Photos from Mike C at the Women's tri in Beijing

Lisa at the Olympics tonight

Don't forget to watch Lisa compete tonight at the Olympics. Starting at 7:49PM Calgary time. The men's race is tomorrow, same time.

Canadian Svein Tuft at the Olympic ITT

Racer #5

Well, I wasn’t nervous until I saw my race number. The last few weeks have been good training. Maybe not quite enough swimming but the addition of hard bike racing has been an interesting experiment. There is a strong field at IMC this year with lots of guys and girls trying to prove themselves. Good luck to all those racing and I hope you’ve enjoyed the training.

July 21-27
Bike 06:50
Hiking 01:00
Run 04:37
Swim 8200.0 m 02:18
Total Duration: 14:45
Includes: Sylvan Lake Half IM

July 28 – Aug 3
Bike 20:06
Hiking 04:00
Run 04:51
Swim 6050.0 m 01:40
Total Duration: 30:37
Includes: Bowness Cycling Road Race and Tempo run

Aug 4 - 10
Bike 17:19
Run 05:42
Swim 9000.0 m 02:24
Total Duration: 25:25
Includes: Bears Paw Road Race, Provincial Time Trial Championships and a tempo run

Cancellara's Awesome Olympics

Fabian Cancellara's Olympic time trial win was expected, but his third place in the road race (above right) surprised even the big Swiss. Here's a great commentary on how Cancellara closed the gap in the final 5km. I tried to watch the video on the NBC site, but it is restricted to US residents only.

BTW great ride by Canada's Svein Tuft, who finished the TT in seventh place.

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/10-speed/10-speed/2008/08/fabian-cancellaras-incredible-ride/

Calgary Olympian Joshua Riker-Fox

Here's an article on Calgary Olympian Joshua Riker-Fox from AthletesCan.

Calgary Ironman 70.3

I was really excited to be a part of the press conference today announcing that Calgary will be hosting a Half-Ironman 70.3 race, August 2nd 2009.

For more information, visit:
www.ironmancalgary.com

I am especially excited by the news that there will now be a race of this caliber in Calgary. I am glad that athletes from all over North America and the world will be able to race here in this beautiful and challenging area that is my training grounds.

Athletes will see what I already know and that is that Calgary and the surrounding rocky mountain foothills is some of the best terrain for cycling anywhere.

It is also my pleasure to announce that Calgary Ironman 70.3 will be supporting the Jason Lapierre Memorial Scholarship Fund. Jay Lapierre was killed a little more than two years ago while training on his bike only a short distance from the Calgary 70.3 bike course. Jay was an excellent triathlete, cyclist, ski coach, training partner and friend. We established a memorial fund in his honour at the University of Calgary for young athletes in the facility of Kinesiology. Having Ironman Calgary 70.3 as a partner will help to ensure this fund is enduring legacy and tribute to Jay.

Stage 21 and Final Results with Winners

Congrats to Bruce, the big winner and obvious TdF expert. I'm taking myself out of the prize winnings, so the rpize breakdown is:

1. Bruce: $800 tax receipt and Speed Theory Cycling team jersey
2. John and Dave: Speed Theory Cycling Team Jersey and Timex Ironman watch
3. Lance White: Timex Heart Rate Monitor
4. Cate: Timex Running Hat
5. Leanne and Peter: Timex Hats

Stage 20

Stage 19

Not much of a change after yesterday's stage. Things should be interesting tomorrow.

Stage 18

No one scored points today and no change in the standings.

Things could really shake up after the time trial on Saturday.

From cyclingnews.com

Riccardo Riccò was caught by a special molecule placed in the banned substance he is said to have taken, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio today. John Fahey said that Roche Pharmaceuticals had placed a special molecule in the product CERA when it developed the drug, which would help the anti-doping authorities to detect its illegal use.

 

"I can't tell you the details of how he was detected," Fahey said. "I can indicate the particular substance is called CERA … which is a perfectly legitimate substance to deal with anaemia. In the development of that substance close cooperation occurred between WADA and the pharmaceutical company Roche Pharmaceuticals so that there was a molecule placed in the substance well in advance that was always going to be able to be detected once a test was undertaken."

