Iowa State Road Championships - 2010 Category One/Two Preview

On August 7th, the 2010 Iowa State Road Championships will be held in West Branch, Iowa.  Pro 1/2 and Cat 3 participants will be racing 4 laps totalling 108 miles (175km).  I nearly soiled my chamois back in 2008 when the Iowa City Cycling Club took over this event and introduced the 108 mile distance.  A lot has changed for me since then, and I am much less intimidated by this event. So, here are my thoughts regarding this year's competition.

MERCY-SPECIALIZED (Iowa City Cycling Club)

Mercy-Specialized are a crazy strong team and will have ear-marked this race as one of their goal events. They will be prepared to battle accordingly. Last year they got two guys on the podium (Jeff Barnes and Dewey Dickey), and will be dreaming of similar results. They dominated last year's race getting 4 guys into the top ten. Adam Price, Brendan Kealey, Carson Christen, Matias Perret, Joe Hetrick, Ryan Nenninger, Brian Eppen... all guys who could contribute to the team's success. They are currently leading the Iowa Cup Team competition, followed by Bikes2You, and would be happy to extend their lead.

ZEALOUS RACING

This Des Moines area team is very deep in terms of talent and strength, not to mention a good tactical sense.  With so many 'cards' to play, this is their race to lose, but I wouldn't count on that.  Their main threats seem to be Lane Anderson (finished 5th last year) and Jared Osterloh (7th last year), with strong support from the likes of Jerome Rewerts, Ryan French, Dave Lippold, Kurt Hantelmann, etc.  I predict that they will basically engage in two plans.  Plan A... get one of their strong men into an early break and see if it sticks.  The rest of their guys won't have to chase, saving their legs for later in support of their protected rider, if the break is caught (Plan B).  These guys are great at defending moves and creating favorable racing scenarios for themselves.  They executed this move to perfection at the 2010 Clear Lake Road Race, with Jared in the early move.  Eventually that move was caught, and Ryan and Jerome later took on the task of setting up Lane Anderson for the win. They should have a couple guys in the top ten, but yet to be seen if they can get on the podium to earn one of the three available state medals.

VELOSPORT RACING

This team has been consistent throughout the year with their cat 1/2 team basically consisting of Jeff Bradley, Lou Waugaman, and Paul Deninger. Jeff was the 2009 winner, and has some serious credentials that provide him with huge amounts of respect within any race he enters. Lou always finds a way to finish strong (9th last year, 4th-Clear Lake RR, 1st-Kent park, etc.).  Paul Deninger has been successfully racing for over two decades, and has been a dominant Time Trialist and all-rounder.  He will look to his expertise and physical strengths to create racing situations that allow for the highest probability for success.

BIKES2YOU/WORLD OF BIKES

This is a very different team from years past, with Sean Walker and Tracy Thompson absent for the 2010 racing season.  Things seemed to go downhill for these guys when Tracy cut off part of his finger (aka... nubbie).  Fortunately, there was a silver lining to this unfortunate loss, as Derek Cassady joined their ranks along with a couple of strong Cat 3's (Kevin Temple/Grant Headley, etc.).  Bryan Moritz is in great shape and currently leading the Iowa Cup race, followed by his teammate Derek, so they are obviously having a good season.  This could be the race where it all comes together with respect to showing off their team strength.

Lots of other riders should be factors (Bryan West, Clark Priebe, Cody McCollough, Jim Cochran, etc.), not too mention out-of-state and solo riders.  So many variables to contend in a 108 mile road race, so who knows how this race will actually shake out. 

For those who make it to the final lap, it is always a battle of wills with several groups of riders strung out throughout the course... some merely satisfied to finish, others queing up for an opportunity to be the 2010 Iowa State Road Champion... good luck to all.

Superweek - Day 3 - Pro 1,2 Lake Front Road Race

I entered the Pro 1,2 Lake front road race on Wednesday.  I was excited to be lining up in my first regional Pro 1,2 race with about 90 or so very talented riders.  I enjoyed rolling along next to some of the pros from Team BMC, Fly V Australia, etc.

I was basically having a great time throughout this event.  The field would get stretched out into a single file line at  various points throughout the course, which was an awesome sight, as this was a huge field.  I also found it thrilling during the times we were descending about 46mph along the lake front... The beach was filled with shiny happy people, and lots of energy at the feed zones.

My favorite part of the course were the uphill portions.  The energy of the field made them very managable.  The worst parts were after 90 degree corners, as the guys in the back were 30 or 40 seconds behind the front guys, and usually had to break into a full on sprint until the group came back together. 

About 45 miles into the race, the first crash occured going up Ravine Road.  We were only going about 19 mph but it still took out quite a few guys.  Someone said "we're getting tired", and I knew exactly what he meant, riders were starting to lose some of their riding faculties based on fatigue.

