Surfing in SD

Thor is scheduled for surgery next week for his R knee. Hopefully, in 4 months or so he will look like this:

xc skiing at north boulder park

We both fell twice as the snow (and our form) kept getting more and more sloppy. But, Em was the only one to lose their pole tip in the snow!

IM Cozumel - race recap - 9:02:37

Sunday was my final race of the 2009 season. Originally Em and I booked tickets to spend our time on vacation and to watch Em's sister, Kendra, compete in her first Ironman race. That changed after I had a poor performance at Ironman Wisconsin in September and wanted to finish the season on a better note.

I went into this late season race, the latest I have raced into a calendar year, with less than ideal preparation. My job called for a lot of travel but I did my best to work in runs and swims when it was at all possible. I had a good summer and early fall of cycling so I did my best to maintain a high end with weekly key rides on the Computrainer and a weekend group ride with my teammates from Feedback Sports. I also implemented reverse taper swim training, which I have used throughout the last seven years I have been racing. Basically, neglect to swim for a while then increase your frequency of swims all the way up to race day. The fitness in the water is not always there, but at least I have that feel for the water by race day. Needless to say, this is not the best training method for most folks but it seems to work ok for me.

I got a great bike fit with my co-worker Mat Steinmetz at the Retul Multisport Studio in Boulder on Sunday night and he lowered my saddle height nearly 2cm which really relieved some pressure I had been feeling in my baby making region. Everyone should get a bike fit, more specifically a dynamic bike fit (Retul), to ensure they are positioned correctly on the bike. Mat has fit everyone from weekend warriors looking to maximize comfort to studs like Mirinda Carfrae, Chris Legh and Craig Alexander. Thanks Mat.

We flew over to Cozumel from Boulder on Thursday and while it was humid in the days leading up to the race, there was a "cold front" passing through the Gulf of Mexico that created quite the chop in the water and kept the temperatures in the high 70's. Basically, to those of us from Colorado, it felt like paradise.

The race organizers canceled the practice swim on Friday morning due to the excessive chop. Em and I did a practice swim in front of our hotel and it was choppy but really not too bad compared to swims like the Superfrog, LA Tri or the Norseman. It was 80-degrees, which meant a non wetsuit swim, so there was never a shock to the system from feeling cold water.



On race day, the Caribbean at Chankanaab Park was clear, warm and smooth. There was a bit of a current, but it was difficult to feel this during the swim. The organizers opted to move the turn buoy on the outbound leg in closer around 500 meters, which meant we ended up swimming with the current for an additional 500 meters to reach the far end of the course.

The race announcer called up athletes to the swim start and announced that between the pro men on the starting line there were over 30 Ironman titles (Lothar Leder, Oscar Galindez, Rutger Beke and Viktor Zymstev accounted for most of those). I told Em the night before I would really be thrilled with a top ten placing in such a strong field.

The swim felt the easiest of any Ironman swim I've been a part of and there was constant engagement with the water, meaning we swam over schools of fish, a giant stingray, and dozens of starfish. I stayed alone for the first half of the swim to find my rhythm but hopped onto Rutger's feet for the final kilometer.



The transition was a long run from the swim exit, into the change tent, and then through a maze of bikes to the racks at the end of transition where the pro bikes were racked. Most of the guys I would expect to be contenders for the overall win were right in and around my swim group including: Oscar, Tyler Butterfield, Lothar and Rutger. Stephen Bayliss was a few minutes up the road as was Viktor Z. Rutger had a very quick transition (or I had a very slow one), but I never saw him again until the run.

I felt great out on the three-loop, 112-mile bike course. I opted to wear a standard road helmet instead of an aero helmet in order to keep my head cool and I knew right away I had made the right choice. I kept my pace in check throughout the first loop and managed to stay within myself when Oscar rode past me. I followed him for five or six miles as I expected he was motivated to reach the front of the race. However, on the far side of the island where it was very windy, I decided it would be best to let him go and stay relaxed, so I kept my own pace. This was a great decision in hindsight because although I kept losing two minutes each lap to Rutger and an Italian rider (who looked to be Normann Stadler's twin brother), I caught and passed Viktor, Stephen and Oscar on the final lap and put some time into them. The bike ride felt easy and I finished it stronger than I started it, so I accomplished both of my goals there.

I exited the bike in third place overall and the crowd was going crazy. Again, I took the longest transition out of the pros, changing from my Retul cycling kit into my Kiwami run kit, but it was awesome to hear the support from the Mexican fans...they are crazy.

I saw Em and her parents, Bill and June, out there and I did my best to start the run with my emotions in check as I knew pacing would be my biggest enemy on the run. I raced without a watch so I used my internal pacing and ended up running the first lap of 9 miles in 6:58/mile pace. That is what I wanted to run and I had only been caught by Viktor at that point. I was passed at the opposite end, at mile 13, by Tyler, who was having a killer run (ended up posting a 2:52 marathon!) and we exchanged a high five before he proceeded to run out of sight! I stayed in fifth place for the next 9 miles but then went through a bad patch where my quad cramped up and I was forced to stop, stretch it, and walk for for a few hundred meters.

I passed through the worst patch of the marathon between miles 18-22 but then got my legs back for the final stretch back into town to the finish. Unfortunately, in those final four miles, I dropped from 5th place down to 9th place as I was caught by some quicker runners from behind. I am somewhat ashamed to say four of them started the marathon over 20 minutes behind me.

I missed one of my goals of finishing in less than 9 hours however I didn't race with a watch so I was never a slave to the race clock out there. Despite a poky marathon (by pro's standards) I crossed the line content with my effort and very thankful I made it through the entire season injury free, motivated for more, and passionate for this sport. While it doesn't have the same ring as a domestic Ironman event, I managed to sneak into the finish as the first American finisher too (sorry Tyler, you're from Bermuda!).

It was nice being one of the first with access into the medical tent so I could get two IV bags. After a post-race enchilada and margarita, we went back out to the race course to cheer Kendra home. Despite being entertained by the hoards of Mexican fans in bleachers (they tend to bring the extended family to sporting events), I managed to catch a few minutes of sleep.



Kendra is very strong mentally and got herself through the marathon course and finished in just over 15 hours. Not bad for being an active US Navy Officer who was deployed for six months earlier this year. She spent the next two hours, until 12:30AM, in the medical tent getting IV's and having the medical staff work on her blisters. I think Kendra was already looking forward to her next challenge but I think she will put in some more focused training for her next race.



A special thanks to Emily, Bill, and June for being an awesome support group out there. I also really appreciate Tyler's wife, Nikki, cheering for me out at the far end of the course as she could obviously tell the difference between my running strides and Tyler's.

It was an awesome trip out to Cozumel and I would recommend this race for anyone who would consider training for a late season race. The Mexican fans are extremely enthusiastic and when you mix in all the American party goers lining the downtown streets outside of Senor Frogs and walking along the ocean front, it made for a vibrant race atmosphere.

