I was riding back and forth from Topeka to Lawrence last week and was thinking about Redlands and, specifically, Chris Horner. For so long, Chris was dominate at the race. He wasn’t dominate in a boring-ass way, he was dominate in an aggressive way. When he rode for Webcor, he took a bunch of “no-name” riders and made them into a force to be reckoned with.
It was fun racing Redlands, even when Chris was killing the field, because the racing was still really hard, aggressive, and not that predictable.
Anyway, Redland’s starts in a few days and I was thinking about if I thought it seemed early in the season or late, or what. Sometimes before Redlands I’ve already raced 10-20 races. This year, zero.
Then two days ago, I saw this article at Velonews that said that Chris and he new domestic Pro team, Safeway-Airgas, are starting the season at Azerbaidjan. Man, what a start to the season. May before racing once. That seemed really strange since I remember seeing an interview with Chris, after his team had been denied entry into Tour of California and he said that he was planning on killing it at Redlands and the NRC.
So I looked back and found an article at Cyclingnews. Here is a quote from that article –
I own Redlands. Everybody knows that. I’ve won it four times. That’s my race. Basically they should just call it Redlands-Horner (laughs). OK, so I know it’s not the same profile. It used to be seven-eight days when I was winning it. You’d do the hillclimb up Oak Glen and all that stuff. I grew up sharpening my teeth there at Redlands, so I’d like to go back there and win it. That’s a big objective. For me, I think I can ride there 100 percent. The course isn’t as hard as it used to be, it’s fewer days, but they put in a good deal of good climbs.
The NRC is big. I’ve won it four times in my career. I won it in ’96, then I came back and won it multiple times in the early 2000s. It really sets the precedent of which rider in the US is the best domestically or whatever you want to call it. So that’s a big objective.
And honestly, there are only six or seven events, so you only need to focus on six or seven. When I won it back in the day it was from February to October, and all the events in that calendar were part of the NRC. Now it’s more specific and streamlined. So it’s not as difficult to focus. I don’t have to be good for the whole season.
I got curious and thought, Chris really likes to race, why would he skip Redlands and start racing in May, when he already said that he is going to win Redlands. And when he says he is going to win, he usually does.
So, I found an article about the field at Redlands and low and behold, Chris Horner is racing. So, I guess the Velonews article titled Horner to start 2015 season in Azerbaidjan didn’t think that Redland’s counted or maybe they just made a mistake.
Whatever the reason, he is planning on racing Redlands. I wish I was racing. It would be interesting seeing how the racing there goes. I’m sure that Chris and his team are going to dictate the pace of the race.
The finish at Oak Glenn, a 6 mile climb, has returned, which should open the race up some. You can’t go and rest on your laurels after the time trial in Big Bear.
It is funny how domestic racing has really disappeared off the media’s radar screen. Tour of Flanders is tomorrow. The Paris-Roubaix. But Redlands, is just another local race. Seems wrong.
Anyway, this really isn’t going anywhere. I was just curious about where Chris Horner was and what he’s been up to. He career has really been odd since he won the Tour of Spain. I’m not so sure that worked out so well for him. He is a bike racer and it seems that win just restricted that. I wonder if he had a do-over, whether he might play that a little different a second time around?
It’s interesting that the presenting sponsor for this year’s Redlands Classis is a Indian casino.
Hey Steve; I’ve finished yet another sweet race bike for Chris just yesterday, and we’ll be packing up for Redlands on Monday; Airgas / SafeWay will be there…………….. I’m wishing you well Bro!
Where’s Chris? I’ve ridden with him the last few Saturday rides here in Bend. Can’t gauge his fitness by me getting dropped but he’s as skinny as I’ve ever seen him. Heard him say the kids love this domestic racing thing cause they get to see Dad alot. Good for him (and them).
“It was fun racing Redlands, even when Chris was killing the field (DOPING), because the racing was still really hard (DOPING), aggressive (DOPING), and not that predictable (DOPING).”
Funny that you don’t admit it Steve: Chris was “stealing” from you at Redlands. Why not call him out here?
Too low is a TROLL. wow. Unbelieveable.
Maybe winning is just a bad thing in general. If we ban winning then the sport of cycling will finally be clean…
Maybe.
Hey “Too Low For Zero” When exactly was it, that Chris tested positive. I was trying to find that article in Velo News, but just couldn’t. So I looked in Road Bike Action, but it wasn’t there either. Hopefully you can tell me where to find that article, I’m coming up blank.
