Cycling News Roundup 8 February 2006
Tour of Cuba, Victory Brewing Rider Injured, Lance Biopic, Symmetrics Pro Continental, Kraft Genie Cycling, Isle of Man, Snow Bike, Tour of California Jerseys, Angola, Race Announcements, Nutrition Notes, Advocacy and more...

Tour of Cuba
Pablo Perez takes Yellow
The Cuban rider Pedro Pablo Pérez demonstrated again his fortitude, after Central Park winning in the  city of Guantánamo after covering 153 km between Baracoa and Guantánamo followed by his compatriot Mitchel Fernández of the Institute Superior of Physical Culture,  and the Dominican Wendy Cruz (del Caico Port Rich). With the victory Pérez is in Yellow as the leader of the Tour of Cuba.

Results Stage 1 Baracoa -Guantanamo
1- Pedro Pablo Pérez (Cuba) 3:45.51
2- Michel Fernández (Pista/Cuba) 3:45.55
3- Wendy Cruz (CAICO/R. Dominicana) 3:45.57
4- Mervar Bostjan (Perutnina/Eslovenia) 3:46.01
5- Juan Torres (Partizan/Venezuela) m.t.
6- Alien García (Ciego de Ávila/Cuba) m.t.
7- Joe Papp (Partizan/Estados Unidos) m.t.
8- Arnold Alcolea (Cuba) m.t.
9- David Capellán (República Dominicana) m.t.
10 Lizardo Benítez (Cuba) m.t.

CLASIFICACIÓN DE MONTAÑA
1- Arnold Alcolea (Cuba) 10 pts
2- Jackson Rodríguez (Venezuela) 7 pts
3- José Contreras (Venezuela) 7 pts

COMBATIVIDAD
1- Pedro Pablo Pérez (Cuba) 15 pts
2- Michel Fernández (Pista/Cuba) 12 pts
3- Wendy Cruz (CAICO/R. Dominicana) 10 pts
courtesy José Manuel Zabala Cárdenas www.zciclismo.blog.com

The Cuban 31st Cycling Tour started at the muncipality of Baracoa on Tuesday, with participation of 126 cyclists representing 21 teams, mainly from host country Cuba, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Germany´s Under 23 team.
Cuban Cyclists from the technical center in Cienfuegos and Pinar del Rio, Ciudad de La Habana, La Habana, Matanzas, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Guantanamo and Villa Clara provinces will also compete.Mexico´s Chivas, Dutch Altipower-Isonal and Puerto Rican CAICOS. Spanish Cropusa Burgos, Slovanian Perutnina, Italy´s Partizan and German Volvo will also race at the tour, which opened in 1964

Birthdays
Cadel Evans February 14th  29 years of of the Davitamon Lotto team Professional since 2001
Happy Birthday Cadel!

Victory Brewing rider injured
Teammates Kirsten Robbins and Katharine Carroll where on a training ride on Feb 7 in Santa Rosa, CA on Hwy12, when surprised from behind by a motorist. It seems an older man did not see the riders and overcorrected to avoid the 2 girls on the shoulder.
He clipped Katharine Carroll and sent her to the ground pretty hard. At this point it seems that all injuries are bruises and scrapes, and a sore shoulder. “If this is my brush with a car I feel pretty lucky, right now my shoulder is very sore and I want to get it checked out at the hospital ,” says a shaken Katharine.
“He came from behind and surprised us. I heard Kat grunt, and felt the car brush my hip, when I saw him swerve into oncoming traffic.” Explains Kirsten
The police arrived at scene and 2 motorist stopped to offer assistance. The blame was placed on the driver of the vehicle.
Follow the exploits of this dynamic brewery and its amazing team of women cyclists at www.victorycycling.com
Get well fast Kat!

