USA Cycling medal for 5th place in single speed cyclocross nationals (photo by Brady Kappius)
Brady Kappius entered the National Championships Cyclocross single speed contest in Madison today with a winning mindset, having earned a second and a first place last week in Kansas City’s Series 60 Cyclocross races. Just two weeks earlier, he won the Colorado State Cyclocross single speed championship.
Kappius wanted to win again in Madison.
His first row position at line-up, reliable fast start, and hole shot grab promised a good chance of success on a course slick from a layer of melting mud on top of frozen ground. “I was in a good group of three for two laps,” he said, “and knew it wouldn’t be easy – Aaron [Bradford] is a great rider. I was happy to be there. But then bad luck struck.”
At the end of the second lap, course tape sunk Kappius’ odds of winning a second single speed championship. The tape wound around his crank and cassette. Kappius said, “I couldn’t put any power to the pedals.” Once he fell behind because of the mechanical, at that point he was, “mentally out of the game,” he said. “I just pedaled hard enough to get on the podium.”
To reach the podium he completed the third lap with course tape twined in a gear that skipped with every pedal stroke, and ran a climb he would normally ride. A friend from Challenge Tires helped him replace his rear wheel in the pit. He powered off, securing the fifth and final place on the national championships podium.
Kappius tries to be positive even when he’s disappointed. “Being in the top three, I was riding well, so it’s a bummer. But it’s better than getting 5th with bad legs,” he said. After the podium, he strapped on his helmet again on top of a winter hat and rode eight miles to his hotel in the dark.
Brady Kappius, Colorado State Cyclocross Championship single speed race
When the men’s National Championship elite race starts this Sunday, it’s a sure bet Kappius will have to rely on his fast start to achieve his goal of a top twenty in that competition. The call-ups on Sunday are based on UCI points, of which Kappius counts none. When asked where he thought he would end up in the start field, Kappius said, “I don’t want to think about it. There’s a long start stretch; I hope to move up.”
From now until Sunday, Kappius’ schedule includes a recovery ride tomorrow, daily short rides, tune-up efforts (going hard for a lap on the course, sprints, start simulations) on Saturday, and lots of relaxing and trying to stay off his feet.
His Boulder roommate and Clif Bar teammate, Mitch Hoke, joins Kappius soon and will chase a good result in the elite race as well. Giving credit to his teammate, Kappius said, “Mitch is riding well now, and just got back from Europe — I hope he beats me. He’s a good buddy.”
2012 Single Speed Cyclocross National Championships podium (photo via usacycling.org)
(l to r: 5. Braden Kappius (Littleton, Colo./Team Clif Bar) 47:52, 2. J.T. Fountain (Moscow, Idaho) 45:01, 1. Aaron Bradford (Santa Cruz, Calif./Bay 101-HRS-Rocklobster) 44:47, 3. Michael Gaertner (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho/Coeur d’Alene Velo Racers-Vertical Earth) 45:03 4. Scott Chapin (Santa Cruz, Calif./Bay 101-HRS-Rock Lobster Cyclocross) 46:10)
Rodin's The Thinker
In his actions and words, Tim Tebow mixes religion into sport. His “tebowing” — praying on one knee with face resting on first in a pose similar to The Thinker sculpture, has become a sensation. He talks about God in interviews.
Some say Tebow has a right to do what he wants and it’s not interfering with the game; others hold that his public displays of faith are out of place.
Pro-cyclists like Alberto Contador and Christian Vande Velde call God to mind when they make the sign of the cross in the time trial starthouse.
Does it matter if an athlete mixes religion / God into his or her sport by gestures or words? What do you think?
