BAD NEWS for all

Michigan Tour de Leelanau canceled, other Michigan races imperiled by sponsor pullout.

By Steve Frothingham
Posted Jan. 30, 2009

"Current economic realities" have caused Michigan-based health insurance company Priority Health to pull its sponsorship of three major midwestern races, and at least one of the events has cancelled its 2009 edition.

The Tour de Leelanau race director Steven Brown informed the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI) on Friday that it was canceling the UCI category 1.2 event, which had been scheduled for May 24.

“This development certainly is disappointing but not completely unexpected," Brown said in a letter to the UCI. "All of our planning was on track until everything fell apart in October and the last quarter of the year. It is like losing a good friend,” he said.

Beside Leelanau, Priority Health sponsored September's Priority Health Grand Classic, in Grand Rapids, and Priority Health Ann Arbor Classic. The insurance company announced last fall that it was ending sponsorship of all three events, which were all on USA Cycling's National Racing Calendar.

"Unfortunately, current economic realities simply prohibit our continued investment in these races,” Priority Health’s Amy Miller said in a statement at the time.

It was not clear Friday whether the September events would continue with different sponsors.

The news comes on the same week that the inaugural Oregon Pro Cycling Classic was postponed

NOT a scener

cross BITD

WIZ and the Evil dude, circa 05

BITD

Michigan State Fair
Scantily clad women posing on platform in front of tent to stir up business for “peep show” on the crowded midway of the Michigan State Fair

Francis Miller 1950.

the good the bad and the ugly

Miscene randomly asked fellow sceners the best and worst of 08 and we got some interesting answers, those that didnt get to throw there 2 cents in, feel free to do so.

THE GOOD:

Best race that I raced: Rockford Crit. Always one of only a handful of races in Michigan that you can throw tactics aside for the day and forces you to just ride hard. A finish on the lead lap is a good result here.

Best new or old race: Cone-Azalia. No one wants to show up and race it, but everyone wants to win it...a Michigan spring Classic still going strong!

Best race I didn't get to race: Priority Health Cycling Classic GR. I hear nothing but great things about how challenging the course is to how well the race was run. One my calendar for sure in 2009 along with Superior Bike fest. Let's just hope it doesn't get canceled with the economic downturn

Best training race: Waterford Thursday night worldsI have to be honest I didn't believe in the "if you build it, they will come" theory. But they came week after week and it was the best racing for $10 you'll ever spend. Always new faces week in, week out...and fast.

Best road trip: Ohio UCI triple header. Hanging out with the Michigan cyclocross crew (Selle, Saari, Wissink, Cameron, Baroli, Steel) all weekend and laughing our asses off...Mr. T even made a appearance there.

Best website / Blog: The Michigan Scene. always controversial and miss understood but constantly read. Keep up the good work and stay real...

The Michiganscene for keep keepin on.

EYE OF GATTO

Foshag winning the state cross title, and wissink the USGP

Ore to Shore,Iceman and any Tailwind event, Lumberjack ($125 is alot for this low key event

Drinking beers from the sideline of the Rock City Crit while I watched other people suffer and remembering the suffering I underwent the weekend before.

waterford hills thursday night worlds & THE WIZ wins USGP overall

Bells beer

Foshag's State Champ X win

the Labor Day weekend.

Mike Wissink dominating the USGP Master's X Series

Tom Burke winning the overall Road Series

"Young Guns" like Christian, Renkema, Little Tony just to name a few, that elevated their games and appear to be on the way to cycling success. Let's hope that they, and many others, continue to evolve as a result of our racing.

Watching michiganders like John Doyle throwing it down and dancing with the big guns at ice man, Blogging taken to the next level and being blessed with a full racing schedule year after year thanks to Rick Plite, Brent Walk and Robert Linden. Who am I forgetting?

That Evil Dude From Flash Gordon wins the Elite State Championship in 'cross

not one but two misceners going one two on erie street, take that canada

the Priority HEalth Classics weekend

.

Kyle & Corey Stange ~Best siblings! (mtb, cx)Sue Shaw ~

Best mother of 4! (cx, mtb)

Chris Shaw ~Youngest (cx)

Brian Mitchell ~Best cyclecross spirit ("TWT Proud Sponsor?")

Brian Mitchell ~Worst team kit ("TWT Proud Sponsor?")

Matt Willing ~Best newbie (cx)

Brian Hancock ~Determined (cx)

Tour de Leenalau- All the pageantry, the beautiful roads, full road closure, beautiful weather, big/fast field. Just an awesome race. Beer

IronCross- 62 miles on my cross bike in the Pennsylvania Mountains in the sunshine during the peak of the fall colors, making it over the KOM climb, and midway through the race, in the top 15. Roadtripping with buddies. Beer.

Foshag and Card 1/2 at the state X race

Scott Kroske's bootie

Four Westsiders won a National Championship at the 24hr. National Mountain Bike race up in Wausau, Wisconsin on August, 3rd. 2008! Dan Jansen, Neil Sharphorn, Nate Versluis, John Meyers.

