MORE RANDOMNESS FROM INTERBIKE WEEK IN VEGAS..

Woke up this morning with a wicked cold and have spent my 51st sleeping all day and eating fruit (man I can't wait to blow ass, it'll surely be epic enough to blow out the candles on any cake) and it's actually been quite glorious. Despite a stellar fall day I realize it is pretty damn nice when you feel like crap to have the option of sleep all day, I can celebrate the birthday another day, probably this weekend with two days of Scotty Bourques Frisco Cross over in Summit County, all the homies will be there for sure as it is close to home and the courses last year were fun as hell at the Frisco Nordic Center.

In the meantime, I have this to smile about. I've got the ham and egger habit of keeping race numbers from a few of my favorite racing experiences. I do not have many of them, perhaps six or so, but this one is my latest favorite, kind of like getting a new CD and playing the living shit out of it until you just plain get sick and tired of it. However, this one I will never get sick of as it represents the fact that I somehow did indeed manage to participate in a Cross Vegas Race, under the lights, with 125 other racers, and had the time of my life on the bike.....just sorry it ended so soon! Give us a full 45 next year guys and gals!

There were lots of wheels at Interbike this year, just name your flavor.

And the bike I found the "sexiest" of the show was this LYNSKY with twisted tubing, yet another egineering feat I can't understand. This ride was one of the certain "eye catchers" of the show...

THURSDAY NIGHT CRIT AT MANDALAY BAY WAS FAST FURIOUS AND FULL OF CARNAGE..

Thursday night at Interbike brought the Mandalay Bay US Crit Championships. The action was in the Mandalay Bay parking lot at night and the action was crazy fast. Lots of carnage in turn one just like last year as it was a sharp 90 degree corner at max speed for these guys.

The lead group is cookin...get your big balls out and join the fun.

DAY ONE OF THE CACTUS CUP...THESE KIDS WERE RIPPERS.

MY LAST DAY AT AGE 50.....

Despite having some pretty dead legs, I was determined to go ride to the color up on Hardscrabble Mountain today and send my 50th year out with a monster ride in the fall colors. The temps were surprisingly warm at the start, but quickly dropped into the 60's with the elevation gain..I'm dreading winter, can't it just stay like this all year?

MANY RANDOM SHOTS AND VIJ FROM THE WEEK IN VEGAS TO COME...HERE IS A TASTE

the world champ, Christoph Sauser, during the hill climb TT

Dirt Demo 2008 was brutal on new equipment...if you are going to break shit, go big.

THE GOLD MEDAL WINNER AT DIRT DEMO VEGAS 2008 IS......

THE FELT NINER CARBON HARD TAIL (NINE TEAM). THIS BIKE WAS FAR AND AWAY FOR ELGEE THE MOST AMAZING RIDE OF ALL. IT HAD NO WEAKNESS. IT RIDES SIMILAR TO THE GARY FISHER SUPERFLY, HOWEVER THIS BIKE JUST SEEMED TO FIT ME A LITTLE BETTER DUE TO A 20.5 SIZING. THE ONLY THING THAT GOT ME OFF THE BIKE WAS THE LINE OF PEOPLE WAITING TO RIDE IT AFTER ME. DAVE PASTORE WAS WAITING FOR ME TO GET BACK SO HE COULD RIDE IT AND HIS IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS "I'M GETTING ONE". CONGRATS TO FELT ON BUILDING A REALLY FUN RIDE. SPEC IT OUT HERE

AND THE SILVER MEDAL WINNER AT DIRT DEMO INTERBIKE IS...

THE GIANT ANTHEM WINS THE SILVER FROM ADDICTED TO BICYCLES. THIS RIDE ROX IT. IT'S THE PERFECT XC MACHINE. HANDLES SUPER EASY AND CRUSHES SINGLETRACK. STAY TUNED FOR THE GOLD MEDAL WINNER TOMORROW....

