LIVESTRONG Celebrates 15th Anniversary

In October of 1996, Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Shortly there after he would undergo treatment for the disease, and his subsequent recovery was nothing short of spectacular. The pro-cyclist who was all but unknown outside of his sport at the time, but he would go on to win seven consecutive Tour de France titles and become one of the most well known athletes on the planet.

In January of 1997, the Lance Armstrong Foundation was formed, with the hope of rallying people together against cancer. That foundation would evolve into what is now known as LIVESTRONG, an organization that has invested more than $275 million in cancer research and other intiaitives. That accounts for over 81% of every dollar that LIVESTRONG has raised, which is a remarkably high number for any charitable organization, and is a testament to how razor-focused Lance, and the rest of the team at LIVESTRONG, are on combatting the horrible disease.

Nearly everyone I know has been touched by cancer in their lives in some way or another, and through LIVESTRONG, we can all help find a cure. Not only can we continue to buy those ubiqutious yellow arm bands, which I'm seldom seen without, but Nike has an entire line of LIVESTRONG workout gear, whose proceeds go directly toward helping the cause. To checkout a sampling of that gear and to find 15 ways that you can LIVESTRONG, click here.

I personally own a number of LIVESTRONG articles of clothing and they are amongst my favorite t-shirts and running shorts. It doesn't hurt that I know that I'm helping to do good every time I buy one as well.

Congrats to Lance and the crew for an amazing first 15 years, and here's to many more to come.

Gear Box: CamelBak Charge LR Hydration Pack

For active, outdoor enthusiasts, the hydration pack just might be the greatest invention ever. The ability to conveniently carry our water with us no matter where we go or what activity we're doing, has made our ability to play and work outside much easier. Over the years, the hydration pack has evolved to the point where they are now lighter, easier to use, and more ergonomically designed to fit our bodies. They've even become specialized to the point that there are now hydration packs built for specific sports. Take for example the new Charge LR from CamelBak, a pack that has been built from the ground-up for mountain bikers.

The Charge LR takes a new approach to the hydration pack design by shifting the water bladder onto the lumbar section of your back. This changes the dynamic of where the weight sits and actually results in a much more comfortable fit, particularly when wearing the pack for extended periods of time. In fact, this change is so dramatic, that I would go so far as to say that the Charge might be the most comfortable ultralight hydration pack I've ever used. The design works especially well while riding too, never impeding movement or restricting your ability to hit the trails hard.

The lumbar-based design isn't the only thing that the Charge LR brings to the table for mountain bikers however. The interior storage compartment provides designated spaces for carrying a multi-tool, spare tubes, a cell phone, keys, and other assorted items. There is even enough room for a lightweight jacket, just in case the weather shifts while you're on your ride. Zippered hip pockets on the belt are a great place to keep energy bars close at hand, while an exterior stretch pocket handles overflow gear with aplomb.

CamelBak went all out on making the Charge easy to adjust and super comfortable to wear as well. The padded belt and shoulder straps carry a full load without missing a beat and the 3D mesh suspension system means that the pack will work well for riders of a variety of sizes. In another nice touch, the pack designers included lumbar compression straps which allow riders to keep the pack snugly in place, even as the water in their hydration bladder  goes down.

With all of those features and design elements combined into this one pack, the question is, how well does it work while mountain biking? Quite honestly, the Charge LR is is even more than the sum of its part and it makes a perfect hydration option. The narrow design of the pack and lumbar based hydration bladder really are a fantastic approach for riders. CamelBak has done a great job of recognizing the needs of mountain bikers, and delivering them a product that fills those needs nicely.

Unfortunately, the Charge LR isn't available until February, when it will hit stores with an MSRP of $100. Trust me, it'll be worth the wait.

2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge Route Announced

By all accounts, the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge was a great success in its inaugural run. The race featured some of the top riders in the world on a challenging course that featured plenty of climbing in Colorado's thin mountain air. Now, as the year comes to an end, plans are already in place for next year's event, and the Denver Post as all the details on the new route.

The 2012 edition of the Pro Cycling Challenge will begin on August 20th in Durango, Colorado and run through the 26th, ending once again in Denver. The course will be roughly 600 miles in length and feature five mountain passes that are above 10,000 feet (3048 meters).

