Thoughts from Mike Jones, Formally known as SOPRO Jones
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BISSELL PRO CYCLING TEAM
Director: Glen Mitchell

(AUS) ENGLAND, Richard
(USA) HOWARD, Graham
(USA) HOWARD, Steven
(USA) JACQUES-MAYNES, Ben
(USA) KEM, Omer
(USA) KING, Edward
(USA) OLSON, Aaron
(USA) PELTONEN, Garrett
(USA) SCHMITT, Morgan
(USA) SWINDLEHURST, Burke
(NZL) VENNELL, Jeremy
(USA) ZIRBEL, Tom
(USA) ZWIZANSKI, Scott

Ben Jacques-Maynes will have a solid year and Garrett Peltonen will have some good rides and make some serious selections by humping his saddle. Burke Swindlhurst will win Gila. Tom Zirbel will be top three in a few NRC time trials. Scott Swizanski will have a good Philly Week. Aaron Olson is a nice addition to this team, a nice guy and an all around good ride. I could see him winning stages at some of the bigger stage-races and could be in a lot of breaks.

COLAVITA OLIVE OIL/ SUTTER HOME PRO CYCLING TEAM
Director: Sebastian Alexandre

(ARG) ARTACHO, Gustavo
(CUB) AMARAN, Luis
(ARG) BORRAJO, Alejandro
(ARG) BORRAJO, Anibal
(USA) BROWN, Tucker
(USA) COLBY, Anthony
(ITA) DAMIANI,Luca
(ITA) FRATTINI, Davide
(USA) GUPTILL, Andy
(ARG) HAEDO, Lucas
(USA) SANTIAGO, Rodney
(USA) WAMSLEY, Kyle
(USA) WREN, Tyler

I really don’t have too much to say about this team. I was a bigger fan when the McCormacks were involved. Davide will have some sporadic good rides, Colby and Wamsley will continue to think they’re big deals and not much English will be spoken in the team van.

DLP Racing
Director: Jon Kane
(USA) BEAMER, Spencer
(USA) CODDINGTON, Joey
(USA) DULIN, Thaddeus
(USA) JACKSON, Scott
(USA) JOHNSON, Boyd
(USA) JUDY, Christopher
(USA) NIELSEN, Owen
(USA) PENDRY, Charles
(USA) ROSEBROCK, Geoffrey

Judge Judy will top the Nielsen ratings and buy a new Beamer from Janet Jackson.

HEALTHNET
Director: Mike Tamayo
(USA) CRANE, Matt
(USA) COLLIER, Corey
(USA) COOKE, Matt
(USA) GRITTERS, Kyle
(USA) JOHNSON, Tim
(USA) KILUN, Roman
(AUS) MENZIES, Karl
(USA) MURPHY, John
(USA) O’BEE, Kirk
(USA) PIPP, Frank
(AUS) SUTHERLAND, Rory
(USA) ZAJICEK, Phil

Will the team succeed without Corbett? I know Jeff likes Tamayo a lot, and must have faith in him to turn over the team to him, which by the way is a lot smaller this year. If they chase NRC points in hopes of having gay shirts that say 5X NRC, that may stretch them too thin and they may crack . Will Tim Johnson ever take a break from cycling? I see Roman Kilun having some great rides, lots of potential there, but how long will it be before he starts using his law degree and quits banging his head against the wall? John Murphy, nice kid and lots of potential, without such a smaller team will he be able to show his stuff a bit more? Menzies, i predict by July, he will have 4 NRC victories and will have eaten Cooke, Crane and maybe a couple mechanics. Pipp will keep padding his resume as he gets more experience on a big team with solid support. Will Matt Cooke get over himself?

JELLY BELLY CYCLING TEAM
(D.S.Danny Van Haute)

(USA) CODY, Michael
(USA) HUFF, Brad
(USA) LANGE, Michael
(USA) MEAD, Bryce
(USA) POWERS, Jeremy
(USA) REISTAD, Nick
(AUS) RICE, Matty
(AUS) SANDERSON, Nic
(USA) TIETZEL, Scott
(NZL) TUCKERMAN, Aaron
(USA) VAN ULDEN, Bernard
(USA) WELLS, Todd

Will Michael Lange ever see eye to eye with Bryce Mead? How many times will Jeremy Powers get sick? Nick will get in a break at the Tour of California. Matty Rice will have a GREAT year. Michael Cody will annoy Powers and they will bicker. Danny Van Haute AKA “The Beast” will continue to be one of the greatest guys in the sport. Give Jelly Belly a cheer at the next race, as they are the longest running active pro sponsor in cycling.

