Sport

Sacramento Cup: fans, fouls and free kicks

2010-06-14T02:28:04Z

Soccer fans were looking for a few more goals after the United States' 1-1 tie with England on Saturday. They didn't get any that night at Raley Field as the inaugural Sacramento Cup between Major League Soccer rivals San Jose Earthquakes and Chivas USA went goal-less.

The highly defensive game was decided on free kicks at the end of regulation time. In the end, the Earthquakes got six free kicks past the goalie against Chivas' five.

It started out ugly when Earthquakes defender Steven Beitashour earned a yellow card on a dangerous tackle. With several harsh tackles, shoves and scuffles, the atmosphere was testy.

Because both teams played a number of bench players and used multiple substitutions, there was a lack of cohesive passes. A dearth of goals added to the frustration.

However, the atmosphere in the stands was quite different.

There was a peppering of empty seats, but those near the midfield line and behind the goal were packed with thousands of loud supporters. The crowd was equally divided between Chivas and Earthquake supporters, so alternating chants circled the stadium simultaneously. During the second half, the entire stadium did "the wave."

It was the 1906 Ultras, a Bay Area-based Earthquakes fan group, who proved the loudest, most die-hard and entertaining.

Usually numbering in the hundreds, the Ultras travel to as many Earthquake games as possible. They are a well-organized group, dressed in Earthquakes black and blue. Members wave flags and cheer or heckle nonstop during each 90-minute game. During the second half of Saturday's game, they set off a blue smoke bomb, which Raley Field security discovered and confiscated.

About 100 Ultras attended the Sacramento Cup to sing songs that were altered to fit an Earthquakes or soccer theme. They included "When the Quakes Go Marching In," "Come on Earthquakes" ("Come on, Eileen"), and "Give Us a Goal" ("Give Peace a Chance").

Among jibes directed at opponents were one telling 230-pound Chivas goalkeeper Zach Thornton to go on a diet and chants about Los Angeles-based rivals Chivas and Galaxy.

The Ultras' motto, according to a T-shirt worn by founder Dan Margarit, is "Win or lose, we'll always be there for you." Margarit, a Romanian-American, said he has not missed an Earthquakes game since founding the group in 2003.

Perhaps the extra support helped the Earthquakes win the cup. The winning team ran to the Ultras section to thank their fans before Captain Bobby Burling was presented with the Sacramento Cup.

Chivas fans now can look forward to watching defender Jonathan Bornstein, who plays for the United States in the World Cup. The United States' next game is against Slovenia on Friday at 7 a.m. PST.

Sacramento celebrating soccer

2010-06-10T04:09:13Z

Time to paint your body, don your wigs and honk that old plastic noisemaker. The World Cup is just around the corner.

The month-long tournament begins Friday, and there are a variety of options for those willing to set their alarms to see the 4:30, 7 and 11:30 a.m. games. Below is a detailed list of different bars and restaurants hosting World Cup viewing events, as well as food and drink specials.

Local soccer fans can double their soccer fix for a few hours Saturday with the inaugural Sacramento Cup. For the first time ever, Major League Soccer teams will come to Raley Field and compete in an exhibition game: Chivas USA and the San Jose Earthquakes.

Scheduling the game became feasible because MLS is putting its season on pause during the first round of the World Cup, said Alan Ledford, president and general manager of Raley Field and the Sacramento Rivercats. Raley Field held annual exhibition matches featuring Mexican soccer clubs from 2006 to 2008, but Ledford said this will be different because the teams are relatively local and will be competing for a cup.

"The objective is to make it a recurring match," Ledford said. "We think Sacramento will support that. Based on the previous games, we think it will be very successful."

Watching the World Cup on TV is another spectacle in itself. ESPN will dedicate 24 hours of continuous coverage leading into the opener and air many of the games live and tape-delayed. Since games will take place in South Africa, most people in Sacramento will be stuck watching replays unless they want to wake up and eat their breakfast while watching a game.

The World Cup features 32 international teams (narrowed from 204 in the qualifying stage), who compete through five tournament stages: the group stage, the round of 16, the quarterfinal, the semifinal and the final (a third-place match occurs the day before the final). FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, currently ranks the top international teams as Brazil, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. But you can never count out other top-10 teams like Italy, Germany, France, Argentina or England. The U.S. is ranked 14, and only has a slight chance of upsetting one of the top eight to make it into the finals.

In 2006, Italy beat France in the World Cup final in Germany.

Hot Italian owner Andrea Lepore, who follows the Italian team closely, has since played a highlight tape of that World Cup in the restaurant. She said the team is still strong due to the addition of some younger players.

"Repeating is so difficult in any sport because everyone wants to take the champions down," Lepore said. "So I think they have as good a chance as anyone."

France, on the other hand, has seen some mishaps since then. In their final World Cup qualifying game against Ireland, French striker Thierry Henry handled the ball illegally twice, before setting up a teammate for a goal. The highly protested incident was not seen by the referee and Ireland was knocked out of the World Cup.

"Well, unfortunately you can't cry after the game's been called," de Vere's owner Henry de Vere White said. "Of course like any Irish fan, we're bummed, but we're here to celebrate the World Cup. Our slogan is, 'all fans welcome.' "

De Vere White said he would cheer for the U.S. soccer team, while his brother Simon said he would cheer for "Argentina. No, Spain."

View the World Cup at the following locations:

De Vere's Irish Pub
1521 L St.
231-9947
Open at 6 a.m. for the entire tournament.