Unfortunately, we missed the post race party which took place the following night as it would have been cool to stand on stage with the top ten placers, however we had to get back to Thor and Izzy and our work. The direct Frontier flight leaving Cozumel to Denver was packed with funny tan lines, numbered calves, neon bracelets and bike boxes. Waking up this morning felt far worse than yesterday but each day now will get better and better. I'm looking forward to taking a bit of time off now, maybe working on my jump shot or just enjoying some hiking and skiing in Colorado. After all, Em and I will be moving out to San Diego in mid January so we have to take advantage of the mountains while we can.

Ride on,
lars

Cozumel

We've been here at the Cozumel Palace for the last 2 days and that means buffet after buffet, not an ideal lead up to race day. It has been nice to escape the chilly weather back home for a few days and I'm looking forward to the final race of 2009 before taking a break.

Happy Thanksgiving (for the cyclists out there...sound familar?)

You Stay Classy

Nose Hair billboard

Great photo from the Guerrilla Marketing blog from my friend Herbert. I've gone through my fair share of nose hair clippers over the years...

Cozumel...we're coming soon

Soccer missed call (video)

The unfortunate missed call opened the door for France's 2-1 win over Ireland to move them into the 2010 World Cup.

Abu Dhabi Triathlon

(Abu Dhabi, UAE) World class triathlon racing is now coming to the Middle East. Past Ironman world champion, Faris Al-Sultan, is a resident of the UAE and team captain of the Abu Dhabi Pro Triathlon Team that recently announced a new race on March 10th, 2010.

As someone who was raised in nearby Saudi Arabia and recently traveled back to the Middle East and witnessed the intense interest in endurance sports in communities with expat and Western populations, this is long overdue. The region already boasts world class events including; horse racing (camel racing too), adventure racing, race car driving, and now triathlon!

This event will draw the attention of all the heavy hitters from the international professional scene. It features an unique distance of a 3-k ocean swim, 200-k bike, and 20-k run. The temperatures in this part of the world was a factor in determining the distance, but possibly wanting to cater towards the strengths of their favorite, local hero, the race also suits the strengths of the powerful cyclist Al-Sultan. With a prize purse of $230,000, paying $50,000 to first place, it would be a surprise it other strong cyclists like Norman Stadler, Chris McDonald, Chris Lieto, Ain Alar Juhanson, Matty Reed, Massimo Ciagano, and their two wheeled peers opted not to toe the line. Surely, Chrissie Wellington and Julie Dibens will have their eyes wide open to a race like this.

A race like this will also provide a local race for expats to compete on the same stage as the athlete's they could previously only follow in the magazines and through on-line websites.

Here is a link to the Abu Dhabi Triathlon website: http://www.abudhabitriathlon.com/

motor pacing Crowie

This is a short video shoot from earlier this summer on a motor pacing session with Crowie.

Mary Beth Ellis: Trek TTX bike fit

Earlier in the week, Mary Beth Ellis visited our Retul Multisport Studio in Boulder to work on her Trek TTX time-trial bike fit.

Mary Beth won the Pan American Games, Escape from Alcatraz and Boulder Peak Triathlon earlier in the year and is in her final preparations for Clearwater 70.3 World Championships where she was the runner-up last year.

Short video: approximately one minute

update

Been neglecting these blog entries lately so I'll give you a quick few lines of our last month.

- We flew out to Long Island, NY for Em's cousin, Jeanette's, wedding
- I flew out to Kona during Ironman week. If you want to see some sweet, behind-the-scenes footage from the world champion, Craig Alexander, download the "Crowie backstage" app on your iPhone for free.
- We were both sick for a week with coughs and congestion
- I am training for IM Cozumel on Nov. 30th

Exciting blogs in the future.

LF

Greg Bennett Comeback Video

Here is the newest video I just finished editing (more under RetulGeek on YouTube). We'll have more coming in the near future as Greg continues to make an astounding comeback after being hit by a car back on August 1st. His comeback is coming along nicely as he took 1st and 2nd in the Nautica Malibu Olympic and Sprint distance triathlons last weekend against Leito and McCormack.

IM Moo - race report

DNF = OUCH!

I've had some time to let the end result sink in and will take away some good lessons from Sunday. I made a few mistakes that sound so simple but ones that zapped me out of the race.

Keep the engine cool

All week long, Madison rode in the low to mid 80's. Lake Monona was a stifling 76-degrees in the days leading up to the race. Race officials made a decision to allow wetsuits during the swim even though the cut off temperature for pros is 72-degrees. The reason for the decision was to avoid course congestion on the bike as they worried faster age groupers (who were allowed to wear wetties) would eliminate the 10 minute head start pros are given and catch up. Numerous athletes in my swim group yanked off their swim caps to cool their heads and I kept having to open up my wetsuit to let water pass through in attempt to cool off. The real effects showed up slowly during the bike as I started out more dehydrated than usual after the 2.4 mile swim. Overheating in the swim, coupled with wearing an aero helmet on the bike, made my engine overheat, I believe.

Be willing to change your pre-race plan

To be honest, I don't know what I would change, I only know it didn't work on Sunday. I wanted to mark Chris McDonald and knew this was within reason on both the swim and bike. He's done this race in the past - bloody won the race last year! - and always comes off the bike in the lead. I knew he would take me to the front of the race.

Chris and a few others came out with me from the swim but had a faster transition. I hustled best I could and went hard the first 5-7 miles out of town until I caught up to them. We settled into a nice pace but I kept going to the front of the group to drive it forward towards the two or three race leaders up the road. We caught Brandon Marsh before Verona and he told me later he just watched us fly by, however at around mile 30 I noticed my aero drink bottle between my aerobars had come loose and was about to fall out. I had to make an instant decision to pull over and attempt to refasten it or to throw it away and proceed with one bottle. I was unwilling to give up my position in the race and got rid of it. I felt like A MILLION BUCKS for the next 30 miles until I found myself spaced out and unable to tap out any power from my legs. I lost contact with Chris and the whittled down group of three riders but was also repassed by eventual race winner Raynard Tissink and the Estonian racer who finished 3rd. I had to let them go too.

For the next 20 miles I took three bottles at each aid station, pouring one water bottle over my head, keeping a water bottle on my bike, and holding a Gatorade bottle in my hands between the aerobar. I snapped out of LA LA LAND around mile 95 and rode back into T2 a decent clip (thankfully it was not a head wind back into Madison). Once into T2, I still managed to get off the bike in 7th or 8th place but felt as though I had spent 12 rounds in a dark room with Buster Douglas. I ran out onto the run course, saw Em and her friends who all came to watch Amy and Brandon Marsh and me race, ran nearly two miles down the road and was totally tapped out.

Pick yourself back up

I read in the paper the next day race winner Tissink had gone through a bad spot during the race, vomiting during the swim and unable to see the road in the early bike miles. I believe a large part of this was due to the wetsuit swim as it caused racers to overheat more than usual (racers will never give up a competitive edge and go without a wetsuit). What a champion to be able to stay with the race, refocus, and finish on his own terms. I also watched Chris McDonald ride to the fastest bike of the day on a machine that was not shifting properly. He rode with patience, strength and was a fighter to the end during the run. I'll try and take a similar attitude into my next race.

