Cycling News Roundup - 25 November 2008
Collegiate Cross Standings, Chris Hoy at Revolution,  Congratulations Szmyd, Sponsor Terme di Boario, Aids Day Ride, Underground Railroad Bicycle Route Wins

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Sylvester Szmyd
Best wishes by Team Lampre to Sylwester Szmyd and his wife Kasia. They married earlier this month (11/4).

Sylvester and wife Kasia

ThePolish rider joined Lampre in 2005: last year he obtained the 2nd place in the Mont Ventoux stage of Criterium Dauphine and the 2nd place in Settimana Lombarda; in this season he also gave a fundamental support to Bruseghin in Giro d'Italia and to Cunego in Tour de France and Giro di Lombardia. Best wishes to the Mr. &  Mrs. Szmyd from the Daily Peloton Staff and Readers.

USA Collegiate Cross Championships - Tight Race for Overall Standings
With two of four USA Cycling Collegiate Cycling National Championships complete, both the Division I and II overall team standings are topped by a pair of ties. Fort Lewis College and Lees-McRae College are deadlocked atop the Division I standings with 37 total points. Colorado State University and the University of Colorado-Boulder also remain within close striking distance to contend for this season’s overall team national title. In DII the Colorado School of Mines and Colorado College lead the standings with 29 points apiece.

Another pair of cycling-rich institutions is tied for third as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Western Washington University currently hold 27 points each. Click here to view the complete DI standings and here to see the DII standings heading into the third of this season’s four USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships. The USA Cycling Collegiate Cyclo-cross National Championships will be held as a part of the overall USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships on Sunday, Dec. 14 at Tiffany Springs Park in Kansas City.

USA Cyclocross Rankings
A pair of category-one and a pair of category-two UCI events marked the 28th-31st races on the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Calendar, Nov. 22-23. The Whitmore's Landscape Super Cross Cup I on Saturday saw Ryan Trebon (Bend, Ore./Kona-FSA) earn the men's pro victory in the first of the pair of category-one races, while Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./GT) took the victory in Sunday's Cross Cup II race. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna) earned wins in both of the elite women's events held in South Hampton, N.Y.

 Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Trek-VW) and Melanie Swartz (Reston, Va./Velo Bella-Kona) won both pro events at the North Carolina Grand Prix. Click here  from complete results from the pair of category-two races.

 After 31 contests on the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Calendar, the current standings are as follows:

Men's Standings
1. Ryan Trebon (Bend, Ore.) 440
2. Jeremy Powers (Hadley, Mass.) 427
3. Tim Johnson (Middleton, Mass.) 356
4. Todd Wells (Durango. Colo.) 322
5. Jamey Driscoll (Jericho, Vt.) 310

Women's Standings
1. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo.) 199
2. Laura Van Gilder (Cresco, Pa.) 154
3. Natasha Elliott (CAN) 145
4. Maureen Bruno-Roy (Arlington, Mass.) 141
5. Diedre Winfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 135

*For complete 2008 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Calendar standings, visit the Cyclo-cross National Calendar page <> of the USA Cycling website  Three more category-two races will take place over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Baystate Cyclo-cross will be held in Sterling, Mass. on Nov. 29 while the Carousel Volkswagon Jingle Cross Rock  I and II will be in Iowa City, Iowa, Nov. 29 and 30.

Ivan Basso helps the team mechanic set up his Canondale.

Revolution at Manchester Track
Two firsts for Chris Hoy at Revolution 22
Treble gold medallist Chris Hoy will make Revolution 22 his UK debut for the 2008/9 Track season. Not only will 6th December be the first chance to see Chris competing at home since his incredible success in Beijing, it’ll be the first time he’s worn his new Sky + HD kit too.

After starting the season off with a sprint victory at the Milan 6 at the beginning of November, Chris is on good form for the upcoming Revolution. He said: “Really looking forward to getting back racing. Revolution is one of the highlights of the season for all the riders so I’m pleased that it will be my first race back.”

Chris has been a star attraction at every Revolution Series over the past six years and always enjoys returning to Manchester, he said: “The combination of entertainment with high quality racing is what has made the Revolution so successful. The racing is really hard and fast and the event brings some of the best riders in the world to compete – this quality and the entertainment element creates an amazing atmosphere that is unique in track racing.”

He continued: “The riders all really enjoy racing the event and many riders have used the Revolution as their swansong with Fiedler and now McGee choosing it as their last race. This goes to show the popularity of Revolution with the riders as well as the spectators.” With a busy season planned for this winter / spring, Chris is looking ahead, saying: “(my) focus will be the World Championships and hopefully I’ll be contending all three sprint disciplines.”