This race did have a somewhat technical downhill chicane.  It wasn't as bad as I anticipated because we were in a single file line, but still an area to be cautious.  It actually had a 10 foot patch of water  running across it, which didn't seem like a big deal, but I guess I was wrong...

With only 7 laps to go, I was smiling ear-to-ear, because I was feeling good, and starting to entertain notions of trying to place well overall.  The peleton had broken up into two, with a lead group of about 11 guys up head of us.  I was in the back group, but still very happy and really focusing on enjoying the moment.

Heading down the chicane, a fatigued rider crashed ahead of me... It seemed like it was far enough ahead that I could get around it.  I steered to the left and applied the brakes as other riders were going down limiting my space cushion.  I hit the wet patch and went sliding down the hill... I ended up rolling and counted 11 different areas where I had broken the skin on both sides of my body.  The only scary one was on my chin... breaking a jaw would have been less than ideal.

Whew, I was basically alright (nothing broken)...I popped right up an got on my bike... crap, it was useless (handle bar turned, break pads rubbing, etc).  This crash took out the entire Iowa field (ok, it was just me and Jeff Bradley, but still a true statement).  Jeff had actually won this event when it was the US National Championship back in 1978, so that was a fun stat... not so fun that he got caught up in this pile up.

Looking at the results, a lot of guys must not have finished.  I am almost certain that I was going to place, as I was 50 miles in with only about 34 to go, and feeling more and more confident with each lap.  I don't regret entering this race, despite the outcome, because I feel that I have gained great perspective and experience that I can use in future races.

Superweek - Day Two - Bucyrus

Great course, good field, well organized, unfortunately for me it only took a few pedal strokes to predict a field sprint... this sort of drained my enthusiasm, but still had a good time.  The course was a short one at only 28 miles (took just over an hour).

Racing against these master's is like playing chess with myself... everyone knows each other's moves and seems to have similar skills.  Having raced agressively yesterday only to have everything brought back together, I decided to try the opposite, and sit in... hmm, that seemed to be everyone else's plan too... go figure. Jeff Bradley and Lou W. of Iowa have joined in on the tour and are also listed on the results.

This race ended up being more of a casual affair, and inspired me to enter the Pro 1,2 race today in Milwaukee.  It is the Lake Front Road Race.  It is on my 'bucket list' to enter a regional pro 1,2 event, so might as well give it a go.   I am hoping for some good training for the upcoming Iowa state road race.  This is a 93 mile event with two noteworthy climbs and will have guys from all over the world (Columbia, Australia, etc.). 

I have realistic ambitions, just hoping to be listed amongst the finishers, but more imporantly, I just want to feel like I got a chance to race my ass off.  If I pull off to the side of the road deliriously exhausted, I will have a smile on my face the whole car ride home. Of course, I hope this happens just after the finish of the race not during, but I will take what I can get, as I have no idea what to expect... racing at this level is entirely new to me.

Superweek - Day One

In entered the Master's Cat 1/2/3 event in Whitnall Park (Hales Corners, WI) on Monday.  There were about 45 guys lined up to race around 30 miles (13 laps) over a course with rolling hills and soft corners.  This was called a 'road race' but really did feel more like a criterium, due to the short duration and multiple number of laps.

The usual racing situations emerged with gaps forming and people bridging up in hopes of creating a break.  I reluctantly brought one back early on, but this was sort of the norm in this race, as everyone was capable of performing well, and didn't want too large of a break to get away.

Two guys ultimately got up the road, as others took their chances each lap to get up the road.  I went on my breakaway rampage about 20 miles in.  I got into (or started) about 4 seperate breaks, but ultimately nothing stuck.

Well, that tactic was sort of an "all or nothing" approach, which didn't give me enough left for the finish, which was sort of an uphill grind.  No one really came around me, but I didn't gain any spots either, to finish 26th. 

If I would have sat in the whole time, I most likely would have been able to get in the money, basically saving my 'attack' for the finish line. I only say that because it reminds me that the field's up here are tough, but not so bad to be discouraging... there is a certain combination of tactics, strength and luck that will work... hopefully I can find this combination at one of the next two races.

Winning the Illinois State Champs... ABR style

If American Bicycle Racing were a beer... it probably would be a PBR (aka... Pabst Blue Ribbon)...  a little funky tasting but gets the job done.... If USA Cycling were a beer, it would probably be a Sam Adams... a bit more expensive, with a richer taste... but in the end beer is beer... if I were a beer I would probably be an Icehouse... sort of cheesy, but with more booze and a wicked aftertaste that makes you want to drink something else. (really not sure what I meant by any of that... apologies).