Dec 31's 11:59 and 59 sec pm 2008

THE BAD

Tour de Leenalau- Getting shelled half way through the race. Shhhellllleeeddd

Allen parks potholes can you say costly?

TOKV traffic

THE CX sandbagger extraordinaire

IronCross-62 miles on my cross bike in the Pennsylvania “oh my f-en god, is there a flat section in this race” mountains. Making it over the KOM climb, and midway through the race, in the top 15, and then making a wrong turn and having three flats (one more flat then I had tubes or cartridges) and finishing in the 70’s somewhere.

Tour of Kensington Valley. I say this every year, someone is going to die out there one day. Groups passing other groups, yellow line infractions all over the place. The road surface is bumpier then a cross race along with that parking lot turn around. And this year we had to contend with a traffic jam of kayaks driving around the course during the race. When is the insanity going to end?

Yankee Springs TT --charge as much as any local promoter for this TT and give out plastic coffee mugs for prizes-- and call it a "Charity Race". Hoard all they money to maintain state owned land (Taxpayer land) with profits of more than $10,000 how many meclouds and shovels to you need? Again it is MTB not a paved path...Sorry for the rant but the MMBA race series just absolutely blows

The State Road Championship falling victim to mother nature again.

Gas prices.

low payouts for the costly entry's

birmingham tuesday night training ride & a rain shortened cedar creek

Racial Profiling. You would think that it would stop by now. Very sad

Finding all the 2007 quicksters that pulled the plug to pursue real professional careers...shameful

Photogate

the rain at cedar creek

JPEG GATE

the ASSHOLES

THE UGLY

the month of July

The blog banter on the image stealing

Scott Kroske's bootie

flintstone friday P3

flintstone friday P2

flintstone friday P1

I'm coming home bitch.

scener at large

The dude on the left is former Hellraizer and always a scener brian matter, he's goin to cross worlds. dunno know about the guy on the right. we hear he is someone big

TMS

08 p3 wolverine style

ROOTS

SEARCH AND DESTROY

Ron Asheton

48-09

SEAGAL

SEGAL

although not a scener, The power of his zen and ability to attach himself to lovely young starlets is astounding.

at play

We all love these guys right? but we must admit, they look kinda dorky, The things ya gotta do for your sponsors....also note: DANNYK
He just doesnt look right in that Lathrup kit..

08 p2

season overview P1

Brought to you by bikeboy, nevermind mind the emo , but for a LIL squirt its choice

happy New year

Separated at birth?

a quick peek at the last few issues of Velonews revealed they must visit TMS often as they have adopted Separated at birth, WHO knew, maybe we should contact our lawyers..

happy holidays

shine on

looking ahead

Michigan’s 2009 cycling race season kicks off this year with The Killer Gravel Road Race March 28th, 2009- The First Annual Barry-Roubaix! Like the classic it’s named after, Barry-Roubaix will test riders against rolling gravel roads (80%), pavement, one mile of rough two-track, rocks, sand, mud, and possibly snow and ice, along with 2200 feet of climbing over its 31 mile loop. * A classic road/off road race featuring a variety of terrain and surfaces to test all your cycling skills. Cyclocross, Mountain, Road, Single-Speeds, Fixies and Tandems are all welcome. Road, mountain and cyclocross and cyclocross bikes welcome in each class. Classes: Elite/62 miles, Spt-Exp/31 miles, Beg/19 miles, SS, Fixie and tandem.

Age groups as well. Race held near Yankee Springs The website and registration will open January 2nd 2009 on Bike Reg watch www.kisscross.com for the new site link and more info

RD

when the dyin calls XNATS brief

since you don't get too much of a report from those that go, or even a hearty one from the bulletin board bombers, TMS thought it would be good to shell out a brief run down or run over of what happened this past weekend in the center of country. This is a legit rundown from a ANON legit scener through our legit pipeline.
In no particular order:

Master men 55-59 OL JOE joe brown that is grabbed another spot on the box at Nats with a 4th

how many is that anyone gotta count?

Master 50-54 the always ageless Mark Woliec rode strong and finished 16Th, and Matt Baroli overcame a mid race fade to come back to 32 outta 70+ starters.

Master 45-49 the BLACK ACE comin from row 2 never got outta the top 10, put in a great run and picked up 9th. the old MAN of the SEAMAN was 53rd

Master 40-44 the lil pony started on the front and made like The Ace stayed top 10 to finish that way. his former teammate the evildude from flash gordan rode from the 2nd row and was breathin death down the pony's neck for 12th. Mike Wissink started a NOT too distance 4th row and pedaled like a pure BAD ASS to come into the top 3 on the box!

Master 30-34 brian Mitchell toughed it out amongst a HUGe field

Master women 40-44, Queen Anne does what he she does best and got down to biz, it paid off as she took a spot on the podium in at 5th.

Master women 50 54 Anne Grovert did the same as the Miscene Queen chalk her up for 5th

Elite ladies Marne Smiles, and Ann finished within the field of the country's best gals.