A quick shout out to the Travel Club organizers Terri J, Beth S, Chris and Jenny F and Emily. Having spectators out on the course always makes the race go by a bit faster and allows for added fuel to the fire. Just look at what their support did for Amy Marsh, their teammate and friend, who won the whole blasted women's race in only her second Ironman. Congrats to the Texas transplants, Amy and Brandon!

Finally, but not least of all, thanks Stephanie and Zak for opening your house up to me and Emily. We had a blast. Congrats to getting into the 2010 race, Stephanie, and we'll enjoy watching you race!

Stay tuned,
LF

long day -- back home

just got back home from Madison. i will write a more in-depth race report later this week but i will say this quickly. despite not having the race i had trained to have, i sure had a fun time out there. the course was challenging, the fans were crazy, and i got to hang out with friends and watch our girl, Amy Marsh, bring home her first IM victory home in front of all of her college swimming teammates (good luck Gopher charms).

LF

red rocket (yes, i know it's a weird title)

Felt B2 Pro is the ride for the tough IM Moo bike course tomorrow. Emily almost snapped this photo before I quickly intervened and flipped the bike around with the drive side facing the camera. I guess I've been spending too much time on Slowtwitch:)

IM Wisconsin - prerace

Getting the race rig ready for tomorrow. Check out Stephanie and Zak's garage. This is a full on bike mechanic studio!

final Mags run

after acting as my personal mechanic out at the koppenberg circuit race today, changing two flat tires, Tobias dragged me up to Magnolia for a nice 'n easy final long run in prep for IM Wisconsin in two weeks. it was overcast, cool and rained on us a few times. all in all, perfect conditions for a great Mags outing.

Koppenberg

leading up the 17% graded slope of the Koppenberg the 1st of 6 times, splitting up the main group (Zoolander's Blue Steel look for the camera)



2nd time up the climb was the first spell of bad luck but I was able to chase back to the front group



after the 2nd flat at the bottom of the climb, i solo'd into the finish behind the first group for 12th place....oh well, bad luck plays a part in bike racing too!

trailridge and mags

Em went back to Texas this weekend to visit her folks and she left me with very explicit instructions to get in a high volume training weekend for upcoming Ironman Wisconsin. She is meeting her college friends in Madison during race weekend for what they call their "travel club" and she doesn't want to be embarrassed by a sub-par performance by me!

So, I took it to heart and got a full plate of training in yesterday and today. Saturday morning a group of six of us started out of town up through Estes Park and continued on into Rocky Mountain National Park up Trailridge Rd and up to 12,500 feet! It was a monster day in the saddle and over 10,000-feet of climbing. The company wasn't bad either including Craig Alexander, defending IM-Wisco champ Chris McDonald, 70.3 ringer Paul Mathews, Retul's new Boulder studio bike fitter Mat Steinmetz and a strong Aussie AG'er Adam Cartmell. We got hailed and snowed on but made the round trip in just a shade over 7 hours (good thing we started out at 6am!).

This morning Brock Prime, an Aussie spending a month training in town, and I drove up to Mags for a solid 1-hour, 50-min 15-mile run. It was the first time up there in a few months and the first time running since the Boulder 5430 last weekend. We had a good run though and soaked the legs in the Boulder Creek for 15 minutes afterward. Now, after a short rest and update, I'm hoping on the bike to get in a couple of hours recovery ride.

It's been a good training weekend but I'm excited for Em to get back home. Usually I'm the one away traveling but it is a lonely house without her around. Just me and the two dogs this weekend as Leon had to go back to Melbourne as Merridee's mother unfortunately passed away last night after a two year battle with cancer.

Have fun and be safe out there!
LF

5430 Long Course race report

To be honest, Sunday's race was one of the most uneventful races I've had in a long time. In racing, at least in long course multisport, that can be a good thing.

The Boulder half ironman has been an independent race produced by Barry and Jodee Siff and their 5430 Sports company. This would mark their final race as they recently finalized the sale of their popular race series to the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), that is most widely known for producing the Ironman branded races, including Ironman Hawaii.

The 5430 races are always professionally produced providing a challenging course (at altitude), excellent prizes/prize money and stellar competition. This year was no different as the women's race had three current world champions on the start line with Chrissie Wellington, Julie Dibens and Joanna Zeiger all racing. The men's side was strong with Tim O'Donnell enjoying a breakout season, my housemate and sometimes training partner Leon Griffin, Minnesotan David Thompson and Olympians Simon Thompson and Tyler Butterfield. Butterfield also formerly raced on Slipstream development cycling team in Girona, Spain. The field was strong despite very small numbers.



In preparation for IM Wisconsin (MOO) next month, I have been cycling and bike racing a lot in the previous month and have not put in the hard yards in the pool. So, despite losing contact with the main pack of pro men, I was able to swim comfortably with a small group of the speedy pro women. I was pleased with this effort as I was able to control my effort throughout the 1.2-mile swim and exit The Res having used little energy.

My pre-race plan was to ride a hard but controlled effort throughout the 56-mile ride and hope that some of the other athletes up the road would eventually fall back towards me. I got into a good rhythm right away and just pushed away at the hardest pace I could hold. I passed defending champion Simon Thompson on St. Vrain Rd about 12 miles into the ride. I later found out he had been penalized for failing to stagger correctly, which basically means he was called for drafting.



This year included a short .6-mile out and back segment on Monarch Rd and this was the first time I was able to gauge my competition up the road. David Thompson, Leon Griffin and Australian strong rider Michael Cuppitt were 1:30 ahead and Tyler Butterfield was a further 30 seconds behind them. I knew they were strong riders, but I told myself to keep pushing and that I might have a chance to reel them in. After a strong second lap of riding, I maintained the exact time to those guys, except for Thompson who had jumped from the group and was 45 seconds up the road.

Onto the run, and after one of the slowest transitions ever witnessed at the event in which I proceeded to knock over my bike rack mate Leon's bike over twice and my new Felt B2 over once, I was out onto the run with only Cuppitt in sight up the road. I started onto the 2-lap mostly gravel run course at a good clip and reeled in Cuppitt at Mile 3. After hearing from Joe Gambles, a speedy pro not racing but out on the course Sunday, I was running in 5th place, I found a new source of motivation to hold onto the final money spot (5430 races pay the top five men/women). I looked ahead but feared Simon Thompson would be a man on a mission after his drafting penalty and that it would be near impossible to hold off a charge by him (he ran a 1:13 half-marathon in his 2008 victory).

The second lap was solid but with less than two miles to go my left calf began cramping and I kept having to shake it out in a sequenced move that likely resembled a wounded person trying to run away after being shot. It wasn't pretty but I kept my wits and made it to the finish in 5th place. It was a satisfying result, yes with a bit of luck (Thompson's penalty) but has my training for IM MOO on track.



Finally, I thought Leon put together a great race after what can only be described as a monster week of training (no taper leading into the race for that guy). He is in tip top shape and will be a force to reckon with the rest of the season. Also, a quick thank you to Jodee and Barry Siff as this Boulder community will truly be losing two excellent multisport ambassadors. Ironman will be hard pressed to top the productions the Siff's have created.

