Saturday, September 29, 2007

How cool is this! Kenny Williams takes the Rock-Racing Crit in Vegas!

Vegas Baby!
Here is what Vegas is about: "Liza, just back from a island, working on hooking up with Chipo." She can translate for him!


We had the chance to meet with so many of our top pros. Below are our 'top guns' of 24 hour racing. Both Nat Ross and Reba are working hard to push the 24 hour race! Reba even has a light named after her 2007 World Champion success. The light is actually the same color of her old live-in car, where she spent years. Vegas can be fun, but also a ton of work, such as long hours standing!



Kenny Williams put the move on his race, as he rode away from an industry 'star field' at the Rock Racing Industry Crit on Thursday night. This 'star feild' included the famous Mario Chippolini, "The Lion King" stud from Italy, perhaps one of the best sprinters of all times. In the end it was Kenny Williams (Full Speed Ahead!) taking out the lengthy 40 kilometer criterium ahead of the impressive competition.

I lost my voice, yelling at Kenny Williams on the back half of the race to get on the nose, drive his knees, tuck his head, and hang in there, as he was roding away! After the race, I asked if he could hear me, and he said, "Oh Yes," with a huge grin on his face. Kenny is one of our Wobble-Naught fitters and has even gone to London, England for us.

I also got a chance to talk to Mario Chippolini during breakfast at the Luz, at 3 in the morning. Our friend Liza who rides for Tibco, had been hanging with him all week, and Liza can speak Italian which is very cool!






The high speeds and varying ability levels of the nearly 90 entries made for a race of attrition until late in the game, with gaps forming from the start. Eventually a lead group formed with a lot of usual suspects, including Mark McCormack, now a sales representative for Fuji bikes.

In the end, out of this group, Williams and Joao Correia (Bicycling) escaped with less than 10 laps to go. Correia stayed on wheel for a few laps, then Kenny put him in the wind and he could not match Kenny as he powered away! Track racing pays off!




It was great fun to watch the race from many different points within a huge parking lot surrounding the course. I did not catch it, but I heard that Chipo wrecked the first turn on the last lap. I saw a huge wreck at the end of the pro race there!

At about 10 laps to go, you could see Kenny moving forward, sitting on the nose of the saddle, as he he was just pulling away in the final labs! No questions about it, our fit allows you to get the most out of your legs. We set you up so that you have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd on the saddle alone.

We also had the chance to watch one of our gals from Boise, ID lead a number of hot laps. Jenn Halladay, mother to five children, was marked as they informed her previous to the race, so that she was not allow to ride away as she did in Boise, ID. The course was not a pure power type of course, but more of a low-end sprint style, which was not her type with the long straights. She would pass many, only to get shut down during the turns where racers kept slowing. She then started passing on the outside of the turns. Parking lot racing is not her thing!

The Cheerwine team did everything right: they were lining up front, blocking, slowing down many, and putting Van Gilder into positions to use her best skills, where she sprinted for the win. Laura Van Gilder is the overall crit winner.

In the last race, a huge pro field, A&F still had a chance to win team for the season. They had six guys in the tight and twisty crit. Mark Hekman, who was the 2007 crit leader until nationals, was on hand to cheer his team. Mark fractured his ankle at nationals, but ended the season in 3rd. The A&F team where unable to get to the front on parking lot. They got stuck in mid-field and were blocked, unable to move up. However, this was a super showing for the 2007 season, as they needed 2nd overall.

All in all, Vegas was fun, with XC racing in the night, the fall moon, and lights laying the strip in the background. I was able to hook up with a number of our 'top guns' such as Georgia, Shonny, Reba, Nat, Erny, Hunter, Gary Fisher, Dave, Wayne, Eddie, Jenn, Kenny, Remi, the A&F team, Liza, Kendra, Sue, and the countless others who were at the show.



It's the one place that you can have a talk face to face with people who are players of the game. With that, you might be surprised who we might work with. Shonny wants us back to her home near Kona, and Georgia wants us to come down to Colorado to work on her game.



Our tools make a difference and success is reality. There are many others coming, however I will not yet disclose them for the coming 2008, until after the fact. After a week in 'Vegas Hype!' all you want are the facts and the truth! Give me the real fit!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Kristin Armstrong gets Sliver at Worlds!

TEAm Lipton's top gun now holds a Worlds gold, silver, and bronze within three years!
We think that is super! How do you measure success?

Monday, September 24, 2007

Georgia Gould 4th, the best from the US in Pekin, China!