Already completely sold out, Revolution 22 is set to be another fantastic evening’s entertainment and the highlight will undoubtedly be the world class sprinting. Competing alongside Chris and already confirmed are Olympic medallists Jamie Staff, Jason Kenny and Ross Edgar as well as top European sprinters Tuen Mulder, Itmar Esteban and Roberto Chiappa.

Following team GB’s victories in Beijing, the international riders are coming over to Manchester with the intention of seriously challenging their British opponents. Tuen Mulder, double World Champion, European Champion and three times National Champion, beat Edgar in the Sprint Omnium at Revolution 19 in January 2008 so will be out to beat all the boys this time round. Chiappa, 13 times Italian national champion in the Sprint, Team Sprint and Keirin is also on flying form and looking for wins at Revolution.

Tickets to the event are sold out. Tickets for the remaining Revolution events on 10th January and 21st February are available to purchase on www.cyclingrevolution.com \

Simone Ponzi
Less than one month fom the day Simone Ponzi will join the pro cycling world in Team Lampre-NGC, but there is already who wants to sponsor the young Italian rider. This morning, in fact, the silver medal Under 23 World Champion received a customised car by Eurocar in Ghedi, Ponzi's hometown.

Simone Ponzi (next to the car with dealer's owners): "Of course I'm very happy about this agreement and I'll drive with pride the car customised just for me".

There were many people in car dealer waiting for the Lampre's neo-pro, in order to celebrate with him and to admire the car created for him: a black Mercedes Classe B characterised by Ponzi's silver sign.

Festa Fans Club Alessandro Ballan
It's the party that will gather the fans that have always supported him, so this event will be very important for Alessandro Ballan: it's the party of the Fans Club Alessandro Ballan of Castelfranco Veneto, that will take place on Sunday 23rd November at Hotel Fior in Castelfranco.

More or less 400 guests will meet in order to celebrate Lampre's cyclist that gave them unbelievable emotion in Varese (photo): there will be pro riders such Baldato, Bandiera, Longo, Bennati, Tosatto, Gatto and Moletta and part of Lampre's staff.

"There will be a lot of people and many more supporters would like to be there - Ballan said - It will be great to receive the love by all these fans that have always supported me. I thank them all and in a special way my brother Andrea and his friends that organize the party".

Ballan Television Special
The private life of Alessandro Ballan will air on In Famiglia, program broadcasted by national channel Rai Due on Sunday morning on the 23rd November. The report recorded in Castelfranco Veneto in World Champion's home will be on air: family, friends and hobbies of Lampre's cyclist will be shown to the TV audience.

Lampre/NGC Adds Sponsor

 Alessandro Ballan, Damiano Cunego, Marzio Bruseghin and all the other Team Lampre-NGC champions will have the support by a new sponsor willing to join blue-fucsia team: it's Terme di Boario, famous spa and wellness city in Vallecamonica.
Manager Giuseppe Saronni and the whole Team Lampre-NGC are proud that Terme di Boario wants to join his image of health and wellness to the one of blue-fucsia team.

After 150 years of history, Terme di Boario are going to live a new experience thanks to the project wanted by Gruppo Trombini, led by businessman Sergio Trombini, who bought in February 2008 the spa with the purpose of value the structure, in order to start an evolution of the tourist district.

The sponsorship agreement states that Terme di Boario logo will be on the two sleeves of Lampre-NGC race jersey and on podium cap. Moreover, Terme di Boario will be the location of a press presentation with Team Lampre's cyclists.

"In the last years our seasons began in Darfo Boario Terme - Giuseppe Saronni, Lampre-NGC's manager, said - We always found perfect conditions and a full cycling passion, so this agreement has a good base. Terme di Boario is a precious sponsor and so we'll pedal together for the next two years".

"The agreement between Terme di Boario and Team Lampre-NGC is a luxury relationship which involves a top team and a turistic place in full relaunch- Francesco Bosco, consultant of Terme di Boario, explained - The agreement was born thanks to the regard and the friendship between Lampre-NGC's manager Giuseppe Saronni and Terme's President Sergio Trombini. Terme di Boario choose to sponsor the blue-fucsia cycling team because of the will to set in a new way the mark of the spa, that is a new young and sporty target. Moreover, we chose to sponsor Team Lampre-NGC because it will take part in all the most important races in the world and because in blue-fucsia there are cyclists such World Champion Alessandro Ballan and the outstanding Damiano Cunego".