I also want to congratulate my sister-in-law, Kendra, who just returned after a six month deployment - where she trained only on a treadmill and bike trainer - to finish strong in her second half-ironman (and first race at altitude). She is very mentally tough. And, of course, thanks to Emmy for cheering at the race and for taking these photos.

Cheers,
LF

Just in -- cruisers

Em's Felt Hurley (check out Thor in the background -- he hates bikes)



Lars' Felt MP (military police)

giant water slide video

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Salida Road Race

On Friday, Em and I drove southwest of Denver to Salida for their annual Omnium cycling weekend. Because the race takes place in the middle of Ironman Wisconsin training, I decided to race in the 72-mile road race on Saturday, but not the TT on Friday or the Crit on Sunday.

Salida is a three hour drive from Boulder and sits in the valley with twelve 14,000-foot peaks surrounding the town. With the race start at 8am on Saturday, Em and I decided to drive down on Friday night. It was a last minute decision as a 3:30AM departure on Saturday AM didn't sound too appealing so all hotels in Salida were booked out. We ended up staying 12-miles up Monarch Pass at the Monarch Mtn Lodge with a bunch of other racers too. This was also a pet friendly hotel so Thor and Izzy made the car drive too.



With all the mountains surrounding town, I don't think it was very difficult for the race organizers to find a course route with lots of climbing! For the Cat 3 men, the race consisted of a long, six mile neutral rollout from downtown Salida and then six loops of a challenging 12-mile circuit. The circuit consisted of a very steep, but short uphill climb, a series of low grade climbs, steep and technical descents, a stretch of flat road and a false flat uphill. It was an excellent mix and altogether added up to over 10,000-feet of climbing and was very tough.



There were the usual suspects on the starting line, a list of proven climbers and strong riders including; Nate Llerandi (Feedback), Todd Robertson (Skins), Ben Buxton (Feedback), Jason Alexander (Vitamin), Jayson Middlemiss (Mafia) and a few younger guys. It was going to be a hard race but not one where a selection was made as soon as I thought. The first two laps of the course caused a selection on the steep climbs but the group continued to come back together on the flatter section. A rider from the Primal/HART team went solo from the group on the third lap and stayed away for the nearly two laps as the main group was disorganized and didn't work very well together. Unfortunately, it was right at this point Nate flatted and couldn't quite chase back on to the group.



The fifth lap caused a selection in the group and whittled the group down to ten riders. It remained intact until the final run up the steep climb. One rider broke clear on the climb and left the rest of the selection behind while he soloed alone to the win. I led the remaining five riders up the gradual incline for the next mile. The group was happy to sit on my wheel and eventhough I tried to swing off to coax other riders into taking a turn at pulling, the group was happy to soft pedal if it meant not going to the front. This is where I fail as a bike rider and cannot stand these tactics at the end of races. Instead of coming to a standstill, I tried three or four more times to put in a higher effort in order to further break the group apart. In the final 200 meters Jason and Jayson burst out of pack and sprinted for 2nd and 3rd and then 100 meters later Todd and another Primal/HART rider outsprinted me for 4th and 5th places. I ended up 6th.



I will try a few more road races including Niwot Crit, Koppenberg Circuit and Steamboat Springs Stage Race in the lead up to IM Wisconsin in an effort to earn enough points to upgrade to Cat 2 and also to get some good cycling miles and efforts in my legs for the 112-mile Madison course.

Special thanks to Em for driving the whole way to Monarch Friday night while I tried to provide the entertainment. She also drove over half of the way home. I think it was the most she has ever driven with me also in the car!

Safe Riding,
LF

This week belongs to the ___________

shark week on Disco channel...can't wait!

mt evans hill climb

today was the third time i've raced the mt. evan's hill climb. this is one of the gems on the colorado cycling scene and the best climbers in the state are always on the starting line. the pro field even gets some pro tour riders gunning for the record ascent time (currently held by tom danielson from the garmin slipstream team).

the fun begins in idaho springs - a 45 minute drive from boulder - and follows one of the highest elevated paved roads in north america to the mt. evans summit at 14,190 feet. this works out to a 27.4-mile climb (there are a few short lived down turns in the road).

the boys from feedback sports were very motivated to work for former pro triathlete-turned-cyclist nate llerandi. they set the pace for the low gradient false flats over the first seven miles and by the time the first real spikes in road came, all had completed their work except for ben buxton, who took over and set a strong pace for the next seven miles.

at the halfway point at echo lake, the road turns right past the ranger station and the next two miles are steep roads. i moved to the front and pushed at the highest tempo i could without going into the red zone. after two miles on the front, i'd had enough and peeled off to see the group had whittled down from fifteen down to seven riders.

i was consistent the rest of the ride and always welcomed the short downhill portions to recover just a tad. the final five miles after summit lake were difficult but the roads featured short straightaways and lots of switchbacks. over these final few miles the summit always appears so close, but the riding goes and goes and goes.

stuck in no mans land up the switchbacks, i kept a strong tempo going and crossed the line in 8th place, happy with the effort after taking a break from the bike after the dead dog classic race. it was also an improvement of five minutes over my previous race times, but times are highly variable depending on the pace in the early seven miles of the race as well as the weather conditions. today the pace was brisk at the beginning and the temps were cooler with very little wind, so we really had an ideal day for quick times.

congratulations to nate and his feedback sports teammates as i know he's been focusing his season around winning this race. i don't know finishing times, yet, but i'll bet he threw down a fast one today.

next up is to continue getting some base mileage in both the running and cycling in preparation for ironman wisconsin on september 13th. for full results from the hill climb, go to www.bicyclerace.com

cheers,
lf

picnic pic

This was after a big racing weekend for Matty (far left) and Leon (second left) who raced at Lifetime Fitness and Boulder Peak Tri.

Leon has lived with Em and I during the last two summers to escape the Melbourne, Australia winter and race in our North American season. He's going to San Francisco for the Vineman 70.3 race this weekend.

Em and I will go Mt Evans tomorrow for the annual 27-mile hill climb. It's a solid two-hour uphill effort.

Former Ole teammate retires from baseball

I played baseball with Charlie for two years at St. Olaf College (he was a sophomore when I graduated) and he was by far the most dominating pitcher in our conference. Congratulations on a great career Charlie. You completed what most every ball player can only dream of doing! - LF

Most Decorated Saints Pitcher, Ruud, Retires

ST. PAUL, MN (July 13, 2009) – Fans root for the underdog and it’s no surprise that 5’10”, 160 lb. St. Paul Saints pitcher Charlie Ruud was a fan favorite during his five-year career. On Monday, the hurler who earned his Masters of Divinity and wants to become a minister, retired from baseball.

The 27-year-old Ruud ends his Saints career as the most decorated pitcher in the team’s illustrious 17-year history. Ruud retires as the all-time leader in wins (36), strikeouts (300), games started (72), innings pitched (458.0) and complete games (9).

Originally from Cannon Falls, MN, Ruud’s storied career began out of nowhere during a tryout camp in 2005. He so impressed manager George Tsamis that the right-hander out of St. Olaf College was called upon late in the season to make an emergency start. He hurled a complete game 7.0 innings in game two of a doubleheader, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out five to earn his first win as a Saint. The rest of his career would take the same route.