Lance Bio-Pic in the Works
Frank Marshall has told MTV that footage for the Lance Armstrong Biopic has already been shot,
"I was there, and we shot on the last day of his seventh win last summer in Paris," the 59-year-old Marshall, who produced the "Back to the Future" and "Bourne" movies and directed "Alive" and the upcoming "Eight Below," revealed over the weekend. "We had six cameras going; it was incredibly exciting."
The film is scheduled as the next movie on Marshall's directorial schedule; the footage taken at the finish of last years tour will be used at the finish of the film that fades from the Matt Damon as Lance to Lance as Lance.
 "We're going to have the real Lance in the end titles, in his last race."
Damon expressed his excitement over the role last year, saying, "Everybody knows about him winning and winning and winning these Tour de Frances, which is incredible to have done what he's done, but the story of what he really went through, the in-depth story, I just thought was kind of amazing."
The movie will be adapted from Lances biography, "It's Not About the Bike, My Journey Back to Life." The script is in the final development at this point with regular meetings with Lance who is serving as technical advisor and Matt Damon as they discuss their collaboration for the film.A
"I talk to Lance all the time," Marshall grinned, adding that the cycling legend will serve as an advisor on the set. "He's a participant; he wants to be a part of it, and I certainly want to have him there."
 "But I told him, I'm not making a puff piece."
Full story here.

UCI Continental Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team Targets High
Schedule includes: Tour of Qinghai Lake, and America Pro Continental Tour
Races in Mexico, Brazil, Ireland and China.
Canada’s top professional team, UCI Continental Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team is aiming to become North America’s number one. With a beefed-up squad and increased sponsor support, the British Columbian-based team is confident that the UCI America Tour is within its grasp – a heretofore unprecedented claim for a Canadian team.
Following last year’s strong showing at a range of US and Canadian Pro events, which include NRC (National Racing Calendar) wins, as well as a bevy of National Championship wins and medals, Symmetrics Cycling finished an impressive third on the UCI (International Cycling Union) America Tour, behind American team Health Net/Maxxis.
In 2006, the team will not only attack its usual calendar of Canadian races – including the Tour de Beauce, where Langley’s Svein Tuft held the leader’s yellow jersey and finished second overall behind top-ranked Australian Nathan O’Neill – and American NRC races, but six international UCI races in Mexico, Brazil, Ireland and China.
After the team’s training camp in Vancouver BC this week, Symmetrics team members will head to Tucson, Arizona for the Vuelta Sonora-Arizona from Feb 28-Mar 5. This race begins in the USA and heads to the heat of Mexico where several top American, Canadian and Mexican teams are racing. The team will then head north to Fresno, California for the Central Valley Classic, before tossing its Spanish dictionary aside for a Portuguese one to compete in Brazil for two stage races: the Volta de Ciclismo Internacional do Estado De Sao Paulo (March 19-26) and the Volta do Rio de Janeiro (April 4-9).
The team will also split its squad for the other highlights of the spring campaign, including the recently reincarnated and notoriously hilly Willamette Valley Classic in Oregon (April 21-23).
Following that, the team will head further south to the Vuelta a El Salvador from April 29-May 5.
After a quick trip home to clean the laundry, Symmetrics will be sending a team to the steep hills of Ireland for the FBD Insurance RAS from May 21-27, and another squad to the NRC Mt Hood Cycling Classic to defend the team’s win from 2005. Riders will then return home to recuperate and prepare for the core of the season, as the BC contingent of the team is set to let local riders race against the S-Train. Look for Symmetrics to show up at several BC cups and regional races in the month of May and June like the West Side Classic/BC Road Champs, the infamous Bastion Square Crit and the well-known Gary Lund road race. And don’t think the team will be using these races as training: They’ll be gunning for the win, and of course, local bragging rights.
June is an especially important time of the team, with the team returning to Tour de Beauce, where “Tuft and co.” hopes to up last year’s finish by one place, and take a few stage wins to boot. After last year’s dominant performance, (which was considered a “breakthrough” result only for those who haven’t followed the gifted time trialist’s venerable career) the team is set to return with more pressure, but more horsepower: Tuft will have his trusty lieutenants Eric Wohlberg and Jacob Erker at his side, along with new teammates Andrew Randell and last year’s best young rider at Beauce, Brandon Crichton.

