Have A Team for 2009??

Cyclocross is one of the disciplines of cycling where one can compete and succeed as a individual. However, being a part of a "team", and having a support group can make a big difference in your results, and make your racing experience more enjoyable. The NCNCA region for Cyclocross racing is full of Cyclocross teams. Getting involved with a current team, or creating your own team is one of the best ways to make the 2009 race season one to remember...

The world's #1 Cross team- if you race in this squad you better be fast & you better use hair gel....
Current UCI World Champion Niels Albert and his boys....

Checking out the course as a team just looks cool. Plus it can be beneficial for picking out fast lines on course, making tire choices for best traction, or getting proper warm up before the real racing begins....

Brothers in mud, a few World Champions on this team....

The world's #1 team, friends for the camera, but once the racing gets going it can be every man for them self....

The list of teams in Nor-Cal that focus on racing Cyclocross goes on and on. The most dominate teams over the past few years have been Cal Giant Inc. & Rocklobster. Yet the teams that have the most impact on race day are the club-teams, shop-teams,and bro-teams, that place riders in all divisions- male & female- Cat 1 to Cat 4. These teams are the true backbone of what makes racing Cyclocross in Nor-Cal so much fun. Groups will set up pit area's to support their riders, bring food and lots of refreshments for after race festivities, and simply race for thrill and fun of it all.

If your planning on taking part in races for the 2009 Cyclocross season, I recommend getting involved with a team. There are too many teams in Nor-Cal to list them all. Teams such as Altezza40, Kaiser Permanente, Pen Velo, SCCCC-Team Santa Cruz, Sheila Moon, SYCIP, Roaring Mouse Cycles, Webcor, Buy-Cell.com, Infovista Cycling, Bicycle Trip, Velo Bella, VOS Racing, Hunter-Freewheel, Family Cycling Center, Clif Bar, Specialized, Scott/Ritchey/SRAM, Godspeed Courier, DFL, Plus 3 Network, BEER, HUP United, Mad Cat Bicycles, Vertical Pandas, Team Wrong Way, Above Category Racing, Dirty Divas, & Velo Girls- all race for bragging rights and the pure fun of the chase. Again, there are too many teams to list them all, and there are many more groups I want to list. Just being involved in training and competing with a group of like-minded individuals can really make the racing fun. Getting support from others, and giving support to others, then sharing your choice of refreshments afterwards can make the whole race ordeal more rewarding. Have a team for 2009? If your answer is no, I recommend you find one or simply create your own.

I did find this very good opportunity for racers to get involved with Matt McNamara's Sterling Sports Group Cyclocross team. The Sterling Sports Group is committed to supporting racers and grooming riders into becoming better racers and better athletes. The team is organising Cross camps, clinics, training programs, weekly rides, and race day support for anyone who wants to take advantage of this great opportunity. Matt McNamara sent out this press release to the bay area cyclocross users group at Yahoo. Have a look....

I commend Matt on his hard work and dedication to helping others and creating another great team that will take part in Northern California Cyclocross races.

Here is the press release:

Company Deepens Commitment To The Cyclo-Cross Community For 2009

SUNNYVALE, CA (July 17, 2009) – Sterling Sports Group is going `All In" for cyclocross in 2009 by offering a full complement of `cross related programs and activities. Company President Matt McNamara noted that adding elements like a cross specific webinar, weekly training series, online training programs and performance testing & fit packages specifically for the CX community was a logical step for the company: "We are a performance coaching company committed to the culture of cyclocross. We couldn't think of a better way to demonstrate that commitment than to broaden our reach to the cyclocross community through these innovative programs." Among the program elements:-

CX Training Camp – All `crossers are invited to sign up for our 2 day training camp September 18 – 20th. The camp includes baseline performance testing, group rides, position assessment, and training program orientations. Camp costs between $150-$375 depending on affiliation-

Training Series – Starting September 8th we'll have a 6-week training series on Tuesday nights. Each week we'll tackle a different element of `cross competence including: starts, mounts/dismounts, hills, intervals and a practice race. Training Rides are $30/each or $120 for the whole series. - `

Cross Webinar – We will be hosting a Cyclocross Training Webinar on August 27th. It will cover `cross specific training and racing requirements including program design, equipment selection, interval formats for racing, and more. Webinar is $15.

Online Programs – We have developed several cyclocross specific online training programs available through our website. These programs are geared to different levels of racer and those training with power or heart rate. Online programs start at $50.-`

Cross Specific Testing & Fit Package – Get an idea of where your fitness is, what to train to be faster, and get a complete Pro-Fit in one easy session. A $225 value, only $150 for Cyclocross! Valid til October 1st.

To register for any of these exciting programs simply visit us online at www.sterlingwins. com, drop us an e-mail at http://us.mc311.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=info%40sterlingwins.com, or call us at 408.891.3462

ABOUT STERLING SPORTS GROUPSterling Sports Group (www.sterlingwins. com) is the result of over 20 years of passion for the sport of cycling. Launched in late 2003, Sterling Sports is a growing company focused on creating a seamless interface between athlete and coach, technology and personal attention. They can be reached at 408.891.3462 or http://us.mc311.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=info%40sterlingwins.com###