News: Bid on Custom Painted Rocky and Help Brent Thompson Medical Fund, BC Bike Race Announces New Route for '09

Rocky Mountain Bicycles Donates Custom Painted Frame for Brent Thomson Medical Fund.

Rocky Mountain Bicycles announced the donation of a custom painted mountain bike frame for auction, all proceeds will go to benefit the Brent Thomson medical fund. The Auction will begin Thursday January 29th at 5 pm PST.

Brent Thomson, Godfather and Trail Master of Bootleg Canyon (bootlegcanyon.org) suffered a heart attack last Saturday while riding the trails that he has famously cut into the mountains surrounding Boulder City, a stones throw from Las Vegas, Nevada.

When Brent Thomson's heart attack and surgery came to the attention of the people at Rocky Mountain Bicycles, we knew we had to do something to help Brent and his family. We went to work painting one of our Classic Element Team frames. We also wanted to create a beautiful and eye catching piece in the hopes of attracting as much attention and money as possible for Brent's medical fund. The result is a truly one-of-a kind, amazing looking frame.

 Brent recently underwent the second Quadruple bi-pass in his life. Sixteen years ago he had the same surgery performed due to an unusually high hereditary cholesterol build-up. Unfortunately, we have learned that in post-operative care, Brent experienced a stroke and is currently recovering from that as well.

Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Park is an extensive network of World Class Downhill and Cross Country mountain bike trails located in Boulder City, Nevada. The area has been written up in magazines around the world and IMBA (the International Mountain Bike Association) has certified one of the XC trails as an Epic Ride, a title given out only 18 times so far.

This area and its designation are a crown jewel for the cycling world and we at Rocky Mountain bicycles wish to thank Brent for his hard work. All of the proceeds of this auction will go directly to getting Brent up and back out there to continue creating and maintaining this awesome area.

Good Luck Brent and get well from the folks at Rocky Mountain Bicycles

To view the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESCX:IT&item=260352947087

To donate without viewing:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2485903

For More Information: www.bootlegcanyon.org

Rocky Mountain Bicycles: www.bikes.com
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BC BIKE RACE ANNOUNCES EXCITING ROUTE CHANGES
“FROM BRIDGE TO SHORE”

The BC Bike Race (BCBR) - The Ultimate Singletrack Experience is proud to announce a brand new route for 2009. The BC Bike Race will kick off 2009 with a ride over the Lions Gate Bridge - from downtown Vancouver to the legendary trails of the North Shore.

Built in 1938, the landmark Lions Gate Bridge connects the city of Vancouver to the North Shore Mountains and communities. The Lions Gate Bridge is the gateway to BC's singletrack and will provide a spectacular start to the 2009 BC Bike Race.

“To be the best mountain bike race in the world we must include the North Shore”, stated Dean Payne, who originally brainstormed the BCBR. Payne had always envisioned a stage on the trails of the North Shore but navigating the hoops and hurdles of big city bylaws without a track record was prohibitive in years one and two. Now that the BCBR has two solid successful years under its belt the time has come to incorporate the North Shore trails.

A few preliminary phone calls to BC Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon and a few more to District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton set the wheels in motion. Mayor Walton, known to some as the “mountain biking Mayor”, immediately embraced the concept and shares Payne's overall vision of the future for both the BC Bike Race and Vancouver's North Shore.

The North Shore, considered one of mountain biking's birthplaces, has produced numerous professional riders, cultivated a range of riding styles and developed innovative trail building techniques that are currently in use the world over. And now the BC Bike Race will showcase some of the classic mountain bike trails that have been staples since the earliest days of riding 'The Shore'.

Vancouver's North Shore now joins the list of the other amazing BC Bike Race venues that reads like the 'where's where' of the finest in West Coast mountain biking - Vancouver Island, Cumberland, the Sunshine Coast, Squamish and, of course, Whistler.

The event sold out in February last year and with 68% of available 2009 entries already snapped up, it won't be long before the BC Bike Race is sold out again!

