ANNOUNCEMENTS -- BIKE BITS AUG. 9, 2008

SUNCOAST BIRTHDAY Registration/RSVP is closed -- PLEASE VISIT THE EVENTS PAGE FOR ALL THE INFO!  See you at the party!  For reservation or event info, email Pat Keenan at: pkeenan001@tampabay.rr.com

DON'T MISS THIS -- LIMITED TO 20 per time slot!  Offered by our members Joe and Jeff of AMA Fitness -- an exciting BOOT CAMP is starting Monday, Sept. 8th -- either 5:45 a.m. or 10 a.m. time slots -- challenging you with 3 day a week sessions for 4 weeks.   Visit their site for info, email, phone and/or to register at www.amafitness.com  or visit the offering page directly HERE. 

OTHER
RIDES

HOW TO EMAIL SUNCOAST MEMBERS!

 LOOKING FOR A RIDE BUDDY OR GOT SOME GREAT BIKE STUFF TO SELL OR GOT A FAVORITE SUMMER OR FALL BIKE TOUR YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? HERE'S HOW TO POST TO THE CLUB -- IF YOU ARE ON OUR EMAIL LIST, YOU CAN!

• EMAIL TO:  cycling@marlowe.net
• EMAIL FROM: YOUR EMAIL (this email must be from the email you have on file with us).
• SUBJECT:   postie YOUR SUBJECT HERE  (you must put postie in all lower case as the first word in the subject line. If you do not receive a copy, then you made an error.)

NOTE: IF SENDING PHOTOS, PLEASE MAKE SURE THE IMAGES ARE SMALL FILES!

BIKE TIDBITS

Excerpts from RBR Publishing

Sign up to receive RBR in your inbox here and receive a complimentary copy of "29 Pro Cycling Secrets for Roadies".

Product recall: Keo pedals.  Many Suncoasters ride KEO pedals so this is an important announcement. Look Cycle USA is recalling 40,000 pairs of Keo pedals following reports of breaking axles. Fourteen incidents have come to light, resulting in various injuries to riders. All recalled pedals are black and include the Keo Classic, Keo Sprint, Keo HM and Keo Carbon. VISIT THIS SITE FOR COMPLETE INFO AND PHOTOS ON HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOUR PEDALS ARE PART OF THE RECALL.

RACING ROUNDUP - excerpt from RBR
Gleaned from news sources worldwide. Credited where exclusive. Follow SOS link for full story!
 
At the Olympics . . .
 
The INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIALS went true to form yesterday as Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara won the men's event and America's Kristin Armstrong took the women's gold. Each was the pre-race favorite and won with plenty to spare on the somewhat hilly course. Both countries got a second medal when Levi Leipheimer and Karin Thurig posted third-best times. >>>SOS 
 
Spain's super-strong team won the MEN'S ROAD RACE on Saturday as many predicted it would, but the gold medalist was probably the No. 5 favorite on the 5-man team. Samuel Sanchez attacked 6 challengers within sight of the line to win, with the lesser medals going to Italy's Davide Rebellin (on his 37th birthday) and Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara (a powerful performance by a man without any teammates). >>>SOS
 
In the WOMEN'S ROAD RACE on Sunday, Great Britain's Nicole Cooke outsprinted Sweden's Emma Johansson (silver), Italy's Tatiana Guderzo (bronze) and 2 others in the lead group to become Olympic champion. >>>SOS 
 
---A cyclist (surprise!) was the first athlete to test positive for an illegal performance-enhancing drug at the Beijing Olympics. Spanish road racer Maria Isabel Moreno, a 3-time national champion, was busted for EPO. >>>SOS 
______________________________________

Overheard:  "I'm disgusted and annoyed that a Spanish cyclist has been the first athlete to be found positive of doping at the Olympic Games . . . that cycling is in the headlines of the world's media, despite all of the crackdowns we have been doing."  -- Pat McQuiad, president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), blaming Spain for what he calls a "lax attitude" about doping.
______________________________________

---Imagine Lance Armstrong conceding a bike race to a 44-year-old family man. It happened 90 miles into the Leadville 100 (161 km) when the "totally cooked" Armstrong gave up hope of beating his breakaway companion, Dave Wiens. >>>SOS
 
---French cyclist Jimmy Casper is the fifth 2008 Tour de France rider to test positive for doping. The news broke late last week, causing the 30-year-old to be suspended by Team Agritubel. Casper is denying any wrongdoing, claiming he has a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for the medicine he was caught using. >>>SOS
 
---76 of the 180 riders in the Tour had a TUE for at least one normally banned drug, according to the French Anti-Doping Agency.

