49) American SHEILA TAORMINA, who won a swimming gold in 1996 and represented the U.S. in triathlon in 2000 and 2004, made history by becoming the first woman to qualify for the Olympics in three different sports. Her 2008 choice? The modern pentathlon—swimming, running, shooting, fencing, and equestrian jumping. She finished 19th—not bad considering just three years ago she'd never shot a gun, held a sword, or ridden a horse.

OUTSIDER #1
48) Andrea Estevam
Outside Brazil editorial director and semi-pro adventure racer ANDREA ESTEVAM, who on August 29 completed the 62-mile Courmayeur Champex Chamonix ultramarathon on the slopes of Europe's Mont Blanc. The São Paulo resident trained for the race, which included 18,000 feet of climbing, in just eight weeks, supplementing six runs per week through the sprawling city with StairMaster, plyometrics, and weight work. Yes, guys, she's real.

47) Ballsiest marketing language of the year: "Proper mainTAINTenance of the perineal area is essential during high-level training and racing." —American pro cyclist Dave Zabriskie, on his new chamois cream, DZNUTS ("deez nuts"). dz-nuts.com

46–45) In a rare case of the testers being a step ahead of the cheats, Italy's Riccardo Riccò got nailed at the Tour de France for a previously unknown drug called Micera. It turned out that pharmaceutical giant ROCHE cooperated with the WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY while developing the blood-booster, giving authorities time to create a test ahead of time.

44) Bike commuters and odd-hour cyclists, pray your town gets a TREK STOP. The experimental vending machine/repair stand, which went up in June in Madison, Wisconsin, offers round-the-clock access to essentials like air, tubes, lube, bottles, and water.

43) Punk rock, tattoos, and carnage: The Olympic co-opting of the X Games and the Dew Tour continued with the spectacular debut of BMX. Next up: skateboarding. Seriously.

42) Let's have a round of applause for TORONTO POLICE for arresting used-bike-shop owner Igor Kenk, who had 2,865 (2,865!) stolen bikes, stored in locations throughout the city. Then again, why did it take them so long to find a guy sitting on nearly 3,000 bikes?

41) Last April, freeskiing phenom SIMON DUMONT hit a 38-foot-tall ramp at 55 mph and soared 73 feet into the air (as high as a seven-story building) to shatter the world record for highest air off a quarterpipe. And he did it in good style, adding a 900 spin in midair, just for kicks.

40) Americans are on pace to drive 90 billion fewer miles this year than last. True, it has more to do with gas prices than planet-first thinking, but we'll take 50 MILLION FEWER TONS OF CO₂ in the atmosphere however we can get it.