The stages look like this:

Stage 1: 111 miles from Durango to Telluride over Lizard Head Pass. (10,222 ft/3115 meters)
Stage 2: 92 miles from Montrose to Crested Butte
Stage 3: 131 miles from Gunnison to Aspen and features two passes above 12,000 ft (3657 meters).
Stage 4: 102 miles from Aspen to Beaver Creek over Independence Pass. (12,095 ft/3686 meters)
Stage 5: 106 miles from Breckenridge to Colorado Springs over Hoosier Pass. (11,532 ft/3514 meters)
Stage 6: 61 miles from Golden to Boulder
Stage 7: A Time Trial through the streets of Denver. Distance TBD.

That is going to be one very busy week or racing, as the altitude will certainly have its effect on the riders and those distances aren't exactly short either. Hopefully the race will have as a good of a turn-out in 2012 as it did this year, as the peloton was stacked with quality riders and the roads were lined with fans.

Thanks to Outside Online for the tip!

Gear For Winter Cycling

Technology and gadget site Gizmodo posted an article yesterday that featured good suggestions for gear that would take the sting out of winter cycling. For many riders, winter is a time in which they either move to a stationary bike indoors or stop cycling altogether. But as the old adage goes, "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear," and with the proper equipment, you can continue to hit the road even when the snow starts flying.

Among the suggestions from Gizmodo are the inclusion of snow studs on your tires, they recommend a set from Schwalbe that run $78. They also give the thumbs up to a powerful light from Cat Eye and a hydration pack from CamelBak. Of course, the most important thing is to stay warm however, and for that they recommend starting with a pair of Snowpocolypse pants from Mountain Hardwear.

The list only contains seven items, so it is far from comprehensive, but if you're someone who loathes the end of the cycling season, and wishes you could ride all year long, it is a solid place to start. For me, it all begins and ends with the clothes you're wearing, so don't scrimp on base layers, cycling jackets, and so on. It'll make your cold weather rides much more enjoyable.

Book Review: 10: Celebrating Ten Years of the Tour d'Afrique Bicycle Race and Expedition

It has been nearly six years since I started writing this blog, and back in those early days I was still finding my voice and deciding what it exactly was that I wanted to write about. I knew that I loved travel and adventure, in all of its many forms, and I wanted to share that passion with anyone who might happen to wander by my little slice of the web. There were oh so many expeditions and travel options to be discovered along the way and continually came across a host of amazing things that I didn't even know were happening, or in some cases, even possible. 

One of the events that I discovered in my online exploration was a little bicycle race/expedition called the Tour d'Afrique – a four month long, 12,000km (7500 mile) bike ride that wandered from Cairo to Cape Town. When I first read about the Tour I was both amazed and intrigued, and I would go on to write about it numerous times over the years, both here and on other websites. To me, the event was, and still is, one of those bucket list items that just seemed too amazing to be believed.

This year, the Tour d'Afrique celebrates its 10th anniversary, which is a testament to the endurance of the race organizers themselves. To celebrate, the company behind the event has released a spectacular coffee table book entitled 10: Celebrating Ten Years of the Tour d’Afrique Bicycle Race and Expedition that is sure to delight adventure travelers, cyclists, and fans of beautiful travel photography.

The 252 page volume oozes quality from every page and features a forward by Henry Gold, the founder of the Tour. A decade ago Gold's concept of running a cycling race from Cairo to Cape Town seemed like a disaster waiting to happen, and many people were happy to tell him so. Now though, the race continues to grow in popularity every year and it has grown to legendary status with long distance and adventure cyclists.

The book offers glimpses into those early days of course, but also follows the evolution of the Tour through the years as well. Many of the riders who have had the privilege of taking part in the event offer quotes about their experiences, and the names of all the riders are immortalized in the tome as well. Reading the text will give you plenty of insight into the challenges and joys of riding through Africa, which features just about every type of terrain and road conditions imaginable.

But the real draw of the book is the photography. There are amazing images on nearly every page, and on my first go through the book, I found myself flipping very rapidly through the pages, just so I could see what was waiting on the next one. Fortunately, I was able to control myself on subsequent readings, taking my time to stop and really soak in the images, which are a great mix of cycling, culture, and travel.

10 is a true work of art, that deftly mixes a love for adventure with a love for Africa. If you've never visited that continent, this book will only inspire you to make the trip yourself – preferably on the back of a bicycle. It is a perfect introduction to the Tour for those who aren't familiar with and a tantalizing look at the event for those of us who have only dreamed about it. For those who have already ridden the epic ride, I can only imagine that this is the next best thing to be there.

