Priority Health Tour de Leelanau - Featured Racer - Graham Howard of the Bissell Pro Cycling Team

Anyone who's been around Michigan racing the past couple of years will be familiar with the dynamic duo out of Grand Rapids, the Howard Brothers of Graham and Sven Howard.

After making big splashes in Michigan racing, both have moved upwards and now race together on Michigans ONLY UCI Registered Pro Cycling Team, the Bissell Pro Cycling Team.

At this years 2008 Priority Health Tour de Leelanau, the Bissell team is coming into the race with a STACKED roster, which includes Graham Howard.

After spending some time racing in Colorado, as well as lots of other states so far this season, Graham returns to Michigan looking to support his Bissell team as the shoot to retain the TdL title.

Graham was kind enough to take some time to answer some quick questions for us as he prepares for the Priority Health Tour de Leelanau:

1.How long have you been racing?

about 7 years now

2. What was your first team/club and what other teams have you raced for?

I started with the Ada Bike team and since then have raced with the Advantage Benefits Group team and now the Bissell team.

3. When did you turn pro?

2007

4. What was your first race and how did you do?

Grattan was my first race. I got lapped a number of times.

5. Whatʼs your favorite Michigan race?

The Rockford Criterium (NOTE: This race is June 28th, DON'T MISS IT!)

6. Whatʼs your favorite Professional race?

Tour of Virginia

7. Whatʼs are your cycling strength / weakness?

I time trial fairly well and fair OK all around. Sprinting though is probably my weak point.

8. What was your first bike?

An old pink brute. It's still in pieces in my basement.

9. What is the funniest cycling moment you have had?

A buddy of mine raced an entire crit with a GU in his shoe without realizing it. It only dawned on him afterward when he took his shoe off to find a sticky mess.

10. Do you follow specific training programs?

yes I follow a training program.

11. Do you coach yourself or have coach?

A little bit of both, I put things together myself and then run them by a couple of guys who know their stuff.

12. What other interest or hobbies do you have?

I play a little racquetball, like movies and drink a lot of coffee

13. Whatʼs your favorite place to ride?

Northern Michigan is hard to beat. Actually Leelanau and Benzie Counties have some of the best roads and most FANTASTIC SCENERY, which is why I love this race!!! .

Priority Health Tour de Leelanau - Featured Racer - Mike Simonson of Trek Midwest Pro Mtn Bike Team

Mike Simonson winning the 2006 Iceman Cometh

Making a brief foray into the world of road racing at the Tour de Leelanau will be a well known face in Michigan mountain biking, Mike Simonson. As a former member of the powerhouse Bell's Mountain Bike Team, Mike notched up BIG wins at the 2006 Iceman Cometh and the 2006 & 2007 Ore-To-Shore mtn bike races.

In 2008 Mike is racing in the dirt for the Trek Midwest Pro Mtn bike team. However, for the Tour de Leelanau, he has joined up with the South Lyon Cycle Racing Team for one event to bang elbows with some of the best professional road race teams in the US. Mike's attendance at the TdL promises to be very exciting.

We were able to catch up with Mike at the Tour of Kensington Valley where he was giving his road racing legs a little stretch and racing the 100 mile Pro 1/2 event on his 29er with road tires and a flat bar!!!! (the true ROADIES were STUNNED!!!!!)

1.How long have you been racing?

I started racing BMX back when I was 12 years old. I got into the BMX dirt jumping scene when I was in high school, then when I started going to college I got into MTB'ing. I think I was 19 when I started getting really serious about racing.

2. What was your first team/club and what other teams have you raced for?

I got involved with Flying Rhino club out of Clarkston MI back when Robert Linden was racing MTB's. I used to ride MTB's in the winter at PLRA with him every Saturday in my early teens. Then I got invlolved with Bart Wellesly and his Cannondale team for a while. From there I started racing on the Bells team with Trek bikes, then Quiring bikes later on. Currently I'm with the Trek Factory MTB team. I

3. When did you turn pro?

I guess the term Pro in MTB racing is a subjective term. Not sure I'm really even a Pro yet. However, I recieved my UCI pro card in 2006, and have been racing elite in the Midwest since 2000.

4. What was your first race and how did you do?

My first race was a Paul Bunyon race when I was 14 years old. Robert Linden talked me into the sport class. It was an absolute muddy mess. I dropped out aboout halfway through. I thought those guys were crazy fast.

5. What’s your favorite Michigan race?

Favorite MI race is Iceman. It just doesn't get any better then that. All my best friends get together for a huge bike race, then we party the night away afterwords. It's almost TOO much fun. Steve Brown does a great job with it every year. And the Bells party never lets ya down. If you haven't made a trip out to the party bus, you haven't lived.

6. What’s your favorite Professional race?

Favorite professional race is a tough call. Sea Otter is very cool. It's a real circus. Shenandoah100 is another great one.