Additional BCBR route changes include a new Stage 2 and a variation of Stage 3, while the remainder of the race route remains the same. With these modifications, some longer fire road sections will be removed and more singletrack - what riders really want - will be added; better still, the arrival and departure logistics only get easier for participants.

BC Bike Race would like to thank the Stage 1 and Stage 2 towns visited over the last two years for their enthusiastic participation and support: Victoria, Sooke, Shawnigan Lake, Shawnigan Lake School, Lake Cowichan and Port Alberni.

For more information: www.bcbikerace.com

News: GT Launches Nationwide Grassroots Mountain Bike Program and Wants You!,Troupe Racing Announces 2009 Roster

GT Bicycles Launches Nationwide Grassroots Mountain Bike Program

GT Bicycles today announced it will recruit 35 mountain bike racers nationwide for its new grassroots mountain bike program: the GT Dirt Coalition. Each member will race and represent GT Bicycles and the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) at a minimum of six mountain bike races during the 2009 season.

“Amateurs are the unsung heroes of mountain bike racing,” said Jenni Cathcart, Director of Marketing for GT Bicycles. “The GT Dirt Coalition rewards their competitive spirit and commitment to cycling”

Each GT Dirt Coalition member will receive a high-end race machine: GT’s iconic Zaskar Pro hardtail ($3499.99) with GT signature triple triangle frame design or the Marathon Pro ($4299.99), GT’s lightweight full suspension bike utilizing GT’s Independent Drivetrain suspension system. Both models feature a monocoque carbon fiber frame and XT components. Members also receive a 10x10 Dirt Coalition tent, two race kits and GT swag. The sponsorship package is valued at $4,200-$5000.

GT Dirt Coalition members will be selected based upon their leadership in the cycling community, involvement in advocacy, local bike shop affiliations, proposed 2009 race schedule and past race results. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a GT Dirt Coalition member, please fill out the application at http://www.gtdirtcoalition.com/Apply.htm between January 23 and February 5, 2009.

One note: Any rider who gets paid to race or holds a professional cycling license is not eligible for the Dirt Coalition. And sorry, but all racers must be 18 or older.
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Troupe Racing Company Announces 2009 Sponsors + Team Roster

 Mission Viejo, CA 2008 Southern California mountain bike team Troupe Racing Company is please to announce that they'll be back in force for the 2009 season. This marks the second year for the amateur team which participates in all forms of cross country racing. Team Captain Tim VanGilder said that the response from Troupe's first year from both the riding community and sponsors was beyond expectations. "Our goal will be to continue to build a small and unique mountain bike team similar to a pro team. We're amateurs, but we try to present ourselves as if we're all pros. That takes work, but in the end, its actually a lot fun and adds something special to our team's brand. We're very active in sharing our rides and races online, too - we hope that helps inspire others to get into racing."

The 2009 race schedule will reflect the team's interest in endurance racing. Members have their sights set on events like the Warriors' Society Vision Quest / Counting Coupe, solo and team entries in the 12 Hours of Temecula series, 24 Hours of Adrenaline events, and 24 Hour National Championships, as well as a host of traditional cross country races like Sea Otter Classic and the Rim Nordic series in SoCal.


Sponsors

New for '09, the team is pleased to have Santa Cruz and their Blur XC bikes on board. X-Fusion suspension will compliment the frames and is supporting the team with forks and shocks. "For us, this is the dream set-up," Tim said. Crankbrothers also continues with the team and will supply pedals, directsets, and their new Cobalt xc wheels. Australian based Knog will provide a variety of lights, softgoods, and their new N.E.R.D. cycling computers. 

"Knog is one of those companies that we're really excited to have back for '09. They're totally unexpected for xc racing, but they design awesome lights and products," Tim said. 