Anyway, I traveled just on the other side of  the river to Illinois to enter the Mississippi Bluffs Road Race, which was this years ABR Illinois State Road Championships.  Yes, the subtitle of the this blog is "Racing Bikes in Iowa"... you guessed it I am from Iowa, so wasn't eligible to win the State Champs jerseys or actual title of ABR Illinois State Champ, but was eligible to poach some cash, assuming things went well for me.

I entered the Open Category event, which was 4 laps over 100k, with a few noteworthy hills to use as launching pads.  It was hot, so the group was timid... The first lap everyone was feeling each other out.  It is strange entering these ABR events in Illinois, because I had no idea who anyone was, so wasn't sure which wheels to mark.

As we headed up the steepest hill to end the second lap, someone attacked and I followed the move.  I pushed it over the top as a group of three of us began to rotate through... that was the last I saw of the field.

I tried to feel out my breakaway partners... at some point I had an inadvertant gap on them... I looked back and it seemed like they were conspiring against me, as they seemed to know each other... not the best situation... perhaps a bit of interstate rivalry? (probably not, but more fun that way)
About midway through the last lap, one of the guys got a flat... hmm, that was sort of lucky for me, because the other guy was the softer of the two, mentioning that he had just gotten back into cycling after a horible accident he suffered last year.

Eventually, he indicated that he was happy to get second, (which would still be a cash payout and the jersey/title since he was an Illinois resident and ABR member)... ok, so we just had to make sure not to get caught.  I eventually dropped him on the last climb and rode it out to win the race.  Thanks to Donnie Miller and the gang at ABR for hosting this event...

Now I am heading to Milwaukee to do three of the Superweek races starting Monday... cheers.

Clear Lake Race Weekend

Well, I entered three races and got paid three times, which is a noteworthy accomplishment, considering the many challenges of this race series.  Thanks to North Iowa Spin for this bike friendly weekend of activities.
(Link to my results)

MASTER'S 30/40+ CRITERIUM

I couldn't resist the opportunity to try and get comfortable on this very technical 8-corner crit course, so I entered the Master's event, hoping that it wouldn't end up being too hard, so that I could save some energy for the Cat 1/2/3 event later that day... nope, I was wasted after this one.

While the race started casually enough, the guys in blue from Team Zealous raced to perfection.  Jerome Rewerts got off the front and stayed about 25 seconds ahead of us the whole race.  His teammates managed the field as Duane Dickey, Paul Deninger and myself ended up being their main threats.  Unfortunately, we aren't on the same team, though we sort of aligned forces as the race situation progressed, noticing that the Zealous guys had a serious advantage.  I was chasing down every move I could, hoping to finish within the top 6 paying positions. 

At some point Lane Anderson of Team Zealous bridged up to a solo attack, then dropped that guy and joined Jerome in the break... this was very impressive.   They acknowledged this accomplishment as they crossed the finish line.

Eventually the field seemed to implode as I found myself in a group with Jared Oserloh of Team Zealous and Paul Deninger of Velosport Racing... Ok, things were looking good, as the worst I could finish is 5th, assuming our break stuck.

Jared, perhaps just a bit fresher since he had been racing defensively, but mostly just because he is a gifted racer, managed to get a 5 second gap on me and Paul and then hold it for several laps to finish 3rd.  The Team Zealous guys finished 1,2,3 with Paul, Me, and Dewey finishing 4, 5, 6 respectively (yeah, that stings a bit)...

CAT 1,2,3 CRITERIUM

Ok, time for the main event.... 39 participants lined up to race 60 minutes for 19 places and $2,000.  The headline of this report is a guy named Brandon Krawczyk of Speedfix Racing... This is the same guy that put down such a fast Cat 3 race last year, that only about 1/3 of the field could hang on...  so here he is again doing the exact same thing... crap!  Researching his background, it turns out that Speedfix Racing is a team that specializes in Track racing... ah, now it makes sense.

Ready, set, go... the race was on and was full tilt the entire time.  Before I even had a chance to think about moving up the field Brandon, Bryan Moritz (Bikes2You) and Ben Anderson(Team Wisconsin) were off the front.  They stayed that way the entire race with Jeff Barnes (ICCC) maintaining a solo move between the break and the field to finish 4th, and Brandon getting first.  Ok, so this meant everyone else was left to chase, and as far as I could tell they were chasing fast and furious.  We were probably averaging about 28mph.

CRAZY COUSIN'S CORNER
So, every family seems to have a 'crazy cousin'.. sort of the black sheep of the family...  well this crit has a crazy corner that seems almost impossible to completely master.  It is located off of the lakefront straitaway as we turn back into the neighborhood.  I will have to admit I was fighting this corner in both races and wasted valuable energy.