10: Celebrating Ten Years of the Tour d’Afrique Bicycle Race and Expedition would make an amazing holiday present for the adventurer, cyclist, or traveler on your list this season. It is beautiful, inspiring, and bold, all at the same time. Order here for $80 US or Canadian. $110 internationally.

Outside Online Lists Their Favorite Gear, Bike, Environmental and Adventure Blogs

The staff over at Outside Online has been spending a lot of time on the Internet lately. The site, which is the web companion to Outside Magazine, has been posting lists of their favorite blogs and websites in a variety of categories, including gear, bikes, the environment, and adventure. The lists will have some very familiar sites for regular readers of this blog, especially since I was lucky enough to be named to one of the list as well.

The Top 10 Environmental Blogs features such sites as Treehugger and The Cleanest Line, both of which are favorites of mine. That particular list is topped by the The New York Times Green Blog, which just should be an indication of the overall level of quality of the websites on this list. The Top 10 Bike Blogs includes Fat Cyclist and Bike Snob NYC, which I enjoy as well, with Red Kite Prayer getting top overall honors.

The Top 10 Gear Blogs was definitely a hotly contest category, as there are a number of good gear blogs on the Internet. But these are definitely the best of the best, featuring our friends over at the Gear Caster and The GearJunkie as well. Outside's top gear blog honors goes to the Outdoor Gear Lab, which is an excellent source of information on a dizzying array of products.

Finally, the Top 10 Adventure Blogs is practically a list of my favorite sites on the Internet. Some of the familiar names on this list include National Geographic Adventure and The Goat, which I link out to frequently, as well as Adventure Journal, which it tops in this category. That is impressive enough in and of itself, but the gang over at AJ also scored top ten listings on the Gear and Bike blog lists too! Well done to Steve and crew.

Finally, I'd like to thank the editors over at Outside for including my humble little slice of the Internet. I managed to rank 5th on the list of Adventure Blogs, and I'm excited and honored to be mentioned in the same breath with the other great sites on the list.

London2London Update: Sarah Completes Stage 1

British adventurer Sarah Outen arrived in Tokyo a few days back, successfully bringing to a close the first stage of her London2London expedition. This leg of the journey was 11,000 miles in length and lasted for 227 days, but puts her only halfway to her goal.

As you probably recall, Sarah is attempting to make a completely human powered circumnavigation of the planet. She got underway in April, setting out from London, and paddled her way down the Thames River and across the English Channel. After that, she climbed aboard her bike and started pedaling east, passing through 12 different countries before arriving at her temporary stopping point. Along the way, she  has had to deal with bad weather, trucks that wouldn't share the road, dehydration in the Gobi Desert, and choppy seas on her paddle from Russia to Japan.

For now, Sarah will enjoy some down time in Japan as she rests and prepares for the next major stage of the expedition. In the spring of 2012 she'll start a 4300 mile solo crossing of the North Pacific, which will begin in Choshi, Japan and end in Vancouver, Canada. If she is successful, she'll become just the third person to make that journey.

After that, Sarah will return to the bike and ride from Vancouver to New York City, where she'll return to the water once again, and row the North Atlantic. If all goes according to schedule, she'll return to where she started – London – in late 2013.

Congrats to Sarah on reaching the end of this incredibly long first leg. Now take a break and getting ready for the next adventure.

Cycling And Climbing Through South America

Two cyclists and climbers have combined their passions to launch a single great expedition that is currently underway in South America. Calling themselves the Biciclimbers, adventurers Jairo and Fer have set off to ride their bikes from Caracas, Venezuela to Ushuaia, Argentina, covering a distance of about 15,000km (9320 miles) in the process. Along the way, they'll also stop to climb some of the more prominent mountains in the countries they pass through as well.

According to their blog, it seems that the expedition got underway earlier this month, with the team first setting its sights on a climbing a big rock wall on the Gran Sabana of Venezuela. After that, they'll return to the road and what ever adventures capture their attention.

The Biciclimbers have dubbed their expedition "Pedaling the Andes," and they expect to cross through eight countries along the way. After leaving Venezuela, they'll make their way to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and finally Argentina. Exactly which mountains they'll climb along the way remains unclear, although the website does list Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America at 6962 meters (22,841 ft).