"It was always an honor and thrill to take the field as a professional ballplayer. I'm deeply sad it will end, but I'm greatly thankful to the Saints organization, all the Saints' faithful, and especially George Tsamis and Jason Verdugo for having confidence in me and giving me the chance to do it over the last four years. It's probably the best one-day contract anybody in my circumstances could have hoped for."

In his first full season with the Saints, 2006, Ruud was dominant, tossing at least 5.0 innings in 19 of 20 starts and 7.0 innings in ten of those outings. He finished the season second in the American Association in games started (20), third in complete games (3), and fourth in innings pitched (132.0) and strikeouts (96). He helped pitch the Saints to a North Division Title as he put the Saints up 2-1 winning game three going 7.1 innings pitched allowing just a pair of runs while earning the victory. In the American Association Championship series Ruud won game two going six innings allowing just two runs, allowing the Saints to even the series.

In 2007, Rudd was again an innings-eater for the Saints. He lasted at least 5.0 innings in all 20 starts and 7.0 innings in nine of those 20 starts. From July 15 through August 21 he won six consecutive starts and struck out a career high 11 on August 15 at Sioux City. He finished first in the American Association in innings pitched (138.2), strikeouts (110), second in shutouts (2), wins (11), games started and third in complete games (4).

The 2008 season was highlighted when Ruud set the all-time Saints win mark on June 20 against the Sioux Falls Canaries with win number 27. The man he surpassed, Mike Meyer, was in the opposing dugout as the pitching coach of the Canaries. On July 22, he pitched in front of the home crowd in St. Paul at the All-Star Game and hurled 2.0 perfect innings.

This season, Rudd surpassed the all-time strikeouts mark on June 25 against the Canaries striking out Jared Lemieux in the third inning. The strikeout was number 292 of his career. In 13 games this season (12 starts), Ruud was 4-3 with a 4.72 ERA.

“Charlie Ruud is, and always will be, a true Saint,” said Tsamis. “He is one of the toughest players that has ever put on a uniform for us and has done an excellent job during his career. He is one great kid and it really is a sad day.”

Ruud was a standout with the St. Olaf Oles and a four-time all-MIAC selection. He went 27-10 with a 2.38 ERA in four years. During his sophomore season he was named the league’s Pitcher of the Year.

The Saints offered Ruud a coaching position with the team, which he is mulling over with his family. During the 2008 off-season, Ruud earned his Masters of Divinity allowing him to fulfill his dream of becoming a minister. In March, he and his wife Becky celebrated the birth of their first child, Lucy.

Dead Dog Classic

This past weekend Emmy and I drove up to Laramie, Wyoming for a two day, three stage cycling race. It is always fun to have a cycling specific block of training and racing during the racing season, especially since it lets me think like a single sport athlete for a short period of time. Unfortunately, it is a bit more difficult to actually perform up to the standards of these single sport athletes though!

Stage 1 - 86-miles

This race started in Albany, Wyoming (20 miles out of Laramie) at 8,400-feet. We rolled out 7 miles down to 7,500-feet before starting the climbing for the day. The first climb from Centennial gained 2,400-feet over 9 miles. There were no fireworks on this climb since it came fairly early in the race and we would have to retrace our steps in a few hours on the return trip. The group did shed the weaker climbers but stayed together with a group of 20-30 riders at the top of the Snowy Range Pass at 10,800-feet. Our race descended to Ryan Park at 8,400-feet which served as the turnaround for the race. The action started immediately on the climb back up Snowy Range Pass. I positioned myself behind former pro triathlete, and pint-sized climber, Nate Llerandi and he led a blistering tempo that quickly shattered the group.

Despite dropping a bit off the pace twice on the climb back up to the summit of the pass, I managed to claw myself back into the lead group on the sections of the climb that leveled out. At the summit, we were down to 12 or 13 riders and we were onto a fast descent back down the 9-miles. I led the group down the mountain and once back onto the flats, a rider in the group said we maxed out at 61 mph!

Over the rolling hills during the final 11 miles of riding, we caught a breakaway rider and dropped a few others from the group leaving only 10 of us to battle it out for the stage. I had suffered a few times throughout the ride with leg cramps and could sense I wouldn't have the strength to contest for the stage win. At one point during the final 5 miles, Llerandi took a pull next to me and I told him if his legs felt good that he should go for it and I would work as his "teammate" and attempt to block and chase any pursuers. He felt good and went for it and the rest of the group took the bait, let Llerandi ride off the front, and let me continue to set the pace all the way until the final 1km to go sign.

The final 1km was uphill and I was immediately off the back of the group as they had been sitting back in preparation for the finale. I finished the stage in 10th, :49 seconds behind Llerandi, who held on by 4 seconds to win the stage! It felt good to play a role in his win but even better to see the strongest rider on the day actually win the stage. In cycling, often times that doesn't happen.

Stage 2 - 40 minute Crit

The legs were soft on Sunday, but luckily the Cat 3's didn't start racing until noon, so Em and I had time to lounge around and play with Thor and Izzy who also made the trip with us.



The crit was uneventful, a quick pace but very clean on a non-technical course. I stayed out of trouble in the front of the group and just wanted to keep the GC contenders in check, not lose any additional time, and then let the time trial later that afternoon determine the final placing. I ended up finishing the crit in 10th place, being out sprinted by a few riders in the final 100-meters.

Stage 3 - 10 mile Individual Time Trial

This is my strongest form of racing and I am sorry to report I failed to prepare my equipment properly for the race. At Kansas 70.3 two weeks before, I was unable to shift into my two lowest (most resistant) gears on the bike, as my cables had frayed. Well, I didn't have this changed out so I was faced with the same situation again in yesterday's race against the clock. It is billed as a "flat" course, but the first 5 miles are slightly downhill with the return trip being slightly uphill. I rode the flat portions evenly but was forced to tuck and coast instead of risk spinning out on the downhill sections. I acknowledged before the race start this was no ones fault but my own and I tried to race my best with the situation I had. On the brighter side, I think this may have saved some strength in my legs for the return trip. I ended up finishing 5th on the time trial in 23min57sec, compared to the stage winner's 22:37. 2nd, 3rd and 4th were all within one minute. This moved me up to 7th place in the overall GC and good enough to cover our lodging or gas expenses for the trip:)



Next up will be the Steelhead 70.3 in Benton Harbor, MI. That means it is time to get back into the swimming and running routine again.

Cheers,
LF

BBQ

My parents are on their summer vacation visiting from Saudi and Hans and Eli are over from State College, Penn. Rain halted our attempts at a family photo last night but we still hunkered down for a good ol' summer BBQ.

cruising the bike path

this time it was up Vail Pass from Copper Mtn


the climb up Fremont Pass which descends down to Copper Mtn


the view on the right hand side of road riding towards Leadville


from earlier in the day at Tennessee Pass


first climb was up and over Battle Mountain outside of Minturn before crossing this bridge!

Go Nugs!

Billboard outside of our Denver studio on Larmimer / Broadway tagged by a local artist.

