Rome to Florence was $100 per person.

I have no doubt the price is worth it. Tracy, a friend of mine from the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society, loves traveling with Backwoods, and she takes trips (mostly domestic) with Backwoods each year. Maybe someday I'll save enough pennies to make that trip.

In the meantime, I will have to settle with more economical trips. In June, I plan to do either the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure, the Katy Trail Ride or the Grand Illinois Trail and Parks ride. In late September-early October, I hope to be able to do Cycle North Carolina, and I hope I still have a few bucks available for BubbaFest in early November.

I foresee one of those weeks falling by the wayside, but I want to hit the road this year. I better start getting in shape now!

Labels: cycling, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:27 PM

Tracking bike problems in St. Louis

St. Louis now has two Web sites where cyclists can keep track of trouble spots and post details about accidents and other problems.

The first site is The Right Ride. Users can plot hazards on a Google-generated map, then explain what make those areas hazardous. The Right Ride also has similar services for Chicago, Kansas City, Boston, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Seattle, Washington, Phoenix and Hartford, Conn.

The second site is the STLBiking.com forums, where users are asked to describe traffic incidents involving bicycles. Users are asked to give the date, location, a factual description of the incident, names of involved parties, physical damages and injuries.

Hopefully, the two sites will succeed in keeping cyclists safe and prompting city, county and state governments to take action to correct the problems.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, safety, St. Louis

Roger 3 comments links to this post 12:57 AM

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

2008 Tour of Missouri route announced

Organizers of the Tour of Missouri have announced the start/finish cities for the 2008 race. They are:

STAGE 1 / Monday, Sept. 8
St. Joseph to Kansas City, road race with circuits (90 mi / 144.81 km)

STAGE 2 / Tuesday, September 9
Clinton to Springfield, road race with circuits (125 mi / 201.13 km)

STAGE 3 / Wednesday, September 10
Branson, individual time trial (18 mi / 28.6 km)

STAGE 4 / Thursday, September 11
Lebanon to Rolla, road race with circuits (105 mi / 168.95 km)

STAGE 5 / Friday, September 12
St. James to Jefferson City, road race with circuits (100 mi / 160.9 km)

STAGE 6 / Saturday, September 13
Hermann to St. Charles, road race (110 mi / 177 km)

STAGE 7 / Sunday, September 14
St. Louis, circuit race (75 mi / 120.68 km)

The racers can expect more undulating rolling hills on this year's route. While there aren't any major climbs by professional cycling standards, the riders on the 2007 ride learned that Missouri isn't a flat state by any means.

It wasn't surprising to learn the Tour of Missouri is returning to St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and Branson, since those were the cities than drew the biggest crowds last year. The addition of a stage allows the Tour to add a stage along old Route 66 between Lebanon and Rolla. The exact routes of the stages will be announced later.

"The Tour of Missouri is perfectly positioned between the Olympic Games in Bejing and the World Championships in late September," said Chris Aronhalt, managing partner of the event organizers Medalist Sports, in a press release. "We can expect the field to include some of the top cyclists who have either competed in the Games or are preparing for the Worlds. This will be a good course for them."

The Tour of Missouri will field 120 of the world's top cyclists, many of whom raced in last year's inaugural race and were very happy with the terrain.

"Winning the Tour of Missouri was one of the highlights of my season. I received tremendous support from everyone and the fans along the route were awesome. The Tour of Missouri goes through some beautiful countryside, and I hope to return in September," George Hincapie, 2007 Tour of Missouri overall winner said in the press release.

Here are some links to some stories about the 2008 Tour of Missouri:

• St. Louis Post-Dispatch
• Kansas City Star
• Springfield News-Leader

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:01 PM

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Chief is coming home!

Gerry "Chief" Frierdich is coming home today!

Gerry, the Belleville, Ill., recumbent cyclist and award-winning photographer critically injured in August 2007 when his bicycle was struck by a pickup truck, will return home after spending months at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis County and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Gerry is paralyzed from the chest down, and he has limited use of his arms. Friends of Gerry have been remodeling his home so it will be accessible to him.

I've been spending much of the week working on a poster and fliers for the event, hence the lack of posts this week. The work on the benefit ride, planned for May 31, is much more important than working on this blog.

In addition to the ride and other events in 2008, the Kiwanis Club of Fairview Heights will be putting on The Branson on the Road show April 11-12. If you purchase tickets with the form at the ChiefGetWell.com Web site, a portion of the proceeds will go to Gerry's trust fund.

