BikeRumor.com

I spoke with 24hr Solo Champion Josh Tostado about the race, his training tactics, and how free-style skiing helps prepare him for the racing season. Here’s what he had to say:

How long have you been mountain bike racing? I know you were a free-skier huckin 90 foot tables and hitting 55 degrees slopes only a few years ago. You won the 2004 US Free skiing open. Nice.
I raced my first 24 in 2002 and that was my first mountain bike race. and at that point I was really into the free-skiing but I didn’t win the 2004 us open, the best I ever did was 8Th in an X game qualifier.

Ha! Then the internet lies!
How does free skiing transcend into Mountain bike racing, specifically 24s?
The sports of skiing and mountain biking are very similar. You just get that feeling of flow with both and they are lifestyle sports as well, but as far as the the competition side free-skiing and 24 hour racing couldn’t be more different.

Click ‘more’ to read on…

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(UPDATED: Fixed initial video to the right one…)

Bob Babbit interviews three-time consecutive Ironman winner Chrissie Wellington about her record breaking performance at this year’s Ironman World Championships in Kona, HI.  Part One above, Parts Two, Three, Four and Five (make some popcorn) after the break…

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I caught up with Lynda Wallenfels and Dave Harris after the 24 Hrs of Moab Championship Race.  One word for two people: Crushers.

Check out Lynda’s and Dave’s results, then see how they did it:

How do you control the monkey mind and not go out hard if you have the legs?
Lynda: I wanted the National title bad enough to control the crazy side of me. I kept a lid on it.

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What does a girl have to do if she wants marriage proposals, arm wrestling contests, shock and awe accolades, and (sadly) trail blocking and really strange behavior?

Simple: Pass a guy on the trail or in a race.

If you’re the dude and we pass you, you just got chicked…and I chicked a few guys while racing on a co-ed duo team with my race partner, Mario Correa this summer at the inaugural Breck Epic.  I had some pretty colorful comments and antics and figured there had to be something to this.  So, I asked a few VERY fast women about what happens when when they take the lead in a ride or a race, and I asked some men what is was like to ride co-ed when their partner passes a guy.

Here’s what they all had to say:

Dave Harris couldn’t ask for a better partner is his epic escapades: He races with the formidable Lynda Wallenfels who chicked the entire men’s single speed solo class of 30 riders at the 24 hrs of Old Pueblo this year.  Here’s what Dave had to say about racing with Lynda Wallenfels:

DAVE: When she passes guys in races (and often riding at/near the front of the race) she seems to be asked if she’s single. A lot!

In TransRockies last year we rode SS. There are a lot of flats in TR but you really have to gear for the climbs so we’d find ourselves working through the field after the spun out flats. Sometimes we went by big groups of guys like they were motionless…on day 2 as I go by a team on a fireroad climb one guy whispers to his teammate “we just got passed by a dude on a SS!”, LW right behind me heard the exchange and says “wait, it gets better!”. All I recall from that guy was a groan after that…

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Ty Kady, former Supercross Pro and Semi-Pro mountain biker, has been the Marketing Director for the US CUP National Mountain bike series this year. He tells us how he got there and what’s it like to be on the admin side of racing…

You were a privateer Suzuki Pro Circuit rider and ripped it up right here in CA back in the day, how did you get into mountain biking?

I got into Mountain Biking as a way to regain some fitness I had lost after retiring from racing. I was also was looking for a healthy athletic outlet that wasn’t as high risk as Supercross, and something I could enjoy without alot of pressure.

You were a a pro athlete at a very young age, what did you miss out on growing up? When did you start racing moto and when did you quit?

I guess I “missed” out on a lot of the normal teen social events-Friday Night Football, School Dances, Date night, Spin the bottle and all that stuff that goes along with being a teen ager coming of age. But at the time, I was so dedicated and focused on being the best racer I could, I didn’t really feel like I was missing out. I was willing to sacrifice those experiences, because I believed so much in what I was trying to accomplish, I didn’t need to be like everyone else.

