Last week, Bell's Team members Jason Aric Jones and Dan Kotwicki ventured over to France to follow the Tour de France around, riding some of the classic Tour routes. Both tackled classic "beyond category" climbs such as the Col du Galibier, Col de la Madeleine, Col du Telegraphe, and the notorious Alpe d'Huez.
Dan K. also had the good fortune to compete in the public stage of the Tour. Every year the organizers of the Tour pick one actual Tour stage for members of the public to compete in. A lottery is held and competition for racing slots is fierce, with many Euro neo-pros competing. This year, the Tour organizers picked the public stage race to be held on the Stage 16 Mourenx to Pau section of the Tour, located in the notorious Pyrenee Mountains bordering France and Spain. Among other challenges, the stage includes the "off category" Col d'Aubisque climb and is 180.5 km in length!
Over 8,000!! racers competed in this race. It was incredibly hairy with a 50 km, 1500 meter descent reaching speeds of 60 mph! Luckily, Dan K. has those incredible MTB skills! In the end, Dan finished an impressive 501 out of 8,000+ competitors. Even more impressive when you consider that Dan 1. Doesn't Live or Train in the Mountains, and 2. Arrived in Southern France only days before the Race! So, finishing in the top six percent of competitors was quite a feat.
No word yet on if Dan will be selected to fill a spot on the Discovery Team roster next year!
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Bell's Beer Wins Stony Creek Xterra Race!
(Shelby Township, MI - July 10)
The Xterra Off-road triathlon started Sunday morning at 8am with athletes taking off on the swim in a gorgeous, flat lake with a huge crowd of spectators. With the neon green swim capped heads bobbing in the lake, the excitement of the day was just starting!
The bike course was just sweet - plain and simple, sweet. Fast, fun, super fast, and with just enough elements of surprise (you can read that to say - creek crossings, mud pits, etc) to make it challenging to the old pros, but kind enough to the middle- and back-of the packers. It twisted and it turned, and you could go for a bit just flying without even pedaling (not super fast - but you could go - it was SMOOOOOOOTH at places).
The run took you back on the start of the bike trails and then off onto more awesome single track that you missed on the bike. It was six miles of short ups and downs and stream crossings and fun! But watch out for your shoes!
Bell’s Beer’s Jim James smoked the mountain bike course, which gave him a comfortable 2-minute lead over second place. During the run, he extended his lead to three and a half minutes to secure 1st place overall honors!
If you to race your mountain bike and win…you got to deal with the Bell’s Beer team.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
BOYNE SPRING CHALLENGE (MMBA CPS)
Team Member John Meyers raced the Boyne MMBA CPS race. Placing 4th in a field of 12 in the Elite Race. Here is his recap: below
I added another podium position for the Bell's Beer team.My report from todays Boyne mtn. 4 lap elite race.....The race was orginally slated for 3 laps but Brent (Fun Promotions) bumped it up to four 8 mile plus laps.....about 32 miles. It was a beautiful day to be racing up in the north country. The temp.'s were in the high 80's. I rode a strong race and consistent race...I closed the gap on 3 rd. position (Jorel Hendershot Cannodale) on the last climb but only to lose 3rd on the crazy downhill into the finish. So I finished in fourth place. As of the first 5 races of 10 total in the MMBA CPS I am placed in 2nd.
Great Job John... Keep hurting the youngsters !
I added another podium position for the Bell's Beer team.My report from todays Boyne mtn. 4 lap elite race.....The race was orginally slated for 3 laps but Brent (Fun Promotions) bumped it up to four 8 mile plus laps.....about 32 miles. It was a beautiful day to be racing up in the north country. The temp.'s were in the high 80's. I rode a strong race and consistent race...I closed the gap on 3 rd. position (Jorel Hendershot Cannodale) on the last climb but only to lose 3rd on the crazy downhill into the finish. So I finished in fourth place. As of the first 5 races of 10 total in the MMBA CPS I am placed in 2nd.
Great Job John... Keep hurting the youngsters !
Friday, July 08, 2005
Victory at Nissan Xterra East Regional Championships!
For the Fourth of July weekend, Bell’s Beer rider Jim James broke out his brand new Trek 9.8 mountain bike and headed to Richmond, Virginia for the Nissan Xterra East Championship. For those not familiar with the Xterra race format, it’s a mountain bike race sandwiched between a 1-mile swim and a 6-mile run. And for the East Championship, it’s the big show for off-road triathletes east of the Mississippi.