As always, you can learn more about Gerry at the ChiefGetWell.com site.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:40 PM

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Tour of Missouri press conferences canceled

On Friday, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt was supposed to hold press conference in St. Louis, Columbia, Kansas City and Springfield about the economic impact of the Tour of Missouri bicycle race on the Show-Me State's economy.

But those press conferences were canceled.

The Springfield News-Leader had reported that the governor, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and Tourism Director Blaine Lieutkemeyer had planned to visit cities that hosted the tour in 2007. But later, it reported that the press conferences were not on Blunt's calendar for Friday and that they would be rescheduled.

No reason was given for the cancellation, although at least one blogger speculated it was because of grilling Blunt faced at a Thursday press conference over a lawsuit that alleges Blunt played a role in a plan to destroy public records to cover up political activities by his staff.

Meanwhile, the governor and Kinder will announce cities that will participate in the tour later this month and will release information on the race route in February, Laurie Dawson, Kinder's director of administration, told the News-Leader.

Labels: cycling, racing, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:46 AM

Friday, January 11, 2008

Distracted Drivers Task Force

Illinois' Distracted Drivers Task Force began hearings this week to study the problem of distracted driving in Illinois, with particular attention to the impact of recent communications technology.

During a hearing in Springfield, the task force heard from the parents of Urbana cyclist Matt Wilhelm, who was died in 2006 after he was struck by a car driven by a woman who was downloading a cell phone ring.

State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, and state Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, sponsored legislation creating the task force in response to the death of Gloria and Chuck Wilhelm's son.

"We can't legislate common sense, but we need a deterrent to selfish and reckless behavior," Gloria Wilhelm testified at the task force's first meeting on Wednesday, according to the News-Gazette.

The task force is required to give its final report to the General Assembly by July 1. The next public hearing by the task force headed by Secretary of State Jess White will be at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at the James Thompson Center in Chicago.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that efforts will continue to create the offense of "negligent vehicular homicide." If the bill is passed, a motorist found guilty of the offense in a fatal accident could face up to a year in jail.

The legislation, prompted by Matt Wilhelm's death, stalled in the General Assembly last session, stalled despite having been passed by the House.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Illinois, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:11 PM

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Catching up

Just catching up on cycling headlines from the past few days. A couple of them reference the Tour of Missouri, so here goes:

TOUR OF AMERICA ORGANIZER SPEAKS OUT: British-based Cycling Weekly did an interview with Frank Arokiasamy, the Malaysian-born, U.S.-based businessman attempting to put together the ambitious Tour of America race. Arokiasamy still thinks he can get UCI approval for a 2008 ride, find sponsors and offer $1 million to the winner. Cycling Weekly asked him about the fact his proposed September race would conflict with the Tour of Missouri:

Q: Your proposed dates also clash with the new Tour of Missouri, which was very successful last year. In terms of goodwill and PR, it's not a great move is it?

A: Not at all. I don't think it's a good move, but in the big picture we don't have a choice. You can't put a race as big as this on the whole sporting calendar and not step on some toes. I regret that deeply. I'd like to talk to the people at the Tour of Missouri so that everyone can exist and complement each other and co-exist. When you want to do something big, you have no choice but to step on some toes. Tell me when there is a spot on the calendar when it doesn't clash. If someone can do that, please tell me.

The conflict not only involves overlapping dates, but the fact Tour of America would have stages in the Show-Me State at the same time as Tour of Missouri.

DAN SCHMATZ MOVES ON: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch did a story about Dan Schmatz, the St. Louis-area native who gained notoriety when he broke his arm after hitting an armadillo during the second stage of the 2007 Tour of Missouri.

Since then, Schmatz has left pro racing, but he returned to his second home in Colorado with a renewed sense of purpose, the Post-Dispatch reported. Schmatz has started a new career in real estate management and is passing on his racing expertise as director of the THF Realty Cycling Team, an amateur team that plans to participate in 10 to 15 U.S. races this year.

To mark the change in his life, Schmatz also has created a new version of his blog, Your Bike Sucks.

ILLINOIS 3-FEET LAW: In their roundups of new laws that took effect Jan. 1, most daily papers in Illinois only gave a sentence or two to the new law that requires motorists to give at least 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclists. But there were a couple of papers that took it a step further.

The Aurora Beacon News did a full story about the new law, and it cited startling statistics: According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were nearly nine cyclist-motorist accidents per day in the state of Illinois in 2006, with the vast majority of them taking place in Chicago. In 2006, 26 cyclists were killed in road accidents in Illinois.

The Kane County Chronicle, which serves some of Chicago's suburbs, also wrote about the law.

