Cycling News Roundup - 28 November 2008
Team News: Fuji/Servetto, Lampre/NGC, topsport vlaanderen team Announced, Liquigas, Jelly Belly, Ceramica Flaminia, Oppy Awards, Tour of California Curriculum, Wales Dragon Ride, Book Release: Weight Training for Cyclists

Fuji/Servetto Signs U23 Champion
U23 World Champion Fabio Duarte has entered into his pro career having signed  to ride for the Fuji-Servetto team (the former Scott-American Beef team). The Young Gun had offers from Quick Step and Astana. Fabio is 22 years old and hopes ot make his grand tour debut in the Giro d'Italia this season.

 Lampre/NGC Training Camp
Darfo Boario Terme will be the location of Team Lampre-NGC's first training camp as they prepare for the 2009 season. The relationship between blue-fucsia team and Team Brixia of Mr Giuseppe Bresciani continues with Ballan, Cunego, Bruseghin and teammates can could enjoy the facilities and comfort of Darfo Boario Terme Spa.

Giuseppe Saronni's team will be hosted in Hotel San Martino in Boario from Tuesday 9th December to Friday 12th: in the camp all the athletes, with most of the team staff, will be object of medical checks and they will try out new technical and mechanical equipment. Moreover the calendar of race will be scheduled.

"It's a pleasure to program the new season in Boario again." Saronni said, "We come back here after a very important season ended with the victory in Varese World Championship and with the success of Cunego in Giro di Lombardia. I thank Team Brixia of Giuseppe Bresciani and Hotel San Martino, helped by A.S. Boario of President Maffi, they are the perfect partner".

The Blue-fucsia rider will be available for a press meeting on the 12th of December at 6 pm, at Hotel San Martino during the Team Brixia presentation of the 2009  Brixia Tour program.

2009 topsport vlaanderen team Announced
Team Manager Christophe Sercu announced the riders signed to contracts for the 2009 Topsport Vlaanderen /Mercator Pro Cycling Team 2009. The squad has 21 riders with 7 neo-pros joining the team.

New Riders
Geert Steurs, Tom Criel joins neo-pros - Jan Bakelants, Thomas De Gendt, Ben Hermans, Klaas Locewyck, Tim Mertens, Stijn Neirynck eamd Stijn Joseph.

Returning Riders
Kenny De Ketele, Iljo Keisse, Nikolas Maes, Bart Vanheule, Johan Coenen, Sven Renders, Maarten Neyens, Frederiek Nolf, Preben Van Hecke, Kristof Goddaert, Kristof Vandewalle en Pieter Vanspeybrouck.

The team will meet for its first camp on December 12th for 7 days, in January 2009 everyone will go back to Calpe for a second training campAfter the six days of Bremen. The team first test will be at the Tour of Qatar in February.

Sponor News
Nalini stands by the Team Liquigas
The pro team announces the agreement with Historic Clothing Brand
14th November – A new brand will appear on the Team Liquigas technical clothing for the seasons 2009 and 2010. To create  the green and blue uniforms, the team led by Paolo Dal Lago chose Nalini, the leading firm in the cycling clothing production. "After four years of cooperation, Liquigas changes sponsors" affirmed team manager Roberto Amadio, "We’re happy to have found in Nalini a technical partner as reliable and able to answer to our needs. He offers a high level of quality in production and service and; between us, there’s a sharing of style and ambitions. We are really satisfied with this agreement."

For his part, the firm from Castel d’Ario, near to Mantova, is enthusiastic about the partnership with the Team Liquigas. The sales manager Paolo Pizzamiglio explained, "Nalini is a partner of the most important professional teams for many years, and today is proud to work with the Team Liquigas. We expect to achieve ambitious goals to confirm the Italian quality and excellence round the world."

Spiuk & Ceramica Flaminia Together Again in 2009
Objective - The Giro d'Italia
SPIUK and Ceramica Flaminia have decided to continue the collaboration initiated in the last season. Italian team will continue using the sport material of the cycling mark, confident in the good result in previous months. The agreement arrived after showing both parties were satisfied by the results obtained in 2008. The Ceramica Flaminia has competed with the Nexion, with which they have managed to finish the in 7th position in UCI Europe Tour. The performance of Mikhaylo Khalilov, positioned in 3th individual position was also outstanding. The great results of Spiuk jave motivated continuing  trust  and the capacity of the equipment to perform leading to the continuing partnership in competition.

