Vuelta a Cuba, Tour of California long range weather forecast, Cycling TV Schedule, TEAm Lipton, Team Advil/ChapStick, UAE to host Asian Championships, Bike Biz News, Advocacy McLane Pacific

Tour of California Weather Forecast
The Time Trial started to day at 10 am; after a night of showers the sun has come out and the riders are riding the prologue on dry streets with a 3mph wind from the east; but hardly the warm weather most would expect for "Sunny California." The riders are racing the prologue under sunny skies with temperatures in the chilly mid 50's.

February weather in California can be unpredictable and it could play a role for the riders and the race in the next week as they race from the northern colder climes of the San Francisco/San Jose/ Monterey Peninsula to the warmer Southern section of California.
Reminiscent of Paris/Nice the French classic this years first Amgen Tour of California will literally be a race to the sun as the temperatures rise as the riders move South to better conditions for the riders and fans. The long range forecast presently is:
Stage 1 Monday: Sausalito to Santa Rosa Partially Sunny with temps in the mid to upper 50's
Stage 2 Tuesday: Martinez to San Jose, Partly Cloudy with temps in the low 60's
Stage 3 Wednesday: San Jose ITT, once again Partly cloudy with temps in the mid 60's
Stage 4 Thursday: Monterey to San Luis Obispo, the riders will start with temps in the low 60's under partly Cloudy skies with the temperature rising to upper 60's lower 70's by the finish. Expect winds in this section of the coast through Big Sur to the finish near the epic Hearst Castle.
Stage 5 Friday: San Luis Obispo to Thousand Oaks, the race by now is warming up as the chase for the Yellow Jersey and its final bearer to the finish; the race will be run on a day with low to mid 70 degree temps but could be warmer in stretches as they go through the coastal valleys.
Stage 6 Saturday: Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks, as the riders ride through the hills with the Valley Oaks that Thousand Oaks was named for  the temps will rise from 70 degrees F to the mid 70s at the finish. This long range forecast could prove to incorrect for the last two days as the forecasts often are and the temps could rise as the race moves inland to 80 degrees.
Stage 7 Sunday: Redondo Beach, typical for the beach area in Southern California the temps are ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the inland areas with fog and overcast conditions leaving damp roads in the morning during February. With any luck, by the race start the sun will have broken through and the beach babes and dudes of the what is referred to as the South Bay will be watching the race in warmer weather than  predicted. The prediction calls for 66 degrees and the race could be animated by the frequent on shore winds off the Pacific Ocean in the early afternoon.

Vuelta a Cuba
Stage 12 197km
Petrus Woesteberg of Holland takes the San Atonio de Los Banos - Pinar del Rio stage
The break away duo of Petrus Woestenberg (Altisonal/Holanda) and Michael Franzl (Germany) made good their escape and beat the chasing peloton to the finish by almost 4 minutes today. Petrus took the final sprint from his breakmate to win the stage. Pedro Pablo Perez led the Peloton to the finish for 4th place on the stage; but his leadership gap has shrunk today with Matija Kvasina of Croatia closing to 19 seconds of the race leader. Franklin Chacon of Venezuela and Italian Gianluca Cavilli of the Italian National team closing his gap to 44 seconds.

Pinar del Río (zciclismo) La etapa XII que se disputo entre San Antonio de Los Baños y Pinar del Río, la gano el holandés Petrus Woestenberg agenciado para los 197 Km. 5:16.43 seguido de su compañero de fuga Michel Franzl del seleccionado alemán y en la tercera plaza el líder el cubano Pedro Pablo Pérez dándole tiempo a lote.

SAN ANTONIO DE LOS BAÑOS-PINAR DEL RIO 197 KM.
1- Petrus Woestenberg Altisonal/Holanda 5:16.43
2- Michael Franzl Alemania m.t
3- Pedro Pablo Pérez Cuba 5:19.18
4- Wendy Cruz (DOM) CAICO/Puerto Rico m.t.
5- Luis Macías Chivas/México m.t.
6- Rodgina Radsclav (CRO) Perutnina/Italia m.t.
7- Jackson Rodríguez Venezuela m.t.
8- David Capellán República Dominicana m.t.
9- Borut Bozic Perutnina/Eslovenia m.t.
10 Víctor Gómez Cropusa/España m.t\

G.C. CLASIFICACION INDIVIDUAL POR TIEMPOS:
1- Pedro Pablo Pérez Cuba 43:58.09
2- Matija Kvasina (Cro) Perutnina/Eslovenia a 19
3- Franklin Chacon Venezuela a 30
4- Gianluca Cavalli Partizan, Italia a 44
5- Jackson Rodríguez Venezuela a 45
6- Arnold Alcolea Cuba a 1.00
7- Lizardo Benítez Cuba a 1.52
8- Alíen García Ciego de Ávila a 1.54
9- Rogina Radcslav Perutnina/Eslovenia a  2.17
10 Adocnis Cardoso Ciego de Avila a 2.21

