TX Tough Dallas Criterium
These are highlights of the 2008 Tx Tough Dallas Criterium. In September, 2009, the Dallas Criterium will highlight 5 members from AT&T Mobile. Some Corpus Christi Cyclists met Erick Benz this weekend, who pretty much blew out the Saturday long ride this weekend. Way to go , Erick! LOL Erick also placed 5th in the Cat 2 Masters at the State Time Trials.
AT&T cycle team members of Texas include:
Scott Henry, Nathan Miller, Kevin Baker, Erick Benz, John Bratton, Christopher Powers and Gilbert Ramirez.
Lake Ride for Barb Savell
45 miles/12 miles Bike Ride
Sunday October 11, 2009 @ 8:00 A. M.
Located at Lake Corpus Christi State Park
Come and join us for a wonderful day at the lake in our support to Barb Savell’s road to recovery. Keep Texas Wild Triathlon has been cancelled do to severe drought conditions and low water level. We have changed this event into a bike ride with all proceeds will go to the Savell’s family. Barb was seriously injured in a bicycle accident. Please choose from the two bike routes. All participants will receive a t-shirt, free entrance to the State Park, BBQ and door prizes. On-line registration is available on www.active.com. or mail in the bottom portion of this form. No helmet, no ride! Entry will increase $10.00 for all events after 1 Oct. 2009. Start may be delayed or cancelled due to foul weather but not rescheduled.
45 Mile Bike Ride: Takes you around the lake in a counter clockwise direction. A little hilly at first but flattens out toward the end. Maps will be available. Cost $40.00
12 Mile Bike Ride: This ride is ideal for beginners, novice, and families. It leaves the State Park and stays on mostly flat country roads. Maps will be available. Cost $25.00
Post Race Party: There will be great BBQ, refreshments, and door prizes after the ride/run.
Host Hotel: Best Western located just off Hwy 37 exit 36 in Mathis. For reservations call (361) 547-0200. Please mention Keep Texas Safe for discount.
Packet pickup: Saturday October 10, from Noon to 6 PM at Bay Area Bicycles, located at 6020 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, TX just off Airline exit in the Gulfway shopping center. Race day packet pickup will be available for anyone coming from out of town if prior arrangements are made.
Lake Corpus Christi State Park:
Located off Highway 37, exit 34, about 4 miles outside of the small town of Mathis. The road is well marked with signs. Camping sites are available and for reservations call (361) 547-2635
For more information: Visit www.starrscc.com or Thomas Meade (361) 815-8863 email thmsmeade@yahoo.com
Lance Wins the Leadville 100
Lance Armstrong won the Leadville 100 mountain bike race Saturday with some added drama — a flat tire and crowds that blocked the finish line.
In spite of those setbacks, he set a new record over the grueling course.
The 7-time Tour de France winner finished the race in 6:28:50, that’s 16:55 faster than the course record set last year when Leadville legend David Wiens beat Armstrong by about two minutes.
While Armstrong had an 18-minute lead on the defending champion near the end of the race, he lost time after his tire blew about 5 or 6 miles out. Then in Leadville, police had to push back the crowds that were blocking Armstrong from the finish.
The course record of 6:45:45 was set by Wiens in 2008. The entire 100-mile bike race takes place above the 9,000-foot elevation mark. It starts in Leadville at about 10,200 feet and tops out at Columbine Mine at 12,600 feet.
Wiens reportedly finished about 29 minutes behind Armstrong.
Full year of cycling
When Armstrong raced last year, he had not publicly announced his comeback to professional cycling after retiring following the 2005 Tour de France. This year, the 37-year-old opened the year with the Tour Down Under in Australia and has been racing ever since, except for an interruption with a broken collarbone this spring.
Some hinted that Armstrong competed at the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France merely to train for this year’s Leadville. That’s certainly not the case, but it did make a difference.
Armstrong rode in the lead group from the beginning, according to reports, and had gained an 11-minute lead by the 57-mile mark. He had an 18-minute lead over 2nd place Wiens at the Powerline climb, about 20 miles from the finish.
Wasted
A few hours at after the end of the race, Armstrong twittered a couple of comments. If you’re not among the 1.7 million on his Twitter feed:
“Finally back home after the Leadville 100. I’m. Dead. Wasted. Exhausted. What a great event and an honor to win. Thanks 2 all who came out.
“And to Dave Wiens, you are an absolute legend and hero to many. I was running (very) scared today. Your friend, Lance.”
Top riders
In addition to Wiens and Armstrong, the Leadville 100 drew a wide field of top-notch mountain bikers.
Top riders included former pro Travis Brown, Tinker Juarez, Matt Shriver, Manuel Prado and Len Zanni.
Brown rides for Trek, Juarez for MonaVie-Cannondale and Shriver is the cycling coach for Fort Lewis College. Prado is a rider on Sho-Air-Specialized who finished in third at last year’s Leadville, behind Wiens and Armstrong. Zanni finished third in last week’s Blast the Mass bike race at Snowmass that Armstrong won.
VeloNews reports that Brown and Shriver were late entrants requested by Trek. Apparently the bicycle maker was looking to drive the early pace to help Armstrong set a course record. Although didn’t ride on a Trek team, Armstrong pedalled a Trek bike.
Armstrong’s Trek
Armstrong rode a Trek 2010 Top Fuel full suspension mountain bike in the race. It was outfitted with SRAM XX 42-28 front chainring and XX 11-36 cogset. More details at the VeloNews Tech Gallery.
Twitter seemed to be the best place to track the Leadville 100 this year. People along the route and in the crowd at the finish filed Tweets to #leadville and #lt100. The live video feed at the Leadville 100 website reportedly crashed from overuse at critical points in the race.
Photo by SingleTrack at Yfrog. More at SingleTrack Competitor website.
[Source: Bike Biz]