The simple fact he’s been busted ALL THE WAY DOWN to continental when he placed top-20 last year at the TdF tells you the UCI has blacklisted him because he’s radioactive.
Of course, that’s not official anything, so look at his published biopassport scores. A clean rider’s scores don’t do that in a grand tour. Also note his power estimates from his Vuelta put him on the TdF podium.
Poor guy has never caught a break regardless of the doping.
Keep up the misdirection, Steve. Rider #15 bugs the hell out of me too
Same rate as last time? Hold on…this isn’t a PM feature. Gotta go
Come on man- Horner never tested positive? That is all you can come up with? Good God, people are stupid. Lance, never tested positive, doh!
Mr. Tilford, to my knowledge, doesn’t deny doping, he employs the “that was in the past and i don’t want to talk about the past” defense, which is ok – at least he is calling, some of it, out now, which is more than most can say.
Winning The Tour of Spain counted as a positive.
So we are supposed to assume he doped, simply because Lance didn’t test positive either. Man, I don’t want to live in your world. The world I grew up in, says innocent until proven guilty.
Recovery!!!
ON ON.
Regardless of some of the whacked comments above, hoping Horner/Safeway-Airgas have a good Redlands, but disagree with Steve that they will control things. Putting my $ on Team SmartStop to dominate and do it cleanly. Seems their roster has the deepest talent in North America.
Well, dope or not he’s certainly not in Flanders. But Wiggins is and he still can’t ride his bike despite it beng dry. What’s he gonna blame this time… perhaps the rear shock?
IMO Hincapie Devo will control Redlands.
Most everyone knows he has admitted it…
If you have facts, then let’s hear them. Otherwise, it’s safe to say you’re nothing more than a trash talking troll.
These posts are getting old. Literally speaking, you have no idea whether Horner or Nibali is doping. You rely on innuendo, Velo News trash, idiotic forum comments and unsubstantiated rumors. And I’m not saying cycling is clean because it is proven to be dirty.
Don’t you realize that all these doping questions you raise about every successful cyclist can also be directed at you? You’ve been very good for a very long time. You’re over 50 and still kicking P 1,2 ass. How is that? How do you beat guys that have been doping? Your girlfriend is an employee of BMC. BMC is a ProTour team. Obviously that raises questions. How do you do it? Bread and water?
Understand I am not accusing you. I don’t even have an opinion as to your doping or not situation. But before you start pointing the fingers, you should understand that people will point at you, too. Like many others, you have no proof that you have not been doping. Food for thought.
HEY ROBERTO: Chris tested positive the same day Lance Armstrong did.
It is “Hincapie Racing Team” now – no longer “Devo.”
Freddy,
Where did Tillford talk about doping? Looks like he was talking about how he made it fun to race Redlands and was stoked to see Chris starting his season there. The trolls on the comments are who talked about doping.
Steve- well said and point taken. If you go back and read some previous blog posts regarding Horner, you can see where Tilly’s opinions lie regarding Horner. And obviously I’m not the only one who sees the connections. But you’re right and yes, it’s a drag that it always gets back to doping and to the trolls spewing their crap.
I’m not accusing Tilly of anything. I’m just bring some food for thought to the table.
Yeah, and they’re all clean. Big George is showing them ALL the secrets to winning races.
RBA supports dopers of all kinds, from Levi to Big George (via their support and participation in their Gran Fondos). I wouldn’t expect them to bring up any evidence that Horner has ever doped.
If Steve has EPO bags in his refrigerator at home, I haven’t seen them. And I’ve known him and his brother for over 40 years – I’ve known Kris since 1973. Steve isn’t a doper, and never has been. He’s got ethics and morals and sticks by them.
GVA…. 3 in flanders!! not bad for a guy that cant corner (per steve). whats your best at the tour of flanders steve?
hmmmmm, let me get this straight. anti doping advocates are trolls.. try victims.. fucking doping cheaters don’t deserve a drip of shit from a troll’s shitter. You don’t need a fucking positive test from horner to prove he doped. Results speak for themselves!! oldest ever Vuelta winner.. the Vuelta, a race situated in the county that harbors said dopers and more or less protects them? The punk rode for astana to put a cherry on the shit pie all of us ‘trolls’ are eating. The bets thing Mr Tilford could do is never mention his stupid fucking name ever again.. along with Lance and… was just about to start tying the names and figured a link is worth a thousand words.. or names.. happy scrolling fellow trolls:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling
I am sorry you don’t believe in miracles.
Too much swearing and misspelling. :o(
Too much swearing and misspelling. :o(
“San Francisco” is the correct spelling fyi