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James Herrera is the founder and CEO of Performance Driven, an elite coaching program for athletes and executives based in Colorado Springs. He has served as the Director of Coaching/Premier Coach for Carmichael Training Systems and a coach/consultant with the U.S. BMX program and the Center for Creative Leadership. Herrera competes in road and mountain cycling and trail running, holds a black belt in several martial arts, and is an avid snowboarder.

I was lucky enough to get coached by Herrera and can say first-hand that he has a way of understanding his athletes; what will make them faster, and how to get them stronger. I caught up with him after he rode the Leadville 100 and ran the Leadville Marathon to talk about being a vegan (he offered up some recipes!), training and his own background.

You’re a vegan, right? How do you fuel your training? 

A good friend of mine says “vegetarian” is an old Indian word that translates to “bad hunter.” I get a lot of shit from my friends for my vegan diet. But what can I say? It just works for me. Bottom line is, we could all do better to make a shift towards a more plant-based eating strategy. All the peer-reviewed research out there says it’s the best way to prevent all the major diseases, so why wouldn’t it be a great way to fuel athletic performance? The bulk of my diet is built on vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. I can pretty much eat as much as I want and still maintain a healthy weight. Since I started eating this way, I’ve never felt better, stronger, or had more energy throughout the day. Here are some of my recipes:

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A bit ago, we invited all of you to post questions for Nicolas (aka Nic) Sims, Specialized’s global marketing manager. We compiled them and added a few of our own. The result is a solid look at what he does to manage one of the largest bicycle brands in the world.

Our own questions kick things off, and reader questions follow, with some great pics from Nic’s global adventures thrown into the mix. Enjoy!

BIKERUMOR: Can you briefly explain what the title of Global Marketing Manager entails?
NIC: Well, I will admit that I do the PR for global marketing although “Global Marketing Manager” sounds great . My job entails working with all types of media although I mainly take care of the bicycle related media plus some of the TV presentations that we will do with people like VS for events like the Tour (de France) and Tour of California. The job is to the get the brand of Specialized out there so it is visible to the public, and to also bring in new customers from other areas. I will also work with a lot of our motorsport athletes to try to build awareness for Specialized in other non bike related magazines and at events like Moto GP etc. (hence the photo above from the 2008 Moto GP. - ed.)

BIKERUMOR: Seems like a tall order for one person to manage the marketing for entire world…many large brands have one or more people per country. How do you manage it?
NIC: The big thing with Specialized is it is very much a family, I work with a team of about 16 people in our Global marketing department , everyone has specific jobs from dealing with social media like facebook and twitter, to keeping the websites www.specialized.com and www.iamspecialized.com up to date with the latest videos and press material. But should anyone need help there are people always there to help. As a team we deal with supplying marketing material to all of our subsidiaries and distributors to use in their own markets. So with such a good group it is fairly easy to really focus on our specific areas.

BIKERUMOR: In your opinion, what’s the most important thing you do to ensure the success and growth of the Specialized brand?
NIC: For me the most important thing is to show people who we at Specialized really are and that we make great riding bikes. We are a big company but if you ever visit it does not have the big corporate feel…we are all about riding, and I think that shows in our products. Doing events like I am currently at (Crankworx) and letting people see and ride the new bikes and to meet the engineers and ride with people from the company, I think goes a long way in showing people our passion for cycling and the thought that goes into each and every part or design. Then obviously getting reviews in the media, if people read a good review then they walk into a store and see that shoe or bike they just read about, they are more likely to look at that product first.

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Bikerumor.com’s 4th podcast interviews Andrea White, CEO of Mobis Transportation, an alternative transportation consultant helping cities and municipalities plan and finance cycling, walking and other facilities to encourage people to use self-powered options and public transportation.  This episode focuses on how they can help local governments take advantage of the Alt Trans funds being offered by the Federal Government before the September 15th, 2009, deadline.

Click here to download or listen to the Podcast.

ACT NOW! If you know someone on your city council or in the transportation department, or if you’re part of a cycling advocacy group, forward this to the people in charge of your city’s DOT, etc.  It’s not too late to make sure your city gets its share of the federal ARRA money and starts on its way to becoming a bike-friendly town.

