Lee's Cyclery Blog » team astana

The Tour and Upcoming Fort Collins Events

Steve Lacey — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:44:17 +0000

Wow! What a start to this year’s Tour de France; to think race organizers were thinking of keeping Lance’s bikes hung on the hooks! What would Versus do with all that extra time from the absence of the Lance commercials? The opening time trial ended pretty much as anticipated – a strong showing from Lance and other favorites performing to expectations. The second day’s sprint finish was textbook for team Columbia-HTC and Mark Cavendish. Day three will go down as the cornerstone of the tour should Lance walk away with his eighth tour. One corner and one split second was all it took for a breakaway group of riders including Lance, to have the opportunity to split from the herd in a cross wind and make a run all the way to the finish. If not for a spectacular move from Cancellara to join the group, Lance would now be in yellow. Fabian saw the break and instantly jumped a curb in order to stay with the group. As predicted and to my delight, the team time trial did not disappoint on day four. The tight technical course let only those teams whose concentration rivaled their leg strength finish in the top spots. Teams without were quick to look for their team car and spare bikes. In the end, Team Astana was victorious and succeeded in erasing a 40 second time gap between Lance and the yellow jersey and moving him to within one second of the leader.

How can Fort Collins compete with such a race? Well, how about the return of the 6 day races on CSU’s Oval brought to you by the Fort Collins Velodrome Association and co-sponsored by Lee’s Cyclery? On Sunday, July 12th at 5:00PM, the Oval will come alive with a multitude of races and categories for all to enjoy for six weeks. At the Oval, there is not a bad seat on or off the track and spectators can get close enough to the action to experience racing without lifting a pedal! Last year the number of racers and spectators proved Fort Collins loves cycling and is worthy of their own velodrome. Visit the Fort Collins Velodrome Association web site for more information about the races and the velodrome.

Another upcoming event which is a little less competitive but just as exciting, is the Urban Assault race/ride. July 19th, Fort Collins city streets will be the proving ground for teams of two to plot their route to checkpoints around town where they will be faced with wacky obstacles and challenges. First team to reach all the checkpoints and complete all its roadblocks and riddles will win a pair of coveted New Belgium Brewery cruisers and personal acclaim. After the event, all are invited to attend the celebration and sample New Belgium’s brew and raffle at El Monte Grill. Check out the UAR website for more information.

This week’s tip is again brought to you from one of my own personal experiences…..When riding in a group or peloton try to look at least two riders ahead of yourself. As in driving looking ahead gives just a bit more notice of road hazards; it also gives you a little advanced warning when the peloton is making a break or brake. Just watching the wheel in front of you may leave you out of a break/brake and make for a lonely or sore ride home.

Have a good ride out there whether you’re on the track, trail or road.

Steve Lacey

Going up?

Steve Lacey — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:40:28 +0000

Before I get too far this week, I’d like you all to join me in sending out some good vibes to a couple fallen riders of the Giro de Italia; Cristian Vande Velde and Pedro Horillo are recovering from some pretty serious injuries suffered in separate crashes during the Giro. I wish them both speedy and complete recoveries; but the race must go on, and the other contenders aren’t slowing down a bit. At Stage 16, Team Astana is still leading the team classification with three riders in the top 15 in the general classification. Levi sits in 6th, Lance in 12th and Popovych 13th places respectively. Deni Menchov and Danilo DiLuca gapped the field a bit in the mountains and are sitting in 1st and 2nd places.

Now, this week, as part of MY new training plan, I busted out a road ride this past weekend – can you guess from the picture where I went?

Due to a large cut I noticed in the sidewall of my rear tire on my road bike, I was forced to use my mountain bike for the ride; a clear reminder to not only check your bike before you ride, but after as well! Time for a trip to Lee’s for a tire or two! The route started innocently enough on the Poudre Trail from the Raptor Center trail head and headed west to Bellvue. As you may have guessed from the picture, I then headed up Rist Canyon. When I say “up” I mean UP; ten miles, 3000 feet to the top and no bellhop! Although there is no shoulder to speak of, it is a relatively relaxed ride; the cars seem to give plenty of room when passing. Speaking of cars…..If you’re looking to buy a good mountain car may I suggest the Subaru wagon – it seems to be the car of choice of those living in this area and I presume the owners must know something. Say hi to Mr. Turtle on the way by but don’t dawdle — he may just try to catch you.