With top form from this collection of top stage races, the team will then turn its focus to the National Road Championships, which return to the East, in la belle province of Quebec. Set in the first weekend of July, the team has its eyes set on all the prizes – the under-23, as well as the elite men’s and women’s road races, criteriums, and time trials. With most of the top time trialist's, road racers and criterium riders and young riders in Canada now taking their spot on Symmetrics Cycling, look for big things come June 29 to July 2.
After a quick recovery in Quebec, half the Symmetrics team will get to skip Chinese takeout for the week of July 15-23, and get the real thing. Symmetrics will send a full squad to contest the Tour of Qinghai Lake, China, a tough and famous race with a strong presence from some of the top teams in Europe and Asia. The other half of the team will race one of the highlights of the Canadian racing season - BC Superweek. Looking for a win in both the overall, and the individual races – Delta, Gastown and Whiterock, Symmetrics Cycling is hoping for redemption for last year; the annual event is one of the big targets for the team.
After the Asian adventure, the team will reunite for another appearance in Eastern Canada, racing the Capital City Classic, in Ottawa. The team is set to race every weekend following, concluding with the Tour of Chihuahua from October 10-15. The team is also working on one additional UCI race in the month of September; stay tuned.
The team has now reached a level where Symmetrics riders are not outsiders, or underdogs at international events.
“With national press coverage of the team’s accolades in print, television and radio, the worst-kept secret is out: Symmetrics Cycling has one of the strongest, if not the strongest set of riders riding on a trade team in Canada.” Director-Sportif, Jeremy Storie points out. “This year we have a bolstered squad, both in size and quality, and an increased sponsorship presence, so we are definitely ready to take a ‘no prisoners’ attitude at all Canadian, American, or International events. As team sprinter Andrew Pinfold always says – let’s give ‘er!”
Click here for a detailed race schedule for 2006.

Title Sponsor:
Symmetrics – Data Analysis Software
Partner
Westlam – Concrete forming plywood
Northern Feather – Bedding products
Associate/Equipment Sponsors
Norco – Bicycles & Accessories – http://www.norco.com
Shimano, Sugoi, Race, Ritchey, Rudy Project, Panaracer Tires, Powerbar, Axiom, Minoura Cycling Trainers –
Pharma Pacific Altitude Simulators, Performance Health Chiropractic, Massage, ART, and Sock Guy.
More about Symmetrics Cycling: The Symmetrics Cycling Team is owned and operated by Rusty Chain Projects Inc. Established in 2002, Symmetrics Cycling provides support through leadership, guidance and development within a professional infrastructure to foster the personal and athletic growth of the next generation of Canadian Olympic cyclists. The image of sport contains values very similar to those of our sponsors: team spirit, dedication, friendship and competition. All companies involved see the team as an opportunity to support these values, widen their brand recognition, and unite employees behind a cause. Symmetrics Cycling is Canada's largest sponsorship in the sport of cycling which includes a development team, women’s team, men’s professional team and the Cyclist for Charity program: a four-pronged approach with a common foundation based upon the team's commitment to charitable and community projects.

Georgia State Single Speed Championships Announced
Preparations are underway for the Georgia State Single Speed Mountain Bike Championships to be held on March 19th. The race is the first of its kind, in the United States, and builds upon a growing movement in mountain bike racing. “With an increasing number of riders switching to single speeds, a state championship event seemed natural,” said race director Shey Lindner. “This event is the start of an effort to bring back the one day, championship style racing to mountain biking. The different series’ races are great, but a one day race, for a state championship jersey, creates an atmosphere like no other.”
The event is part of a single speed festival being promoted by Shey Lindner, a racer on the Cannondale MTB team, Scott Hodge and Grant Lockwood, owners of Addictive Cycles in Braselton, Georgia.
“This event is the brainchild of Craig Henderson, one of the shop’s good customers,” stated Mr. Hodge. The event is permitted and sanctioned by USA Cycling as an official State Championship event. Only racers from Georgia are eligible for the GA State Champion title and jersey, but all riders are welcome and are eligible for prizes. Mr. Lindner is encouraging anyone with a bike to try out single speed racing, “Anyone can race as long as they only use one speed.
Their regular bike can be locked into one gear, a single speed, and the shifter cables removed making them eligible to race.” Other contests over the weekend include: a track stand competition, longest skid, longest wheelie, drag race, foot down and bike toss. Also, the racers and spectators will get a chance to check out some of the nicest single speed bikes in the country, at the bike show, throughout the weekend.