About Terme di Boariao
istorical and geographical information
Boario is located at the confluence of Vallecamonica and Val di Scalve, on a plane crossed by the Oglio River. Surrounded by majestic mountains, Boario offers, thanks to its geographical location, a mild continental climate. Boario originated as a health resort at the end of 1700 with the construction of the so called Casino Boario, where "healthy magnesium-vitrinolate iron water" was offered, as A.Bazzini writes in Cronaca di Lovere. The first mention of "medicinal springs" comes from Father Gregorio Brunelli (Vallecamonica 1698). Another documented work on Boario's water is by Doctor Count Roncalli-Parolini from Brescia. Among the various nineteenth-century works about the peculiar features of Boario water, the one by Guazzetti, a scholar from Breno, examines the essential biochemical features of the mineral solution of Fonte Antica water. One of the most well-known connoisseurs of this water was Alessandro Manzoni, who urged that Antica Fonte water be sent to Milan.

The spa, the park… its springs
The spa is located within a flourishing park of African and American trees. It is an oasis of seven thousand hectares in which "energizing" walks can be undertaken: the so called "life walks".
The spa expanded further during the immediate post-war period and again - just recently - in 1984 when Violati Cure Resort was officially opened. Complete with specialised clinics: rheumatology, orthopedy, angiology, dermatology, pneumatology and cardiology, the structure offers, together with traditional treatments, personal well-being packages with the modern and welcoming Aesthetic Centre. Here professionalists with their know-how and experience are devoted to your beauty and well-being. At the Aesthetic Centre you will also find saunas and solarium; natural cosmetic treatments are available as well.
Thermal waters, gushing naturally inside the park, are located at several springs:
Antica spring - bicarbonate- sulphated-calcium-magnesium water, at 15°C;
Fausta spring - bicarbonate-sulphated-calcium-magnesium water, at 15.2°C;
Igea spring - sulphated medium mineral water, at 13°C;
Boario spring - medium-low sulphated water, at 13.2°C.
More iformation: English - Italian

WORLD AIDS DAY 24-HOUR BIKE RIDE
Beverly Hills High School and Team UTAC join to raise awareness on Worlds AIDS Day, December 1
Santa Monica, Calif. - Nov. 25, 2008 - On Sunday, November 30 at 6 p.m., Cyclist and AIDS Activist Brian Hodes will begin a 24-hour bicycle ride to raise awareness around prejudice and stigma associated with AIDS and HIV. The event will take place at Beverly Hills High School with the help of the faculty and student body.

"The students and the faculty of Beverly Hills High School have embraced this beyond my wildest expectations," said Hodes. "From the moment I pitched the idea to Principal Guidetti, they ran with it. I'm happy to say tolerance is alive and well at Beverly Hills High."

Hodes' daughter, Sophia is a senior at BH High who along with the 2,500 plus student body will participate in the World AIDS day event on Monday, December 1st. Students will hear from people living with HIV at a special Monday assembly and panels from the original AIDS quilt will be on display. The Service Learning Class is promoting the event, hanging posters on campus, creating red AIDS ribbon pins, and recruiting students to walk 28 laps around the track along side the cyclists to commemorate the 28 years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

"My dad is the most amazing man I've ever met," said Sophia Hodes, "He stands so passionately for doing what's right. I'm so proud of him and thank God everyday that he's my dad."

2nd Annual World Aids Day Ride
Also on Sunday morning, Hodes and Team UTAC (Until There's A Cure Cycling) will host the second annual World AIDS Day Ride (WAR) in Los Angeles. For last year's inaugural ride Team UTAC mobilized cycling groups around the world to ride in hundreds of cities around the world including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Portland, Tuscon, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Montreal, London, Sydney, Malaysia, Ghana and more.

This year's Los Angeles Ride will start at 8:00 a.m. at Beverly Hills High School and will be traveling 28 miles through Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Santa Monica. Cyclists are requested to wear red and all are welcome. The ride has grown this year to include community supporters including the House of Blues, Cannondale Bikes, Bonk Breaker Energy Bars and POM Wonderful.

Several rides will also take place in the San Francisco Area. The largest is being organized by the "Positive Pedalers," a national nonprofit organization of HIV positive riders who raise money for AIDS research and services. For more information visit: http://www.Pospeds.org.

World AIDS Day, observed December 1 of each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. AIDS has killed more than 33 million people, with an estimated 38.6 million people living with HIV, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, HIV remains a leading cause of death world wide.

Until There's A Cure (UTAC) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating HIV/AIDS by raising awareness and funds for vaccine development, care services, and youth education. For additional information about Until There's A Cure please call 1-800-88-UNTIL or visit: http://www.until.org.