It’s OK
- It adds another dimension to understanding an athlete’s motivation
- It’s not new; plenty of athletes have made their religious beliefs public
- If it’s part of how an athlete prepares for an event, it’s not fair to take it away from him/her
It’s not OK
- Sport should be purely about athlete vs. athlete or team vs. team and what they do on the playing field to win or lose
- It’s just to generate hype for the athlete and does nothing to make the game / race more interesting
- Too much overt action by an athlete and focus on it could polarize fans and media and take the spotlight off the sport itself
Map of Victoria, Australia
A four-day criterium race, the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic started January 1st in its 23rd edition. The riders circle a different short course each day; the entire race takes place in the Australian state of Victoria near Melbourne. The race includes men’s and women’s elite category races.
It’s the GreenEDGE Team’s first race ever. Other Pro Tour team athletes took the start line in a total field of 55, including Heinrich Haussler and Nathan Haas of Team Garmin-Cervélo. Haas rode aggressively in stage 1 in the break-away. The two ride on Team Bike Bug with Steele Von Hoff, a former Genesys Wealth Advisors teammate of Haas who in 2012 races with the Chipotle Development Team.
Follow the race on Cyclingnews. Robbie McEwen, on GreenEDGE, is riding and tweeting about the race.
Stage 1 results (a large portion of the field dnf‘d)
| 1. | Greg HENDERSON (Degani Bakery Cafe) | 59:58 |
| 2. | Chris SUTTON (Urban Hotels) | +0 |
| 3. | Allan DAVIS (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms) | +0 |
| 4. | Bernie SULZBERGER (Urban Hotels) | +0 |
| 5. | Steele VON HOFF (Bike Bug) | +0 |
| 6. | Anthony GIACOPPO (Bike Bug) | +0 |
| 7. | Dean WINDSOR (Degani Bakery Cafe) | +0 |
| 8. | Leigh HOWARD (GreenEDGE) | +0 |
| 9. | Caleb EWAN (NSWIS) | +0 |
| 10. | Zak DEMPSTER (Degani Bakery Cafe) | +9 |
| 11. | Patrick LANE (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms) | +17 |
| 12. | James MOWATT (Rapido Cycles/Four Points Geelong) | +34 |
| 13. | Wesley SULZBERGER (GreenEDGE) | +40 |
| 14. | Baden COOKE (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms) | +41 |
| 15. | Nathan HAAS (Bike Bug) | +45 |
Sunday 1 January — Stage 1: Geelong Eastern Beach / Ritchie Boulevard. A 600 meter criterium.
Monday 2 Janary — Stage 2: Geelong / Eastern Park. About 2km criterium.
Tuesday 3 January — Stage 3: Portarlington. A 1.3 km criterium. Race website says it is the hardest of the four days.
Wednesday 4 January — Stage 4: Williamstown. Criterium, length unknown but short. Last day.
Most fans adore winners and some glorify underdogs; it’s a surer bet to cheer on athletes who win repeatedly or aren’t expected to win. In professional cycling, no one remembers second place – except maybe a certain Luxembourger.
When high expectations surround a young athlete and he doesn’t meet them entirely, some fans feel disappointed and turn their attentions elsewhere. If this athlete then pulls off several stunning performances in a season, the same fans renew their love for him. It makes me wonder if fan fickleness frustrates athletes. When a person gives his heart to an endeavor, it could be hard not to take things personally.
Tom Danielson signing autographs
Application of “heart,” through actions and words, sealed Tom Danielson’s win of the 2011 Passion Prize.
Earlier this month, during a meet and greet with fans in Boulder, he described his outlook on the 2012 Tour de France: “My goal and a good performance is to go in there with no expectations and with a lot of heart and just give it my all every single day from the start to the finish line.” That night Tom signed autographs for cyclists with these words: “Always ride with heart.”
In 2011 Tom finished as the top American in his first Tour de France with ninth place; he also contributed to Team Garmin-Cervélo’s defense of the yellow jersey and the team time trail win. His efforts for a high placing, which included fighting for a high placement on the Alpe d’Huez stage in the company of the eventual podium, helped earn the best overall team designation for Garmin-Cervélo. In the Tour de Suisse Tom rode aggressively and finished top 10 overall (he was 25th in the 2010 edition).