“This will be a one of a kind festival with sponsor booths, a band, a tattoo artist or two, massage chairs, food, and more,” said Addictive Cycles Owner Scott Hodge. “With sponsors like Maxxis, Thomson, Surly, PZ Racing, Cannondale, Park Tools, Mtbcast.com, Braselton Grill, Badlasses.com, and Dirtrag.com this event is sure to be a success that centers on fun competition ……….. like it should be.”
For more information go to www.addictivecycles.com

SponsorHouse and USA Cycling Unite to Increase Exposure to USAC Members
SponsorHouse (“A Place for Athletes”) and USA Cycling (“USAC”) are very pleased to announce a newly formed strategic partnership that will increase exposure to all USA Cycling members and offer new sponsorship services from SponsorHouse.
SponsorHouse, an on online community where athletes and teams can go to connect with sponsors, promote themselves, and communicate with others, will be offering all new and renewing USAC members a free online profile and discounted services. This profile will appear on both SponsorHouse.com and USACycling.org.
Since 2001, SponsorHouse has been the online community where more than 225,000 sponsorship deals have been made. “We’re excited to be working with USAC and offering an efficient communication platform for cycling athletes and sponsors.” said SponsorHouse CEO, Scott Tilton. SponsorHouse VP of Marketing, Toshi Corbet added, “It’s the path for the future of sports marketing…we’re here to help athletes and sponsors do it better.”
USA Cycling CEO, Gerard Bisceglia comments, “For our members to have the ability to build a personal profile and then actively seek and be exposed to potential sponsorship is of tremendous value. Whether just beginning in this sport or at the highest level, the act of soliciting and obtaining sponsorship can be a lot of work. SponsorHouse has streamlined the process making the sponsorship connection easier and more effective.”
All new and renewing 2006 USAC members can expect to receive communication from SponsorHouse and USAC detailing steps on how to get started.
About SponsorHouse: SponsorHouse.com was launched in August 2001 as a place for athletes to find sponsors, promote themselves, and promote their sponsors. There are now more than 40,000 athletes and teams and 400 sponsors using SponsorHouse.For more information visit www.sponsorhouse.com or call 888-874-3374.

Olympic News
TURIN, Italy: Italian police don't plan to raid the Olympic village, searching for steroids and other illicit substances, but a positive doping test at the 2006 Winter Games will launch a court case under Italy's anti-doping laws, officials said Monday.
Mario Pescante, a senior IOC member and Italian government official, said during a news conference that authorities "want to avoid" having police in the village. The prospect of such a scene has been a major issue for the International Olympic Committee.
IOC President Jacques Rogge called the arrangement an "intelligent solution," emphasizing that the IOC, not the Italian government, would oversee doping controls at the Games
The IOC intends to conduct 1,200 doping tests during the Games, about a 70% increase over the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. An athlete who tests positive is typically disqualified and expelled from the Games. Under Italian law, doping carries a jail term of up to two years. Few athletes have gone to jail and Pescante said offenders would more likely face "administrative sanctions."

KraftGenie Cycling Inc. Names Champion System Roster 2006
The Champion System Racing team is owned and managed by KraftGenie Cycling Inc., and they have finalized their impressive roster for the 2006 season. With a total of 37 riders, this team covers each field, Pro. through Cat. 5, and the women’s field with numerous riders.
First and foremost, Champion System is very proud to introduce Oscar Pineda to our lineup for 2006. Oscar joins us with an impressive list of race wins and placings including a trip to the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Oscar comes from a long line of professional races and his racing experience is sure to give this team an amazing boost towards the future.
Champion System has been lucky enough to acquire Joe Papp during the off season and add him to their roster as well. Papp has already proven he is coming to the table with serious racing intentions after placing on the podium numerous times in the recently held Tour of South China Seas. His early season strength is certainly going to be a force to be watched in the peloton.
To support these excellent athletes, the elite team has eight other Cat. 1 and 2 riders of varying levels and eight category 3 riders all gunning through the ranks to upgrade and become part of the best amateur team on the east coast. David Somerville’s extensive racing knowledge from his 15 years of racing gives him a unique advantage to lead this squad as Elite Team Director.
KraftGenie Cycling Inc., also runs the development squad headed up by Mike Mitchell and Tim Casey. Both of these riders have been with the company since its inception two years ago and have already begun to mold the 12 riders into a cohesive unit, working together like a professional squad.
Lise Dupuis heads the eight woman development squad in only her second year on the team. We are proud to have her as our Women’s Team Captain and look forward to the results she will get after heading up this promising young team.
Champion System is the title sponsor of this team and our exclusive clothing supplier. Champion System is based out of New York with production facilities in China. This is their second year of sponsorship with the team and we are happy to say that through the hard efforts and cooperation with KraftGenie Cycling Inc., Champion System had a breakthrough year last year supplying more and more teams with their racing clothing.

