So true...

“Hey, since you’re up here for the Mercer Cup you might as well come up a day early and do Fifth Street Cross.” And with that spontaneous thought from my BFF Cush, I decided to load two duffel bags with enough cycling clothes to be prepared for any type of adverse weather conditions. “There might be rain, so over-pack,” was his last bit of advice.

The Mercer Cup race in New Jersey is the third stop on the USGP of cyclocross tour. The past two years it has been a mud-fest with almost equal parts running as well as riding. The crowds are thick and boisterous to say the least. However, in the town of Emmaus, Pennsylvania there is an equally well known race with a crowd that is also in various degrees of sobriety, Fifth Street Cross. To quickly summarize Fifth Street Cross, aka “fsx”,  is to imagine a European World Cup cross race with a course thick with drunk spectators. Now imagine the drunk spectators are given race bikes and put onto the course to compete. That’s “fsx”.

Last minute beers and bike adjustments at Mountain Cycles

Fifth Street Cross originally started in Bicycling Magazine’s  Bill Stricklands’ backyard. The course included single track, technical sections and goats. Of course there was beer hand-ups. But “fsx” became a victim of it’s own success as too many people started showing up for the Thursday night cross race/party. What went from a loose gathering of friends getting together to drink and race, to a real race and the legal complications that came with it. Not to mention that his backyard and house was getting trashed by the additional racers that were now making the “fsx” a Thursday night tradition. So the race was moved to a grass field, a racing license became required and forms needed to be filled out. But just because the race became more legit, it didn’t mean that the vibe of the race had changed.

The break between the two races and a chance to pound a beer

The Fifth Street Cross course is a windy track that loops through a grass field, around trees, and includes a short run-up followed by barricades. By it’s self this is a tough course. Race promoter/ring master Strickland described to me that the track is a pedaler’s course that required strength. The grassy sections require power and the many switch backs demand technical skill. What separates “fsx” from traditional cross races is a the short cut option and the theme of the night. Each lap the racers have the option of either taking a short cut route or a longer option. However the short cut option comes at a price – you need to eat, drink or do whatever the race volunteers/referees give you. This is where “fsx” again deviates from the normal ‘cross race. Also each race night has a theme and the theme was Mexican, which meant all the food and drinks that were going to be eaten or drank in order to take the short cut were  Mexican in origin. Extra style points were given if you wore a sombrero or poncho. On one lap if you wanted to take the short cut you had to eat a chili pepper. Other laps it was hot sauce, tequila mixer or refried beans. On the last lap a four-question quiz about Mexico had to be completed (What is the body of water on the eastern side of Mexico?) and answered correctly before you could pass.  Think Monty Python and the Holy Grail when the knights had to answer questions before they could cross the bridge and you get the idea. Oh, and most racers indulged in some pre-race liquid carbs, so quick and intelligent decision making might be a bit hampered. It was going to be one of those nights.

Bobby Lea - Thursday night's winner at "fsx". Race promoter Strickland watches in amazement

I arrived at Mountain Cycles bike shop in the heart of Emmaus  and was  almost immediately given a beer as part of the the pre-race “fsx” ritual. The small shop started to fill up with local racers. One local was Team OUCH rider Bobby Lea. For 2010 Lea is riding for the Bahati Foundation team, and was doing the “fsx” race for the hell of it. He’d been winning every week to no one’s surprise. Another local was Army Jim who in full camo gear, including World War II era style helmet. Yep, it was an eclectic group.

The evening races are split into two separate races, the first race is four laps with a winner. There is a 15 minute break so everyone can pound a few beers and then there’s the second race which is three laps. By the second race I’m fairly buzzed from pounding beers at the shop on virtually and empty stomach, racing and then pounding another beer in between races. The serpentine nature of the course started to get to me and my stomach, which was also not helped by the fact that I had to eat a chili pepper in order to take the short cut option and gulped down an shot of tequila. However, the highlight of the race was when Bicycling Magazine’s own Fit Chick pushed me into one of the many plastic poles that the race tape was tied to as she swooped beneath me. She later said that driving me into the pole was, “pretty easy.”

