By James Raia - Articles - Cycling Features

Cyclist David Clinger: Marked For Success

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:02:40 EDT

A decade into his professional career, David Clinger is riding for his eighth team. It's a squad that seems like a perfect fit for a cyclist who, like his new squad, has attracted as much attention off the bike as he has while pedaling.

A former teammate of Lance Armstrong, Clinger of Tarzana, Calif., returned from a unique off-season January, 2005 trip to Argentina. Enamored with the lifestyle and philosophy of the Polynesian culture, he had his face and scalp emblazoned with a Maori warrior-like tattoo that took 12 hours to complete.

Levi Leipheimer: Alone Again And On Top In Solvang

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:16:24 EST

SOLVANG, Calif. — A pro cyclist who can't excel riding alone has little chance to win a stage race. No one knows the simple but hard to execute formula better than Levi Leipheimer.

Leipheimer has ridden to stunning individual time trial victories, like the 19th stage of last year's Tour de France. And he's had horrific days in the race against the clock, like he did in the stage 7 of the 2006 Tour de France when his lost more than five minutes in a time trial to Rennes and finished 96th. As such, the Santa Rosa rider has spent considerable time in wind-tunnel testing and adjusting his riding position.

Leipheimer Wins Second Straight Amgen Tour of California

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:35:40 EST

PASADENA — With another dreary, rainy day of racing, Levi Leipheimer won the third Amgen Tour of California on Sunday, pedaling for about four hours among a depleted field that finally stopped at an iconic football stadium.

While George Hincapie (High Road) of Greenville, S.C., won seventh and final stage, Leipheimer placed 22nd in the stage to solidify his second race title in the third-year event that has stopped in his hometown, Santa Rosa, in each edition. Leipheimer was victorious by 49 seconds over David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle) of Great Britain and a 1 minute, 8 second cushion over Miller’s teammate, Christian Vande Velde of Lemont, Ill.

Amgen Tour Of California: Leipheimer Set To Defend '07 Title

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:47:23 EST

Last July, Levi Leipheimer pedaled his bicycle across mountain ranges, through several countries and rode to win 31 seconds of winning cycling's biggest event, the Tour de France. It now appears Leipheimer might as well have been pedaling in reverse.

The Santa Rosa rider, beginning in his 12th pro season, will defend last year's title beginning Sunday in the third Amgen Tour of California.

The eight-day, 666.8-mile race will begin with a 2.1-mile flat prologue individual time trial ending at Stanford University in Palo Alto.

Tour of California 2008 Stages Announced

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 18:26:32 EST

The 2008 Tour of California, scheduled Feb. 17-24, will visit 12 host cities for stage starts and finishes, including Palo Alto-Stanford University (new in 2008), Sausalito, Santa Rosa, Sacramento, Modesto (new in 2008), San Jose, Seaside, San Luis Obispo, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita and Pasadena (new in 2008).

The event, won in its first two years, respectively, by Americans Floyd Landis (Phonak Hearing Systems) of Murrieta, Calif., and Levi Leipheimer (Astana) of Santa Rosa, Calif., will begin with a prologue at Stanford University in Palo Alto. It will conclude a week later with a Santa Clarita to Pasadena road race.

FLOYD LANDIS TOUR DE FRANCE COMMENTARY: THE NICER THEY ARE, THE HARDER THEY FALL

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:03:34 EDT

And so 14 months after one of cycling's darkest moments, Floyd Landis has lost his arbitration appeal to keep his 2006 Tour de France title.

In the best of worlds, reporters are supposed to remain objective, but it's not a reality. And when decisions like this goes against a nice guy, it's more difficult to understand.

If you interview an athlete for several years, like I've done with cyclists and golfers, and years ago with NBA players, you develop opinions. Some guys (and women) you like, others you don't.

Not too many reporters, as far as I know, like Barry Bonds. I've never interviewed him, but if half of what others have said is true, and after observing him for years, if he's ever found guilty I'd revel in it. The guy's a shit and he deserved what he would get. But when nice guys cheat or they're accused of cheating, it's not the same.

Leipheimer Ends Best Season In Tour of Missouri; New Team Unknown

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:17:48 EDT

Levi Leipheimer concluded his career season of content by pedaling in circles for about 2 1/2 hours Sunday.

Most cyclists don't like race the high-speed repetitive treks often held around city attractions. They're largely contested to appease hosting cities and spectators, riders advance in close-knit formation and the potential for crashes is severe.

But events like the Tour of Missouri, organized in conjunction with chamber of commerce and tourism board officials, often finish with circuit races. And such was the case for Leipheimer and the other 98 riders in the inaugural race that dissected the state for six days.

Like he did in the Tour de Georgia in April, Leipheimer missed a key substantial early race break that included teammate and race winner George Hincapie and was removed from overall race contention.

But Leipheimer won the third stage time trial and rode in support of Discovery Channel teammate and race winner George Hincapie and finished 14th overall.

Tour of Missouri: Discovery Channel's Cycling Team's Last Ride

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:47:30 EDT

Bicycle racing is sometimes equated to chess on wheels. The players move strategically, hopeful to properly balance risk and reward for their teams.

As the current pro season begins to conclude, the match is still in progress, but who's wearing what colors for what teams and where the allegiances align is all about to change.

For the Discovery Channel team, which includes Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, the beginning of the end to the current configuration will begin Tuesday at the inaugural Tour of Missouri.

The six-day, estimated 562.2-mile event joins the Tour of California (February) and Tour de Georgia (April) as the final major U.S. stage race of the year conducted by Georgia-based Medalist Sports.

Eight members of the 27-rider Discovery Channel team, including reigning Tour de France titlist Alberto Contador of Spain, Yaroslav Popovych of Ukraine and Leipheimer will be among the 15-team, 120-rider field.

Levi Leipheimer, Third in the Tour de France, Says He'll Compete In September's Inaugural Tour of Missouri

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:23:06 EDT

Levi Leipheimer, the third-place finisher in the recently concluded Tour de France, will compete Sept. 11-16 in the inaugural Tour of Missouri.

Race officials have announced nine of the teams competing in the weeklong, six-day race. The lineup includes the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, the squad that features Leipheimer and reigning Tour de France winner Alberto Contador of Spain.

But the event, organized and operated by Medalist Sports in Tyrone, Ga., has yet to officially announce any individual participants.

Leipheimer, who claimed his first Tour de France stage with a dominating individual time trial victory in the 19th stage, confirmed his participation in the Tour of Missouri in an online excerpt to an upcoming interview in VeloNews.

Tour Of California Dates/Cities Announed For 2008

no@spam.com (James Raia) — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 21:50:22 EDT

Professional bicycle racing's most prestigious event could be on the verge of implosion. But for the third straight year, the Tour of California will return next February and will feature many of the same riders and teams currently participating in the embattled Tour de France.

On the same day as the Tour's race leader Michael Rasmussen of Denmark was kicked out of the race by his team, several cities that held press conferences Wednesday to announce their involvement as stage departure or finish cities for the race's 2008 edition.

The Tour of California will begin Sunday, Feb. 17 with a prologue (a short individual time trial to determine a race leader) at Stanford University in Palo Alto.