Elite Team 06
David Sommerville Cat 1
Joe Papp Cat 1
Mateo Sasso Cat 1
Kirk Carlson Cat 1
Chris Jones Cat 1
Oscar Pineda Cat 1
Migual Morras Cat 1
Jared Bunde Cat 2
Tom Dolan Cat 2
Rennia Alba Cat 2
Lane Herrick Cat 2

Elite/Expert 06
Ray Alba Cat 3
Tom Bencivengo Cat 3
Rob Wing Cat 3
Friedman Cat 3
Hurtibise Cat 3
Snyder Cat 3

Development 06
Mike Mitchell
Tim Casey
Tim Oakes
Hal Dillon
Will Linn
Steve Dennis
Chris Chaput
Dave Pollack
Andrew Kozak
Sascha Twarog
Kurt Eldridge
Ken Stanek

Women 06
Lise Dupuise
Rowan Meteskey
Aryon Dyer
Brooke Dubose
Meg Cortright
Kaliel Robert
Mary Lynne Williams
More info at the Team website:  www.kraftgenie.com

11 days and Counting Down to the Amgen Tour of California

AEG and Voler Team Apparel Announce Amgen Tour of California Sponsorship
LOS ANGELES, February 7, 2006 - Voler Team Apparel and AEG today announced Voler Team Apparel as the 2006 official cycling jersey sponsor of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California (UCI 2.1), an internationally sanctioned professional cycling road race to be held throughout California February 19-26, 2006.
Owned and operated by AEG, the race joins the cycling calendar as one of North America's most anticipated sports competitions for 2006. Modeled after the Tour de France, 16 of the world's best cycling teams will send 128 riders to compete for eight days across 600 miles of scenic California roadway as the race makes its way from San Francisco to Redondo Beach, Calif.
In an awards presentation at the conclusion of each daily stage, Voler will provide jerseys to the top athletes in five separate competitions:
Amgen Overall Race Leader Jersey - Awarded daily to the rider with the lowest cumulative time.
Clif Bar Sprint Jersey - Given to the rider who accumulates the most bonus points during the week at Sprint Lines, or by finishing in the top 15 places at the finish line of each stage.
California Travel and Tourism King of the Mountain (KOM) Jersey - Designated for the strongest climber in the race, a cyclist earns this jersey by collecting points at designated KOM locations. Only the top three cyclists who cross the line receive points.
Union Bank of California Best Young Rider Jersey - This jersey is awarded to the rider under the age of 23 who finishes with the lowest overall cumulative time.
Adobe Most Aggressive Rider - Given to the rider who is deemed by the jury of commisaires to have been the most active and aggressive rider during the day's stage.
These jerseys will be worn in the following day's stage, designating the current leader in each respective competition. As well as supplying the jerseys for each classification, Voler Team Apparel and Velowear.com will provide an opportunity for the public to purchase 2006 Amgen Tour of California replica jerseys online and at the event. All five jerseys will be on sale as of January 25, 2006 at Velowear.com.
Also beginning January 25, 2006, fans can enter to win the "Voler--Be a Part of Cycling History" Contest. Voler will award five winners an autographed jersey from the winner in each of the five competitions. Entries can be made at www.velowear.com.
"We wanted to make this inaugural event extremely memorable for everyone watching the race" said Jim Helser, Voler national sales manager. "We wanted a way for others to keep a piece of cycling history, and with the help of AEG, we created the 'Voler--Be a Part of Cycling History' contest."
To purchase a jersey, please visit the following websites: www.amgentourofcalifornia.com, www.voler.com, or www.velowear.com. Voler also will have a consumer booth each day of the race at the rolling Lifestyle Festival which is housed in each finish city.
About Voler Team Apparel and Velowear.com: A division of Deyo, Inc., Voler Team Apparel is one of the nations leading manufacturers of Cycling Clothing. For the past 20 years Voler Team Apparel has been producing clothing in their California factory for thousands of cycling teams, club and events as well as producing clothing for other companies including Fortune 500's.
Velowear.com, also a division of Deyo, Inc., is a Direct to Consumer online company that exclusively sells and distributes Voler branded clothing to the retail market.
About AEG: AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, The Manchester Evening News Arena and NOKIA Theatre Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), five Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of shares of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) and Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA

Isle of Man International Youth & Junior Tour (April 28-30)
Entries to the tour are increased over years in the past, and due to the high demand, title sponsors Sleepwell Hotels have allocated a second hotel for the event in order to keep pace with the number of bookings.
Anyone wishing to enter as a team or as an individual who has yet to book is urged to do so as soon as possible as entries close April 9. Special travel & accommodation rates can be viewed on the event's website.