The website and blog for the Biciclimbers is in Spanish, so in order to follow along, you'll need to be able to speak the language or use Google Translate to stay updated on their progress. They are already posting blog updates form the road however, and from the sound of things, they're enjoying the adventure so far.

What an amazing idea for a trip. Cycling and climbing on an extended journey sounds fantastic, and I hope Jairo and Fer have a great time. Very inspiring!

Cycling News From Outside Mag

With the professional cycling season coming to an end for another year, fans of the sport are already looking ahead to 2012, when new teams, riders jumping ship to different squads, and a full schedule of races should keep things interesting. With that in mind, Outside magazine has a couple of interesting articles for us to think about.

First up, we get a nice first look at the just announced routes for both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. Both races will offer very different course from this year, which will have an impact on the peloton and just who has a legitimate chance of winning the race. The Giro, for instance, has done away with some of the long post-stage transfers that have bothered racers in the past, and now a more logical and liner route for the most part. The race will start out flat, but in the later stages it shifts into some very tough mountain stages, which will no doubt favor the climbers in the General Classification.

In contrast, the Tour will favor riders with outstanding time trial experience, offering three times as much TT action in 2012 then it did in 2011. That's not good news for the Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank, who have been in contention the past few years, but have not been able to keep pace in the individual time trials in particular. There will still be plenty of climbing of course, including some never before seen routes, but there is one fewer mountaintop finish this time out, and the course seems to favor the more skilled all around riders, like this year's winner Cadel Evans or three-time champ Alberto Contador.

Speaking of Contador, Outside also scored an interesting interview with the Spaniard, which you can read by clicking here. Contador is still awaiting a hearing over a pending drug suspension for a positive test of the banned substance clenbuterol in last year's Tour de France. In the interview, which is quite short, he touches upon how he got started in the sport, what he does to relax in the off season, and how it felt to finish off the podium in this year's Tour.

As of now, Contador's drug hearing is scheduled for November 22.

London2London Update: Sarah Reaches Japan

Sarah Outen has reached a major milestone on her attempt to circumnavigate the globe under her own power. You may recall that Sarah set out in April on her round-the-world adventure, by paddling down the River Thames and across the English Channel. From there, she climbed on her bike and has spent months peddling across Europe and Asia. Now, she's made it to Japan, where she plans to take a break before attempting to row across the North Pacific in the spring.

Sarah, and her companion Justine Curgeven, were not allowed to paddle out of Russia, but were instead put aboard a boat that would take them out to sea where they could drop into their kayaks for the crossing to Japan. Once that happened however, the ladies actually paddled back to the Russian coast, where they tagged Sarah's last waypoint, before turning towards their eventual destination. This added an additional  24 miles to the trip, but ensured that Sarah stayed true to her goals to cover all the miles under her own power.

Now, she's safely in Japan where she'll travel some parts of the country by bike, before taking a much deserved rest. In the spring, she intends to climb aboard her row boat (Sarah once rowed across the Indian Ocean) and row across the Northern Pacific to Vancouver, where she'll once again take to the bike and begin a long ride across the U.S. and Canada, before the rows across the Atlantic, and back up the Thames, to end the expedition where it started, back in London.

Congrats to Sarah for closing off this leg of her journey and good luck in the spring. Hopefully for now, she's enjoying a warm bed, good food, and plenty of rest.

Epoch Expedition: 10,000-Mile Human Powered Adventure

A few days ago I received a note from Chris Crane, a member of Team Epoch, which is about to launch new expedition that will send the four person team on a 10,000-mile long odyssey completely under their own power. Chris, and his teammates, will mix in some of our favorite activities along the way, including rowing, cycling, paddling, and hiking.

The journey will begin with a row across the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Woodvale Challenge, which gets underway in early December. That race begins in the Canary Islands and ends in Barbados, roughly 2933 miles.

That would be enough of an adventure for most folks, but at that point, Team Epoch will be just warming up. From there, they'll get on their bikes and ride to Alaska, which they'll follow up by kayaking the Inside Passage. Finally, they'll cap the entire expedition with a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, which is considered one of the true classics of long distance trekking. The PCT is more than 2600 miles in length and can take months to complete on its own.

All and all, a very ambitious adventure to say the least. Be sure to stop by the Team Epoch website to read about their preparations leading up to their departure and following their progress along the way.

Good luck!