Tom raised high-spirited cheers from an otherwise quiet spectator crowd at the Tour of Utah time trial start house. Despite poor rest the night before the USA Pro Cycling Challenge time trial, he finished fourth ahead of many top men-against-the-clock; in that race he also attacked to lead a daring descent off Independence Pass under nasty weather.
By transforming challenging past experiences into motivation and putting in a lot of hard work, Tom built a collection of defining moments in his 2011 season. He knows he can “go any direction and get through anything.”
Last minute instructions before setting off on the Tommy D Thanksgiving Ride for Juniors
Off the bike Tom scored lots of passion points. He hosted the first Tommy D Thanksgiving Ride with Juniors. About 130 youngsters on bikes and their parents spread out on his lawn; they rode bikes and took photos with him. Before the ride started, Tom said he’d hang around after they returned for as long as anyone wanted an autograph or a photo. Tom attended charity events during a visit to Florida, and others as well.
Tom Danielson gives and then he gives some more. And that’s what passion is all about.
Tom and Stevie Danielson before Thanksgiving Ride for Juniors (Mary Topping)
*****
ProVéloPassion started the Passion Prize to recognize a cyclist who delivered a passionate performance on the bicycle. But cyclists devote their hearts to activities off the bike as well. The overall 2011 Passion Prize therefore belongs to a cyclist who accomplished both in 2011. It’s a somewhat subjective decision, and many riders, male and female, young and not-as-young, whose races and activities ProVéloPassion did and didn’t follow during the year surely deserve the prize as well. May they continue to ride with heart in 2012.
It’s really easy, and most of all satisfying, to call oneself an expert. And it’s a short leap from there to judging others we do not know with an air of authority. Yes, I do it too.
Andy Schleck and Ivan Basso at the 2011 UPCC start in Golden
Ever since watching an almost hour long documentary about Andy Schleck’s preparation for the 2011 TDF, the one that opens with him in the shower, I’ve thought Andy relies too much on his natural talent and doesn’t work hard enough. Imagine how validated I felt when today news outlets published Bjarne Riis’ comments in four if not more languages about Andy Schleck not being serious enough to win the TDF.
Bjarne Riis should know Andy Schleck really well, well enough to have formed what one might call an expert opinion. But I’ll wager that the reasons why Andy Schleck hasn’t won the TDF are more complicated, multi-dimensional. A lot of factors contribute to a victory on the bike in the outdoors.
Similarly, organizers created the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC) route and will create the 2012 UPCC route out of many competing requirements.
The 2011 route wasn’t perfect. Many armchair experts — and true experts such as procyclists — quickly pointed out it lacked a mountain-top finish, the type of finish that delivers a more selective and exciting race. The climbs didn’t feature the degree of steepness that separates the strongest from the strong enough. I can’t count how many times I described a downhill prologue as “stupid.”
But the race brought a week-long professional cycling race back to Colorado and added a race to the U.S. calendar. Thousands of spectators felt the air-sucking freight train of a bunch sprint and witnessed the expressions of men battling themselves in an individual time trial — and one in particular that portrayed what it meant to have lost the overall race as he sat in the grass part way up Vail Pass.
There’s a raging debate going on over at CyclingNews forum about the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, with what appears to be lots of black and white opinions about the 2011 and 2012 routes. Here’s one that recognized decisions about a race route are complicated:
“There’s a lot more to pulling off a race like this than just drawing lines on a map that you think will make the most gnarly, manly, kick a$$ stages, especially when it’s a first year event.
“I’m was actually surprised and pleased that the race was so well received by whole communities, not just bike racing fans. The crowds were enormous. That it has developed some momentum and has communities competing for stages bodes well for its future. If it continues on the same trajectory I can see it adding a stage or three and having the clout to bump up some of the difficulty and be more creative with the routes, but you have to start somewhere. If the race is going to have any staying power it has to make business sense and I think they did a great job getting the support that they did.”
The UPCC organizers say they want to add a mountain-top finish. This “expert” thinks we’ll see something at least close, even if there isn’t a finish on Flagstaff Mountain.