Organisers are hopeful that the 2006 event will attract riders from the continent, with teams based in Holland and Belgium expressing interest in competing. The tour consists of a prologue, a road race held on completely closed roads and a circuit race, with leaders, points jerseys, a large prize fund and trophies on offer.
For more information and latest news go to www.youthtour.co.uk

Angola/Cycling: Zietoso Wins International "4 de Fevereiro" GP
Luanda, Cyclist Leonardo Zietoso, of the Angolan pre-selection national males team, won the 1st International "4 de Fevereiro" Grand Prix ended on Saturday in Viana district, Luanda, with the participation of 23 competitors representing seven teams, amongst which the São Toméan national team.
Zietoso took 2:50:40 hours to finish the 120 kilometres of the competition`s only route, between Luanda-Catete-Viana.
With the same time were his team national mates Hilário Hossi, Osvaldo Jacinto and Márcio Guevara, second, third and fourth positions, respectively.
Kitoko da Cruz, of Luanda`s mixed team was fifth with 2:57:38 hours, followed by Zeferino Ladislau, of Santos Football Club, also with the same time. Cyclist Silva Lima saved the São Toméans` honour by obtaining the ninth position.
In classifying the teams, the victory went to the national pre-selection with 8:32:18 hours, followed by Santos (8:52:54) and by the representation of São Tomé.
The GP was organised by Provincial Cycling Association of Luanda, in celebrating the 45 anniversary of the start of the armed struggle (04 February 1961), commemorated on Saturday.

Biking in the Snow
A new twist on Winter training
Cheney Family Enterprises of Utah unveiled a prototype snow bike at the recently concluded Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. Unlike most ski-bikes, the SnoMoBike is for pedalling, not downhilling. "Hibernation is for squirrels," says the company website.
Ski-bikes have been around for generations but most are for downhill skiing. The SnoMoBike uses a ski on the front and a tractor substitutes tracks, much like a caterpillar tractor for the back wheel.
The bike developed for riding in the snow might give some riders in winter regions a practical way to get out and off the rollers in the coming years. The following treatise on the design is from the SnoMoBike site:
The SnoMoBike can be pedalled so it's like a cross-country MTB.

The SnoMoBike is a energy transfer interface between humans and snow. This energy is manifest through the motion of the human body in a four dimensional biometric pattern. This force is transferred into the framework of the SnoMoBike by means of petals and gears, much like the standard model bicycle. (Needn’t re-invent the wheel, mind you...)
The conceptual deviation between the standard model and the SnoMoBike is based on the average density of the medium upon which it moves. As it generally rides on asphalt or dirt, a standard model has the "wheel" and "rubber" interface to morph energy into forward motion. The intended surface medium for the SnoMoBike is snow.. and thus it posesses the interface of "ski" and "track".

The core theory behind this construct is based on the need to increase traction in the snow by means of the larger footprint of the drive train, as well as the need to float and carve on snow to alter the direction of forward motion.

The essential problem of this equation arises in the need to reduce friction (thus increasing efficiency of energy transferrance) while maintaining traction on the relatively lower density constitution of snow. Man has attempted to construct a machine to deal with these problems for a hundred years and more. Most have failed. A partial success has been achieved by some through the increase in the width of the rear tires on the mountain bike.. and sometimes adding spikes or nails into the mix for better traction. We see this as a rather medieval compromise.As such, we have employed the most brilliant minds of our generation to fulfill the vision of the late Denny Cheney... to produce a man powered machine designed exclusively to travel over snow. SnoMoBike...

