Mesake and Jessie win the long one

Winners Jessie McGoon and Mesake Yalidole

This from Fiji Sun. Monday 27 July 2009

A day of punctures and blow outs caused an upset in the FIJI SUN 2009 Fiji Cycling Championship on Sunday. Yellow jersey holder and favourite to win the 80 kilometre road race, Jope Tikotani, and a tyre blow out a few minutes from the start of the race. This lost him valuable time and rivals Mesake Yalidole and Wah "old war horse" Sing made the most of his misfortune and built up a good lead.

Half way through the race Yalidole suffered a similar mishap with a puncture and Wah Sing powered ahead to take advantage, although he was a true sportsman and gave Yalidole his only spare inner tube so that he could continue in the race. This would prove to be costly for Wah Sing as Yalidole made up the time and over took him 16 kilometers from the finish line and eventually won the race.

"Never give up" sain an exhausted Yalidole after crossing the line in first place "I punctured half way but I was determined to catch Wah. He may be twice my age but he is very strong, specially over long distances".

President of Cycling Fiji, Dom Sansom said that cycling is unpredictable. "Even if you are the strongest and fastest you can have problems with punctures or mechanical failures" he said "Overcoming these obstacles and coming first is the true sign of a winner. And the sign of a true sportsman is helping a competitor at a cost to yourself. Wah's actions were selfless and even though it may have cost him first place other cyclists will remember this and help him if he ever needs it. Cycling is like that.

The 80 kilometre road race, from Lami to pacific Harbour and back to Lami is the second race in the 2009 Fiji Cycling Championship Series organised by Cycling Fiji and sponsored by Fiji Sun, Esquires Wai Tui Cycles and Samba and is supported by the LTA.

Results
80km Road Race
1. Mesake Yalidole 2.43.46
2. Yee Wah Sing 2.48.03
3. Timothy fong Jnr 3.04.50
4. George Lal 3.08.45
5. Jope tikotani 3.09.17

Juniors 30km Road Race
1. Jessie McGoon 1.23.58
2. Susan Mcgoon 1.26.31

1 Degree Fun Cycle Races

8am Sunday 19 July, Vuya Road, Veiuto

Race 1 Men’s Sprint 1 circuit

Race 2 Women's Sprint 1 circuit

Race 3 Beginners’ & u23 2 circuits

Race 4 Juniors’ (u16) 2 circuits

Race 5 Women’s Open 3 circuits

Race 6 Open 10 circuits

Registration: 8am. Entry is FREE.
Races start at 8.15am and finish around 10.30am

Great prizes: Movie passes, FREE bike service at Wai Tui Cycles, Nando’s vouchers, Esquires coffee vouchers and lots more.

ALL WELCOME. Any type of bike can be used. Under 18 must have parents signature on the registration form.

Helmets MUST be worn by competitors at ALL TIMES at the race venue.

Fiji Sun FIJI CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2009

Race1 Wai Tui Cycles 40km road race.

Colo i Suva - Nagalia Village - Colo i Suva

Name Time Ave Speed Points

1 Jope tikotani 1.17.05 31.14 km/h 8

2 Mesake Yalidole 1.17.16 31.06 km/h 7

3 Rupeni Seasea 1.18.55 30.41 km/h 6

4 Wah Sing 1.25.11 28.17 km/h 5

5 Vuki Kaliova 1.30.46 26.44 km/h 4

6 George Lal 1.44.49 22.90 km/h 3

7 Simon May 1.57.45 20.38 km/h 3

8 Leena Pratt 1.58.23 20.27 km/h 3

9 Sandra Lago 2.10.54 18.33 km/h 3

10 Ian Curtis 2.12.35 18.10 km/h 3

DNF Joe Movick

DNF Navin Prakash

Juniors

1 Christopher Cakabau 0.59.07

2 Jessie McGoon 1.06.32

3 Susan McGoon 1.18.55

Cycle 2 Work Day a big hit

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people who cycles to work on 4 June. I was expecting the "usual suspects" but we had quite a few non cyclist "having a go".... which was the whole point.

Our sponsors were great and Fiji Sun in particular really came to the party with thousands of dollars in advertising space, 2-3 cycling articles each day for over a week and a 4 page supplement yesterday.

Vinaka vakalevu to:

Land Transport Authority, Vodafone, Post Fiji, Esquires Coffee Shop (great breakfast guys!), Star Printery, Pacific Building Systems, Wai Tui Cycle, Clay Energy, Samba!, Fiji Sun and Department of Environment

New Steel Langster Frame????

Riding a single speed bike is pure simplicity. 1 gear, two wheels and you. I have three single speed bikes and two of them are Langsters, the single speed offering from one on the bike worlds major players, Specialized. Langsters are loved by their owners ('cos they're great to ride) but looked down upon by the trendy "hipsters" that only seem to ride multi-coloured, steel framed brakeless, fixed gear bikes. This is a fad/trend/fashion that started out echoing the style of bike messengers, simple, cheap and practical bikes and clothing... not forgetting messenger bags (I use a Chrome Industries Messenger bag to cycle to work on one of my Langsters but I am closer to Hippo than Hipster). Anyway... Specialized has obviously heard the moans about their Langsters and it looks like they'll soon be offering a steel (tig welded I think) Langster frame with a lugged fork. The hipster community will find this more appealing and reactions on fixed gear forums seem to be positive. I'm not sure if it will be sold as a complete bike as well... but the initial market will probably prefer to build their own...

All I can say is "I want one... or two"

Helmets that don't look like helmets

Giro d'Italia - Stage 2 last couple of kms

Two of the worlds best sprinters Mark Cavendish (Stage 1 winner) and Alessandro Petacchi hammer it out at the finish of the Giro's stage 2.