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er // p1 ar’s Winn e y t s a L » st Seat in » The Be e // p2 the Hous / p2 review / P ’s n e M » p3 m 101 // » Criteriu lls? // p3 » Cowbe
What teams have you raced for throughout your career?
Tell me a story about your win from 2008, the races you were coming off prior that prepared you for that win; and what this year looks like in regard to your health, races and your prediction of how well you’ll do?
I started with Webcor the year Chris Horner rode for the team and learned a ton there. After two years with Webcor I rode for the Navigators Insurance Cycling Team and now I’m on my second year with Jelly Belly.
Last year I had recently returned from a 10-day tour in China, at crazy altitude. I think that once I recovered from that my fitness started to skyrocket. I actually started last year’s SRT all wrong! Eric Wohlberg hit the gas as soon as the flag dropped and I was right there so I figured I’d follow. Next thing I know we’re doing a two-man team time trial and it hurts! Alas, the field chased us down so I spent I good portion of the race just recovering and watching what was going on. I made the front split, followed a couple moves that happened to pan out, and got into a group that worked well together. There was a little cat-and-mousing, and fortunately for me, it all worked out quite well. Right now I think my fitness is pretty good, but defending a race is always harder I think. There’s nowhere to go but down from that top step. A repeat would be awesome, but if you overthink it you can take yourself out of the game. Moreover, it’s a nighttime crit so this all makes for a race that’s hard to call. //
Larry Rosa Photography
What has been the greatest defining moment in your cycling career?
I don’t think I’ve had a specific moment. My first pro win was a great turning point, but maybe it was getting signed to the Navigators and getting the chance to race Pro Tour events in Europe. Hard to say, but it’s definitely been an amazing ride looking back on it. Bernie on the podium at last year’s race.
Bernard van Ulden Interview by Ryan Dawkins, President of Project Sport, LLC.
B
ernie is a paradox of movement. On one hand, he hasn’t gotten around too much. His home in San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighborhood is all of a halfmile from the Kaiser Permanente Hospital on Geary Boulevard that ushered him into this world 29 years ago. Get born. Crawl a few blocks. Stay put. Then on the other hand, this homegrown rider is global. His cycling-as-a-wayof-life mentality was implanted in him by the Euro ways of a Dutch-immigrant father. In his six years as a pro, he’s done the full tour of cycling’s jet set, from stage races in Europe and China to of course the bicoastal crisscrossing of the U.S. scene. Fly far. Ride fast. And it goes without saying that, racing for Jelly Belly Pro Cycling last year, Bernie was the fastest man on the SRT course. Our defending champion is now in his second season with Jelly Belly, and expects to
A Supplement to the Pacific Sun
return to protect his title should he not get sent last-minute to China again. I caught up with Bernie (not really, virtually, via e-mail) to learn more about what makes him go. What sparked your cycling career?
My dad grew up in Holland and everyone there rides bikes, so naturally as kids he told us to ride a bike if we wanted to get anywhere. From there I started mountain biking on a group ride that the owner of Summit Bicycles organized when I was in high school. It basically turned into an obsession. From there I was fortunate enough to sign a pro contract during my final year in college.
What is your favorite type of racing? Road, criterium, stage racing?
Probably racing the big stage races like Langkawi or California. However, Philly and the San Francisco Grand Prix are/were the coolest one-day races I’ve ever raced in the U.S. The cool thing about the stage races is just the sheer volume of riding you’re doing day after day after day. What rider has inspired you the most and why?
It would have to be Chris Horner. He was an awesome teammate who, bottom to top, tried to make sure everyone was being treated equally. He was a great motivator who knew how to get the most out of the team in a very productive and positive manner. What was your toughest race?
Any stage race I ever did in Europe. What was the turning point to becoming a professional?
Probably these Wednesday group rides I’d do on my summer breaks. Eric Wohlberg (Olympian cyclist from Canada) would come out on what was basically a casual 5 hour-plus ride. From that ride I learned a lot about proper training.
Do you have a favorite pre-race meal? Post-race?
Pre-race would have to be French toast with jelly. Eggs, carbs and SUGAR!!! Post: Pizza and beer if I don’t have to race the next day; if I do, did I mention pizza and beer?
Larry Rosa Photography
PRO CYCLIST INTERVIEW //
p4 r Kids // » Trips fo 4–5 urse // p » Race Co e // p5 » Seagat Women’s » ProMan am // p6 e Cycling T p7 ealth // » Lung H
Bernie on the way to the win.