Historically, the competition at Richmond has been extremely high. This year was no different. There was a field of 400 racers that included several Olympians, 50 professional triathletes, numerous World and National Champions.
The promoter, Team Unlimited which is responsible for the Xterra Global tour, once again set up a great course that was challenge even the most seasoned professionals athletes. The swim was held on the James River, which required navigating the strong currents and avoiding large boulders slightly submerged below the surface. Then for the swim survivors, there was a fast and technical, 15-mile mountain bike course. For those athletes that still had energy to run, there was a technical run course that would challenge even a mountain goat. The southern hot and humid conditions just made the couse even more brutal on the atheltes' body.
The results for the Bell’s representative at the East Championship, 1st place in the men’s 40-44 age group. Jim’s overall placing was 23rd, right in the middle of the professional! Man, what a guy will do for a little free beer.
Oh, and the new bike, prefect! Jim’s bike split was a solid professional level effort!
What got Jim through the race, and so quickly…knowing that there were two ice-cold Bell’s Cherry Ales in the cooler.
Historically, the competition at Richmond has been extremely high. This year was no different. There was a field of 400 racers that included several Olympians, 50 professional triathletes, numerous World and National Champions.
The promoter, Team Unlimited which is responsible for the Xterra Global tour, once again set up a great course that was challenge even the most seasoned professionals athletes. The swim was held on the James River, which required navigating the strong currents and avoiding large boulders slightly submerged below the surface. Then for the swim survivors, there was a fast and technical, 15-mile mountain bike course. For those athletes that still had energy to run, there was a technical run course that would challenge even a mountain goat. The southern hot and humid conditions just made the couse even more brutal on the atheltes' body.
The results for the Bell’s representative at the East Championship, 1st place in the men’s 40-44 age group. Jim’s overall placing was 23rd, right in the middle of the professional! Man, what a guy will do for a little free beer.
Oh, and the new bike, prefect! Jim’s bike split was a solid professional level effort!
What got Jim through the race, and so quickly…knowing that there were two ice-cold Bell’s Cherry Ales in the cooler.
Monday, July 04, 2005
7/2 STONEY CREEK Marathon XC (NORBA) another race and another WIN
THE SIMONSTER DOMINATES AGAIN............
Mike Simonson (1st PLACE) and Jason Lummis (5th Place) attended the Stoney Creek (Metro Park) Marathon XC, a NORBA event. Saturday afternoon the racers set off on a 60 mile XC race (6, 10 mile loops). The course used most of the 2 tracks and single track available at the Metro Park. With a 10 person Elite class with a payout to the top 7 the race was tight. Mike set the pace early and was off the front most the race, WINNING with a Time of 3:45. Jason's race was a little more dramatic with a continous pedal problem Jason battled back and forth from 7th to 4th finally falling into 5th about a 4 miles into the last 10 mile loop with a time of 4:02. As always our TREK TOP FUELS gave us the unfair advantage, ADDIDAS shorts and shoes made the race that much easier, TIFOSI glasses kept the bugs and dust from our eyes, CLIFF SHOT kept us energized and after 3.5 hrs of racing the only thing on our minds is the cooler full of iced down, full of flavor, BELLS OBERON and some water.
NEXT RACES...... BOYNE (MMBA CPS) and WORS Devils Head Stage race (Madison WI)
Mike Simonson (1st PLACE) and Jason Lummis (5th Place) attended the Stoney Creek (Metro Park) Marathon XC, a NORBA event. Saturday afternoon the racers set off on a 60 mile XC race (6, 10 mile loops). The course used most of the 2 tracks and single track available at the Metro Park. With a 10 person Elite class with a payout to the top 7 the race was tight. Mike set the pace early and was off the front most the race, WINNING with a Time of 3:45. Jason's race was a little more dramatic with a continous pedal problem Jason battled back and forth from 7th to 4th finally falling into 5th about a 4 miles into the last 10 mile loop with a time of 4:02. As always our TREK TOP FUELS gave us the unfair advantage, ADDIDAS shorts and shoes made the race that much easier, TIFOSI glasses kept the bugs and dust from our eyes, CLIFF SHOT kept us energized and after 3.5 hrs of racing the only thing on our minds is the cooler full of iced down, full of flavor, BELLS OBERON and some water.
NEXT RACES...... BOYNE (MMBA CPS) and WORS Devils Head Stage race (Madison WI)
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