How do pros rest during the Giro d'Italia.

 Today is a rest day at the Giro d'Italia.  Find out what riders do during their "day off"

Infographic from http://www.multipower.com/

Declare June 5, 2013 Andy Hampsten Day

This June marks the 25th anniversary of Andy Hampsten's epic Maglia Rosa-snagging stage in the 1988 Giro d'Italia. To honor his achievement, we're officially declaring Wednesday, June 5th, 2013 to be Andy Hampsten Day.

How does one celebrate Andy Hampsten Day, you ask? We don't expect you to head out to the Passo del Gavia and ride the stage, nor do we expect you to ride through a rough blizzard while stripping down for speed. Instead, we suggest a simple bike ride for pleasure, rain or shine, to get out there and enjoy your favorite sport. Maybe take the day off and have a BBQ?  Oh, and spread the word, because we want to make this holiday a big thing.

Have any other celebration suggestions? Let us know in the comments.

Top 8 Favorite Songs About Bicycles

Every once in awhile there's a great song that provides us bike-lovers with a new anthem to add to the collection. So last week we asked our Facebook and Twitter community for your favorite songs about bicycles. Here's what you said (plus some of our favorites too):

Queen: "Bicycle Race"
Of course the song with the opening lyrics, "Bicycle! Bicycle! Bicycle! I want to ride my bicycle," appears on this list, because is that not our rallying cry? Granted, the song does get overplayed at cycling events, as Steve S. pointed out on Facebook, but we can't deny it's a classic song—with a great music video.

KRAFTWERK: "Tour de France"

 

If you've either checked out a translated version of KRAFTWERK's scratchy electronic beat, or you speak German, you know that the lyrics literally describe the race's route. And the added sound of breathlessness—well, let's just say it seems pretty accurate in an ode to the Tour de France.

Pink Floyd: "Bike"

 

Though parts of this song are definitely on the creepier side, "Bike" has some damn good—albeit pretty silly—lyrics set to a great, psychedelic tune.

Sons of Science: "Motherf*cking Bike"

Hilarious lyrics, sick beat—what more is there to say about this song? Oh, the video is pretty great too.

The Mixtures: "Pushbike Song"

 

With a nice summer sound, The Mixture's "Push Bike" definitely makes you want to get outside and enjoy some sunshine, and you know, maybe meet someone that way. Related: this is definitely the kind of song you can serenade a special someone with.

Flobots: "Handlebars"

 

 

It's hard to say what this song is actually about, but let's just get down to basics: riding a bike with no handlebars doesn't sound very easy. I mean, riding no-handed (like is shown in the video) is one thing, but no bar altogether? That's got to be tough.

MC SpandX: "Performance"

 

"Performance" is a classic of sorts in the cycling world. When MC SpandX, aka Robin Moore, released it in 2009, it quickly reached viral status. Since then, he's put out a couple other great cycling-related songs that are definitely worth a listen: "Get Dirty" and "Le Velo."

Alex Marco: "The Bike"

A silly little French song with French people decked out in Peugeot gear doing a silly little dance that we can only assume is called "The Bike." Don't get us wrong, we're all for self-expression, but we'll take an actual bike ride over having to do "The Bike," thank you very much.

Did we miss any of your favorites? Be sure to let us know in the comments section.

10 Best Cycling Movies

It should come as no surprise that we love films about our favorite sport—bicycling. As these things go, though, some of the bike movies out there are (much) better than others. So if you're looking for a good cycling flick, these are the ones most worth your while:

Breaking Away
Directed by Peter Yates

Who doesn't love a classic love story, especially one that includes a bike racing plotline? Obsessed with Italian bike culture and enamored by a pretty college girl, recent high school graduate from the wrong side of the tracks Dave Stoller masquerades as an Italian exchange student to try and win his crush's affections. But when an Italian racing team comes to town and they use dirty tricks to win a race against Dave, he drops his fake identity to build a team to race against the Italians in the university's upcoming "Little 500" bicycle race. A largely word-of-mouth success at the box office, Breaking Away also went on to win several awards, including the Academy Award for "Best Screenplay."