SRTWILIGHT.COM 1
MEN’S TEAM SHOWCASE//
A Front Row Seat at 40MPH
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ome celebrate the 11th anniversary of SRT in style! The San Rafael Twilight is offering two new opportunities to enhance the overall experience for race fans, clients or employees. The ďŹ rst addition is The Twilight Club that is positioned at the heart of the race. The Club is an exclusive area where you will get to enjoy the passion of the sport while experiencing the true intensity of competition. While enjoying gourment treats and signature drinks in a front-row seat with prime positioning, you will observe up-close the extreme speeds and thrills of the top professional athletes battling it out. Tickets to be a part of the
ZteaM Cycling
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Twilight Club are only $75 and can be purchased online at srtwilight.com. Now, for the serious fan or corporate entertainment, The Twilight Villas were designed to offer a premier environment for those who would rather have a private area to host clients, treat employees, or hang out with friends and family. Villas can accommodate up to 30 people and can be completely customized. The Villas sit at the heart of the race and will have prime viewing of all the action. To rent your own private Villa and discuss the different options available, please e-mail Ashley Montgomery at ashley@rbpevent.com. //
415.454.9534
PASSION • KNOWLEDGE • EXPERIENCE
The San Rafael Twilight Criterium Organizing Team: Project Sport, LLC – Ryan Dawkins, Ashley Montgomery, Mack Chew, Lorachristine Vichich, Ryan Chamberlain & Jesse Cohen. City of San Rafael Redevelopment Agency – Brian Auger, Events Coordinator Pilarcitos Cyclesports – Tom Simpson & Alec Simpson, Operations THANKS TO THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL, Z TEAM, ARETE’ RACING, VOLUNTEERS AND SPONSORS! The San Rafael Twilight Criterium OfďŹ cial Race Guide T is a marketing product of the PaciďŹ c Sun Publisher – Sam Chapman Art Director – Gabriel Lieb Ad Director – Linda Black 835 Fourth S Street, Suite B • San Rafael, CA • 415/487-6700 48 paciďŹ csun.com
2 SAN RAFAEL TWILIGHT CRITERIUM // Official Race Guide
Image Š 2008 Steve Holmes
paradigmcycles.com
he San Rafael Twilight 2009 is happy to have its favorite local club back this year, ZteaM Cycling. ZteaM is a national club headquartered in Marin, which sponsors its own Cat 1/2 cycling team, ZteaM Elite, and a Masters team of all categories. ZteaM Cycling is in turn sponsored by key local sponsor, the Bank of Marin. ZteaM Elite is composed of riders largely in the under27 age bracket and is participating in several NRC Pro races this year including the Cascade Classic and the grueling 6-day stage race, the Tour of Utah in August. ZteaM Elite is strong in the hills with its favorites: Nathaniel English, who holds some local records including the Mt. Diablo and Ross Epic hill climbs; and stellar climbers Justin Laue and Shawn Rosenthal (2008 U23 NorCal Time Trial Champion). All three raced at the highly prestigious 2008 Tour of Pennsylvania, where the team placed 2nd overall with one rider 3rd on the general classiďŹ cation. Racing with them will be local up-and-comers Lucas Binder and Jim Wingert, along with team newcomer, Marc Prutton, a New Zealander with cycling roots in sprinting. “While criteriums have not been our main focus, we are moving towards races like the SRT,â€? said the team’s founder and Tiburon resident, Hunter Ziesing. “Our club is largely centered around our members and the community, so getting our Elite riders out racing on local streets is a great way to show the club and the communi more of the racing side of the ZteaM nity
