Big shout outs to TC Worley and Steven Regenold for an awesome article about Cyclocross that features Grumpy’s/Little Guy Racing. Check out Friday’s edition (Page D1)–with an above the fold photo of Peter Schweich, or the online article.
TC Worley took this photo.
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Fil- Smile. You are famous.
For Immediate Release
Minneapolis, MN-
Despite the success of hosting 12 years of bicycle racing on the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus, the University regrets that it will not be scheduling any races for the 2008 season. Complications arising from the collapse of the 35W bridge have prompted school officials to temporarily suspend the use of the campus for this and other such events. Transportation and campus security were cited as top concerns. The University would also like to stress that it was pleased with the execution of the 2007 event and the unavailability of the campus for the race is in no way associated with the 2007 event.
Grumpy’s/Little Guy Racing also regrets that this event will not be taking place in the 2008 season, but is excited to announce plans to host a brand new event for Minnesota cyclists. Details of the event will be made available to the cycling public soon.
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I think this is terrible news. I also know that some people are going to try and equate Grumpy’s/LGR with this bad news, but I assure you that the University had nothing but good things to say about our team. Some people will even try to take it as far to say that we screwed it up, but these people don’t know the truth and lack any validity in our community.
The point of this story is this. If you are in charge of putting on an event for your club, don’t try to go above the current club that promotes the race already at that location. Instead you should inquire with them before talking with the authorities, believe it or not they would be more than happy to help you. Even if you mean well and don’t mean anything by it, just a mention to the wrong person can send a race into an uncontrollable spin that can’t be corrected.
Couple that with the bridge and we are out of a race. It sucks.
There isn’t bad blood just mutual disapointment.
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$2 PBR Tall Boy at ColdSprints.
I can’t contain my excitement for Friday night. A group of area cyclists that have no affiliation other than loving bicycles has come together to put on an event for charity that will change the face of area cycling in the winter.
You know what I am talking about?
Well, it is ColdSprints. Minnesota’s own indoor cycling sprint series. It is going to be bad ass.
I just tested the software with a few other people at Behind-Bars and we are almost 100% of the way there. I am quit impressed with what Landon has been about to do with his own proprietary software, Retrosoft. The software is amazing and while there are a few small bugs the first night will be a great opportunity to fine tune everything before the final three nights of racing.
I am sooooooooo damn stoked. In fact, I won’t even let the idiots that want “real roller racing” and all that dumb shit get to me anymore. If they want to find someone to build their own system than be my guest. In the meantime the entire Minnesota cycling scene will be descending to my sponsor’s bar and will witness the spectacle that is Coldsprints. It is going to be bad ass.
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All proceeds will be given to the Second Harvest Food Shelf!
!!!!Cash Prizes To Top3 Men and Women!!!!
The ColdSprints is made possible due to generous support from our sponsors:
Grumpy’s Bar and Grill
Little Guy Racing
Behind Bars Bicycle Shop
One on One
RetroSoft
Burlesque Design
*This is fork mounted roller racing. The bikes are stock Bianchi Pista provided by One On One and will be run with a gearing of approximately 48×16 and will feature platform pedals with cages. We hope to have 3 different sizes of bikes (Small, Medium, Large) we will also be able to move the seat if time allows. If you have anymore questions I suggest that you show up and have a few beers, eat great food and hang out with new friends while watching the spectacle and hopefully wanting to participate.
**Qualifiers start at 7pm sharp and will be on a first come/first served basis. 20seconds to go as fast as you can…flying start. The top 16 men and the top 8 women move on to a single elimination tournament of 500m sprints that will start at 9pm SHARP. This means that if you haven’t qualified before 9pm you are out of luck, I recommend showing up early as some will try to qualify twice and this event has been the talk of the town.
***See you all on Friday night!
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To think that Little Guy Racing at one time was just a conversation piece amongst three messengers outside of the Gavidaee Common in downtown Minneapolis…it is incredible.
We did more in one year than some teams have done in yearS…
Seriously, who could possibly be ashamed of wearing the Grumpy’s colors after this year? Sure, we put ourselves out there and we tell the world our opinions, but the truth is that we put our mouth where our money is.
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The new bikethrow podcast is up. We talk about a ton of things. My favorite part of the podcast is when we talk about team tactics on the track (starting around 18min). Amazingly, I think we played the story pretty well, but we still got some complaints about discussing the team. Blah Blah Blah. I guess we just can’t talk about them anymore. Oh well. Their loss.
Like I said on the podcast, no one should be talking about team tactics until we all don’t get lapped by Adam Bergman at will. Seriously, tactically speaking what is the point of even thinking about tactics when we are getting lapped for the 2nd or 3rd time in a single race?
We also discuss the Coldsprints race!