In the end everyone survived the race (which was a surprise to me) and the after party started at the only Mexican restaurant in town. Awards were given out and I won a razor for “smoothest move”, a nod to the fact that I’d been crashed by the Fit Chick and I had driven 10 hours to participate in the Thursday night madness. I had ridden for a little under and hour for a total distance of 10 miles.  Next stop New Jersey. Good times…

Links:

• Fifthstreetcross
• Facebook Photos
• Fifth Street Cross Photos

“We are pleased to add a rider of Ivan’s caliber and experience to our successful squad,” said Joannou. “Ivan is a formidable sprinter and has won stages at the biggest races in North America, including the Amgen Tour of California, the Tour of Missouri, and the Tour de Georgia.”

Dominguez, a native of Cuba who was granted US citizenship earlier this year, raced with Rock Racing this past season after a brief stint in Europe with ProTour team Fuji-Servetto. Since turning pro in 2000, Dominguez has ridden with the top teams in North American road racing including the Saturn Cycling Team, Health Net presented by Maxxis, and Toyota-United.

“Signing with Jamis/Sutter Home is really special for me,” said Dominguez. “I have the opportunity to ride with the #1 team in the NRC and I’m reunited with former teammates Sebastian Alexandre and Luis Amaran.” Alexandre, now Jamis/Sutter Home’s Directeur Sportif, rode with Dominguez on the predecessor Colavita/Bolla Men’s Cycling Team in 2004. Amaran, #10 in the NRC’s men’s standings, was a member of the Cuban National Team with Dominguez in the late 1990s.

“Ivan’s strength and speed will be a great addition to the team,” said Alexandre. “I look forward to having him on board when we start our 2010 season in January at the UCI 2.1 Tour de San Luis in Argentina.”

Dominguez is rumored to be leaving Rock for Jamis/Sutter Home Photo: Courtesy of Rock

Reading between the lines on Ivan Dominguez’s own Facebook page, he is not riding with Rock in the 2010 season and is joining Team Jamis/Sutter Home. This is an interesting move, if true, with Rahsaan Bahati leaving Rock and starting his own squad, Dominguez was to be Rock’s go to guy in the field sprint. If Dominguez does go to Jamis/Sutter Home he will have to share sprinting duties with Sebastian Haedo, younger brother of JJ Haedo. Dominguez is stating that he’ll announce something tomorrow.

You might know Al Crawford from his amazing photos in ROAD Magazine. What you may not know is that Al is comfortable with a mic and can conduct great interviews. Among his more well known cycling interviews is his conversation with Johan Bruyneel discussing the business of running a cycling team. At the Long Beach Art Theater, Al had an opportunity to interview another well know cyclist, Tony Cruz, in front of an audience and touched on many topics. To think of Cruz as only a cyclist is to not know the full story. Tony is the ambassador of cycling for the city of Long Beach, is instrumental in organizing training rides as well as races, and motivating  kids to get into riding. Oh yeah, he also has to train 25 hours a week. For 2010 Cruz is going to be racing for Rock and enjoying a more domestic season rather than bouncing back and forth from Europe to Long Beach. An Olympian, Grand Tour finisher, European Classics contender and criterium champion, Cruz will be another threat on the domestic racing scene.

From local club to UCI Continental team IMAGE:Greg Epperson

The new Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team aims to build on the foundation of its highly successful grassroots programs, the Southern California-based Liquid Fitness/Adageo Energy Elite Team and the 400-member Liquid Cycling Club.

Adageo Energy, an Austin, Texas-based investment firm that capitalizes on high-growth, high-return opportunities in the energy sector, will sponsor the U.S.-registered, UCI continental professional team.

Team Director Josh Horowitz said Adageo Energy Founder and Managing Director Clay Womack has a long-term vision of success, as well as a firm commitment to run a clean program.

“A lot of the growth of this team to date – and moving forward – stems from his passion to promote the sport of cycling,” Horowitz said. “Clay and I have been developing this program for several years now and we have a long term plan to see it grow into 2011 and beyond.”

Horowitz said the squad continues to pursue a co-title sponsor. Ideally, it would be one that will benefit from the program’s long-standing reputation in Southern California.

“For the past 10 years, the Liquid Cycling program has attracted a diverse, international community of cyclists,” Horowitz said. “So we already have a built-in demographic of recreational riders, triathletes, commuters and beginning riders that any sponsor would love to get their hands on.”