club. The club mainly focuses on promoting cycling in the community and providing members a network of cycling partners and club beneďŹ ts, so its good to also see the younger racers doing their thing as well.â€? Ziesing founded the club in 2004 and its membership has swelled to over 300 members locally and can now be found in 18 cities across the country. Unlike most cycling clubs that cater only to racing, ZteaM works to attract all types of riders by holding weekly public ride clinics and putting on events such as charity rides locally with cycling legends such as Bob Roll, Frankie Andreu, and even ďŹ ve-time Tour de France winner, Eddy Merckx. “The aim of ZteaM is really to grow the sport, attract new riders, and simply promote cycling as a healthy and fun mode of recreation and transportation, both in competition and out. Most of our Elite riders are new to the sport, but are nonetheless able to compete at national level races because of ZteaM,â€? said local ZteaM chapter leader Wayne McIntosh. “What is unique about our club is that these new semi-pros come out and mingle with the rest of the club on our inclusive Sunday rides. The pace can get fast, but for the most part it is social and anyone can put on a ride kit and have a blast riding in a peloton.â€? ZteaM is continuing to build and is aiming for future inclusion in other major California races. For more information about ZteaM, please visit www.zteamcycling.com. //
BREAKING AWAY B I C Y C L E S CHANCE TO WIN TOUR JERSEY SIGNED BY G. HINCAPIE Tour de France Special Sale July 1st-July 25th >Â“ÂˆĂƒĂŠUĂŠ7ˆÂ?ˆiÀÊUĂŠ Â?Ă•iĂŠUĂŠ->Â?Ăƒ>ĂŠUĂŠ >ĂƒÂˆĂŠUĂŠ Â?Â?ĂƒĂœÂœĂ€ĂŒÂ…ĂŠUĂŠ-ĂœÂœLÂœ
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TWILIGHT CLUB & VILLAS//
Image © 2008 Steve Holmes
COWBELLS AT SAN RAFAEL TWILIGHT //
Larry Rosa Photography
I
Olympian Eric Wohlberg takes a quick look at the field.
f there’s one thing that makes a bike race come alive, it’s spectators ringing cowbells to cheer the racers on. San Rafael Twilight is an especially good race for ringing bells, as the start/finish corridor becomes a gauntlet of energy, spurring the racers to dig deeper than they thought they ever could. How cowbells went from helping farmers find lost livestock to cheering on professional bike racers is something of a European mystery, but SRT is lucky to have the support of cowbell.com, a Marin-based company and producer of cheering bells used for bike rac-
es across the country, the US Ski Team, and even the Olympics. Cowbell.com is also the source of the large engraved brass cowbells given to the winners of SRT—see them on the awards podium following each race! Thanks to Performance Bike & Montecito Shopping Center, Fourth Street will once again become Cowbell Alley at SRT, as thousands of cowbells will be given away to spectators beginning at 6pm. To obtain an 11th Anniversary Cowbell, be sure to visit the lineup in the finish line chute during the kids race! Grab a bell & let ’em ring! //
CRITERIUM 101 //
k i e Bdventures
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he most common form of American bike racing, the criterium, is a multilap race of 25 to 60 miles held on a closed course generally a mile or less in length. These races, which usually last one to two hours, are extremely fast—30 mph and up—as the cyclists jockey for position and sprint for lap “primes” (cash or merchandise prizes, pronounced “preems”). The short closed course, generally with both right- and left-hand corners, makes this type of racing easy to watch for spectators and more accessible for the media. In criteriums, it’s “go” from the gun, as the strong riders force the pace and the weaker ones struggle to hang on. Quick acceleration and bike-handling ability are paramount—a successful criterium rider will be able to dive into a tight corner at high speed, leaning the bike over at a gravity-defying angle, then power out of the turn and instantly set up for the next. It’s important to stay near the front; the first few riders in a pack can take a corner with little or no braking. Those toward the back jockey for the best “line” through the turn, brake, then sprint to catch up with the pack as it accelerates, developing an “accordion” or “slinky” effect. In an hour-long race where corners will number in the hundreds, the constant braking and accelerating takes its toll; riders who fall off the pace and find themselves out of contention or lapped by the field, will usually be removed from the race. A rider who crashes, flats or has some other mechanical problem, however, may A Supplement to the Pacific Sun
A
TM
For Kids
Summer Camp June 29th - August 21st 415.279.4469 bikeadventures4kids@yahoo.com Let the cowbells ring!
