Ok, sorry for the radio silence for so long. When I get a minute, I’ll update the photos section as the filming continues! After securing new sponsors at interbike (will post names pending paperwork getting signed) Ken and I headed East to the Grand Canyon then on to Moab to catch up with Alison Dunlap. Ken rode Moab today with Allison and her hucking-husband Greg. I took a hike up Mill Creek Canyon since I can no longer ride. My neck is in really bad shape from that car crash. Prognosis is looking bleak. But the film is looking GREAT. Will try to post photos tomorrow when we meet up with Todd and Shonny.

j

Mary raced this morning finishing ninth. Gunn Rita won as expected. Lots of details online. There is a good story and nice photos at http://www.usacycling.org.

Way to go Mary on a top 10 performance!

Just in case you are out of the loop. Mary races Friday morning. Todd and JHK race Saturday morning. NBC is supposed to televise the action late Friday and late Saturday nights.

We have finalized our media kits and have sent out nearly 100 to potential sponsors, magazine, TV channels, etc. The latest trailer is now online and we have also added eight rider movies. These short movies will give you a glimpse into the minds of all eight riders that we followed this year.

http://www.offroadtoathens.com/riders/

Keep your fingers crossed for team USA!

Ken

We’ve started making individual little movies of each athlete to show potential sponsors just how in depth our coverage of their quest is. We will connect them to each rider on the RIDERS page. It’s amazing how long even just a 2 minute video can take if you put some extra cuts in there. That realization makes pause and think how hard it will be to cut 2 hours worth. On top of a full-time job? I know I can’t continue like this. In the office by 9am, leave around 6, rush home to wolf down some food as fast as I can to maximize time for editing. Turn off the phones. Try not to look at my kayak outside the window. I haven’t been thinking about riding much since I sold my bike in Austria to pay the rent. Guess it’s better that way. I watch the sunset from indoors and work till I see it start to come up again - when I can hear birds chirping, I know I have to save it, shut it down and get some sleep. Then it’s get up at 8:00 and do it again. I need to get rid of the office job…

I’ve been stressing over whether or not we got enough emotion, got enough of the inside story, got to know each rider enough. Doing these little videos has made me look back over footage I had yet to watch. And I realized, with a big, fat smile on my face, that yea - we got it. Look for them in the next day or two.

This ball is massive, but now it’s rolling…

photo is Ecuador. Seems so long ago.

Well it is now all over. The final court battle is complete and the final verdict is that Mary will be racing three weeks from now in Athens. Both women, currently ranked 2nd and 3rd in the world, deserve to be at the Olympics, but alas, only one can go. Hats off to both ladies who week in and week out gave it everything they had. Not once this entire year did Mary or Sue ever quit a race. In fact, to the best of my knowledge they never even suffered a flat. This is truly amazing and I feel privileged to be part of this unbelievable year.

Ken

In case you have not been staying up to speed, this Friday at the Federal Court in Denver, the case of Susan Haywood vs. Mary McConneloug, USA Cycling and USOC will be heard.

This evidentiary hearing and will determine whether or not the original arbitration case, which awarded the sole Olympic spot to Mary, is valid. If Sue loses, there is nothing left for her to do. If Sue wins, I guess we are in for some more legal wrangling.

If we only had 3 Olympic spots…

We will let you know once we hear what happened.

It was announced today that Filip Meirhaeghe not only tested positive for blood doping but has admitted to it. Filip has been leading the World Cup and was considered by most a sure bet for Gold in Athens. He has officially retired and will walk away from the sport in shame.

I’ve heard from a few of the riders in the racing community and as you can imagine, they are outraged. Not just at the deceitfulness of wearing the World Champion’s jersey and taking credit for win after win (and the money that comes with it) but at the lost opportunities for scores of people that filter deep into the cycling community. A lot of money, effort and support for Filip was spent in vain. Those wounds will not soon heal. Not to mention the dark cloud that is cast over the entire sport.

As the director of Off Road To Athens, I find myself (yet again) completely shocked at the turn of events. I cannot find words to type as I sit here - that can convey my feelings. I have not been turned down by Specialized as a rider looking for sponsorship, have not lost to Filip after trying with all my heart to win, have not been passed by him on the course, have not watched him take the podium time and time again… For those who have, I can only imagine sheer animosity towards the Belgian. I’ve been sitting here all morning wondering how this will be brought to light - ON TOP OF the women’s debate of Mary wins, no Sue wins, no Mary wins and Sue sue’s… What the hell am I supposed to do with all this? Like making a movie isn’t’ hard enough? Ken and I have been on the phone all morning discussing possible outcomes. None leave me happy.

Why is that?
Why do I care how each person is portrayed? Especially if they’ve just cheated the entire mountain bike industry and all its racers? If you’ve read any of these journals you know why. I’m now left to balance two sides.

One is hearing Todd Wells tell Ken about being cut from the Specialized roster to make way for Filip. Or much closer to home, how Specialized will have NOTHING to do with our movie now and we were discussing a substantial sponsorship package (ouch).

