NorCal Cycling News

from el pedro ~

Thanks for the support of the Santa Rosa races. We did our first at the brand new, radical course and it was a huge success. For a quick and easy blog post….Here are some quotes about the race and if you could post the course jpg or pdf in the blog post people can see how awesome the course design is. no 4 corner business park shite here. The rad news is that the TNT’s are alive and well, two weeks remaining, we’d love to see some Marin/Napa/SF and East Bay riders trek up for the best training crit in the Bay….  in 2010 we’re likely to have racing every Tuesday between April and August!

Pedro

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Wanna challenge yourself the next two Tuesdays… check it out… Santa Rosa is the place to be!

http://www.tuesdaynighttwilights.com/TNT.html

From 101 N, take the Hwy 12 exit east toward Sonoma and then the first exit (Downtown, E Street). Continue on Bennett Valley Road past the Fairgrounds and make a right on Brookwood.  Parking is a right turn at the first gate off Brookwood Avenue, just south of Bennett Valley Road. Reg. is on Magnolia Avenue in front of the craft building.

Flyer: http://www.tuesdaynighttwilights.com/TNT_files/2009%20TUESDAY%20NIGHT%20TWILIGHTS%20FAIRGROUNDS_1.pdf

What did the racers say after week 1? Two weeks left, get your crit scum on!!!

• “I didn’t know who to send feedback to on the Tuesday Night Twilight race last night but I enjoyed myself! It was a blast! All the corners and craziness, with a few of these races, my bike riding skills would go up a couple of notches. I don’t know what it was, but I liked the fact that was a much higher pace than our usual Tuesday Night pace. It did not seem so “typical.”  I rode the 4/5 race and can usually hang in in both that and the 3/4 but I was done after the first race (got dropped three laps into the 3/4 race). Believe it or not I enjoyed it. I will have to train harder if we stay at the Fairgrounds and that can not be a bad thing:)”
• Challenging course, great workout.  I’ll be back, this course does not reward the wheel suckers!

• I loved the final sweeping corner, it’s after the second technical chicane and if you aren’t on a wheel when you hit the final S/F headwind stretch, you are in trouble. It was great to see the one effort by the Colavita rider with such a big gap out of the last corner go for the win only to find out that uphill, headwind finishes are Looonnggggg. Most of the gaps went in back stretch, tail wind after the first chicane… fast, fast, fast. Not a single field spring in 4 races, when was the last time you saw that?
• It is way better than corporate center.  It allows for breaks and it is more technical and challenging with the hill.  So what there are a couple of  bumps. I think it allows for more strategic riding as well as power coming up into that head wind.  Especially on final lap for those who think they can sprint from the corner. 
• Dips can be smooth when angled correctly and the apex of your turn sets you up to transition smoothly across them.

• Kudo’s to all who volunteered, organized, and basically made the TNT’s continue on. The chicane around Haehl Pavillion helps control the speeds and set up for the sweet sweeping final corner. This is a great technical course that makes you pay attention to breaks. Riders can easily escape off the front with all the buildings for cover. Great job and hopefully word spreads for more racers!

•  It’s challenging and hard and rewards fitness.  A few bumps keep you honest.  The 1/2/3 race was so enjoyable, probably b/c it’s faster and smoother and there are skilled riders out there than in the 3/4 race. No one can stick their nose where there isn’t any room.

• The course was a gas and I was just that…….gassed ! Really though, I liked it. Not for the feint of heart and no hanging on at the back waiting for the final sprint. Lot’s of opportunities to show off your cornering skills and if you race this course you’ll improve your bike handling skills and fitness in no time!