Olympic Mountain Bike Testing Event

The difference is in the details... we don't fit you at a glance, just using our eyes and guesswork. We don't use videos, placing markers on you body to track your movement. "NAUGHT". Your skin moves, so how detailed can that be?

Our software makes a difference and we can back it up with all the results, even winning the World games. Check out our history of success. Our solution is custom-fitted to suit your dimensions, not someone else's!

Georgia has followed her own road. She is still transforming to become one of the best in the mountain bike games. She is chipping away track time towards her quest of placing well in the 2008 Games in China. Given all the mass marketing ideas on how a bike should be setup, she has "sanctuary" and trust in our solutions. She is the only USA racer who placed well all season at the World Cup. Not your local bike races.

As you might suspect, with so many top racers using our systems, we have had a few pro's who did not stick to their fit. Someone else (factory, coach, etc...) had a better idea. These racers are always looking for an edge, for more, or they just go by their feel from race to race. Then we have seen them return to their Wobble-Naught fit and become World Champions! We can nail down the correct fit no matter how many bikes you have, allowing you to take it to the world. The results tell all! A wrong idea may become the end of your chance to race the World Cup, so why guess? It's Your choice.

At each event worldwide, Georgia has her "peace of mind", knowing the benefit of her Wobble-Naught CAD solution and Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish. When you see the truth, you stop all the "voodoo". This has been Georgia's best season ever. She knows what to do and what works best for her.

There is a lot of hype, so be careful what you hear. We are the real deal, not some mass marketing fit idea, and we will show you what's in your game!

Laoshan/Pékin, China, September 22, 2007

Results for Elite women:

1. Ying Liu (Chn) 1.45.00
2. Sabine Spitz (Ged) 1.25
3. Lene Beyberg (Nor) 1.35
4. Georgia Gould (USA) 2.40 Wobble-naught and Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Logon To Jackson Hole Race "Jenn Halladay rides away for win."

Jenn is a mother of five. Don't let that fool you! She is the real deal and can lap some of the best in the business on a road or crit, as she did this past summer. Think about racing 206 miles in one race, riding alone and away for over 80 miles.

In her own words:

"Logan to Jackson (LOTOJA) is a gruelling 206 mile race spanning three states and three major passes (the first pass is 20 miles long and up). I won in 2006 using Wobble-Naught and repeated this past week in 2007.

Here is how it went: The women's field consisted of 64 riders, a great women's field. We have great climbing in Boise, ID, so I have had time on the hills. My strategy was to drive the pace to the first climb and see who could stay and well, it worked. No one could stay with me on that first climb so I ended up moving into a time-trial mode, off the front for the next 80 or so miles until two other racers working together caught me and then the three of us worked together until Jackson where I was able to out sprint them for the win.

Just finishing this race is an experience alone, so winning it is pretty incredible. I had a new bike for 2007, so I took it to Tom at Wobble-Naught at George's in Boise, Idaho, wanting the same fit that worked well for me in 2006. I learned that every bike is different, for example seat tube angles (where it is behind the bottom bracket), allow me to bridge and give me the ability to achieve the correct pedal stroke, which is key. So I paid for the CAD fit, plus two hours of the Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish to watch what my muscles were really doing. My game has not been better!

In this game, being a female, being from the same town as Kristin Armstrong and other very strong female racers, everyone seems to have an idea on what you need to focus on. You don't quite look right, your saddle is too high, your this, your that, etc... (pros everywhere!) Many of these ideas come from males (or should I say male egos) whom I ride with. I do have a coach and he is great, but without the bio-feedback, I didn't really know when to fire the muscles for the very best stroke. Boise, Idaho is not that big, so you hear everything that is pointed out by someone. It was even pointed out that a boyfriend of a local star thought my fit was off, and I thought, can he see it? This statement came just before our largest event. Sometimes you wonder how some attempt to get into your head. Anyway, I stuck to my game and ended up taking most of the prims, and lapped the field that included some of the best women in the game. Kristin Armstrong won this race in 2006 with her very strong TEAm Lipton, and she out sprinted the leader of crit points, pro Laura Van Glider (Cheerwine), who had two teammates, one from Boise, Idaho this year for second. Not an easy race!

During the Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish, I had the chance to see the sEMG from Georgia Gould and Tom pointed out that she has had her best season ever! So I focused hard on what Wobble-Naught CAD suggested and Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish bio-feedback, not someone elses ideas or just eye-see. The results are in now, even without the support of a strong road team! Many times I just ride solo, knowing I can ride away from the pack. Results, results, results!

