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After winning 4 of 5 UCI races in the past couple of weeks, OCTTO-sponsored cyclocrosser Natasha Elliott is currently ranked #1 in the 2008 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Calendar standings.

Women's Standings (as of September 29)

1. Natasha Elliott (CAN) 80
2. Amy Dombrowski (Durango, Colo.) 52
3. Devon Haskell (Chicago, Ill.) 47
4. Sarah Kerlin (Capitola, Calif.) 41
5. Sue Butler (Portland, Ore.) 40

Derrick St. John (DSJ)and Natasha Elliot hit the desert outside of Las Vegas for the "CrossVegas" race held concurrently with the Interbike industry trade-show.  It most certainly draws the strongest cyclocross field of any race in North America, including surprise starter Lance Armstrong in his first UCI event since announcing his comeback.

An excerpt from DSJ's blog about the race:
"You can win a race, you can have a good ride, but really when do you ever...and I say ever get to put the hurt on Lance Armstrong. Granted he's not a Cross racer, I'll give him that but he looked fit,not ultra ripped or anything, but not slouchy either.
So Cross Vegas was the place. 15000 people, poured onto the reservoir bowl to watch this race that was light up, true Vegas style. The place reeked of booze and there was more silicone and fake and bake in the VIP section can you can ever imagine...." (Read more...)

Cross Vegas - C1
Las Vegas, USA, September 24, 2008
Results
Elite Men
1 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona
2 Tim Johnson (USA) Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com
3 Adam Craig (USA) Giant Mountain Bike Team
4 Jonathan Page (USA) Planet Bike
5 Thomas Frischknecht (Swi) Scott-Swisspower Team
6 Geoff Kabush (Can) Team Maxxis
...
20 Derrick St John (Can) Stevens Cross
21 Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Bikes
22 Lance Armstrong (USA)

Photos

DSJ (with the Bright-Yellow OCTTO handlebar-tape) in the chase group with LA and Antonio Cruz, among others:

- From CrossVegas site: here, here, here, here, here.
- From VeloNews: here

...while Natasha penses on the start-line.

The Vernal Equinox is passing for those of us in Earth's Northern hemisphere.  In other words, the nice trip is over and next fall is here.  The 3rd Annual Jet Fuel Coffee Fall Ride was held on Sunday, September 21st to mark the end of road-racing season and the start of autumn.

The 23 participants included regular morning patrons of the coffee shop, as well as a number of current Jet Fuel Cycling team members and alumni, local pros and representatives from many local shops including Andrew Randell (Symmetrics), Heath Cockburn (La Bicicletta), Joe Giuliano (ret.), Thorben Wieditz (Jet Fuel), Julia Farrell (UltraLink).

Starting and Finishing at Jet Fuel, the route map of the metric-century is posted here, and annoted by below by Randell:

"We headed west across Huntingwood through northern Scarborough, then dipped into the the Rouge river ecological preserve for a bit, passing by the Zoo. Through the countryside we pretty much did a north-south jaunt, turning around just a few kilometers shy of reaching Stouffville.
 
Some of the ride would have taken us through the Ontario Greenbelt. And another interesting point is that much of the land we rode through was expropriated in the past for an airport that hasn't been built just yet, hence its undeveloped nature and little to no housing.

Once we turned south we came back through western Pickering, dropped over the bridge at the mouth of the Rouge (where we did the bit of off-roading) and then came back through the Guild, where we stopped for a coffee [before heading back downtown to the Jet Fuel for another coffee]"

Quick report from Derrick St John from the first day (September 20th) of the "Double-Cross" UCI cyclocross races near Flint, Michigan, U.S.A.:

"Tasha rode away today and won by 2 minutes.  I had some derailer issues at the start , then clipped a barrier, was in 5th place..but crawled back to the chase group, finished up 5th..not bad....[our new OCTTO] Tape looks sweet, I'll send you some pics...Bars are great."