Viewpoint near top of Flagstaff climb, near Boulder
Tibetan Prayer Flags (from http://www.fourgates.com)
We, fangirls of procycling:
1. admit we are powerless over men in lycra who ride bikes for a living.
2. came to believe a force outside of cycling could transform the first words out of our mouths in the morning or as we go to sleep into something other than Jack, Andy, Thomas, Taylor, Vincenzo, Ryan, Ryder, Christian, Mark, Bernie, George, Dylan, Denis, Ivan, and/or ___ (fill in the blank).
3. made a decision to turn our waking hours over to the activities of most normal people: sleeping, paying attention to significant others, and reading something without the word bike in the text.
4. made a searching and fearless moral inventory of all that we forgot to do, the times we were late to work or meet friends, and the housework and dust bunnies we ignored because of the hours we spend watching races in person or via electronic device, noodling on Twitter, and dreaming of the faces and legs and maybe sometimes other body parts of our favorite men in lycra.
5. admitted to ourselves, a higher power, and to another human being how often we seethe with jealousy over a rider’s reply to another woman’s tweet and how long the sweet feeling of a reply by a man in lycra to one of our tweets lingers, and how cranky we become dieting before a race we’ll attend in person.
6. are entirely ready to have a (higher power, boyfriend, husband, non-cycling girlfriend) limit us to one cycling magazine a month (titles can rotate) and 30 minutes a day on Twitter, and put an end to plans to move to Boulder, all so we can convert the time we’ll save to actually riding our bikes.
7. humbly asked a higher power, the Universe, or a member in good standing of the Barbie Doll Collector’s Club to remove our shortcomings.
8. made a list of all those we had harmed by our addiction to men in lycra, and became willing to make amends to them all. This list could include friends and co-workers who are not cycling fans (well, maybe just co-workers, because, really, do we still have any non-cycling fan friends?) and found us unreliable as we navigated July as sleepless zombies, spectators we have trampled to grab a tossed water bottle or score another autograph, female pro-cyclists, and / or neglected partners and family members (this includes pets).
9. made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. For co-workers and family this could mean forgoing live am coverage of TDF mountain stages and viewing only evening coverage in 2012. OK, stop shaking. Maybe proffering croissants would suffice? Date night on grand tour rest days? Posters of loved ones pasted over one third of cubicle walls that now wear Leopards?
10. continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Perhaps by a prayerful reflection before the start of each bike race we watch, or ranking ourselves between 1 to 10 on the Fangirl obsession wheel.
11. sought through prayer and meditation to improve conscious contact with our non-pro-cycling selves – rediscovering hobbies and people that have brought us joy, as well as dedicating ourselves to encouraging and cheering on cyclists whom we know, including ourselves, as vehemently as we have those now slightly more distant men in lycra.
12. having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others by establishing Pro-cycling Fangirl Recovery Groups (PFRGs) in our neighborhoods and distributing copies of these Steps to Fangirls who are the first to arrive at a team bus pre-race. We pledge to practice these principles in all of our affairs whenever we obsess, all the while remembering how special we are, with or without men in lycra.
Now, how will you carry out these 12 Steps?
yellow swallowtail butterfly
2011/12 CO State Championships, men's open riders, Kappius leads pack off turn into park after start (photo by Mary Topping)
Sometimes, no matter how fast a rider starts a cyclocross race, he can’t hold a lead. But he can still make a difference.
At the Colorado Cyclocross State Championships last weekend, Brady Kappius of Team Clif Bar led the men’s open field off the starting pavement onto a grassy track that soon turned muddy. “I’m a fast starter,” Kappius said after the race, “I guess it’s in my genes.” His father Russell raced last weekend too, finishing 11th in the men’s 45+ category. He supported Brady in the pits during the men’s open race. They shared breakfast that morning, scrambled eggs with a kielbasa/hashbrown mix.