7. What’s are your cycling strength / weakness?

Well if I announce that, then everyone will know... seriously though, I think my strengths are on flat rough and rolling courses. Weaknesses are on insane climber courses. I've got a "Belgian Classics" kind of style. I guess that comes from riding the hilly dirt roads around my house so much.

8. What was your first bike?

First MTB bike was a Trek 900. It had a rigid fork.

9. What is the funniest cycling moment you have had?

I guess just all of the hilarious commentary we have on some of our training rides. When you're out there with the same guys for 5hrs a day every weekend, you tend to run out of things to talk about, so the conversation can go in silly directions.

10. Do you follow specific training programs?

I usually set up a schedule of the big races I want to do well at. Then train for each one specifically in between. If the next race is 100 miles with a lot of climbing, then I'll work specifically at that distance and try to mach the elevation as best I can. It's best to give yourself at least 6 weeks in between major races, but sometimes the schedule doesn't always work out like that.

11. Do you coach yourself or have coach?

I coach myself mostly. I read a lot of books and articles. Lately I've been consulting with Art Flemming. He's pretty knowledgable about the sport and specific training.

12. What other interest or hobbies do you have?

I play a little golf here and there, and I have also been known to play the drums from time to time.

13. What’s your favorite place to ride?

The dirt roads by my house up in Oxford and Metamora. Miles and miles of road with lots of hills and barely any traffic. If you've ever done the Kinentic Systems Back 40, then you've ridden on same the roads.

Priority Health Tour de Leelanau - Featured Racer - Brent Bookwalter of BMC Pro Cycling Team

Brent Bookwalter is a died-in-the-wool Michigander, being born and raised in the Grand Rapids area. From his first days as a mountain biker to his phenomenal young career as a pro road racer, Brent has always shown up here and there at Michigan races.

The first time I saw Brent race was in 2002 at the Stoney Creek Tailwind CX Michigan CX Championships where he raced the A's and was STICKING it to Jeff Weinert and Russ Tiles by bunny hopping the barriers. He must have been 18 and his bike handling skills were EXCEPTIONAL. Brent took third, but it was a close race right up till the final corner.

2007 was a year that saw Brent recovering from a broken leg after colliding with a road sign at an early season race in France. Now racing with BMC, Brent is making is FIRST EVER appearance at the Priority Health Tour de Leelanau with one of the strongest teams in the US peloten, the BMC Pro Cycling Team. If you were able to watch any of this years Tour of California, you'll recognize the understated white jerseys of the BMC team as the guys who were CONSTANTLY on the attack, winning the MOST AGGRESSIVE RACER and KOM jerseys for Jackson Stewart on Stage 1 and KOM on Stage 2, as well as the overal KOM for Scott Nydam.



Through the wonder of the internet and Blackberry's, we were able to catch Brent for a moment as he recovered from racing the Tour of Romandie in Switzerland last week and before racing the Tour de Picardie in France (May 16-18). Brent was nice enough to take the time to answer some quick questions about cycling, how he started and what's next...

1.How long have you been racing?

Started racing about 9 years ago on the mountain bike. My first race was at pando ski area and then cannonsberg ski area. I never would have thought then I'd be where I am today, but I was really blessed to have so much support from the mich. Scene along the way.

2. What was your first team/club and what other teams have you raced for?

My first teams were bike shop teams. North Kent cyclery and Alger Schwinn got me started when I was just a young guy. Those teams and everyone involved showed how much fun mountain biking could be, but also planted the seed of how hard work in this sport pays off.

3. When did you turn pro?

Turned pro on the road in 2005 w advantage benefits/endeavor. This was the beginning for the team that turned into priority health and then bissell.



4. What was your first race and how did you do?

EDITORS NOTE - missed this one....

5. What’s your favorite Michigan race?

Fav mi. Race?? Maybe the tdl after next weekend :)

6. What’s your favorite Professional race?


7. What’s are your cycling strength / weakness?

Kind of all a-rounder on the bike. Usually like the time trials. (EDITORS NOTE: Brent won the U23 National TT Championship in 2006!)

8. What was your first bike?

First bike was a schwinn predator. It was total coincidence but I got my pic in the paper the day I learned to ride that bike w no training wheels.

9. What is the funniest cycling moment you have had?


10. Do you follow specific training programs?

Fairly specific training but I keep it fun too!!

11. Do you coach yourself or have coach?
Coached by Rick Crawford.

12. What other interest or hobbies do you have?

Love to ride the mountain bike, and ski in the winter.

13. What’s your favorite place to ride?

Fav place to ride... Blue ridge mountains of north carolina.

Garrett Peltonen, 2007 Priority Health Tour de Leelanau Champ, is READY TO RACE!!!

The defending champion from last years Priority Health Tour de Leelanau, Garrett Peltonen of the Bissell Pro Cycling Team is READY TO RACE!!!!

