It all started last summer when Rodney had all those kids riding in circles out at the airport criterium. A few of us noticed that the kids were out there on any bike they could find. Dave Albrecht came up with the idea that we could probably scavenge together enough parts to build some small road bikes for kids who really wanted to get into the sport we love, but didn't have the resources to do so. We knew that Linda Zorn had already established the Steve Harrison Memorial Junior Bike Program and had purchased three new bikes for deserving riders. We thought we might be able to help out a few more kids as well...

A few days after Terry and I arrived in Europe we lined up for our first race. It was a training race in Lieden, about 10 kilometers from where we were staying and it was on the "home track"* of the team we would be racing for.

The team had decided it would be a good race for us to get our feet wet, so to speak... Actually they would have preferred us racing and winning some classics, as they had high hopes for their new "yanks", but Arjan** who had arranged the deal wanted us to have a low pressure introduction to European racing. He knew it was going to be a major step up for us and he wanted to give us some time to adjust without the pressure to get results immediately. In fact it was his suggestion to start with their equivalent of a "Rodney" race before racing the Criterium circuit and eventually moving on to the Classics.

Meetings: Our next club meeting will be at 6:00 PM, Friday, March 5th at Woodstocks Pizza.

Race Results:
Race results are posted to the Chico Corsa Website in the race team section. (You will need a login and password to post your results)

Breaking News:
The Chico Stage Race will be held April 17th and 18th. We need volunteers! Without our loyal volunteers we cannot put on a great event like this. You are greatly appreciated. There will be three races: a road race held on Saturday April 17th and the time trial and criterium will be held on Sunday April 18th.

For the Saturday Road Race we need 18 volunteers/cars for sag and neutral wheel support (truck, mini van, anything that can hold a bunch of wheels). You do not need to know how to change tires or wheels to do sag/wheel support.

On Sunday we need 120 volunteers to course marshal for the criterium. Course marshal shifts are about 3 1/2 hrs long and you get to watch the race.

For volunteering you get a tee shirt and we feed you! Please email me if you are interested in volunteering.

- Jennifer Gruber

R.A.C.E. Calendar:
Chico Cyclist

NCNCA Road Racing Calendar:
NCNCA Road Calendar

NORBA Calendar:
NORBA Racing
TBF Challenge MTB Races
MTB Calendar - California

Chico Velo Calendar:
Chico Velo

Western States Ride Calendar:
Ride Calendar

Rising Stars:
Ian Boswell will be headed back to Europe March 19th for a couple months of racing with the U.S. National Team. His first race will be the U23 Nations Cup in Portugal before taking on a busy spring in Belgium. More information about his upcoming season is available on his blog.

The Paskenta Century has happened, and teams are reporting to Arizona and Florida for spring training, so as far as I'm concerned it's time to leave the flats and start climbing again. As a side note, I tried something new this winter: LSD climbs. Basically, doing climbs a gear lighter than usual at a slow pace to stay in high zone 2, in an effort to not lose my climbing legs like I used to when only doing flat LSD rides. So far I think I see a difference, so that might be something to think about for next year.

The beginning of another climbing season is a good time to go over the basics, so here are a few points I think are important:

Just how important is self-confidence on the bike? If Yogi Berra were a cyclist, here's what he'd say: "Cycling is 90% mental, and the other half is physical". Only with enough self-confidence will our minds stay out of our way, giving us the freedom to perform to our potential. Further, the mentally fit cyclist knows how to assess, maintain, and build self-confidence to improve fun and performance on the bike.

Confidence. It's a huge thing in cycling. You can improve so much by believing in yourself. It's alright to say, "I should be at the front of the race, I should be top 5." You don't have to be cocky, but if you're not confident, you don't stand a chance. You've got to believe in yourself. We're not talking about unrealistic aspirations based on whims, but a sense of yourself that accurately reflects your best capabilities.

This past week I had my first training camp as a pro cyclist, and after a week rooming and riding with some of the top guys in the country I realized not much has changed. Last season I was racing for the Hot Tubes Junior Development Team, which is the premier junior team in the US and one of the top teams in the world.

Hot Tubes being a junior team had all junior riders, so everyone was under 19. As a junior team we acted like juniors and made jokes like kids our age do, we kept it fun but raced hard and performed well. This season I have made a big jump and signed a pro contract with the BISSELL Pro Cycling Team which has consistently been one of the most competitive domestic teams. I am the only rider on the team that can't have a beer at dinner, but I also don't have to worry about calling my wife and kids before 8 o'clock.

David has consistently asked me to write something for the newsletter. Each month I spend the week after he asks wondering what I have that is worth saying. Considering you are reading this, I think I found something, even if it is only for use as a self pep talk later.

Several months ago I was in the best shape of my life. I was climbing better and I would manage to hang on to the fast riders longer and longer each week. I was there mentally. I could talk myself into digging deeper so I could bridge a gap or pull away at the end. I was feeling fantastic. I would go on hard rides and be totally thrashed afterwards but ecstatic that I was hurting so badly and could push myself to new limits.

The weather is warming up, so we all want to be out on our bikes. But there's plenty of rain left in the spring. Make sure you're prepared mentally for wet riding conditions by considering these potential hazards. A little thought and practice will give you a great advantage when you first encounter them on a group ride.