CSC send David Zabriskie and Lars Michaelsen to the ABBC: HC; but the real stars are the Buddies

David Zabriskie and Lars Michaelsen of CSC join the ABBC: HC, but the real stars are the Buddies

Now you'll have the chance to ride along with a few more pros as David Zabriskie and Lars Michaelsen of Team CSC are all set to ride in the 2007 Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle. Zabriskie, the only American to win a stage in all three Grand Tours (Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana), is the reigning United States National Time Trial Champion and a past wearer of the yellow jersey in the Tour de France . The recently retired Michaelsen is a past stage winner of the Vuelta a Espana and twice placed fifth in Paris Roubaix .

The two CSC riders will join an all-star cast of cyclists at the 2007 ABBC: HC. T-Mobile's Belgian legend and Olympic medalist Axel Merckx, Olympic medalist Mari Holden, two-time National Champion Kimberly Baldwin, Kim Anderson and Aaron Olson, along with Jelly Belly pros Alex Candelario and Mike Jones and Kona's United States National Mountain Bike Champion, Ryan Trebon, will be riding.

Yet the real stars on the road to the Hearst Castle won't be the Tour de France veterans or the Olympic medalists, they'll be the 30 intellectually disabled Best Buddies program participants--the Buddies. Buddies like Michael Kelly, of Los Angeles, who will return to once again ride the full 100 miles with his Buddy, James Stankard of San Francisco.

Thanks to everyone's hard work fundraising, you've helped put smiles on the faces and friends on the minds of hundreds of thousands of people just like Michael who ordinarily might not have those opportunities. This year Best Buddies programs will impact more than 350,000 people with intellectual disabilities world wide, and it’s you we have to thank for that!

On behalf of Best Buddies International, we thank you for your fundraising efforts. Keep it up, and we will see you at the ride!

North California Training/ Group Ride - Saturday, August 25 - 9AM

This Saturday we will be having another BB Training Ride. Ride distance will be approximately 40 miles, terrain will be hilly and pace steady.

We will be leaving the Fort Baker/ Bay Area Kid's Museum parking lot at 9AM.

Directions to lot:

BB Bay Area Training Ride - Saturday, August 18 - 9AM

This Saturday we will be having another BB Training Ride. Ride distance will be approximately 30 miles, terrain will be hilly and pace steady.

We will be leaving the Fort Baker/ Bay Area Kid's Museum parking lot at 9AM.

Directions to lot:

Southern Califonia Cyclocross Ride and Clinic

Southern California BB Training Rides

15-mile ride route map

100-mile and 62-mile ride route maps

Discovery to disband; Brajkovic to T-Mobile; Hincapie too?

You've probably heard the news--Team Discovery will disband at the end of the year. Tailwind Sports the owner/ manager of the team has given up on the search for a new sponsor and decided to pull out of the sport.

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This leaves a market flooded with riders, staff and management. Riders without a team for 2007 include recent Tour de France winner Alberto Contrador, American superstar Levi Leipheimer and American National Champion George Hincapie.

2007 Tour de Georgia winner Janez Brajkovic has already landed himself onto T-Mobile, and it's rumored that Hincapie will be headed that way himself.

Where kit do you want to see Hincapie riding in next year? What about Leipheimer?

SoCal Training Ride Tomorrow - Wednesday, August 15

Join the Women's Cycling Challenge for women's specific training ROAD rides departing from InCycle – Pasadena every Wednesday evening from now on out and departing promptly at 6:00pm during daylight savings time.

Ride: Pasadena and surrounding areas. Ride varies each week and will cover different riding aspects as we train for the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle or if you simply want to improve your cycling… PLEASE JOIN US!

When: Every Wednesday starting on 7/25 and will start promptly at 6:00pm for approximately 1.5 hours. ** Meet at InCycle Pasadena (Green Street Parking lot).

Where: All training rides will depart from InCycle Pasadena.

**Helmets required. Bring plenty of water, spare tube/tire kit for quick repairs.

Lots of fun events can be found at: http://www.womenscyclingchallenge.org/
Questions: Contact - Dorothy Wong - 626/797-8950

InCycle Pasadena
E. Colorado Blvd #1 Pasadena, Ca 91106
Cannondale Test Ride Station- Full Service Repair Shop
Ladies Only 10% Discount for all WCC Ride Participants!!!

Southern California Training Ride - Wednesday, August 8

Join the Women's Cycling Challenge for women's specific training ROAD rides departing from InCycle – Pasadena every Wednesday evening beginning 7/25 and departing promptly at 6:00pm during daylight savings time.

Ride: Pasadena and surrounding areas. Ride varies each week and will cover different riding aspects as we train for the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle or if you simply want to improve your cycling… PLEASE JOIN US!

When: Every Wednesday starting on 7/25 and will start promptly at 6:00pm for approximately 1.5 hours. ** Meet at InCycle Pasadena (Green Street Parking lot).

Where: All training rides will depart from InCycle Pasadena.**Helmets required. Bring plenty of water, spare tube/tire kit for quick repairs.

Lots of fun events can be found at: www.WomensCyclingChallenge.org

Questions: Contact - Dorothy Wong - 626/797-8950

InCycle Pasadena

E. Colorado Blvd #1Pasadena, Ca 91106

Cannondale Test Ride Station- Full Service Repair Shop

Ladies Only 10% Discount for all WCC Ride Participants!!!

Merckx retires on top

Axel Merckx, who'll you'll soon have the chance to ride alongside down the Pacific Coast Highway, has officially retired Wednesday, on his 35th birthday. Merckx went out on top, winning his last race by out sprinting breakaway Johan Van Summeren (Predictor-Lotto) at a criterium in Lommel, Belgium on Monday.