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Sea Otter Tech: Part 3
This year’s Sea Otter Classic, like so many of its predecessors, served as a launching pad for companies looking to introduce new products. The event also maintained tradition by hosting a few funky one-off project bikes, and a few sneak peeks at products in the works. Here’s a quick look at some legitimately launched products, and a few that were mostly kept behind the curtain. Also, to get yourself in the mood, take a look at Brad Kaminski's 360-degree panoramic shot of the Sea Otter tech expo.
A one-off, 12-pound Trek
Sore knee takes Gesink out of Flechè
Dutch climbing specialist Robert Gesink has been forced to pull out of Wednesday's Flèche Wallonne because of a painful right knee. The 22-year-old Rabobank rider, fourth in last year's race, felt the pain towards the end of Sunday's Amstel Gold Race, in which he finished third. A subsequent scan convinced team doctors that he should have two days' complete rest and resume training on Thursday, when a decision will be taken on whether he competes in Liège-Bastogne-Liège next Sunday.
Ventoux highlights tough Dauphiné Libéré
Mont Ventoux will be the top attraction of a challenging 2009 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, a favorite warm-up for Tour de France contenders. BMC snagged an important invitation to race the demanding, eight-day course across the heart of the French Alps June 7-14, which might help ease some of the team’s disappointment after being overlooked for the Tour de Suisse later that month. Race officials on Monday announced details of the 2009 route, which will have few opportunities for sprinters and plenty of challenges for riders bucking for the overall.
Haussler stays atop UCI rankings
Even though he didn’t race this weekend, Heinrich Haussler (Cervélo TestTeam), retained the top spot in the UCI world rankings. The German-Aussie sprinter headed to the beach following his impressive spring campaign and skipped Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race, but he held enough of a margin to retain the lead of the updated rankings released Monday. In fact, there were no major shakeups, with the exception of Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto), who catapulted from 21st to ninth after finishing fourth in the Dutch classic.
Racing This Week: Flèche, Liège wrap up classics season
The Ardennes classics at Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastone-Liège dominate the European racing calendar this week. Race organizers wisely get out of the way and let these two behemoths take center stage in an exciting finale to the spring classics season. In Italy, the Giro del Trentino serves as a preview of who’s on form for the upcoming Giro d’Italia while the women’s World Cup continues with the Flèche Wallonne Féminine on Wednesday.
Wednesday, April 22
73rd Flèche Wallonne (Bel, HC)Sauser rides away with Sea Otter XC
Weather always affects the racing at Sea Otter. Some years torrential rain changes the course; other years the heat and wind dish out beatings. This year organizers made the game-time decision to shorten the course due to heat. But one thing was for certain this year on the 90-degree day: Christoph Sauser and Georgia Gould were on fire.
Recovering from injury, Chris Horner hopes to ride with Armstrong at Giro, Tour … and the Gila?
What is one to make of a season that has involved multiple crashes while also riding on the best form of a near 20-year professional career? If you’re Chris Horner, you look at the glass half full. The always-smiling Horner, the number-three American on an all-star Astana team that also features Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer, departed the Tour of the Basque Country earlier this month after a crash sent him flying over his handlebar and sliding under a guardrail, injuring his right shoulder.
Fyxomatosis Melburn-Roobaix
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BMC’s Scott Nydam solos to win the pro men’s Tour of the Battenkill in New York
It wasn’t a move meant to last, but when Scott Nydam, of BMC Racing, rolled across the line to win the Tour of the Battenkill pro men’s Invitational following a 112-mile breakaway — about half of it solo — the rider from Sebastopol, California, said the victory was a long time coming. “Five months of training and a lot of preparation went into this,” Nydam said. “It all came out today.”
Rock Racing fires Creed, Baldwin and Grajales
Rock Racing on Sunday confirmed it had fired Michael Creed, Caesar Grajales and Chris Baldwin. Team owner Michael Ball said the move was made to save money.