To keep the bikes comfortable during those midnight laps, Troupe chose f'izi:k saddles and Ergon grips. WTB will again be their tire of choice. "We wanted to work with WTB because to us, the represent a classic mountain bike brand with excellent quality" Tim said on relationship with WTB. SixSixOne supports the team with gloves and brings a bit of top-quality style to the team's kit, which will again be produced by Hincapie Sportswear. "The Hincapie gear is just awesome. The detail and quality of their clothing is like none other. They are our first choice for our kits" Tim said. Finally, fueling it all is the endurance nutrition power-house, Hammer Nutrition. "We've all been using Hammer for years, so we're really happy to have them officially part of our team" added team rider Randy Profeta who has been a long-time proponent of Hammer's line of products.

Visit www.trouperacingco.com for more info.

Riders

The 2009 team will consist of all the original members. In addition, they welcome a number new riders to the squad.

2009 Roster

Megan Corradino, San Clemente, CA
Laura Knight, Costa Mesa, CA
Michelle VanGilder, Mission Viejo, CA
Monica Zorilla, Aliso Viejo, CA
Randy Profeta, Irvine, CA
John Cordoba, Laguna Niguel, CA
Ben Blank, Wildomar, CA
Tim VanGilder, Mission Viejo, CA
Kevin Akerman, Ladera Ranch, CA
Damon Mann, Ladera Ranch, CA
Roy Alvarado, Lake Forest, CA
Errett Cord, Newport Beach, CA
Joses Kofford, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Edited by: Shannon Boffeli

GT Wants to Make You a Mountain Bike Hero

GT Launches the Golden Bike Series

GT Bikes recently announced the creation of a new mountain bike race series with an eye toward promoting amateur racers across the country. The Golden Bike Series is a seven race series and the amateur racer with the fastest overall time at each race will be crowned the GT Golden Bike Winner.

In addition to the accolades of being the fastest amateur racer, The Golden Bike Winner receives their choice of a custom painted golden GT Zaskar or Marathon Team bike to use at the next race in the series. As for getting to that next race. Don't worry, GT will give each winner an all expenses paid trip for two to the following race. While at the race each winner will have their own personal cheerleading squad, complete with pom-poms, and a professional mechanic. And if that racer wins again, it's on to the next race until you lose the crown or complete the series on September 13th.

Michael De Leon, PR Manager at GT bikes said "We wanted to focus on helping privateers and we felt the Golden Bike Series was a good way to do that. GT is a race brand and this follows with the heritage of GT Bikes"

The series itself includes races in all regions of the United States beginning with the Sea Otter Classic and finishing in Massachusetts. Races in the series will vary between Olympic distance cross country and marathon, with an average of one month between races to allow each Golden Bike Winner to log some miles on their new rig.

 In the end, only one amateur racer will be crowned the 2009 GT Golden Bike Champion, but each individual winner on the Golden Bike Series will receive a trip to the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas where they will be presented with their own custom Golden (painted) GT Bike. "We wanted everyone to have a trophy for their accomplishments and this is a trophy that won't collect dust" joked, De Leon.

The competition is open to any amateur racer without a professional license in any cycling discipline, over 18 years of age, and did not receive a free bike from sponsorship in 2009.

GT Golden Bike Series Sponsors include: GT Bikes and Sugoi Clothing

GT Golden Bike Series:

April 19: Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, CA
May 2: GHORBA Big Ring Challenge, Coldspring, TX
May 17: Spring Thaw Mountain Bike Festival, Ashland, OR
June 7: Massanutten Hoo-Ha, Harrisonburg, VA
July 4: Firecracker 50, Breckenridge, CO
August 8: Ore To Shore, Marquette, MI
September 13: Landmine Classic, Hingham, MA

News: 2009 Rocky Mountain Factory Team, Top Men Returning to '09 BC Bike Race

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BICYCLES NEW FACTORY TEAM

Vancouver B.C. - Rocky Mountain Bicycles (RMB) is proud to announce the new Rocky Mountain Bicycles Factory XC-Epic Racing Team.

Rocky Mountain Bicycles has been at the forefront of all facets of mountain bike competition; from early DH and XC victories (circa 1991*) to pioneering Freeride and most recently dominating epic stage racing.

With wins in almost every notable race on the planet, RMB decided to officially create a team dedicated to non-World Cup events. The new team will be attending epic stage races, all-mountain events, festivals, enduros and any other bike event that represents fun on two wheels.

