Alpenrose 2011

Click on the image above to see more pictures from Sunday's raceWatching kids in soccer cleats push two-ton bikes up several hills on a semi-soggy afternoon made me realize just how much they want to be there. I saw one little guy go down hard in the velodrome, pop back up, jump on his bike and finish strong before anyone could even think about giving him a hand. These are powerful little people.

I know we want to be there, or we'd be somewhere else. More than 1,500 racers decided Sunday would be a fine day to race a bike down the pavement, across the grass, through the dirt, over a pasture, up a hill, around a few bends and into the velodrome. Why not?

-- Tim

(With additional photos today from Rob Kerr and Taylor Schefstrom)

Next week: Rainier...Galleries from last year are here, here, here and here!