NorCal Cycling News

presenta …

ms erica allar

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yeah … i’ve no idea why i find myself following women’s cycling.

hmmpf … just can’t pin point it…

Ina Teutenberg is just a block of sexy on a bike.

just thought i’d mention that.

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The gig with VanderKitten started with a Tulsa Tough weekend of crits and a wicked cash grab of $150K. It was good, small town NRC racing where all the squads aren’t full, but the combined sharpness of the riders make a fast, furious bit of racing.

A lot of NorCal riders were in effect ~ Shelley Olds (my coach for next year) raked in all kind of bank for her podiums throughout; and the Fraga-nator’s BPG crew were out there kickin it wild with Jeska making fun of them every chance she could (though i didn’t get to catch up with them too much as there was movement in and out of storm situations for all the races … including Jeska seeing a wheel float away from the pit).

The VK riders performed well in Tulsa, scratching some good bucks in the bank and setting the stage for a productive week of Philly prep. The Triple Crown this year was Allentown, Reading, and then Philly. Each race was epic in its own way. Philly was the big show, obviously … and what a smashing success it was. In no way would i say that Philly underperformed this year. I can’t wait to go back.

Allentown started the week … with a sick-crazy course - far too little course marshal’d making me puckered up in worry most the day - but chock full of heated bodies scorching for more speed and curtain calls. All the big hitters were there … and it seemed everyone wanted to blow out the travel in their legs and get in that one good wammer of a workout before Philly.

Lizzer went smoothly into the break midway through the race. It was a very, very good break, but the course was demanding and the field never really let up as a lot of teams were left out of the move. InaT ripped the break in half and only VanGilder and Powers could stick with her. Behind, the rest of the break rode hard to stay away, but would get absorbed with 2 laps to go. Even out there all that time, Lizzer tried to leadout Sanborn for the sprint.

Good beginnings.

Reading was different. Reading was a more established venue and had more crowd control and … pressure. With the longer circuit of 1.8 miles … it was very difficult to remain in contact with the racers. But, our goal was simple … do what it took to keep all four of our starters at the front of the race and in the race. We needed to establish ourselves as riders deserving space in the peloton.

And we did.

Reading was a pure attrition fest. Midway through the race, the field had been decimated in half by the combined powers of all the big NRC squads - Cheerwine, Colavita, Cervelo, Aarons, Tibco, VAC, and of course … the Ina.

And we had all four of our VK riders in the lead group … which was incredibly satisfying. The break went up the road with Ina, Armstrong for Cervelo, VanGilder, Powers for Colavita, and Kiesanowski for Tibco. The powerful break hovered between 10-30 seconds most the race … with VAC doing a ton of work at the front. I asked VK rider Flavia Oliveira to work at the front as well, but only as much as she was comfortable with because I still wanted her finishing in that lead group. Liz Hatch heard the call and signaled that she was feeling the heat and would use up her matches in the chase with Flavial, making the excellent decision that her energies could be used better there and leaving Wilson to protect Sanborn in the sprint.

It worked magically. We had a break of 5 up the road … the perfect break for us because they were all big champions and deserved the highlight. We VK had a chance to show ourselves in the chase as a team that would contribute, but also seek out our own results. So, we split our resources into 2 riders assisting in the chase, while big future powerhouse JenWilson took charge of leading out our rider for the Triple Crown, Melissa Sanborn.

Earlier in the race, Sanbo had flatted her tubie and squirked a good line through the final corner to keep it safe and managable. I saw her coming in and told her to relax and head over to the pit with no worries. On such a long circuit as Reading … getting a flat at just the right time can work magic for the recoveries. Hey, it’s not cheating - because the gods call down flats under 5-laps to go MORE than they do with a dozen remaining, trust me. So, soaking in the good karma of a perfectly timed flat is … nothing to feel too much guilt about.

Unless you run out of karma.

Which, we did. The MAVIC neutral support gave Sanbo a wheel COMPLETELY OUT OF TRUE! Shit on a shingle, Sanbo had her breaks rubbing the entire finale of the race … a race she could have tested out her legs against none other than Tina ‘the empress’ Pic.

I was livid. It irks me when something like that takes a result away from a rider (and program), but still … it’s bike racing and part of the game. Another one of the many things that make bike riding so sweet … because eventually you’ll get on top of that gear and feel the rush of meeting the speed of your true potential.

Can’t wait for more!

game on.

Longo to race (win) Mt. Hood.

Flavia to be a factor in criterium. I called Touchstone’s Jill McLaughlin on the podium from the field sprint last year when KatCarroll and KatMactier were away for the win.

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this year, i think Flavia shows herself exceptionally well there.

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Longo … on the pedals again in the US.

cool

Hey Folks … i know this has snuck up on us all …

But KERN COUNTY is up and running this weekend. There’s still time to reg on-line if you want.

A bunch of us guys have worked support for this event the past couple years and are planning to rip it up solid again for this edition. You crazy-ass femmes who show up will get COLD WATER feeds in all the races, cheering sections of scantily clad boys, and the always crowd pleasing awards ceremonies where nobody leaves without a trinket or two.

What a time, what a time.

Now, it’s true the flyer out doesn’t have all the best directions available - but trust me, if you show up for the Friday Time Trial … there will be a detailed (a … Lieboldian detailed) race bible that will give all the information needed for the weekend’s events.

This year’s courses are looking good and I can’t wait to head out there to do some serious rah-rah’ing and heckling of my favorites.

Give a shout out if you’re headed over … it’s one of the most epic events you’ll do in your lifetime. And, the finishing ratio is in the 95+ percentiles … and trust me, if you finish this thing ~ you’ll be changed as a rider.

there’s child birth,

and then there’s Kern.

the shit that makes women tougher than us boys.

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see you there,
~m

Beth Blogs Badass.

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it’s all about quality trumping quantity.

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i feel old now. just not 45-years old!

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but, if there were ever another reason to look forward to the 45+ upgrade …

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what can i say, talented chicks are hot ~

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One is Goldi JacquesMaynes ~ the new sports chiro in town. She’s been keeping me straight and doing her best to mitigate the damage i seem intent on doing to myself.

I didn’t have a lot of experience with chiro work, but that’s only part of the gig she’s got going on. She worked the circuit with the Sierra Nevada pro team and KNOWS the cyclist’s body. Well, that and she’s married to BenJM … so, i think there’s some anatomy lessons always brushed up on, if you know what i mean.

She’s got some cool therapy she zapped me with and really did relax my neck/shoulders and lower back. I was impressed and book in with her as i can to keep me straight.

For any in the Monterey area, she’s pretty close to the freeway in downtown Watsonville. And the drive isn’t bad from the sCruz, either. Check her out if you want someone who can diagnose and solve bio-mechanic issues.

Goldi Jacques-Maynes, D.C.
Golden Chiropractic
563 Auto Center Dr. Ste 101
Watsonville, CA 95076
Phone: (831) 761-2212
Fax: (831) 761-5490
www.goldenchiro.net

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Second is that little pocket rocket Shelley Olds ~ who’s throttled up her coaching services and i think i might have to take her up on it. She’s teamed with Dario at Whole Athlete … an outfit i’ve nothing but respect for. Good solid group, that one.

Shelley’s well-educated in sports sci, she races at the world-class level in road, track, cyclocross (all in one year, yo) ~ AND, she came from another sport (soccer), so has an open-mind into exploring the demands of the bike and how to peak big, and run consistently strong.

Honestly, after hearing both her and her man RobEvans talk about training … it sort of made me hate them both a little bit.

you can’t be that young and stylish and still have brains.

it’s just not fair.