December 19/03 9:27 am - National Team Projects, Vancouver Christmas Ride, Team Jon Bon Jovi

Posted by Editor on 12/19/03
 

2004 National Projects

The CCA will be organizing two national team road men's projects in January and February, as they continue the hunt for UCI ranking points that will allow Canada to have three starters on the line for the road race in Athens.

A five rider team will compete in New Zealand's Tour of Wellington (January 28 - February 1), with those five riders being joined by two others for the Tour de Langkawi (February 6-15) in Malaysia.

Four riders have already been confirmed - Eric Wohlberg, Charles Dionne, Dominique Perras and Cory Lange. A fifth is expected to be announced shortly to complete the Wellington team, and two more riders for Langkawi within a few days for Langkawi.


Winter Solstice Critical Mass Ride and Roll

On Friday, December 26, 2003, join fellow bicyclists, skaters, and bladers for a leisurely and spirited Boxing Day roll and ride through the streets of Vancouver. Meet rain, shine, or snow at the Vancouver Art Gallery on the Georgia Street side between 5:00 to 5:30 p.m., and roll and ride at 6:00 p.m. Decorated bicycles, trailers, costumes, signs, noisemakers, sound systems, trailers, and wildly modified bicycles are all highly encouraged. Ho Ho Ho!

UBC Cyclists: Meet 4:30 p.m. on the South SUB Plaza for a group ride down to the Vancouver Art Gallery.

East Van Cyclists: Meet 4:00 p.m., leaves 4:30 p.m., from Grandview park on Commercial Drive for a group ride down to the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Celebrated around the world, Critical Mass is a grassroots reclamation of public space -- on the last Friday of the month -- which allows cyclists and other self-propelled people to move safely and comfortably through city streets in a car-free space. Non-polluting forms of transportation are promoted.

For more information:
velolove@vancouver.indymedia.org, 604-734-1734,
www.monkeywrenchcafe.org/cm
www.velolove.bc.ca


Jon Bon Jovi Backs West Virginia Mountain Bike Race Team

SISSONVILLE, W.Va. - Jon Bon Jovi will be a regular name on the national mountain bike race scene in 2004. It's not that the world-renowned music superstar is taking up a new profession; rather, a West Virginia-based team competing in state, regional and national races will bear the celebrity's name.

Team director, Steve Thaxton, said the sponsorship just recently became official. Thaxton has been a personal trainer to Bon Jovi for the last 10 years, regularly touring with the megastar.

"This is the third straight year Jon has backed my team. Because his support has grown each year, we've not only been able to race our competitive state circuit, but we've also sent select team members to all national races," said Thaxton. "We plan to do the same in 2004."

Last season - when the team was named West Virginia/Bon Jovi - three members competed in world championships. Thaxton competed at the UCI World Masters Championships and Bryan Fawley (junior) and Nick Waite (U23) at the UCI Worlds in Switzerland. In all, the 12-member grassroots team collected 110 category wins in 2003.

"Jon supports the team first and foremost because he knows of my incredible passion for mountain biking," claimed Thaxton, adding the stellar results certainly help. "To have three of 12 team members race in 2003 world championships is an excellent ratio, to say the least."

Though not all sponsors are finalized, those confirmed for 2004 are Cannondale, Ritchey, Kenda Tires, Worldwide Chiropractic and Sports Medicine, International Talent Booking of London, and Charleston, WV based businesses Maple Creative and Charleston Bicycle Center.

"We're still in discussions with other potential sponsors and our roster is almost set. In the off-season, we got plenty of resumes when it became known that Bon Jovi will continue his sponsorship and it's probable that we'll add one non-West Virginia pro who will make runs at national podiums," said Thaxton, who requires team members to do trail maintenance as part of their team membership. "It's usually nice to have everything in place by now; but, at least it's certain that team Bon Jovi/West Virginia will be racing in 2004.


(Editor's Note: There is an opportunity here - anybody know Celine Dion?)