The climb peaked at about 8000′ and was roughly the half way point of the ride. A quick hello to another rider, an added jacket, a couple energy bars and I was on my way. After the top there is a quick, very quick, descent to the intersection of Rist Canyon and Stove Prairie Rd. I chose to turn south on Stove Prairie Rd towards Masonville, but turning right and heading down to Poudre Canyon Highway is a great ride too. From here the 3000 feet of elevation gained on the ascent quickly disappears and it was a good choice not to test my cut sidewall on the road bike. After passing through Masonville heading towards Horsetooth lake, I must have been passed by every Harley rider in Northern Colorado. There is a saying that “a loud motorcycle is a safe motorcycle”….and I believe it! They were plenty safe! At least the first fifty or so, the rest I have no idea. I’m glad to see boats back in the reservoir even if it means the return of afternoon showers. Like a horse heading to the barn, I chose the most direct route home — Horsetooth Rd to Ziegler. Total trip distance was 55 miles with all but the last five virtually non stop pedaling!

I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I did and I highly recommend it as a great ride for some sustained climbing and scenic views — just watch out for the turtle!

Finally, you can probably imagine that this week’s tip comes directly from my own experience -- that’s right, check your bike after each ride to ensure it’s road worthiness for the next ride. I myself plead guilty to not following this rule all the time but if I hadn’t quickly checked my tires could have proved costly out on the road.

Before I let you get away there’s a couple more bits of information I’d like to share. We’re looking for a blog from YOU. Nothing big 300 – 400 words about ”summer is here”, or soon to be. Oh yeah! it is a contest and to the winner goes a pair of sweet socks and the distinction of being posted on the site. Visit Leescyclery.com for more details. Also, there is a bike fest at Lory State Park this Saturday, May 30th you shouldn’t miss. Plenty of bike demos and other gear on display from a host of different bike shops. Guided group rides for all levels and abilities throughout the day are also on the agenda which I will be taking part in; first ride goes off at 10:30. I hope to see you out there and get the chance to ride with you.

Thank you Eric James 26 for the Rist Canyon picture

Steve Lacey

Trekkie’s out in force this weekend!!…And other news!

Steve Lacey — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:59:49 +0000

Sorry Vulcans, I’m not talking about the movie…. I’m talking about team Astana riding their TREK machines in the 100th running of Giro de Italia May 9 -31. Team Astana looks to be the team to beat this year despite one of its members coming off a broken collar bone…..but it also helps that the recovering rider is Lance Armstrong. I’m guessing if Lance can come back after being diagnosed with cancer and win seven French glasses of champagne, a little collar

bone won’t be too much of an issue. Just in case Lance wasn’t enough to give Team Astana notice, maybe Levi Leipheimer, Alberto Contador are. Levi and Lance participated in the recent Gila 5 day stage race in New Mexico-1st and 2nd isn’t too bad of an overall finish. Alberto is last year’s winner of the Giro d’Italia and this year, the race has more mountain finishes and individual time trial miles than past years. This plays right into the hands of Lance and friends. But Italy isn’t shaped like a boot for nothing – the local riders would like nothing more than kicking some foreign butt, no matter who they are. I know I’ll be watching and following the coverage whenever possible. Stay tuned.