Yannick Eckmann rode off the front almost the entire race at 2011/12 CO Cross State Champs
Brady Kappius battles last lap
Brady Kappius lost his lead early to 19 year-old Yannick Eckmann riding for Pearl Izumi/Shimano who finessed the mud to become the new Colorado state champ. Kappius placed sixth. He and Eckmann spent a few moments together right after the race, each splattered in mud.
It’s probably not a stretch to say Kappius and Eckmann are practically family: Eckmann used to ride for the Clif Bar Development Cross Team. After Eckmann crossed the finish line, his mom handed him a red, white, and blue towel and reminded him to wipe the mud off his teeth.
Mud brothers: Kappius congratulating Eckmann after his CO Cross State Champs win
Another family spun around the course, in name only. A sticker graces Brady Kappius’ Cannondale frame; it reads, “I ride for Tyler Blick.” Tyler is six years-old and in treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His Dad, Steve, works as marketing manager at Oakley, a sponsor that continued to support Lance Armstrong during his recovery from cancer. When Tyler joined the family of those living with cancer, pro-cyclists found a way to surround Tyler with support. They have been dedicating their rides to Tyler.
Finding a win in cycling can take a while. Cancer treatment and recovery is a long process too: one more treatment, one more MRI, one more hope.
On Sunday, Brady carried Tyler Blick across one more finish line.
Brady Kappius rides for Tyler Blick
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Brady Kappius said he’ll be training hard in preparation for the U.S. Cyclocross Nationals in early January. Yesterday, after it snowed fifteen inches in Boulder, he took the mountain bike to town. He’ll ride two Series 60 Cyclocross races in Kansas City on December 28th and 31st.
Ted King at 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge (photo via D'Andrea Worrall)
[Updated 1/6/2012. Thanks for voting your guesses and participating in this new style of interview. Voting is now closed. Check below to find out how everyone voted and visit here to see what Ted actually said.]
Pro-cyclist Ted King told VeloNation, “I live the philosophy that life is an adventure.”
That’s why ProVéloPassion asked him to play with a new idea for the Off the Beaten Road interview series. In between Ted’s Liquigas-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team’s camps in Passo San Pellegrino and Sardinia this December, he selected one of two possible answers to each of ten questions. Now it’s time for cycling fans to guess, below, which answers he chose.
First, warm up with these open-ended interview questions.
Ted’s passion off the bike: baking, which he loves because it is “a means to an end.”
The good luck charm he carries during a race: none. “Good luck implies superstition and I ain’t superstitious.”
Clothing Ted has owned for the longest time and still wears: “T-shirts. I have an ever growing collection of shirts that I love and still wear all the time.”
Favorite place to be a tourist: “Relatively freshly back from Hawaii, I’m thrilled to have gone there without the tether of my bike. That was glorious.”
When he was a kid, Ted used to: “Take my bike off sweet jumps. I rode my bike all over my home town. Then after hanging it up for a decade, I came back into the world of two wheels, but this time with the manly veil of shaved legs and spandex.”
Is there is something Ted would like journalists to ask him that they’ve never asked before? “Yes. ‘Hey Ted, I’ve been dying to ask: where can I send you maple syrup/peanut butter/a thousand dollar bill for this interview?!'” [Editor’s note: ProVéloPassion can only afford one of the first two suggestions.]
Ted King at ATOC 2011. What is he saying? (photo by Jean Pickard Art, Flickr)
Guess how Ted answered these questions
How well do you know Ted King? Select the replies you believe Ted provided to the questions below. Click on “vote” for each question to register your guesses. At midnight on December 30th voting will close. Soon thereafter, Ted’s real answers and comments will be revealed on ProVéloPassion.
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[Editor’s note: Al Roker watched Deborah Roberts’ apartment while she was away. He broke through their “just friends” status by stocking her previously empty fridge and pantry, and leaving her flowers to find when she returned. They subsequently married.]
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At the time of this interview, Ted shared that his first race of the 2012 season will be the Tour de San Luis in Argentina in January.