Giro, Main Objective
The objective, to obtain the invitation to the Giro de Italia, and to improve the results of 2008. The possibilities are high, much more after the renonaissance of Filippo Simeoni, the current champion of Italy,  With no doubt, the renovation is one of the tricks on which counts the Ceramica Flaminia. The other, is the team's unshakeable attitude in the races.

Roberto Marrone, team manager said it clearly, “We aspired to improve our success in 2008; that was no small thing. I believe that we can improve on our nine  2008 victories this year, and obtain an invitation for Giro”. "We couldn't have a better start to the year for  the Ceramica Flaminia team. In addition, the renewal of  our partnership with Spiuk, and the lead of the  classification 2009 of the Europe Tour, thanks to the 24 points that Leonardo Giordani won.

 Anna Meares awarded the 'Oppy' Medal as Cyclist of the Year
(11/23) Olympian Anna Meares was tonight awarded the Sir Hubert Opperman medal as the 2008 Australian Cyclist of the Year at a ceremony in Melbourne. The 25 year also took out honours as the 2008 Toshiba Elite Female Track Cyclist of the Year and in a public acclamation of her inspirational efforts in 2008 was also voted the Scody People's Choice Cyclist for the Year.

A tearful Meares was overwhelmed by the honour as the room of dignitaries and cycling champions of all generations stood to applaud her.

2008 was a tumultuous year for the Queenslander who sustained a potentially fatal fracture to her C2 vertabra, or in simple terms a broken neck, in a race crash the Los Angeles round of the World Cup in January. But the world record holder and 2004 Olympic gold and bronze medallist fought back to not only return to racing but earn selection for Beijing where she collected an Olympic silver medal in the women's sprint. Her performance inspired the nation.

The Awards were presented at a gala celebration at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne Hotel.

The complete list of winners in the respective Award categories are listed below. For more detailed infomation on each of them please go to the Cycling Australia website.

Winners in the 2008 Cyclist of the Year Awards
Toshiba Elite Track Cyclist of the Year - Male - Cameron Meyer (WA)
Toshiba Elite Track Cyclist of the Year - Female - Anna Meares OAM (QLD)
Elite Road Cyclist of the Year - Male - Cadel Evans (VIC)
Elite Road Cyclist of the Year - Female - Vicki Whitelaw (ACT)
Elite Mountainbike Cyclist of the Year - Male - Sam Hill (WA)
Elite Mountainbike Cyclist of the Year - Female - Caroline Buchanan (ACT)
Elite BMX Cyclist of the Year - Male - Jared Graves (QLD)
Elite BMX Cyclist of the Year - Female - Nicole Callisto (WA)
Para-cyclist of the Year - Male - Chris Scott OAM (QLD)
Para-cyclist of the Year - Female - Lindy Hou OAM & pilot Toireasa Gallagher (NSW)
Masters Cyclist of the Year - Male - Keith Oliver (NSW)
Masters Cyclist of the Year - Female - Elizabeth Randall (VIC)
cyclingnews.com Awards
Junior Cyclist of the Year - Male Track - Luke Davison (NSW)
cyclingnews.com Junior Cyclist of the Year - Female Track - Megan Dunn (NSW)
cyclingnews.com Junior Cyclist of the Year - Male Road - Michael Matthews (ACT)
cyclingnews.com Junior Cyclist of the Year - Female Road - Lauren Kitchen (NSW)
cyclingnews.com Junior Cyclist of the Year - Male MTB - Sam Willoughby (SA)
cyclingnews.com Junior Cyclist of the Year - Female MTB - Caroline Buchanan (ACT)
cyclingnews.com Junior Cyclist of the Year - Male BMX - Sam Willoughby (SA)
cyclingnews.com Junior Cyclist of the Year - Female BMX - Caroline Buchanan (ACT)

SBS Television Coach of the Year - Brian Stephens
Scody 2008 People's Choice Cyclist of the Year - Anna Meares OAM
Keith Esson Regional Media Award - Ballarat Courier
Cycling Australia Media Awards - Best Photo - John Veage - Fairfax Media
Cycling Australia Media Awards - Best Story - Mark Heintz - Ride Cycling Review

