The Men: 2011 Redlands Bicycle Classic Prologue...

Funny thing about taking photos at events like this - even though you are close enough to the action to feel the draft off riders racing by, you still sometimes miss what is right in front of you. WTH do I mean? Today I saw Alexi Grewal race by, and I saw Raul Alcala race by. But at the same time, I did not really see them. Usually when I take photos I am focused on overall composition, making sure everything I want to be seen fits within the frame, and rarely narrow that focus to someone's face. Now, I followed the careers of both these men back in the day, so looking back through the photos, I can recognize them, so it is really only thanks to the camera that I can say, yes I saw Alexi and Raul, and many others race by. 

Victor Riquelme, of Wonderful Pistachios.

The tatoos under his eyes are pretty wild.

Raul Alcala, riding with Herbalife/LaGrange this weekend.

Alexi Grewal, riding for Swami's this weekend.

Rahsaan Bahati

The day's racing was definitely worth the little trip. There was just a small, but enthusiastic crowd cheering everyone up the last few hills of the course. I expect the racing over the next three days will be even more exciting. Oh, I almost forgot, Francisco Mancebo won the day, with a time of 9:39, Ben Jacques-Maynes, second at 9:40, Chris Baldwin, third at 9:42, Andy Jacques-Maynes, fourth at 9:48, and Luis Amaran took fifth at 9:49.

Slideshow for the men's prologue is here. Again, if you want to see them in the order that they came up the hill, click reverse order when the show pops up.

Return of Alexi Grewal...

photo from Back In Among The Wheels

I don't know how many of you are aware of the attempted comeback of 51 year old Alexi Grewal. It has not been big news, though I have been following his blog, via his website Back In Among The Wheels, for a couple months now, and just this morning notice that Velonation has come out with a story. Being only three years my senior, our racing careers have run mostly parallel (though at very different levels) and as I strive to make my own comeback to competitive cycling, I will be following Alexi's progress with great interest. For those who may have forgotten, Mr. Grewal won Olympic gold in the Road Race during the 1984 Games held in Los Angeles, he also had a solid career riding for 7-11 in Europe and then for Coors Light in the United States. His climbing prowess allowed him to win the Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hillclimb on three occasions, and to take 1st overall in the 1982 edition of the Cascade Cycling Classic. Making a comeback to a sport in which you were once at the top is, I can imagine, easier said than done; whatever the outcome, though it should be fun, and hopefully inspirational. I wouldn't mind glancing to my left some day and seeing him lined up a couple riders away awaiting the sound of the gun.


August 2011 update: If you are reading this, you may have attempted to jump to Alexi's blog Back in Among the Wheels, and found that it no longer exists. I don't recall reading anything specific, but I suspect that as Mr. Grewal came to realize that coming back to a high level of competition, was not progressing as hoped, he pulled the plug, and returned to a life outside racing. If this is true, I think it unfortunate, he clearly possesses a wealth of history and experience, which I am sure would have made for some great stories. 


December 2011 update: Here is the link to a VeloNews story about Alexi Grewal and his comeback attempt. It is a terrific interview in which Alexi explains the factors involved in undertaking a return to racing, the realities of the venture, and his reasons for calling it quits. Very candid, as you would expect from Mr. Grewal. I, like so many others, wish him the best.