Team G.C. EQUIPOS
1 VENEZUELA 131:58:48
2 CUBA-A a 07
3 PERUTNINA ESLOVENIA a 1.11

Points: POR PUNTOS
1- Pedro Pablo Pérez Cuba 168
2- Michel Fernández Pista/Cuba 107
3- Borut Bozic Perutnina/Eslovenia 79

MONTAÑA:
1- Arnold Alcolea Cuba 40
2- Jackson Rodríguez Venezuela 24
3- José Contreras Venezuela 23

SUB.23:
1- Jackson Rodríguez Venezuela 43:58.54
2- Alien García Ciego de Ávila a 1.07
3- Juan Torres (VEN) Perutnina/Eslovenia a 2.02
Hasta la proxima: Jose Manuel Zabala Cardenas www.zciclismo.blog.com

 Cycling TV
Schedule for  February 2006
The wait is over! Over the winter months the team at Cycling.tv has been preparing for our biggest season yet! We said last year that we would bring you more live action, more news and more insight into the world of cycling. All that is about to come true!

Here is our schedule of racing that is already secured. We will be updating you as more events are brought on. This season, enjoy the belgian classics, the build up races to the Tours and join our team for the daily news from the peleton. Cycling.tv is about to get bigger, better and more exciting. The launch of our dedicated 5 channel network is only days away!

The racing starts this week with highlights of today’s (Sunday 19th Feb) Classic Haribo leading up to our first live race, Omloop Het Volk. Don't miss it! We also hope to have some Tour of California action next week…

Live Race Schedule February – June 2006:
1. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25th
Omloop Het Volk. FREE LIVE The Belgian season’s opening Classic. All the top pro tour teams in action. 2 Hours Live. Check the channel for your local start time. The times featured on your screen is your start time. Providing your browsers time is set correctly.
2. SUNDAY FEBRUARY 26th
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. FREE LIVE Last year saw a memorable victory for George Hincapie as he battled the Flandrian snow and ice. Can he repeat the feat? Check the channel for your local start time.

The launch of our Premium Channel
This week, Cycling.tv launches our new premium channel. Our aim is to bring you most races live and free. Our premium channel will bring you added value, more races, unique rider interviews and the opportunity to win special prizes, only available to subscribers. We have over 20 Rapha Soft Shell jackets worth over $400 to give away. Check out http://www.rapha.cc to see what you could win!

Future Race Programme
Why not put these races in your diary now! All these events are in the LIVE IN 2006 section.
Live from Belgium in March and April:
Dwars door Vlaanderen
E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
Fleche Brabanconne
Three Days of De Panne – 3 Days Live
Gent-Wevelgem
Amstel Gold Race

Major Pro Tour Action:
The Tour of Romandie – 6 Days Live
The Tour de Suisse – 9 Days Live
Criterium Dauphine Libere – 8 Days Live
All of these will be free and live! You will not miss a moment of the action!
Highlights will be archived and available all year round on the Cycling.tv Annual Subscription Premium Channel.
The cycling.tv daily news show
As if our live race programme was not enough. Cycling.tv will bring you a new daily news show, live from our new studio and on location throughout the year. Make sure you launch Cycling.tv at 6pm CET for our dedicated cycling show.

USA Cycling Fast Facts:
More than 40 million Americans ride a bike at least one a year.
Cyclists outnumber boaters, golfers and joggers, but are outnumbered by walkers, campers and bowlers.
America has 1,112 cycling clubs.
Both President George Bush and his 2004 Democratic opponent, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry are cyclists. George Bush often accompanied by Lance Armstrong.

New Women's Elite Cycling Team:
Team Advil/ChapStick
Women’s Elite Cycling Team to be Sponsored by Advil® and ChapStick®
Wyeth Consumer Healthcare through its brands Advil® and ChapStick®, will be the title sponsor of a newly formed women’s elite cycling team for 2006. The team based in Northern New Jersey will compete in both regional and national races, with a focus on the East Coast NRC races.

“We’re very fortunate to have a sponsor as supportive as Wyeth Consumer Healthcare. They’ve been great to work with, and we hope this is the start of a long relationship,” said Heather Labance. “Both Advil and ChapStick products are popular among active, outdoor oriented people, and as a team we’re very proud to be representing them. The team has been training together for 2 months now and we’re very excited about the 2006 season. We’re expecting results both regionally and nationally.”