Back Stateside and closer to home, despite the gloomy weather last Saturday, the trails were perfect for the Gowdy Grinder Mountain bike race at Curt Gowdy State Park in Wyoming. The weather scared all but the determined riders away, leaving the expert class with the most participants. Those who stayed home missed out; because up until the last 15 minutes of the last race, it was perfect riding or should I say, “racing” weather. I talked a friend into making the drive and entering the race because the trails in CGSP are some of the most fun around and it was a good enough excuse just to ride them. I also talked the same friend into signing up for the Expert class. He didn’t finish last but it sure took him a while to unlock the car door for the ride home. If you have not been to the park, I highly recommend the trip and not just to ride mountain bikes. They have great campsites, a couple of boating lakes, streams, hiking, and did I mention mountain biking? They have trails and obstacles for any level rider to enjoy, and you will, with many more miles of trails planned to be built this summer.

If you’re going to be around Fort Collins this weekend, you are in for a treat; the USA Cycling Collegiate Nationals Road Bike Races are in town May 7 – 10 and are part of the Fort Collins Cycling Festival. You can also what the races live online here. Races are just a part of the events of the weekend with plenty of fun events and group rides for everyone. For more information, times, and course maps visit fccyclingfest.com . It’s never to late to volunteer to help out for the races either, and for more information about volunteering, visit the Fort Collins Bike Co-op web site.

Tuesday was the last night for the New Belgium Short Track Series and the racers were out in mass- some of the biggest fields yet. There were also plenty of spectators to cheer each of the riders on each of their laps. Next year should be interesting. Those who entered all four races had the chance to win a sweet cruiser bicycle that was raffled off along with a bunch of other goodies. I walked away with a nice backpack from Deuter which will come in handy since my camelback is on its last leg and would not have made it through the summer. Thanks again to all the volunteers who came out weekly to make it happen. Look for the NBB cyclocross races this fall at the same location!

Now it’s time to switch gears and get to this week’s bicycling tip – it just so happens to be about switching/shifting gears. Each time you shift gears, a tremendous amount of stress can be put on your drive train which can damage and wear your components out prematurely. A rider can minimize this stress and add many miles to their drive train with some simple techniques.

Now get out there and enjoy your ride!

1. Shift in advance of a hill or obstacle – avoid shifting under power.
2. Shift smoothly without shifting multiple gears at one time.
3. Avoid riding with the chain on the big chain ring in the front and big gear in the rear or on the small chain ring in the front and small gear in the back.

Steve Lacey

Racing, Racing and more Racing…

Steve Lacey — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:35:05 +0000

So, the weather finally allowed the New Belgium Brewery short track race series to begin and boy, did it ever! Close to 100 racers in all showed up! The kids started off the evening followed by the beginners. Then the “A” class got started and the “open” class wrapped up the evening. I have to say, it’s great to see the parents get their kids involved in a sport that tests their inner strength as much, if not more than, their physical abilities. No matter what your ability level is or what you ride you quickly find riders on the course you can race with and learn from. Sure, we all want to be out front at the end of the race but that’s only a small part of it all. Many thanks to NBB and the volunteers who come out to put this thing together. If you want more information on the series and the next race go to here, more pictures of the race here. Just to give you a taste of the evening…. here’s my own little racing folly…

As I approached the sign up table and saw the list for the “A” class I began to wonder if I should have arrived a bit earlier and taken off with the beginners — 42 riders in the “A” class! The spectators with the cameras may have had the right idea. I chose to mount my camera on my handle bar and set it up for movie mode. The camera setup received a few curious questions on the starting line, however. And now, whew! here come the butterflies! Looking around, I notice a few faces I haven’t seen since the snow started flying. “Hey Mike how you been, you been riding much?”….Hopefully you hear ‘no’, but nobody ever says yes. Jason gives a little speech and soon after…. READY GO! OK, here we are at that first turn in the top 10 and remember that first big dip. Relax, get your weight back. Alright, I’m about fourth at the moment and here’s the first little climb, I stay on Brain’s wheel (I hope he’s breathing just as hard as I am). Good thing my heart rate monitor was not charged! I’d hate to see a fourth digit appear! Settle in on this next straight away and get the breathing under control before the next section of climbs and descents. Take the corner wide…. keep the momentum now out of the saddle and down….again. Oh, it’s a little breezy on this back section, should be on Brian’s wheel. Careful on these off camber turns so…….dang it! how’d he get by me?….You don’t go down. No No. Stay with him on this next sweeper, good. Ooofff! Watch out for that branch on the next lap, remember to check your helmet after the race. Got a bit of a separation from the guys behind… nice…keep a good rhythm. This dirt pile is new, don’t go off the edge. Watch out for the next couple of turns, they’re tricky…don’t lean into them and wash out the front wheel. Crank it up around this section now and stick your tongue back in your mouth (always helps!). There’s the tree, I hope these guys get through it clean… c’mon boys, stick it. Last turn, show everybody you’re doing fine. Four more to go….3….2..1. Just hanging on..AHHHH relax. Wow, did I drink gasoline before the race? Those fire eaters would do good out here, where’s my camelback? But you know, I’ll be back!

