The new 58 Full Carbon Clinchers

So you want to go fast and look good on the TT bike? Here is Michael Morar's new setup. It does not get much better than this!

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays!

Thanks for a great year. I feel truly blessed. I have a healthy family and own a wheel company which I love.

Williams Cycling had a great 2008. The word is getting out! Athletes are starting to understand our “direct-to-consumer” business model and realize that by eliminating a couple layers of markup we can deliver very high-end performance wheels at a deep discount to retail.

One of our business goals is to give back to the cycling community. Williams sponsors as many top athletes as we possibly can. I personally get a tremendous enjoyment from helping these athletes achieve their personal and professional goals. Some 2008 highlights include:

Ken Hanson: Elite National Criterium Champion
Rachael Lloyd: 2008 USA Worlds Cyclo-cross Team
Amy Dombroski: 2008 U23 National Cyclo-cross Champion
Daniel Holloway: Double Stage Winner “Tour of Pennsylvania”
Sterling Magnell: 2nd overall, Superweek.
Adam Myerson: World Cup Cyclo-cross talent and Race Promoter

Williams will offer free neutral wheel support at over 30 races in 2009.

Williams will sponsor its first NRC level Elite Men’s team, Webcor / Alto Velo.

Williams wheel display booth will be all over the country in 2009.

One new addition to the Williams lineup will be a small grass roots Williams Factory Team located in the New England States and headed up by Rich Grant. Rich will manage a small team of 11 athletes racing for the love of the sport. These athletes will race at a variety of levels and plan to spread the word about Williams Wheels.

Look for new and exiting products coming out of our shop in 2009.

Thanks again and Happy Holidays,

Keith Williams
President
Williams Cycling

Rachel Lloyd 8th at first World Cup

Rachel races on our 38 full carbon tubulars


Her report
Hey everyone,

I just spent two hours writing a beautiful story about this past weekend. It ended up being more about our travels and adventures than the race, but alas when I went to send it off to all of you, it disappeared into wild blue yonder of the computer world. I do not think I can muster up the strength to re-write it, I am not a writer. The stories I write just flow and can not be re-created. I will try to hit on some highlights.

We managed to get a rental car with the help of Gert Van Mechelens Dad Jo (sounds like Yo.) on Friday. Packed our bags and checked the bikes over only to discover a cracked rim on one of my rear wheels, maybe from the flight over. Woke up Saturday morning at 5:30am and left the house by 6:30am. Despite our worries of getting lost we found our way to Montbéilard with no problems. We found our hotel with no problems, till they told us that the hotel was full and they had booked us at another hotel. Hotel La Balance. We found the hotel, checked in and headed out to the race course. Finding the course was a bit of a wild goose chase, we kept following the yellow Coupe de Monde UCI signs and closed gates. Finally we parked the car and I rode to the course, we could see it the whole time! I rode a couple laps, and could tell that it would be a thick muddy race the following day. After I finished riding on the roads around town, got changed and warmed up (Sam had thoughtfully brought hot chocolate) we went to the Permanance to pick up race numbers, pit passes and parking passes. That done we decided to skip the managers meeting and head back to our hotel. Once showered and warm we ventured out into the old town of Montbéliard to find some food. We soon discovered that you can not sit down to dinner before 7pm in France. So we decided to walk to the Christmas market that we had heard about. It was beautiful, the Christmas spirit was everywhere. Sam took lots of photos, there was an out door ice skating rink, lights lined the streets of Le Avenue de la Lumeier. There were market areas with vendors selling Crépes, vin chaud (hot mulled wine) and crafts and artisanal work. We bought a beautiful cutting board made from olive wood for the owners of the house we are staying at. The night was magical and I know I ended up walking around way more than was prudent for the night before a race, but this will most likely be my last season racing cross in Belgium so carpé diem! To make up for it all the walking I slept 12 hours. Sam woke me up at 9am so we would make it down to breakfast before they closed the doors. We checked out of the hotel at 11am and headed to the course in Nommay.

The race course: 250 meters paved start to a left hairpin turn to a 30 meter uphill stair section... steep hill with smooth round pieces of wood put into the hillside to make steps. It did not look good. I started on the 5th row and as I expected by the time we got to the stairs it was jammed up. Once to the top we got going and started passing girls. Georgia Gould was back with me and I figured we were around 30th position. The course was thick, slick mud with three good steep hillsides that were partially ride able. I worked my way into 8th place and stayed there. During the race I could hear that Katie and Hanka were racing for the win and that Georgia had made it into third place, which was truly amazing considering how far back she started. Katie ended up riding away from Hanka and I felt great finishing in 8th with an all time best finish at a World Cup. Today Sam,Gert and I spent the day walking around Antwerpen. Gert telling us ancient stories about the city and thoroughly entertaining us. Next up the World Cup in Zolder Belgium the day after Christmas.