Slaying the Badger
Directed by John Dower

Our most recent addition to this list, Slaying the Badger is the story of one of the greatest Tour de France races of all time.   At the conclusion of the 1985 Tour de France, Bernard Hinault publicly said he would back Greg LeMond in the 1986 Tour.  In reality, the lines get blurred and it's not clear who he is working for.  Each cyclist tells a very narrative of the "Badger's" motivation during the race.  It's a gripping tale and we're proud to move it to our top 10 list of all time best bicycling films.




The Triplets of Belleville
Directed by Silvain Chomet

When Madame Souza notices her young grandson, Champion, is sad and lonely after his parents' death, she at first buys him a puppy named Bruno. But he is soon melancholic again, so, taking note of Champion's interest in bike racing, she buys him a tricycle. Years later, he's entering the Tour de France with Souza as his coach. But during the race he is kidnapped by the French Mafia. So what does Souza do? She and Bruno set off on a journey to save Champion, of course, and they meet a cast of characters along the way. This is definitely one to watch even if animation isn't your thing.

American Flyers
Directed by John Badham

Written by Steve Tesich, who also wrote Breaking Away, American Flyers follows brothers Marcus and David as they train for and compete in a bike race across the Rocky Mountains called, "The Hell of the West." Making matters a little more complicated, one of the brothers may likely be afflicted by the tendency for a cerebral aneurysm, which is what killed their father. What's extra cool about this flick and makes it a must-see for cycling buffs is it includes actual footage from the old Coors International Bicycle Classic. Oh, and don't miss the quick Eddy Merckx cameo at the start of stage 1.

A Sunday in Hell
Directed by Jørgen Leth

This is a great one for history buffs. A Sunday in Hell captures the 1976 Paris-Roubaix from the viewpoints of the organizers, spectators and participants. What sets this apart from other race documentaries is that it really reveals the atmosphere and spirit of a professional race. Following contenders Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, Freddy Maertens and Francesco Moser from the start of the race all the way through the punctures and crashes in the muddied, slick, cobbled tracks to the finish, this film gives a realistic feel of how the races plays out. And when they're done, these badass cyclists, definitely look like they've spent the day in hell.

Stars and Watercarriers
Directed by Jørgen Leth

Another great documentary from Leth, Stars and Watercarriers is less about the story of the 1973 Giro d'Italia it covers, and more about the heroic—and downright intimidating—way Eddy Merckx handles a race. But it also reveals some of the often unspoken heroics of the watercarriers and workers behind the scenes. There's a particularly incredible scene where the glass bottles are opened with church keys and passed around.

The Bicycle Thief
Directed by Vittorio De Sica

Nobody likes a bike thief. Set in post-WWII Rome, The Bicycle Thief follows Antonio Ricci and his son Bruno, as they search for Antonio's stolen bike, which is a necessity if he wants to keep his job and be able to support his family. The film itself is really well done and, only four years after its 1948 release, Sight and Sound magazine declared it the best film of all time.

The Flying Scotsman
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon

Based on the life and career of Scottish amateur cyclist Graeme Obree, The Flying Scotsman captures Obree's attempts to become the world's fastest bike racer despite his debt, mental illness and the resentment he faces for having no real funding or backing. The script was adapted from Obree's autobiography of the same name. One of the cool things is that Obree actually stood in for Jonny Lee Miller, the actor who portrays him, in some of the cycling sequences.

The Greatest Show on Earth
Directed by Michael Pfleghar

Not to be confused with the 1952 movie about a circus, The Greatest Show on Earth does reveal the circus-like aspects of bike racing as it documents the 1974 Giro d'Italia, which is the perhaps the most insane of the Grand Tours. Oh, and the Pope makes an extra special appearance. This is a natural follow-up film to watch after Stars and Watercarriers, an overall great way to spend a couple of hours.