Two is having a guy help me when I was really down and be a nicer, friendlier, more helpful person that almost everyone I’ve met in 6 months of filming. Filip gave me a ride for 4 hours through the Scottish countryside to Ft. William. He took me to dinner and treated me as a friend, not as a journalist. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him as a person, not just a bike racer. He give me positive energy and encouragement after showing him the trailer of the film when one day earlier I had just been told by another racer, “It’s got no emotion. You’re running around just filming random things. You’re so disorganized. You’re movie is going to be lame. I don’t think you’re doing a good job…(on and on and on).”

Let me tell you, when you’re away from your friends and family for weeks, putting all your own money on the line, risking your job and all the security it brings to make a movie when you’re not a movie maker but just a rider who loves the sport and only wants the world to see how great it is - to have self doubt be your only companion day in and day out - to get the positive support and encouragement that Filip showed me, was worth my respect and admiration.

Now what do I do?
I feel like the bottom just fell out.
And it makes me sick.

http://www.velonews.com/race/mtn/articles/6697.0.html

We just got this in from Mary.

The last two weeks have been filled with a complete spectrum of emotions. Riding the Olympic nomination roller-coaster has certainly been tough; but, I have remained focused on my training and racing, while at the same time living in our mobile home-away-from-home — all of which has left me little ability or time to communicate with everyone to whom I wish to reply. For this last part, I apologize.

I’d like to begin by expressing my delight and gratitude for the opportunity to represent the United States in the women’s cross-country mountain bike race at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. Words fail to describe what an amazing honor this is for me.

The circumstances of my selection to the Olympics have been widely publicized, so I’ll be brief in addressing this. What I wish most to say about it is how sorry I am that Sue Haywood has had to bear the brunt of USA Cycling’s errors. She is a true champion, and it was with no malice that I pursued the right to have USA Cycling’s decision evaluated in an impartial review process. The main issue at hand was whether USA Cycling must communicate to all riders it’s plans to adjust the standard for making the Olympic team at a point in time when those riders still have a chance to change strategy–not when it is too late to do anything about it. I sought this with the desire that USA Cycling be held accountable to set clear expectations and stick by them, and that they be forced to look long and hard at their procedures in such a way that all competitive cyclists would ultimately benefit in the future. I wanted to help ensure that no one would ever again have to endure the confusion, exhaustion, and incredible disappointment that the Olympic selection process had become.

In the words of the arbitrator’s decision, “… all athletes will benefit if this decision leads to USA Cycling and other national governing bodies issuing clearer, more transparent procedures that allow athletes to compete on a level and open playing field.� This was precisely my hope in pursuing the review.

I am focused on Athens now and have dedicated myself to preparing for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My success in the World Cup this year has helped fuel my confidence in the strength of body and mind and my ability to earn an Olympic medal for the United States. I welcome and embrace this challenge and unique privilege.

Sincerely,
Mary McConneloug
Team Seven Cycles

We just got this letter today from Sue. It is incredible to see that she still has a good attitude after all that has gone on this year. I hope everyone who reads this can learn from her handling of this very difficult situation.

Susan Haywood’s Statement

On Friday July 16, 2004 I was chosen to represent the United States at the Olympic Games in Women’s Mountain Biking. I had earned the most UCI points (from the cycling world’s governing body) of any U.S. woman mountain biker and had won what many of us were calling the “crazy points chase�.

I made phone calls to people close to me, my parents, my coach, my good friends and teammates. It was a feeling of great pride knowing that my sole goal for the year was achieved.

No one has disputed that I earned the 15 points at the Sandpoint, Idaho UCI sanctioned E2 race. And I believe that the race promoters followed proper procedure. Yet due to a clerical error on both USACycling’s part as well as the UCI chief commissaire at that race, these points were never received by the UCI.

I repeatedly received assurances from USA Cycling’s Chief Operating Officer, Steve Johnson and the National Mountain Bike Coach, Matt Cramer as far back as April that these points would count toward my points total. I believed them and based my racing schedule around their word. If I had known those 15 points were not going to count, I could have adjusted my race schedule to make them up.

Even though I was named to the team and had gained the most points in one year with the deadline of July 12, 2004, my nomination was denied by a very last minute arbitration which “awarded� the spot to Mary McConneloug.

According to the decision of an independent arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association, “It is unfortunate that Ms. Haywood has to bear the burden of USA Cycling’s errors. While, Ms. Haywood sadly bears the brunt of this …she and all other athletes will benefit if this decision leads USA Cycling and other national governing bodies issuing clearer, more transparent procedures that allow athletes to compete on a level and open playing field.�

When I signed up for my racing license, I didn’t expect to have to ‘bear a burden of errors’, mistakes and poor leadership for an organization that receives $6 million dollars every four years to field Olympic cycling teams. I expect an organization with that responsibility to conduct itself professionally by doing its job and keeping its word.

All the athletes involved in this year’s bid for the Olympics have acted with courage and integrity. I don’t feel USA Cycling has done this. I trusted them and they violated that trust.

Certainly, to be denied my Olympic spot due to a clerical error is unfair.

This is not sour grapes towards Mary McConneloug. Mary and I have always and will continue to maintain the highest level of sportsmanlike behavior that is expected of Olympians. I applaud the U.S. Woman Mountain Bikers who, despite being ranked number one in the world with two in the top three and two more in the top 15, have received only one Olympic spot. But that’s another story.

Thanks go out to all who have supported me this year and throughout these stressful last weeks. Ride on!

Susan Haywood