Food: A World Cup breakfast menu features a full Irish breakfast (eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomato and black and white Irish pudding), a breakfast burger (chicken apple sausage, over well eggs, house-made Irish bacon and cheddar) and a breakfast potato entrée (potatoes, Dubliner and Jack cheeses, Gardenburger pieces, chili, tomato, red onion, chives and sour cream). Breakfast will be served from 6 to 10:30 a.m. for the whole tournament.

Drinks: Customers must check in through Foursquare, the GPS-based social media site, to get them. There will be Foursquare-based specials on beer and appetizers during live games.

Other: Two new flat-screen televisions will show games, among them re-televised 4:30 a.m. games. "We want to be the home of the World Cup for everybody," de Vere White said. "We've added new shifts for everybody. We (even) have an extra kitchen staff."

Streets of London Pub
1804 J St.
498-1388
Open at 6:45 a.m. for the entire tournament.

Food: A special $10 breakfast menu will be available from 7 to 11 a.m. It will feature a choice of a breakfast pasty (a type of meat pie) with beans, or a breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and fried toast. Both come with bottomless tea or coffee.

Drinks: Irish coffee with Jameson whiskey will cost $5. Buckets of beer from different nations will be offered at a cost of five for $20. Among them are Newcastle (England), Peroni (Italy), Corona (Mexico), and Heineken (The Netherlands). Jagermeister girls will be on hand Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m handing out Jager shots.

Other: Streets will be blacking out the windows to run a large projector in addition to several flat screens.

Bisla's Sports Bar
7042 Folsom Blvd.
383-0133
Open at 7 a.m. for the entire tournament.

Food: For 7 a.m. games, a continental breakfast will be offered for $5. For 11:30 a.m. games, Bisla's offers six buffalo wings for $5 and sliders for $1.

Drinks: Domestic pints cost $2.

Other: Bisla's has 16 televisions, a projection screen and Dolby digital surround sound, said owner Bob Bisla.

M.V.P.'s Sports Bar and Grill
2010 L St. (Formerly 1629 Capitol)
441-4151
Open at 6 a.m. for the entire tournament.

Food: Because M.V.P. is busy moving from its old location, a manager said the food menu is still to be determined.

Drinks: To be determined.

Other: M.V.P. has 20 televisions.

Hot Italian
1627 16th St.
444-3000
Open at 11:30 a.m. for the entire tournament, with the exception of Italy's two early games on June 20 and 24, when it will open at 7 a.m.

Food: Though not providing a special menu, Hot Italian has pizzas named after Italian soccer players. The (Fabian) Cannavaro, named after the Italian team captain, is a classic pizza Margherita: tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil. The (Marco) Materazzi, named after the player who was famously head-butted by Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, features pepperoni, olives, tomato sauce, mozzarella and fontina cheese.

Drinks: There won't be drink specials, but owner Andrea Lepore pointed out that the restaurant serves Peroni beer, sponsors of the Italian national soccer team. Beers are all $4 or $5. Wines start at $5.

Other: Hot Italian will be holding a celebration that they call "Art of the Game."

Blue Hot Italian shirts will be available Friday, as an homage to Italy's World Cup jersey color.

Starting Saturday the restaurant will display soccer-inspired fine art officially licensed by FIFA. There will be 15 contemporary paintings from American, Italian and South African artists.

On July 12 at 8 p.m., a fashion installation will be displayed, featuring local designers, artists and dancers. Designers will be challenged to create an original piece of wearable art inspired by an international soccer jersey.

Hot Italian has a projector.

Bonn Lair
3651 J St.
455-7155
Open at 4:30 a.m. for the entire tournament.

Food: Likely to be breakfast pastys.

Drinks: To be determined.

Other: Bonn Lair has three televisions and a new sound system.

Zócalo
1801 Capitol Ave.
441-0303
Open 6:30 a.m. on Friday for the opening game featuring Mexico and host nation South Africa. Early opening for the rest of the tournament to be determined.

Food: Pozole and menudo for breakfast on Friday.

Drinks: A full bar will be available.

Other: Zócalo has flat-screen televisions behind the bar.

Leipheimer ready to repeat as Tour of California champion

2010-05-15T04:13:13Z

The Amgen Tour of California doesn't begin until Sunday, but Levi Leipheimer already is heavily favored to win.

"I think it will be a wonderful race," cycling commentator Phil Liggett said at a news conference Friday. "Levi Leipheimer will still win, but what the hell."

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong echoed that sentiment about the winner of the last three Tours of California.

"If I were looking at it like an analyst, I would say that Levi, Dave (Zabriskie) and Michael Rogers are the big three," Armstrong said. "I guarantee you that Levi will kick (Mark) Cavendish's ass on hills."

Cavendish would do the same to him on sprints, Leipheimer said under his breath. He noted that in previous years the race was held in February, but that professional cyclists' fitness is at a higher level in May.

Leipheimer pronounced himself "ready and here to win it again."

Andrew Messick, president of co-sponsor Anschutz Entertainment Group Sports, presented Mayor Kevin Johnson and County Supervisor Roger Dickinson with yellow jerseys. Johnson praised the tour for bringing $8 million to local businesses. He vowed to keep Armstrong's bike safe and promised never to wear spandex.

Armstrong's time-trial bike was stolen after the race prologue last year, but returned three days later. He said this year he would keep the bike in his hotel room, instead of in a trailer, where it was stored last year.