Despite the fact that this race was faster than the Master's race I previously entered, it wasn't as physically demanding (I was always in a draft).  It was however, very technically demanding.  You had to really fight to hold your position.

Fatigued from the first race, I wasn't up for the fight... In fact, I sat in the tailgunner position the whole race.  This gave me a good perspective of the carnage, as about 17 guys fell off the pace by the time things were all said and done.   I was never in danger of being dropped, but was also never able to find the strength or opportunity to advance.

I was happy to have finished 19th, which was still a paying result.  It is hard to resist 'doubling up' but I may consider only racing one crit event next year, as I was spread a bit thin.

ROAD RACE (82 Miles)

Ah, time for the road race.  There were 40 Cat 1/2/3's lined up racing for 16 spots.  Always a great pre-race vibe as the famous Surf Ballroom is race HQ.  This race reminds me of a pro-tour stage race in that it is point-to-point and has a 4 mile neutral start, as we 'parade' through town.  Unfortunately for me... it is basically flat, so would be considered a 'day for the sprinters', had Bob Roll or Paul Sherwyn been commentating.

No one stuck a flag out of the sun roof to signify the actual start of the race, but it was obvious as the pace quickened.  The 'early morning break' was very dangerous.  It contained Clake Priebe, Paul Deninger and Jared Osterloh.  Fortunately for the solo riders, it didn't contain a couple of major teams such as Bikes2You or Mercy Specialized.  This suggested that it would eventually get brought back as some of the teams would sacrifice riders in an effort to give their teammates a chance at the top money.

It was a very casual pace for the middle portion of the race.  The field was keeping the breakaway in mind, but letting it slip up the road.  With about 30 miles to go, it became apparent, however, that the chase was on.  I was in the back of the field, so I don't know exactly who was doing what, but they were chasing at around 32mph most of the time, and it was often a struggle just to keep in contact with the peloton.

The cross winds proved to be key variables in this race.  Towards the latter parts of the race, we were riding single file along the 'gutter' with very little draft.  The wind direction combined with the fierce chase began to drop riders.  As we began to catch the three-man break, I could see the guys who had been responsible for the 'catch' slip past me(exhausted from the chase).  And then, one-by-one... Clark, then Paul, and eventually Jared slipped through the field and off the back.  Their move would have easily stuck had it not been for the motivated field.

Not sure why, but the pace didn't really let up after we caught them, making this one of the hardest phases of the race, with the cross winds still a factor.  I was praying for the race to change directions so I could get some relief from this situation.

As we turned into the final stretches there were only 18 riders left.  Alot of things had transpired to set up this situation, but now it was time to finish things off.  The group began to attack each other in these last few miles, and I was able to get myself into several favorable situations.  Ryan French and Jerome Rewerts did a good job of setting a high tempo, as their team still had 4 guys in the race.  In fact, their teammate Lane Anderson followed the moves to perfection and won the field sprint.  I finished 13th out of this group, which felt rewarding... all things considered.

Whew, that was a great weekend.

Cedar Rapids Racing Weekend

25 Cat 1/2's lined up to race 40 laps around the downtown of Cedar Rapids in hopes of earning some glory at the annual Iowa State Crit Championships.  The course is a basic 4 corner .6 mile loop with wide and smooth corners.  Ends up feeling sort of like a track.

Bryan Moritiz of Bikes2You attacked right off the bat and I got sucked onto his wheel in a quick break.  When that didn't work, the reality of how aggressive this field was began to set in, as the pace was fast and furious... and it never let up. 

At one point, I found myself in a nice break with two guys each from Bikes2You, Zealous Racing and Mercy-Specialized...yes!  I was a bit tanked, but tried to contribute as I could.  Ryan French attacked from within the break, which broke up the momentum (at least for me). We were eventually reeled back in. 

The breaks weren't working, so I just tried to hang on, and focused on the sprint.  I held my position well to end up 13th... I finished 13th last year in this event as a Cat 3, so just that much better to do it at the Cat 1/2 level.  Derek Cassady of Bikes2You raced to perfection, winning the Gold medal.  Adam Price of Mercy-Specialized earned the Silver, and Lane Anderson of Team Zealous got the Bronze. Congrats.

SQUAW CREEK CRITERIUM - 6/27/10

On Sunday, we raced 20 laps over a 1.6 mile circuit that had one noteworthy climb and a steep descent on a corner.  I was feeling pretty good, and decided to protect my 'yellow jersey' as I was getting tour fever.  In my fictional scenario, I had just one stage left to defend my lead, so it was important that I didn't let any of the GC contenders slip up ahead. 

To that end I participated in this race quite significantly.  Below is one of the many breaks that formed, this one featuring myslef, Bryan Moritz and a guy from Team Zealous...

I found myslelf launching off the front quite a few times, and led on the downhill more times than not. There were all sorts of combinations of riders that took their chances at creating a gap.