JITTERY JOE’S PRO CYCLING TEAM
(Director: Jesse Lawler)

(USA) ELKEN, Evan
(USA) BARRILLEAUX, Jared
(AUS) CANTWELL, Jonathan
(USA) HARTLEY, Chad
(USA) HENRY, Timothy
(USA) KNELLER, Ben
(USA) SHIRLEY, Neil
(USA) SHRIVER, Matt
(AUS) STEVENSON, Cody
(AUS) SULLIVAN, Ryan
(AUS) WILSON, Trent

I really don’t know too many guys on this team. But, Neil Shirley is a great guy and will have a good year. Will the Aussies every do anything memorable?

KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES/MEDIFAST
(Director: Jonas Carney)

(USA) BOWMAN, Dan
(USA) BAJADALI, Andrew
(USA) BUCHHOLZ, Brian
(USA) CANDELARIO, Alex
(CAN) GILBERT, Martin
(CAN) HINNEN, Mark
(USA) KING, Ben
(CAN) LACOMBE, Keven
(USA) MUMFORD, Reid
(USA) SPINELLI, Justin
(USA) SUNDT Jonny
(CAN) VEILLEUX, David
(USA) WAITE, Nick

This is going to be a solid team. Jonas can really rally these guys together. Just look back at the pro crits. Sundt is a funny guy and will keep moral high. Alex will get some nice wins, as I know Jonas will get the guys set up to bring him to the line first. The Baj will be intense and evict roommates, if they are up after lights out and will probably win the hardest race on earth: The Tri Peaks Race in Arkansas.

RITE AID PRO CYCLING
(Director: Jonathan Wirsing)

(USA) ARNAL, Alvaro
(USA) BARROWS, Clayton
(USA) ELLISTON, William
(USA) ERDELYI, Jonathan
(GER) GENG, Richard
(USA) KINCAID, Stephen
(USA) KING, Robert
(USA) LEA, Robert
(ARG) PALMA, Guido
(USA) RYTLEWSKI, Jake
(NZL) WATSON, Miles

Is Jonathan Erdelyi really racing again? Other than that, I don’t really know anyone else.

ROCK RACING
Director: TBA

(USA) BAHATI, Rahsaan
(COL) BOTERO, Santiago
(USA) CREED, Michael
(AUS) DAWSON, Peter
(COL) GRAJALES, Cesar
(USA) HERNANDEZ, Sergio
(USA) LEO GRANDE, Kayle
(USA) MAGNELL, Sterling
(USA) OLLERENSHAW, Doug
(COL) PENA, Victor Hugo
(USA) RODRIGUEZ, Fred
(USA) SWITTERS, Adam
(USA) WILLIAMS, Justin
(USA) WISCOVICH, Jeremiah

Oh, yeah! I am so f’in excited about this team. I love how Michael Ball is stirring things up. I mean, seriously, cyclist’s need to lighten up and turn this sport into a traveling party where we light up the town and rip up the pavement. I am surprised Doug Ollerenshaw went there. In my book, he doesn’t seem to fit in. But, who knows? WHERE IS CLINGER? I WANT CLINGER! I bet the big Euro guys will crack after Cali when they realize nobody comes out to races.

SUCCESSFUL LIVING
(Director: Steve Hegg)

(ITA) BAZZANA, Alessandro
(USA) BENNETT, Eric
(USA) BISKNER, Nieko
(USA) COYLE, Charles
(CAN) DIONNE, Charles
(ARG) ESCUELA, Ricardo
(USA) GRABINGER, Michael
(USA) GUNN, Robert
(USA) JENSEN, Brian
(USA) MARTINEZ, Alexi
(USA) O’REILLY, Cody
(MEX) VALENZUELA, Christian
(USA) WHITE, Bradley

I am not too sure about this team. I haven’t liked their tactics in the past, maybe it’s just how Tricky Ricky rides, but they seem like good guys. Is Nieko really racing or is he a Casper?

TIME PRO CYCLING
(Director: Erik Saunders)

(USA) BAKER, Andy
(USA) BARLEVAV, Erik
(USA) DUNCAN, David
(USA) FREY, Nick
(USA) GRUBER, Jered
(USA) GUTTENPLAN, David
(USA) HAMBLEN, Johnny
(USA) MYERSON, Adam
(USA) RAMSEY, Daniel
(USA) SIMES, Jackie
(USA) SOLADAY, Thomas
(USA) STOOP, Michael

Oh man, Hamblen….it must be that year again, every other year he turns pro and pisses a bunch of people off then goes amateur till it cools off.

TEAM TYPE 1
(D.S.Ed Beamon)

(TRI) ABRAHAM, Emile
(MEX) ALDAPE, Moises
(USA) ANTHONY, Jesse
(AUS) BROOKS, Ben
(AUS) CALABRIA, Fabio
(NZL) CHADWICK, Glen
(USA) ELDRIDGE, Joe
(NZL) HARGRAVE, Timothy
(USA) HOLT, Daniel
(USA) JONES, Chris
(UKR) KOBZARENKO, Valeriy
(USA) MACGREGOR, Ian
(USA) MILNE, Shawn
(USA) SOUTHERLAND, Phil
(AUS) WILSON, Matt

Ian MacGregor doesn’t fit in on this team. Chris Jones should have a good year, although racing as part of a team will be new to him and racing with the Navigators might be different to him too.

