More Podium Pictures CCCX Manzanita Park

Brent The Elder

CCCX V

Although this isn't the first rainy race of the season, it was the first rainy race that wen off without a hitch. The CCCX crew headed by Rod and Keith are so dialed at putting on races now that all other series are going to have to up their game in many ways. Even though the wind was blowing and the rain was coming down, the turnout was good and the racing was epic. Throughout the day it would become clear who were the strong and who were the lucky. If you were both, you had an excellent day.

It will be a day or so before all the placings are available but I can speak of some that I witnessed. In the 35 A group Alex Work rode to 3rd place in a field that contained several past national champions. Alex has really found his spot in this group and is always up at the front.
Stella Carey rode to 5th place in the women's A event and immediately after that race went on to the single speed A event where she got a smashing 3rd place. Sometimes one race isn't enough.

I'm not sure where Katie Jay Melina finished in the women's A race but one look at this photo and you get what riding in these conditions is all about.
The start of the men's A race was dominated by our team up front . Only one rider, Aaron Bradford was able to beat our best. Josh snead and Scott Chapin rode to 2nd and 3rd with Dave Wyandt coming in not far behind. Ben Dodge had a good race as well at or near the top ten.
This photo will be the unofficial team podium shot as the actual podium for the mens event was scratched-too much rain, not enough spectators. At the end of the day, this is what you get ! In other races the placings are coming soon, as well as other photos.

Festival of flat tires

Pilarcitos season opening race could not have had a better buildup; New course, lots of riders and rain ! The actual race was not the outcome that anyone expected or wanted, for the most part. As many as 1/3 of participants suffered flatted or even destroyed tires......figure about 200 tires at $ 100 each for the tubulars-$ 20,000 in ruined or damaged racing tires. This course had so many sharp rocks on it that it was as if the race was strewn with broken glass. Folks on our team affected by flats: Stella Carey, Mark Howland, Tim Watson, Josh Snead, Aaron Odell, Scott Chapin, Katie Jay Melina, Benoit Dubuisson, Dave Wyandt, Kevin Crossley, Brett Lambert , Aaron Kereluk, Dean Poshard. Happy story of the day ? That would be the man in the middle of the photo above: Alex Work before laying to waste the best Nor-Cal 35 A field in a show of speed and bike handling that nobody could match-and, he didn't have a flat.
Another good result was Sarah Jordan's return to Pilarcitos with a fine 4th place always riding near the front.Stella Carey had an unfortunately timed flat to finish out of the medals, but not far.
Jumping is one way to warm up before a race. Katie Jay was jumping on the line for the women's A race....unfortunately, her last lap would be walking with a flat tire like many other competitors.
Another happy story was in the 55 + race where Brent Harris got his first podium ever in 5th.
Little did the men's A field know what destruction lied ahead in the next hour. Much of our top riders would be out of the race in the first few laps. Scott Chapin was the exception as he endured two bike changes to finish in 2nd place. Dave Wyandt rode with a front flat, had two bike changes and still rode to 8th place. Aaron Kereluk had a bike change and finished 23rd. Ben Dodge overcame a couple of hard falls to finish 25th.
Sarah shares the podium for the first time this year at BASP.
Scott on the second step after a terrific ride.

Lion of Fairfax

Josh Snead pretty much owns this race, not only winning it today but very year except one since the race was first held. This isn't a major spot on the cyclocross circuit but Ned Overend and Don Myrah showed up, as did most of our A squad. Josh, Scott and Aaron Odell went 1,2,3 in that order. Dave crashed out but Ben Dodge kept the tires on the course with a 12th place.

Here's Alex Work in his new guise, the killer of the 35 A class. There might not be anyone in Nor-Cal who can beat him right now. He rode away from everyone winning with a comfortable margin.
Here's Josh in a familiar pose, winning in Fairfax yet again.
Alex missed his podium so here's the unofficial medal shot. My guess is that he'll be getting a lot more medals before the season in over. In other races, new member Jon Mason rode to an 8th place in the open B catagory. Also, although there is no photograph to show it, I scored a rare win in the 55+ catagory. Sometimes the universe gives you a gift !

Bay 101 got talent !

Voila ! Benoit Dubuisson makes the podium in 4th place. Jeff Traugott was in 5th but a mistake by the race official left him out of this shot. Our 45 + B team is really doing well so far this season.
Brett Lambert has once again made it to the medals where we all expect to see him . He managed 5th place on a difficult day. Mark Howland won for the second time in a row at CCCX , making a statement that he wants to be on the top step of the podium at the end of the series. Stella Carey overcame the heat and hills to finish 3rd in the womens elite race fighting a close battle with 2nd place and current national masters champion Karen Brems.
Kathleen Bortolussi showed some great form getting second in the womens 35+ field coming in ahead of team mate Janel Lodge in 3rd. Our entrants in this field are always in the medals.

Our elite mens team showed up in full and rode a great show of power and successful tactics to claim all but one spot on the podium. The field was the best yet at a local race and many a class rider got left behind by our best riders. Winning was Scott Chapin who is currently on super form from a very diciplined summer of training. Third was Aaron Odell, always aggressive in the race. Fourth was Josh Snead who worked as a set-up man early and mid race to help keep the pace high. Fifth was Dave wyandt who overcame a twisted chain which he fixed during the race to get the last spot on the podium. Only Justin Robinson was able to keep the flush from happening.
Kevin Crossley nearly got a win in the single speed A group , leading the race until the last lap. He hung on for second.

CCCX III Fort Ord

Kathleen Bortolussi negotiating the barriers did a good job on three hours sleep to get 3rd place behind team mate Janel Lodge in the women's 35 plus. Michelle Perez finished on the podium as well in 5th place.
Mark Howland outrode the field again and won the mens 45 A group.Tim Watson followed in 12th, Tom Fox in 14th and Frank Kalcic in 19th in a large competetive field.
Jeff Traugott made the podium with a clean race and a fine 4th place.Benoit Dubuisson continues to improve at 7th with Bruce Lodge coming in 9th. Allan Bennett also had an improved race coming in 8th. Stella Carey finished 2nd in the womens elite catagory and is building up quite a lead in the overall. She didn't bother with the podium -she would rather spend another hour on the course on her single speed where she rode to 8th. In the 55 plus men I managed to get on the bottom step of the podium yet again with a 5th place. Finally, at the end of the day the elite mens group went off and Dave Wyandt looked good to finish high up until a flat ended his race. Aaron Kereluk in his first race of the season pulled off an excellent 8th place while Jeff Patton continues to have a good season finishing 15th. Both Dave Wyandt and Jason Rawhles raced in the 35 A group but both DNF'd. Will Hall had a spectacular crash in the 35 B group that ended his race early. This was a tricky course with many opportunities for a rider to get thrown off the bike. Not many racers left the CCCX III without some sort of painful memory of the event!