Ok Ok Ok, finally a minute to catch up some things from last week in Vegas. The Cactus Cup, though the racer counts were low there were some BIG names there racing, including World Champion Christoph Sauser, Tinker Juarez (who crashed out) and Carl Decker. As for me, the 50+ field was small but included Robert Stanley who won the Winter Park Off Raod Finale this summer in my age group and who had also won the previous three events of the omniuim at the Cactus Cup. I was busy working the SQUIRT tent the previous two days but decided to jump in the XC race on Sunday. Roughly 20 miles of desert single track in 95 degree heat and blistering sunshine. My focus became Stanley as we headed out with 38 riders in our class...no age group classifications in this omnium. Starting out about 20 riders back the pace was brisk as the first 11k of the course were winding downhill singletrack which was SUPER fast and fun. I hung with Stanley until he jumped a couple of riders between him and myself and I struggled to pass the same riders and he was able to get a huge gap on me. at one point he had a couple of minutes and was out of sight. The HURL was the big climb, both technical and LONG in the heat but relatively mellow as far as grade went. I started taking guys here, probably 10 or so, the entire time keeping Mr. Stanley in sight. The descent was loose, technical with some sections that required plenty of concentration and for a change I rode really well going down hill passing a couple of mechanicals and flat tires along the way. From there it was a long winding gradual climb back to the area where we started. It was a perfect gradient for me and I started grabbing a gear everywhere I could hoping to get back in the race for my age group. With about 4 miles to go I could see I was realing in my target all though he still had about a 90 second gap on me, at least I could see him. Then I was sent on the wrong trail at a "Y" by a race official who was picking his nose when I came by...he screamed at me and called me back where I was able to get back on track, but more time lost at a critical point, I was pissed....on the next couple of mellow climbs, I could see Stanley spinning out on his bike and it looked as if he was struggling. I grabbed every gear I could as we approached three miles to go and began closing fast, I was suffering in the heat, but he was suffering more....I dug deaper, and with 2 miles to go I was somehow back on his wheel with a mile of climbing and then a gravel road to the finish. I could feel his pain riding behind him and tried to remain cool, I was going to sit tight until the road and find the right time to go. I had no idea how, but I had managed to move into third overall at this point. He waved me around, I sat tight. When we got to the road I was not sure where to start sprinting, when I went, he went with me and I unleashed all I had on a small incline with 500 meters left of racing....I looked back to see a hanging head and a cracked rider as I crossed the finish line where the dry heaves immediately began, 1st in my age group, second overall...

These cactus will cut the living shit out of you if you get caught leaning the wrong way...

The riding in Vegas is amazing, if you have never experienced true desert singletrack, next time you go to Vegas to gamble your life savings away, bring your best dirt mate and go ride the over 100 miles of single track that looks like this, it's rippin fast and fun and this is just one small part of their riding. Do not be fooled by this pic, there is some gnarly technical climbing and descending which makes the place a virtual riot to ride. When I first arrived at the Cactus Cup, I noticed local riders with these long unusual scars on their arms and legs...it didnt take long to figure out how they got them once I started riding...VEGAS FREEKIN ROCKS FOR STELLAR SINGLE TRACK...no shit.

WHEELERS AND DEALERS INDUSTRY GOPRO HELMET CAM FROM CROSS VEGAS...

When I pulled into the parking lot at Cross Vegas to race in the industry race, I must admit, I was so excited I was pretty much shaking like a pig crapping razor blades. The temp was in the mid 90's as the sun set on Vegas, and after a really good warm up, which included eating shit at the top of the run-up and bending my derailluer hanger (which the guys at SCOTT fixed at their demo trailer), it was time to line up. The field was 125 strong with many heavy hitters at the front. Many of us rolled up late at the back including Team Spot Brand and Andrew from CX Magazine. We sang the National Anthem in the blocks and we were off. Here is the GoPro helmet cam vij of the race before it gets too dark to video.

