Tag Archives: 5 Reasons Why
5 Reasons Why He’s Justin Spinelli and You’re Not
Words || Gary J Boulanger On a recent road ride in the Santa Cruz Mountains with my friend Anthony Mangieri, I noticed a unique glint off the rear Royce hub of his new wheelset, built by Luxe Wheelworks in Boston. … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why He’s John Vande Velde And You’re Not
Words || Gary J Boulanger The bicycle-racing blood runs deep in Chicago native John Vande Velde’s family. It was his destiny, he explained, to become a bike racer because his father, uncle and brother raced. Vande Velde’s grandfather immigrated to … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why He’s Dave Stohler And You’re Not
Words || Gary J Boulanger To many, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi, Francesco Moser, Dave Stohler, Gianni Bugno, Ivan Basso and Vincenzo Nibali are all famous Italian cyclists from the 1940s to present day, elevated to legendary status based … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why She’s Shelley Verses And You’re Not
Words || Gary J Boulanger In professional cycling, riders grab all the attention whether they make the podium or not; slogging it out in the heat, driving rain, snow and over nasty French cobbles is part of the job. Their … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why He’s Andy Hampsten And You’re Not
Words || Gary J Boulanger Born in Ohio and raised in North Dakota, Shiras Andrew Hampsten—named after his Scottish grandfather Shiras Morris—came to cycling rather circuitously. Like most good American kids raised in the 1970s, Hampsten mowed lawns to raise … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why He’s Billy Al Bengston And You’re Not
By Gary J Boulanger In the late 1940s, a 14-year-old kid named Billy Al Bengston shed his Kansas skin for a new life in southern California, where he would shape pop art while racing motorcycles, surfing, and riding his bicycle … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why He’s Grant Petersen And You’re Not
Words & Photo | Gary J Boulanger If you appreciate gravel riding, leather saddles, or steel frames, send a postcard to Walnut Creek, California’s Grant Petersen. His lazer focus on getting more people on bikes dates back to his days … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why She’s Beth Heiden And You’re Not
By Gary J Boulanger | Photos Courtesy of Beth Reid In 1975, during her freshman year in high school, Beth Reid played tennis and soccer. Her endurance-filled DNA produced a national record in the mile for her age, when she … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why He’s John Tomac And You’re Not
By Gary J. Boulanger | Photo: Courtesy of John Tomac There must be something in the water in Owosso, Michigan, a small town of less than 16,000 where cycling legend John Tomac was born and raised in the 1960s and … Continue reading
5 Reasons Why He’s Anthony Mangieri And You’re Not
Words & Photo || Gary J Boulanger Some say Anthony Mangieri’s authentic Neapolitan pizza is the best in the U.S. Others say his collection of tattoos is the best, while still others say his penchant for perfection—and his passion for … Continue reading
