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NCNCA Racing- October 9, CCCX Cyclocross #3, Prunedale
- October 8 – Sacramento CX Series #2
- October 1, CCCX Circuit Race Finale
- October 1 – Lion of Fairfax Cyclocross
Loader to Team Exergy
It’s a happy news Monday!
Photo by www.podiuminsight.com
Logan Loader, one of NCCN’s favorites, is joining Freddy Rodriguez on Team Exergy. Loader pinged us over the weekend to say he’s out with the team getting set up for the 2012 season. Loader is one of several NorCal racers who will be stepping into, or back into as the case may be, domestic UCI trade teams. Loader had several excellent performances through out the year and continued his season on the track down at Hellyer once his contracted races where up in order to stay sharp. Make sure to heckle him if he shows up at any cross races, and you can read NCCN’s coverage of Loader at out interview titled “The Legend of Logan Loader”
You had a great start with several local wins early in the season – how did you feel at the bigger NRC races you have participated in this spring?
I think overall the whole season has been mix of up and downs. If you look at Redlands and Gila, I’ve had a bit of bad luck that I feel isn’t really preventable, wether its flatting at the worst spot in a race, having a bit of illness, or flat out not feeling good. Then you look back at races like Callvillewhere I won the hardest stage, with alot of hard climbing, or getting 2nd at Merco stage 4 from a field sprint, and even a few of the time trials this year…. the fitness is obviously there. It’s a bit frustrating but overall I think the season has been good.
Day 1 & 2 Report from the 2011 US Track Natz – International Omnium
BY HERNANDO!
The 2011 US Track Championships were chock full of roaring crowds, record setting performances, and more than a little hair-pulling controversy to make it one of the more memorable editions in recent years.
Adam Duvendeck took over managing events at the ADT Home Depot Center for the 2011 National Championships and both athletes and spectators were praising the changes made by Duvendeck to the week’s training session schedules and community outreach efforts. With over 1200 fans jammed into the LA Velodrome on Saturday, the night showed that if you build it, they will come.
The US Championships began with the International Omnium – a grueling 2-day competition that tests the endurance, skill, and nerves of competitors. The women’s event saw the lead change hands between 4 different riders, as a field of top athletes battled it out over six events. With world silver medalist, Sarah Hammer as a late pull-out from the Omnium, the title was wide open and every racer in attendance was aggressive, hopeful, and risking for the win.
The early lead was taken by Care for Cycling’s Hanan Alves-Hyde as she scorched a 15.2 Flying Lap on the 250m indoor facility. The International Omnium is a true all-arounder’s test of speed, abiity,and endurance – exhibited in that Alves-Hyde’s flying lap time would have translated into a top-3 of the Match Sprint specialists’ 200m qualifying time trials.
The next event was the Points Race, an event that showcases the endurance and tactics of the mass start heroes. Colavita’s Lauren Hall had a spectacular showing, taking the race over Beth Newell (Bell Lap Racing) by a slim 1 point margin in an attacking, tactical, and tense final 10 laps. Standout performances were put in by Cog Racing teammates Neva Day and Lana Atchley, with each taking long-bomber solo-efforts to rile up the crowds and put the favorites on the defensive. It was a good display of teamwork and guts.
The final event of Day 1 was the Miss-n-Out, arguably the most stressful, challenging event in all of track racing. Leading the overall standings after the first 2 events was the consistent and experienced, Jen Triplett. In a Miss-n-Out, or “Elimination Race,” the last rider on every other lap of a 250meter track is pulled, causing gut-tightening sprints from riders in the back of the pack and lung-busting efforts from those on the front. It’s like a full-throttle crit finish every 40 seconds.
Beth Newell would take command of the pace setting early as riders were eliminated sprint after sprint. Shelby Reynolds (Sugar Cycles), hands-down one of the best position riders in the US, woud put in an extraordinary performance in the Miss-n-Out even though she was suffering food poisoning from the night before. Hanan Alves-Hyde would be pulled early, dropping her down the overall standings, then Jen Triplett would be pipped by the tacticians Reynolds and Hayduk … and then it would be Beth Newell popped by a fantastic surge led by Lauren Hall. Hall would put in two more superb sprints, eliminating first Reynolds, and then Hayduck for the win. The Colavita/Forno D’Asolo rider would take the overall lead and all the momentum going into Day 2 of the Omnium.