TOSHIBA-AEG
(D.S. Gustavo Carrillo)

(COL) ALZATE, CARLOS
(ARG) ARONE, Claudio
(CUB) FALCON, Yosvany
(USA) HAGMAN, Alex
(USA) HEKMAN, Mark
(USA) KEIM, Eric
(AUS) NANKERVIS, Tommy
(USA) NORRIS, Keith
(COL) PARRA, John Freddy
(SCG) PROKIC, Predrag
(USA) SWEETING, Robert
(USA) TALANSKY, Andrew
(CUB) TRAVIESO, Frank
(USA) VAILLANCOURT, Daniel
(USA) WEISS, Scott
(USA) DAVID, Winston

I like Mark Hekman, i wish he went to a different team cuz this team just kind of blows.

TOYOTA - UNITED PRO CYCLING TEAM
(Director: Len Pettyjohn)

(USA) BALDWIN, Chris
(USA) BARCZEWSKI, Ben
(USA) BETCHER, Derrek
(NZL) BLACKGROVE, Heath
(AUS) CLARKE, Hilton
(AUS) CLARKE, Jonathan
(AUS) DAY, Benjamin
(CUB) DOMINGUEZ, Ivan
(USA) ENGLAND, Justin
(USA) FERGUSON, Walker
(MEX) GARCIA PONCE, Jose Manuel
(USA) GILLESPIE, Stu
(USA) LAKATOSH, Andy
(AUS) MANION, Caleb
(USA) NELMAN, Ryan
(USA) RIFFLE, Duncan
(CAN) ROLLIN, Dominique
(USA) SELKER, Kevin
(USA) SHANBHAG, Sanjay
(SCG) STEVIC, Ivan
(AUS) SULLIVAN, Sean
(AUS) VOGELS, Henk
(USA) WHERRY, Chris

This is probably my favorite team here. I like Dominguez, Vogels, Wherry, Baldwin and England. And I think all those guys will have great years, especially Vogels and Wherry. Stu Gillespie will win Redlands and Andy Lakatosh will win Philly. This team will have many laughs and will be tactically on par as the smartest man in cycling is behind the scenes- Moninger.

Some other predictions for the upcoming season:

•A big Race will be cancelled,

•Somebody will get busted for doping, and somebody will win something big, and somebody will think they are a doper.

•Justin Englands body weight will be 56% of mine.

•Mike Sayers will get excited about something and yell.

•At least two big names coming here will leave after Tour of Cali when they find out how small cycling is here.

•Velonews will do several articles on riders living in Boulder, they will give the cover to a doper.

•Cyclingnews.com Writer Mark Zalewski will write an article about a Kiwi or Aussie and use his nickname and write an article with aussie’isms thinking he is one.

•Dave Towle will know everyone’s names.

•Sea otter will award the winner of the men’s pro road race 2 dollars and a stuffed sea otter and some BMX handle grips.

•Michael Ball will say something to piss cycling dorks off.

•Michael Ball will say something that makes me like him more.

•Gord Fraser will win the shootout.

Now lets go over some things I won’t be doing:

•Eating salads.

•Riding over 20 minutes.

•Getting drunk in hotel lobbies and then racing the next morning.

•Taking an Ambien and trying to crawl into bed with Moninger in the middle of the night.

•Pretending I like some people

•Beating my head against the wall.

•Sleeping on a flat air mattress at host housing

•Hanging with guys like Candelario, Moninger, Schmatz, Brice Jones, Bryce Mead, Sayers and that I will miss the most.

It has been over 4 months since I touched a bike and for some reason in another 8 months it will be a year since I touched a bike. Did I crack that bad or did I just never like it? Sometimes I think that it was just the recipe missing some key elements, such as: 1. recreational mountain biker with a suspended license, a high hematocrit, strong legs and the willingness to see how far he can take anything. and BAM, that’s what you get, ME! The key element was the fact that I like to eat pizza and I was by far not mentally talented for the sport of cycling. I had several other key components, but not the right mix, and if you think I am a waste of talent, well, then you can go F yourself, several of us are probably very gifted talented crossing guards, but if you don’t want to be a crossing guard, well that’s it then, you are not going to be a crossing guard.

I am really looking forward to the season ahead, and if Michael Ball pisses you off, let it be known, write a letter somewhere, because I have a feeling as soon as people are done complaining about him, he will be done with the sport and well have a bunch of unemployed skinny guys with expensive genes, I mean jeans.

Jones.

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