Leipheimer and Armstrong will be racing on the newly formed Team Radioshack, which Armstrong said is similar to last year's Team Astana. Six of that team's riders remain, two have changed. Armstrong said one of his goals is for his team to win first place.

"We're going to support Levi," he said. "It's like his Super Bowl."

For more information on road closures in Sacramento, visit: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26944/City_readies_for_rolling_street_closures_and_thousands_of_spectators_this_weekend.

For a bird's eye view of the first stage and stage one information, visit this article: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26951/Birds_Eye_View_of_AMGEN_Race.

To view team rosters, visit: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26484/Amgen_Tour_of_California_teams_announced.

For stage maps and other information, visit amgentourofcalifornia.com.

The race will be broadcast on the Versus Network for several hours daily.

Photographs:
1. Left to right: David Zabriskie, Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Andy Schleck
2. Lance Armstrong
3. Phil Liggett, foreground: Levi Leipheimer (left), Lance Armstrong (right)
4. Mark Cavendish
5. Left to right: Andrew Messick, Kevin Johnson, Roger Dickinson
6. Fabian Cancellara
7. George Hincapie

Amgen Tour of California teams announced

2010-05-08T01:27:01Z

Amgen Tour of California teams were announced Friday morning. The roster includes seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong as well as Levi Leipheimer, winner of the last three consecutive Tour of California races, among others.

The Sacramento Press will continue to cover the Amgen Tour of California, which rolls through the city Sunday, May 16. This will include a pre-race press conference May 14 and race day coverage.

The following is a press release about the team announcement, via Bob Burns of the Sacramento Sports Commission.

The world-class roster of teams and cyclists scheduled to participate in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California has been announced by race presenter AEG. An internationally sanctioned, professional cycling road race, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will host 16 teams, comprised of 127 riders, from 23 countries for the fifth-annual race taking place May 16-23.

The 2010 Amgen Tour of California will bring an exceptional concentration of cycling talent to compete across more than 800 miles of the state of California from Nevada City to Thousand Oaks, home of race sponsor Amgen. Attracting an unprecedented field of riders from around the world, cyclists hail from countries as far away as Belgium, Finland, Spain, France, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden.

“We are proud of the powerful and talented group of international and domestic cyclists set to participate in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports. “From Tour de France champions to Olympic medalists and world champions, this field is one of the best that has ever competed on American soil. The growing reputation of the Amgen Tour of California has resulted in a very accomplished field of cyclists, which should make for a great race.”

The field will include riders from well-known teams such as Team RadioShack, Team HTC-Columbia, Quick Step, Team Saxo Bank and Garmin-Transitions, who will all be competing to take the title in the overall team competition. Some of the notable riders planned to begin the race in Nevada City, Calif. on May 16 include:

Team rosters are subject to change.

Tour de France Overall Podium Finishers
Lance Armstrong (USA), Team RadioShack; first 1999-2005, third 2009
Andy Schleck (LUX), Team Saxo Bank; second 2009
Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack; third 2007

Tour de France Stage Winners
Lance Armstrong (USA), Team RadioShack (22)
Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team HTC-Columbia (10)
Tom Boonen (BEL), Quick Step (6)
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Team Saxo Bank (5)
Stuart O’Grady (AUS), Team Saxo Bank (3)
Yaroslav Popovych (UKR), Team RadioShack (3)
Jens Voigt (GER), Team Saxo Bank (3)
Heinrich Haussler (GER), Cervélo TestTeam (1)
David Zabriskie (USA), Garmin-Transitions (1)

World Champions
Lance Armstrong (USA), Team RadioShack
Lars Boom (NED), Rabobank
Tom Boonen (BEL), Quick Step
Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Team RadioShack
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Team Saxo Bank
Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team HTC-Columbia
Tom Leezer (NED), Rabobank
Yaroslav Popovych (UKR), Team RadioShack
Michael Rogers (AUS), Team Columbia-Highroad

Olympic Medalists
Lance Armstrong (USA), Team RadioShack
Theo Bos (NED), Cervélo TestTeam
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Team Saxo Bank
Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack
Bret Lancaster (AUS), Cervélo TestTeam
Stuart O’Grady (AUS), Team Saxo Bank
Hayden Roulston (NZL), Team HTC Columbia

Current National Champions (by country)
Michael Rogers (AUS), Team Columbia-Highroad, Time Trial
Tom Boonen (BEL), Quick Step, Road Race
Matti Breschel (DEN), Team Saxo Bank, Road Race
Lars Ytting Bak (DEN), Team HTC-Columbia, Time Trial
Andy Schleck (LUX), Team Saxo Bank, Road Race
Stef Clement (NED), Rabobank, Time Trial
Jeremy Vennell (NZL), Bissell, Time Trial
Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Team RadioShack, Time Trial
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Team Saxo Bank, Road Race
George Hincapie (USA), BMC Racing Team, Road Race
David Zabriskie (USA), Garmin-Transitions, Time Trial

American Stage Race Champions
Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack), 2007-2009 Amgen Tour of California
David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions), 2009 Tour of Missouri
George Hincapie (BMC Racing Team), 2007 Tour of Missouri
Janez Brajkovic (Team RadioShack), 2007 Tour de Georgia
Tom Danielson (Garmin-Transitions), 2005 Tour de Georgia
Lance Armstrong (Team RadioShack), 2004 Tour de Georgia
Chris Horner (Team RadioShack), 2003 Tour de Georgia

The 2010 Amgen Tour of California roster includes the following 16 professional cycling teams. The seven ProTour teams compete regularly on the UCI’s ProTour race calendar, including the Grand Tours of Europe – Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.

