The Vasque Project Update: Come one…Come ALL! Don’t miss the Red Wing River City Rambler 1/2 Marathon, Saturday, August 1st in Maiden Rock, WI. Click HERE for Details.
Visit Vasque.com for upcoming Vasque Project races in your area.
When Boa Technology President Mark Soderberg raced in last year’s U.S. National Mountain Biking Championship in Mt. Snow, Vermont, he had a stellar race. In fact, if the course had been one mile shorter, he would have won. Instead, he was passed during the race’s final descent by eventual champion Doug Long.
But from every defeat comes a victory. And the heart-wrenching finish to the 2008 race stoked Soderberg’s determination to make amends at the 2009 national championship. Through the winter and spring, Soderberg awoke to train in the pre-dawn hours, motivated by the ghosts of the previous summer. His mantra became: “Do the work, get the results.”
With 2500 feet of high-altitude climbing over 15.3 miles, the 2009 championship course at Sol Vista would test the mettle of the continent’s most hardened athletes. And, on race morning, Soderberg stood poised for and hopeful for redemption. Doug Long (Chillicothe, Missouri) was back. And Gary Shuey from Lake Arrowhead, California, “looked as fit as ever,” according to Soderberg.
Boa President and National Champion Mark Soderberg rocking the Boa Lacing System through the trees at the U.S. MTB National Championships. Photo by VAST::vastaction.com
By the second and final lap of the race, Soderberg enjoyed a comfortable lead. “Everything was the way I wanted it,” he said. But the sport of mountain biking has a way of humbling every rider, and Soderberg experienced that version of Murphy’s Law soon enough. As he huffed down a trail, it occurred to him that he was probably off-course. Soon enough, he confirmed that suspicion, and frantically returned to the main trail. Desperation knocked at the door, and he fought to stay composed. “Don’t rush it,” he recalls saying to himself. “Make a good decision.”
Still, “I returned to the intersection not knowing if I’d been passed,” says Soderberg.
In the end, Soderberg’s wrong turn only tightened the gap between himself and the second-place rider. This year, nobody would pass him in the race’s final pedal strokes. In fact, 2008 champion Doug Long finished over 10 minutes back. Soderberg’s closest competitor, Shuey, hit the finish line nearly a minute back.
Soderberg’s finishing time of 1:42:46 gave him the redemption he’d envisioned—and worked toward—for a full year. It also gave him a very nice title to go along with “President, Boa Technology”: “2009 National Champion”
For full results, visit USAcycling.org
The final tally is in for riders wearing the Boa Lacing System at the Tour de France. With Team Saxo Bank star Andy Schleck finishing a strong # 2 overall and 32 riders sporting footwear by Lake and Specialized, the Boa Lacing System was well represented at the podium and jersey winners circle.
Racers ride in a heavy rain on July 17, 2009 in the thirteenth stage of the 2009 Tour de France. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)
Boa Lacing System Stage Jersey Winners
-6 days in Yellow/Tour Leader (Fabian Cancellara, Stages 1-6) Wearing 2010 Specialized S-Works with new Boa S1 Technology
-1 day in Green/Sprint Leader (Cancellara, Stage 1) Wearing 2010 Specialized S-Works with new Boa S1 Technology
-6 days in White/Youth Rider (Andy Schleck, Stages 15-21) Wearing 09 Specialized S-Works
Stage Finishes
-63 individual top 20 Stage finishes
-4 1st place stage finishes
Cancellara – Stage 1 – 2010 Specialized S-Works
Nicki Sorensen – Stage 12 – 09 Specialized S-Works
Pierrick Fedrigo – Stage 9 – 09 Specialized S-Works
Frank Schleck – Stage 17 – 09 Specialized S-Works
Overall GTC
6 riders in top 25 overall:
Andy Schleck – 2 – 09 Specialized S-Works
Frank Schleck – 6 – 09 Specialized S-Works
Carlos Sastre – 17 – Lake CX401
Sylvain Chavanel – 20 – 09 Specialized S-Works
Christian Knees – 21 – 09 Specialized S-Works
Nicholas Roche – 23 – 09 Specialized S-Works
Yes, this article is a few days old, but a very interesting read in the New York Times about Team Saxo Bank’s Andy and Frank Schleck and the brothers’ battle at the Tour de France. By the way, both are sporting the Boa Lacing System in the Specialized S-Works cycling shoe. Currently, Andy is 2nd overall trailing Alberto Contador by 4′ 11” and Frank is holding tight at 6th. Click HERE to read the story.
From The New York Times: Jean-Christophe Bott/European Pressphoto Agency
Attempting to uncover technology secrets and office gossip, Shayboarder.com took a few minutes to sit down with Boa Director of Product Design, Brett Vladika. Check out the interview HERE!
Congrats to Saxo Bank’s Nicki Sorensen and his stage 12 victory of the Tour de France. Sorensen is currently wearing the Specialized BG S-Works cycling shoe featuring the Boa Lacing System. Read the entire story at Velo News. So far in the Tour de France riders in the Boa Lacing System have: 6 days in Yellow, 3 1st place stage victories, 33 top 20 stage finishes.