 Underground Railroad Bicycle Route Wins American Trails Partnership Award
Innovative vision of Adventure Cycling and University of Pittsburgh's Center for Minority Health honored
Adventure Cycling Association's nationally acclaimed Underground Railroad Bicycle Route has won the American Trails National Partnership Award.

Announced last night at the 19th National Trails Symposium in Little Rock, Arkansas, this award recognizes the unique partnership forged between Adventure Cycling Association and the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Minority Health to create a 2,028-mile bicycle route memorializing the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses by which freedom seekers attempted to escape slavery before and during the Civil War. The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route passes points of interest and historic sites from Mobile, Alabama, a busy port for slavery during the pre-civil war era, north to Owen Sound, Ontario, a town founded by free blacks in 1857.

"The response to the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route has been outstanding and demonstrates the power of the cycling community and public health working together. We feel very honored to receive such great recognition from the national trails community," said Ginny Sullivan, routes outreach coordinator for Adventure Cycling. Dr. Stephen Thomas, director of the Center for Minority Health and board member of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy stated, "We greatly appreciate the validation this award brings to our novel approach of turning the tragic history of slavery into a demonstration of active living. It affirms what has been for us an incredible partnership created to fulfill our mission of eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities through physical activity and advancing the value of diversity within the cycling community."

Adventure Cycling began its partnership with the Center for Minority Health in 2004. With America facing a national health crisis, Adventure Cycling and the Center for Minority Health recognized a natural alliance born from common goals and mutually beneficial areas of expertise. The partnership married Adventure Cycling's 30-plus years experience in creating cycling routes and the Center's connections to the African American and health promotion communities, to produce a synergistic relationship that supported and validated each organization's involvement with the project.

Pam Gluck, executive director of American Trails said, "The partnership between Adventure Cycling Association and the Center for Minority Health is an exceptional example of the inspiring work being done within the trails community." Their partnership has indeed produced many inspiring results.

Since the route's official establishment in 2007, Adventure Cycling's Underground Railroad Route map sales have been exceptional, with 4,150 maps sold to date. The Association has also seen a significant leap in the number of African Americans participating in its tours.

In its inaugural year, libraries and museums in small communities along the route suddenly became "safe house" cycling hubs and began hosting events for cyclists, such as historical reenactments, and including them in established celebrations. In 2007, at the end of one of Adventure Cycling's Underground Railroad tours, participants rolled into Owen Sound, Ontario (the northern terminus of the route), where they were welcomed into the annual Owen Sound Emancipation Celebration parade

The partnership and route have also facilitated impressive educational projects such as the 2008 Bronx Lab School's initiative, "Health and History: Biking the Underground Railroad," a weeklong educational tour through the route's historically rich Ohio section. Bronx Lab students prepared for their trip with months of training, nutritional education, and history classes, then rode over 200 miles from Milford to Oberlin, exploring Underground Railroad historic sites, such as safe houses, museums, and historic monuments, along the way. The students also took the opportunity to visit several colleges.

In February, WPXI-TV the NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh produced Biking Through Black History, a 30 minute Black History Month special highlighting the creation of the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. In honor of the vital role that Pittsburgh played in Underground Railroad history, a spur route was also created, starting in downtown Pittsburgh outside the Senator John Heinz History Center and terminating in Erie, PA.

Pittsburgh's Major Taylor Bike Club - a club inspired by one of North America's first, world-renown bicycle champions, an African-American man named Marshall "Major" Taylor who dominated races in the early 20th Century - worked with Adventure Cycling to complete the route research for the Pittsburgh Spur. In a National Public Radio interview, Mario Browne, founding president of the club and a CMH project director, described in visceral detail what it was like for him, as a Black man, to dip the wheels of his bike in the Gulf of Mexico where the last slave ships arrived in Alabama, "&I looked back and just imagined those human beings stuffed in ships like sardines, and the waste, the degradation and the humiliation that they went through. There is no rational reason I should be standing here today," he said.

The creation of day trip maps is another ongoing effort to make the route accessible to cyclists of all ages and abilities. The first set was produced with the Brown County Tourism Board for the community of Ripley, OH.

The American Trails Board received over 200 nominations for the 2008 National Trails Awards Program. With over a dozen award categories, the National Trails Awards are one way American Trails recognizes the exemplary people across the landscape of America who are working to create a national system of trails to meet the recreation, health, and travel needs of all Americans.

The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route project has received generous support from REI, Inc, and Bikes Belong Coalition. Learn more about the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route project at http://www.adventurecycling.org/ugrr  Map sections for the route are available at http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/undergroundrailroad.cfm 
To learn more about the National Trails Symposium and the National Trails Awards Program, please visit, www.americantrails.org.

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