---Emanuele Sella has decided to cooperate with authorities in hopes of having his probable 2-year suspension cut in half. The winner of 3 mountain stages in this year's Giro d'Italia tested positive for EPO in July. >>>SOS 
 
---The Vuelta a Espana organizer has said Scott-American Beef, formerly Saunier Duval, isn't welcome. No reason was given, but the team left the Tour de France in shame at midrace after its winner of two stages, Riccardo Ricco, was found to be using EPO. >>>SOS 
 
---The future of Team Credit Agricole hangs by a thread. The oldest squad in the pro peloton has passed director Roger Legeay's Aug. 1 deadline for signing a replacement for the title sponsor, a leading French bank. >>>SOS 
 
---Pro cycling is well into the post-Tour "transfer" period when riders switch teams in search of higher salaries or at least greater support in their quest for podium placings. Racing sites are reporting transfers almost daily, although formal announcements won't come until Sept. 1, the date that the UCI says contracts can be finalized.

---Some stars make news by not transferring. Fabian Cancellara, for example, extended his contract with CSC-Saxo Bank until 2011 despite being courted by the upgrading Tinkoff Credit Systems squad, which will enter 2009 renamed Team Katusha. >>>SOS 
 
---Will Floyd Landis return to competition via Rock Racing? That's the rumor, but team owner Michael Ball is keeping a lid on speculation. >>>SOS 
 
---The second Tour of Missouri, Sept. 8-14, will host 15 teams including the 2 U.S.-based squads fresh from surprisingly strong performances in the Tour de France -- Columbia and Garmin-Chipotle. >>>SOS 
 

REGULAR SATURDAY RIDES

REGULAR SATURDAY RIDES LEAVING at 8:00 a.m. from CHAINWHEEL DRIVE IN PALM HARBOR:

A+, A, B+, B, C+ and C RIDES: This weekend, our regular ride will be LAKE CHATAUGUA/CITRUS PARK LOOP -- B Ride Leader and Sweep are needed.  B+ and C+ Volunteers to lead needed. C Ride Leader needed.

------------------------------------------------------------

Alternate B RIDE: Pace ranges from 16-20 average with intervals, looping up to Anclote (Trouble Creek) with optional "SHOW N GO" add on miles to Howard Park. Ride facilitator is TBA.... can you?

RECREATIONAL RIDE: Ride facilitator is LENNY SIMON. Ride is about 18 miles, to end of Trail and back, with options for shorter distances. Recreational pace of 12-15. Both new riders to the club and those who enjoy a moderate pace are welcome. We want to keep this ride growing... do you know friends that are new to cycling OR enjoy a moderate pace and might benefit by this ride? Ask them to join us!

-----------------------------------------------------------

Suncoast Cycling Club ride for Pasco County Leaves at 8:00 am on Saturdays from Bike Lane, inc. at 9834 Little Road, New Port Richey. The pace will be 18-20 mph with no drops; the course will be approximately 44 miles. This will be a weekly ride going forward and is NOT simply a show n go ride. For additional questions, call Chris or Larry at 727-819-2700.  

SHOW N GO RIDES*

BE A RIDE LEADER OR SWEEP

Thursday 5:30 IS OUR NEWEST "SHOW N GO" RIDE. Leaves from Chainwheel Drive, Drew St., Clearwater and either travels to Clearwater Beach, down to the Frog Pond restaurant and back for approx. 40 miles or north to Fred Howard Park and back.  This is strictly a "show n go" ride. No ride leaders, maps or sag.  (pace range is 18-22mph). Contact Ruth for more info: rridge2@tampabay.rr.com. 

*Show and go rides are advertised as a service to club members and guest riders. The are not official club rides. They do not include route maps, ride leaders or sweep. The Suncoast Cycling Club assumes no responsibility for individual riders' safety, road hazards or riding conditions. All participants are expected to ride safely and responsibly when sharing the road with motor vehicles or sharing trails with other recreational users.

CONTACT:
Pat (Cohen) Crow for B Leader or Sweep: pcohen1@tampabay.rr.com.
Harold Mitnick for C Leader: hmitnick@tampabay.rr.com.
Dottie Jessup for Rec Ride Leader: djessup@chainwheeldrive.com.

CLICK HERE for description of B Ride Leader and Sweep expectations or visit the site via links above. If you prefer, ask to share duties with a regular ride leader or sweep if you want to "learn the ropes" first!

IF YOU WANT TO BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST, PLEASE EMAIL AT THE UPDATE/CHANGE LINK BELOW WITH "UNSUBSCRIBE" IN THE SUBJECT LINE. Thank you! 

NEED TO UPDATE/CHANGE YOUR EMAIL? EMAIL CHRISTINE AT CHRISTINE@CYCLOGIRL.COM with Subject line: SCC email change.  THANKS! Christine