Not too bad a showin for Miscene we may add...have a great new year crossers come back soon

Not very often

impressive

A season in the Abyss

I guess you might be wondering why T's sittin in a empty black abyss like room? Well thats how i feel, black inside, a tad empty, and caught in the abyss we have come to end of another cross season for you, me and TMS, well whats wrong with that you say? Theres always next year!, well ya never know IF there will be next year so ya gotta take every one like it may be your last. At a time like this its kinda hard to through out a report, but a man has gotta do what a man is gotta do. So first were gonna check the report and if i can hold back the man tears, a follow up on all that was good and some bad stuff of the 2008 miscene croscene just may follow.

The 2008 State championship, on a day that was dreaded by many and eagerly awaited by few. ya all know the weather played a major part on the good and bad, so i guess ya gotta ask yourself one question where did you fit in?

In the Elite crop i can tell ya this, There wasn't one dude out there this past weekend not giving it 100%. The day can be described as epic battle minus 1. pre race favorite TIM SORRY, made it be known it was his to lose, but on course that wasn't gonna be told what to do, It spoke back with anger too many times for tim to reply to, Leaving the door open for the man known as the BLACK ACE and his evil dude sidekick to dictate how it should be done. The LILPONY tried in angst to defeat his 2 former tea mates, But Untimely succumbing to the BLACKDEATH of the two saturn riders. in the end the ACE and Evil traded blows till the last corner. the evil dude used his superlative powers and bolted to the line to claim his 1st ever elite cross state championship with the Ace right there for second. LIL pony rallied enough to score a hard fought 3rd. The MBRA roadking Tom Burke bested the up and comer BEARDIE WEIRDIE for 4th .

Elite women. There was a time a few years back when it looked as though Ann Schwartz may be coming to the end of her reign. that was then... and thats all it took. That gal has went uncontested ever since, her saving grace for most of the year is her ability to beat up on half the masters field. Ann is T's pick for crosser of the year!

Masters, DC dropped down only to go down By Brewpubber Joberon, It was great battle till the end, so DC got nothing to be ashamed of. that whole race was chocked full fights

Junior GIANT KILLER Brandon Goocher chopped em off at the knees again lapping many in is field. this kid has more experience than most of the C filed, he nearly took down his Uncle who did it to em in the C 40+'ers.

thrown names around in no order:

Mark Parmalee: good see new face in field. way most improved

THE GIANT KILLA TONYW: stuck it out all season and fair ed non the worse.

Vince Roberge: he's young and TMS See's a possible state championship in his future if sticks around.

Marne Smiley, NO SHO at states?

WIZ carrying the SCENE on his back claiming THE USGP title for those working class fools. TMS IS WAY STOKED!

Eric Meulh. were gonna miss ya pal. good luck in the new location

Corey Stange. a TMS favorite

RITTER SAUCE: upped his game fer sure

BIGRAY sighted at waterford? true?

Tim Saari, great season, hopefully with more on the horizon

kevin Mcgrew looked like he turned it up a few notches for 08.

how about the SS'ers out there good to see the brother WAYNE COOK back at it and PAPPA T you can nver get enough of him!.

where was da Finkelstien? we heard rumors but nothing materialised..

JPEG-GATE 08, poo on those that stirred it, and AND a BIG Thanks to those that took TMS back.

BIG thanks to all the volunteers that helped weekend week out with course set up.

and special props to Robert from and tailwind, and Jeff from Kinetics without them none of this would be possible.

who knows maybe T will come back next fall, until then thanks for keepin it real scene

PEACE

2008 Michigan state CX championship report to follow.

congrats to all that braved the bad stuff, to get the good stuff.

report soon.

USGP REPORT portland d1

this just in.

Michael Wissink wins in Portland today to take back the Jersey.

wakin the dead

yea see what happens when danzig comes around... i was happy lyin in my dam box, now i gotsta report on some bullshit i dont know a rats ass about. and i thought the clay was cold?

Let me be the first to chime in, I have no goddam idea whats gonna happin this weekend, a bunch skinny men ridin bicycles in the snow makes no dam sense to me. If were up to me i would toss a snow white chicken out there and let em have at. No classes one big cluster fuck. trippin and slidin fumblin, all for the love of money.

GOD DAM YOU DANZIG. you should left me be.

you woulda thought i wasnt comin back?

my middle name is death so i thought it would be very befitting i come back and talk about it with you motherfuckers, If you new what i was really thinking you would probably want me put away.

lets just say This Cyclocross thing fits into my way of thinking, i don't think its so much the pedaling of bicycles that i like, UH i think its more the amount of pain you have to endure just to do it. WIN LOSE OR DRAW, whether its the thought of weather causing undo grief or the fact you will be suffocating while in pain tickles my fancy. As far as throwin out bullshit predictions, hell that's for the ones layin down $5 bets, Not me man no way.. I was taught at very young age you never never count anyone out. Its not matter of who is the most hyped or blog favorite or even the one thats been hot.., its who is the strongest both physical and mental on that given day. simple...Who cracks last wins. next time you run into face to face we can talk more on the whole pain subject.

good luck motherfuckers.

and remember my words,

I DONT MIND THE PAIN