take advantage of a free-lap rule to repair his or her bike, proceeding to a repair pit and re-entering the pack in the position he or she left it a lap later. Attacks and chases follow one another with dizzying quickness as riders from one team or another “take a flyer” off the front. Watch for situations in which one team greatly outnumbers the others. One team may have a rider attack, forcing the other teams to chase, then send another as soon as the first is reeled back in, repeating the process until the competition folds under the pressure or has nothing left to put back into the pedals. If the pack stays together, the race may end in a field sprint, with each team maneuvering its fastest rider toward the front in the final laps—and from near chaos, a winner! //
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RACE COURSE //
SCHEDULE //
Elite Category 4 Men // 3:20pm–4pm Amateur racers who’ve started on the bottom rung will surprise you with their speed and numbers Masters 1/2/3 Men 35+, Presented by Derek Wiback of Pactimo // 4:10pm–4:50pm Look for former pro riders and extremely dedicated veterans to set some of the fastest lap times of the day Elite Category 3 Men // 5pm–5:40pm These athletes have worked hard to earn “Cat 3� upgrade points and are now just a handful of top 3’s away from the Pro, 1, 2 ranks. Kids’ Event, Presented by Pacific Sun & Trips for Kids // 5:50pm–6:30pm Open to all kids 12 and under, free, and everyone gets a commemorative kids’ cowbell!
Course Description // The 1-km course, located in San Rafael’s vibrant downtown setting, starts and finishes on 4th St. while running clockwise on 4th St., D St., 5th Ave. and A St.
The Expo // The Expo will occupy 4th St. between Lootens & A St.
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Saturday, July 11, 2009 s ay
Great Late-Night Dining!
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Join us for Dinner after the Twilight Criterium Race! Tuesday-Sunday till Midnight
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TH 3TREET s 3AN 2AFAEL s WWW YETWAHSANRAFAEL COM 4 SAN RAFAEL TWILIGHT CRITERIUM // Official Race Guide
The festival surrounding the event—a Kids’ Event, an Expo and Pro Athlete Village, involvement from the local restaurants and bars, and music from top DJs— all create a unique experience enhanced by the excitement of bike racing.
Road Closures //
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Free Valet Bike Parking // Ride your bike to the event and beat the traffic! Look for the Marin County Bicycle Coalition’s safe and secure bike parking—don’t forget your lights for the ride home.
The Festival //
From US-101, take the Central San Rafael Exit, merge onto Irwin and make a left on 3rd St. The closed course is between Lootens & D St on 4th St.
Pro and Elite 1/2/3 Women, Presented by Montecito Shopping Center // 6:40pm–7:40pm Some of the fastest women in the country will highlight this race Pro and Elite 1/2 Men, Presented by Montecito Shopping Center // 8pm–9:15pm The Showdown at Sundown —the Pro Men will fight to the end at the San Rafael Twilight!
All professional teams will have an exclusive area to warm up, fuel up and hang out before the Showdown at Sundown! Spectators and fans are encouraged to stop by the Pro Rider Village on A St. and B St. between 4th and 3rd Streets. Grab a signature from your favorite cyclists and see their tricked out bikes that they will take upwards of 40 mph.
Directions to the Course //
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Trips for Kids (TFK) is honored to have been chosen as beneďŹ ciary of the 11th Annual San Rafael Twilight Criterium. Our mountain biking programs take low-income, at-risk kids across North America and internationally into open space and wildlands. We are thrilled to be a part of this cycling celebration. TFK’s Founding Director Marilyn Price says, “We have a booth to sell our merchandise every year and know that the crowds of people who attend love this race!â€? Marin is home to a large community of dedicated bicyclists, and the festive atmosphere of the Twilight Criterium lends high visibility to our programs and Re-Cyclery Bicycle Thrift Shop. With record breaking attendance and more than 700 elite professional cyclists in San Rafael, the event is always popping with people who are interested in cycling and want to know more about TFK. From the world-class athletes to the youth on the Kids’ Course, the event has something for everyone. And the high drama of racing at twilight increases the energy and excitement! //
Masters 3/4 35+ // 2:30pm–3:10pm Dedicated veteran’s and weekend warriors take to the 1K course with their families standing close by.
Lun
TRIPS FOR KIDS WELCOMES THE 2009 SAN RAFAEL TWILIGHT CRITERIUM //
more info at srtwilight.com
Turn Four Expo // 2pm–9:30pm Features more than 40 exhibitors from the cycling, health and fitness industries
Pro Rider Village //
“Where East Meets West in a Culinary Explosion of Taste & Sensations�
Thank You For Voting Us In The Top
LUNCH BUFFET $9.95 7 DAYS A WEEK
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30–35 Items to Choose From! + Mango Ice Cream OPEN EVERY DAY
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30 Sat-Sun 11:30-3:00 Dinner: 5:00-9:30
10% OFF All To-Go Food* From the Menu with Coupon Expires July 31, 2009 *Does not include Lunch Buffet
12pm–10pm //  4th St. from Lootens to A St. (Expo Area)  B St. from the parking entrance to 4th St.