Ted King at 2010 US Pro Championships (photo by D'Andrea Worrall)
Teams
- Liquigas-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team 2011 to present
- Cervélo Test Team, 2009 – 2010
- Priority Health Cycling Team, which became Bissell Pro-cycling Team — 2006 – 2008
Career Highlights
- Two-time Giro d’Italia finisher
- 2011 — 3rd, USA Cycling Pro Road Championships; 5th, Green Mountain Cyclocross day 2
- 2010 — 10th, Vuelta a Castilla y Leon stage 1; 1st, Housatonic Hills; 1st, Green Mountain Stage Race stage 1
- 2009 — Sprint jersey, Vuelta a Burgos, stage 2; 1st, Michael Schott Memorial Marblehead Circuit Race; 1st, Lake Auburn Road Race
- 2008 — Ranked 2nd overall in North American individual standings (1st American); 1st, Hanes Park Criterium; 1st Tour of the Hilltowns; KOM jersey, Tour of Georgia stage 4
- 2007 — 1st, Concord Criterium
- 2006 — 1st, Portsmouth and Poughkeepsie Criteriums; 3rd, NY State Cyclocross Championships
Additional Interviews
In addition to all Ted divulges while narrating his adventures on his website, check out these sources for insights about Ted:
- NYVelocity interview, June 2011
- Ted King’s diary on VeloNews
- “Fresh start with Liquigas for the King of Style,” on VeloNation, November 2010
Ted King (l) with teammate on hike near Passo San Pelligrino (photo by Timmy Duggan)
[Many thanks to D’Andrea Worrall, Jean Pickard Art, and Timmy Duggan for the photos that accompany this interview.]
2011 Colorado State Cross Championships single speed podium (l - r) Jesse Swift 2nd, Brady Kappius 1st, Colby Pearce 3rd
[updated 1/3/2012]
Yesterday Brady Kappius enjoyed a tasty appetizer in advance of today’s men’s open race at the 2011 Colorado State Cyclocross championships. Kappius won the single speed category, finishing 1:04 ahead of Jesse Swift on the Gates Carbon Drive team and 1:52 in front of Joe Saperstein riding for Trek Bicycle Store. Swift’s ride earned him second place on the podium and Colby Pearce finished third. Saperstein finished fourth.
Joe Saperstein (center) finished 4th in the 2011 Colorado State Cross Championship single speed race
Swift and Saperstein were both favorites going into the single speed race. Saperstein lined up for the race as the reigning Colorado State champion in this category and Swift has won four of the last five races he entered.
Swift, who has been healthy all season, arrived at the Rhyolite Regional Park venue in Castle Rock trying to shake off a cold. He downplayed his chances in the early afternoon, even though part of his warm-up included a sprint along the uphill initial section of the race ten minutes before the start. A rider who raced that morning described that paved portion as twice as long as a typical sprint start; “some guys felt lucky just to make it to the turn off the pavement,” he said.
2011 Colorado State Cross Championships Rhyolite Regional Park venue
Russell Kappius, Brady’s father, raced in the morning in the 45+ category. Brady cheered him on, and helped him with a wheel or tire change after he flatted. In the afternoon they switched places, with father cheering for his son. Russell Kappius won two national championships this year, in cross-country and 24 hour mountain bike endurance races. The duo has raced together in the Winter Park series.
Brady Kappius races single speed only occasionally, but usually rides away with great results; he won both Lookout Cross and the Boulder Cyclo-cross series race #2 on one gear this season. So despite lining up yesterday in the fourth row, he won the hole shot. Swift followed Kappius after the group swung off the pavement onto the muddy course with Saperstein about seven places behind.
Jesse Swift chasing early in the Colorado State Cross Championship single speed race
Kappius extended his lead as the five laps counted down. Swift had to thread his way through a crash as some riders struggled near the top of the steep flyover and later he slid out after a corner just before that obstacle. Both events cost him time, time he couldn’t make up bunny-hopping the barriers on the course. “The barriers were too close together to bunny hop, and with the mud coming into them, it was a slow section,” Swift said.