Thanks for reading,

-Rachel

Lloyd 3rd at US Cyclo-cross Championships

That's right, our sponsored athlete Rachael Lloyd placed third at Cross Nats. Now, off to Belgium for some World Cups and the World Championships.

Her Race Summary:

Hi everyone,

I am writing this a bit late from Belgium. I spent Monday and much of
Tuesday flying over here and getting settled. So here`s a quick report of
the National Championship weekend, December 13 and 14:
Sam and I flew to Kansas City Friday. We built our bikes up and headed out
to the race course Saturday around 11am to warm up (for Sam`s race at 1) and
to check out the course. We kept hearing how muddy it had been the two days
before, but by the time we got on the course the track was fast and tacky!
The course started with a 300meter long paved stretch and then made a right
turn onto the grass. It basically then started climbing and winding its way
up the long hill to the top of the course where we encountered the first of
two stair sections, then back down the hill through fun fast turns and quick
chicanes. Back down at the bottom of the course we rode past the circus
tent and switched back at a double barrier section, climbed the hill a short
way and doubled back hitting the second short stair section. A couple more
turns and we hit the pavement for the drag race to the finish line. The
person who won this race would be the strongest competitor of the day, there
was no place to `fake it`out there! Much to my dismay, I had caught a cold
the day after returning home from Portland. I had not gotten better by race
day, so I was happy to be able to finish as high as I did. Katie Compton
showed us all why she won a World Cup two weekends ago winning this race in
a convincing fashion. Georgia and I hung on her wheel for one half of a
lap, and then she rode away from us. Georgia got about a 10 second gap on
me the first lap and basically held it for the race. I warmed up a bit
halfway into the race and started to catch her, but I just did not have the
power I needed in my legs to catch her.

The weather was kind of crazy, which I guess we should expect from Kansas,
the morning of our race it was 60° out and by 11am the temps had dropped
30°. By the start of our race I think it was 21° out with the winds a
blowin´ I do not remember what the wind chill was, but it was very cold. We
all were wearing full leg warmers, hats and long fingered gloves. I think
every ones fingers froze in the beginning of the race, one of the hardest
things to do was to shift and brake. So Katie Compton won for the 5th time
in a row, Georgia Gould took 2nd, and I placed 3rd.

Now off to Belgium!

I arrived here in Herentals Tuesday afternoon... well by the time that Gert
(my host) and his Dad Jo (sounds like Yo) had finished showing me around
town it was about 3:30pm (local time.) So of course the first thing I want
to do is build up my bike and go for a ride. Gert had made sure that I knew
how to get to a canal close by that was flat and straight and I wouldn`t be
able to get lost on. I built up one of my sweet Specialized cross bikes and
headed out... in the dark (well almost dark, it gets dark here at about
4:30pm.) I just rode for an hour to get my legs going and make myself feel
normal. Wednesday Gert offered to ride with me for a couple of hours and
show me some trails in the woods. We found much more than I expected!! We
found a dedicated cyclocross course!! Then we rode around, stopped by Jo´s
house, met Gert´s super cute nieces, and rode home. That was enough for
Gert, but I needed to get in some cross training. I headed back to the
course to do some hot laps and I found about 25 13-16 year old boys (and 2
girls) practicing on the course with their parents and coaches standing
around watching. I jumped in and did about 5laps (feeling great by the way)
and then rode home. Then I met up with Gert again and we drove to Brussels
to get Sam from the airport. After we got Sam we all headed to Gert´s
parents for some home cooked Belgian fare. Then finally back home to our
house in Herentals (Gert`s sisters house.) Today Sam and I finally went
grocery shopping, and did more exploring on our bikes. The days seem to
pass by so quickly here since it get´s dark so early. My cold seems like it
is on it´s way out, which is amazing considering how cold it is here and how
much time outside I have been spending. Tomorrow is a rest day, and then
Sam and I will drive to Nommay France on Saturday to prepare for the World
Cup race on Sunday.

Stay tuned for the next update after my first World Cup race of the season!

Thanks for reading,

-Rachel Lloyd

Our sponsored athletes are rockin' it at Nats

Amy Dombroski (Velo Bella-Kona) grabbed the hole shot and rode away from the field toward a second consecutive under-23 cyclocross title on Saturday at Kansas City.

