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Amid all the hoopla surrounding Sunday's opening stage of the Amgen Tour of California, one behind-the-scenes story says a lot about some of the folks organizing what expects to be one serious cycling celebration in Nevada City.
Connor Ellison's story, first shared by the Sacramento Bee earlier this month, is ride through the hellish nightmare the 12-year-old Folsom native had lived since being diagnosed with a rare liver disease at the age of 8.
Connor's battle with liver fibrosis is also an inspiring one, as the young man got back on his bike just five weeks after undergoing surgery that reroutes blood flow to his kidney, away from his liver. He has resumed his training, riding 200 miles a week, in order to become the youngest racer ever to complete the 3,000-mile Race Across America in June.
Not surprising, Connor's hero is Lance Armstrong, who overcame a major medical condition of his own, as a cancer survivor, and went on to win seven consecutive Tour de France titles.
“Every time he has the opportunity to prove to himself that he's strong and capable, he takes it,” his mother, Tiffany Ellison, said in a prepared statement. “This is his therapy — it's his way of dealing with having a liver disease, to do the impossible, to do the things that other people say you can't do … and every time he does it, he proves to himself that ‘Yes, I am normal.'”
While he seeks a sense of normalcy, Connor won't be treated like a normal cycling fan this weekend. Thanks to folks like local race coordinator Duane Strawser, the young man will be getting treated as a legitimate VIP at the Tour of California.
Strawser said while he's still hoping to help Connor meet his hero, the young man already has secured a seat in one of the VIP Amgen race vehicles — Strawser's own seat, no less — and also will attend Sunday night's after-race VIP dinner in Sacramento.
As he continues to press on with his training, Connor is hoping to inspire others to join his cause. As an ambassador for organ and tissue donation, he's encouraging people to become donors.
“We hope that Connor's journey will motivate Americans to sign up to become organ and tissue donors,” said his father, Jared Ellison. “I can't imagine if you put a face to the cause, how you could not want to help. It's about giving life — to dreams.”
To follow Connor's progress visit the Web site ConnorsJourney.com or to obtain more information on organ and tissue donation visit www.DonateLifeCalifornia.org.
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Sunday's TV coverage of the Tour of California's opening stage won't begin until 2 p.m. on VERSUS, even though the race starts at 11:45 a.m. in Nevada City.
That's likely to mean VERSUS will pick up the live coverage as the peloton makes its way through Gold Country to Sacramento, with a taped look back at the Nevada City start. According to a pre-race stage log, the cyclists will likely be just entering Sacramento County on Grant Line Road at the start of the VERSUS coverage.
But once the cyclists leave town, folks on hand in downtown Nevada City will be able to follow the action on a Jumbotron that Strawser said is being arranged by local broadcast and professional solutions supplier Grass Valley.
Fans can also follow the race with the Tour-Tracker feature at www.AmgenTourOfCalifornia.com, until VERSUS picks up coverage later in the day.
Contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton via e-mail at bhamilton@theunion.com or by phone at 477-4240.
Connor Ellison's story, first shared by the Sacramento Bee earlier this month, is ride through the hellish nightmare the 12-year-old Folsom native had lived since being diagnosed with a rare liver disease at the age of 8.
Connor's battle with liver fibrosis is also an inspiring one, as the young man got back on his bike just five weeks after undergoing surgery that reroutes blood flow to his kidney, away from his liver. He has resumed his training, riding 200 miles a week, in order to become the youngest racer ever to complete the 3,000-mile Race Across America in June.
Not surprising, Connor's hero is Lance Armstrong, who overcame a major medical condition of his own, as a cancer survivor, and went on to win seven consecutive Tour de France titles.
“Every time he has the opportunity to prove to himself that he's strong and capable, he takes it,” his mother, Tiffany Ellison, said in a prepared statement. “This is his therapy — it's his way of dealing with having a liver disease, to do the impossible, to do the things that other people say you can't do … and every time he does it, he proves to himself that ‘Yes, I am normal.'”
While he seeks a sense of normalcy, Connor won't be treated like a normal cycling fan this weekend. Thanks to folks like local race coordinator Duane Strawser, the young man will be getting treated as a legitimate VIP at the Tour of California.
Strawser said while he's still hoping to help Connor meet his hero, the young man already has secured a seat in one of the VIP Amgen race vehicles — Strawser's own seat, no less — and also will attend Sunday night's after-race VIP dinner in Sacramento.
As he continues to press on with his training, Connor is hoping to inspire others to join his cause. As an ambassador for organ and tissue donation, he's encouraging people to become donors.
“We hope that Connor's journey will motivate Americans to sign up to become organ and tissue donors,” said his father, Jared Ellison. “I can't imagine if you put a face to the cause, how you could not want to help. It's about giving life — to dreams.”
To follow Connor's progress visit the Web site ConnorsJourney.com or to obtain more information on organ and tissue donation visit www.DonateLifeCalifornia.org.
— — —
Sunday's TV coverage of the Tour of California's opening stage won't begin until 2 p.m. on VERSUS, even though the race starts at 11:45 a.m. in Nevada City.
That's likely to mean VERSUS will pick up the live coverage as the peloton makes its way through Gold Country to Sacramento, with a taped look back at the Nevada City start. According to a pre-race stage log, the cyclists will likely be just entering Sacramento County on Grant Line Road at the start of the VERSUS coverage.
But once the cyclists leave town, folks on hand in downtown Nevada City will be able to follow the action on a Jumbotron that Strawser said is being arranged by local broadcast and professional solutions supplier Grass Valley.
Fans can also follow the race with the Tour-Tracker feature at www.AmgenTourOfCalifornia.com, until VERSUS picks up coverage later in the day.
Contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton via e-mail at bhamilton@theunion.com or by phone at 477-4240.