They also own and design Bikestations, facilities designed to encourage bicycle commuting by offering rentals, secure bike parking, showers, changing rooms and sales and service.  There are five locations currently up and running, with many more planned throughout the U.S.  Pics of those after the break…

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I followed Dave Wien’s (above, left) daily updates through the TransAlp, as well as the hullabaloo surrounding Lance’s appearance (and recent destruction of the field at Blast the Mass) and got to thinking…what must be going on in Dave Wien’s head right about now. A couple of emails later and I’m proud to present a candid, friendly interview that’s an enjoyable little read…

BIKERUMOR: You just finished the TransAlp, where you and teammate Alban Lakata place 7th overall. Looking through the names on the results pages, I didn’t notice any other well-known riders (at least not to U.S. cyclists)…did people there know who you were? Were other riders there similarly legendary in their respective homelands?

DAVE: The top riders at TransAlp were mainly what in Europe are called Marathon racers. The top guys are pros and are earning a living at it. I guess it could be likened to a minor league ball player: getting paid but not being at that highest level. The Marathon scene is healthy in Europe with riders racing in marathons and stage races the entire season. Alban Lakata, Carl Platt and Thomas Dietch are examples of full-time, pro marathon/stage racers. These guys are well known there in that circle. Me? I had to have security just to get to the starting line and then again to get back to the team bus each day. Not really!

BIKERUMOR: The TransAlp is on my personal bucket list, but if you’re getting 7th, I’m starting to think the competition there is well out of my league. Plus, you had a team mechanic and support crew. In your opinion, is the TransAlp something a generally fit XC riding buddies could or should do?

DAVE: If you like climbing (a lot!), want to ride in the Alps, and don’t mind riding much, much more pavement and gravel then singletrack, the TransAlp is a great event for you. You should be in shape because the climbing is off the charts, but you have all day to finish and there are great feed zones, not to mention restaurants, along the courses. The TransAlp is actually really intense to race, meaning to try to go as fast as you can. Climb as hard as you can, ride the motoring sections as fast as you can and ride the descents as fast as you can. It’s the last one that really got my attention. For the most part, the courses are open and you will negotiate hundreds of blind, sketchy turns at warp speed and you have no idea what is around the corner. The surface is often gravel and the grades can be really steep and long. You can burn through your brakes pretty easily if you’re not careful. I found it intense and unnerving at this stage in my racing career (um, retired, sort of, last time I checked) and my life. It’s very compelling racing but also the most dangerous descending I have ever done. Not just to ride the descents because they are generally pretty easy to ride at a moderate speed, but to ride them as fast as you can, that’s where it gets sketchy. Back to the meat of the question, if the Alps, climbing, great atmosphere and camaraderie, and not much singletrack appeals to you, and you are in decent shape, by all means, the TransAlp is a really cool event. It will go down as an all time bike racing highlight for me.

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Rebecca Rusch is an accomplished adventure racer and pro mountain biker who rides for Specialized and can kick pretty much anyone’s ass when it comes to endurance races. She just bagged a three-peat win at the 24 Hours of Adrenalin Solo World Championships. And eight days after Worlds, she decided to jump in on the Super D at Crankworx in Colorado for fun–and took first place. Check it out here.

What’s next for you?
Racing the Leadville 100 and then some international endurance MTB racing to some exotic places. Then shop appearances for Specialized and some media stuff. Twenty-four hour solo Worlds was the primary race, so the remaining half of the season is focused less on performance and more on spreading the gospel of riding dirt. Also hanging in Ketcham, Idaho doing long rides with friends and taking advantage of the riding that’s left this summer. Plus, getting back into the fire station here and putting some time in with that part of my life.

Are you going for four, or something else where you hope to get another three-peat?
I can’t say for sure, but the three-peat for Worlds was the main goal. Now that I’ve achieved that, I am brainstorming on another sort of record-breaking feat, or a Big Red Bull expedition that hasn’t been done before. What that is I don’t know, but I’ll keep you posted.

