Introducing 2011 Echelon Masters 45+ team Roster

PlanetZ/Echelon is pleased to announce its small masters 45+ national cycling team managed by current US National Road Champion, Cale Reeder.  The team is charged with marketing the Echelon Challenge and Gran Fondo series, its related charities, and our sponsor company products, Wilier Triestina, Garmin,  Hammer Nutrition, Vredestein, Shimano, Bicycling, and Bike Radar. The team will compete largely in California and Oregon but also attend the US National Championships and the World Championships in 2011.

Racer Bios:

Cale Reeder (46) was a member of the 1982 Junior National Cycling Team. He competed in the World Championships in 1982 in Italy for both Road and TTT. After racing for the Senior National Cycling Team as a CAT 1 and a member of the 25 Man Olympic Development Team in 1983 and 1984. He retired from racing in 1984. In 1996 after a couple of Silicon Valley startups and weighing in at over 180 pounds he started riding his bike again. He fell in love with cycling again, but had no desire to race back then. He decided to start racing again in 2009, but in February 2009 he suffered a set back when he had a ruptured kidney and nearly died from blood loss. Still, after missing the first third of the season and recovering from severe Anemia, he was finally able to start racing and produced amazing results. Cale is a husband, dad and entrepreneur. He lives in the NorCal Sierra Foothills, enjoys good food, wine, loves climbing and likes to win with integrity.

Cale Reeder: 2010 US National Champion

Cale's Recent Race Highlights

- 2010 US National Masters Road Champion (45-49)

- 2010 Podium Finishes: 16-1^st Places, 10-2^nd Places, and 5-3^rd Places

- 2010 Northern California Best All-Round Rider (BAR) Point Series Champion

- 2010 Northern California Endurance Racer Points Series Champion

- 2010 Central Coast Circuit Race - Spring Series Champion

- 2010 Cascade Classic Stage Race - 2^nd overall GC

- 2010 Mt. Hood Stage Race - 2^nd overall GC

- 2010 San Dimas Stage Race - 2^nd overall GC

- 2010 Madera Stage Race - 2^nd overall GC

- 2009 Northern California Best All-Round Rider (BAR) Point Series Champion

- Other Notable Podium Finishes:

            1^st - Mt Hamilton RR 2010

            1^st - Nevada City Classic 2009 & 2010

            1^st - Winters RR 2009 & 2010

            1^st - Pescadero RR 2009

            1^st - University RR 2009

            1^st - Spring Hill RR 2009

            1^st - Sea Otter Circuit Race 2010

            1^st - Mt Tamalpais Hill Climb 2010

            1^st - Fremont Peak Hill Climb 2010

            1^st - Cantua Creek RR 2010

1^st - Henleyville RR 2009

            1^st - Sonora RR 2009

            2^nd - State Road Championships 2009

            2^nd - Sea Otter Road Race 2010

            2^nd - San Ardo RR 2010

            2^nd - Challenge RR 2009 & 2010

            3^rd - Mt Hamilton RR 2009

            3^rd - Pescadero RR 2010

            3^rd - Spring Hill RR 2010

3^rd - State TT Championships 2010

Kurt Bickel (51) (Joes Pro Bikes)  began his two wheeled racing as a teen in the early days of BMX. After switching to motorcycles, he turned professional, winning two state roadrace and two regional dirt track titles, while serving as a Aviation Crew Chief in the Army Reserve. After injuries forced retirement, he took up free dive spearfishing, while plying his trade as a writer/editor for numerous publications. At 40 he returned to cycling because of health considerations, and returned to racing in 2005. Since that time he's won over 90 races, including two national and nine state championships, all of which has surprised the heck out of him: "I was just some fat guy trying to lose weight and not end up on blood pressure meds". He splits time between McKinney Texas and Reno Nevada with his wife of 24 years Karen, and their two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.

Kurt Bickel at Texas state crit champs

Kurt's Recent Race Highlights

2010 US National Track 50-54 Team Sprint Champion

2010 US National Track 50-54 2km Pursuit Silver Medalist

2010 US National Track 40-50 Team Pursuit Bronze Medalist

2010 Texas 50-54 Criterium Champion

2010 Texas 50-54 Time Trial Champion

2010 Texas 40+ Team Time Trial Champion

2010 Texas Track 50-54 2km Pursuit Champion

2010 Texas Track 50+ Team Sprint Champion

2009 Texas 40+ Best All Around Cup Champion

2009 Texas 45-49 Road Race Champion

2009 Texas 45-49 Time Trial Champion

2008-2009 Horse Country Time Trial Course Record Holder

- Other Notable Podium Finishes

1st- Rockwall Criterium 2010

1st- Elk Hill Circuit Race 2010

1st- Horse Country Time Trial (Fall & Spring editions) 2010

1st- OKC Rocks Criterium 2010

1st- Windy 100 Criterium 2010

1st- Superdrome Omnium 2010

1st- Topsport Stage Race TT stage 2010 (3rd GC)