A few days before the race I was starting to get my feet beat up. The first thing in my mind was that the footbed was broken down. So the day before leaving for the race, I went to Tom to see what the problem might be. The footbed was fine, however Tom discovered that my shoe was broken down and that I needed new ones. So, with brand new shoes just before a 206 mile race, you can imagine I had concerns! Tom reassured me not to worry. After using the laser, getting my cleats mounted where they needed to be, and placing the old footbed into the new shoe, I was off to the start. Tom quite amusingly called them "new horse-shoes"! I put my trust in him that everything had been looked at, even with brand new shoes (no worries!). I worked hard on the correct pedal stroke and my past training, therefore I was able to totally control this race.

I felt great even after 206 miles, so I wouldn't change anything!"

Representing your country is a big deal when you go to Worlds!

We are very pleased to know and to have had the chance to work with these three top elite racers who will be going to Worlds: Kristin Armstrong, Lauren Franges, both from TEAm Lipton, and Tina Pic from Colavita-Sutter Home-Cooking. These are some of the top USA racers.

Representing the women's team in the road race will be Kristin Armstrong (Team Lipton), Amber Neben (Flexpoint), Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders), Mara Abbott (Webcor Builders), Tina Pic (Colavita-Sutter Home-Cooking Light), Lauren Franges (Team Lipton), and Katheryn Curi (Webcor Builders).

All seven women will contest the 172 kilometer road race as the U.S. secured the maximum number of start positions plus an entry for Pic, the current Pan American road race champion.

The U.S. will also have four time trial entries for the elite women's category which are filled by: 1. the defending world champion Armstrong, the current Pan American champion Alison Powers (Colavita-Sutter Home-Cooking Light), Neben, and Thorburn.

What more can we ask for, given the many differing ideas on bike fitting, to get to work with the elite of the elite.

Good luck gals! We wish you the best!

Monday, September 17, 2007

Georgia Gould takes 6th! Super Results!

Georgia has been working very hard towards her goals of the 2008 Games. The World Cup is not easy and her results are right there, if not getting better with each race! Georgia has found about 3 minutes in her game through the season. Just a little more to go!

Results:

1. Ying Liu (Chn) China 1.37.06
2. Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Rocky Mountain Haywood 0.43
3. Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak 0.52
4. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Ghost International Racing 1.37
5. Ren Chengyuan (Chn) China 2.11
6. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Womens MTB 3.28

Monday, September 10, 2007

Kristin Armstrong wins Holland!

Armstrong wins Holland Ladies Tour.

Kristin Armstrong (TEAm Lipton) racing for the US National Team, used her expertise in the tt to win the Holland Ladies Tour, while T-Mobile Team took the second and third places overall.

Armstrong was able to move up from 17th place, going into the final stage to take the stage and overall win. She finished the 19.9-kilometer tt 18 seconds ahead of Raleigh's Christiane Söder and 32 seconds ahead of T-Mobile's Linda Villumsen. The final podium was Armstrong in first, with Judith Arndt in second, and Villumsen in third.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Two in top 10 at Worlds, Georgia Gould takes 9th & Emily Batty U23 10th!

Mountain Bike World Championships - CM
Fort William, Scotland
September 4-9, 2007


Race 10 - September 8: Elite women cross country

Results:

1. Irina Kalentieva (Russia) 1.44.08
2. Sabine Spitz (Germany) 0.39
3. Jingjing Wang (China) 1.42
4. Marie-Helene Premont (Canada) 3.16
5. Rosara Joseph (New Zealand) 3.34
6. Catherine Pendrel (Canada) 4.11
7. Anna Szafraniec (Poland) 4.37
8. Lene Byberg (Norway) 4.50
9. Georgia Gould (United States of America) 5.03
10. Blaza Klemencic (Slovenia) 5.59

A note from Steve Neal!

"Just wanted to let you know Emily Batty was 10th U23 at Worlds…great result! Top North American.

Steve"

Friday, September 07, 2007

Carey Lowery takes the Ultra Endurance Series!

Carey Lowery wins the NUE Series.

The National Ultra Endurance Series consists of seven 100 mile races held throughout the US. Racers must complete at least 4 of the 7 national series events in order to qualify for series awards and recognition. Carey Lowery (Outdoor Store - Chattanooga, TN) came away with podium places in each of the five events she competed in, including an impressive win at the Mohican 100. Carey was fit at 55nine Performance in Atlanta, GA. In addition to her NUE title, Carey took second to fellow Wobble-Naughter, Rebecca Rusch, in the equally tough, but separate USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Ultra-Endurance series. This kind of consistency is not an accident.