Saperstein rode with Colby Pearce for most of the race. He said, “I knew Brady and Jesse were gone and I wasn’t going to catch them but I wanted to hold Colby off for 4th. He’s an Olympian and trains a lot. The only way I thought I could beat him is using my bike handling skills. I gapped him in muddy technical sections, then he’d get back on me in straight sections.” The flyover created memories for Saperstein and Pearce too, early in the race. Saperstein said, “Going up a couple of cat 3’s got tangled, and Colby. I was head down, all I saw was a rider down. I ran into him and fell off into Colby. We were hugging each other. He asked if I was good, we got untangled and got going.”
Brady Kappius, Colorado State Cross Championship single speed race
Kappius said once in first position he didn’t want to relinquish it. He didn’t crash once, and felt great in the corners. After the race he said he raced single speed earlier in the season to get in more racing miles. Otherwise he pedals one gear mostly for fun.
Yesterday’s performance left no doubt he raced to win, but his first priority was preparation for today’s open race. “The best way to see the course at speed is to race it. You can’t dial in the corners in a pre-ride,” he said. His winning pace yesterday meant Kappius passed the entire men’s category 3 pack of about 30 which started one minute before the single speed group of similar size.
Jessica and Jesse Swift
Swift dismounted his bike just before the finish line and slapped dozens of waiting spectator hands to celebrate his second place. After winning last week’s Boulder Cyclo-cross series race #5 in Lyons, Swift said he might also race the men’s 35+ category in the state championships, but he decided to call it a season after he walked his Raleigh across the finish line.
Saperstein ended his season with yesterday’s race as well. “It was a lot of fun, a really good course, and a blast to race the guys all year,” he said.
Could Swift have won yesterday if he had been 100% healthy? “The cold didn’t help,” Swift said. “I was only able to ride my bike about ½ hour this week. And Brady is just coming off a really good finish at a USGP, so, despite the cold, I don’t know if I could have got him.”
After the podium, Kappius said he wouldn’t be celebrating that night. “Maybe tomorrow,” he said.
Brady Kappius' winning muddy pedal power (photo by Mary Topping)
Russell and Brady Kappius (l - r) after Brady's 2011 Colorado State Cross single speed victory
Post-race video with Jesse Swift and brief walk-on appearance by Brady Kappius.
Pro-cycling fans are passionate about their favorite riders’ race day scruff, having cast nearly 1,000 votes for the 14 candidate slate and writing in 17 different hopefuls. A big warm thank you to all who voted.
On to the results, with bouquets for and comments from the top candidate and most popular write-in.
ProVéloPassion Scruff-A-List, top 5 among the candidates
The Scruff-A-List podium runs five deep, because there’s never enough scruff to admire.
Number one on the Scruff-A-List: George Hincapie of the BMC Racing Team!
George Hincapie (Zoe-Rochelle photo, Flickr)
Gracious person that George Hincapie is, he expressed his gratitude for being included in the poll. When he heard about his first place finish on the Scruff-A-List, he said, “It’s definitely a kind gesture by cycling fans. I wasn’t expecting it. I’m grateful to everyone who voted for me and everyone else in the poll.”
George started shaving at age 15. “I was pretty young,” he said. “It was earlier than most of my friends. It didn’t really bother me. I felt like a man.”
There’s no cultivation involved for George to achieve his award-winning scruffy look. He said, “It’s all natural. There’s no cultivation. Whatever comes out, I just let it go.” And does he shave during races? “For stage races, I shave every three or four days. There’s really no routine to it. Just when I feel like I’ve started to get scruffy. When I do shave, I do it after the race,” he said.
George’s family members hold different opinions regarding his scruff. His wife Melanie likes it. “My kids don’t like it,” he said.
With respect to his goals for the upcoming season, George said, “I think my role in the BMC Racing Team has definitely changed. The team is going to look to me to captain these guys on the road. If that circumstance comes to me in one of these races, I’ll definitely take advantage of it.”