Hello all,
Well… I’m done. Since my last post, I caught a ride out of Silverton back to the trail, hiked in about 12 miles before setting up camp in the most beautiful location of the whole trip, hiked approximately 32 miles the following day, then another 29 miles, and then that was it… I was in Durango. The feeling of arriving in Durango felt just like that, very abrupt. After heading back out on the trail I had a very good sense of savoring the last miles of the trail while at the same time being excited to reach the conclusion. All in all, I ended up hiking approximately 535 miles over 25 days. This includes stopping in town for replenishment five times and one zero-day (a day that you spend in town without hiking at all) in Salida to hang out with my brother.
Through some of the reading that I have done throughout my life, certain authors will write how important it is to commune with nature from time to time, and I always kind of ho-hummed this sentiment being an outdoorsy person. I think that this trip allowed me to truly understand what they meant though. A completely different, peaceful rhythm to life emerges whenever you immerse yourself in nature, become aware of all that is around you, and allow your actions to be dictated by these feelings. This is in stark contrast to how most of us plan, control, and find value based on how many tasks we were able to accomplish or what we were able to cram into a particular day. I am not saying that I am ready to abandon society and head out “Into The Wild,” but I do think that the perspective gained is invaluable. Secondly, because of how busy most of our lives are with work, family, and even our own personal time, we do not spend very much time simply alone with our thoughts. It is very interesting to see just what pops up when you take an extended period of time to do this. I won’t elaborate much here, but I think that it is both difficult and enlightening.
I tend to fancy myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to footwear (some would say a little too much), and I really can’t say enough about how well my shoes, the Vasque Breeze SL, and the Boa system performed on this hike. I had no problems, whatsoever, with my feet during the entire duration of the hike. This is incredible considering the type of terrain I was covering over a long period in a lightweight shoe. Also, having the Boa system really was a dream. The consistent fit coupled with the ease at which I could get in and out and adjust the fit were priceless. In fact, as funny as it may sound, I have become slightly irritated having to tie my shoelaces since I have returned. I can’t wait to be able to use the Boa system again on my next pair of shoes regardless of the activity.
Well that’s all folks! I thank all of you who have followed my ramblings on this site, as well as all of you who have sent me emails along the way. It has really meant a lot.
Eric
Tour de France Yellow jersey leaders, stage winners, mountain climbers, sprinters, champions and editors all agree…the new Boa S1 Lacing System featured on the 2010 Specialized BG S-Works shoe is pure cycling technology! Check out the article by Velo News Tour de France tech guru Zach Vestal HERE.
Photo by Ghram Watson on Velonews.com
It feels like so long that I have added a post to this blog, but apparently it has only been ten days. I am currently in a coffee shop in Silverton, CO. I have done one brief resupply in Lake City since I last wrote, but I have not slept in a bed, showered, or washed my clothes since then. Pretty sweet, huh! I have, however, hiked approximately 200 miles, including a 30+ mile side trip in the Weminuche Wilderness that I added to enjoy the absolutely most beautiful and remote area of Colorado while simultaneously staying away from the July 4th chaos and people that were occupying Silverton this weekend. I can’t say enough about how absolutely amazing my trip has been since I last wrote. The trail has taken me through the most beautiful areas of remote wilderness. I have encountered some very interesting people and wildlife. I have been awestruck at the scenery and nature in all its grandiosity. Nature has an odd way of making you feel tiny and grandiose, proud and humbled, inspired and saddened all inside the exact same moment that I have never experienced before.
The best anecdotal story I can share occurred last Tuesday. I had been hiking through the Chochetopa Hills for two days and decided to make a push to higher altitude and the La Garita Wilderness. When I was getting close, I met a Continental Divide Trail thru-hiker named Wilderness Bob. He told me of a side trail that would take me over San Luis Peak, the only 14er, in the nearby area. I took this piece of information as a bit of serendipity, I was feeling great, and I decided to add it into the day’s itinerary. When everything was said and done I had hiked up to 14,000 feet to see the most amazing sunset of my life and hiked down a sketchy scree field in the waning light of the day and found a campsite back below treeline. I ended up hiking 32 miles that day.
To the shoes…it happens to the best of ‘em … I broke a shoelace yesterday, awww. I guess broken shoelaces are extremely common among thru-hikers. I know a gentleman who went through three sets of shoelaces for one pair of shoes! I noticed the polyurethane cover come unsheated sometime last week, and could’ve swapped them out at that point, but I was curious to see how long it would last. The fix was very quick and easy (<15 minutes), and did not put a damper into my day, whatsoever. I got to thinking that the shoes I have been wearing had been dead well before the lace broke. If I wasn't on a thru-hike, I would be buying a new pair of shoes. All told, 380 miles for a 12.6 ounce shoe and 450 miles for the shoelaces over the most rugged terrain, while wearing a pack. Those are pretty phenomenal results in one humble person's opinion.
That's it for now. I should be in Durango by Thursday if everything goes as planned, and then… that's it! I can't believe it's almost over, but know that I will be savoring every mile over these next few days.
Several Team Honeystinger members raced Saturday’s Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge, Colorado, with the results being summed up as the okay, the bad and the ugly. Two laps of a 25 mile course notorious for inducing severe bonks, flats, crashes and all-around misery were on tap. Luckily the weather remained cool and mostly clear with just a few sprinkles to moisten the roots and rocks on the final singletrack, but the main deluge didn’t hit until after we were done. The Hero of the Day was without a doubt Nate Bird (photo below) … And check out those shoes with the Boa Lacing System!), who placed fourth in his highly competitive age group. Pro rider Len Zanni, also in Boa, ended up 21st in the men’s pro classification.