Alison Sydor, Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member, three time World Champion, and Olympic Silver Medalist is returning to the Rocky Mountain team in 2009. Alison had an extremely successful season in 2008, winning both the Cape Epic Challenge and the Trans Alp Challenge. In 2009, she will be looking for more stage racing domination with confirmed starts at Cape Epic, TransGermany, and TransAlp.

A Rocky Mountain factory team wouldn’t be complete without cross country racing legend Andreas Hestler aka ‘Dre’, a Canadian Olympian and three time winner of the Trans Rockies. Dre had a successful 2008 season, winning a stage at both the BC Bike Race and the Trans Rockies. For 2009 he will be targeting various other races and epic single day events, such as the Downieville Classic and the Fruita Fat Tire Festival.

New to the factory team are Stefan Widmer and Marty Lazarski, formerly of the Rocky Mountain-Different Bikes squad. Both have several Canada Cup podium finishes to their credit and together finished 3rd overall in the 2008 TransRockies stage race.

Rounding out the team is Evan Guthrie, the 2008 Canadian Junior XC and Cyclocross Champion. Still with a year left in the junior category, Evan is poised for another stellar season.

Stay tuned for more Rocky Mountain bicycles team news as we find out where Marie-Helene will be piloting her Rocky Mountain for the 2009 season.

For more information: www.bikes.com

*Grundig World Cup Cahteau D’Oex Switzerland 1st Alison Sydor 1991
Grundig World Cup Over-all Regina Stiefl 1993


2009 Sponsors: Shimano, Race Face, Fox, Alpina, Maxxis, Fizik, Fox

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BC BIKE RACE CONFIRMS RETURNING 2008 CHAMPIONS

 B.C. - The BC Bike Race - The Ultimate Singletrack Experience is proud to announce the return of Kris Sneddon and Barry Wicks of team Kona, the 2008 winners.

The BC Bike Race is proud to have Barry and Kris back, these two exceptional athletes will defend their title beginning June 28 and finishing July 4. They have confirmed their participation and their goal of victory for the 2009 BC Bike Race.

When contacted about the upcoming season Kris Sneddon stated flat out “the BC Bike Race was one of the best events of my career and win or lose I’m going back to rock those trails!” Kris is originally from the Sunshine Coast, the host for days 4 and 5, “having a local boy take the lead and hold it was not planned but what a great surprise” yelled Dean Payne as the two mounted the final podium.

Last years victory was anything but easy as the field was stacked; Olympians, Champions and an overall deeply qualified field. The second year of the BC Bike Race was a hotly contested title, a back and forth battle between Teams Trek, (Chris Eatough, Jeff Shalk) the 2007 winners, team Cannodale Mona Vie (Jason Sager and Bart Gilliespie) 2008 stage one’s winners and the eventual winner Team Kona (Kris Sneddon, Barry Wicks) gave spectators some nail biting excitement. Some of the other notables; Chris Shepherd and Seamus McGrath ran into mechanicals on stage 1 and were officially not in contention but able to continue as with Rocky Mountains team of Andreas Hestler and Max Plaxton.

The combination of last year’s winners; a Canadian –Kris Sneddon and an American –Barry Wicks, was unbeatable and they both showed great class in teaming up to win the BC Bike Race. “It’s during events like these that you want to know who is in your corner” said Kona team manager Smiley Nesbitt.

This years BC Bike Race is ticking slowly towards being sold out and it also looks like there will be more singletrack for 2009 as the ‘best bike race in the world’ rolls forward.

For more information
-BC Bike Race – www.bcbikerace.com

News: Wisconsin Tapped as Cycling Venue for 2016 Chicago Olympic Bid

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced today that the state's capitol of Madison has been chosen as the location for all mountain and road cycling events if Chicago wins it's bid for the 2016 Olympics.

The cycling events would be shifted from Chicago, 150 miles west to Madison to take advantage of Wisconsin's rolling hills and abundance of excellent off-road terrain.