Res back in session

Yesterday morning was the first day of swimming back at The Res for me. I've been a bit under the weather so missed opening day on Tuesday. Convinced James (http://hadmeistergeneral.blogspot.com) to join me, and I was shocked when he rolled down the stairs for the 6:15 departure. He still needs work though as Em was out the door by 5:45 for her 6 o'clock practice at Flatirons and I had been up drinking coffee since six too.

Fast forward to The Res. A handful of swimmers were already in the water and swimming around the 800-meter loop the BAM (Boulder Aquatic Masters) volunteers set up. This crew is headed by Jane Scott who is one of the best coaches out there. She is feisty, writes tough workouts, but always shares a laugh with everyone at the pool. It is so cool that she has opened up this opportunity and gets a handful of kayak volunteers to help out every session! This open water swimming wouldn't be an option without them!

I noticed two of the swimmers already in the water and looping around were Justin "The Predator" Daerr and Chris "Big Sexy" McDonald. I started just as they were coming in from their first lap and got a nice warm up lap in on the first lap. James waited for Michael Lovato to come around and started with him. On my second lap, around the second buoy I ran into James, who had emerged out of nowhere. I later learned he did not see the first buoy and had been skipping it altogether. He righted his wrong on the third lap when Lovato and I yelled at him for cutting:) I ended up swimming four loops (3k) and James swam 3.5 total (albeit quite a bit faster!).

I'm going out to watch and video tape the time trial on the Morgul Bismarck course in Superior tonight. I won't be racing due to this lingering cold and will probably just be racing in Sunday's Koppenberg Circuit race. Will still be a good weekend of riding though.

Cheers,
LF

Steve Larsen passes away

News is already spreading about the passing of Steve Larsen. He collapsed during a track workout yesterday in Bend, OR and suffered an apparent heart attack.* He leaves behind his wife, five children, and brother Michael (who recently moved from Boulder out to Bend to be closer to Steve's family).

We recognize Steve as one of the most dominant endurance athletes of our time. Recently, he began racing competitively again after taking a few years off to develop his successful real estate business. He also recently started a new triathlon business called WorldTri.com.

I'm sure other triathletes feel the same way, that Steve was an inspiration for anyone looking to live life to it's fullest.

Here is a link to Slowtwitch.com which is closely following this most unfortunate news: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Very_sad_news_about_Steve_Larsen_P2338019/

* Velo News reported today Steve did not have a heart attack but possibly viral problems. www.velonews.com

like a dog...

i can't say i remember the last time i dipped into the well this deep. took an easy 2 hour spin with Em before the crit on Sunday. felt a bit of a sore throat creeping up before the crit, but decided to give it a go anyways. but, after a lackluster showing at the north boulder crit, i have come down with a sore throat and head cold. i hate these. i don't get sick very often, but i am a miserable person to be around when it happens. if you see Emily around town this week, be nice to her, cause she is being very patient dealing with her whiny husband.

i'm hoping to bounce back with enough energy to race the koppenburg circuit race in town this sunday. i do think i'll have to sit out for the time-trial and crit on friday and saturday though.

good news is, i finally have an excuse to hoard all the orange juice in our fridge for myself!

out,
lars

where are the fashion police?

wonder where i can pick up one of these peace-themed sweater vests?

Sunshine Hill Climb

Bucked up and paid for an annual ACA license earlier this week so I'm entering a few additional bike races this season. Cycling is a great way to get hard efforts and specific training in for longer triathlons, so I like hopping into a few of these each year.

We've got a good weekend of racing here in town this week with the Sunshine Hill Climb today and the North Boulder Park Crit.

Today was the Sunshine Hill Climb, a 9.1-mile climb from Sanitas Park in Boulder up to the outskirts of Gold Hill. The first six miles are pavement and the final three are dirt. The average gradient of the climb is 7.6% with steep sections of 23%.

This climb is an annual staple on the racing schedule, but I haven't raced it since 2005 when it was a stage in the Boulder Stage Race. Today was a cool one, with temperatures in the 40's both at race start and up higher on the mountain. It meant two things; it would be a quick pace up to the top and it would be a chilly descent back down to the bottom.

The Cat 3 race started out with a neutral roll out from the Boulder Center of Sports Medicine parking lot but quickly started once we passed the Sanitas Park trail head. For the first two miles, the pace was a good tempo but not high enough to put forth too hard an effort. The first major split in the group came at the first switchback leading up towards mile 3 where a young 5280 Chipotle rider, Yannick Eckmann, went to the front and started putting in hard efforts. The 50-strong group split into a lead group of six. I had my Velo News teammate, Fred Dreier, in there and I knew he would put in some strong efforts for as long as he could.



The next split happened at the 5 mile mark when Eckmann again put in a surge on a short but steep pitch of road and split the group up for good. I found myself alone in third place with second dangling about 50 meters up the road and the lead rider putting more distance on the rest of the field.

The real test is when the dirt starts and it was just a matter of finding a good tempo and concentrating on ticking the legs over. After a series of switchbacks, the 4th and 5th place riders caught up to me and I road with them over the last few miles until the final 200m. I wasn't able to react to the sprint to the line and crossed the finish in 5th. I finished at 8:53AM (we started at 8:07) which means I finished the climb somewhere between 46 and 47 minutes (edit: 46:47).

Now to climb into the Norma Tec MVP "puffy pants" to get in some recovery for the crit tomorrow afternoon.

LF

Pic of VN teammate Fred Dreier suffering down the final "straight" 200-meters

Good laugh

********************* -THE OFFICIAL EURO CYCLIST CODE OF CONDUCT- ********************

Created by Dom Guiver and Mike Flavell

1. Image and style shall be the primary concerns of the Euro Cyclist. When suffering, one must focus first on maintaining a cool, even composure and second on performance. Winning races is an added talent, and only counts if said Euro Cyclist wins with appropriate style.

2. Training shall be based solely on feel, while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct: that is to say, “soul.” The Euro Cyclist will never accept tried or tested scientific training methods.

3. The Euro Cyclist shall NEVER, under any circumstances, wear plain black spandex bibs (shorts, regardless of colour are BANNED) or ANY team kit
containing non-prominent logos. Shorts will extend approximately 2/3rds of the way down the upper leg and will contain a compression band at the bottom (distinct in colour). In NO CONDITION shall they extend any further!

4. Legs shall be SHAVED year-round. ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS. Certain hair removal creams are endorsed only on a case-by-case basis. One shall never show up to a race (be it large or small) with ANY amount of stubble visible on one’s legs.

5. A prominent line where one’s kit ends and where one’s deep tan begins is essential to one's image. Artificial tanning is BANNED. The tan shall reflect the level of training commitment.

6. The socks of the Euro Cyclist shall extend to within two (2) cm. of the main bulge of the calf muscle, and shall never extend further than one (1) cm. past said primary calf muscle bulge. All socks SHALL BE WHITE in colour with prominent logo placement.

7. Cycling shoes shall contain at least 80% white!
The following exceptions apply:
i) Colour combinations such as world cup stripes or Olympic gold for which the title has been EARNED.
ii) Shoes which are custom-made for specific riders by companies endorsed by this group. These shoes shall be accessible to the particular cyclist only, and shall follow the preceding rules.