How much of your calendar gets determined by your sponsors?
Both Red Bull and Specialized are really flexible and allow me a lot of freedom. Of course I take exposure, titles, and media into consideration. I have never been forced into an event or in a direction that I wasn’t willing to go. They trust me and the freedom has allowed me to do some unique international events.

Tell me about the day you decided to go pro.
It wasn’t really the day I decided to go pro, more: “the day I decided to quit my awesome job and move into my truck.” I was the manager of a rock-climbing gym and having a blast. I’d been climbing, paddling, and running successfully. I was recruited for some adventure racing and after dabbling a bit, I realized the only way to take advantage of the travel/racing invites was not to have a job or rent holding me down. That was over 10 years ago. Finally, I was free to travel the west in my ‘75 Bronco. The opportunities kept rolling in, and I kept saying yes. I was able to use my business-marketing degree to solicit sponsors and design a new career for myself. It’s still hard to suppress a grin when people ask me what I do for a living, and I reply: “I am a professional athlete.”

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At this year’s inaugural Breck Epic, I got to talking with Wendy Skean and Jeremiah Bishop after our mandatory daily meetings following each stage of the Breck Epic.

They both had interesting takes on their race experience. Here’s what two very inspirational, very different, very similar riders had to say about 6 days of racing, training and having some fun.

How did it feel to get a standing ovation and come up on stage during the awards ceremony?
WENDY: I felt very honored and humbled. Every person there, racers, director Mike McCormack, and volunteers deserved a standing ovation.

How did it feel to get a standing on the second step for the last stage?
JEREMIAH: A little frustrated at first but proud of myself later. I don’t like to hold back but with the USA National Cross Country just 7 days later I needed to limit the damage to my legs and all I needed to wrap up the overall was a smooth race with no mechanicals. I am wiser than I used to be.

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Part 4 in the Nike / Mark Cavendish video interview series.  Here’s Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Sally Jenkins is a Washington Post Sports Columnist and a Lance Armstrong biographer. She worked with Armstrong on his book It’s Not About the Bike. 

Today she was online taking questions about Lance Armstrong, his return to cycling and the current Tour de France. Below is the first question she answered. Check out all the Q&A’s at The Washington Post.

Boston: With Lance saying he can’t win the Tour de France can I stop watching now?

Sally Jenkins: Ha! Hi all. Welcome. That’s the big question for a lot of viewers now that Armstrong seems to have conceeded that Alberto Contador is stronger. But there are some fireworks Alp stages still to come. I wouldn’t turn it off yet. Armstrong is still capable of winning a stage. And the race to see whether he can endure and claim some sort of spot on the podium at almost 38 should be interesting. Also, if you turn it off you’ll miss seeing the coming of age of the guy who is clearly the sport’s next great, Contador.

After watching footage from the first few UCI World Cup downhill races this year, we’re sitting around the office blown away by the speed at which the riders could seemingly fling their bikes over some seriously gnarly roots, rocks and drops.  We also noticed that some of the rocks and root “cavities” (the gullies between big roots) seemed to occasionally be just a hair too much for the bikes, forcing the riders to navigate around some obstacles rather than bomb over them.

Not being big downhillers here, we got to wondering why no one was running a 29″ wheel on a downhill mountain bike…at least on the front.  As we all know by now, a 29er’s larger wheel rolls over stuff easier, and some of the bits on the World Cup downhill courses were seemingly just beyond the capability of a 26″ wheel to get over (even with 8″ of travel!), but could have been tackled by a 29er.

So, in typical Bikerumor fashion, we called the experts.  Lots of them.  We wanted input from big brands and small, global companies and boutique DH specialists.  We also wanted a dedicated 29er brand…so we went overkill and interviewed the folks from Specialized, Foes, Banshee, Norco, Santa Cruz and Niner and asked them the following three questions:

1. Why don’t downhillers use 29″ wheels, at least on the front?
2. Has your company or any of it’s factory riders ever tested or prototyped a 29er or 69er downhill bike?
3. Anything else you could add on this topic?

Hit ‘more’ to see how they answered (hint: Niner’s just might be working on something)…

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Here’s what pro mountain bikers Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications), Robert Marion (BMC) and Beth Frye (Look) are racing…