Dewey Dickey seemed to be the marked rider, especially towards the end of the race.  He would pick up the pace on the uphill portion, and then look to see if there was a big enough of a gap.  Usually he didn't like what he saw, and dialed it back.  It took quite a few tries before his breakaway actually did succeed. 

When it did there were seven off us, briefly... but only Dewey, Jared Osterloh, and Jeff Kluck (A Cat 3 on Team Powerade) could hang on.  This was the decisive moment of my race. As can be seen in this photo, I was joined by Paul Deninger, Brian West, and a third rider (from Zealous Racing?), as we chased down the lead group of three while hoping to fend off the field. 

 Our group of four was brought back with about 2 laps to go, while Dewey, Jared and Jeff stayed up the road.  We were exhausted, as was the front of the field that had chased us down.  David Lippold of Zealous Racing took advantage of this opportunity, and slipped up the road.

This race had a combined cat 1/2 and 3 field that had ultimately dwindled down from about 33 riders to 15.  So, the Cat 1/2's were sprinting for 4th, and the Cat 3's were sprinting for second which can be seen below:

I still had a good finish, crossing the line 5th out of those involved in the field sprint. Paul Deninger was the first Cat 1/2, and Brendan Kealey was the first Cat 3.

Senior Pro/1/2 - Squaw Creek

1 Jared Osterloh DES MOINES IA Zealous Racing
2 Duane Dickey COKATO MN Mercy-Specialized
3 David Lippold WEST DES MOINES IA Zealous Racing
4 Paul Deninger IOWA CITY IA Unattached
5 Jeff Bradley DAVENPORT IA Velosport Racing IA
6 Christopher Eastburn CEDAR RAPIDS IA Mercy-Specialized
7 Bryan Moritz DAVENPORT IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
8 Chad Bishop MUSCATINE IA Harper's Cycling & Fitness
9 Michael Sencenbaugh TUCSON AZ University of Arizona
10 Brian West CEDAR FALLS IA Colorbiotics
11 Jerome Rewerts NEVADA IA Zealous Racing
12 Carson Christen CEDAR RAPIDS IA Mercy-Specialized
13 Lane Anderson ALTOONA IA Zealous Racing
14 Gregory Harper MUSCATINE IA Melon City Bike Club Inc.
15 Ryan French DES MOINES IA Zealous Racing
16 Finn Kolsrud IOWA CITY IA Colavita Racing
17 Lee Venteicher WAUKON IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
dnf Kurt Hantelmann ALTOONA IA Zealous Racing
dnf Jonathan Nelson SIOUX CITY IA POWERADE - INDEPENDENT FABRICATION
dnf Derek Cassaday AMES IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
dnf William Greenwood IOWA CITY IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes

Tour of America's Dairyland - 2010

Well, I did a quick hit-and-run on the 2010 Tour of America's Dairlyand by racing Wednesday and Thursday in the Master's 1,2,3 races.

Wednesday's race was put on by TREK in downtown Waterloo.  Stayed with my cousin's family, who work at TREK.  I was shocked to see that the field had 73 participants... this tour has become very popular since it's debut last year.  The course was a long format criterium with some rough roads, sharp turns, narrow slightly uphill portion, etc. 

I rolled around the front, and took a chance bridging up to a break that I noticed team ISCORP was blocking for. The breakaway was limp and unmotivated, but I kept rolling it as a prime was called.  I had to dig deep for that effort, and cowered back to the safety of the field for about 30 minutes to recover, once that move was brought back.  We were averaging about 27mph... 32mph on the straights, and 23mph on the narrow uphill.  That seems to be the norm for Cat 1/2/3 type races with large fields.

I attacked with one to go, mainly just so I could be in front.  With half a lap to go, I was sitting pretty in third wheel... unfortunately it was an ISCORP wheel... three of this guy's teamates shoved me off the wheel and formed a perfect 4-man lead-out for their guy.  I was both angered by this and impressed.  I always wondered how those chains worked out... you have to literally TAKE the position... sort of cool.  This ISCORP team is dominant in Wisconsin, and I believe they practice their tactics and have detailed game plans. I pedalled it out, but finished way back from the 15 paying spots.

Thursday was a 60 mile road race in Greenbush. 

I was near the front for the first part of the lap, but couldn't handle everyone griping to each other (filling gaps, braking, holding lines, etc.)  Masters racers seem very interested in 'saving energy'.  I agree this is smart racing, but maintaining the perfect, most efficient drafting position is boring and exhausting at the same time.  I headed to the back of the pack to wait things out.

Unfortunately, this meant I wouldn't be involved in any breakaways that might emerge. 