 Australian Sports Commission Cycling Volunteers of the Year
o ACT – Simon Dwyer
o NSW – Mike O’Reilly
o NT – Alex Foster
o QLD – Stan Brims
o SA – Eddie Smith
o Tasmania – David Walker
o Victoria – David James
o WA – Robert Barnes
o BMXA – Barbara Darrell

Norm Gailey Trophy for Champion State - New South Wales
Australian Club Premiership – Carnegie-Caulfield
Women’s Tripleplay National Road Series Champion – Carly Hibberd
Men’s Tripleplay National Road Series Champion – David Pell
SBS Television National Road Teams Series Winner – Praties Cycling Team
Cycling Australia website www.cycling.org.au

Jelly Belly Joins with Bike-Pure
As the cycling world cracks down on dopers, many professional teams have decided to join organizations which promote the integrity of the sport through harsh punishment of cheaters. One of those organizations is called Bike-Pure.org, and Team Jelly Belly has decided to unite with Bike-Pure to show the world its dedication to being a clean team.

Bike-Pure is a brand new organization committed to restoring the integrity of professional cycling. According to Bike-Pure.org, cycling fans deserve heroes they can believe in, and riders need their credibility back. The organization plans to help clean up the sport by encouraging the cycling world to ban those cheaters from the sport, not for a few months or years, but for life.

While many organizations will allow cheaters to return to the sport after a said amount of time, Bike Pure wants to ban them for life. According to its Web site, if the sport is to survive with a reputation intact, a point has to be drawn, after which doping and dopers will no longer be tolerated. It adds that currently a rider caught doping will receive a suspension from three months to four years. Bike-Pure’s stance is that this is an insufficient deterrent to stop the doping temptation and an insufficient sentencing.

Team Jelly Belly believes in the same core values as the Bike-Pure organization. Not only do the Jelly Belly riders believe that the reputation of cycling has been tarnished because of insufficient punishment for past-dopers, they believe that fans need to be able to trust the athletes they look up to. The reason the team decided to join was to illustrate to the cycling community and to fans worldwide that they care deeply about what they do and who they do it for.

The perfect partnership has been created with Bike-Pure and Jelly Belly joining forces to cut doping out of the sport of cycling. Regaining a trustworthy reputation for cycling will become even more possible as more teams and riders decide to take the same stance against cheaters.
http://jellybellycycling.com/
Molly Saunders - PR Jelly Belly Cycling Team

2009 Amgen Tour of California  Education Curriculum  Released to Teachers for Grades 4 through Six
Endorsed by Governor Schwarzenegger, Curriculum Contains Lessons to Encourage Students to Practice Bike Safety and Live Healthy Lifestyles
In preparation for the highly anticipated return of the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling road race in February 2009, a specially developed classroom curriculum has been developed for fourth- through sixth-grade students. The educational handbook will be distributed to schools in the 16 California cities that will host the 2009 Amgen Tour of California.

Already considered cycling’s most important and successful road race in the United States, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be expanded to cover more than 800 miles over nine days. The event’s fourth running is scheduled for February 14-22, 2009, and will showcase some of the world’s top professional cycling teams. Traveling almost the entire length of California on a demanding course, the race will begin in the state’s capital, Sacramento, and end in San Diego County for the first time.

Through interactive lessons, the 2009 educational handbook will teach students about the history of cycling and includes bike safety and maintenance tips. Provided to more than 60,000 students, the booklet also provides information about the State of California, including targeted lesson plans that use cycling as a means to teach core subjects.

"We are proud to work with the Amgen Tour of California in bringing you an educational booklet for students in grades four through six," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in his opening note to teachers. “This informative handbook – which includes valuable lessons in bike safety and maintenance, history, geography, science and math – can help make our kids safer, smarter and healthier.”

Classroom activities such as weather charting and word searches allow educators to reach students with engaging material developed specifically to supplement the curriculum of students in grades four through six. The handbook also includes a lesson on world geography, as it relates to cyclists that have participated in the race, math, science and a cycling glossary to help students better understand the intricacies of professional cycling.

"Part of the mission of the Amgen Tour of California is to give back to the communities that we visit," said Andrew Messick, president, AEG Sports, presenter of the race. "We always see such an incredible level of support from young people throughout the state during the race, so we designed this curriculum to further engage young Californians; not only get them excited about cycling, but also educate them on how to lead an active lifestyle and ensure they have the necessary tools to develop healthy habits at a young age."