The Durango, Colorado, rider was never seriously challenged in her title defense on day 3 of the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships, which saw temps in the 40s, a brisk wind and a comparatively dry course at Tiffany Springs Park. Ally Stacher (Lees-McRae College) took second with Ashley James (IS Corp.) third.

Amy Crossing the line

Cody Kaiser 5th in the 17-18 Junior Nats race. Cody is far right.Justin Robinson sprints for 5th in the 30-35 Master race.

More Stuff!

James Badia (Green) prototyping some secret cross wheels for 09.


My friend William Lau (in black) handing out a set of 30's to a lucky winner at his end of year cycling party.


Jeff killing it on the 58 tubulars in SoCal Masters cross. He won....again!

Adam Myerson Interview

Adam races on our 38mm carbon tubulars

Late September, an opportunity presented itself to add an athlete to my 2009 Cyclo-Cross sponsorship program. It’s like finding an extra present to handout at Christmas because it truly feels better to give than receive. So, in my excitement, I built my sponsor needs list:

1. Great Athlete


2. Respected by his peers


3. Involved in the sport beyond just showing up to race


4. A good person


5. Respects the needs of the sponsor


6. Consistently stays in touch with the sponsor via email or phone.


7. Offers constant feedback as to the performance of the product they are using

Well, after working through the above list, the choices were few and for me, one name rose to the top. This athlete is Adam Myerson, and this is his resume:

• Pro Cyclist


• Cycle Smart Founder and President


• Member of the UCI Cyclo-Cross Commission


• Management committee of the International Association of Cyclo-Cross Organizers (AIOC-Cross)


• President of the New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series


• Organizer of the Cycle-Smart International Cyclo-Cross, the oldest UCI event in North America.

You get my point here, this was a no brainer! Luckily, we hooked up and the rest is history.

Adam has exceeded my expectations as a sponsored athlete. His performance on the bike as been exceptional, his communication is great, his face time in front of the camera exposing Williams Wheels has been huge.

Who is the guy you ask? Well, I put a couple questions to him and here is his response.

1. Who is Adam Myerson?
Gah. This is really difficult. How about this: "I am large, I contain multitudes." - Walt Whitman, Song of Myself.

I have my hand in so many different things, who I am depends on who I'm talking to. Music? Cycling? Beer? Literature? Politics?

2. Tell us about your road career to date?
I started racing when I was 15, and got serious about it when I was 17. I became a cat. 1 when I was 19, and raced full-time as an amateur until I got married and semi-retired in 1998. I finally got the chance to turn pro in 2003 at the age of 30 for Sportsbook.com, and have been enjoying what I can only describe as a "second career" since then. In 2009 I'll be returning as the captain of the team formerly known as Time Pro Cycling.

3. I consider you one of the most important names in American Cyclo-Cross today. Tell us about your involvement in the sport?
Early in my racing career, I always had a sense of what I thought could be done better or differently, and unfortunately a compulsion to act on it. I organized my first 'cross race when I was 19 - it continues today as the Cycle-Smart International 18 years later, and is the oldest UCI race in North America. I was the collegiate national champion in 1997, and spent the winter in Europe in 1996-97 and 1999-2000. I've been the president of the Verge New England Cyclo-Cross Series since 2000, and am currently a member of the UCI Cyclo-Cross Commission, and on the management committee of the Association of International Cyclo-Cross Organizers. Sometimes I sleep, too.

4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Focused on my business, racing regionally for pleasure, and putting more effort into growing 'cross in New England as much as I do now nationally and internationally. I want to do more work where I live, in conjunction with what I'm doing on the national and international level. I would also really like to start writing more again, about cycling, perhaps about beer, but always about life through whatever tool I'm using to tell the tale.

Cody Kaiser - Anatomy of a Future Cyclocross Star.

A future cross star is born.

Cody Kaiser is one of those rare genetic freaks with a gift to fly. At the ripe old age of 17, Cody has turned many heads here in NorCal by consistently earning top 3 finishes in the elite men's category. It's very rare to find a young rider who has the complete package in cross...that being a big engine, skills and desire. Cal Giant made an intuitive choice by adding this young star to their roster. Cody has a legitimate shot at the Junior National Title in a couple weeks.

Williams is proud to offer Cody a full wheel sponsor in 09/10.

Cody Kaiser's team bike. Cody will be racing in Portland this weekend followed by Nationals and then off to Belgium for some mud caked fun.

Cody dominated the NorCal junior ranks in 2007.

Justin Robinson "The King"

Justin won the Nor Cal / Nevada State Cross Championships last week! Justin races for Cal Giant and rides Williams Wheels! Congrats Superstar!