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adriatico, castelli, cold, conditions, gabba, Photo, race, Racing, snow, tirreno, Tirreno-Adriatico, weather, wet -

Tirreno-Adriatico: Through The Lens of Castelli

After a grueling stage 5 summit finish that opened major gaps on the Tirreno-Adriatico GC, a mostly flat stage 6 did not offer quite the reprieve many might have expected, thanks to Gabba like weather conditions, cold and wet,  that confronted the peloton during the 210-kilometer stage from Rieti to Porto Sant’Elpidio. It was a textbook leadout by team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung as Boasson Hagen hit the front with Gerald Ciolek on his wheel at the 350m to go sign. The German speedster then started his sprint over the final 150m. Sagan, who was right on Ciolek ‘s wheel showed a quick acceleration to nab his first win since July 2014. Everything  looks promising for the African Team for Saturdays Milano-Sanremo, what some might call the truest sprint of the year. Photo: Slipstreamsports and MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung.

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Gorge Roubaix Recon

Heading south from The Dalles, Oregon, the sky becomes increasingly immense. Over the widening expanse of bare hills, the riders become nearly-indiscriminate specks traveling the thin dirt roads of the backcountry. Abandoned farmhouses and infrequent fencelines are the only real signposts, rough indicators of distance traveled. Late in the morning, the riders summit a ridgeline in a freezing fog that clings in icy patterns on prairie grass. So little movement in the light wind. Passing ranchers must wonder what these riders are doing so far from more-civilized roads, but they have come out to preview the important gravel sections that define the Gorge Roubaix. The second day of the race begins on paved roads but soon abandons them about 15 miles outside of town for the more adventurous gravel terrain that riders are eager for. To not know what these gravel sections hold is to be at a significant disadvantage during the race. In the group of four riders previewing these 30 miles of gravel, there are three flats. A simple reminder of what can quickly put you out of the race. The nature of the varying landscapes, from rocky bluffs to desolate farmroads, makes the Gorge Roubaix a beautiful two-day event, while ...

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USA CX Nationals: Austin, TX

Beginning Wednesday, January 7th, cyclocross racers of all ages lined up to test themselves against the nation’s best over the course of five days. They raced beneath clear skies in late afternoon sun and they fought through the windy cold and eventual rainfall of the final days. They took on muddy runups and limestone stairs with bikes shouldered or pulled, whatever amount of resourcefulness was required. So many faces from around the country flashing by in an array of bright colors. At the end of each day, national champions were crowned and, if there wasn’t beer waiting afterward, there was certainly barbecue. These are a handful of images that we captured during the five days of racing.  

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Photo Feature: A ride with Alex Howes

Although winter weather is coming—it has already arrived in some areas—it shouldn’t keep anyone indoors during one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. Between sunbreaks and showers, quiet roads are walled in with color, begging to be explored. It was on such a day that Garmin-Sharp rider, Alex Howes, stopped by the Castelli USA office in Portland, Oregon. His schedule was pretty tight, but he was able to give us a couple hours for a quick photo/video shoot in the area. We headed out to Rocky Point Road, just north of the city, and he pointed his bike uphill. The short climb had nothing of the sweeping alpine vistas that are found in europe, but the wet roads and play of bright-colored leaves against the dark trees made for some nice images of the new Alpha Wind Jersey.    

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Hagens Berman U23: A Year in the Life of a Development Team

“Not every one of you will become a Grand Tour guy.” Mike Sayers wasted little time before deflating some of the air out of the room filled with testosterone and aspirations emblematic of his audience of bike racers ranging in age from 16 to 23. For many riders present in the room, hearing these words from Sayers — the U23 Program Director at USA Cycling — was a first reality check of many as they began their transition from amateur bicycle racing to the professional peloton. This was their first day on the job at the Hagens Berman U23 Cycling Team. The real work started a few months later under the warm spring sun of Southern California when team principals Todd Herriott and David Richter pulled the team together for training camp. Between the hundreds of miles ridden in the Santa Monica mountains that week to the first race of the season at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, all the way to the the wet and blustery conditions in the season-closing race at the Bucks County Classic in Doylestown, PA the year was filled with its share of highs. There was Adrien Costa’s overall win at the 1/2 race at Tour of the ...

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