Switchback Cycling Team: draft kit designs

Below is a draft design for Switchback Cycling Team's 2013 kit. This is only a draft version, so there will likely be modifications before we determine the final design. The kit includes: jersey, vest, bib shorts, cap, arm warmers, gloves, and socks. The colors are black, white, and red.

And below are four alternate jersey designs. Please leave a comment to indicate your preferences.

Press Release: Switchback Cycling Team

Auckland, NEW ZEALAND, September 20, 2012: Switchback Cycling Team announced it is currently designing its 2013 team kit and technical clothing. SCT expects an end-of-2012 design release accompanied by order forms. 

Foto del Dia: Federico Ezquerra - 1934 TDF

Basque cyclist Federico Ezquerra escapes from the Peloton and is the first to cross Col du Galibier. 

Rotorua - Whakatane - Mt. Manganui

Just back from 3 days of cycling. Camila and I took a trip over Queen's Birthday weekend (a 3-day weekend in NZ) to the central North Island and the Bay of Plenty. We went with my old high-school friend, Evan Seber, and his girlfriend, Emma. 

Evan is a former NZ high-schools Triathlon champion from the late-80s. Like me, he is trying to regain his fitness. Evan and I did a lot of cycling, while the girls shopped and sipped cappuccinos.

Photo of the Day: Albert Bourlon - 1947 TDF

Albert Bourlon won stage 14 of the 1947 Tour de France. He broke from the peloton just minutes after the start, and then rode solo for 253km. 

Crown Range Switchbacks

Seven certified Euro-style switchbacks on Crown Range road in Otago, New Zealand. 

Camila and I drove from Queenstown to Wanaka today via the Crown Range. The road starts at 400 meters elevation and quickly gains 200 meters through the switchbacks. It then levels off for 1-2km before heading up to the pass at 1,076 meters. This is one of the highest paved roads in New Zealand (the access roads to Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski-fields are higher).


I'll be back later with my bicycle. 

Bucket List: Ticlio Pass, Peru

Good news and bad news. The good news is that I found a massive 4,818 meter climb. The bad news is that Alto de Letras (which I climbed in February) is not in fact the world's biggest mountain pass.

X-axis = kilometers. Y-axis = meters.

Ticlio Pass (also known as Anticona) is located approximately 150km northeast of Lima, Peru. Starting at sea level in Lima, the road climbs at a gentle 3.5% average gradient all the way to 4,818 meters. The final 50km average 5%. 

Mas Fotos Retro

I found another stack of old photos this week, all cycling and triathlon related. 

Left to right: Raymond Webb (now based in San Diego) in his prime, Willy Patterson, and Craig Duffy. Auckland, January 1992. NB: Oakley Razors.

Devonport, Auckland

Today's ride with Paul Duffy.

Retro-cool SANS Cool

Many people consider Rapha to be a Retro-cool cycling brand. I found an old stack of photos at my parents' house in Auckland this week. The photos (below) are retro, but they're certainly not cool.  I am probably compromising myself by uploading these pictures, but most of us looked this silly back in 1989. God Bless Oakley Factory Pilots!

Training for my first race. Winter 1989.

Auckland

I arrived back in Auckland on Tuesday. This is my first visit to New Zealand in 4 years, and the last time I cycled here was 1993 (on an old steel Avanti frame). I assembled my Ridley on Tuesday afternoon because I had plans to meet The Colombian Sensation, Alejandro Jimenez, on Wednesday.

Alejandro and his wife, Lina, are Colombians who spent the last 2 years living in Melbourne. I know many of their friends in Medellin, and it was Alejandro who initially gave me a lot of information about cycling in Colombia when I began researching my trip in 2010. 

Boston

I am back in Boston for several weeks, packing and getting ready to fly to Auckland on March 25th. I had a two-week break from cycling: Boston's winter temperatures forced a week of rest, which I didn't mind, and the prior week was spent wrapping up in Medellin. 

Spring is approaching and Boston has been relatively warm over the last week, but the ground is still bare from the winter. Cyclists are training outside now and preparing for the upcoming racing season. I met up with my friend Dave Andersen, for several rides, as well as Jason Barella, Randall Levere, and Jason Hancock. 

Adiós Colombia. Gracias!

Cycling Routes, Apres-Velo Activities, and Documentaries for Cyclists Visiting Medellin

I spent the last 5 months riding in Medellin, Antioquia, and Colombia. Here are the best routes all in one place, along with other information for enjoying Medellin. Email me if you have questions. (Click on the rides below for the Garmin data).

Epic Rides

• Santa Fe
• Vuelta de Cerdo
• Vuelta de Sur

Scenes from Medellin (WARNING: non-cycling content)

Photos of Medellin taken over the last 5 months.

Interview with Juan David Cano: Colombia's Colnago Distributor

Juan David Cano owns and operates Diez Equis, S.A., a Medellin-headquartered importer of Colnago bicycles in Colombia. Colnago is an Italian manufacturer of high-end road bicycles. Founded in Milan in 1954, Colnago has sponsored at least one professional cycling team every year since 1974.

Colnagos in formation on Las Palmas.

As soon as I arrived in Colombia, I noticed that Colnago was one of the most popular brands in Medellin. I assumed that Colnago was long established here. But, a couple of weeks later, I met Juan David Cano on a group sufferfest. It turned out that he had only been importing Colnago for 18 months, after he negotiated exclusive distribution rights for the Colombian market. Juan David talks to Switchback Publications about his Colnago business, and the business of cycling in Colombia.

Las Palmas Time Trial

I time-trialled Las Palmas yesterday. Palmas is the standard by which serious Medellin cyclists are judged. My result of 46 minutes and 24 seconds was.... mediocre (996 VAM).

Las Palmas climbs 771 meters over 11.2km. It traverses Medellin's eastern slopes on the way to the airport and Bogota. Palmas is packed with cyclists early in the morning, especially on weekdays.

Friends of mine TT'd in 43 minutes. Last October, I TT'd Palmas in 46 minutes 53 seconds early in a 178km ride to El Penol and back. I only gave Palmas about 80-90% effort on that day and felt fine during the remaining 150+ km.

What Makes Colombian Cycling So Unique? Part VI

This post is the sixth installment on Colombian cycling and its unique attributes. The topic today is Colombia's terrain. 

Europe's Alps, Dolomites, and Pyrenees protrude from the earth. They launch themselves skyward with sharp, jagged rock and vertical cliffs. Once you're above 2,000 meters, the landscape is closer to a moonscape. I saw plenty of snow on Col de la Bonnette in June. I even saw people skiing on Stelvio in August!

Jerico

Just a short post today. We spent the night in Pintada after an 8 hour drive from Cali. It was late afternoon by the time we reached Pintada, and it wasn't safe to cross the mountains at night on the way to Medellin. So, I took advantage of the opportunity today and rode up to Jerico. Several friends in Medellin had suggested the 22km climb over the past few months. Jerico is noted for its mid-teen gradients.  

The climb is very enjoyable. The road is quiet with very little traffic. I wasn't sure what to expect at the top, but the town of Jerico is quite impressive. Its an old colonial town with a lot of color.

Cali Velodrome

We drove to Cali this morning. Cali is Colombia's 3rd largest city and is located in the southwest, approximately 100km from the Pacific.

I was interested in visting Cali's velodrome; the Velódromo Alcides Nieto Patiño. Cali has hosted the World Cup eleven times since 1996. The most recent World Cup meet in Cali was held in December 2011. The next World Cup in Cali will be in 2014. (Many of the World Cup athletes raced in Medellin one week after the December 2011 World Cup. I wrote about it here).