CheapTents Interview: Adventurer Leon McCarron

The gang over at CheapTents.com have posted another one of their excellent interviews today, this time with adventurer Leon McCarron. If that name sounds familiar to you, it may be because he is one of the two men who are planning to walk from Mongolia to Hong Kong, a journey of 3500km (2175 miles) that will commence in November.

In the interview Leon discusses a previous cycling adventure, during which he rode more than 22,500km (14,000 miles) from New York to Hong Kong, passing through a number of countries along the way. He also gives insights into the inspirations for going on these adventurers, and his favorite pieces of gear as well. Perhaps most of interest however, is his thoughts on the upcoming Mongolia to Hong Kong expedition, how he is preparing for it, and what he expects that trek to be like. As someone who has cycled more than hiked (and paddled) he thinks it could be a real struggle at first.

Leon also happens to be a filmmaker, and he has used that skill on his previous cycling journeys, so I would expect we'll see some interesting videos from Mongolia and China once he and his traveling companion, Rob Lilwall, hit the road in a few months.

Motorcycling Solo Around Africa: Jolandie Gets A New Mode Of Transportation and Sponsor

A few weeks back I posted a story about Jolandie Rust, the adventurous South African woman who had set out to cycle around the Africa. At the time, she had been held-up in Angola and someone stole her bike and most of the rest of her gear. Since then, she's briefly returned home, but is now eager to get back on the road, albeit with a different mode of transportation.

A few days ago, Jolandie announced on her blog that she would be foregoing her plans to circumnavigate Africa on a bicycle in favor of doing it on a motorcycle instead. She'll still be traveling solo and still hopes to become the first woman to complete this journey, but her mode of transportation has changed. Obviously this means she'll be able to travel much faster than on a bike, but she'll also have to be cognizant of where she can get fuel as well. At the moment, she's working out all the details and doesn't have a date in mind as to when she'll restart the journey, but she seems as determined as ever to reach her goal.

In addition to having a different method of transportation, Jolandie has also picked up a new sponsor as well. The Government of Angola, along with their Tourism Ministry, has agreed to become her primary sponsor for the expedition. It seems that the country, and its people, have really stepped up to help Rust in her time of need, and their support will allow her to continue her adventure soon.

So, look for more information on her blog soon. Despite the change in vehicles, there are still plenty of African adventures ahead.

Cycling News: Leopard Trek and RadioShack Merge

Following a week of rumors, cycling teams RadioShack and Leopard Trek made it official yesterday. The two teams, already rich in talent, are joining forces, to create what Outside Magazine calls a superteam. The new roster will include Leopard vets Andy and Frank Schleck of course, along with time trial champion Fabian Cancellara, who will all continue on through the 2013 season. They'll be joined by RadioShack riders Chris Horner, Andreas Klöden, Matthew Busche, Jani Brajkovic, Nelson Oliveira and Robert Wagner, amongst others. The roster will be a full 30-man squad as is the standard under the Cycling Union's rules.

The team will also take on an additional sponsor in the form of Nissan, and will be re-branded as the RadioShack-Nissan-Trek Professional Cycling Team. The new squad will officially call Luxembourg home, which is where the Schleck's are from and Leopard-Trek was chartered.

Perhaps most interesting of all is that Johan Bruyneel will take over the reigns on this new team. Bruyneel is the man who led Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador to ten Tour de France titles, and his experience will go a long way with the new team as well. The Schlecks have to be excited about the possibility of working with Bruyneel and possibly earning themselves a Tour win at long last.

RadioShack and Leopard-Trek aren't the only teams making headlines however, as the Omega Pharma-Lotto and QuickStep have also joined forces to create the new Omega Pharma-QuickStep team. They'll boast such veterans as Tom Bonnen, Syvain Chavanel, and Andre Greipel in their stable. Not resting on their laurels, Team BMC, fresh off their win of Le Tour under Cadel Evans, have added rider of the year Philippe Gilbert to their squad, while the new GreenEdge Cycling team gets ready to hit the road with an all-Aussie squad.

Needless to say, the landscape in professional cycling will be dramatically altered next year. These "superteams" will be tough to compete with for sure, but they still have to find the right mix of chemistry and hope that their strategies can come to fruition, not to mention keeping all the riders healthy as well. It is an interesting turn for the sport to say the least.

London2London Update: Sarah's In China And Headed Towards The Sea

It has been nearly five months since Sarah Outen set out on her London2London via The World expedition, so we're long over due for an update on her progress. As you might recall, London2London is an attempt to circumnavigate the planet completely under human power, and considering Sarah has already rowed across the Indian Ocean, she knows a thing or two about human-powered adventures.