Pro Tour Teams

1.) Garmin-Transitions (USA)

Steven Cozza (USA)

Thomas Danielson (USA)

Ryder Hesjedal (CAN)

Robbie Hunter (RSA)

Thomas Peterson (USA)

Peter Stetina (USA)

Matthew Wilson (AUS)

David Zabriskie (USA)

2.) Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)

Francesco Bellotti (ITA)

Francesco Chicchi (ITA)

Davide Cimolai (ITA)

Manuel Quinziato (ITA)

Peter Sagan (SVK)

Ivan Santaromita (ITA)

Brian Vandborg (DEN)

Elia Viviani (ITA)

3.) Quick Step (BEL)

Carlos Barredo Llamazales (ESP)

Tom Boonen (BEL)

Kurt Hovelynck (BEL)

Kevin Hulsmans (BEL)

Nikolas Maes (BEL)

Andreas Stauff (GER)

Jurgen Van De Walle (BEL)

Maarten Wynants (BEL)

4.) Rabobank (NED)

Lars Boom (NED)

Stef Clement (NED)

Steven Kruijswijk (NED)

Sebastian Langeveld (NED)

Thomas Leezer (NED)

Paul Martens (GER)

Grischa Niermann (GER)

Maarten Tjallingii (NED)

5.) Team HTC-Columbia (USA)

Lars Ytting Bak (DEN)

Mark Cavendish (GBR)

Bernhard Eisel (AUT)

Tony Martin (GER)

Mark Renshaw (AUS)

Michael Rogers (AUS)

Hayden Roulston (NZL)

Tejay Van Garderen (USA)

6.) Team RadioShack (USA)

Lance Armstrong (USA)

Janez Brajkovic (SLO)

Christopher Horner (USA)

Levi Leipheimer (USA)

Jason McCartney (USA)

Dmitriy Muravyev (KAZ)

Yaroslav Popovych (UKR)

José Luis Rubiera Vigil (ESP)

7.) Team Saxo Bank (DEN)

Matti Breschel (DEN)

Fabian Cancellara (SUI)

Jakob Fuglsang (DEN)

Juan José Haedo (ARG)

Stuart O'Grady (AUS)

Andy Schleck (LUX)

Andre Steensen (DEN)

Jens Voigt (GER)

8.) BMC Racing Team (USA)

Chad Beyer (USA)

Marcus Burghart (GER)

Chris Butler (USA)

Mathias Frank (SUI)

George Hincapie (USA)

Alexander Kristoff (NOR)

Jackson Stewart (USA)

Simon Zahner (SUI)

9.) Cervélo TestTeam (SUI)

Theo Bos (NED)

Joao Correia (POR)

Philip Deignan (IRL)

Heinrich Haussler (GER)

Jeremy Hunt (GBR)

Brett Lancaster (AUS)

Oscar Pujol Munoz (ESP)

Dominique Rollin (CAN)

10.) Bissell (USA)

Rob Britton (CAN)

Daniel Holloway (USA)

Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA)

Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA)

Peer Latham (NZL)

Paul Mach (USA)

Jeremy Vennell (NZL)

Kyle Wamsley (USA)

11.) Fly V Australia (AUS)

Jonathan Cantwell (AUS)

Jai Crawford (AUS)

Benjamin Day (AUS)

Charles Dionne (CAN)

Aaron Kemps (AUS)

Bernard Sulzberger (AUS)

Jay Robert Thomson (RSA)

Phil Zajicek (USA)

12.) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda (USA)

Jonathan Chordoff (USA)

William Dicknson (AUS)

Michael Friedman (USA)

Charles Bradley Huff (USA)

Jeremy Powers (USA)

Kiel Reijnen (USA)

Will Routley (CAN)

Bernard Van Ulden (USA)

13.) Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)

Ryan Anderson (CAN)

Jesse Anthony (USA)

Dan Bowman (USA)

Alex Candelario (USA)

Reid Mumford (USA)

Neil Shirley (USA)

David Veilleux (CAN)

Scott Zwizanski (USA)

14.) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy (CAN)

David Boily (CAN)

Guillaume Boivin (CAN)

Lucas Euser (USA)

Martin Gilbert (CAN)

Kevin Lacombe (CAN)

Bruno Langlois (CAN)

Francois Parisien (CAN)

Andrew Randell (CAN)

15.) Team Type 1 (USA)

Davide Frattini (ITA)

Ken Hanson (USA)

Aldo Ino Ilesic (SLO)

Christopher Jones (USA)

Valery Kobzarenko (UKR)

Javier Megias Leal (ESP)

Thomas Rabou (NED)

Scott Stewart (USA)

16.) UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis (USA)

Christopher Baldwin (USA)

Matthew Crane (USA)

Marc De Maar (NED)

Max Jenkins (USA)

Karl Menzies (AUS)

Andrew Pinfold (CAN)

Rory Sutherland (AUS)

Bradley White (USA)

Stages for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California include:
Stage 1: Sunday, May 16 – Nevada City to Sacramento
Stage 2: Monday, May 17 – Davis to Santa Rosa
Stage 3: Tuesday, May 18 – San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Stage 4: Wednesday, May 19 – San Jose to Modesto
Stage 5: Thursday, May 20 – Visalia to Bakersfield
Stage 6: Friday, May 21 – Palmdale to Big Beak Lake
Stage 7: Saturday, May 22 – Los Angeles Individual Time Trial
Stage 8: Sunday, May 23 – Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills

For more information about the Amgen Tour of California, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Photographs one and two credit Anthony Bento. Photographs three and four by Jonathan Mendick.