Host cities along the route will augment the curriculum with exciting activities targeted to students such as drawing, coloring and essay contests; bike safety and other bike-related school assemblies; as well as spirit and participation contests among local schools.

Building on last year's third annual stage race, which attracted 1.6 million spectators, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will visit 16 host cities for official stage starts and finishes, with communities along the route getting the chance to see firsthand a lineup of some of the best and most recognizable teams in the world. Host cities for the nine stages include: Sacramento, Davis (new city for 2009), Santa Rosa, Sausalito, Santa Cruz (new city for 2009), San Jose, Modesto, Merced (new city for 2009), Clovis (new city for 2009), Visalia (new city for 2009), Paso Robles (new city for 2009), Solvang, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, Rancho Bernardo (new city for 2009) and Escondido (new city for 2009).
For additional information on the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

About the Amgen Tour of California - The largest cycling event in America, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race, presented by AEG, that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding, recently expanded, more than 800-mile course from Sacramento to Escondido from February 14-22, 2009.

Dragon Ride - Wales
1 month until 2009 entries open for Dragon
Just 1 month to go it’s time to start thinking about entering the 2009 Dragon Ride Wales. Online facilities open 27th December for world-wide entries. Riders can access the entry form directly through the Dragon Ride Wales website where they will also be able to pre-order the 2009 Dragon Ride Wales jersey, produced to the highest standards in Belgium by Bioracer.

The full 2009 edition of the Dragon Ride Wales will cover nearly 200km through the beautiful Welsh valleys, starting and finishing once again in Pencoed, close to Bridgend, taking in the fearsome and grinding climb of the Bwlch as well as some new twists and turns in what has become a classic British sportive route.

For those wanting a slightly shorter yet equally scenic route, the Dragon Ride Wales will also offer a 120km course.
Dragon Ride Wales recently announced that from 2009 it will work closely with some of the most prestigious sportive rides from around the globe, promoting tourism and the joy of leisure riding, including the legendary Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour and the stunning Lake Taupo Challenge which takes place this coming weekend. http://www.dragonride.co.uk/

Bike Biz News

Book - Weight Training for Cyclists
Cyclists Build Power and Endurance with Weight Training for Cyclists
Just in time for off-season training, VeloPress is pleased to announce the release of Weight Training for Cyclists: A Total Body Program for Power and Endurance by Ken Doyle and Eric Schmitz. The book is now available in the U.S. and Canada in bookstores, bike shops, and online.

Cyclists need more than just powerful quads and chiseled calves. Cyclists need total body strength-a strong core and solid upper body-to ride with power and endurance. Put simply, stronger muscles last longer and stabilize the body, improving technique and efficiency.

Weight Training for Cyclists is the only book available that shows cyclists how they can get stronger to ride stronger. The authors explain how strength training in the weight room translates to endurance and power on the bike.

New in this second edition are easy-to-follow drawings that clearly demonstrate strength training exercises. Doyle and Schmitz update exercises to include the newest weight training equipment and present the latest information from new research on core strength, nutrition, stretching, and warm-up.

Weight Training for Cyclists presents a series of training plans that require only a fraction of the time that cyclists spend in the saddle. For newcomers and veterans alike, Weight Training for Cyclists will become their fundamental guide to better performance.
Weight Training for Cyclists: A Total Body Program for Power and Endurance, 2nd Ed.
Ken Doyle and Eric Schmitz
Paperback | 6" x 9", 224 pp.  $18.95 

* This is the only book on weight training for cyclists.
* All-new illustrations for clarity and ease of use
* Includes new chapter on stretching and warm-up
* Expanded coverage of core strength and lower-body strength exercises

Ken Doyle, a licensed coach with the U.S. Cycling Federation, is an exercise physiologist certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He's a competitive road racer, coaches a road and a mountain bike team, and is also the head coach of the Santa Barbara Special Olympics Cycling Team.

Eric Schmitz has a degree in Exercise Physiology and is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is a Level I USAT triathlon coach and the creator of two strength and conditioning DVDs.

Campagnolo Celebrates 75th Anniversary with a Lavish History Book
Campagnolo: 75 Years of Cycling Passion
This fall, revered cycling component manufacturer Campagnolo celebrates 75 years of its glorious and storied legacy with a new book: Campagnolo: 75 Years of Cycling Passion. The book includes a chapter on the company's legendary Super Record group and on the new 11-speed Super Record group, which Campagnolo launched at Interbike in September. The book is now available in bookstores, bike shops, and online in the U.S. and in Canada and will be available soon in the U.K.

