Saturday, August 22, 2009

This cyclist invasion comes with perks


PHOTO: With an assist from Chris Baldwin (far right), Cindy Beard passes the Ouch-Maxxis pro squad on a Saturday morning training ride. It's just one of the perks for the Bend resident, whose family hosted the team during the Cascade Cycling Classic in July.

Part of the exceptional coverage the Bend Bulletin provided during the Cascade Cycling Classic July 21-26 included this insightful article about some of the perks that go along with hosting an entire team of professional cyclists for a week.

From the Bend Bulletin article:
“I would say we get more out of it than (the riders) do, because it’s just so much fun,” said Tim Beard, smiling from the shade of an umbrella on the front deck of his family’s home on Bend’s Awbrey Butte. “For me, it’s the highlight week of the year.”

For six years, the Beards have been hosting the Health Net cycling team — USA Cycling National Racing Calendar winners for five consecutive years. Now known as OUCH, the men’s professional cycling team, made up of world-class riders from Australia to Portland, are in Bend again for the annual Cascade Cycling Classic.

“The other thing that is super neat is, now that we have been hosting a lot, we know guys that are riding in the Tour de France now … Ryder Hesjedal, Tyler Farrar, people that have stayed at our house. So at night, we sit around with all the riders and watch the Tour together, and they give us the inside of who is doing what. … Every night we do that.”
Read the entire Bend Bulletin article HERE.