Large fan base at US Pro 2012. Perhaps the largest ever in the US?

USA Pro Challenge – Stage 6

On paper, today’s route looked no different than the others in the seven-day USA Pro Challenge. More tough climbs at high altitude. Just another day of racing in Colorado.

But as the crowds filled the streets of Golden and Boulder cheering, boisterous, and loud, everyone understood today was different. As the peloton passed through each small town and saw thousands of fans lining the route, each team knew today was special. And as the racers slowly climbed the slopes of Flagstaff Mountain with 30,000 people pressing in on all sides, everyone knew they were making history.

Today’s race drew the biggest crowds ever seen in North American cycling. Team Exergy Race Director, Tad Hamilton, clearly felt the thrill of the moment: “Amazing! Amazing roadrace! It was a blessing to be in that race.”

Exergy’s Serge Tvetcov had a front-row seat to the excitement as he rode most of the day in a 14-man break. Serge took maximum points fromt the first two sprints of the day, propelling him into fourth place overall in the points category.

The break began to come apart as they made their way up the slopes of Flagstaff Mountain. When United Healthcare’s Rory Sutherland attacked from the break, no one could answer him. He stayed off the front, giving him the stage win and the Most Aggressive Rider jersey.

In the battle for the yellow jersey, it was Levi Leipheimer of Omega-Pharma Quickstep who had the legs to pull away from the field in the final kilometers of the climb. He followed Sutherland to the top for a second-place finish and a nine-second lead in the General Classification. Jens Voigt of RadioShack continued showing his strength with a third-place finish, giving him enough points to take over the lead in the King of the Mountains competition.

With only 21 seconds separating the top four riders in the General Classification, tomorrow’s 9.5 mile individual time trial in downtown Denver will be a thrilling end to an already amazing week of cycling. NBC will begin live coverage at noon MDT.

WN Fast Freddie - 4th at US Pro, Stage 1, only inches from 2nd!

US Pro Cycling Challenge, Stage 1

WN is much more than just a bike fit. We talk, we call, we share, we text, we spend a ton of time getting our users like Fast Freddie to understand the things that can make a difference. The critics will say whatever! Real science makes a difference even after you have been racing pro for 10 years! We have done our homework and we make a difference!

You don't have to learn, but it helps! Just ask WN Fast Freddie!

The average speed was 30 mph, and putting many in the sag wagon just after its start. The race had top guns e.g. DZ spilling their guts as they raced hard over the top 10,000 altitude roads.

So after very fast starting race, 125.7 miles, cool temps, rain, plus 10,000 feet of climbing, it was a real test for the top dogs. WN's Fast Freddie, known as a sprinter, racing for Exergy was able to hold on and have a kick for the young bucks. He only missed 2nd by inches, taking 4th. Did I say young bucks! Fast Freddie is closer to 40 years young than the rest todays sprint group!

This race is called the "Race of Truth."

WN Fast Freddie Still Fast "I reckon so."

World-Class Peloton in Colorado "US Pro Challenge"

World-class peloton returns to Colorado's USA Pro Challenge

World-class racing returns to Colo for the 2nd edition of the USA Pro Challenge , taking place August 20-26, and once again the peloton is replete with stars from the 2012 Tour de France plus a strong contingent of squads from both international and domestic Pro Continental and Continental ranks, e.g. Team Exergy.

How cool is that for these guys to get to race with the world's best!

Pua Mata locks up US Pro XCT Overall!

Pua staying the course! Thinking makes it so!

Mata locks up US Pro XCT overall victory

Judy Freeman (Crankbrothers Racing) navigates the firelane on her way to victory in the US Pro XCT Subaru Cup.

view thumbnail gallery

Judy Freeman (Crank Brothers) kicked off a weekend of racing at the Subaru Cup with a victory in the women's cross country event. She finished ahead of Amanda Sin (Scott-3Rox Racing) and Pua Mata (Sho-Air/WN Specialized). It was Freeman's first-ever cross country national series win.

Pua's 3rd place finish today put her ahead of all other US Pro XCT top contenders other than Freeman and secured her the WN in the overall series.

Women

		Result
1	Judy Freeman (Crank Brothers)
2	Amanda Sin (Scott -3Rox Racing)
3	Pua Mata (Sho-Air/WN Specialized)

Flavia Oliveira Racing in Europe!

Flavia is ticking!

Amanda Carey & Ben Sonntag WN'ers Breck Epic 2012 GC!

Contrary to common belief and despite what might seem apparent in simplicity, the movements involved in pedaling must be learned! Both male and female and at any age and size. Every stroke counts!

Most anyone can ride a bike, ride the roads. But now add gravity, then add grades that are too steep for the use of roads for cars to the mix, and if you miss a 1/8, 1/4, 1/2... part of many zones in a given stroke will cost you! To do this, you must have the brains to mentally concentrate, have the sense, use the neuromotor system to impulse the muscles to precision, and yes be able to be teachable!

I have worked with both Amanda and Ben and they are teachable. Amanda Carey and Ben Sonntag should be proud of their WN'ing actions, they are pedaling better than the others! In a 6 day race like the Breck Epic, various types of effort are required from the cyclist in different situations. A good racer needs to be proficient in all efforts.

Today, there are many fit ideas, systems, etc... You can walk through a pit area and note! Congrats to both Amanda & Ben for the first GC in the Breck Epic 2012, a 6 day mtb stage race in the high country of Colo. They are man & women, from different parts of the world, but they have something in common! Regardless of what the critics might express, the truth is:

1) They are both in the WN data base!

