Pedal Dancer looks back at a fantastic 2011
An attempt to summarize the highlights of a year of cycling involves a pleasant mix of reminiscence, gratefulness, and hope for the future. After 2011 I am reinvigorated with a promising outlook for this sport. Mark Cavendish's recent win of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in Britain marks a significant gain in the prominence of the sport of cycling.
I see things continuing to improve, from impressive growth in local racing, to increasing numbers of cyclosportives, to an expanse of media, to improved access for fans. There is a clear reason why I love this sport so much - because cycling is an open sport. I believe the openness in cycling will lead us out of the haze of doping allegations and into a much brighter future.
What is unique about cycling is that Sponsors pay for athletes who are placed inches away from the fan, which means the fan is inches away from any sponsor. In which other sport do the athletes cover themselves head to toe in emblems of their sponsors, and extend that coverage to their bikes, cars, buses, casual clothing, talk, plans, and hopes. Perhaps car racing, a wildly popular successful sport, but one in which the fans are cordoned behind fences. Most of our high paying sports are more subtle - a golf hat, a surfboard, a tennis shoe. The remainder wear team uniforms labeled primarily with team names and numbers.
Cyclists are walking billboards. Instead of hiding in a locker rooms pre-race, our athletes train, warm-up, and race in broad daylight on a free battlefield of fun. Grasp the concept of how easy it is to be a fan of cycling, how much we are welcomed and needed. Cycling is an open sport. In my eyes, the more open, the more transparent, and the better chance we have of seeing performance enhancing drugs cleared out of this sport to level the field of competition.
Sure, sponsors have left, but more are jumping on board in 2012. Thanks to various forms of social media, sponsors have even more exposure, as the fans are treated to a greater sense of fun that inhabits the day to day lives of the athletes. Cycling is not all grueling pain and controversy, the Armstrong days are behind us; the mega-teams of pro cycling are fun and inspirational once again.
Last year I spoke of a growing trend toward the orator, rather than the previous focus on the look at me opinion spouting individual. This year I see a feel good trend coming our way. The trend makes sense after a rough period of economic and political unrest, and a devastating 2011 for so many countries. Human nature naturally grasps for the bits of good after a storm. There is plenty of good to be found in the future of this great sport in 2012.
For now my most significant memories of 2011 as a fan:
Johan Vansummeren wins the Paris-Roubaix
emotional unexpected local and he proposed!
Without a doubt this was an action packed unexpected race outcome, the coverage captured the emotional win by Vansummeren. Johan Van Summeren wins 2011 Paris-Roubaix by VeloNews, A big win for a Belgian and Recap of Roubaix by Pedal Dancer.
Independence Pass and the USA Pro Cycling Challenge
friends old and new and a celebration of American cycling
We pulled it off, that was the thought running through my head as I descended in the frigid cold off Independence Pass in August after Stage 2 of the USPCC. I can't believe we did it right here in Colorado. And by we, I in no way mean me, I mean that they built it and they came, in huge numbers. The race that I barely believed would be a reality was a smashing success thanks to the organizers and over 1 million fans who showed up to the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. For me, the days of chasing the tour were as exhilarating as being on Alpe d'Huez or Plat d'Adet.
Live online coverage of racing
 |
| Independence Pass Photo by PedalDancer.com |
watching the action and reading results live on any device I wanted
Every year it keeps getting better, TV, apps, Tour Tracker, LeTour website, Twitter, YouTube. Last year I especially enjoyed the race coverage by OZcycling, Bicycling.com, O'nev Ciclismo Fotografia, and Eurosport, as well as a number of blogs.
Bernard Eisel liked my dog's goatee
the personal fun moments in relating to others are the best
Cycling is my hobby. No matter what the hobby, the joy is in being around others who enjoy the same hobby. Those who gather from different countries and backgrounds to unite in support of sport. We are uniquely the same. And so it was with great joy that Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Highroad, now Sky) called out in laughter to greet my dog as we walked by at the Tour of California, "he has a goatee!"
Jens caught no fish
 |
| Bernie Eisel Photo by PedalDancer.com |
 |
| This fan asked to have his picture taken with Jack Denny - matching goatees |
a light shown in his eyes that told me the mighty Jens was so much like us
Jens Voigt is not only one of my favorite pro cyclists, he is an interesting man. I am fascinated with his ability to show a range of emotions, and then poof they have passed and he is onto the next thing. His ability to sit quietly reading a book and then give his all suffering in competition is astonishing. He has an instinct for race strategy while in the race, but cannot recall the road he has traveled upon after the race.
I wish you could have seen his face light up when he spoke of fishing in Colorado. Here was a man 45 minutes away from racing an individual time trial describing to me the area near Ten-mile Reservoir where he and Fränk Schleck had gone fishing days prior to the start of the USPCC. Jens was so animated a light surrounded him that would have seemed eery if he had not been so gosh darn delightfully in his moment of joy. His enthusiasm is infectious.