For the Men, Day 1 would see a battle between defending champion Bobby Lea (Pure Energy Cycling) and track legend Jame Carney. Carney is the head of the Care-for-Cycling team and swaps duties between manager, athlete, and coach as only a man who’s been in the sport for a couple decades can. Lea is the beast on the block, the one-man wrecking crew, the TrexlerTown Terror … it was going to be a great battle to watch.
The flying lap was taken by Lea, giving him a strong advantage to play with as the Omnium progressed. The Points Race was a slugfest where every rider in the field would unload all reserves, with relentless speeds and debilitating sprints. But it would be an awe-inspiring late race lapping effort by Cody O’Reilly that would send the crowd into a frenzy. The move was elegant and supremely strategic, and move O’Reilly into 2nd overall behind Lea.
But the Elimination was to come, and that race is the devastator of hopes and crusher of aspirations. The pace was ferocious and the tactics cut-throat from the gun, as riders were pinned at 30+mph lap after lap. With elbows bumping and lungs burning, man after man would fall victim to the pace and positioning.
Carney was the maestro, you could see him mentally orchestrating which rider would be pulled next from the race as he floated in and out of the pack. But another rider displaying incredible heart and skill was Kit Karzen. 5th in the Flying Lap, and 6th in the Points Race, Karzen was skirting with the podium and would improve his position with a solid 3rd place in the Elimination after being just nipped by Carney and Lea in the final few laps. It was a huge ride from Karzen, and he would best sum up the rollercoaster of emotions the International Omnium puts you through, remarking how the event makes him, “hate my life, love my life, hate my life.”
At the end of Day 1, Lea was ahead of Carney by 3, with O’Reilly just behind and a host of other riders within striking distance of the podium. Day 2 of the Omnium would see riders contesting the Individual Pursuit, the Scratch Race, and the Time Trial (500m for the women, 1000m for the men).
Lea would assert himself again in the IP, crushing the field and taking a commanding lead in the Omnium standings. For the women, Beth Newell would take the Pursuit win over Lauren Hall by a scant 1.7 seconds back, setting up a very tight battle over the final two events between those two.
The women’s Scratch Race was won by Newell via a scorching late race effort that saw her shadow the tail end of the pack with 2 laps to go. The sprint for second would be led out by Lauren Hall, but a spectacular sprint put in by 18-year old Ruth Winder (HDR/Lombardi Sports) would see her placing second in the event.
The mens’ Scratch Race would be won by Lea in a 3-up sprint with Kit Karzen and Jame Carney. Karzen was very, very close to coming over the top of Lea to win the event, but the Trexler man was possessed and would not be denied. With the Scratch win, Lea clinched the overall Omnium title with only the Kilometer event remaining.
The final event of the Omnium was a battle for the rest of the podium, as Lea is a dominant kilo rider and asserted it again with a winning time of 1.05.9. But the race for the silver medal was between O’Reilly and Carney, with Carney taking it in a tie separated by accumulated time from all of the TT events. O’Reilly would take the bronze, Charles Huff (Jelly Belly) would take 4th, and Kit Karzen would remain on the podium for 5th.
The women’s 500m would be convincingly won by Mandy Marquardt with a very strong 37.9, but Newell would do enough to win the overall title ahead of Lauren Hall, Colleen Hayduk, Jen Triplett, and Hanan Alves-Hyde.
Complete Results: https://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?permit=2011-182
CCCX Launches the NCNCA ‘Cross Season
Fort Ord
10 September 2011
Cyclocross season has begun…and now in the NCNCA with Saturday’s CCCX event at Fort Ord. The course was replete with everything needed for ‘cross racing except for the absence of rain and mud. It’s still September and dry and dusty were good enough.
Mark Fitzsimmons (Family Cycling Center) launches over the log barrier as CCCX launches the NCNCA 2011 'cross season
The Elite Women’s race was contested between Devon Gory (Team Rambuski Law) and Stella Carey (HRS/Bay 101/Rocklobster) including some uncompromising defense of position by Gory. On an early lap, Carey made an attempt at the top of the hill to take over first place with Gory unwilling to yield and both racers then going side-by-side on single track. Gory went on to a narrow win over Carey, Katheryn Mattis (Webcor/Alto Velo) coming in third. Trina Baumsteiger (Team Rambuski Law) and Josie Jaques-Maynes (CalGiant) placing fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Elite Men’s race was more or less controlled by Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling) for his dominant win. A battle for second took place later in the race between HRS/Bay 101/Rocklobster racers Scott Chapin and Aaron Bradford…Chapin finally taking the second step over his new teammate. Cody Kaiser (CalGiant/Specialized) and Burbank’s Chris Jackson (Team Rambuski Law) rounded put the five-place podium.