15% off Entire Bill (excluding buffet)
Dine-In Food Only – 1 Coupon Per Table
Expires July 31, 2009
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1pm– 9:30pm //  4th St. from A St. to D St.  5th Ave. from Court St. to D St.  A St. from 3rd St. to Mission Ave.  B St. from 3rd St. to Mission Ave.  C St. from 3rd St. to Mission Ave.  D St. from 3rd St. to Mission Ave.
SEAGATE PROPERTIES RETURN FOR ITS 4TH YEAR! //
Seagate Properties, Inc., owners of San Rafael’s Montecito Plaza Shopping Center, is proud to return for its fourth year as Presenting Sponsor of the Twilight’s Professional Men’s event. This summer marks the 21st anniversary of Seagate Properties’ acquisition and rehabilitation of the Montecito Shopping Center on Third Street and Grand Avenue. The Montecito Plaza Shopping Center is anchored by Rite Aid, PETCO and Trader Joe’s, and features more than 35 shops and restaurants. From Performance Bicycle Center for pre-race parts, to Pasta Pomodoro for after-race fuel, Massage Envy for recovery, or Rite Aid for ďŹ rst aid, Montecito Plaza Shopping Center has the racers and fans covered. “San Rafael is a great city and the location of our corporate headquarters. We are pleased to return for another year as the Presenting Sponsor of this dynamic and family friendly event,â€? said Dennis Fisco of Seagate Properties. “The quality of racing is high, and the event ďŹ ts perfectly in our downtown. We want to ensure that this sporting event continues to take place and is enjoyed by thousands of people, including our many tenants and associates, as well as the volunteers and team members.â€? As Presenting Sponsor of the Pro Men’s race, Montecito Plaza Shopping Center not only helps make the event happen, it also donates over $3,500 to be awarded to the winners of that race. Seagate Properties is proud to invest its time and talent and to provide ďŹ nancial support to educational, cultural, social and recreational programs throughout Marin, including local schools, the The Marin Wellness Center, Marin Symphony, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Marin, Pickleweed Community Center and Trips for Kids. Look for the Pro Men’s race to begin at 8pm, Saturday, July 11, racing from dusk and ďŹ nishing under the lights in downtown San Rafael! // SRTWILIGHT.COM 5
Rob Evans, www.otbphoto.com “Shelley Olds breaks away from the field winning the Nevada City Classic.
HOLDING THEIR LINE // San Rafael Twilight Two-Time Defending Champions: The PROMAN Women’s Cycling Team By Mark Deterline © 2009 Charting a Path
One of the most important precepts in group cycling and particularly in bike racing is holding one’s line of travel. This is essential as multiple riders naturally form one or more moving columns in order to benefit from the aerodynamic slipstream formed by the rider in front of them. This tendency also serves to keep the group as compact as possible, whether it’s hurtling along the edge of a busy road or filling the width of a designated race course devoid of public traffic. Holding one’s line is a concept easy for motorists to grasp if they consider how dangerous it would be to swerve out of their chosen lane on the freeway toward other cars. In a bike race, where participants can travel at close to 30 mph while sporting nothing but Lycra and a grimace, straying off one’s line toward other riders is equally perilous and can more easily cause a devastating chain reaction. Bike racers not only intentionally tailgate one another (they call it “drafting”) to stay out of the wind, but in their efforts to save energy behind other riders and to cover one another’s accelerations, they ride in airshow-tight formation,
which often includes overlapping one another’s wheels. If a rider swerves out of her own line and across another, but competitors’ front and rear wheels don’t cross, calamity can be avoided. Elbows, handlebars and hips will often brush or bump, but the more experienced the racers the less such instances of contact result in anything other than a slight adjustment in position or an angry word. However, if a rider comes off her line and crosses wheels with someone else, mass crashes and injuries can result. Holding one’s line becomes increasingly important—and difficult—as roads curve and bike racers push themselves deep into a realm they simply refer to as pain. Many people can go fast on a bike, but going hard while holding their line through turns in a dense pack of riders requires as much mind as body, as much brain as brawn. And we don’t even have room here to discuss team race strategy, which is one of the most compelling aspects of bike racing and something Team PROMAN has always excelled at. Perhaps another time. Holding one’s line in the face of challenges, supreme exertion and even hardship serves as a nice metaphor for the path that the PROMAN Women’s Cycling Team has chosen and that—despite out-
6 SAN RAFAEL TWILIGHT CRITERIUM // Official Race Guide
Better Than Fiction
