Nor-Cal district final

This is the last big local CX event and the team did some serious damage-this inspite of a number of injured and sick riders not able to compete. Here's Natasha Perry on her way to 5th place in the womes 35 + race.

Mary Ellen Ash racing in the womens elite race wound up in 7th place

Once Aaron Bradford got a gap in the mens elite race he kept it until the finish. All that on a single speed!

Andrew Juiliano rode to 12th in the mens elite race from a third row start.

Scott Chapin had a race long battle for 5th in the mens elite race which he won and got a spot on the podium and a district medal.

Here's Ellen Sherrill collecting the win for the womens single speed race. Katie Jay Melina would finish 2nd in the same race and 4th in the womens elite race .

Here is Aaron coming across the line winning his Nor-Cal/Nevada district championship for the first time

The team captured 2/3 of the womens single speed district championship and likeley would have swept it without the injuries .

Here's the mens elite podium with Aaron and Scott, a familiar sight this season. Another winner was Zac Stanley in the 35 B mens race, his first CCCX victory of the season in a deep field. Mark Howland and Tim Watson would ride to 6th and 12th in the 45 A mens race. Alex Work opted to race the 35A mens race and finished 5th with Dean Poshard coming in at 17th. In the 45 B race, Benoit Dubuisson finished 8th with Michael Schaller coming in at 15th.

Everyone really was a winner in our tent as Tim Watson proved beyond a doubt that the best BBQ at the race  was his. The team got a really impressive food spread together for this race, one of the best ever. It was a good thing as this race was extremely painful and the good food served to east the post race pain.

Surf City Cyclocross final 2012

 The depth of this team is amazing.....only half the team was able to be at this final event in the surf City series but our riders managed to get onto the podium in nearly every event that we had riders competing in. First on the podium with a great race(4th) and solid series (2nd) was Benoit Dubuisson in the 45 B group.Michael Schaller wound up in 8th for the series in the same group.In the 55 + group I was able to sneak onto the podium for 4th in  the overall series......a miracle indeed.

 

Sarah Kerlin had a good ride inspite of a recent bout of flu. She had a podium on both the day and the series.

 Matt Garcia was always near the front all season in the open B category and got an overall points podium.

 Scott Chapin (8th)and Aaron Bradford (5th)raced hard on the day and were both on the overall points podium.

Alex Work (18th)got the hole shot on the first lap showing that he is one of the best starters in the Nor-Cal field.Sean Coffey rode to 10th in the single speed A category showing some speed late in the race.Dean Poshard rode to 26th in the mens A field after not being able to race most of the season.Andrew Giuliano wound up DNF when a chunk of dirt destroyed his rear derailleur on the far end of the course.

USGP Bend 2012

 Bicycle racing is done a number of ways with varying results. The current school of thought is to get certain equipment to monitor one's power output and relay this info weekly to a coach. Other things like motorpacing, road work and weight training are commonly used to enhance race day performance. Team riders wind up in lock-step with programs that provide a framework for success. The only thing is that the pinnacle of this type of racing , the pro peloton is now the subject of a huge embarrassing scandal-as is the governing body of the professional sport, the U.C.I. 

 There was a time when I thought that our team should emulate the pro teams in their methodology regarding training and conduct. After this weekend I have fully woken up to the fact that this team does not need to be altered in any way. The pure essence of the sport is captured by the riders on this team-they race as they ride, for challenge and enjoyment-and to represent fully the people who allow them to do so.

Our elite riders did not win any events this weekend....at least not according to the statistics. The thing that these riders did was to capture the attention of the spectators and photographers in a way that even the winners could not do-our riders rode the race with the kind of self expression and flair that cannot be overstated. Wherever I walked on the course people would come up to me and say how impressed they were with our riders and what a great contribution the team made to the flavor of the event. Aaron Bradford, Scott Chapin and Alex Work might have more fans than any other three riders at the U.S.G.P. . Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster might have been the most talked about team that weekend. All of this without the lock-step dicipline and coaching of other teams. For those of yo who want to know the numbers, here they are:
Saturday, mens elite race: Aaron Bradford 42nd, Alex Work 49th, Scott Chapin 52nd.
               womens elite race : Katie Jay Melina 27th, Ellen Sherrill DNF ( crashed out )
               mens 35 + race : Brian Staby 28th   mens 55 + race Paul Sadoff  11th.
Sunday mens elite race  : Aaron Bradford 36th, Alex Work 48th, Scott Chapin 51st.
               womens elite race Katie Jay Melina 29th, Ellen Sherrill DNS  ( injury from sunday)
               mens 35 + race : Brian Staby  31st , mens 55+ Paul Sadoff 10th.

It would be worth it for all reading this to go find photos of the races. I was unable to take photos while I was working in the pits but I did get a glimpse of what everyone was talking about.......the success of this weekend cannot be told by numbers.All in all, it was a huge success and the team represented to the utmost.