And the BRONZE Medal winner for "most fun ride" at this years Dirt Demo in Bootleg Canyon at the 2008 Interbike Demo Days is, the IBIS MOJO. I had them set the bike up super squishy and laughed all around the demo course for a couple of laps...the bike ate the shit up and was way fun to ride...IBIS also had the best presentation with the Airstream Trailer on the floor of the convention center, neon lights included

AS YOU KNOW MOST CERTAINLY KNOW BY NOW, LANCE ARMSTRONG SHOWED UP TO RACE CROSS VEGAS, HOWEVER, SO DID JAKE WELLS...

A Huge crowd showed up at Cross Vegas on Wednesday night, the atmosphere was electric, and Addicted to Bicycles is going to say the was CX's biggest night ever in America. One big reason was that Lance Armstrong showed up, whch created a huge buzz and drew thousands of spectators. BUT, there were other big names that showed as well, including World Mountain Biking champion Christoph Sauser in his first ever CX race. Tim Johnson and the regular cast of pros showed as well, so did Jake Wells, who finished an impressive 24th in this field, one spot ahead of Carl Decker of GIANT. He pulled the Armstrong group for several laps in the middle of the race and tried to bridge up with a few to go, the effort however, cost him and he fell from 19th to 24th late in the race...awesome job Jdub.

Here's the field coming in super hot to the first run-up of the race, reported as only Addicted to Bicycles can report it.

DEPRESSION IS SETTING IN, THE COWBELLS HAVE STOPPED RINGING IN VEGAS....

YOU WILL ALL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WHAT WAS UP AT INTERBIKE AS SOON AS I CAN SIT DOWN AND UNRAVEL THE MASSIVE PILE OF SHIT IN MY CAR...

STAY TUNED IN FOR MY TOP THREE FAVORITE RIDES FROM THE DIRT BIKE DEMO DAYS AT INTERBIKE 2008. CHOICE THREE WILL BE POSTED LATER TODAY.

BLOGGING IS IMPOSSIBLE RIGHT NOW...

PODGE GIRLS AT THE CACTUS CUP...

WORLD CHAMPION EXTERRA AND SQUIRT ATHLETE CONRAD STOLTZ HANGING WITH THE SQUIRT TEAM..

TOO MUCH GOING ON AT INTERBIKE TO BLOG RIGHT NOW, MUCH MORE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS COMING UP FOR SURE. I WOKE UP WITH A HARD-ON THIS MORNING AS TONIGHT IS CROSS VEGAS BABY.....AND THEN BEER DRINKING. I'M OUT FOR NOW....5:30 AM IS THE ONLY TIME I CAN FIND TO POST THIS!

SICK SCHEDULE IN VEGAS...

VEGAS IS OFF THE CHARTS HOT AND IT FEELS AWESOME. IT'S BEEN NONSTOP SINCE I GOT HERE WITH CACTUS CUP PROMO WORK AND RACING THIS MORNING, MORE ON THAT LATER.

AND WHAT ABOUT THIS DEAL?

JAKE WELLS FINSHED 21ST IN THE PRO RACE AT STAR CROSSED AGAINST THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY!!

AND THE FREAK, RYAN MCFARLING, (TIME TO MOVE UP DAWG!)WON THE CAT 3 RACE...ALL THIS VIA TEXT MESSAGE FROM ALL THE HOMIES. NICE JOB! WAY TO CRUSH IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST!

MORE PICS AND ALL THAT CRAP WHEN I GET A CHANCE. I'M BURIED.

AND HERE'S ONE I HAD TO POACH FROM STEVIL AT THE SWOBO SITE...CHEERS.

CROSS VEGAS COURSE FOR WEDNESDAY THE 24TH OF SEPTEMBER

NEXT WEDNESDAY I HAD THE OPTION OF DOING THE SHOP RIDE IN EAGLE OR JUMPING IN THE 'WHEELERS AND DEALERS" CROSS VEGAS RACE ...I CHOOSE VEGAS.

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE PILE OF......