When I began working on the Peninsula in the fall of 2006 as marketing director for a bike components manufacturer, I was already a strong proponent of women’s cycling. Having grown up with a single mom who regularly attended aerobics classes, and sisters who excelled in Pilates instruction and soccer, respect for women’s sports and their unique equipment needs came with the territory. In 2002 I had become an enthusiastic bike racer myself, and the individuals who made the biggest impression on me during my formative years were elite females, all of whom trained with men, and sometimes even raced with us. I began receiving calls from PROMAN’s sponsorship director Julia Violich, former owner of San Anselmo-based bike shop Paradigm Cycles, in December of 2006. At first it appeared to be just one more of the countless requests for sponsorship that arrived on my desk each week. I had maxed out my 2007 budget with commitments by then, and my initial thoughts were how to let this determined woman down as easily as possible. As the brief phone conversations continued, however, now also with Team Founder and Manager Nicola Cranmer, I began taking this PROMAN squad more seriously. Ultimately, Julia and Nicola won me over: I could see they would do anything for their riders, women’s cycling and the success of this team, so how could I say no? Champions, Mentors, Up-and-comers
When I first met Nicola, she brought a promising young Category 4 (the lowest race category) rider, Shelley Olds, with her to the office to see if we had any product options that might help a smaller rider fit
better on her bike. Of course, proper fit is essential if a rider is to reach her potential… Well, Shelley has lived up to her billing and a whole lot more, as have many of PROMAN’s stars, support riders and, most recently, Juniors. An accomplished international competitor on the track (3rd and 6th at the Copenhagen and Melbourne Track World Cups, respectively, as well as distinguished representation at Track World Championships), Shelley has won and placed well at US National Race Calendar road events as well as prestigious regional events like the San Rafael Twilight, which she helped a teammate take last year. Rachel Lloyd is another prominent PROMAN rider whose mountain bike and cyclocross accomplishments are too numerous to list, including participation at Cyclocross World Championships last year and winner of the 2008 mountain bike Super D National Champion’s title. What do you do when your formula is working and you’ve gained such valuable experience? If you’re Team PROMAN, you share it, passing it on to new teammates—including the next generation of female racers. Coryn Rivera is PROMAN’s new Junior star who has likewise collected national-level titles and champion’s jerseys. She is flanked by other Junior women who are making their presence known with wins and high placings at local and regional events, and who hold the promise of even greater things in years to come. Making It Happen
Formerly known as Carrera de San Rafael, the San Rafael Twilight Criterium has been held off and on for 11 years. In 2008, race organization and promotion was taken over by Project Sport, a small sports marketing company founded and headed by two longtime amateur bike racers, one of whom competes at the elite level. Putting on an event like the San Rafael Twilight is inspired as much by love and goodwill as it is by hope for profits. Ryan Dawkins, founder and president of Project Sport, explains it this way: “This is the rock ’n’ roll show that every racer in Northern California looks forward to each year. It’s a lot of work for our team, but the energy on race day is unparalleled.” “I am very grateful to Ryan and Project Sport for all of their hard work in organizing and promoting the San Rafael Twilight Criterium, a truly classic event,” expressed Cranmer. “I also extend my gratitude to
Image © 2008 Steve Holmes
side skepticism—has proven not only successful, but immensely satisfying for its riders and fans alike. Now in only its fourth year, the PROMAN “Hit Squad” has amassed numerous national- and international-level wins and high finishes, and simply could not be deterred after deciding to launch its Junior squad at the end of last year. (PROMAN’s blossoming Junior Women’s program has racked up multiple wins itself and is now officially part of the USA Cycling Junior Development Program.) Some of the following I’ve recounted before, but please indulge me as I do so again, because you just can’t make up stuff like this…
Image © 2008 Steve Holmes
the city of San Rafael and its downtown merchants. Well promoted and well attended events like this are important for the growth of women’s cycling and our Marin-based PROMAN team. The San Rafael Twilight offers us an opportunity to showcase our sponsors, as well as our riders. It is the best twilight criterium on the West Coast; a fun evening of dynamic racing!” See It and Believe
PROMAN women at the San Rafael Twilight:
• 2008 1st Place, Helene Drumm; 2nd Place, Shelley Olds • 2007 2nd Place, Shelley Olds • 2006 1st Place, Rachel Lloyd; 2nd Place, Shelley Olds // Mark Deterline is a freelance journalist and director of strategic marketing at Leadout Marketing & Creative. He can be contacted at mark@2thefront.com