Direction of the Team for NRC races will be provided by The Women’s Development Program, run by Mike Engleman and Chris Davidson. They will be guiding a very talented group of women led by all rounder Heather Labance, who started 2005 by winning Grant’s Tomb Crit. She went on to win 13 more races, finished on the podium at Univest Grand Prix, and also guest rode for Quark on several occasions.

Labance will be joined by Mara Miller, winner of Bear Mountain Fall Classic and the GC in the Cat 3 Fitchburg Stage Race, along with 3 of the stages. Collegiate rider Anna Drakulich who finished 6th in the 2005 Collegiate Nationals Road Race, was 2nd overall in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference Points Series and won the Cat 3 Tour de Toona Points Race; Emma Nelson, an up and coming all rounder and guest rider for TEAm Lipton in Bermuda, climbers Reem Jishi and Diana Panchyk and crit specialist Julie Reid.

The goal of the program is to provide opportunities for riders to develop and learn in a team environment as they begin to make the steps needed to race at the highest level. Management and structure has been provided through an affiliation with Team Sports Inc, of Wisconsin. “This was a great opportunity for Team Sports to help develop women’s cycling and show that women cyclists are a viable sponsorship option” said Jim Williams of Team Sports who has been working with the team.

In addition to title sponsor’s Advil and ChapStick, sponsors also include Rudy Project, Velo Saddles, Maxxis Tires, Skylands Cycling Club, Verge Sport, Bicycle Workshop, Athleticamps.com , ChampionNutrition, Trek Bikes, Minerals Sports Club, and Fido Dido.
For more information on the Team Advil®-ChapStick®, please contact Bill Labance at labances@warwick.net.

TEAm Lipton at Daytona 500
TEAm Lipton cyclists are used to riding on tracks, but this year, they’re starting their season on a different trackThe Daytona International Speedway. The Daytona International Speedway has been known for creating legends and setting record-breaking speeds. For the first time ever, legends on two wheels, professional cyclists from TEAm Lipton, will circle the Speedway on their bikes prior to the start of the Daytona 500.

TEAm Lipton’s Liza Rachetto, Kristen LaSasso, Laura Van Gilder, Katherine Lambden, Sarah Caravella and Grace Fleury are participating in the Daytona 500 FanZone leading up to the biggest NASCAR event of the year. With NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne, today the athletes appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

Driver Kasey Kahne and the TEAm are passionate about the importance of good preparedness for any challenge on two wheels or four and are ambassadors for the Lipton Live Well Challenge, a campaign to help people get out of their cars, or off their couches, and be active with a sport such as cycling along with beginning a healthy diet regimen that includes drinking three servings of Lipton tea a day.
For more TEAm information, go to www.TEAmLipton.com.

Catch TEAm Lipton in the Spring Action
· March 4,5, McLane Pacific Cycling Classic, Merced, CA
· March 10,11, 12 Central Valley Classic, Fresno, CA
· March 24-26, Redlands Bicycle Classic, Redlands, CA

 McLane Pacific Classic Advocacy for Kids!
Kiwanis Bicycle Safety Rodeo at the McLane Pacific Cycling Classic
The Kiwanis Club of Merced in partnership with the Merced Mall will be putting on another Bicycle Safety Rodeo during the McLane Pacific Cycling Classic on Saturday March 4, 2006.
The Rodeo will be located in front of the Courthouse Museum near 21stand N st. The registration table will be open at 10:30 am and the actual event will begin at 11:00am. The Rodeo will end at 2:00 pm. At the conclusion of the event there will be a drawing for many prizes that all participants will have a chance of winning.
Teaching children and their parents about bicycle safety is the focus of the event. The laws for traffic safety will be presented by written, verbal and demonstration means. Proper helmets and their fit are reviewed and any child that does not have a helmet or has a helmet in poor condition will receive a brand new certified helmet.

Maintenance and upkeep of a bike are also reviewed. Minor adjustments of loose parts will be available, however, actual repairs are not. (Any bicycle that is deemed unsafe to ride will not be allowed to be ridden in the
event, however, a walk-through of the course is encouraged.)
*An obstacle course will teach the children maneuvering skills.
*A Safety City with buildings, signs, cars and other structures add to the hands on learning experience.
Along with the actual rodeo, there will also be refreshments provided by Hometown Buffet, entertainment and other activities
Upon completion of all the stations the children will receive a certificate of completion and a goody bag full of treats. A brand new bicycle will also be given away along with other items including a pair of flex tickets to Playhouse Merced that may be used at any performance. The Rodeo is for children ages three to fourteen. All participants must have a permission slip signed by a parent or legal guardian in order to participate. Permission slips are available at the customer service desk at The Merced Mall (until March 3rd.) or at the registration table in front of the Courthouse Museum on the day of the event.
Pro Cyclists Meet and Greet:
There will also be a Meet and Greet the Pro Cyclist at the Merced Mall on Friday, March 3, 2006 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Registration for both the Bike Rodeo and the Pee Wee Parade will be available at that time as well.
For more information you may contact Stefani Hager at 723-7700.