Lance Fodder started feeding through my e-mail account from the 12 Hours Of Snowmass...here are a couple of highlights, the best of which is THIS, the podium for FASTEST men's and women's lap at the
12 HOURS OF SNOWMASS, WHICH GOES TO

JAY HENRY AND SARI ANDERSON

AND OF COURSE TWO OF THE NINE JILLION PICTURES OF LANCE THAT WERE TAKEN WHILE HE WAS RACING AT THE MASS...

TEAM HIGH MAINTENANCE/RANGE ROVER IS ON IT.....

TIS THE SEASON...

Yes in deed, is there anything better than night riding in the fall? NO. Last night it was an up valley posse (Court, Jono, Curt Nashville., Alex Colminsk, and Gruber the cat guy) cruisin around the Beav using Jah-No-Brah's place for base camp...a couple of hours later and we were back a Jono's chowin and moving some BIG ol furniture around gettin it right ...

WARNING....

Don't get your panties in a ball if the blogging gets lame for a few days, I'm off to interbi8ke and will be up to my ears in bike related shit...there will however be a ton of photos and reports once I get it under control on my end....so go ride your bike instead of reading this useless pile of bicycle ramblings....

AND IN "OTHER" BIKER NEWS, MARK "PAPA" GUARDADO DEAD

MARK "PAPA" GUARDADO HAD A COUPLE OF HIS HELL'S ANGELS PALS SHOW UP TO HIS FUNERAL YESTERDAY AFTER BEING GUNNED DOWN AFTER A BAR ROOM BRAWL IN SAN FRANSISCO.

SQUIRT HEADS TO INTERBIKE AND THE CACTUS CUP ON THURSDAY..

Blogging coming from Sin City beginning this friday at the Cactus Cup in Vegas as Elgee hits the road for SQUIRT to do some product promo and racing, then Dirt Demo days on Monday and Tuesday, Interbike Wednesday through Friday. Look for the helmet cam vij from the Cross Vegas Industry Cup race which is sure to be mahem.

Then SQUIRT LUBE will be bringing it's lubing force to the east coast at the Outdoor Demo in Providence, Rhode Island on October 21st and 22nd...see you there.

I'VE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN...CYCLOCROSS SEASON STARTS

When I pass from this earth, I truly believe that the place I go will be a day like today. Bluebird skies, temps in the 50-60's, lots of cycling friends to share the day with, and racing that keeps a smile on your face from start to finish. There is no suffering on days like today, even in a CX race, But instead the experience of the start of another CX season. It's so good for the soul, getting up early, making a fresh pot of Jo, starting the car and turning the heat and defroster on, stopping in Frisco for an awesome muffin at the Butterhorn bakery and another cup of Jo, pulling into the Breck Nordic Center and stretching, registering, filling out those pain in the ass waivers, pinning my number just how I like it, warming up and checking out the course, getting my tire pressure dialed, then lining up and waiting to start. If you have never crossed raced, what follows is pure heaven, poetry in motion and a war for the ages, chasing friends and freinds chasing you, and then it is over and the stories are told and we all laugh and drink a beer or two. When I die, I want to be trading blows with David Burns on a cyclocross course in a race that never ends, and have my friends and others ringing cowbells and screaming encouragement. The only thing that could make it better would be if while I was racing I could also be cheering for all my homies racing in other classes during the day...maybe in heaven , or wherever we end up, we all race together and cheer for each other, yeah, I think that is how it works...some pics and vij from a fantastic day.

Big E passin.......

McFreak closing a huge gap

Kansas Jay in his first CX race...killed it.

Damien Fraser, head upright, 12th in Cat 3's...

Scotty B gettin on it..

Courtney pulling away on the hill...

Bourque applying some serious pressure...

ON THE EVE OF BRECKTOBERCROSS...

Go to your favorite "Latino" hangout, drink cheap beer and dance the night away with Lupe, then show up with a temultuos hangover to race the next morning...this my friends, is Cyclocross season.