 

Fahey noted that there was increased cooperation between sports authorities and drug manufacturers. "There's more and more of this occurring," he said. "The more cooperation the scientists can have with the drug companies in the detection of performance-enhancing drugs the greater the likelihood is they will be detected when tests are undertaken."

 

Riccò tested positive for EPO after winning two stages in the Tour. He was expelled from the Tour and fired by Team Saunier Duval-Scott. (SW)

 

Stage 17

We should have given people bonus points for picking Sastre today.

I think Hal wins as the mover and shaker this year.

Stage 16

Rest Day

Today is another rest day in the Tour. If the contest were to wrap up today, here's what would be the standings.

Stage 15 Results

Frank Schleck in yellow, and only 49 seconds between 1st and 6th.

Stage 14 Results

On July 19th 2006 we of lost a very good friend when Jason Lapierre was hit by a car while he was out training on Highway 1A near Cochrane. Jay was doing nothing wrong. He was riding in the shoulder of the road (a wide shoulder at that) when a driver coming from the opposite direction passed out behind the wheel, crossed over the highway and hit Jay head on. There is a very good chance that Jay never saw it coming.

I would describe Jay as my best friend at the time, but at times I feel a little selfish in doing so as I know that he was also best friends to Mark Shwan, Mark Kaltenbach, John Kucera, Annabelle and many more. That was just Jay’s strength of character; he was best friends to many.

Jay and I first met in the summer of 2001 at some duathlon races but it wasn’t until the fall of 2002 when we joined the Kronos triathlon club where Jay and I really got to know each other.

Jay would often disappear during the winter as his duties with the Calgary Alpine Ski club meant that he was out of town quite a bit but when in town we would join up to hammer some running intervals at the Olympic Oval in Calgary. Both of us would often exchange ‘glory’ day stories as to when we thought we had some speed back running in university.

We started traveling together to races but I would admit that I wasn’t always the best traveling buddy, as I’d fall asleep when he was driving. He’d use this opportunity to play tricks on me like turning up all the heat on me. I’d wake up feeling sick not knowing what he had done. We’ve made half a dozen trips together to the Okanogan for races and training.

In the summer of 2003 Jay was focusing training on Ironman Canada. I was flying out to Europe on Ironman Canada race day but I would stop in airport internet cafes to check live results to see how Jay was doing. Jay cracked the 10-hour barrier in his first ironman race and it inspired so many of us to try long course triathlon. I was both happy and proud of Jay at the same time.

That fall, Lap moved out to Canmore, so I didn’t see as much of him but Jay would often come into town and use my place as a training base. We would do a workout at night, he’d crash on my fouton and then we’d wake up in the morning to do another run or bike before he drove back to Canmore. I’d often do the same out at his place in Canmore. When he moved back to Calgary after buying his townhouse, it wouldn’t be an odd-occurrence to find us doing a three-hour trainer rides together in his garage.

Jay and I became close friends and I would not hesitate to say that he has been my best friend for the last couple of years. I talked with Jay for a good 20 minutes early in the afternoon of the day of the accident. We spoke of career opportunities (Jay had just turned down an opportunity with Alpine Canada); we talked about mutual friends, investment properties (Jay was looking at buying a downtown condo as an investment), and upcoming races. Jay was hoping for some good races by the end of season after taking a mid summer break from bike racing. He said that he had been feeling strong on his last couple of bike rides. We looked forward to a 200k ride together in the next weekend. Jay spoke happily his growing relationship with Annabelle.

Our last conversation was a good talk, as we often had. In fact I remember we ended the conversation, and then I called him back again about 5 minutes later and we talked some more. Things were going well for him and I am confident that his last day with us was a good day filled with Jay having happy thoughts and memories.

The long road trips to races, our shared sense of humor and the great conversations were special times Jay and I had together. I will miss Jay as a great friend, training buddy and role model. There are so many people that owe so much to Jason for his leadership and coaching to help make us what we are in terms of athletes and people. Jay always believed in us and pushed us to accomplish more.

Jason has been a great friend and I will really miss him. Since Jay's passing there have been many wonderful things done in his name. The fact that we are keeping his spirit alive is wonderful.

Below is the a slide show the John Kucera put together for Jay.

Stage 13

Hooper continues his dominance of the Lanterne Rouge category.

Stage 12

The Cobra is positive.

Stage 11

Rest Day

Today is a rest day in the TdF.