Cycling Champion (4 page)

1.
Imagine that you're getting ready to race in a criterium. What do you think would be the most difficult part of the race? Talk about it.

2.
Austin used the money he'd saved from working to buy his new racing bike. Talk about a time you had to work to save up for something important that you wanted.

3.
Training for the River City Criterium helped Austin make a new friend. Talk about a time trying a new activity helped you meet someone new.

1.
Because his older brothers are so athletic, Austin feels like he's never as good as them. Do you have any siblings? Write about your relationship with your brother or sister.

2.
Even though he practiced hard, Austin didn't win the River City Criterium. Write about how you would have felt after the race if you were Austin. Would you have been disappointed? Happy? Upset?

3.
Austin's brothers help him realize that there's more to playing a sport than just winning. Write about a time you learned a valuable lesson. What was the lesson and who helped you figure it out?

One of the most challenging and well-known races in the world of cycling is the Tour de France. Once a year, the Tour de France takes place over a period of three weeks and stretches across France and surrounding countries.

While the length of the Tour can change from year to year, the grueling race typically covers a course of more than 2,000 miles. The shortest Tour, which took place in 1904, covered a course of 1,500 miles, while the longest Tour, in 1926, covered a 3,570-mile course.

The race is physically demanding because the different stages cover both flat and mountainous terrain. The course changes from year to year, but the finish always takes place in the same place: in Paris, France on the Champs-Élysées.

The Tour de France, which began in 1903, attracts teams and cyclists from all around the world. The field for the race typically includes 20-22 teams made up of nine riders each. Teams and cyclists must be invited by the race organizer in order to compete.

The Tour de France is a stage race. That means that the race is broken up into day-long segments, called stages. Individual times at the end of each stage are averaged to determine the overall winner. At the end of each stage, one cyclist wears a yellow jersey, which indicates the fastest average time at the end of that particular day.

Lance Armstrong, one of the most famous American cyclists, has won the Tour de France more times than any other rider. Armstrong won the Tour de France seven times in seven years, topping the field from 1999-2005.

When Kyle is assigned the track-andfield events at his school's Olympic Fest, he panics. He doesn't know how to do any of them! Will practice make perfect, or will Kyle embarrass himself in front of everyone?

Austin is determined to win a local cycling race and prove to everyone that he's as just good as his older brothers. But before he can race, Austin has to find a bike, train, and learn the course. For Austin, it feels like a race just to get to the starting line!

Nick hates running, but when his gym teacher gives him an ultimatum — join the relay-race team or fail the class — he knows he has no choice. He'll have to suck it up and run. Will Nick learn to run, or will he let down his team?

Sam is the best swimmer on his school swim team. When Julien, a new exchange student, joins the team, Sam offers to help him practice. But when Sam and Julien have to race against each other in the final meet, only one swimmer can take home the gold.