8. If white cycling shoes are not available where the Euro Cyclist resides, white booties (or “shoe covers”) with prominent logos shall ALWAYS be worn. When booties are worn, socks shall protrude approximately seven (7) cm. above the ankle, and shall always protrude at a minimum one (1) cm. from any booties worn.

9. One’s bike frame shall contain between two (2) and four (4) colours IN ADDITION TO WHITE. All colours are acceptable as long as they combine tastefully and elegantly. In addition, wheel selection must also match frame and fork.

10. One shall race only on Campagnolo Boras or Lightweights. Fulcrum Racing One, Corima Aero+ or Zipp (404 or 202) wheelsets are considered stylish enough to be used as training wheels ONLY. Irregardless, ceramic bearings shall be used at ALL TIMES on both training and race bikes.

11. ALL wheels shall be equipped with tubulars, regardless of one’s ability in gluing them.

12. Ridiculously stylish eyewear (see endorsed products list) is to be worn AT ALL TIMES without exception. Glasses are to be worn over helmet straps at all times.

13. Hair shall be kept neatly short, and matching helmet shall be worn (again with prominent logo placement). The helmet shall be predominantly white. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES shall a clashing helmet colour be worn with one’s euro kit. Helmets are not to be worn when venturing indoors AT ANY TIME. It is, however, acceptable to wear one’s helmet while outdoors on a patio (see rule 34).

14. In certain RARE cases, it shall be deemed acceptable to have long hair. In this event, hair shall be neatly slicked back in a severely euro style, and helmet SHALL NOT be worn. It is IMPERATIVE that rule 12 is followed in these special instances.

15. When riding, sans helmet (with short hair), a team issue cycling cap (white in colour), shall be worn. The bill shall remain in the downward position at all times. The cycling cap may be worn forwards or backwards to coincide with the specifics of one’s current hairstyle. During spring training, cycling toques shall be worn at all times in place of caps.

16. Kits must always be freshly washed, and one shall ALWAYS have applied a subtle quantity of eau de toilette (or “cologne”). It is, AT ALL TIMES FORBIDDEN to ride in an unwashed kit. This is severely detrimental to one’s image.

17. Saddles shall be white in colour ONLY and shall be manufactured in Italy or France. Exceptions may be made in the following cases:
i) Saddles containing World Cup Stripes or Olympic Gold when it is EARNED
ii) Italian flag colour combo when rider is ITALIAN (born in Italy)

18. Handlebar tape is required to be cork as well as WHITE IN COLOUR. Bar tape shall be kept in pristine white condition. This state shall be achieved either through daily cleansing or through frequent replacement. These jobs must NEVER be performed by the cyclist as one must maintain one’s image.

19. All stems must be a minimum of 120mm long and of a rise no higher than -10 degrees. Stems shall be positioned no more than 0.5cm above the top of the headtube. ALL stems shall ALWAYS be oversized, made out of ALUMINUM, and airbrushed in kit/frame colours. In certain cases (Mario Cipollini) it is advised that one airbrush a buxom young woman onto the top of one’s stem.

20. The Euro Cyclist shall ALWAYS have liniment applied to his legs before appearing in public.

21. Facial hair shall be restricted to (at a maximum) a goatee, and even this is discouraged. Moustaches, beards, and any combination thereof are EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED in all instances. Stubble is, however, advisable in virtually ALL euro-situations. It is important to note that this DOES NOT apply to the legs.

22. Campagnolo shall be THE ONLY acceptable component and it is hereby deemed superior to ANY Shimano product in ALL circumstances and situations. The Euro Cyclist is expected to have nothing less than an ENTIRE campy grouppo. Crank substitutions are NOT permitted. There is, however, a case by case exception for SRAM Red.

23. One shall NEVER, under any circumstances, acknowledge the presence of a cyclist riding a bike costing less than 2000€ in ANY public place. This may be severely detrimental to one’s image. If such a situation cannot be helped, it is CRITICAL that the Euro Cyclist regard his “acquaintance” with a patrician mixture of disdain and SEVERE condescension.

24. One shall NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, associate with triathletes. This cannot be overemphasized! It is FORBIDDEN to have any number inked onto one’s body before a race.

25. Any physical activity other than cycling is STRONGLY FROWNED UPON. This includes any form of running or swimming and their derivatives (this includes walking). The ONLY TWO other sports with a recognized degree of euro are: cross-country skiing and long track speed skating.

26. Mountain bike gloves are FORBIDDEN in all instances. Cycling gloves shall be slick, white (in accordance with kit), and have minimal padding. Padding will be beige or white in colour. Wearing NO GLOVES is entirely acceptable and encouraged. In the case of a Euro Cyclist wearing a leader’s jersey special gloves shall be made to match the colour of the jersey while simultaneously blending the colours of the team kit.

27. In a circumstance where any cyclist (or TRIATHLETE) ever displays aggression or disrespect towards a Euro Cyclist, he is required to ride up uncomfortably close to his foe and slap them in the face with his team issue gloves.

28. In the event a motorist disturbs one’s ride: one shall proceed to ride up beside the car, form a clenched fist and bang the boot of the car while doing one’s best to sound irritated in Italian. Wild arm and head movements (“Gesticulation”) are strongly encouraged to enhance the apparent rage.

29. One shall NEVER rearrange one’s package while riding. Adjustments regarding seating/hanging comfort are to be done in private in order to preserve image.

30. ABSOLUTELY NO FORM of seatbag, frame pump, mud guard or mirror shall come within two (2) metres of one’s bike.

31. Gearing shall be restricted to a titanium Campy Record 11-23 cassette with a ABSOLUTE MINIMUM of 42-53 up front. One must never be seen pedaling at a cadence greater than 90 rpm in order not to detract from one’s calm/smooth factor, or “Suplesse.” The use of 25-toothed cog is acceptable for severely mountainous training situations.

32. ALL BIKES shall feature personalized nameplates next to one’s home country’s flag, located on the top-tube within ten (10) cm. of the seat-tube ON THE DRIVE SIDE ONLY.

33. Pedals MUST be either Look or Time. No other pedals are to be considered. As always, ANY form of Shimano product is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

34. Coffee is a NECESSITY and as such it must be consumed STRONG (e.g. espresso) on a patio in Italy in full kit; it shall be drunk BLACK. Sugar is STRONGLY FROWNED UPON. The only milk present shall appear frothed on top (if at all). The euro cyclist shall, if possible, develop a fondness for the triple ristretto.

35. All podium shots (“pictures”) shall be taken while wearing one’s team kit and appropriately matching casual euro shoes (such as Pumas). Socks shall remain within the guidelines above. One is expected to display an appropriate degree of bulge while receiving kisses/trophies. The bulge may vary according to the outlandishness/impracticality of the victory prize (e.g. livestock and/or enormous cheese wheels).

36. All pre- and post-race activity SHALL be conducted under a gazebo (this includes massages, interviews, seductions, and looking fantastic) leaving one in reasonable distance of the Euro-sun to top up one’s enviable tanlines and pose for photos.