Wales, UK
Showcase Towns for Cycling
WALES needs showcase cycle towns for thousands of people to get regular exercise, but ministers are too focused on big projects like flights between North and South Wales, it was claimed yesterday.
That damning verdict was delivered by a transport expert who is helping to mastermind the bicycle's rebirth in England.
Lynn Sloman, who lives near Machynlleth, Powys, is a board member of Cycling England, which aims to get "more people cycling, more safely, more often".
It has a £5m-a-year budget to set up six showcase towns where investment in basic cycling facilities, such as cycle paths and bike parking stands, could encourage people of all ages to use bicycles for routine travel.
The aim is to turn Derby and Exeter, among others, into towns like many in mainland Europe where bikes can be as numerous in the streets as cars.
Brent Skinnon says the support provided to cyclists by local and national government also encourages people to get on their bikes.
“Special facilities for cyclists, such as cycle lanes, are starting to make the roads safer than a few years back. Competitive cyclists also receive the spin-off with plenty of safer training areas.”

New Zealand
Bike Wise Day
Press Release: Health Sponsorship Council
Media statement, Thursday 2 February 2006
New Zealanders seem to be turning to pedal power in the wake of high petrol prices. Figures show that imports of cycles continue to increase, and cycle events are also growing in popularity.
HSC walking and cycling programme director Brent Skinnon says Statistics New Zealand figures show cycle imports have been increasing since 2002, with growth of about 20 percent from the previous year in 2004 and 2005. Nearly 268,000 cycles were imported into New Zealand in the year ending June 2005.
He puts some of the renewed popularity down to high motoring costs, environmental concerns and the current emphasis on fitness.
“As petrol prices peak and dip at dizzying speed, and publicity around vehicle emissions rises, bikes are an obvious choice for people of all ages. Biking is good for you, and it’s good for the environment.
“New Zealand already has more than 750,000 bike owners and if the last three years’ trends are anything to go by, imports will continue to rise. I don’t think we’ve peaked yet.”

Organisers of this summer’s big cycle events say entries continue to increase, as do spectators. November’s Wattyl Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge saw almost 1,500 more riders entered than in 2004. The race attracted over 11,400 riders, and was inundated with late entries.
Joce Moyle, media liaison officer for the race, says the event has undergone significant growth every year for the past six years. “Cycling has enjoyed something of a renaissance over the last few years.”
The increased popularity of cycling is also being reflected in retail outlets. Murray Howe, Avanti Plus manager, Lower Hutt says the days when parents only bought bikes for the kids are gone.
“Now they buy one each and ride with their kids. The women’s market has also really taken off, which I think is due to the manufacture of both bikes and cycling gear for women, with a lot at the high end of the fitness fashion market.”
Events include: |
*The Bike Wise Business Battle – a fun, free inter-business challenge
*The Mayoral Challenge (26 February) – regions compete against each other as they strive to have the most people ‘ride behind the mayor’ and win the coveted title of New Zealand’s Cycle Mad City 2006
*Go By Bike Day (1 March) – thousands of New Zealanders choose to go to meetings, universities, schools and social engagements by bike. As a reward, they can call into designated centres to enjoy breakfast and live entertainment.

The Antigua & Barbuda Amateur Cycling Association has
announced the official dates for the 2006 Annual Cycling Season.
The season will run from 19 Feb., to 30 Oct. During that period the cyclists will be doing races and intense training on the roads, mainly Factory Road, Pares and the road leading to Willikies and the southern side of the island.
Races will take place mainly Saturdays and Sundays and could be differentiated by the cyclists’ use of their race numbers. The cyclists will be escorted and controlled by the Traffic Police Officers.
To mark the opening of the 2006 Cycling Season, the association members will be partaking in a Church service followed by an Annual Family Fun-Ride. The Fun Ride will travel throughout the streets of St. John’s, ending at the East Bus Station outside the Botanical Gardens.
At the end of the Family Fun Ride the activities will continue at the East Bus Station recreational area with BMX, Mountain Bike race and Kids races. There will be music, while food and drinks will be on sale.
To be a part of this family fun day, advance tickets are on sale by members of the cycling association and also can be had at Bike Plus. The cost of the ticket is $10, which covers registration and refreshment during the family fun day activities.
The Antigua & Barbuda Amateur Cycling Association is also reminding its participants and the public that the Fun-Ride is not a race. It’s a ride geared for the cycling enthusiast who is desirous of riding for fun or exercise. It is also for the children and family.
The association is appealing to all motorists to be aware of the cyclist on the road and be very cautious.
Some of the other major events on the 2006 cycling agenda include the Commonwealth Games in Australia from 15-26 March; 5-stage Trophee de la Caribe in Martinique from 13-16 April; and the OECS Cycling Championships in St. Vincent on 18 June.
Other cycling event this year will be at the Central American and Pan-American Games in Columbia from 15-30 July; and the Caribbean Road Cycling Championships in Tortola from 14-15 Oct.
The Association will like to thank the corporations and individuals who gave their support in making the 2005 season a great success and are looking forward for their continuous support throughout the 2006 season.