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Till tomorrow.
Day 1: 56th place.
Day 2: 26th place.
It was truly the tale of two races for me this past weekend. On day one I wasn’t feeling so hot, but with a front row start position I was confident I could get in the top 30 out of the field of 100 (+/- a few). After Fil took one for the team at the barriers I found myself in the front group right behind the Little Guy. We then proceeded to drop our chain together. It was almost as if we were meant to be sitting on the side of the course as dozens of riders went by.
After we both got on our bikes I preceded to drill it as hard as I could to get Little Guy back up to the main group–let’s be honest Little Guy is good at cross, I am not. After Little Guy made contact to the front group of 20 we both preceded to lose our chains again. My grand total was 4 and the Little Guy 6.
Oh well. I was happy with my fitness, but my 56th place was a bit demoralizing. I wanted nothing but a top performance on Sunday. To make the Sunday race worthwhile I decided to make a list of things to do:
After completing this list I lined up in the second row for day two. The start was hot. Fil took the hole shot and I was sitting in about 25th wheel right next to Mettler, who decided to make the trip down all the way from North Dakota. As we were on the 3rd straight away a gigantic crash happened. I am talking super-epic crash. I was the last one in front of the crash…it was like this:
The Millenium Falcon (played by Super Rookie) and the Death Star (played by the entire field).
After making it through the crash I was able to turn out an awesome race. I found myself easily taking people out on the long run-up only to get passed in the technical 180 areas of the barn, but for the most part I held my own and I couldn’t be happier going into next season.
I wish I could have stuck around for the rest of the races and cheered on the other locals, but home was calling.
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The Grumpy’s/LGR weekend was fantastic. Little Guy got the chain problems all figured out and came away with a 5th place finish out of 100+ competitors! Top that off with Spencer’s 13th and new recruits Jake Helmbrect and Jason Prudhom getting top 20s and you have yourself a kick ass cross team for next season!
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The Grumpy’s cheering squad on the hill was out of this world. I don’t think I have heard Sarah yell that loud in my life, well except for that one time when she was mad at me…but that is another story 
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What a year. I was very proud to fly my team colors throughout this season.
I knew it was worth it when I was racing on my last lap for the 2007 season through the barns of Jingle Cross and a guy I had never seen before simply said, “Keep it up Minneapolis.” It was at that point that I knew we had reached one of the goals I had set out in the beginning of this team. Having people know where we were from.
I couldn’t be prouder of our squad.
I think Floyd should have used this excuse for his high Testosterone test:
Doctors deny Leukemans’ sex life responsible for test
In another attempt to explain his positive doping test for testosterone, Björn Leukemans has said that he was having sex when the doping controllers arrived to take his urine sample in an out-of-competition test shortly before the Worlds in September. However, anti-doping experts have laughed this explanation off. While not addressing the specific case, Wilhelm Schänzer of the anti-doping lab in Cologne, Germany, said, “If you ask whether sex has an influence on testosterone levels, I say: sex has nothing to do with synthetic testosterone.” Hans Cooman of the Vlaamse Gemeenschap [Flemish Community in Belgium], who took the sample from Leukemans, confirmed to Sportwereld that “The natural testosterone [level] may perhaps be higher [while having sex], but I do not see how sex can influence synthetic testosterone.”
According to Sportwereld, Leukemans’ A sample was first tested in Gent, where scientists found a too high epitestosterone/testosterone ratio: 5.7:1, with the legal threshold being 4:1. The lab then sent the sample to Cologne, Germany, which has the proper equipment to conduct the carbon isotope test for testosterone, determining if the hormone is naturally made by the body or synthetic. Leukemans has now said that he will request that the B-sample be tested in Barcelona. CyclingNews 11-23-2007
It would probably have more luck than the ol’ “I had a beer, but then your test is flawed” defense.
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Off to Iowa City in a few hours!
Get Him A Body Bag Yeah!–Click On This For Real–Obey Your Sensei.
Miyagi, you just crossed a very fine line going after my students like that. Do you think that makes you tough being able to beat up on my students in their skeleton costumes for Halloween? What in the hell was your “pupil,” a fricken shower curtain? What in the heck is that? At least my students rock out in the best costume in the history of Halloween.
By my guess you should be about 20min into the movie and you will be seeing me training my students, my army of greatness that knows no fear, and knows the way of the fist. Watch your ass super-rookie or I will put my number one pupil Johnny Lawrence on you.
Sarah and I are watching Karate Kid.
The Kobra Kai’s just made their entrance exactly 10min into the movie.
Jonny Lawrence is kicking the crap out of the young Daniel.
Sensei John Kreese must be proud.
If I was Daniel’s mother I would have him hang out with the shady maintenance man of their crappy apartment building.