I wish you could have seen his face light up when he spoke of fishing in Colorado. Here was a man 45 minutes away from racing an individual time trial describing to me the area near Ten-mile Reservoir where he and Fränk Schleck had gone fishing days prior to the start of the USPCC. Jens was so animated a light surrounded him that would have seemed eery if he had not been so gosh darn delightfully in his moment of joy. His enthusiasm is infectious.
 |
| Frank Schleck and Jens Voigt fishing in Colorado, August 2011 Photo from Twitter |
Bikes
frames, pedals, Interbike, and Nick Legan
Learning about bikes filled my year, and none of them were mine. These bikes were the fastest, lightest, meanest bikes on the market and ridden by the best cyclists in the world. I learned a lot about fast bikes in 2011. I also learned to love Nick Legan's mechanics column at VeloNews. The world needs more Nick Legans.
 |
| S-Works Shiv TT bike, Photo by PedalDancer.com |
Show me the money at Cross Vegas
could there be a more fun way to celebrate a bike race
could there be a more fun way to celebrate a bike race
If you can get to Las Vegas, Nevada, to watch Cross Vegas - go! If you cannot please read this post (Cross Vegas - Vegas style), get your friends together, and create your own Cross Vegas.
Favorite Videos
 |
| grabbing money and beer at Cross Vegas cyclocross race Photo by PedalDancer.com |
Favorite Videos
the brain is faster than the mind, and I love humor
 |
| Fränk and Andy Schleck |
Paddy breaks the code
unexpected route leaks
unexpected route leaks
What a surprise it was when I noticed a new post on my desktop screen by Paddy Sweeney of VeloPeloton. Only this wasn't just any blog update, this was Paddy announcing that he had stumbled upon the mistakenly published route of the 2012 Tour de France. To know Paddy Sweeney is to know an avid fan of cycling who could fairly challenge John Wilcockson in a battle of cycling trivia. The fact that Paddy wrote himself into the history of the Tour de France after devoting a lifetime to the sport (mostly making it happen for others) is incredible. 2012 Tour de France route discovered. He also happens to be the taker of some of my favorite photos of 2011: Gallery
Philippe Gilbert, the Giro and the TdF
hours of online entertainment and incredible scenery
We watched Philippe Gilbert win a lot of races in 2011. The best part of cycling is that it can be watched in solitude, in a bar among strangers, with close friends or family on a roadside, or in a crowd of fans. However you do it, each person comes away thinking they had the best experience. 2011 was a great year for watching pro cycling. I didn't travel to all these places in 2011, but I felt like I was there. I am grateful to the cameramen who cover this sport
Remembering Wouter Weylandt (27 September 1984 – 9 May 2011)
 |
| The cameramen at the Tour of California (I know - they imported the motos) Photo by PedalDancer.com |
Remembering Wouter Weylandt (27 September 1984 – 9 May 2011)
I wept so much in watching his memorial my tears malfunctioned the touch pad on my laptop
Stage 3 of the 2011 Giro d'Italia was a sad tragic day. Wouter Weylandt's sudden fall on the descent of the Passo del Bocco had everyone thinking about family and friends, and the meaning of sport and the life of a young man. On September 1, 2011 his daughter Alizée was born.
Learning to walk again
never take for granted the freedom of riding a bike
The new year brought to me the personal accomplishment of being able to walk and ride a bike again after a multiple fractured pelvis. Through it all I was very fortunate to have this blog to express my ever growing interest in this sport.
 |
| Karen of Pedal Dancer on Vail Pass at the USPCC |
Travel Plans for 2012
Belgium, California, France, Colorado
Travel is my true love and in 2012 I will be traveling to Belgium in March/April to see the Tour of Flanders and the Paris-Roubaix, then to California in May for the Amgen Tour of California, followed by France in July for a number of stages in the Alpes and Pyreness (but mostly to ride, be with friends and drink wine). Finally in August I won't have to travel far for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. In between all that fun will be plenty of races to watch online including my favorites the Tour Down Under, Milan-San Remo, the Giro d'Italia, the Olympics, and so many more.
 |
| Have bike will travel Photo by PedalDancer.com |
What happened over at Pedal Dancer central in 2011
The most popular post in 2011: 2011 ProTeam Bikes
The post that brings back fond memories of old and new friends: More Cowbell!
The big surprise in popularity for a post: What pedals do the pros use?
Surpassed 1 year as a blogger: 1 year! - I'd like to thank the fans
The post that brings back fond memories of old and new friends: More Cowbell!
The big surprise in popularity for a post: What pedals do the pros use?
Surpassed 1 year as a blogger: 1 year! - I'd like to thank the fans
Affecting change in the sport: with enormous pride I would like to share that I was instrumental in having the spelling of Johan Vansummeren's name corrected on his team website after he told us he had asked repeatedly. I could be bragging about my hour at 450 watts or my numerous race wins (neither of which happened in 2011), but instead I am proudest of a simple online spelling correction in a world where anyone can now publish a book on Amazon, and anyone can call themselves a writer. I strive to become a much better writer and photographer in the years ahead and to learn much more about cycling. For now I am a fan who knows how to spell Vansummeren, and that makes me smile.
Happy New Year to all!