Celebrating cycling history and heroes

2010-04-24T01:25:15Z

The first bicycle was used as a replacement for a horse, required a saddle and was propelled like Fred Flinstone's car.

According to University of California, Davis, Bicycle Program Coordinator David Takemoto-Weerts, an early bicycle-like invention was a "Draisine," a 19th-century invention of German forest ranger Karl Von Drais, for whom the the proto-bike is named. Similar machines were tweaked by engineers until bikes evolved into what we use today.

Takemoto-Weerts helped facilitate the purchase of a Draisine, part of the Pierce Miller collection that U.C. Davis bought in 2000 for a little under $400,000. It is now one of the dozens of historic and modern bikes displayed at the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, which will open Saturday morning in downtown Davis.

The mission of the organization, which has been in the process of moving from Somerville, NJ, for nearly a year, is "preserving the history and heroes of cycling in the United States," said Treasurer and board member Ray Cippolini. Besides being a museum, it's also a member-based organization and cycling and fitness advocate, according to its website.

Fourteen different cities were initially interested in hosting the Hall of Fame, but it was narrowed down to two: Davis and another city in North Carolina. U.S. Bicycling hall of famer and board member Ernie Seubert described why the Hall of Fame came to Davis.

"Davis won out because of its passionate (cycling) community," he said. "This is going to be vastly improved; we have the backing of the town."

That's evident when looking out the windows of the building onto Davis' Third Street, a major bicycle thoroughfare. The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame sits in a three-story building, formerly a teen center, on one corner of Central Park, which is home to the Davis Farmer's Market. Near the park, the number of bicycle commuters seems to outnumber the cars.

In addition to featuring a range of historical bikes, some nearly 200 years old, the building also contains modern biking memorabilia, medals, photographs, trophies and unicycles. One room is filled with more than 100 plaques for the the 128 Hall of Fame inductees.

Inducting someone into the Hall of Fame is a two-part process, Cippolini explained. Inductees are nominated by a Hall of Fame committee, then voting takes place. Nominees may include former competitive cyclists from road or track racing, off-road riders (which includes BMX, mountain bike and cyclocross riders) and non-competitive cyclists who have contributed to the sport.

Then all the members of the U.S. Cycling Hall of Fame Board, which expanded last month to include the board of the Davis-Based California Bicycle Museum, vote for a nominee. So does every inducted hall-of-famer, and a number of journalists, Seubert said.

He and others noted their favorite piece of Hall of Fame memorabilia: Greg Lemond's bicycle and 1986 Tour de France yellow jersey. Lemond was the first American winner of the Tour de France and also ran a successful bicycle company, which is now part of international company Trek Bicycles.

Cippolini said his favorite items are in the exhibit on hall of famer Marshall "Major" Taylor, an African American track cycling champion who become an international cycling star even while facing racial prejudice. The exhibit includes Major's century-old bicycle as well as photographs.

"He was recognized at a time in this country when there was a lot of bias toward him as a person, but not toward him as an athlete," Cippolini said. "He was recognized for the great athlete he was, even overcoming the social bias at the time."

At 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Davis Mayor Ruth Asmundson and three Hall of Fame inductees will celebrate the Hall of Fame's opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Sunday morning, Davis will host the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer ride, which gives amateur riders a chance to ride a stage of the Tour of California. It will be led by American cyclist George Hincapie.

The U.S. Cycling Hall of Fame is located at 303 B St. in Davis.

Stage one of 2010 Amgen tour to end at Capitol

2010-02-10T05:51:19Z

"For us domestic riders, this is our Tour de France," Chris Jones said of the Amgen Tour of California. "It's the biggest race of our year," added the 31-year-old cyclist from Auburn.

Jones and Michael Sayers, a retired professional rider, are Amgen tour veterans. They joined John McCasey, Sacramento Sports Commission director, at a Tuesday press conference at Mason's Restaurant. They introduced the tour's first stage -- from Nevada City to Sacramento -- with Mayor Kevin Johnson and Councilmen Ray Tretheway and Steve Cohn also in attendance.

The event kicked off with a video that provided a glimpse of the scenery cyclists will see when they ride from Nevada City to Sacramento on May 16.

Several months ago, fans learned via Twitter that Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer will race again this year. Starting Monday, preview videos began revealing each stage with aerial shots and and cyclists giving first-person accounts. The videos will continue to be released on YouTube and amgentourofcalifornia.com, two per day, until Friday. Each stage log, with turn-by-turn directions, will also be available on the Amgen tour website.

"Nevada City, the start this year, has a rich history," said Sayers, who is a Sacramento native. "Some of the biggest names in American cycling have competed in the Nevada City (Bicycle Classic), and I think it's a big honor that the race is giving Nevada City a few circuits before the stage starts."

After several miles in Nevada City, the 104.2-mile day will take riders through Grass Valley, Placer County and Meadow Vista before entering Auburn.

"My favorite part is going through Auburn about two blocks from my house," said Jones. "Then we'll head over the (Foresthill) Bridge."

Jones explained in the stage-one preview video that the Foresthill Bridge is the tallest in California. Built in 1973 to accompany the never-built Auburn Dam, the bridge provides breathtaking canyon views 738 feet above the American River.

Aside from a 1,500-foot climb to Cool, cyclists will continue downhill through El Dorado County into East Sacramento, before finishing at L and 11th streets. The stage will favor sprinters, and close to the finish line, cyclists may reach up to 40 mph. Streets will be closed to traffic along the entire stage route, details available here.