Bicycle Dreams
Directed by Steven Auerbach

Sleep deprivation, challenging terrain and bad weather—that's what riders in the 2005 Race Across America had to cope with (plus, you know, the part where they were racing across America). Bicycle Dreams sets out to capture the 3,000-mile race from start to finish, but when one of the riders, Bob Breedlove, a veteran racer and endurance cycling legend, is killed in a collision only days into the race, the other cyclists must figure out how to cope and whether or not they should keep going.


Honorable mentions include Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Ride the Divide, The Impossible Hour, 2 Seconds and Quicksilver.

Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments section below.

Giro d' Italia Sprint Stage- Physiological Challenges Infographic

 

Informational graphic from click here to view the original.  Interesting facts from the graphic
1) A riders body can only store enough carbohydrates for 50-70 minutes of the race.
2) Water loss can be as much as 2 liters an hour yet maximum hydration is only 1.5 liters an hour.
3) Each drop of sweat contains: 900 MG Sodium,  1MG Magnesium, 300MG Potassium, 15MG Calcium
4) Cyclists eat 6,000-7,000 calories per day.
5) Typical calorie breakdown for a cyclist: 70% Carbs, 15% Protein, 15% Fat
6) Riders can touch around 1,200 watts in the sprints

Photo courtesy Multipower Sportsfood

Nelson Vails- 1984 Olympic Sprint Silver Medalist In Portland This Weekend

1984 olympic silver medalist, Nelson Vails, is in Portland this weekend to lead a ride and to host a benefit for nonprofit b.i.k.e. (Bicycles and Ideas for Kid's Empowerment.)  Vails was the first African-American to win a medal in cycling at the Olympics and was inducted into the U.S. Bicycle Hall of Fame in 2009. 

On Saturday, May 4th, Mr. Vails will speak at 6 p.m. at a fundraising event at Classic Pianos, 3003 S.E. Milwaukie Ave.  The next day, Vails will lead a ride to from River City Bicycles to Hotel Lucia.

Ticket to the event are $20.   Contact Tim Bergman at 503-936-6034 for tickets to the event. 

The Best Jens Voigt Quotes

If there's one thing we love about Jens Voigt, besides the fact that he's a damn good cyclist (currently riding for Trek Factory Racing), it's his uniquely open and forthright way of talking to the media. Here are some of our favorite things he's said so far:

"Hopefully I've shown them (fellow cyclists) you just need some self-belief and that you need to take your destiny into your own hands instead of waiting for it. You have to go out and force it. You need to go out and take life, and shape your life and destiny the way you need it. I hope I can pass that message along."

"If it hurts me, it must hurt the other ones twice as much."

"No, I do not accept defeat here. I do not accept this."

"Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do."

"Oh, you poor thing, you’ve got no chance, you’re already beaten."

"You’re all beaten; I am just laughing at you."

"I get paid to hurt other people, how good is that?"

"In the hierarchy of the family, I’m just above the dog. But I like it that way."

"Having things organized is for small-minded people. Genius controls chaos."

"While I’m not very talented at cooking, I am very talented at eating."

" I am confident that when I get really old, the human lifespan will be extended."

"Cycling is not rocket science."


"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."

The Jens Voigt Soundboard

"I think every cyclist should look a little outside, open up their horizons a little bit and listen and look into other things that are fun. Do what you like and profit from that. If you only go riding, riding, riding all year long for ten years, you will just have a tunnel vision by the end of it. It is good every now and then to get your body to straighten up again and use your upper body a little bit."

What's better than reading a bunch of hilarious Voigt quotes? Hearing them. There exists on the Internet an awesome online soundboard with soundbites of Voigt saying these quotes and more. Check it out here. It's pretty fantastic.

Did we miss any of your favorite Jens Voigt quotes?  Be sure to leave them in the comments section below!  

Quotes via CyclingTips.com.