It'S 11 A.M. on a hazy California Sunday, and the team is getting ready for the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. The old blue Volvo they're sitting in is a far cry from the fancy buses and fleets of team cars that follow bicycle racers in the Tour de France. Still, Manhattan Beach, a small town just south of Los Angeles, hosts one of the biggest races on the West Coast, and the four guys set to start-two Americans, u Slovenian, and an Australian-are in serious prep mode. As the team's mechanic pumps tires and adjusts brakes, the racers test their radios and pull on jerseys emblazoned with sponsor brands. The rituals are familiar. These guys compete dozens of times every year across the country and around the world. Today's race isn't particularly long, but preparing carefully is a way to quiet any jangly nerves.
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