In part due to a life-saving hand up by Mathias Perret of Iowa City Cycling,  I began to 'race'... sensing the field was finally softened up with about 16 miles to go.  The previously tense downhill portions had become enjoyable, now that I was dodging around the course near the front.   The griping had stopped, because fatigue had set in to replace all of the earlier nervous energy.

Apparently, there were five guys up ahead.  I bridged up to a 3 man chase group.  The gap held for awhile, but some guys in the field worked together to bring it back.  Oh well, I had plenty of time left and felt good.

Later, I again found myself in a good position with about 1 mile to go.  Nearing the finish, I was leading the field, but in a cross wind section, so the benefits of drafting weren't as significant.  A guy came around me, and I struggled to get to his wheel (using the strength I would have needed later... crap).  The swarming started coming around the last corner that started the 300 meter uphill finish. There were only about 4 guys ahead of me, but once we straightened out all hell broke loose, and I dropped quite a few places to end up in 30th overall (out of around 60 starters).

Great race experience... as the competition was amongst the best in the country and this tour is well organized. 

Rose Festival Road Race Review

My first official Cat 1/2 race went well.  The Rose Festival Road Race was a 60 mile event that featured 3 laps over rolling terrain.  There were 17 Cat 1/2's that lined up to race for the 6 pay-out spots. 

The first noteworthy aspect of this race was the presence of 7 guys from Zealous Racing.  They had been dominant all weekend, so had earned much respect from the the rest of us. Some of the Iowa City area participants sort of formed a composite team to address the situation.

There were hills but they weren't steep enough to negate the energy savings of sitting in the draft.  Several riders had agendas that included getting in a breakaway, while others were content to wait until the final sprint, hoping that a large breakaway never formed.

Lou Waugaman(Velosport) and Kurt Hantleman(Zealous) eventually got into a break away situation.  This allowed Zealous to go into a defensive position.  Paul Deninger of Velosport also eased back a bit, though he was agressive throughout the race, perhaps hoping to whittle the field down.

Eventually this break got caught and several attacks transpired.  I ignored some of them, bridged some of them and even started some of them.  At the start of the last lap, it seemed like I had gotten involved in a group that could possibly work.  I went to the front, but no one came around, so our gap didn't last. Sort of taxed, I didn't have much of an answer when Dewey Dickey very strategically attacked the field. 

Brian West (colorbiotics), Ryan French (Zealous), and Lane Anderson (Zealous) followed this move with Lane and Brian able to stick with it til the end.  I would have loved to have tried to bring this move back, but didn't seem to make tactical sense so I just hung out near the front and felt things out.   I knew I was feeling good, however, because I attacked my own attack leading into the last corner (about 5 miles to go).  I thought maybe the group would let me go, but Zealous was very attentive.

I unleashed an awesome 500 meter sprint perfectly launching off of an inadvertant Zealous Racing leadout.  Oops... I did this at the 1000 meter mark, and couldn't hold it the last 500 meters... Unfortunate, because the last 400 meters to the line are uphill, which could have potentially been to my advantage, if I would have had more patience. 

All things considered, a great racing experience in Iowa that has provided me with good insight with respect to racing at this level.

Men's 1/2 - Rose Festival Road Race - Results
1 Duane Dickey, Mercy/ICCC
2 Brian West, Colorbiotics
3 Lane Anderson, Zealous
4 Finn Kolsrud, Calavita Inc.
5 Jarod Osterloh, Zealous
6 Derek Cassaday, Bikes 2 You
7 Michael Sencenbaugh, Unattached
8 Ryan French, Zealous
9 Adam Price, ICCC
10 Chad Bishop, Melon City
11 Carson Christen, Mercy/ICCC
12 Paul Deninger, Velosport
13 Dave Lippold, Zealous
14 Jerome Rewerts, Zealous
15 Lou Waugaman, Velosport
16 Kurt Hantleman, Zealous
17 Chad Vandelune, Zealous

Now, heading to Wisconsin for two days of mid-week racing at the Tour of Dairlyand.

State Center Crit - Crackin my HED

As I peered at the ominous skies and threatening weather outside the Pizza Ranch in Marshalltown Iowa...my barely edible meal became just that much more unappetizing... criterium racing in the rain is less than ideal.  There is no way around the simple fact that more crashes are likely to happen in wet conditions then in dry conditions, so I always tend to prefer dry conditions.

Anyway, it was raining so violently I thought the race was sure to be cancelled (whew, what a relief), but the skies began to clear and I couldn't stand the thought of the race going on without me so I rode over to State Center and kept things positive.

Waiting for the Cat 4's to finish, they wiped out hard on the last corner of the final sprint as a large number of the Cat 1/2/3's were observed while waiting to enter the course for warm-ups.  I heard the comment "that is why I like racing with the master's, we all have to go to work in the morning and have responsibilities to think about"... Ok, the entrants in my race are technically more skilled/experienced then cat 4's so I didn't really stress it.

