Cyclocross World Champs

The great American football coach Vince Lombardi once said "Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all time thing. You don't win once in a while, you don't do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit"

And so another cyclocross season is wrapping up and winning is certainly a habit. Look back at the past ten World Championship events - seven of the past decade's victors rode Ridley bicycles. Can anyone say dominance?

Zdenek Stybar claimed his second elite title yesterday in St Wendel Germany in resounding fashion. The new rising star of Kevin Pauwels added some sparkle as well claiming his first elite category podium placing. Add in strong rides with Vantornout in sixth, Wellens in eighth and Meeusen in tenth position for fully half the top ten riders on Ridley X-Night frames.

Tested on Pavé kaohsiung style

Hello cyclist around the globe,

For the past 5 days we have been traveling around Asia. During our stop today we passed by a cool bike shop in Kaohsiung city in Taiwan.
Our distributor La Bici has done a great job with the shop owner and really nailed the decoration.
The tested on Pavé neon sign is so cool :)

Thanks to you all you riders supporting Ridley around the globe. It for you that we continuously strive to improve our frames, make nice designs...







Pedal hard, ride fast!

cheers

Yannick

Vacansoleil Team Presentation

Exciting times around Ridley HQ here in Belgium. Road racing season is nigh upon the horizon with the Tour Down Under beginning next week. We attended the Vacansoleil-DCM team launch this past Monday in Rotterdam along with tons of media, politicians and plenty of bike industry partners.

The team staff provided a wonderful setting, excellent commentary and plenty of access to the athletes - all topped off by an extravagant luncheon and take home goodie bags. The quote of the day was from Matteo Carrara "your bike has to be like your girlfriend you have to love your bike as your girlfriend or even more of course I prefer to share my bed with my girlfriend but immediately after comes my bike" Pretty much says it all right there!

The team has a wonderful international flare with Italians led by Ricco and Carrara, Belgians with Devolder and Leukemans, Dutch dudes with Johnny Hoogerland and Pim Ligthart and of course the Slovenian sprinter Bozic, the French Feillu and the Ukranian Lagutin plus Spain, Russia and other countries. Lots of difficult names to spell and pronounce luckily the official team language is English.

This is a great image of Riccardo Ricco - he's super motivated this year and seems to very comfortable with the his new team surroundings.

A few media outlets are making a big deal about a brewing rivalry between the two Belgian strongmen Devolder and Leukmans. Pretty funny actually since they seem to be very much at ease with each other and will certainly be a formidable force when other teams are on the attack.

Where heroes are born and legends are made

But First things First, i wish you all a happy new-year.
For some 2010 has been wonderful, for others a year with ups and downs. One thing is for sure 2011 is destined to be good! So let’s put our shoulders under it and blast off.
I’ve made my new year’s resolutions, but better to keep them for myself since they tend not to come true when I pronounce them out loud :p

Last Wednesday me and some friends went out for a MTB ride at Kluisbergen. What’s the big deal you would think? It’s “flat”, it was cold, snow & mud… well when driving over I recalled myself the hours I spent riding these roads.
The small, narrow, crappy concrete roads making my way to the hills nearby. Hills I disliked, hills I had to do several times during that training. At the time I did not feel the myth, only wind and leg cramps…
Coming back to these training grounds made me think of the great races that pass there every year, the thousands of people cheering, yelling. On these hills and pave sections the finale of the tour the Flanders starts, this is where they throw the first card on the table and men are separated from the boys.
During training camp of the Vacansoleil-DCM team I asked Stijn Devolder “aren’t you tires of riding those roads over and over again??” “Nah, are you crazy, there is nothing I love more than riding these races”
When struggling your way up the Oude - Kwaremont/Paterberg/… ,even on a mountainbike, I have to admit having a big grin on the face. Being able to shift that one gear up, quicken the pedal stroke and gently squeeze the force out of your competitors on these cobbles…
This mythical place will once again be the playground for those 2wheeled gladiators in spring.

Till next time!
Yannick