As Leica is to cameras and Ferrari to racing automobiles, Campagnolo is to cycling: designer of the finest parts for bicycles ever made. Campagnolo's jewel-like brakes, pedals, derailleurs, cranksets, and wheels have been ridden to more race victories than any other brand, yet the same components are available to cycling enthusiasts worldwide.

Campagnolo's rich history began with the founder, Tullio Campagnolo, a racer who turned to creating better bicycle parts when he found the equipment of the day inadequate for the rigors of professional competition. Blending exotic alloys with sound engineering, Campagnolo created a series of patented designs that are still in use today as the fundamental standards upon which modern parts are based.

With its deeply researched history (much of it from the company's private archives), spectacular color photography, rich text, and lavish presentation, Campagnolo is a book for every lover of the sport of cycling, as well as connoisseurs of the bicycle itself. Color and black-and-white photos and illustrations throughout. See velopress.com for interior pages and photos.

Campagnolo: 75 Years of Cycling Passion
By Paolo Facchinetti and Guido Rubino
Hardcover with jacket. | 9 1/2" x 11 3/4", 160 pp.  $39.95

* Published to coincide with Campagnolo's 75th anniversary celebration
* Featuring archival material from the Campagnolo family and Campagnolo company that has never been previously published
* Promotional campaign includes print ads in VeloNews, Cycle Sport America, Procycling, Bicycle Quarterly, and Bicycle Retailer

VeloPress is an endurance sports and fitness publisher. VeloPress is the book publishing division of Competitor Group, Inc., publisher of VeloNews, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, and Competitor magazines. Distributors/specialty retailers, please order through: Jen Soulé, Sales Manager, (800) 811-4210 x169, wholesale@competitorgroup.com

Aardvark Records puts the pedal to the metal.
Aardvark teams up with fitness DVD production company Global Ride LLC.
Aardvark Records and Global Ride Video Productions today announce a partnership which will see the British record label supply the US-based spinning/indoor cycling DVD production company with its extensive catalogue of rock and dance tracks. The music licensing deal will see the initial delivery of chart hits from dance acts Jason Sean, DJ Front and Liquid Factor; the folk/Americana act Satya Graha; and the Indie Rock-BritPop crossover act Little Spitfire available on the newly launched cycling fitness DVD series.

The Pennsylvania-based Global Ride started as a Spinning, Yoga and Pilates Studio serving the local community. It has since expanded into the health and fitness DVD market with the launch of its in-house production studio and DVD series. The spinning/indoor cycling series will be formally launched on 1 December 2008 with a Nationwide Tour in 12 American cities from the East Coast to the West Coast. Large, prominent Spinning/Indoor Cycling studios will be the locations for the DVD series’ premiere. Selected cities include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlanta and Denver.

Gene Nacey, Global Ride Director, said: “We have spent over 18 months preparing our first DVD series. Aside from editing the videos, finding good music was the most time consuming process. I was committed to not using royalty free ‘canned tracks’.” When discussing sourcing music for the project, Nacey continued: “I spent a lot of time looking for something good. When I found Aardvark Records, it was like a godsend. The music was just what I was looking for, in an affordable range. Their website made it so easy to search and find the music as well as secure the license. I look forward to doing a lot more music licensing with Aardvark Records.”

Virtual riding used to be more like car paced videos from the travel channel, or videos of lots of cyclists in padded shorts set to music few would personally listen to if they had a choice. With Global Ride DVDs, all that has changed. Virtual cycling has now taken on more structure and is suited for both individual workouts as well as group classes. Between the commercial licensed music, the multiple coaching tracks and the live performance tracks, simulating the ‘ride outside’ has never been the same.

The Global Ride team will post daily blogs covering their road trip every day as well as uploading short YouTube videos from each location where the Global Ride DVDs are shown. What makes this fitness DVD series different? The Global Ride team believe that Spinning and Indoor Cycling is on the cusp of a change, where video will become a standard offering at every health and fitness club. Global Ride sees this as the best way to bring the two worlds of the committed outside cyclist and the dedicated indoor spinner together to share in each others experience - at least in part.

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