Carey, mother to a beautiful red head daughter and a full time veterinarian, was looking for an edge. She found that edge in the Wobble-Naught system. A proper fit and pedaling technique coupled with focused training schedules has allowed huge rewards for Carey. Congratulations on an amazing season.

If you live on the east coast, you best see Eddie, because he is the real deal!

Gould helps team get their first medal at UCI World mtb Team Relay - Fort William Scotland.

Good results for Georgia Gould (Luna/Wobble-Naught and Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish), as she helps get the USA a medal.

2007 UCI world mountain-bike championships
Fort William, Scotland
September 4, 2007

Team relay:
1. Switzerland, 1:33:36 (Florian Vogel, Thomas Litscher, Petra Henzi, Nino Schurter)
2. Poland, at 0:49 (Marcin Karczynski, Piotr Brzozka, Maja Wloszczowska and Dariusz Batek)
3. United States, at 1:09 (Georgia Gould, Ethan Gilmour, Sam Schultz, Adam Craig)

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Tanya Nestvogel (Prestige Subaru/Titus) gets on the podium!

Shenandoah Mountain 100
Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA, September 2, 2007

Tanya holds a real job, but can hang with some of the best in the game!

Results:

Women:

1. Sue Haywood (Trek Volkeswagen) 8.11.48
2. Carolyn Popovic (Trek / Volkeswagen East Factory) 49.06
3. Carey Lowery (Outdoor Store) 1.02.32
4. Tanya Nestvogel (Prestige Subaru/Titus) 1.28.14

Tina Pic (Colvaita/Sutter Home) takes the money!

Pic wins the dash for cash.

Sprinter Tina Pic (Colavita/Sutter Home) took the prize in the 'Dash for Cash' over Rebecca Larson (Aaron) and Kacey Manderfield (Verducci).

"It is always a tricky race because it is so short," said Pic. "It was really aggressive because there was so much money on the line. I waited until 150 meters to go around Rebecca."

The women started at the Cumberland Mall into a 10-kilometer straight shot over the rollers of Cobb's Parkway. Robin Farina (Target Training) was the first to start a flurry of attacks before the first of three difficult hills.

"A lot of teams were boxed in, but Robin Farina and Debbie Milne (ProBike) were both really active and strong today," Pic said.

Rebecca Rusch takes World's 24 hour mtb in CA.

Laguna Seca - Monterey California

Description: Rebecca Rusch World Champion

2007 World 24 Hours of Adrenalin™ Championships

The 9th annual The World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin™ placed just outside Monterey, California at the Laguna Seca Raceway on September 1 & 2, 2007.

Just before the US Nationals, a little over a month ago, Rebecca Rusch attempted to get to Boise, ID to get her bike dialed, "WN fitted and Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish benefitted", however due to a few problems, she didn't make it out. Most of the problems where on my nickel, "bad phone service and my dad's death", which took me out of town.

When she went to US Nationals, she did not have the race she wanted, and she took 2nd. With so much invested in our fits, I talked to her to see how her bikes were setup. One of her bikes she setup herself, and the other was setup by eye's at the factory who provided her bikes and support. The two bikes where not the same. Think about jumping from one fit to another. Even her private mechanic got into the game, as he set the saddle to what he thought it should be. It seems that everyone knows what Reba needs. Finding out how her bikes had been setup pressed a "huge nerve!"

Reba made it home to Ketchum, ID after the US Nationals, and she then made time to go to our dealer Billy Olson in Hailey, ID to get her bikes where they needed to be! I informed Billy of the past problems with eveyone attempting to set her bikes up. I pointed out, that she must have the numbers we got for her using our CAD.

Now the results are in, and she is the World Champion 24 hour racer. Sure she trained hard, but which muscles?

As you might figure, we can't say it was the fit alone, however Nat Ross, who took 3rd at the same race, put it this way: "Reba Killed It." Nat said he could not even pass her and she was on the same laps, and that she killed them on the climbs. Nat Ross is not only a racer but also a fitter, and he did the fits for Georgia Gould. Nat said of the fit: "I know it's the bomb!!!"

Think about it: Georgia Gould and Rebecca Rusch have both been fitted in Boise, ID, and when they took their measurements to other dealers, they got the same precision, "attention to the details".

We also had two racers in the top 4 in the mens pro. Nat Ross took 3rd and just behind him Erie (Solo Goat) took 4th. What a showing! When you race for 24 hours, you need to be spot-on with your fit.


There is a lesson here: If you have a Wobble-Naught CAD fit, stick to it! It can make a difference for you, as it has for so many!

Congrats REBA!