Supporting sponsors of the team include Wonderful Pistachios and the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack (geklaw.com), as well as Exustar, Skins, American Classic, Twinlab, Dr. Richard Hyman, Ultimate Sports Psychology and Liquid Fitness Coaching. The team will ride Leopard Cycles and wear Pactimo clothing.

The Adageo Energy roster for 2010 comprises a mix of American and international talent that includes Australian Cody Stevenson (winner of Stage 1 of the 2009 Tour of Wellington), American Tommy Nelson (stage winner at the Southern Nevada Stage Race), Swiss national (Under 23) team member Tobias Eggli and accomplished American track talents Bennet van der Genugten and Danny Finneran.

Horowitz said the team also continues to negotiate with several riders who were contenders on the National Racing Calendar (NRC) circuit in 2009.

“Our roster is being carefully put together with team synergy in mind,” Horowitz said. “Some of the young guys are riders I have been scouting for several years. Pairing them with some of our more experienced racers will set a good tone and help them reach and exceed their potential.”

Horowitz, 34, will serve a dual role as director and racer. He has been racing competitively since 1989 and is a 10-time California state champion.

The team’s preliminary race calendar includes a mix of regional and national-level events, including the San Dimas and Redlands Classic stage races in March, the Ventura County Stage Race in May, the International Championship in Philadelphia in June, the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic in July and the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah in August.

“While we will be racing all over the country, it’s important that we also have a strong presence in the Southern California cycling community in local races and rides,” Horowitz said. “Most of the riders on this team are based in SoCal and we don’t want to forget our roots.”

For more information on the Adageo Pro Cycling Team,
Visit the website: www.adageoenergyprocycling.com
Become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Adageo-Energy-Pro-Cycling/174764397484
Follow them on Twitter: @adageocycling
Read their blog: www.adageocycling.blogspot.com

Team Roster (Nationality), Age:
Eric Bennett (USA), 23
Tobias Eggli (SWI), 23
Tim Farnham (USA), 27
Danny Finneran (USA), 19
Josh Horowitz (USA), 34
Matt Landen (USA), 28
Alexi Martinez (USA), 23
Tommy Nelson (USA), 29
Cody Stevenson (AUS), 29
Bennet van der Genugten (USA), 25

Team Sponsors:
Adageo Energy
Wonderful Pistachio
Leopard Bikes
Ultimate Sports Psychology
Liquid Fitness Coaching
Dr. Richard Hyman
Twinlab
Gordon Edelstein Krepack (geklaw.com)
Pactimo
American Classic
Exustar
Skins
Smith Optics
PowerBar
Selle Italia

Title sponsor OUCH is out, United Healthcare is in

Twelve American squads have applied for Continental level status for 2010, one fewer than the 2009 total. The proposed Continental squads looking to primarily compete on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar circuit and the USA Cycling Professional Tour include:

Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team
BISSELL Pro Cycling
Jamis/Sutter Home presented by Colavita
Jelly Belly Cycling presented by Kenda
Kelly Benefit Strategies
Kenda Pro Cycling presented by Gear Grinder
Adageo Energy Pro Cycling
Team Hotel San Jose
Team Mountain Khakis fueled by Jittery Joe’s
Team Type 1
Trek LIVESTRONG U23 Cycling Team presented by RadioShack
UnitedHealthcare presented by Maxxis

One American based women’s team has applied to be UCI-sanctioned this season. After claiming an overall NRC title in 2009, Team TIBCO looks to be the lone U.S.-based UCI-sanctioned women’s squad in 2010.

All team categories are pending approval from the UCI and will be formally announced in December following the review process.

Rahsaan Bahati
Nathan O’Neill
Hilton Clarke
Jason Donald
Matt Rice
Cesar Grajales
Ryan Baumann
Corey Collier
Bobby Lea
Alex Hagman
Peter Carey
Phillip Mann
Evan Hyde
Ian Burnett
Lanell Rockmore

Bahati winning the Dana Point GP

Transcend Sports, a partnership between Colorado Premier Training and RAHA Sports Management, has registered a UCI Continental team that will compete in the NRC series and international races. The Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team is currently in negotiation with three Pro Tour riders who will add great depth, experience and leadership to a new program. The roster will also include top-level domestic and international riders.