Sacramento will host free events May 16, McCasey said, including the mayor's ridealong in the morning and festival sponsor Anschutz Entertainment Group's Lifestyle Festival, from noon to 4:30 p.m. Stage two of the tour will feature a 109.5-mile ride from Davis to Santa Rosa.

The local economic impact of the Amgen tour is considerable.

"You're talking about $8 million," said Mayor Kevin Johnson. "Quality of life, a free family event, 80,000 people downtown, and we'll all look like Chris (Jones) if we cycle enough."

Photos 4 and 5 credit Anthony Bento.

Sacramento to be part of 2010 Amgen Tour of California

2009-10-23T05:17:30Z

At about 9 a.m. Thursday, three-time Amgen Tour of California winner Levi Leipheimer announced via a "tweet" that he was going to defend his title in 2010. It was part of a high-profile Twitter conversation started by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that went something like this:

"@schwarzenegger: Great news for American cycling fans and CA. The 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be better than ever. @lancearmstrong will you join us?

@lancearmstrong: Absolutely! @schwarzenegger, I've decided to ride the #Amgen Tour of California in 2010. Can't wait. What about you @levileipheimer?

@levileipheimer: I'll definitely be racing the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, defending my title."

Then at 4:30 p.m., the defending champion spoke at a press conference for the 2010 race at The Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento.

"It was a lot of fun being in the announcement today on Twitter, so I feel like I'm really a part of the race," Leipheimer said to a crowd of about 50, which included the mayors of Sacramento, Nevada City and Davis, and local legislators.

"Right from the fall of 2005, when we first announced the Tour of California was going to happen, I felt like this was something that I needed to be involved with, and I think that's been the secret to my success the last three years," he added. Leipheimer has won the last three Tours of California.

Mayor Kevin Johnson also expressed excitement that Sacramento be will be involved in the tour again. In addition to hosting the pre-race team presentation and gala on May 14, downtown Sacramento is where the first stage of the tour will conclude May 16, after a start in Nevada City.

"That allows us to have four or five days of activities and make it a really special weekend event," Johnson said. "We're going to have about 70,000 spectators that will participate over the weekend. This event brings in $8 million dollars, and that is very significant."

He also addressed last year's "hiccup": During the race, Lance Armstrong's time trial bike was stolen in Sacramento. The mayor joked that although the chief of police had promised tighter security, riders should bring their own locks, just in case.

Davis's Mayor Dr. Ruth Uy Asmundson and Nevada City's Mayor Reinette Senum said they were honored that their cities were part of the race as well.

A big change in the 2010 tour is that it will be held in May instead of February.

"We did it to showcase the state of California in a better way," said Andrew Messick, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group and tour director. "There's a lot of terrain you can't get to on a bicycle in the wintertime."

Moving the tour dates also means that it will overlap with the peak of the European cycling season. As a result, it is unclear whether Europe's top racers will choose the Tour of California over the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy).

"There are probably some Italians who will end up going to the Giro, but I don't think that we're going to see any impact because of the two races conflicting," Leipheimer said. "(The Tour of California) is better preparation for the Tour de France in July."

Leipheimer, Armstrong, and most of last year's Astana team will ride together, but have moved to the newly-formed Team Radioshack. A 2007 Tour de France doping scandal, near financial collapse and a talent overload (three of the top four 2009 Tour de France riders) sent many former Astana riders elsewhere for 2010.

Saturday: Muay Thai "Battle at the Wat"

2009-09-19T05:51:45Z

California's amateur cruiserweight, super-middleweight and super-lightweight Muay Thai champions will be crowned Saturday at the "Battle of the Wat". Sponsored by Andy Kensamphaph, founder of Sacramento's Muay Thai Lao Kickboxing Academy, the "battle" is an International Kickboxing Federation sanctioned fight.

It takes place at Wat Lao Saoputh Buddhist Temple, 8741 Gerber Road in south Sacramento, starting at 7:30 a.m. with a "Young Warriors" youth tournament. Eighteen matches with adult fighters begin at 1 p.m. and conclude at 5 p.m.

Nine of the kick boxers are locals who trained at Kensamphahph's gym. Others competitors will travel from as far as Oregon.

The prize is a 26-inch trophy designed by Kensamphaph (pictured above). Each winner will receive a large trophy that "features the art of the Lao [Buddhist] temple, from the art of the Muay Boran," Kensamphaph said. "Basically, Muay Thai and Muay Lao [both] originally came from the [Buddhist] temple."

Muay Boran, which means "ancient boxing," focuses on speed, strength, technique and posture. It was popularized in the martial arts movie "Ong Bak," starring Tony Jaa.

All competitors receive a trophy, "but they also will gain recognition for how they perform; the public will know how they fight," Kensamphaph added.

Kensamphaph came to the United States from Laos in 1982. He taught Muay Thai for 16 years before fighting in and training others for Mix Martial Arts (MMA) cage battles.

He trained champion MMA fighter Urijah Faber, "the California Kid," in Muay Thai and Muay Lao. Muay Lao uses more points of contact than Muay Thai -- most important, fists, Kensamphaph said.

After Faber won the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight championship, Kensamphaph stopped training him and opened the kickboxing academy about nine months ago.

The Muay Thai Lao Kickboxing Academy is in a 3,500-square-foot gym at 1510 Howe Ave., and has 260 male and female students. All the students learn to treat and respect each other as if they were family members, Kensamphaph said.