ALBERTO CONTADOR CRUSHES THE ANGLIRU AND TAKES CONTROL OF THE VUELTA

graham watson photo

Today was Conti's day at the Vuelta as he blew the shorts off of Sastre, Valverde and teammate Levi on one of Europe's most intimidating stages finishing at the top of the famed Angliru summit. Contador put it in overdrive on the 21 % grades of the final kms and has a demanding overall lead with a week left in the Vuelta. The dude is 25 years old and appears to be unstoppable for years to come, he's gonna make Lance "his boy" in France next summer.

I WISH I HAD MORE HAIR....

SO I COULD PULL IT ALL OUT OF MY FREAKIN HEAD AFTER SEEING THE FRESH SNOW UP ON NEW YORK MOUNTAIN AFTER THE CLOUDS LIFTED TODAY...

THE VIEW FROM THE HOOD AFTER MY ROAD RIDE...I CAN'T BARE ANOTHER WINTER.

IT'S OFFICIAL...SQUIRT TO SPONSOR "SPOT/DALE'S PALE ALE RACING TEAM

Fortunately, one of my responsibilities with SQUIRT LUBE is to secure sponsorship for teams and athletes. So, when a bicycle brand comes calling that supplies the entire racing community with KILLER BEER at every race, including the BEER TENT at CROSSVEGAS, we see this as a healthy and long lasting relationship to pursue as a sponsor. SPOT Brand Bicycles is now a member of the SQUIRT family and we truly appreciate the carb loading they provide all season....cheers to Chad Melis, Jen Gersbach (1st overall in the women's PRO cat this summer in the Mountain States Cup) and the rest of the SPOT/DALE'S crew.

THERE ARE RACE KITS AND THERE ARE....WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS...

IT APPEARS THE 12 HOURS OF SNOWMASS (squirt sponsored)WHICH IS COMING UP THIS WEEKEND HAS AN OFFICIAL VEHICLE, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, A TEAM HIGH MAINTENANCE RANGE ROVER, THESE PICS ARE HOT OFF THE PRESS. I BELIEVE THEIR MAY BE A BUILT IN MARGARITA BLENDER IN THERE SOMEWHERE.
I CALL SHOTGUN!
(WE NEED A "GIRLS SQUIRT TOO" LOGO ON THAT BABY!)

TEAM DRIVER?

LANCE WILL BE RACING 12 OF SNOWMASS ON SUNDAY...CHECK EM OUT.

PLEASE REMEMBER 9/11....

A reminder from Addicted to Bicycles to remember September 11, 2001 in the way which suits you best...

CX TRAINING FOR OPENER COMES TO A CLOSE IN EAGLE

With the CX season opener just 4 days away now. The last practice session in Eagle wrapped up with the Mountain Pedaler gang throwing down a great training session and working on shouldering technique as well as mounts and dismounts...game on in Breck Sunday campers.

Riders discussing the best way to shoulder your bike..

CYCLING SQUIBS AND SQUABBLES FROM ATB.

ATB or, (ADDICTED TO BICYCLES) is already tired of the Lance squabble out there. I mean WTF, the Vuelta is going on and has been pretty much smoke screened by the story. In the meantime, there is a great race going on in Euro land.

Today saw Freire take Boonen in the finishing sprint while Egoi Martinez of Euskaltel retained the overall lead just seconds ahead of Levi and Contador.....and how's about Alberto being so grascious about the return of Lance? Seems to ATB that Contador should be pretty hot under the collar now that Lance has proclaimed he wants to win his 8th Tour. I mean paleeease, Conti was the man for Astana going into the 2009 Tour, now he has to put up with the media frenzy that is coming from the return of Lance, not to mention taking a back seat as far as team priorities are concerned. I see it this way if Conti stays with Astana...the team works for Lance until the second or third mountain stage until they realize that Conti is indeed the man, Conti then uses his anger, patience and talent from the last two seasons to go off big time, and win the tour. Just my thoughts...we will see if everyone stays healthy AND clean.