Unite Arab Emirate
To Host Asian Cycling Championships Next Year
UAE has been named to host next year’s Asian Cycling Championship, Shaikh Faisal bin Humaid Al Qasimi, president of the UAE Cycling Association disclosed to Khaleej Times on Wednesday.
UAE was selected by board members of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) during a meeting held in Seoul last week. Shaikh Faisal, who is also vice-president of the ACC, said the championship would be held in March in five different categories. “The events to be held here will include road race, track, races for men, women and junior under-20,” he said.

Malaysia, meanwhile, was selected by the ACC to play host to youth championships for boys and girls this year. The dates will be announced later.
Vietnam has also been chosen to organise a mountain bike championship this year at a date to be announced by the organisers. Lebanon has been selected by the ACC to host the 2007 championship.
The ACC, according to Shaikh Faisal, reviewed a report submitted by the Qatar Cycling Association regarding preparations for cycling competitions during the Asian Games which Doha hosts later this year. “The members were quite satisfied with the report and Qatar’s readiness to host the Games,” he said.
The board members accepted Afghanistan as a new member of the ACC, raising the membership to forty. The meeting in Seoul was attended by 39 members from 21 countries affiliated to the ACC

Bike Biz News:
Quality Bicycle Products and EMG Inc Announce New Distribution Partnership 
EMG Inc, the exclusive importer and distributor of Barbieri Bicycle Accessories from Italy is pleased to announce a new distribution partnership with Quality Bicycle Products Inc. (QBP)

QBP will begin distributing Barbieri pumps and accessories at their annual Frostbike open house February 18-19th. “Barbieri is already known for their amazing CarbOne carbon fiber frame pump but they also have some other great products and showcasing the Barbieri line at Frostbike is the ideal way to start with the brand” Chad Fortun, Brand Manager for Barbieri at QBP.

 Dealers that stop by the Barbieri booth at Frostbike will receive a free product sample and a 2006 Barbieri catalog. Representatives from EMG Inc and QBP will be on hand to demonstrate and answer any questions attendees of Frostbike have regarding the Barbieri line.

Barbieri Bicycle Accessories are also available though Ochsner USA www.ochsnerusa.com  J+B Imports www.jbimporters.com  EMG Inc www.euromediagroup.us  BTI  www.bti-usa.com and  Cyclone Bicycle Supply www.cyclonebicycle.com

Fast Freddy Rodriguez
Advises Jr. Riders on Indoor Training
Two days out from the Amgen Tour of California it is raining in San Francisco. While the weather forecast for the race is good, some riders may have thought twice about a training ride on a very cold, wet day so close to what promises to be a highly competitive early season race. Tour of California Sprints contender, Freddie Rodriguez (Davitamon-Lotto), took the opportunity on Friday to meet some of the Bay area's junior cycling elite, at the CompuTrainer MultiRider center in Endurance Mill Valley, where he talked about training and racing at the top level, and went for a spin on the CompuTrainer in the dry indoors.

Talking to the 20 junior racers assembled, Rodriguez explained the benefits of indoor training for the serious cycle racer - which he noted, except in times of injury, is best used as a key supplement to outdoor training, not as a replacement.
"I remember as a junior I was pre-selected for the national team for the world's, but I got injured in an accident and couldn't train outdoors. So I rode an indoor trainer for a month before the world's. I had one of the best results of my career," said the modest Rodriguez, who had to be prompted to admit he took the silver medal
in that race.
"Since then I have understood the value of indoor training," he continued, "if the weather is cold and rainy I don't feel I need to train outdoors. You increase your chance of illness and injury, and you generally don't ride as hard in those conditions," he added.
Rodriguez extolled the virtues of CompuTrainer, his new sponsor. "With the spinscan you can make sure that your right and left legs are making a balanced effort, and for interval training you can accurately start and stop the session exactly when you need to and go straight to the desired intensity, because the equipment gives a very accurate power output reading. Also, with the calibration of tire press-on force, you can accurately compare one session to the next, so you really know exactly how you are progressing. I use it before, during and after the season, and have one CompuTrainer in my Spanish home and one here in the USA."