The Bahati Foundation is a non-profit organization that inspires and empowers underprivileged youth to rise above their circumstances. Statistically, those at greatest risk for poverty today are inner city families and single parent families. The problem of persistent poverty is a complex one that includes communities and individuals, who through no fault of their own, find themselves unable to make ends meet in this globalizing information-intensive world. In many families today, children cannot say they expect to be better off than their parents. This is perhaps the greatest challenge now facing our society. Our goal is to work with our partners in helping today’s underprivileged youth overcome poverty. We provide the resources, support and inspiration to help young people succeed in life. Founder and spokesperson champion cyclist Rahsaan Bahati says “this is a step in the right direction for cycling, the riders, our partners and most importantly, the hard hit underprivileged areas that need the support from organizations like the Bahati Foundation. I ‘m thrilled and humbled at the same time to know I can be the difference in someone’s life by supporting this cycling team and I look forward to seeing the team in action.”

Team roster soon…

Team Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com continued its string of strong results as the North American Cyclocross Trophy series turned its sights to Colorado for Saturday’s Blue Sky Velo Cup and Sunday’s Boulder Cup. Tim Johnson finished up the weekend with his sixth and seventh wins of the season and a stranglehold on the NACT overall leader board.

A thick covering of snow, dropped only days before Saturday’s Blue Sky Velo Cup in Longmont, Colorado, did nothing to slow the team, who relished the loose, muddy conditions resulting from an early-season snowstorm. Johnson, who is a specialist in adverse conditions, quickly moved to the front. “Jeremy and I rode together for the about a lap then I ended up taking off a little bit. I was having fun out there,” said Johnson. “It was one of those courses where you could get a good line going, so you could anticipate the corners a bit.” Johnson’s technical skills kept him off the front of the field, and he was able to grab his sixth win of the season, and the thirteenth victory of the season for the team.

Jeremy Powers was the next closest to Johnson, but found himself just off the pace of the captain. Jamey Driscoll, the final cog in the Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com machine, moved his way up from a slow start and joined Powers, and for a time it looked as if the team would sweep the podium with ease. Soon, Adam Craig (Giant) joined the party, and it was up to Powers and Driscoll to fend him off. According to Driscoll, “Craig got up to us, and that was a pretty impressive ride for him considering how far back he started, but for the two of us it was pretty nice to hold him off.” Unfortunately, Craig suffered an untimely mechanical and allowed Powers and Driscoll to escape to the podium. Powers eventually dropped Driscoll to take second, leaving third to Driscoll. Powers was satisfied with the team’s performance on the day: “We had a good race today, we had zero problems. Everything was straightforward for us and what we wanted it to be.”

The riders found a dry and dusty course to tackle Sunday in Boulder, Colorado, the polar opposite of Saturday’s conditions. Powers took the day’s first initiative, using his first lap speed to build a gap over the rest of the field. “Jeremy took off like a bat out of hell and I was able to catch him, and I we rode together, trading blows with each other. We were definitely racing each other, not just riding around,” said Johnson. Driscoll took a little longer to reach the front, but once there, he focused on holding off Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain). Driscoll managed to hang on to third despite a late fall. Driscoll said, “I hit a loose gravel section through a high speed corner and lost my front wheel. I’m sure he [Kabush] saw the blood in the water but thankfully I got my wits about me and held him off.”

Ahead, Johnson opened a gap when Powers bobbled riding a dock that most riders had dismounted to negotiate. The small gap was all Johnson needed, as he escaped to take his second win of the weekend, his seventh personal victory and thirteen for the team.

“I would never have expected that we could pull off the one-two-threes; it’s really unexpected considering who was here, so I’m super excited,” said Johnson. Johnson also consolidated his hold on the NACT leader’s jersey, which he initially earned on Saturday. The NACT overall victory is already assured to one of the members of the Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com team, but who takes the final jersey will be decided on November 22 and 23 at the Whitmore’s Landscaping Supercross Cup in Southampton, New York.

With only two races remaining, here’s how the NACT leader board looks:
Rank Rider Points
1 Tim Johnson 305
2 Jeremy Powers 234
3 Jamey Driscoll 229
4 Jonathan Page 190