Anyway, this race really is a good time, rain or shine, so about 30 of us cautiously negotiated this 6 corner crit.    Overall, it would have been much faster in dry conditions, but it did get faster as we got a feel for the corners.

A crash went down in front of me toward the second half of the race, and I narrowly navigated around it... Alright, what are the odds of me nearly getting mixed up in a crash twice in one race?  Not likely, should be good to go.

Team Zealous had the most 'cards' to play and attacked and counter attacked.  I tried my luck at joining some of the attacks, hoping that the rest of the field would let me go with the Zealous guy (usually Jared Osterloh, or Jerome Rewerts).  Unfortunately, it always got brought back in, but I kept trying for quite a few laps. 

Well, with everything all back together the race was coming down to a sprint. The guys who were playing it "smart" (something I plan on trying one of these races, not sure) by sitting in as much as possible to conserve energy quickly rolled around me until I was in about 9th position heading into the final turn. 

Yikes.... all sorts of carnage presented itself in front of me...  I quickly assessed the situation and decided to launch into a resident's yard, seeing that I could hop my front wheel over the curb... only problem is that my back wheel hit hard... "pop"... tire blown and back wheel severely cracked.  HED has a lifetime crash replacement, so I won't have to pay the entire cost of a new wheel, but still an expensive situation.  I had fun, til the end, and will be back again next year as the colorbiotics team and town of state center (rose festival) are a good combo.

Ivan vs. Rocky - A case for the scientific method

As part of my quest to improve my cycling performance, I have begun to research retro-cinema in hopes of finding new training insights.  I stumbled upon a movie called ROCKY IV that proved to be very inspiring. 

Basically, I tend to align with the principles of the 'scientific method' when it comes to training.  I process data and make adjustments according to my results to improve the intended outcomes.  Essentially, I am constantly conducting 'experiments' to see what works best to improve my cycling fitness and ultimate race performance.  These experiments involve everything from nutrition, types of workouts, recovery intervals, intensity, race tactics, and equipment. 

Much like Ivan Drago, I find myself using the latest scientific principles and technologies to enhance my racing outcomes.  Unlike in Rocky's Soviet Union training camp, I do in fact, perform a lot of training that maximizes the control I have over various extraneous variables (wind, wattage, heart rate, resistance, temperature, traffic, etc.). 

While I cannot deny the benefits of training in more 'natural' conditions, where intervals occur randomly based on the presence of wind, hills, attacks, and stop-ahead signs, I also find a case for being very specific with respect to training...aka; 'training with a purpose'.

So which approach is better... the natural outdoor method, or the technological scientific method?  Well, the movie proves that training indoors using the scientific method is far superior.  Ivan totally kicked Rocky's ass in the movie, and even killed Apollo Creed with the massive power of his punches.  Ok, I will admit that I haven't seen the last part of the movie, but I would have to assume that cutting-edge science still prevailed against old-fashioned will and determination. 



I will test my Ivan Drago training principles in the this weekend's 'Cold War', also known as the Rose Festival Criterium and Road Race. Message to anyone who dares step up to the line against me... "I vil crush you".

Letting the CAT out of the bag...

Is it just me, or do others get excited when they hear the weather man mention that there are 'oppressive heat indexes' in the forecast?  I prefer road racing to be like a battle field, where the soldiers fight it out until the last man standing... a war of attrition.  Sure its prefered if I am one of these 'last men' that make it to the finish line, however, I still find it rewarding to have given it my best, even if  'my best wasn't good enough'.   So, if the battle field includes heat, wind, hills, and fierce competitors... "I'm in!"... at least until "I'm out!".

To that end, I have found 10 "battles" (uh... I mean road races) to do this summer.  Of course, a handful of criteriums mixed in there as well but I no longer have the same incentive to 'chase points' by entering some races that simply don't interest me... why? might as well let 'the cat out of the bag'...

Yeah, that's right, after 2 and half seasons as a Cat 3, I have earned an upgrade to Category 2.  Does this change my racing calendar?... not really.  I will always have a master's option, and quite a few races are Cat 1/2/3 anyway... Trust me, I made this decision with much deliberation.  For the most part, I will simply wear my Category 2 upgrade like a badge of honor, and leave it at that. If they ever start offering Cat 2 races, however, I would be very interested to compete at that level. 

This should make for some interesting race reports so check back to see what kind of wacky predicaments I can get myself into now that I am licensed as a USAC Category 2 Road Cyclist.