In 2012 George embarks on his 19th season in pro-cycling. What’s the secret to his long and successful career? “I’ve learned not to take anything for granted in the sport I love,” George said. “That’s probably why I’ve been able to do it so long.”
ProVéloPassion confided with George that his BMC Racing Team colleague Manuel Quinziato received many write-ins, but unfortunately not enough to win the write-in competition, and asked how we could console Manuel. “I’m going to give him trouble about this all year because I beat him,” George said, laughing. I’ve very proud of it.”
Number two on the Scruff-A-List: Fabian Cancellara!
Fabian Cancellara (Laurie Beylier photo, Flickr)
Number three on the Scruff-A-List: Thor Hushovd!
Thor Hushovd (Joozle Dymond photo)
Number four on the Scruff-A-List: Jens Voigt!
Jens Voigt (Melissa German photo)
Number five on the Scruff-A-List: Bernie Eisel!
Bernie Eisel (Joozle Dymond photo)
Please congratulate our podium on their winning scruff-tastic looks! And cheers to every pro-cyclist who rolls to the start line scruffy, especially the remaining nine candidates who are all scruffy stars.
Scruff-A-List, Most Popular Write-in
As further proof that pro-cycling fans appreciate the scruffy look, voters wrote-in seventeen guys to tout their scruff. This scruffy loyalty deserves some attention. And so ProVéloPassion presents the most popular write-in.
Most popular Scruff-A-List write-in, Sam Johnson on Team Exergy!
In addition to receiving more write-in votes than Manuel, Sam Johnson also exceeded write-ins for Mark Cavendish.
Sam Johnson (self-portrait)
Sam said he is “deeply, deeply flattered” to have won the write-in competition on the Scruff-A-List. When asked how it felt to receive more votes than Mark Cavendish, Sam replied, “To beat Mark Cavendish at anything is a huge achievement.”
His early sporting years made the question about what age he started to shave a bit more complex for Sam. “I guess I started shaving when I was 16? But because I was a swimmer, I’d been shaving my legs for years before that. I will admit that when I was 17, I tried to ‘grow a mustache.’ It was a horrible mistake, and I looked like a woolly caterpillar parked itself on my upper lip,” he said.
Does Sam rely on a certain practice to cultivate his winning scruffy look? He said, “This is a trick question, right? Cultivate my scruffy look? It’s more a lack of cultivation that leaves me looking scruffy.” Sam’s choice to sport scruff or not on race days bears no relationship to superstition. “I’m not a highly superstitious person,” he said, “so I have no qualms about shaving on race day. But honestly, I don’t really enjoy the practice of slicing all the hair (and a thin layer of skin) off my face with a razor-blade, so I don’t shave very often. Once per week? For sure once per month. Plus, you save money on razors that way.”
ProVéloPassion asked Sam how he feels when he is especially scruffy. He said, “It depends – at first I feel awesome and manly, like I should be outside performing lumberjack activities. Then the reality sets in: I can’t grow a full beard. That scruff is all I get. I keep confirming this (lack of) ability every year or so, but so far, the results have been consistent.”
Lastly, here’s what we can look forward to in 2012 for Sam. “Last year was my first as a pro. I still had satisfying personal results, but my roll on this team is not to win races. I’m just a booster on the rocket that sends our leaders into orbit. I want Team Exergy to win a stage at California, Utah, and the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, and I want to be a major part of that victory.”
Numbers for top 5 candidates
| Candidate | % of total votes |
| George Hincapie | 24% |
| Fabian Cancellara | 14% |
| Thor Hushovd | 12% |
| Jens Voigt | 11% |
| Bernie Eisel | 7% |
This contest would not have been possible without permission granted via Flickr creative commons sharing or explicit permission to use photos. Thank you again Melissa German, Joozle Dymond, Zoe-Rochelle, and Laurie Beylier for your generosity. Special thanks to George Hincapie and Sam Johnson for their comments.
ProVéloPassion 