37. Post-race, one shall be tied to one's mobile phone, receiving endless calls from:
i. One’s attractive girlfriend, or
ii. Important ad executives concerning modeling contracts. This shall be done under the protection of the post race gazebo.

38. Team bikes will be built up so that they violate the UCI weight limit in order that weights might be attached to the frame to demonstrate its superiority and lightness.

39. Motivational music during training shall consist of late 90s trance or progressive house, hereby known as 'euro beats.' NO EXCEPTIONS.

40. Water Bottles shall be referred to solely as "Bidons" and shall have a volume NOT EXCEEDING 500ml. Bidons shall always match team/kit colours. It is NOT ACCEPTABLE in ANY CIRCUMSTANCE to leave one’s bidons on the bike for more than ten (10) minutes post-ride OR while transporting bikes via bike rack.

41. Naked black ALL CARBON water bottle cages (manufactured by ELITE CAGES) shall be used on ALL BIKES. Exceptions include:
i) Special edition 24k gold cages, acceptable in certain cases such as photo shoots, prologues or where colour coordination dictates (e.g. gold cage with Olympic gold/white team kit).

42. A gold pendant on a very long, thin chain bearing some form of religious icon is STRONGLY recommended for mountain races.

43. While soloing in for a victory, one shall ensure that one’s jersey is FULLY ZIPPED and ALIGNED so that all title sponsors are clearly visible. One shall then smile and flex one’s arms while pointing sky-wards. The projection of one’s fatigue is EXPLICITLY FORBIDDEN IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

44. When appearing in a photo spread for a sponsor’s products, the Euro Cyclist has the option of appearing fully nude, in team kit, or in a full Brioni three-piece suit (nothing else). Smiling is PROHIBITED in these instances.

45. When appearing in documentaries, one must be seen walking around the hotel in one’s kit at all times. It is also recommended that one constantly be eating something in front of the cameras.

46. When asked "how are you?" while riding one must proceed with one of the following...
i. Complain about coming off a sickness
ii. Explain that one is peaking for bigger races later in the season
iii. Mention that this is a "recovery ride"
iv. Explain that one is at the tail end of one’s daily six (6) hour training ride

47. If one feels the urge to relieve oneself during a race, one shall gracefully meander to the back of the pack, seat oneself sideways on the saddle, and pee into the sunflowers. It is the DUTY of the Euro Cyclist to ensure that no camera crew catches the act, for it could be severely detrimental to one’s image. Under no circumstances shall one dismount from his bike in order to urinate.

48. When climbing anything with a gradient above twenty (20) percent OR lasting greater than four (4) kilometers, the Euro Cyclist shall fully unzip his jersey and let it flutter freely in the wind.

49. When dropping out of a race, one shall avoid the embarrassment of entering the official broomwagon and shall instead wait for the team vehicle. When asked the reason for dropping out, one shall cite mechanical problems or oncoming sickness in order to avoid any negative speculation in regards to one’s fitness.

50. If in doubt, the euro cyclist shall mention in an interview that his pollen allergies are acting up, and that he’s not sure that he’ll win the Giro this year. In this situation he must note that the sensations are otherwise good, and that he will eventually win a beautiful stage.

51. Team-building motivational camps shall be held annually in the off-season. These are to place team members in as ridiculous a setting as possible. Photos shall be widely reproduced to demonstrate team cohesion.

52. During the pre-race medical checks, star riders of each team are strongly advised to play doctor with each other while shirtless. Photos taken must strive to be as HOMO-EROTIC AS POSSIBLE.

53. In order to avoid the harsh European winter, one shall:
i. Flee to the warmer climates of Mallorca/South Africa/Canary Islands/etc.
ii. “Train the mind, body and soul” with Kreitler-brand rollers

54. In the event of a crash, regardless of the gravity of an injury the Euro Cyclist shall mummify himself in fishnet gauze. The act of gauzing oneself (in order to continue racing while injured) is looked upon with respect by other Euro Cyclists as a statement of commitment and of strength of character. One shall use white gauze to bandage injuries; however, world cup striped gauze and/or national colors may be used in addition to white in select circumstances.

55. No form of large or obtrusive tattoo shall be printed onto the skin anywhere on the body. Small, discreet tattoos of the Virgin Mary or Olympic rings (assuming one has participated in Olympic games) no larger than three (3) cm. by three cm. shall be considered tasteful if AND ONLY IF located out of sight while one wears regular kit.

56. If a rider’s sponsors do not make quality parts, then the rider shall buy better parts and superimpose his sponsor’s stickers over them (e.g. Quickstep's past rebranding of Time products as Specialized).

57. No rider shall wear any shorts with any type of hole showing skin below unless said hole and or opening was from a recent crash DURING that training session and/or race. Wearing ripped shorts is allowed ONLY while one is struggling to the finish and/or to the correct place to wait for the team car to take one out of the race.

58. When cresting the summit of a climb the Euro Cyclist will sit up, zip his jersey, and reach into his pocket for a snack while simultaneously looking back to see who will be accompanying him on the descent. Note that while coasting to allow another rider to catch up (in order to work together on the way down) is allowed, coasting in order to rest is FORBIDDEN.

59. The Euro Cyclist shall own a sizeable parrot and will ensure that he is seen walking around photo shoots with it perched either upon his casually outstretched index finger or upon his shoulder. Hair should be slicked back for maximal effect. The parrot should either be white or it should contain three (3) or more colors found within the World cup stripes. One must always smile when pictured with the parrot. The parrot should speak fluent Italian. In certain cases it is deemed advisable that the Euro Cyclist possess, in place of a parrot, SEVERAL young pumas.

60. The Euro Cyclist shall never ride deep carbon wheels with aluminum braking surfaces, with the exceptions of Mavic wheels and the Ghibli disc. Aluminum braking surfaces detract from the seamless transition of black carbon to black tire that makes the Euro cyclist look so devilish upon his race wheels. Deep carbon wheels shall have prominent decals upon them UNLESS they originate from Carbonsports in Germany.

61. When the Euro Cyclist wins a race or a grand tour he shall stylishly uncork the bottle of champagne and spray it around the podium. If the rider is ravenous, slightly overweight and German he shall place the opening of the champagne bottle close to his mouth and drink (heavily) with puffed out cheeks and a smile. If the rider is truly Euro he will take the ENTIRE bottle of champagne in his arms and parade about the finish area with it. Champagne bottles must be COMICALLY OVERSIZED. One should spray the podium girls. Especially if they are dressed in white.

62. At the finish of a Grand Tour the Euro cyclist shall celebrate by cycling around the finish area decked out in team kit and proper Euro casual footwear. If married, the Euro cyclist shall have his child in his arms. The toddler may rest upon his handlebars, or in the event that the Euro cyclist achieves a podium spot, accompany the rider onto the podium. The child should have its own victory salute that will be used in conjunction with that of his/her father. In some cases the child is permitted to wear an entirely-too-large team jersey. This rule shall be upheld by ALL riders save for Mario Cipollini, who would be unable to comply due to the sheer number of offspring he has fathered courting supermodels over the past two decades.