When she began her journey, Sarah started in London, and paddled down the River Thames, and across the English Channel, making landfall in France. After that, she jumped on her bike and started along ride across Europe and Asia. She's made great progress however, and she's already into China and making her way towards the Pacific Coast, where she'll eventually kayak to Japan, and then row across the North Pacific, eventually arriving in Vancouver.

As you can imagine, it has been a very busy and eventful five months for Sarah, with lots of adventures on her route. Although she has been joined by a few others along the way, she's currently riding alone, somewhere in eastern China. She's well ahead of schedule however, and is likely to take some down time for awhile after this epic ride, as she doesn't expect to start rowing the Pacific until the spring of 2012. In a recent blog post however, she did show off her new boat, the Gulliver, which she'll use in that crossing.

Below you'll find a great video of Sarah riding in China which will give you a sense of what it is like for her on the road day in and day out. The video was shot back in July, but shows her taking on a rather long and tough climb on her bike that is built more for strength than speed.

Stay tuned for more updates from Sarah as she nears the end of her first stage and gets ready to hit the water.

USA Pro Cycling Challenge: Levi Wins!

Levi Leipheimer of Team RadioShack won the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge yesterday, eking out an 11 second win over Christian VandeVelde of Garmin-Cervélo who came in second, while Tejay Van Garderen of HTC-Highroad took third, 17 seconds off the pace. Tom Danielson, also of Garmin-Cervélo and George Hincapie of Team BMC rounded out the  all-American top five.

The race started last Monday and promised to be quite a mix of high altitude and grueling climbs. It seems it lived up to that billing, as it was a challenging week for all the riders. Pre-race marketing materials for the event were quick to point out that this was the highest altitude course ever designed, with some of the stages going well above 12,000 feet, with nearly the entire race taking place above 8000 feet.

Yesterday's final stage was a bit of a relief however, as the course was 73.8 miles in length between Golden and Denver. There was just 3129 feet of climbing, and the sprinters seemed to enjoy having the opportunity to show off their skills, racing for the finish line in front of the Colorado state capitol building. It was Italians Daniel Oss and Elia Viviani, both of Team Liquigas-Cannondale, who finished one-two for the stage win, while American Freddie Rodriguez took third for Team Exergy.

All in all, it seems this was a very successful first outing for the Pro Cycling Challenge. Hopefully we'll see the race well into the future as well. Colorado is a great setting for road cycling, with plenty of options to challenge all kinds of riders. It was great that cyclists like Cadel Evans and Frank Schleck showed up to ride as well, giving the event a lot of legitimacy in its first go.

Congrats to Levi on the great win!

USA Pro Cycling Challenge: Americans Dominating On Home Turf

We're now more than halfway through the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge and it clear that the American riders want to make sure they defend their home turf. After the prologue on Monday, two road stages on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a time trial yesterday, American cyclists dominate the leaderboard, controlling the top five spots.

Leading the race is Levi Leipheimer of Team RadioShack. He who holds an 11 second lead over Christian VandeVelde of Team Garmin-Cervélo and 17 seconds on Tejay Van Garderen of HTC-Highroad. Tom Danielson, also of Garmin-Cervélo, holds down the fourth spot, 21 seconds off the pace, while George Hincapie of BMC Racing rounds out the all-American top five, 53 seconds off the leader.

So far, the race has lived up to its promise of being a challenging, high altitude competition. Colorado has served as a scenic, yet brutal, backdrop for the racers, who have endured difficult climbs, thin air, and heart-pounding descents. Hincapie won a thrilling Stage 2 that included more that 9740 feet of climbing, while Levi took the time trial through Vail yesterday, which featured 1783 feet of climbing over just a ten mile course.

Today, the Peloton will return to the road with an 82.8 mile long stage between Avon and Steamboat Springs. This should be a relatively fast stage for the riders, as it only has about 5000 feet of climbing, with the highest point being 8550 feet. That sounds like a lot for the rest of us, but should be a walk in the park after what they've gone through earlier in the week.

So far, it seems that the Pro Cycling Challenge has been quite a success in its first year of existence. Considering the field is full of big names from the pro circuit, it is garnering plenty of attention on the world's stage as well. Hopefully the race will become a staple on the tour, and will be around for a long time to come.

