Not really, because I can’t remember who won most of the races, but I would be seriously remiss if I didn’t immediately give major props to Eric Rasmussen for winning the state championship in the singlespeed category (in his first SS appearance this season), and then immediately turning in an amazing second place finish behind Idaho’s Sam Krieg in the men’s “A” race to take a second state championship on the day.

That’s pretty freakin’ impressive. Good job, Rico. With Bart Gillespie racing in North Carolina this weekend, the state championship for the Men’s “A” group was wide open, and Rico proved he was strongest on the day. I think this is worthy of sainthood in The Church of the Big Ring.

Props to everyone that turned out for a beautiful day in Ogden to race; especially to Reed Wycoff who kept it going after two hard crashes (one with Connor O’Leary on the pavement, the second over the barriers).

And major bummer to Ali Goulet, who broke his frame … I’m humming Taps right now; because I hate to see any bike die.

Props also to Art O’Connor and Matt Ohran for turning in a fine MonaVie 1-2 finish in the Men’s 35+ “A” field.

Darren Cottle took the men’s 45+ open race, while simultaneously his son Tanner was battling it out with Tyler Fought for the Men’s “B” championship, just missing out on the Cottle double-play by finishing second.

I love seeing how many women are coming out to race this year as well. Trish Glenn, who won the Women’s “C” race, Meaghan Cunningham takes the “B” race. The winner of the women’s “A” race is from Idaho, so I’m not sure if second-placed rider #98 (whose name I don’t have), or third-placed Chantal Thackeray takes the state championship.

Perennial fighter Jennie Wade put in a strong start to the Women’s “A” race as well until an ill-timed mechanical took her out of the running.

Missing in action were Marit Fischer, who is currently racing Ironman Arizona; Dayna Deuter, who is nursing a hamstring injury, and Theresa Carr, who is battling the phlegm gremlins. We missed all of you yesterday.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture that more accurately or effectively depicted the phrase “oh, shit!”

View the entire sequence at Velonews.com:

1. http://www.velonews.com/photo/81241
2. http://www.velonews.com/photo/81242
3. http://www.velonews.com/photo/81243
4. http://www.velonews.com/photo/81244

Just looking at the pictures hurts.

But hopefully not all the way down …

Cyclist critically injured in first stage of race | The Bulletin

UPDATE: 4:30 p.m. - A 29-year-old cyclist competing in the Cascade Cycling Classic was in critical condition Wednesday after a fall on Alfalfa Market Road east of Bend.

Race officials believe Ben Brooks, of Beverly, Mass., hit a cattle guard before crashing and suffering head injuries. He was unconscious at the scene of the crash, and a physician attended to him until he was taken to St. Charles Bend.

Brooks was racing as part of a team of professional riders in town for the race, an annual event that will continue through the weekend.

In other, better news, Louder (BMC) in 3rd, and T-bird (Bissell) in 12th (only 55 seconds back). Bryson Perry and Gardie Jackson (both American R.A.D.D.D.D.D.D.D.D.) are both solidly mid-pack.

From Cyclingnews.com:

Team CSC suffered a double blow on the Giro d’Italia’s third stage, losing Bradley McGee and Stuart O’Grady to injury. The team’s Australian duo were involved in a crash on the 221 kilometre stage to Milazzo.

Both Olympic champion McGee and 2007 Paris-Roubaix winner O’Grady suffered a broken collarbone as a result of the accident. While McGee immediately withdrew from the event, O’Grady continued on to finish the stage eight minutes behind but will not start tomorrow’s fourth stage.

“Today was a real downer for us,” admitted CSC sports director Kim Andersen. “First of all we had several riders involved in the crashes but mostly because of the two broken collar bones of course.

“It’s a great loss to have to do without Bradley and Stuart because they’ve both been extremely valuable for us in our fight for a good overall position in this race,” he added.

Does it matter if you race clean if you crash out?

Zabriskie out yesterday; McGee and O’Grady out today … Millar went down today as well …

I think the Italians are conspiring to remove either a) English-speakers or b) non-dopers (if not both) from this year’s edition of the Giro d’Italia. It must be the Mafia …

Dave Zabriskie’s bad luck at the Grand Tours continues as he crashes out of the Giro d’Italia during stage 2.

Early reports indicate that the Team Slipstream-Chipotle rider, Alberto Contador (Astana), and a couple of other riders crashed on some railroad tracks. Apparently DZ took the brunt of the fall, as the other riders were able to rejoin the race. Zabriskie was taken to hospital in an ambulance, but was conscious and sitting up at the side of the road holding his back before being placed on the gurney and taken way by paramedics.

Here’s hoping that it’s nothing terribly serious, and that he’ll be back on two wheels soon.

Update: 17:35 GMT

VeloNews | Zabriskie crashes out of Giro

David Zabriskie’s 2008 Giro d’Italia ended Sunday when he was caught at a pileup with about 55km to go in the 207km second stage from Cerfalù to Agrigento.

Zabriskie, 29, went down with several other riders as the peloton approached a railroad crossing.

Zabriskie, who started the day second overall, was knocked off his bike and was unable to rejoin the pack. Doctors immediately attended to the reigning U.S. time trial champion and transported him to a local hospital.

Team officials confirmed to VeloNewsthat Zabriskie suffered a fractured L1 vertabrae, in what was described as a painful, but not a serious injury.

Zabriskie, who wore the yellow jersey in the 2005 Tour de France, played a key role in Slipstream-Chipotle’s victory in Saturday’s team time trial event that delivered the maglia rosa to teammate Christian Vande Velde.