Sacramento Bee – by James Raia – Santa Rosa.—After riding and crashing and periodically winning bike races around the globe for a decade, Tom Danielson had had enough. He realized he’d likely do better if he could see where he was pedaling.

So about 11/2 years ago, Danielson had the lenses in his eyes replaced.

“I kept putting it off year after year, and while not really knowing how important it was,” said Danielson, the Colorado rider who will be among the overall favorites in the Amgen Tour of California that begins Sunday. “Looking back on it, it’s definitely a life-changing experience. It’s enabled me to see really well in every condition. That’s something I never really had before.”

Denver, Colo.—Tom Danielson, Garmin-Barracuda pro rider, will host the Colorado High School Cycling League CycleFest fundraising dinner Saturday, May 5, in Denver. Funding is critically important to help the Colorado League finance its work of providing mountain biking opportunities for high school students.

The annual CycleFest Weekend includes a dinner and auction on Saturday, May 5, at Ponti Hall in the Denver Art Museum. On Sunday, May 6, the very personable Tommy D will host a bike ride and lunch at Pasta Vino Boulder.

Danielson was the top American in the 2011 Tour De France and placed 4th in the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge. He holds records for the Mount Evans and Mount Washington hill climbs and was a collegiate champion while attending Fort Lewis College in Durango, helping establish a cycling scholarship there, and advocated for the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge to hold a stage in Durango.

Tom is a devoted ambassador for youth cycling and said, “I think mountain biking is a great platform to get into the sport of cycling. Programs like the Colorado High School Cycling League are huge for the future of the sport. I’m thrilled to support its fundraising efforts to increase access to the sport of mountain biking for more kids.”

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