Cross-Country mountain bike events will be held at Tyrol Basin ski and snowboard area west of Madison.

The road race would begin in Madison and head into Blue Mound State Park located in the hills west of Madison.

With it's rolling hills and legions of cycling fanatics, Wisconsin is an ideal locale for the 2016 cycling competition. Wisconsin currently hosts the Wisconsin Off-Road Series, the nations largest mountain bike racing series and Super Week, the only three week road bike racing festival in the United States.

Chicago is competing with Madrid, Tokyo, and Rio De Janeiro for the 2016 Games. Selection for the Games will be made October, 2nd.

News: Junior National Champion Squire signs with Under-23 National Team/Transrockies wants you to finish in 2009

United States Junior National Champion Robbie Squire recently secured a deal to race on the U23 National Mountain Bike Team in 2009. Squire, a resident of Draper, Utah, dominated the junior ranks in 2008 taking the National title and multiple wins in both short track and cross country on the National Mountain Bike Seris.

Squire will be honing his mountain bike skills under team manager and long-time mountain bike racer Marc Gullickson. Gullickson will look to help gifted young rider develop his considerable talents which carried him from a sport racer to National Champion in just one year.

The U23 Team will be using all Specialized Equipment for both mountain and road. Team riders will be riding the new S-Works Epic in 2009 as well as a S-Works SL2. SRM is also helping out with power meters for their road bikes.

Squire's race schedule for 2009 includes stops on the World Cup and ProXCT circuit as well as potential for major road races like Paris Roubaix. After confirming with the U23 Team a the very motivated Squire said, "I'm really excited to race in the World Cups because I'll be competing on the most premier level of cycling and I'll be able to gauge where I am and where I'd like to be in a few years... I'm a big skier but I can't wait for the snow to melt and the biking season to begin!"

Squire's tentative race schedule for 2009 is below:

Valley of the Sun, (Road)
ProXCT #1 in Fontana, California
Sea Otter Classic, California
World Cup #2, Offenburg, Germany
World Cup #3 Houffalize, Belgium
Swiss Power Cup
Trip Ardennais, Belgium(Road)
Luxembourg Stage Race, Luxembourg(Road)
Possibly Paris Roubaix, France(Road)
Tarragona Stage Race, Spain(Road)
Marathon National Championships,Breckenridge Colorado
National Championships, Sol Vista Colorado
World Cup #5, Mont Saint-Anne Canada
World Cup #6, Bromont Canada
ProXCT, Mt. Snow Vermont
ProXCT, Windham New York
Tour of Utah Stage Race, Salt Lake City Utah(Road)
Hopefully World Championships, Canberra Austrailia

And then World Cup #7 and #8 are still up in the air depending on funds.
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TransRockies Ambassador Program Kicks off in 2009

For most riders, the single greatest goal of their TransRockies experience is to reach the finish line each day in one piece and within the time limit. By doing so, they remain officially scored in the event and on track for the treasured finisher t-shirt and medal—mementos of their achievement. While riders come to the start line with ample physical and logistical preparation, the singularly wild and rugged nature of the TransRockies means that there are always unexpected obstacles to overcome along the way to the finish line.

In 2009, with the help of some dedicated members of the TR family, we’re launching the TransRockies Ambassador program, a new on-course rider support program unique among epic events. The TransRockies Ambassadors are a team of two riders who will ride the course each day from start to finish providing additional mechanical support as needed to help riders fix mechanical issues and get to the finish line. They will start at the back of the field and gradually work their way forward as the stage progresses. Ambassadors will carry an extensive selection of tool and spares and be easily identifiable on course with specific number plates and backpack markings.

It should be noted that the TR Ambassador program is not intended to provide a competitive advantage for teams hoping to carry less equipment and there will be a nominal time penalty imposed for those needing Ambassador assistance to complete a stage. The Ambassador program is intended to improve the TransRockies experience by helping riders overcome the worst mechanical issues and providing assistance, advice and encouragement as needed to get everyone to the finish line.

