International Mountain Bicycling Association launches “Destinations” program

by Kraig Becker on

The International Mountain Bicycling Association has announced the launch of Destinations, a new program designed to help mountain biking enthusiasts discover places to ride across the globe. The new initiative helps travelers connect with tour operators, bike rental companies, lodges, and more.

The IMBA hopes that Destinations will become a popular resource for mountain bikers and has built a host of tools to help them research their next escape. Not only do they provide a comprehensive list of bike parks and resorts, they also offer information on local bike shops just in case the need for repairs or new gear should arise. IMBA members also gain access to discounted rates on rental cars, airline tickets, and bike shipments.

Riders looking to book a mountain biking tour are in luck as well. The IMBA website lists more than 70 tours in the U.S., Canada, Chile, New Zealand, and more. Examples include multiday rides along the Tsali Trail in North Carolina and the Alps and Adriatic of Slovenia, amongst many more. All tours booked from the site generate funds for the association, which go directly towards their work in building and maintaining mountain bike trails.

Experienced mountain bikers will also want to checkout the IMBA’s list of Epics, truly great trails, usually found on public lands. These are truly some of the best rides found anywhere, and usually in some amazingly scenic places.

For cyclists, both road and mountain, the IMBA website is a great resource for planning a trip for finding an amazing tour. Be sure to hit it up before setting off on your next cycling adventure.

[Photo credit: IMBA]

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge begins tomorrow

by Kraig Becker on

The inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge gets underway tomorrow in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where 128 of the best riders in the world are preparing to take on one of the toughest courses ever created. The route features long climbs, harrowing descents, hairpin turns, and more altitude than any other pro-cycling event in history.

The first day of the competition features a short five mile prologue that will set the stage for things to come later in the week. Then on Tuesday, the race really gets going with a 100-mile long ride between Salida and Crested Butte that will serve as a warm up for Stage 2, which features more than 9700 feet of climbing. Stage 3 is a time trial through the streets of Vail, while Stages 4 and 5 return to the road for two more challenging days, before the teams have a relatively easy finish on their ride into Denver on Sunday.

The Peloton will be filled with big names, including Australian Cadel Evans, who won the Tour de France last month, and brothers Andy and Frank Schleck, who both stood on the Podium in Paris as well. In all, the race features five former world champions and eight stage winners from the Tour.

To get an idea of what the riders are in for, check out the video below. The race will be televised on NBC and Versus, and if you’re in Colorado, there will be plenty of chances to see it live as well.

[Photo Credit: AP File Photo]

Take a cycling holiday through Australia’s state of Victoria

by Kraig Becker on

Following the big win by Aussie Cadel Evans in the Tour de France this year, it is safe to say that cycling fever has hit Down Under. But Australia has had a long tradition of cycling that dates back to well before Evans’ breakout performance at Le Tour. For example, the RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride, is a nine-day biking holiday that is entering its 28th year.

This November, Victoria is expected to play host to more than 4000 riders when the event gets underway. The ride begins in the town of Swan Hill on the 26th of that month and continues along the Murry River, passing through historic gold towns, before eventually finishing in Castlemaine. With eight days of riding, plus one rest day, the riders will cover a total of 590km (367 miles) as they pass through some of the most scenic landscapes that Victoria has to offer. Along the way, they’ll get a true taste of Australian culture and a healthy sampling of Aussie hospitality.

Riding an average of 73km (45 miles) per day, the cyclists will have plenty of time to take in the sights and enjoy a leisurely pedal through the countryside. And at the end of the day, they’ll stay in comfortable campsites, where the fun and camaraderie continues over good meals and great conversations about the day’s events.

The entry fee for the nine days of riding and camping is just $935 AUD for adults, $699 AUD for children under 18, and $399 AUD for children under 13. Kids five and under ride for free. That fee gets you a fully catered, tent-based cycling adventure that will allow you to see Australia like you never thought possible. Support services include luggage transportation, massage services, a full medical team and bike repair crew, as well as a licensed cafe that will keep you well fed.