"I want people to remember how Muay Thai fighting represents [a person's] own art," he said. "I mix Muay Thai and Muay Lao, and I want to see how other people use it. Two is better than one. [By] mixing them up, it becomes a combination; it's more technical."

Battle of the Wat will be held outside, similar to traditional Sunday fights at temples in Thailand or Laos, said Muay Thai Lao instructor Jeff Baca. Thai and Lao food will be available for purchase.

General admission is $15, ringside is $25 and VIP tickets, which include a covered tent and a table, are $35. Tickets can be purchased at the door all the way up to the final fight, and all proceeds go to the Wat Lao Saoputh Buddhist Temple.

Streets of London bustling for soccer match

2009-05-28T02:45:25Z

"Bar-Sell-Oh-Nuh! Clap, clap, clapclapclap! Where the EFF's United? Clap, clap clapclapclap!" Chants from Streets of London Pub drifted down J Street Wednesday afternoon, as the Champion's League final between Barcelona Football Club and Manchester United dominated every inch of the bar.

Pints, pitchers, and pub fare were ubiquitous throughout a crowd of more than 100 soccer fans packed to watch the game, which ended in a 2-0 victory for Barcelona. Servers squeezed through rowdy fans to refill drinks, but the only standing room available was in the back patio or out front.

Many of the fans were wearing Barcelona's two-toned blue and maroon jersey, and some were also wearing Manchester United's jerseys, but as the superstar-studded game went on, it was Barcelona fans who showed the most pride.

"Olé, olé olé olé, Bar-saahh-Lone-ah!" the crowd began to cheer in the last few minutes of the game. Manchester fans were dejected, some holding their hands up around their faces nervously awaiting a few late goals that never came.

Ricci Hidalgo, who took the day off of his job at California State School of the Arts, came with nine other Barcelona fans, wore a Barcelona jersey and draped a Barcelona flag around himself, wearing it like a cape.

"It's amazing. This is the first Spanish team to get the (European) Treble," he said, referring to Barcelona's feat of being the only Spanish team to ever win three European cups in one year. In addition to being Champion's League winners, Barcelona also won first place in its domestic league and the Copa Del Rey, a Spanish cup tournament.

"(Barcelona player) Lionel Messi is uhh-mazin', (Manchester United player) Wayne Rooney is overrated," Hidalgo added, who also took the time to slander Manchester United superstar Christiano Ronaldo.

"Messi should have been World Player of the Year," said another Barcelona fan of over 10 years who called in sick for his job in West Sacramento and drove to the pub to view the game with Hidalgo.

"It was a good game, and we had our chances," said disappointed Manchester United fan Pat O'Shea, who is also a third cousin to Manchester United defender John O'Shea. "I took the day off work the day I knew that Manchester United would be in the final," he added.

When asked what he would do for the rest of the day, Alex Tamayo a Trader Joe's employee and Manchester United fan said, "Have more beer." Like many other people at the pub, he took the whole day off from his job.

Bike Month rolls into Sacramento

2009-05-03T01:48:45Z

Dozens of bikers braved the pouring rain and biked from West Sacramento through downtown and midtown, ending their soggy ride at the Bicycle Kitchen on 20th and I. Ed Cox, City Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator led this group ride Friday, May 1 to kick off Bike Month, a month-long event which encourages Sacramento-area residents to try bicycling as a mode of transportation.

The ride followed a press conference in which Davis Mayor Pro Tem Don Saylor and Roseville Councilmember Jim Gray, co-chairs of the event, spoke about the importance of cycling. This event, sponsored by Sacramento Area Council of Governments and various transportation management associations and organizations, also encourages people to log their miles at mayisbikemonth.com to reach a goal of one million miles.

In addition to having events and promoting cycling, the Bike Month organizers have created pedal pools, which are described on the website as "a group of two or more cyclists who meet at a designated location and commute together." Another benefit of pedal pools is the safety and fun factors when riding with a partner.

"The Million Mile May challenge is intended to remind us how fun and easy a bike ride is and how many of us could use our bikes as an alternative to our cars," said Gray. Saylor challenged Gray and the Roseville city staff to ride more miles than Davis's city staff, to which Gray replied, "We will kick Don's butt."

However, Saylor had already ridden across the Sacramento-Davis causeway by the time the kickoff event began, while Gray drove his car from Roseville to Sacramento.

Linda Khiev of the bicycle advocacy group Bikeramento was in West Sacramento on her bike, and said of the event, "I love it, and I'm really excited to see lots of bikes on the road." She added that Bikeramento is still waiting for city permits to hold the event Sac Sunday Streets, which is a "monthly fitness-based and family-friendly event revolving around the soft closure of Capitol Avenue from 3rd Street to 28th Street from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Sunday from May through October 2009," according to a Sacramento Press article.

At the Bicycle Kitchen, Sacramento Press caught up with local bicycle advocate John Boyer, who works as a mechanic at Carmichael Cycle and Sacramento Bike Kitchen, owns a bicycle delivery service for food called Edible Pedal, and cycles to his job at La Boheme.

"I get excited when I see massive amounts of bikes. [At the Bicycle Kitchen] we want people to not be afraid of their bicycles malfunctioning," he said. Boyer mentioned that he has all the tools in his house to start a bike shop, but he's looking for a place to rent to open it.

Sacramento Press has registered as a team for the race to one million miles. If you work for Sacramento Press (especially the bike riders) please visit mayisbikemonth.com to log your miles under the Sacramento Press team, and if you work for a small office (less than 100) we challenge you to log more miles than we do.

