Cannondale 2010 - The preview

Cannondale presented in Utah the new bikes for 2010.

As you can see in the photos the bikes are looking awesome The frameset as far as I know will remain almost the same as this year, but with other colors and the Team Replica bike will get some new parts: Sram XX, except the Cannondale Hollowgram SL Crankset. The Cannondale Hollowgram SL still being lighter than a BB30 XX and very stiff, Cannondale worked with Sram to now feature a XX chainring compatible spider to keep it's advantages but get the chainring sizes options and faster shifting XX promises, best of both worlds.

Even if you can see now a few photos, the most interesting things are not revieled yet. More will come and I must admit that I am really excited to see them and test them at Eurobike this year.


The photos shown above are made by Robbie Stout. And you can see more here.

Another change will be with the Rize. From the next year it will be called RZ, due to a trademark issue hat involved another company outside of the bike biz. Even if the name is changed, everything that you love at the Rize will be available and even improuved. Also there will be two different models: RZ 120 and RZ 140, featuring 120mm and 140mm of rear travel.

The rear suspension is now better matched to the plushness and stiffness of the Lefty Carbon Max (one of the lightest and best tracking forks ever). The rear stays efficient on the climbs and still plush on the descents, even under braking.

Bellow you will two movies and some photos of the RZ 2010, presented by Doug Dalton, from Cannondale Research and Development, for MTBR.com











See you soon with more details,
Vlad

Medias Marathon

Hello,

I am coming back later again after the race but I had my own reasons.

For me this was my 4th time racing here. I know pretty well the course so I though that it will be easier, but wasn't like that. We got up (again) at 5 a.m. and went at Medias. Got earlier so I had time to warm up properly and get at the start line.

Had a good start and my legs felt good, even if I was a bit tired. Was really hot, about 30 degrees Celsius. I had a lot of liquids and got some water at the last check point and I give some to another rider and on the last climb I remained without water. As the water problem wasn't enough, my left leg block and I was unable to stay with the front riders and in the last 10 km I've lost about 6 minutes. I've struggled to stay in front but only with one leg, was pretty hard. I've pushed the limit on the last descend but wasn't enough to get back some time. So I've finished 6th after leading the race more than 40km.

It's really frustrating, but I have to pass over. I'll take 2 weeks racing break and I'll try to recover and get back in shape for the next races.

Thanks for all the support and congrats to Tudor, my team mate, who finished 2nd at the same distance as me, the 50km. Thanks for the photos that I got from the organizers web site.

Thanks again to my sponsors. Without them I couldnt get here: Cannondale Bikes, Maros Sport, Ashima, Continental, Syntace, Selle Italia, VDO, Sapim, Adidas Eyewear, Xpedo, 661, Buff, Sram, Kool Stop and DT Swiss. Also I must thank to: my parents, Simona, Gabee, Eli, and to everyone who supports me

Wish you all the best and hope to get back on the podium soon.

Vlad

Hermannstadt XC

This was the 5th race this year but the 4th race in four consecutive week ends. and there are at least another two week ends with races. Pretty hard for me because I can't recover 100%.

Now let's talk about the race.We got up at 5 a.m., got in the car and went for Sibiu. I tried to sleep but I couldn't. Another minus for me was that after the road I couldn't eat.... Was pretty bad to start like this, because the course was pretty fast and even if was a bit technical was difficult.

Fast race, some technical zones, really hot even if was a bit windy and the 5th place at Men Elite Cat. The race was nice organized and I enjoy it. I don't know what I can't tell more about the race. I'm glad with my run and I hope that I'll improve my performances. Right now I just wanna recover and be ready for the next race.

I would like to say a big thank you to Ioana Nedelcu and Mihai Siman for the photos.