BIKE SEX CHANGE: My cycling friends Jody and Arlene may consider this sacrilege, but San Francisco Chronicle columnist David Curran recently wrote about how he turned his daughter's pink bicycle into a more masculine silver.

Here's how Curran described the original appearance of the bike, a $30 Magna purchased from Target:

This bike featured three shades of pink. And little pink flowers on top of the pink. You could safely accuse it of pink overkill. In big letters on the chain guard, it said "Starburst." No boy bikes are named Starburst.

How did he perform the sex-change operation? Duct tape. There's a lot more to this story, but I won't spoil the ending here.

Labels: advocacy, bicycles, cycling, Illinois, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:27 PM

Friday, January 04, 2008

More bands on bikes

In 2006, I wrote extensively about the Ditty Bops' Bicycle Tour, which happened to include stops in St. Louis, Chicago, Springfield, Ill., and Kansas City, Mo., but there's two bands that are taking the concept of bicycle concert tours a step further.

On Oct. 18, the bands The Ginger Ninjas and Shake Your Peace! launched the Pleasant Revolution Bicycle Music Tour. They are riding more than 5,000 miles and playing more than 90 pedal-powered shows from the foothills of the Sierras in North San Juan, California, to the jungles of Chiapas, Mexico. There will be no sag-wagons, and no buses hauling their gear: Everything -- including the 800 Watt human-powered public address system -- is being hauled entirely on bicycle!

According to the Ginger Ninjas' blog, the bands are supposed to be in Mazatlan, Mexico, today, and they're slated to be in Mexico City on Jan. 22-28. The tour is slated to end Feb. 11 in Palenque, Mexico.

"Our way of life threatens our way of life," said Ginger Ninjas frontman Kipchoge Spencer, described in the band's press release as a San Francisco Bay Area bike culture hero and co-originator of the Xtracycle Sport Utility Bicycle. "As people resonate with that point and start to contemplate giving up their cars and forsaking a lot of other conveniences they're accustomed to, on the surface it could seem like they're sacrificing and losing a lot. But the Pleasant Revolution is about realizing that by losing this stuff, we gain a life that's way more rich, humane, and happy. Anybody who stops driving and starts biking feels that. Biking doesn't feel like losing a car, it feels like you're getting your life back! The message of the Pleasant Revolution isn't: 'sacrifice til it hurts,' it's more, 'Drop the excess, and have the time of your life.'"

In the press release, the bands contend the tour will join other 2007 Bicycle Music Movement landmarks in what could be called "the year of the bicycle-based musician" – a year that witnessed a 600-mile, 25-show Shake Your Peace! Bicycle Tour of Utah in April and May 2007 (the first significant bicycle music tour to be accomplished without a sag wagon, and using a pedal powered PA system).

During the Ditty Bops Bicycle Tour, Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald did indeed ride their bikes from city to city -- I had the pleasure of riding with them between St. Louis and Edwardsville, Ill. -- but a support van carried their equipment and other members of their entourage.

The Ginger Ninjas and Shake Your Peace! also cited the success of the San Francisco Bicycle Music Festival on Aug. 11, a 100 percent bike-powered and bike-hauled event that the musicians say heralded the arrival of the Bicycle Music Movement to the world. The bands said the event drew 10 bands, five public venues, a 400 Watt pedal-powered PA system and outrageous cruiser rides taking over the city's streets between each festival stop.

Above, I've the video of the Ginger Ninjas for their song "Dick Cheney (Needs More Love)." I hope to post some more songs soon. Enjoy!

Labels: cycling, music, tours

Roger 1 comments links to this post 10:18 AM

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Happy New Year!

OK, I'm a little late with this, but I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year! With the coming of the new year, it's time to reflect on 2007 with a best/worst list:

BEST EVENT OF 2007: By far and away, the Tour of Missouri was the best event of 2007 for those of us in the Midwest. At first, I wondered whether Missourians would embrace the race, but big crowds at all the finish lines in the event proved that Missourians and the Midwest would come out for world-class cycling. Especially impressive was the fact that the final stage in St. Louis drew about 55,000 people despite the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams also were playing in downtown St. Louis that afternoon. The fact that Tour of Missouri was the U.S. swan song for the Discovery Channel team no doubt was a factor in the large crowds, and it was most fitting that George Hincapie, Lance Armstrong's longtime lieutenant, won the race.

BEST/WORST WEEKLONG RIDE OF 2007: The West Shoreline Tour in Michigan. It was my only weeklong tour of the year. The ride was great because of the scenery and because I managed to miss an August heat wave in St. Louis that week. The ride wasn't so good because I didn't get enough training in beforehand, meaning I rode much slower and with more rest breaks than I what I was used to.<