Here's a short interview with Garrett from the recent Tour of Georgia, where Richard England of the Bissell team one Stage 5. In the same stage Teddie King also took over leadership of the King Of the Mountains jersey



To see if Garrett can repeat his 2007 victory, make plans to be in Leelanau County, Sunday, May 25th for the Priority Health Tour de Leelanau!!!

2008 Priority Health Tour de Leelanau Featured City - Empire, Michigan

The southernmost town in Leelanau County is Empire. With its soaring bluffs and breathtaking views, it's like no other! Before heading down to the Beach to enjoy the surf or volleyball, basketball and the great playground treat yourself to an ice cream cone at Tiffany's. At the headquarters of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (located in the Village of Empire, right off M-22) you'll find helpful rangers who can help you find out all there is to know about the formation of the dunes as well as point you in the right direction for hiking trails, beaches and scenic drives.

The Empire Historical Society is a fantastic spot to spend a rainy day, be sure to check out the one room schoolhouse! Situated approximately 25 miles due west of Traverse City, Empire is nestled in the center of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. With the Empire Bluffs to the south and the widely recognizable sand dunes of the National Lakeshore to the north, the area possesses breathtaking vistas of the dunes, North Manitou and South Manitou islands, and Lake Michigan. Most Sleeping Bear Dunes panoramas portrayed on postcards are taken from a walking trail which runs to the top of the Empire Bluffs. A wide beach separates Lake Michigan from its close neighbor, South Bar Lake. The much smaller South Bar Lake stays considerably warmer than the big lake during the summer months, and is good for young children.

The Empire beach boasts the Robert H. Manning Memorial Lighthouse, which was built in 1991 as a memorial to Robert H. Manning, a life-long resident of Empire and avid fisherman. Additionally, the beach offers a famous antique anchor which was discovered by Douglas Manning, son of Robert H. Manning, and Michelle Stryker in 1977. Every year, the village of Empire celebrates the raising of the anchor on the third Saturday in July.

For more information on the Village of Empire, visit the Empire Chamber of Commerce website at:

http://www.empirechamber.com/

For more information on the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Visitor Center (located in the Village of Empire), visit the National Park Service website at:

http://www.nps.gov/slbe

2008 Priority Health Tour de Leelanau
Featured City - Leland, Michigan

The start of the Men’s Tour De Leelanau race is held in the picturesque village of Leland, Michigan. Leland is located on a sliver of land between Lake Michigan and Lake Leelanau, on beautiful Leelanau Peninsula. This uncommon and charming village will mesmerize you with its beauty and amenities.

Guests arrive by car, boat, and bicycle. Once here, Leland is a great "walking around" town. All of the shops, restaurants, galleries, and museums are located within a short distance. There is easy access to public beaches, boat launches on each lake, and a river connecting the two.

Leland's historical district, known as Fishtown, features rustic shanties and docks reminiscent of life and commercial fishing one hundred years ago.

Today, galleries and unique shops fill their walls, and charter fishing trips and the only public ferry to the popular Manitou Islands depart from those same docks. The adjacent full service marina is the perfect place for launching and mooring boats on Lake Michigan. Besides hosting the start of the Tour De Leelanau, one of Leland's signature events is the annual Leland Wine and Food Festival which will be held on Saturday, June 14, 2008. This festival features many of our region’s exquisite award winning wines as well as outstanding food and hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants.Come visit Leland any time. Discover the reason why residents and area guests alike value this place called Leland, Michigan!

For more information on Leland, please visit the cities website at:

http://www.lelandmi.com/

2008 Priority Health Tour de Leelanau
Featured Locale - Leelanau County, Michigan










According to legend the word “Leelanau” is rumored to be a Native American word meaning “delight of life”. Whether this is true or not, a visit to Leelanau County is definitely delightful. Located in the upper Northwest of Michigan’s lower peninsula, the county is a treasure of scenic beauty. Boasting hundreds of miles of coastline on Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay, as well as many inland lakes, the splendor of blue sky, green, rolling hills and sandy beaches are what makes the County truly delightful.

With the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore along the Counties Western boundary and more than 20 wineries throughout, visitors to Leelanau County have numerous opportunities to explore.

Leelanau County is also the home and namesake of the Tour de Leelanau professional bicycle race. Starting in the city of Leland and winding through nearly every corner of the County before finishing in the Native American fishing village of Peshawbestown, both the race and the County are not to be MISSED!!!

So, plan your trip to Leelanau County now for the Tour de Leelanau on Sunday, May 25th.

For more information on Leelanau County, please visit the following websites:

Tour de Leelanau:
http://www.tourdeleelanau.com/

Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.leelanauchamber.com/

Leelanau Sands Casino:
http://www.casino2win.com/

The Leelanau Enterprise newspaper:
http://www.leelanaunews.com/

Leelanau County & Government Center:
http://www.leelanaucounty.com/

Leelanau Historical Society & Museum:
http://www.leelanauhistory.org/

Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association:
http://www.lpwines.com/