Next up for ‘cross racers is the Fosom Cyclebration (17 September) plus the season opener of the Sacramento Cyclocross Series at the Cyclery Compound on 24 September. The next CCCX at Fort Ord is 24 September.
Winters & Vacaville
Winters RR
The men’s race was won by a resurgent Marc-Pro Strava who have been falling just a few feet short in the last few Cal Cup races. Marc-Pro Strava’s Keith Hillier won the 96 mile slug fest out of a break of six, a break which saw several casualties that last lap. (Thanks to for the men’s updates.)
The women’s race was won by Touchstone’s Marley Smith who won a two up sprint from Metromint’s Jane Robertson. Metromint jammed up the chase pretty good and was able to take 3rd and 4th ahead of Webcor’s Mary Marron. The pack got some pro tutelage from Giana Roberge who gave the field some choice feedback on how to ride hard. Once a boss, always a boss.
Vacaville RR
The women’s race saw a stacked field with the Cal Cup and Prestige series contenders show up to square off against big guns like Olivia Dillon (Peanut Butter 2012) and Katheryn Curi Mattis (Webcor). Despite some aggressive riding by Red Racing, Webcor, and Susannah Breen (Fremont Bank Cycling), the race came down to a field sprint which was led out and subsequently won by Olivia Dillon how put the hammer down in the final corner and was able to hold off Katheryn Curi Mattis (2nd) and Jane Robertson (3rd.) Robertson has to be looking good for a run at Jane Despas’s Cal Cup lead after two podiums in two days.
By the time the men’s race rolled around the Central Valley heat kicked in and the boys mind games started before the race. Rand Miller set up a pre-race kiss for Evan Huffman in an attempt to throw him off his game. Despite the head games both Miller and Huffman threw down with some efforts at the front, but it was James Mattis (Cal Giant) and Justin Rossi (Marc-Pro Strava) who managed to make their break stick to the finish. Mattis took the win over Rossi, which begs the question… have James Mattis and his wife KCM turned into NorCal’s best hope to beat the SoCal Crit Monkees at their own game? Thanks to and who tag teamed tweets from the race making the coverage as thorough as what we were getting from the Colorado Pro Dork Fan Fest. (Which was great twitter coverage provided by i might add.)
Cal Cup Get’s Cool
Back to back road races is a tough weekend for any rider but with San Ardo RR and University RR on tap this last weekend NorCal riders had their work cut out for them. Usually the biggest hazards of these races are the King City cops (San Ardo), and the coastal fog (University) but the dominators of the Cal Cup series emerged in earnest to lay down the law and let the pack know who is in charge. provided some live coverage, color commentary, and results after the races so better log in to Twitter and look her up for the play by play.
Men
Evan Huffman dominated the weekend with win’s at both races. Cal Giant posted a prompt article on their site if you want to get the blow by blow from what might be the best team in NorCal. Huffman won both races by making a small selection of riders and using a combination of both strength and brains walked away with the equivalent of Cal Cup black jack. Huffman followed the right attack at San Ardo and then solo’d away from his break companion for the win. Huffman was unable to loose his University break-mate, our old friend The Fireman -Justin Rossi, and had to play the long game in order to out smart The Fireman in a sprint finish. Huffman has been on fire the last two months after placing well at Cascade, so the next few Cal Cup races should produce some serious fireworks.
Women
I no not have an update on San Ardo women’s race yet, looks like another Metromint win though the USA Cycling results show that Red Racing threw down with a full seven rider squad and put Christine Riker on the top step. Until I did up details you will have to satisfy yourself with a first hand account on the University RR from Annie Fulton, who won this leg buster with a long, hour plus, effort off of the front.
My teammates and I started attacking from the first climb. Rikke got away for a few laps, and I counterattacked when she was reeled in on lap 5. A British rider from Stanford tried to come with me but couldn’t stay on my wheel during the climbs, so I decided the next lap to go on without her. I put in a few hard laps, but throttled back a bit when I heard that I had 3 min on the field and growing. I ended up finishing over 5 min ahead of the field.
Fulton has developed into a tough little rider over the last few years showing her metal in the late season, hard and hilly, NorCal races. Despite having a full complement of riders Webcor failed to reel her in, and Cal Cup favorites Jane Despas (Yahoo) and Susannah Breen (Fremont Bank) also came up short against the Fulton Freight Train
Of course I still have no idea on Cal Cup standings but by his own reckoning Evan Huffman is in the lead in the Men’s Category and I assume Jane Despas and Annie Fulton are going head to head in the women’s Category.