BRIEFLY IN BUSINESS

Cycling superstars visit local shop

There was a meeting of bicycle titans when winner of the 2006 Tour de France Floyd Landis and Italian bicycle designer Dario Pegoretti met at the Laguna Cyclery Wednesday.

Patrick Fetzer, owner of bicycle shop Laguna Cyclery, said Pegoretti was surprised to find the famed winner of the biggest competition in cycling there to meet him.

Fetzer said Pegoretti designs high-end designer bicycles popular with in Hollywood and with politicians, but not generally used for racing.

Fetzer said Landis had been given a Pegoretti bicycle as a gift and liked it so much that he wanted to come meet its maker. Landis presented Pegoretti with a replica of the yellow jersey he earned as the winner of the Tour de France.

Lance Armstrong had Landis as a part of his team during five of his seven wins. Landis took first place in 2006, the year after Armstrong retired from racing, giving Americans eight consecutive Tour de France wins.

“Eight Americans in a row, it’s driving the French crazy,” Fetzer said.

Fetzer said Pegoretti was honored to have such a highly regarded cyclist riding one of his bicycles and offered to build Landis a custom frame.

“It was exciting to see Dario measuring Floyd for a bicycle,” Fetzer said.

Furniture firm helps charity event

Modern Studio Furnishings is helping with the Athletes First Classic 2007 benefiting Orange Wood Pals. Modern Studio Furnishings will be creating a crème suede signature chaise lounge and sectional seating with a warm glow from light panels that will adorn the green room.

A chaise has been made especially for the celebrities to sign as they have done recently at the Billboard Awards & Golden Globes. The chaise then will go up for auction coupled with a $10,000 design service certificate which features furnishings with full consultation and space planning with our in-house designers.

The Athletes First Classic 2007 will be held Monday at The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point.

Modern Studio Furnishings is located at 290 Broadway Laguna Beach. For more information, contact (949) 376-0103 or modernstudiofurnishings.com