Thanks again to my sponsors. Without them I couldnt get here: Cannondale Bikes, Maros Sport, Ashima, Continental, Syntace, Selle Italia, VDO, Sapim, Adidas Eyewear, Xpedo, 661, Buff, Sram, Kool Stop and DT Swiss. Also I must thank to: my parents, Simona, Gabee, Eli, and to everyone that supports me

You can see more photos IF YOU CLICK HERE

A movie, edited by Eli can be watched bellow. More movies are available on my Vimeo Channel: Vlad MTB



Kind regards and see you soon,
Vlad

Ciuc Marathon

Hello again,

I am coming back with a race update. For me this was the 3rd race in three week-ends. I was (and still am) a bit tired but I am happy. After one year break Ciuc Marathon came back, so I went to ride. As I am preparing for OX races I've decided to ride at the short distance: 41km. We sleep near Miercurea Ciuc, because in the city we haven't found anything... but was really nice and the silence helped me to sleep well, all of this after I've prepared for me and my mates some pastas.

But now let's talk about the race. Again for me was a fast start, but because I wasn't warmed up properly, on the first climb I've lost a few minutes. After that was pretty hard to come back. I was felling better and better and I pushed my limits to get back in front. The long hard climbs were followed by fast or technical downhills, but the bike helped me to ride faster than I did it before.

After 25 km I get back into the leading group and I stayed there until the last km of the race when I've pushed a bit harder, but I won the race at the sprint.

I knew the course from the previous editions of the marathon, but this year was a bit changed and I was surprised on some descends. Also a few dogs followed me, but I was lucky they didn't bite me. They were looking pretty dangerous.

I was surprised also by the last stairs in the city, stairs where a few guys felt off the bike. This happened also because the course commissars didn't tell was what is in front of us and the marking signs were missing. The lack of marking signs caused more accidents on the course too.

Overall, for me was a good race, the first victory of 2009 and a good training. I'm glad with the result and with way my bike functioned.

I've race for the first time the new Xpedo Twins Ti Pedals and worked really nice (but I will make a review soon). I run with Continental Mountain King 2.2 tires as I was a bit afraid of rain, but even without it I felt really fast on climbs and downhills. The Ashima AiRotors were light enough but also strong to stop me when I need it.

Thanks again to my sponsors. Without them I couldnt get here: Cannondale Bikes, Maros Sport, Ashima, Syntace, Selle Italia, VDO, Sapim, Adidas Eyewear, Xpedo, 661, Buff, Sram, Kool Stop and DT Swiss. Also I must thank to: my parents, Simona, Gabee, Eli, Iustin for driving and to everyone that supports me

You can see more photos IF YOU CLICK HERE

This week end I'll race again. As I feel a bit tired I hope to get in good shape and to race well again.

See you soon,
Vlad

Concordia Cup

Hello to all,



I am coming back with a small update from last week end. I've participated at Concordia Cup in Lugoj, to be more specific on the 31st of May.


The race was really nice organized and the guys had nice prizes. The track had 8.4km and the "Elite" had to run 4 laps. Was a really fast track, without technical zones, not a course suitable for me. I've finished 2nd behind Razvan Juganaru, from Dinamo Bucharest, but sprinting with my team mate Oli, which was a good companion during the race, helping each other. He finished 3rd. Tudor, my other team mate, was forced to leave the race after 3 laps, because of some stomach problems.

Overall I am happy with the result, I didn't had any problems with my bike. I runned Conti Mountain King 2.2 tires, beause I was afraid of rain, but even without it, they were really fast. I hadn't many zones to break so my Ashima rotors weren't abused at all. The Scalpel and the Lefty provided me enough travel and stiffnes, but also I felt like all my power was transfered to the wheels. On this kind of track you can affor to lose the power.

You can see more photos HERE. The photos were made by: lugoj-live.ro, Tiru Calin, Pufan Alexandru and Nicu Andreica.

Also would like to say a big thank you again to all my sponsors: Cannondale Bikes, Maros Sport, Ashima, Syntace, Selle Italia, VDO, Sapim, Adidas Eyewear, Xpedo, 661, Buff, Sram, Kool Stop and DT Swiss. Also I must thank to: my parents, Simona, Gabee, Eli, and to everyone that supports me

I hope that soon I'll post a movie from this event, but I can't promise when.

This week end me and my team will race at Ciuc Mountains Marathon. Until then I hope that the weather will change a bit. Here at Cluj is raining since Monday morning and got pretty cold - 12-14 degrees Celcius.

Wish you all the best,
Vlad