If you want to see some coverage of the open class race visit you tube at the following link Sorry, I forgot my camera was on the lower resolution setting.

That’s my story for the week. Have you seen the latest news coming from the Lance Armstrong camp? Itseems while training in France he literally got himself into a bit of hot water with the AFLD, the French anti doping agency. After returning from a training ride, a tester from the AFLD was waiting for Lance wanting hair, urine and blood samples from him. With all the groupies Lance has in France naturally, he wanted to check this guy out. While his team made some calls, Lance thought he might freshen up a bit and hopped into the shower. If you don’t know, that is a big NO NO in the world of drug testing. You must not leave the sight of the tester after the request for a sample has been made and certainly not to go take a shower, especially in Europe. Just kidding Yann! Since announcing his return to cycling Lance has been tested 24 times each without incident, or is it indecent exposure? This little slip may be just what the Tour De France race organizers need to keep Lance from becoming an eight time Tour winner or even help Levi or Alberto win the Tour for Team Astana. By the way, Lance was in our own back yard recently, in Steamboat, and gave a video update of his recovery and his brush with the AFLD. Sounds like the training is going well and we’ll be able to see him in the Tour of Italy or Tour de Italia May 9 – 31

You’ve probably guessed by now that I can’t get enough cycling. Have you checked out Cycling.tv? It’s a site where you can subscribe to view all the big races around the world. They have packages to view major road, MTB, cyclocross, track and extras, such as trials and BMX. Even if you don’t subscribe, they have some pretty cool video clips to get even the weekend warrior pumped up to ride. I watched it Monday before the NBB short track series.

Now to the question, what’s in Steve’s pack? If you’re going out for a ride, best to bring the essentials to be able to fix your bike without having to call Mom for a ride home. Many a time the tools and goodies in my pack have allowed me to fix my bike or aid in fixing someone else’s so they could get back home or to their car. A well stocked tool bag or jersey should have the following:

* Form of ID – just in case

* Phone

* Dollar bill – Place it between the tube and tire to fix a sidewall tear. Tyvex house wrap works well too but you can’t buy a coke with it.

* Two tire levers

* Two tubes

* Patch kit

* Co2 & or Pump – pumps usually always work

* Multi tool w/chain break

* A couple zip ties never hurt

* Energy bar or two – You may feel like going longer.

* Good ole duct tape – Wrap 1/4 ” thick around your pump to get out of a sticky situation.

That’s it for this week. Oh, I just about forgot = an update on Colorado Safety Bill 148 — it is back on the House floor. Thanks to the Conference Committee, the confusing amendment was voted to be removed from the Bill. Hopefully, the clarity of the Bill will make it easier for it to pass at the Senate level. But before it gets to the Senate, it must return to the House for a “yes” or “no” vote. This is where you can help, call or email your state Representative and urge him to vote yes on the Bill. I just sent another note to House of Representative John Kefalas and it took less than five minutes. Follow the link http://bicyclecolo.org/page.cfm?PageID=988 To find your State representative and send him a note.

Now that’s really it for the week! Hope to see you at NBB next week!

Steve Lacey