Nutrition Notes
Carotenoids Inhibit Oxidative DNA Damage In Human Lymphocytes
BOSTON--Protection against oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes and the myriad chronic, degenerative diseases it can cause, is achieved by various carotenoids, according to a recent study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (83, 1:163-169, 2006). Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Jean Mayer Research Center at Tufts University, in conjunction with scientists from the Istituto Chimico Farmaceutico Tossicologico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy, and BASF, investigated the effects of dietary carotenoids in 37 healthy, nonsmoking postmenopausal women aged 50 to 70. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind trial, the women were randomly assigned to one of five distinct groups of women and given either a daily dose of mixed carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene: 4 mg each), 12 mg of a single carotenoid (beta-carotene, lutein or lycopene) or placebo for a total of 56 days. Researchers analyzed plasma carotenoid concentrations by using HPLC, and measured lymphocyte DNA damage by using a single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay.

Following the supplementation period, each carotenoid group exhibited significantly reduced DNA damage compared to baseline, whereas the placebo group showed no such improvement. The both mixed carotenoid and the beta-carotene groups further displayed significantly less oxidative DNA damage as early as 15 days into supplementation.
The scientists concluded significant reductions in oxidative DNA damage can be achieved by supplementation of 12 mg/d of individual carotenoid or by 12 mg total of mixed carotenoids--4 mg each of lutein, beta-carotene and lycopene, which can be achieved by the diet.

Vitamin D Linked To Improved Pulmonary Function
Improved Lung Function Reported
AUCKLAND, New Zealand--Higher blood levels of vitamin D are associated with improved lung function, according to a study published in Chest (128, 6: 3792-98, 2005).
Researchers from the University of Auckland used data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a cross-sectional survey of U.S. civilians conducted from 1988 to 1994, to examine the relationship between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and pulmonary function. Of 14,091 individuals who were 20 years of age or more, had been interviewed at mobile examination centers, had undergone spirometry, and in whom serum vitamin D levels had been measured, those with higher serum vitamin D levels were associated with improved lung function, including greater forced expiratory volume (FEV) and forced vital capacity (FVC) . These results were not affected by factors including physical activity, intake of vitamin D supplements, milk intake and serum antioxidant levels.
The researchers concluded there is a strong relationship between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, FEV, and FVC and called for further studies to determine whether supplementation with vitamin D is beneficial to patients with respiratory disease.

Ginseng Benefits Type II Diabetics
COLUMBUS, Ohio--Ginseng extract (GE) improves glycemia in Type II diabetics by reducing free fatty acid (FFA) availability and improving insulin sensitivity ( J Nutr, 136:337-42, 2006). These benefits may be attributable to the botanical's ability to inhibit lipolysis (the breakdown of fat stored in fat cells) within the body.

Researchers from Ohio State University and Abbott Laboratories isolated rat adipocytes (fat cells) by collagenase digestion and assessed the ability of GE to inhibit lipolysis by measuring glycerol and FFA release into the incubation medium. GE was found to inhibit lipolysis by 49 percent from baseline, possibly through a signaling pathway different from that of insulin. The researchers concluded the ability of GE to inhibit lipolysis may be mediated in part by the activation of PDE4 (phosphodiesterase 4, an enzyme involved in cell messaging) in rat adipocytes.

Branched-chain Amino Acids Aid Athletic Performance
CHIBA, Japan--Branched-chain amino acids appear to enhance training efficiency in athletes, according to Japanese researchers (J Nutr, 136:538S-43S, 2006). A combination of branched-chain amino acids, arginine and glutamine was studied for its impact on muscle function, fatigue and recovery in exercising athletes. In a dose-response study, administration of 6.6 g/d for 30 days increased indices of blood oxygen-carrying capacity and decreased indices of muscle damage. When the amino acid mixture (7.2 g/d) was given to elite rugby players for 90 days during training, the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood was improved. The researchers concluded the amino acid supplement improved athletic training by improving muscle integrity and blood oxygen-carrying capacity.