2) They know a few methods that make a difference!

3) They both have brains!

4) They both have worked on a more efficient & effective pedal stroke!

5) They have willpower!

You learn from many sources!

You need to learn not just what to do but why, and that's what makes a difference!

La Route de France - Flavia Oliveira racing the world!

Stevens wins 2012 La Route de France

Specialized-lululemon American triumphs on final stage to seal overall victory.

WN's Flavia Oliveira AKA: Pop-corn takes 8th in final stage, 12th GC after broken carbon wheel crashed her in the prologue.

Flavia only hits the scales at 95 pounds and races at the world level!

Full Results

1	Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon	3:14:11
2	Carlee Taylor (Aus) Vienne Futuroscope	0:00:45
3	Kristin McGrath (USA) United States
4	Lucinda Brand (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling Team	0:02:34
5	Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Vienne Futuroscope	0:02:51
6	Grete Treier (Est) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
7	Aurélie Rivat (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope
8	Flavia Oliveira (Bra) Forno D'Aloso Colavita/ WN Final general classification 1 Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon 25:12:10 2 Kristin McGrath (USA) United States 0:01:10 3 Carlee Taylor (Aus) Vienne Futuroscope 0:01:51 4 Lise Olivier (RSA) Lotto Belisol Ladies 0:03:01 5 Lucinda Brand (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling Team 0:03:37 6 Edwige Pitel (Fra) France 0:04:02 7 Inga Cilvinaite (Ltu) Diadora-Pasta Zara 0:04:57 8 Grete Treier (Est) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox 0:05:07 9 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Vienne Futuroscope 0:05:14 10 Dalia Muccioli (Ita) Be Pink 0:05:27 11 Aleksandra Burchenkova (Rus) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox 0:05:48 12 Flavia Oliveira (Bra) Forno D'Aloso Colavita WN 0:05:54

Breck Epic 2012 - Amanda Carey getting it done!

Amanda Carey and Ben Sonntag maintain their overall leads! They are both in the WN data base!

Stage 3: Overall leader Amanda Carey and second place overall Yolandi Du Toit rode most of the day together, Carey taking the stage win by just a few seconds. Carey has gone into "lead management" mode, trying not to make any mistakes while protecting her advantage. DuToit is ten minutes down, but that is just a flat tire away from the top podium spot. The battle between Carey and Du Toit is the classic struggle between the climber in Du Toit and the descender in Carey. The rest of the week should prove entertaining.

Tour of Utah

A tough day when you names like this DNF!

DNF	Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Sharp
DNF	David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Sharp
DNF	Thomas Rohregger (Aut) RadioShack-Nissan
DNF	Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Argos - Shimano
DNF	Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team Spidertech p/b C10
DNF	Robert Forster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
DNF	Jacobe Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
DNF	Chris Barton (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
DNF	Sebastian Salas (Can) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies

Tour of Utah Stage 6

Only three hours of racing, just two categorized climbs, and a short 76-mile loop might seem like an easy way to end a six-day stage race. Unless you’re racing the Tour of Utah. Then you’d better change up the gear on your bike and get ready to suffer.

Today’s race started with a difficult category three climb featuring a 22% grade. Next up was the beyond category climb over Empire Pass, which Team Exergy Director Tad Hamilton described as the toughest climb the team has seen all year. That such a tough climb should come on the heels of yesterday’s Queen’s Stage into Snowbird only added to the challenge of the day.

It was fitting that defending Tour of Utah champion Levi Leipheimer, who suggested today’s route to race organizers in the first place, flew out of the peloton on that final, brutal climb for a solo win in Park City. Joining him on the podium were Rabobank’s Steven Kruijswijk in second and Team NetApp’s Leopold Koenig in third. BMC’s Johann Tschopp remained in yellow, with Bissell’s Ben Jacques-Maynes as the overall King of the Mountain winner, and Michael Matthews winning the Sprinter’s Jersey.

Leadville 100

Lakata and Rusch (4TH) take Leadville 100

Alban Lakata (Topeak Ergon) raced to victory at the Leadville 100 ahead of Christoph Sauser (Specialized) and Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale). Rebecca Rusch (Specialized) made it four in a row by finishing ahead of Sally Bigham (Topeak Ergon) and Pua Mata (ShoAir Specialized).

Brief Results

Elite men

		Result
1	Alban Lakata (Topeak Ergon)
2	Christoph Sauser (Specialized)
3	Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale)

Elite women

		Result
1	Rebecca Rusch (Specialized)
2	Sally Bigham (Topeak Ergon)
3	Pua Mata (ShoAir Specialized)

Idaho's has cycling history! Georgia Gould gets a Bronze Medal!

WN has been in the business of working w/ racers and teams for many years now. We have always provided support racers, past and present.

Bronze - a medal made of bronze, customarily awarded for 3rd place in a race or competition.

Nothing makes you feel better than watch the great stories succeed, make their mark in their cycling discipline! It takes a very determined mind to stick with it like the greats!

It takes years to get to the top! You can't thrown in the towel at any point. Georgia Gould's success, taking an bronze medal is awesome!

Idaho has showed the world, folks from Idaho are into both road & dirt! Two gals that really got started here in Idaho obtaining medals is just awesome!

Congrats Ladies: Kristin Armstrong Gold & Georgia Gould Bronze!