The two riders who will inaugurate this program are five-time TR finishers Simon Parker and Jim Seethram. “There’s really nothing worse for a TransRockies participant than to getting evacuated off course to the finish line”, said Parker. “The Ambassador Program will hopefully build upon the great TransRockies camaraderie and spirit of cooperation and will help some riders avoid the sweep and have the great TransRockies experience they imagined when they signed up.”

News: Complete Race Scedule for Kenda Cup and Pro XC Tour

After several months of frantic planning and last-mintue scheduling USA Cycling and the Kenda Cup have put together a full schedule of events for 2009.

With the dissolution of the National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS)in 2008, three new mountain bike series have evolved to take it's place. Two series tailored toward the interests of amateur racers and one with an eye toward the Professionals of the sport.

The Kenda Cup East and West Coast series will look to attract regional amateurs to compete against each other with series leaders battling for the overall title in Las Vegas on September 26th.

While the USA Cycling Pro Cross Country Tour (ProCXT) will be the battle ground for the professional fields. This series will include races from both the East and West coast Kenda Cups with the series finals also on September 26th in Las Vegas. The ProXCT will include several familiar venues on the national scene including Mount Snow, Fontana, Monterey, and Windham, New York along with new locales like Birmingham, Colorado Springs, and Las Vegas.

Below is a complete schedule of Kenda Cup and the USA Cycling ProXCT races

Kenda Cup East

May 5: Southeast Regional Championship Series #5, Ducktown, TN
May 31: Bump & Grind, Birmingham, AL
June 7: Hoo-Ha!, Massanutten, VA
June 21: Cowbell Challenge, Davidson, NC
August 8-9: Snow Shootout, Mt. Snow, VT
August 15-16: Windham Cup, Windham NY

Kenda Cup West

March 1: Bonelli Park, San Dimas CA
March 28-29: Fontana National, Fontana, CA
April 5: Sage Brush Safari, San Diego, CA
April 19: Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, CA
April 25-26: Santa Ynez Valley Classic, Los Olivos, CA
June 13: Carmichael Training Systems Sand Creek International Classic, Colorado Springs, CO

September 26: US Cup Unification Final Race Las Vegas, NV

USA Cycling Pro Cross Country Tour (ProXCT)

March 28-29: Fontana National Fontana, CA
April 19: Sea Otter Classic Monterey, CA
May 31 Bump & Grind, Birmingham, AL
June 13: Carmichael Training Systems Sand Creek International Classic, Colorado Springs, CO
August 8-9: Snow Shootout, Mt. Snow, VT
August 15-16: Windham Cup, Windham NY

September 26: US Cup Unification Final Race Las Vegas, NV

News- New 2009 Sponsorships

Multi-U.S. National Champion Pua Sawicki recently announced she will continue her long running title sponsorship with Ellsworth. The only changes coming for her in 2009 will be switch to DT Swiss technology for the suspension on her Ellsworth Truth and Hutchinson Tires will be providing for her trail hook-up in the new season.


Continuing her transition from ultra-endurance events to Olympic distance cross country racing, Sawicki plans to compete in all races on the USA Cycling Pro XC Tour (ProXCT) as well as Cross Country National Championships in Granby, Colorado. However, she will continue her presence in the ultra-endurance game by participating in Marathon and 24 Hour National Championships, the Teva Mountain Games, and Marathon World Championships in Graz-Stettegg, Austria.

Sawicki will continue living out of her RV throughout the summer months as she uses it to travel between races on her schedule.

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MTBracenews.com contributor Kathy Sherwin announced she will be departing Cannondale in 2009 for the Kenda race team. Sherwin is excited to be returning to Kenda, she raced for the team for several years when it was known as the Ford Women's Cycling Team.

The Kenda team will be racing Tomac bikes this season using the Type-X Carbon Hardtail and Carbide Full-Suspension.

The Kenda Team includes hold overs from last season Amanda Carey, Danielle Musto, Zephani Blasi, Heather Holmes, and Andy Schultz. The new additions include Sherwin and Colin Cares.