CCCX 6 Manzanita park

 The rain and wind were epic and the mud got deeper as the day went on. Natasha Perry ( 1st womens 35+), Janel Lodge (2nd womens 35+) and Michelle Perez ( 3rd womens 45 +)rode great races and all made the podium.....if there was one. With the weather conditions the podiums were cancelled and medals were handed out without ceremony.

 Here's Andrew Juiliano returning to race after recovering from injury. He would finish 5th in the mens A race.

Dodgeball finished a credible 7th with a great ride in the mens A race. Tim Watson rode to 12th in the 45 A race and Benoit Dubuisson rode to 4th in the mens 45 B race followed by Alan Bennett in 8th and Michael Schaller. Matt Garcia rode to 6th in the mens B race.

BASP race IIII

 Who's going to shred the course on the 1973 Motobecane ?

 Zac Stanley got on the podium first with a 3rd place in the nearly sold out 35 B race. Benoit Dubuisson finished 7th in the 45 B race that was sold out .Allan Bennett and Michael Schaller would follow.

 Alan Bennett would later use the pit single speed in the same race as Zac Stanley.Brian Staby finished 10th in the mens 35 A field ,Mark Howland finished 7th in the 45 A race followed by b.b.q. master Tim Watson in 13th. The ribs ,salad and jalapeno cornbread along with a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies fed not only our team but many other racers who came by the team tent.

 Ellen Sherrill is back ! A 4th place in the womens A race confirmed that. Katie Jay Melina would finish in the money at 7th followed by Mary Ellen Ash.

 Next to grace the podium was Janel Lodge in 3rd in the womens masters. This was a great result in a dense field.

 The fog kept coming in during the mens A race and here's Aaron Bradford and Scott Chapin in the lead group.

 With two laps remaining Aaron made a move that stuck until the end of the race, winning his second consecutive BASP race.

 Scott Chapin stayed in the chase group and made the podium in 5th proving that he is definitely back.

 Dodgeball in full flight late in the race. Ben would roll a tire and have a fairly long run before getting a bike change.

 Aaron emptying the tank late in the last lap-The pain on his face  clearly visible .You have to hurt to win.

 The victory at the line with Cal Giant's Tobin Ortenblad in the distance only able to hang his head after a futile chase.

The mens A podium with Aaron first and Scott fifth-a great result in one of the best fields of the season. Check the Pilarcitos cyclocross site for other placings.

Surf City race II

 Early in the morning it was the B masters and the open B race. Benoit Dubuisson was first to get on the podium with 5th place in the 45 B category. Matt Garcia raced to 13th in the open B race.

 I don;t think anyone has more experience riding in the mud than Sarah Kerlin. She showed her experience with a 5th place finish on the podium in the womens A race. Ellen Sherrill would follow in 6th.

 Janel Lodge would battle in the womens 35+ race to 2nd place, the highest placing of any team rider on the day.

 Here's Ellen Sherrill moving up from a last row starting position.

The mens A race was extremely fast and anyone in the top ten was a hero. Aaron Bradford finished 4th and Alex Work 9th. Scott Chapin was pretty fried from the race the day before but still held onto 15th while Aaron Odell finished 22nd with Ben Dodge following at 25th.In the Master's 35 A mens race Jason Rahlwes rode to an impressive 7th while Tim Watson did the same in the mens 45 A race followed by Mark Howland in 10th.Other placings can be seen on the Surf City cyclocross site in the coming days.

BASP III Sierra Point

 Here's the scene of the crime.....team headquarters on the road. This day we were treated to a BBQ and beer tapper from Frank a tradition at the night race even if frank is taking the season off.

 Benoit Dubuisson getting a good start at the men's 45 B race. He would finish 12th out of 60 starters ahead of team mates Alan Bennett and Michael Schaller.

 Janel Lodge was the first to get on the podium with a 4th place in the women's master 35 race. In the elite race Ellen Sherrill would race to 7th, Katie Jay Melina 8th and Sarah Kerlin 9th. Following were Mary Ellen Ash and Natasha Perry. Much of our women's squad have been having a mid season break and this was the first race back. Mark Howland was our lone entrant in the men's master A category and finished 8th.In the open B category Matt Garcia suffered a few mechanicals and had to run in the last 1/2 lap.

 Later the lights came on for the final race, the men's A event. We had five riders in this group: Aaron Bradford, Scott Chapin, Andrew Giuliano, Aaron Odell and Bend Dodge. There were some fast riders in the group but our team got the first and second place-winning this race for the third year in a row. Aaron Bradford and Scott Chapin managed to ride away from the entire field, led by Ben Jaques-Mayne. They did this on their single speeds, showing that there was nobody who knew this course better .Aaron won from a 4rth row start and Scott animated the entire race inspite of a hard fall on the barriers early in the race.

Be sure and check the Pilarcitos site for other results in the coming days. Special thanks go out to Frank Kalcic for the BBQ, Benoit Dubuisson for the excellent cheese course, all the folks who brought food and to our newest sponsors: Pro Gold bike lube and wash and Buckler Embrocation.