US Pro Cycling Challenge: Levi Leads After Stage 1

As I mentioned a few days back, the US Pro Cycling Challenge is underway in Colorado, and already off to a great start. The event got underway on Monday with a short 5.2-mile long prologue that was won by German Patrick Gretsch, who rides for HTC-Highroad and finished the course in just 8 minutes and 27 seconds. That time put him two seconds ahead of Christian VandeVelde heading into yesterdays first road stage.

Stage 1 was an altogether different beast than the short prologue. It was a 99.4-mile ride through the scenic Colorado countryside that include more than 8000-feet of climbing. It was a day in which the stars of the sport came out to play, as Tour de France winner Cadel Evans and third place finisher Frank Schleck rode at the front of the Peloton for much of the day. In the end however, it was American Levi Leipheimer who pulled away at the end, and took the stage victory, finishing seven seconds ahead of those two men, and four seconds in front of Sergio Luis Henao, who he overtook coming down the stretch.

Today's Stage 2 is expected to be one of the toughest of the entire race. It is 131.1 miles in length and includes more than 9745-feet of climbing. In fact, the riders will face two major summits along the way to the finish line in Aspen, each of them more than 12,000-feet in height. So far, the race has been living up to is billing as the having the most altitude of any race in history.

The overall standings look promising for American riders at this stage of the contest. Leipheimer is in first place, 11 seconds in front of VandeVelde and Tejay Van Garderen. Evans is holding down the 4th spot right now, with a host of riders less than a minute off the pace.

The race comes to and end on Sunday with a ride into Denver. It looks like it should be a highly competitive race all week long, and it certainly is open for anyone to win at this point.

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge Begins Today!

128 of the best cyclists in the world have descended on Colorado Springs, Colorado today to kick off the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge. The six-day event begins with a prologue today and includes four stages and a time trial, spread out over 600-miles of the Rocky Mountains and the highest altitude course ever.

The field is full of tough competitors, including Tour de France champion Cadel Evans, as well as both Frank and Andy Schleck. In all, 17 teams will be competing in the race, which is the first pro-cycling event in Colorado in a decade. To make the event a memorable one, the course designers decided to add plenty of challenges to the race, including some major climbs, dizzying descents, and plenty of that trademark Colorado thin air.

Things officially get underway later today when the riders take to the street for a short 5.18 mile prologue. It gets a lot more interesting tomorrow however, when they'll hit the road for a 100 mile long stage that features more than 8000 feet of climbing, reaching altitudes in excess of 11,300 feet. That's only the beginning however, as most of the rest of the stages will offer similar climbs, and the time trial on Thursday will include more than 1200 feet of climbing, with the entire stage staying above 8000 feet. Hopefully these guys have spent a few days acclimatizing, as this is going to be one long week of riding.

Velonews has a nice breakdown of the stages, which can be read here and will no doubt have good coverage of the event throughout the week. It should be fun to watch how the race unfolds, as it seems like it should be a beautiful, yet very challenging course. I hope it is a big success, as it is always great to see another cycling event here in the States.

Team BMC Cycling Adds The God of Thunder To The Roster

The Tour de France may be over for another year, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of cycling news to talk about. While teams gear up for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in a few weeks, they are also re-configuring themselves to get better in the future.

Two days ago we received word that Australian rider Stuart O'Grady was leaving Team Leopard Trek to join the all Aussie squad of GreenEdge, which is forming up for next season. Today we get even bigger news, when it was announced that Team BMC had added Thor Hushovd to the line-up. Yep, that's right. This year's TdF champion Cadel Evans will now be riding alongside the God of Thunder himself.

According to this story from Velonews yesterday, Thor was no longer happy riding for Team Garmin, in part because the team dynamics had changed, and there were internal conflicts as to which rider would be the leader heading into various races. Apparently his role will be more clearly defined on BMC, where Evans is the clear-cut leader of the team.

Hushovd won't be joining the squad until 2012, and the contract is set to run for three years. He's not only joining Evans on the squad however, as the already packed roster also includes George Hincapie, Taylor Phinney, and Alessandro Ballan. This new "super squad" will definitely be a force to reckoned with when they hit the roads in Europe next year.

As the reigning World Road Champ, who has won multiple stages in the Tour de France, Thor says that his goal is to win the Paris-Roubaix race, a single day classic that has evaded him so far.