1st- Pace Bend Road Race 2010

2nd- Tour of the Gila TT stage 2010

2nd- Sea Otter 35+ Criterium 2010

1st- Ft. Davis Hammerfest Stage Race GC (1 stage win) 2009

1st- Alsatian Omnium GC (2 stage wins) 2009

1st- Tour of Arkansas GC (2 stage wins) 2008

1st- Joe Martin Stage Race GC (3 stage wins) 2008

1st- Fayetteville Stage Race GC (1 stage win) 2008

Janne Hamalainen (48) (Tulsa Wheelmen) ran cross country and track growing up in Finland and finished a few times on the podium in the Finnish Junior Nationals. He attended the University of Tulsa on a track scholarship and earned an electrical engineering degree 1986. Janne started racing with Tulsa Wheelmen in the spring of 2003. By spring of 2005, Janne had two top 30 GC finishes in NRC races at Joe Martin (28th) and Tripeaks (23rd) earning him NRC points. He finished second that year in the M40+ US Nationals Criterium in Park City, Utah. He won the Sea Otter M40+ Circuit Race the following year and accumulated enough points to get upgraded to category 1. He was unable to participate in the Master's Nationals in 2006 and 2007. Janne was able to return to the Nationals in 2008 and finished third in the M45+ Road Race. In 2009, Janne won 10 races including the US National Masters Road Championships. Janne is married to Rae who also enjoys cycling.

Yanne Hamalainen (far right) at Sea Otter 2010

Janne's Recent Race Highlights (photo far right)

- 2009 US National Masters Road Champion (45-49)

- 2010 Oklahoma State Elite Road Race Champion (Cat 1-2)

- 2010 US National Masters Road Championships – 4^th

- Other Notable Podium Finishes:

            1^st - Sea Otter Road Race 2009 & 2010

            1^st - Sea Otter Circuit Race 2009

            1^st - Tour of Lawrence Circuit Race 2010

            1^st - Tour of Kansas City Crit 2010

            1^st - Breakthrough Tour Crit 2010

            2^nd - Sea Otter Circuit Race 2010

Dirk Himley (48) started racing in 1977 in New Jersey and moved to Northern California in 1979. In 1980 he was selected to be on the US Junior National Team and was an alternate on the Junior World Team after healing from a bad crash. Later that year Dirk left cycling to pursue a career. After back surgery in 1994 he started riding again. He started racing competitively again from 1996 to 1999 and now again in 2010. Dirk is excited to be part of finding and fighting for a cure for cancer through his involvement with Echelon. He is also a mentor to the youth and up and coming riders, and helping others to realize their dreams. Dirk only began racing with Echelon in August of 2010 and won 3 out of 5 races he entered.

Dirk breaking away for the win at Central Coast

*Dirk's Recent Race Highlights

            1^st - Challenge RR 2010

            1^st - Henleyville RR 2010

            1^st - Central Coast Circuit Race Fall Series 2010

*Dirk only began racing again in August of 2010.

Craig Parker--Craig started bike racing at age 16 and was Junior State Champion in road, time trial and multiple track events.  He was on the 1979 Junior National Track Team and on the 1980 National Development Track Team before going to college and medical school.  Craig raced somewhat competitively on the track throughout the 1980's and re-started a racing career in the Masters category after moving to California in the early 90's.  He has won more than 30 National and State Championship medals. Craig was the 2008 Masters 45-50 Northern California State and U.S. National Champion on the track in the kilometer and was 7th in the 2008 UCI Masters World Track Championships in Sydney, Australia.  He is currently an entrepreneur in the biotechnology industry and unlike most of the Echelon team has a serious aversion to races with hills.

Craig Parker at Worlds

Key Results

1st  - 2008 Masters National Track Championships

1st -  2008 Northern California/Nevada State Track Championships (Kilometer)

3rd - 2008 Northern California/Nevada State Track Championships  (Pursuit)

7th - 2008 UCI Masters World Track Championships

Hunter Ziesing worked in the investment banking industry for nearly 20 years for Thomas Weisel (founder of the U.S. Postal/Discovery Cycling Team) before founding PlanetZ/Echelon Foundation. Over the years, Hunter's passion grew for cycling and later, philanthropy. Hunter's full time occupation is now managing the cancer foundation and its events, "The Echelon Challenge and Gran Fondo Series."  His roll includes traveling the country speaking at schools, hospitals & local cancer foundations as well as marketing Echelon at various professional, amateur, and recreational cycling events. Hunter finished second in the California Best All Around competition in 2010 and has aspirations of winning a national title in Bend Oregon next year in the age 50-54 category masters cycling championships.

"Being able to race my bike at this level at age 50, while running an up and coming foundation that helps others, has added ultimate self purpose and inspiration to my graying years."

