We were proud to be part of the content crew covering the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge.  Our responsibilities included producing daily pre and post race video interviews and features for VeloNews.com.  Personal favorite places included Crested Butte, which looked like a Tour de France finish town, Steamboat Springs and the finish in Aspen.  Here are some of the videos that were produced and broadcast on VeloNews.com during the race:

2011 marked the 6th year we have produced daily online video content at the Tour de France.  This year was a little different in that we only attended the 1st half of the race with the VeloNews crew. After the start of stage 11 we headed to the train station on route to Paris and flew back to Colorado the following day.  All told it was a very exciting first 10 stages of racing.  Much of the content we shot and edited can be found on the VeloNews site  – http://velonews.competitor.com/category/tour-de-france  Here are a few videos from our daily list, which included a daily diary with HTC – Highroad rider Bernie Eisel and a post race wrap with Ben and Andy:

We completed our 5th consecutive Amgen Tour of California producing video interviews and features for VeloNews.  Here is a list of links to each Taylor Phinney daily diary and some of the features that were posted during the 8-day stage race.

Stage 1:
Taylor Phinney daily California diary
Riders react to the bad weather prior to the stage 1 start

Stage 2:
Taylor Phinney California diary
BMC’s Sayers on Sacramento’s importance

Stage 3:
Taylor Phinney California diary
Is top form possible for both California and France?

Stage 4:
Taylor Phinney California diary
Culture shock: racing on two continents

Stage 5:
Taylor Phinney California diary
How will Mt Baldy change the race?

Stage 6:
Taylor Phinney California diary
There are two pelotons at the Amgen Tour of California

Stage 7:
Taylor Phinney California diary
Monument winners at the Amgen Tour of California

Stage 8:
Taylor Phinney California diary
2011 Amgen Tour of California race recap

The 2010 Tour de France marked our 5th year covering the event for VeloNews.  This year the video content was showcased on a new endurance portal called Competitor TV.  We were hired for field production duties and to work a daily routine of recording pre and post race rider interviews during each stage of the race.  We were excited to be producing a Chris Horner daily diary again, and an added feature dubbed “the morning minute”, which featured Neal Rogers and Andy Hood discussing a single topic, usually decided on moments before recording began.  Our workflow consisted of recording and then encoding the usable video and sending  the files to the Competitor studios in San Diego for inclusion in the highlight and extras shows.  You can see all of the content produced for VeloCenter during the 2010 Tour de France here – 2010 TdF VeloCenter

Fans on the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard climb in Italy

2009 seemed to be the tipping point in online video coverage of the Tour de France. Looking at the following link shows the vast number of outlets for live (over 30 live video feeds) and archived video featuring everything and anything Tour related.  http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france

VeloNews TV raised the bar for the 2009 edition and produced a daily show highlighting each stage.  VeloCenter, which was hatched in February at the Tour of California, had grown from a small team on location to a two pronged approach with field production at the race and a desk show, editing and publishing being handled in Denver, CO.  Futuristic Films provided an additional location camera crew and handled all of the post production in their Denver studio.  The workflow hinged on being able to deliver video assets via FTP from France to Denver in a timely manner.

Post race production and editing

The first week was all about learning and perfecting the workflow while managing the constant logistical mess that is the Tour.  Our motto became “nothing is guaranteed until your head hits the pillow”.  By the second week everything was coming together and VeloCenter blossomed with its tight format of race highlights, rider interviews, analysis and in show features.  Here is an examples of a show feature that was produced by the team on location during the race:

One of the most impressive accomplishments was John Wilcockson’s award for covering 40 Tours de France.  The 2009 event was actually his 41st Tour, but organizers presented him his 40-year award this year before the start of stage 10 in Limoges:

By the end of the race the video team had produced 24 episodes of VeloCenter.  The following episode from stage 17 represents the capability and effort of everyone involved in the project:

These are links to individual packages that we worked on during the event:
An in depth look at how the domestic teams are fairing at the Amgen Tour of California

US Postal / Discovery Pro Cycling Team – where are they now

Lance Armstrong’s comeback and effect on the 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Here to Stay: a closer look at Rock Racing at the Amgen Tour of California

Amgen Tour of California Stage 7 – a shotgun seat in the BMC team car.

Two days of UCI cyclocross racing came to Boulder on November 1st and 2nd.  Strong fields for both men and women elite races showed up at the Boulder reservoir on Saturday and again at Harlow Platts park on Sunday.

We captured the action via video for VeloNewsTV, which included race highlights of both men’s and women’s elite races both days and interviews with a variety of pro riders.   Congratulations to DBC Events for putting on a great set of events.

click here to view videos from both days of the 2008 Boulder Cup

Cyclocross season is here.  It’s time to sharpen your cx skills.

We produced a 5-part series on cyclocross skills, bike equipment and general advice for racing.  Thanks to Brandon Dwight of Boulder Cycle Sport for participating and sharing his cyclocross knowledge.

Here are the links:

Cyclocross bike equipment

Dismounts, remounts and carrying the bike

Avoiding common mistakes during a ‘cross race

Tips on improving your starts

‘Cross race etiquette

3 days of Interbike in Las Vegas featured lots of interviews with people that make up the cycling industry, access to the Media Center for produced multi-camera shows each day, and a press conference with Lance Armstrong regarding his 2009 schedule and announcement of his development team.  Special thanks to Dave Towle for setting up and conducting many of the interviews.

Here are links to some of the videos we produced for VeloNews TV:
Demo of Shimano’s electronic Dura-Ace group

The Campagnolo 11-speed Super Record group

Giant’s Anthem X series

Interview with Julian Absalon

Johan Museeuw and his new line of flax / carbon bikes

Lance Armstrong’s press conference regarding his 2009 cycling plans

Interview with Troy Wells of the Clif Bar Development Cyclocross Team

We completed a 4-part series on gluing tubular tires to a rim for VeloNewsTV. Here are the individual links:

Part 1: Tools, preparation and removing the old tire.

Part 2: Cleaning the rim and stretching the tire.

Part 3: Prepping the tire and applying the glue.

Part 4: Mounting the tire to the rim.