I'm about to hop on the trainer for an hour or so before the World Series starts. Its an ugly, rainy day today. Not good for riding but the rain is lessening and I think they will get the baseball game in.
News Item of the Day: It was big news last fall when American Tim Johnson was presented with the opportunity to ride for the Division I Saunier Duval team in Spain. But a year later, with a tough season behind him, Johnson is heading home for good.
Having passed on the second year of his contract, Johnson will instead join up with the small U.S.-based Jittery Joe's-Kalahari team and race a largely domestic schedule for 2005.
Johnson is quick to note that his is "not a step down," adding that he decided that he wanted to enjoy himself again and "that just wasn't happening where I was this year." In addition to a return to domestic road racing, the 27-year-old also plans to jump back into the mud, taking up his first love, cyclo-cross, the discipline in which he scored a bronze medal in the U-23 race at the 1999 world championships in Poprad, Slovakia.
"Racing as a pro on the road in Europe was something I always wanted," Johnson said. "It's like going to a dance, seeing someone you really want to get the nerve to introduce yourself to and then... well, finding out that it isn't going to work out, after all."
For the Jittery Joe's-Kalahari team, the signing is a big score. Having lost Cesar Grajales to Navigators, the team was "without a strong GC leader," said team manager Micah Rice.
"Cesar had a great year for us this season," Rice said. "Second overall at Redlands, and getting a stage at the Tour of Georgia is super, but Tim adds a whole new dimension to our roster. Cesar is a pure climber and excelled at that. Tim is much more rounded rider and will also bring a real sense of leadership to the team."
Viewpoint: Yesterday I mentioned Tim Johnson beating Vanthourenhout at the CX Worlds years back and what do you know, ol' Tim puts himelf in the headlines today. Good job my boy. I was surprised when he abandoned CX a couple years ago to concentrate on the road. Finances probably played a role but when you are arguably the best at something (in this country) why leave. I'm glad he seems determined to get back to what he is best at... cyclocross. Even better is what was not mentioned in the article above. He definitely wants to CX in Europe in the next few years. It will be good to have another American over there competing besides Jonathan Page, who has done pretty well himself.
News Item of the Day: It was big news last fall when American Tim Johnson was presented with the opportunity to ride for the Division I Saunier Duval team in Spain. But a year later, with a tough season behind him, Johnson is heading home for good.
Having passed on the second year of his contract, Johnson will instead join up with the small U.S.-based Jittery Joe's-Kalahari team and race a largely domestic schedule for 2005.
Johnson is quick to note that his is "not a step down," adding that he decided that he wanted to enjoy himself again and "that just wasn't happening where I was this year." In addition to a return to domestic road racing, the 27-year-old also plans to jump back into the mud, taking up his first love, cyclo-cross, the discipline in which he scored a bronze medal in the U-23 race at the 1999 world championships in Poprad, Slovakia.
"Racing as a pro on the road in Europe was something I always wanted," Johnson said. "It's like going to a dance, seeing someone you really want to get the nerve to introduce yourself to and then... well, finding out that it isn't going to work out, after all."
For the Jittery Joe's-Kalahari team, the signing is a big score. Having lost Cesar Grajales to Navigators, the team was "without a strong GC leader," said team manager Micah Rice.
"Cesar had a great year for us this season," Rice said. "Second overall at Redlands, and getting a stage at the Tour of Georgia is super, but Tim adds a whole new dimension to our roster. Cesar is a pure climber and excelled at that. Tim is much more rounded rider and will also bring a real sense of leadership to the team."
Viewpoint: Yesterday I mentioned Tim Johnson beating Vanthourenhout at the CX Worlds years back and what do you know, ol' Tim puts himelf in the headlines today. Good job my boy. I was surprised when he abandoned CX a couple years ago to concentrate on the road. Finances probably played a role but when you are arguably the best at something (in this country) why leave. I'm glad he seems determined to get back to what he is best at... cyclocross. Even better is what was not mentioned in the article above. He definitely wants to CX in Europe in the next few years. It will be good to have another American over there competing besides Jonathan Page, who has done pretty well himself.
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