Please see this link for Bike Month events in the downtown area. For more information visit mayisbikemonth.com.

Local cyclists to ride fixies in AIDS Lifecycle

2009-05-01T09:48:16Z

The statistics are staggering.

There are nearly 200,000 people currently living with HIV/AIDS in California.

In the United States, 1.1 million people have HIV.

Throughout the world, 33 million people live with the virus.

These statistics, taken from a number of sources, including the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention also say that the estimated cost of treatment for a person with HIV is $20,000 dollars per year. Funding -- for services and treatment for those who have HIV/AIDS, not to mention prevention for at-risk groups -- is much needed.

A number of Sacramentans, including friends Danny Gutierrez and Douglas Vincent, will be doing their part by participating in the AIDS Lifecycle, an AIDS fundraising bicycle event which takes place May 31 - June 6. Each participant must raise a minimum of $3,000 for the race, which will cover 545 miles and stretches from San Francisco to Los Angeles Proceeds go to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.

Gutierrez is normally a production manager for Java City Coffee Company, but he's been volunteering as a cleaner and organizing kids’ programs at the Sacramento Bike Kitchen, which educates people on how to perform their own bicycle maintenance. Vincent is currently an analyst for the state's Department of Corrections and rides 200 miles per week for fun.

Gutierrez and Vincent have known each other since "sometime in high school," are training partners, make up a fundraising team named Lugged Nutz, and are former band mates for the band Amber Inn. They have been riding together every weekend recently, trying to get in shape to complete the nearly 80-mile-per-day ride.

"On the weekends, Doug and I will take about 50-mile rides, so from about Old Town to Folsom and back," Gutierrez said.

They also plan to do a 100-mile day as part of their training. According to their blog, they are called Lugged Nutz because they planned on "doing this ride on vintage steel-lugged, fixed-gear conversions."

"Danny and I both started riding [fixed-gear bikes] because they're fun, Vincent said. "As far as riding around town, riding through the streets, they're a much funner mode of transportation. Danny and I both have this attitude that we would be more proud if we did it on a fixed gear, plus, the route we're taking - there aren't that many hills."

This means that Vincent and Gutierrez will not be able to coast, and must pedal constantly. However, the ride is very well supported with cars assisting riders on the road and booths full of drinks every now and then.

Also, anyone who does not complete the day's ride after 10 hours will be picked up and taken to the next campsite. Team Lugged Nutz does not anticipate the need for this service.

Still a month away from race day, the two have not yet earned the $3,000 that they pledged to raise before the race. "Times are pretty hard, and it's been hard for us to raise money, but we've had a lot of other support other than financial, which is great," Gutierrez said.

"The whole cause has really brought a lot of good out in people," he added.

Asbestos Press hand-printed posters while New Order Ink and Splash Promotion printed T-shirts for sale at a fundraiser the bikers are holding this Saturday, May 2. The $5 cover and all proceeds from T-shirt and poster sales will going to Team Lugged Nutz's race fund.

Saturday, May 2, at 8 p.m. five local bands, including Vincent's band Flounder and Gutierrez's band Exhale, will be rocking Lugged Nutz's fundraising concert at the Kennel Club. Donations will be accepted.

Sacramento to celebrate Vlade Divac

2009-03-31T05:05:25Z

Over 13,000 points, over 9,000 rebounds, over 3,500 assists, over 1,500 blocked shots, the art of flopping — this is what Vlade Divac brought to the table during his fifteen-year career in the NBA. Though he played seven seasons for the Lakers, two for the Hornets, and six with the Kings, "my six years with the Kings were the best," said Divac at teammate Chris Webber's jersey retirement celebration on Feb. 6, "and it's always going to be in my heart."

"It's definitely going to be an emotional thing for me," he said during a recent interview with KCRA 3.

In conjunction with his jersey being retired Tuesday night during halftime at the Kings-Hornets game, the last of three days of charitable events will culminate in a party at Tunel 21, a Divac-owned club in Old Sacramento. Benefits from this party and the previous two days of events (which included a lunch with Divac and a kickoff party at Tre Nightclub on Sunday March 29, and a "Charitabowl" bowling event Monday March 30) go to Divac's foundation, Humanitarian Organization Divac (HOD).

"Vlade and his wife Ana started HOD a little bit over a year ago to tackle the refugee situation there," said HOD spokesperson Angela Hughes in an interview with Sacramento Press. Currently Serbia has the largest refugee population in all of Europe, and Divac's organization hopes to move hundreds of these displaced families into homes.

"Ana's and Vlade's work has provided more than 9 million dollars in humanitarian assistance and educational programs to children in Serbia-Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the United States, Indonesia, Ethiopia and China," says the HOD website.

Since moving back to Europe, he has settled with his family in Belgrade. "Vlade is president of the Serbian Olympic Committee and he now has a full time job," said Hughes. "He loves it and is doing very well in the position. He was always committed to going back and helping his country," Hughes said.

At the halftime ceremony, Kings commentator Grant Napier will be the master of ceremonies. Scot Pollard, Doug Christie, Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, Geoff Petire, Joe and Gavin Maloof, and Divac himself will speak, said Kings spokesperson Mitch Garmin.

To attend the celebration at Tunel 21, visit www.divac.com, email info@divac.com or call 916-807-4501 to obtain a limited number of tickets. It costs $50 for general admission and $75 for admission and cocktails.

*Photos credit divac.com