This was actually Natasha's first ever UCI race victory, and she proved it was no fluke by winning again on the second day of the 2-race series, leading from wire-to-wire on both days.  Derrick just missed another top-ten finish on Sunday, but earned a hard-fought 11th after chasing back from a double-flat.  But both days, the men's race was simply dominated by former World's Silver Medalist, Jonathon Page of the U.S.A.

Results are posted at cyclingnews.com

OCTTO Components will sponsor Ottawa's self-proclaimed Dynamic Duo for 2008~2009 cyclocross season. 

The Dynamic Duo is comprised of the mixed pairing of Natasha Elliot (at left) and Derrick St. John (at below left), competing in respectively the Elite Women and Men's categories.

They will lighten their 'cross bikes with OCTTO Professional components: full-carbon handlebars and seatposts, 3D-forged stems and of course, colour coordinated gel handlebar-tape.

Derrick was a member of the Jet Fuel Coffee Cycling Team and podium'd at the 2008 Canadian National Road Cycling Championships.

For cyclocross season, Jet Fuel has graciously released Derrick so he can race with Natasha's Stevens Bikes Ottawa-based team.

Their upcoming racing schedule has 2 parts. 

In September/Octtober/November, they will be at UCI races throughout Canada and the U.S.A, including the Canadian National Championships in Edmonton on Octtober 11-12th.

Then, December and January will be spent racing in the old-country, throughout Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, France and Luxembourg.  The highlights will be several stops at UCI World Cups and the World Championships in Hoogerheide, Netherlands on February-1.

OCTTO will be participating in the invitation-only 140km Gran Fondo Niagara 08 bike ride to be held on September-28th through the scenic Niagara (Ontario, Canada) wine-region.

The proceeds from the Gran Fondo will benefit Ontario Youth Cycling Series (for riders ages 10~16 years old).

The Gran Fondo is sponsored by La Bicicletta, one of the premier high-end road-bike shops in North America.

Group photo (below, middle) of some of the riders (450+), organizers and volunteers at Tour for Kids 2008.

This photo was taken at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

The de-facto Team OCTTO (above, left and right) combined to ride a 1600+km and raised $2450.00.  Thanks to everybody who donated.  

Note: All of the money goes to fundraising.

(Each rider paid $350.00 in entry fees, not including their own donations, before even starting fundraising.)

Feedback from sponsored rider and RAAM contender Peter Oyler:

"I just wanted to let you know that the bike is awesome! I feel very dialed in on it and rode on Saturday for the 3rd time on it ....245km to Deerhurst in Muskoka, basically 34kph with very decent conditions.  BOTTOM LINE -- the bike rocks and I look forward to the rest of the rides and representing OCTTO!!"

(Note: That's not a typo.  It's 245km @ 34kph...)

Toronto ultra-endurance athlete Peter Oyler will compete in the 2009 Race Across America (RAAM), while fundraising in support of Kids Help Phone.  Peter will ride RAAM 2009 on OCTTO components.

Every year since 1982, RAAM crosses the Continental U.S.A from Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean.  The distance is 30% longer than the Tour de France but racers finish in half the time with no rest days.  RAAM 2009 starts on June 17 (close to the summer solstice to provide competitors the maximum daylight hours).

Peter completed his first RAAM in 2007 covering 5,069km between Oceanside, California and Atlantic City, New Jersey in 11 days, 4 hours, riding about 22 hours/day.  He finished in 8th overall in that rookie attempt.  With the benefit of experience and a stronger support crew, OCTTO believes Team Oyler has a good shot at winning in 2009.  Peter has, among other races, completed 13 Ironman triathlons. 

Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868) is Canada's only national phone and web counselling and information service for children and youth.  Kids Help Phone is:  Bilingual | Toll-free | Open 24/7 | Confidential and anonymous | Staffed by professional counsellors

Update:
* Complete Bike retail pricelist added to "buy" page.