PROJECT SPORT AND THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION // Forging a new partnership to promote a healthy cycling community
H
ave you ever had more trouble breathing than you should during or after a ride? If so, you may have exercise induced asthma. Whether asthma is brought on by exercise, allergies, or other triggers, you can find help through the American Lung Association in California. Call our free Lung Helpline at 1.800.Lung.USA to speak to a licensed respiratory therapist. Or attend a Breathe Well, Live Well adult asthma education class to help you live a full, active life by better managing your asthma. Next Generation Cyclists
The American Lung Association works to keep kids breathing strong and able to engage in physical activities like cycling. Annually, nearly 1,000 Bay Area students learn to better manage their asthma through classroom-based Kickin’Asthma® and Open Airways for Schools® classes. Additionally, the lung association and its community grant-recipients work with teens in fun, creative, and effective ways to keep them away from cigarettes and other tobacco products. Breathing Clean Air
Cycling up that next hill is tough enough without having to be hindered by breathing polluted air. Air pollution causes nearly 20,000 premature deaths in California annually. The American Lung Association is aggressively working for policy changes at the city, state and national levels to reduce the
emissions of ozone (smog) and particulate matter (soot) that make our air unhealthy. Efforts underway are aimed at reducing the awful exhaust spewed into cyclists’ faces as you pass a diesel truck; reducing winter’s biggest pollutant—woodsmoke from home fireplaces—that fouls the air on those cold, short winter days when you’re trying to sneak in a quick ride; and the accelerated adoption of viable transportation alternatives to single occupancy car trips like cycling, mass transit, carpooling and alternative fuel vehicles. Get Involved
The Breathe Easy Ride, held each June in Sonoma County, gives cyclists concerned about healthy air and lungs a way to show their support for the research, education and advocacy programs of the American Lung Association. Nearly half of us either have a lung issue or have a close loved one who had or has lung disease. Join these fellow cyclists next June 26, 2010 for a beautiful 100, 66 or 30 mile fully supported ride through Sonoma County. Visit www.BreatheEasyRide.org. // Want to have your voice heard on issues that affect you as a cyclist? Clean air. Second-hand smoke. Funding for research. Become part of the e-advocacy action network and let your elected representatives know your position on important issues with just a few clicks of your mouse.
Rob Evans, www.otbphoto.com
If you have never watched a bike race, you will be blown away by the speed and exhilaration of a downtown venue like this one. If you have watched bike races but have never watched Shelley Olds and the PROMAN Hit Squad in action, you will be awestruck. If you already follow these women like myriad other fans and fellow cyclists, you will agree that they always impress. The San Rafael Twilight is indeed well organized and draws big crowds. It is the perfect opportunity for female athletes to demonstrate their skill, savvy and fitness—all within a few feet of thousands of spectators who line the downtown streets each year. It is often said that the role of a champion is to inspire. Behind the scenes, these figures set their course, commit to reaching their goals and then with the kind of discipline and determination that can move mountains, they hold their chosen line through all types of challenges. Not everyone has understood or appreciated PROMAN’s unconventional path, or the collective strength they’ve demonstrated when faced with setbacks.
As if taken from a screenplay, Shelley’s track bike was stolen last year the day before Track Nationals where she was hoping to qualify for a US Team berth that would mean participation at Track World Championships. Shelley and team locked arms, called on the greater cycling community— their extended family—recovered the bike and proceeded to attain another of their hard-fought dreams the next day when Shelley took the National title despite everything cast in the team’s way. Watching PROMAN riders impact an electrifying event like the San Rafael Twilight by taking hair-raising lines at great speed through tight downtown corners is inspiring for women AND men. It’s the perfect metaphor for the journey and trajectory that have set this team apart since its inception. If you dare be inspired by a group of likable, down-to-earth female athletes, I’ll see you at this bike race on July 11 and will take great satisfaction in saying, “I told you so.”
Nicola Cranmer and the ProMan Junior Development Squad.
A Supplement to the Pacific Sun
SRTWILIGHT.COM 7
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(415) 924-8398 s www.marinspineandwellness.com 8 SAN RAFAEL TWILIGHT CRITERIUM // Official Race Guide