I can’t imagine how much fun the Great Victorian Bike Ride must be. As an avid cyclists, I think it would be a lot of fun to hit the road with more than 4000 other riders on a nice long ride. One of these days I need to get back down to Australia and take part in this event.

[Photo credit: Brien Cohn/Great Victorian Bike Ride]

Connecticut Beer Trail holds second official “Bikes and Beers” tour in Granby July 31st

by Laurel Miller on

Far be it from the People to not abide by the Constitution. On July 31st, Granby is holding its second “Bikes & Beers” tour along the Connecticut Beer Trail (it’s the Constitution State, FYI. Yeah, I didn’t know, either).

Connecticut seems obsessed with food and drink-themed pathways: there’s the new Hot Dog Trail, the Ice cream and Sundae Drive (cute), and the Wine Trail. Why the fixation? Who cares? It’s a cool idea, especially when partnered with pedaling.

Bikes & Beers is a collaboration with Connecticut’s Pedal Power bike shops. Riders will get to enjoy beautiful views along the 17.2-mile loop, as well as some cold ones at the Cambridge House Brew Pub, an award-winning producer of craft beer. It’s just one of 10 craft breweries featured on the Beer Trail, a social media organization dedicated to promoting local breweries, the craft beer community, and related tourism (how cool is that?) statewide.

Better look out, West Coast and Colorado–Connecticut’s craft brewers are gaining on you.

The Connecticut Beer Trail and Pedal Power are planning future rides; click here or go to Pedal Power’s site for updates.

[Photo credit: Flickr user roboppy]

Australian Cadel Evans wins 2011 Tour de France

by Kraig Becker on

The 2011 Tour de France came to an end yesterday on the Champs Elyesees in Paris, where Australian Cadel Evans rode to victory in the race’s famed Yellow Jersey. After more than three weeks of racing, Evans emerged from the pack as best rider in this year’s event, and became the first man from Australia to win cycling’s premiere event.

With a course designed to challenge the riders in unique ways on every single day, fans of the Tour expected this year’s race to be an exciting and wide open one. They got everything they wanted and more, as the 2011 Tour de France featured all kinds of dramatics, particularly when the race entered the high mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps. During the three weeks of racing, there were daring breakaways, brilliant individual performances, and cringe-inducing crashes, including a nasty incident with a media car that sent Dutch rider Johnny Hoogerland flying into a barbed wire fence.

Before the race started back on July 2nd, the pre-race favorites included not only Evans, but also defending champ Alberto Contador of Spain and the brothers from Luxembourg, Frank and Andy Schleck. Contador was bogged down with crashes early in the race, injuring a knee in the process. Those mishaps cost him precious time, and despite a spirited attempt in the final days of the Tour, he never quite got into the rhythm that has won him the Yellow Jerseys on three separate occasions in the past.
Heading into Saturday however, Andy and Frank Schleck sat at first and second in the standings respectively. Working together, the two men had managed to claim a small lead over Evans coming out of the final mountain stages. Saturday’s stage was an individual time trial however, which is not a strong point for those two riders, and is a particular strength of Evans. The Aussie rode one of the best rides of the day, and left the two Schlecks in the dust, claiming the victory. The two brothers slid to second and third in the final standings.

As is traditional in the Tour de France, Sunday is mostly a ceremonial ride into Paris. While the Peloton will joust for the final stage win, and the sprint specialists duel for the last available points of the race, no one attacks the Yellow Jersey. As a result, Evans’ ride to the finish line in Paris was essentially a 60 mile long victory lap, one that he particularly enjoyed after two second place finishes in previous Tours.

Cadel’s big win is expected to open the door for more Australian cyclists to leave their mark on the sport, much the way that Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong inspired young American cyclists. Australia already has a proud cycling tradition, but this win will give the sport yet another boost in the country.

Congrats to Evans on the amazing win.

[Photo courtesy of AFP]