Since the other sites are doing 2011 retrospectives, it seemed appropriate that The Cafe have one. It became clear that a year long photo essay was too much so instead Cyclocross gets first exposure.

(www.podiumcafe.com)

Rapid City dentist and avid cyclist Ken Benusis published the comic book with the help of professional illustrator Ken Landgraf. The first issue includes a primer on the “friendly training ride” and a didactic story on combining your bikes with marriage.

(www.cyclelicio.us)

In a few sentences, the easiest way to explain the difference between the two is that Europe is just way more challenging and physically demanding. The technical sections require much more driving of your body in order to stay upright; there is only one good line through the corners and you have to think a lot about what is coming up next.

(www.embrocationmagazine.com)

Seems that some of the Portland polo crowd caught the eye of the local Adidas North American Headquarters. At a recent meet and greet at the office a rep emerged holding the pictured prototype shoe—not even a pair.

(urbanvelo.org)

A day in the life with the HTC-Highroad Team Soigneurs. Filmed in France & Belgium during the Spring Classics and the 2011 TdF, and in California during the ATOC. If you ever thought being a pro cyclist was tough, take a look at what it takes to care for one! They're a special breed...

(www.cyclingtipsblog.com)

Geraint, whose Olympic build-up means he will miss the Tour de France in which he enjoyed spells in the best young rider’s white jersey both last year and again this July, is confident that switching between the track and the road will help him reach peak fitness ahead of the Worlds and then the Olympics.

(road.cc)

Races have gotten a lot more casual in the New England/Mid-Atlantic region at this point in the year, with races like Ice Weasels and Bilenky Junkyard ’Cross. These are the races that remind me how great the community surrounding cyclocross is.

(www.cxmagazine.com)

It appears that with purely road-orientated disc brakes not far away if not imminent - let's predict Autumn 2012 launches for the 2013 model year - there is every likelihood that top-end sportive riders will be riding the new brakes on the road before the professionals in the UCI WorldTour peloton and that would be an interesting reversal of the usual state of play.

(road.cc)

The theft directly affects projects at Sandy Ridge, Stub Stewart State Park and the Cascade Locks International Mountain Bike Trail, but there are further ripple effects. The alliance had to shut down a rental program that would have put the machine in the hands of multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management and Oregon Parks and Recreation.

(www.oregonlive.com)

Great news that he'll be with family and friends over the holidays!

The Colombian Cycling Federation has revealed that Juan Mauricio Soler is flying back to his home country today (Tuesday), six months on from his life-threatening crash at the Tour of Switzerland.

(www.cyclingnews.com)