Chris Horner/Hunter Ziesing @Echelon Oregon 2010

Hunter's Recent Race Highlights

- 2010 Northern California Best All-Round Rider (BAR) Point Series - 2^nd

- Notable Podium Finishes:

            1^st - Cat's Hill Classic 2010

            1^st - San Ardo RR 2010

            1^st - Modesto RR 2010

            1^st - Mt Hood Crit 2010

            1^st - Three Village Tour RR 2010

1^st - Wente Vineyards Classic Road Race 2009

2^nd - Winters RR 2010

            2^nd - Ronde Van Brisbeen 2010

            3^rd - Snelling RR 2010

            3^rd - Giro Di San Francisco 2010

            3^rd - Topsport Circuit Race 2010

            3^rd - Cantua Creek RR 2010

3^rd - Central Coast Circuit Race Spring Series 2010

            3^rd - Central Coast Circuit Race Fall Series 2010

3^rd - Napa River Velo Grand Prix 2009

            3^rd - Ronde Van Brisbeen 2009

3^rd - Spring Hill RR 2009

3^rd - Henleyville RR 2009

Proposed 2011 Race Team Schedule:

Pine Flat Road Race

Southern Nevada Stage Race, Las Vegas

Snelling Road Race

Madera Stage Race

Tucson Classic Stage Race

San Dimas Stage Race

Bariani (Zamora) Road Race

Topsport Stage Race

Copperopolis Road Race

Spring Hill Road Race

Sea Otter Classic Circuit Race

Sea Otter Classic Road Race

Cherry Blossom Classic Stage Race

Wente Road Race

Tour of the Gila Stage Race

Cat's Hill Classic

Sonora Road Race

Berkeley Hills Road Race

Panoche Road Race

Mt Hamilton Road Race

Mt. Hood Stage Race

Pescadero Road Race

Nevada City Classic

Cascade Classic Stage Race

NorCal State Masters Road Race Championships

US National Masters Road Championships

UCI World Masters Road Championships

San Ardo Road Race

University Road Race

Winters Road Race

Challenge Road Race

Giro Di San Francisco

Mt Tamalpais Hill Climb

Echelon Oregon Recap

For Immediate Release: 

ECHELON GRAN FONDO DELIGHTS A CROWD OF 700 CYCLISTS FOR ITS INAUGURAL OREGON EVENT

Praise from all for the September 26^th Echelon Gran Fondo in Hood River as event reaffirms accomplishment of a community focused fundraising event

(Hood River, OR – September 26, 2010) – The all-star fall weather conditions set the stage for this first time Oregon Gran Fondo produced by Echelon/PlanetZ in Hood River. The starting line resembled the beginning line up of a Tour de France stage, featuring the Yellow, Polk-a-dot, Green, and other colored jersey’s, which designated the levels of dollars the participants raised in their efforts to support the event’s beneficiaries. Fundraising Teams such as the world-renowned OHSU Knight Cancer Institute boasted their custom-logoed Green Jersey as well as a cast of characters from the Traders Joes team in their Echelon kits, while others joined in force in their team kits.

The Hood River event, open to all levels and abilities of cyclists, and was focused on raising dollars for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, LIVESTRONG®, The Knight Cancer Institute in Portland and the Celilo Cancer Center located in The Dalles, OR. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds will be given to the Historic Columbia River Highway and their important grassroots efforts to improve the old highway from Troutdale to The Dalles.

The event, intended to offer a cycling experience beyond what you see in a typical century ride or what Executive Director, Hunter Ziesing has claimed, “theater on the roads”, the 700 plus participants were welcomed by a cast of characters and stunts designed to give racers and recreational cyclists a day to remember. The Angel of Echelon, Elvis, a Red Devil, and cheerleaders added to the buzz and exhilaration of the cyclists’ day.  Team Radio Shack’s Chris Horner participated and politely hung back with most of the riders until the competitive 20-mile hill climb began.  He was third to the summit behind local Washington pro, Lang Reynolds and Jennifer Slawata who finished just one second in front of Horner.

Along with the on course entertainment – a SAMBA band was stationed at the peak of the 20-mile hill climb where a little rain began to fall. “Our goal was to create a uniquely fulfilling experience for the community and our participants.  For the most part we did, but for a few mistakes out on course, your post survey feedback has helped us identify a few areas where we can improve to make next year’s event even better.

Hunter Ziesing the event’s Executive Director commented, “We were really pleased with the generosity of the Oregon/Washington fundraising levels and especially the friendly nature of the northwest community.”

With little funding from corporate sponsorship, early indication is that Echelon will make a significant donation to its beneficiaries. “Our early look is that we will make close to a $40,000 net donation to our charities and based on this level of success, we know that in 2011 along with increased participants and corporate sponsorship, we will be able to offer EVEN MORE substantial dollars to our beneficiaries,” said Ziesing. The Echelon team now turns their creative efforts towards 2011 that will include Arizona and Colorado events. In addition to the Hood River Gran Fondo, Echelon intends to add an “Echelon Challenge” to Portland, a 12-24 hour fun fitness challenge in the city.

About PlanetZ/Echelon:

PlanetZ is a non-profit global member organization that promotes human affairs including health, environment, and community, and is greatly committed to the cycling community at large by creating events and fitness challenges that are designed to raise money to local and national cancer focused institutions. For more information, please visit www.echelongranfondo.org

Media Contact: Rebecca Kotch

Email: Rebecca@rebeccakotch.com

Phone: 323.806.5900