The Quad City Criterium's Corner of Doom

Not much to say about how things went for me at the Quad Cities Criterium, but I can say that this race is always plagued with lots of crashing.  The course features 8 corners and is perfectly flat, resulting in a very fast, yet technical event.  Sprinter types probably enjoy this race.  I thought readers might find it interesting to view some footage Eric Henriksen got of one of the major crashes that occured during the Women's Cat 1,2,3 event....


This infamous 'corner of doom' located as the last turn before the finish,  seems to claim a number of victims each year, including myself.  If you watch closely at the clip below you can see that I actually ride over the curb, knock over the cone and then continue past the camera as someone reminds me to "Stay Calm... Stay Calm".




Unfortunately, this occured as the Cat 3 field was ramping up the sketchiness in anticipation of the last lap.  My momentum was totally washed, so I soft pedalled in to finish near the end.  I then swapped jerseys and lined up for the smooth yet intense, Master's 30+ race.

Melon City Criterium 2010

Ahh, my hometown race, put on by the club that I am president of. Lots of people cheer for me at this race, and I have added incentive to try and do well. The announcer revealed that there were74 starters... man this is going to be a challenge. (ABOVE: Mike McKim took some great photos including the one above that shows me riding around the switch back with fellow Iowa racers Brian West leading and Ryan Jacobsen following)

I started in the front row and let everyone go around me... seriously, I think I was in dead last place for a couple of laps.... I just wasn't feeling the groove yet.

 I didn't want to get in the trap of chasing down breaks, so I tried to stay in the middle of the field, which is not a comfortable place to for me.

I led a lap in the middle of the race, to sort of test out the field and get a feel for some good lines. Later, a break of about 5 formed, but I was so far back, that I didn't know anything about it.

With two to go I was in good position, right near the front about 4 or 5 back... Ooops, with one to go I was leading the field... sort of soft pedalling, but fast enough to try and discourage the inevitable swarming that takes place as the field accelerates around. I really didn't want to be leading the field, but this race is all about position, so I took my chances.

Luckily, there was a guy sort of leading out, so I hit the bottom of the hill of the last lap in second wheel...not ideal, but I was locked in and just nailed it up the hill. Sort of to my surprise, no one came around, I got to the hairpin turn still in first... I heard some crashing going on behind me...

I kept pedalling hard, but could feel myself fading, I looked to the right... no one... ah hah, I am going to win... just then I heard the announcer say "It's going to come down to the wire"... wtf?

 I already had my hand in the air celebrating my win as I looked to the left and I nearly got nipped at the line... nope, I got it...mission accomplished, I won the Cat 3 Melon City Criterium!

Thanks to the club/volunteers, race director Greg Harper, and the local guys who train with me on Tuesdays. Also, congrats to the Iowa riders... we ended up with 5 people in the top 10 of this race:

Elite Men Cat 3 (top 15 of 74)

1 Chad Bishop MUSCATINE IA Harper's Cycling & Fitness

2 Julio Jacobo LAKE FOREST IL PYOC

3 Chris Creed BARNHART MO Mesa Cycles Racing Team

4 Nicholas Frye MADISON WI Team Wisconsin
5 vaughn pierce GRETNA NE Team Kaos-Alegent Health

6 Andrew Buntz WESTDESMOINES IA University of Iowa

7 David Reyes NORMAL IL Bloomington Cycle Racing Team
8 Ryan French DES MOINES IA Goodtimes Racing

9 Steven Robinson DES MOINES IA Goodtimes Racing

10 Brendan Kealey IOWA CITY IA Mercy-Specialized
11 Austin Turner IOWA CITY IA Colorbiotics
12 Michael Jenich SHOREWOOD WI Team Pegasus

13 Ryan Jacobsen IOWA CITY IA Atlas Cycling

14 Ryan Zook NAPERVILLE IL Club Bicicletta

15 Jonathon Schilling GROVER MO Big Shark Bicycle Company

Snake Alley Crit Report

 

Snake Alley -

Basically, launched off the line from the start and led the first two or three laps, perfectly according to plan, because after that the race becomes more about fitness and technique, and less about some of the mishaps, like getting behind a wreck or dropped chain going up the snake. 

I really couldn't believe the gap that I had at the beginning of the race, seemed like I was dreaming.  I decided to wake up from the dream, and deal with the reality that I might have toasted myself as the field regrouped and about 8 to 10 of us worked our way through the course in a break of sorts.  This is a race of attrition as the heat and relentless pain that pedalling up the Snake Alley causes eventually whittles everyone down.  Toward the end of the race, though, I was still in the front group.

As we started to catch lapped riders things got confusing.  A fifteen year old kid from Wisconsin named Jordan Cullen slipped off the front as a group of three of us became the remnants of the chase. The confusion actually may have helped us, as those behind us may not have been clear regarding the gap.

The three of us sprinted to the line, and I came in for fourth overall.  I was in the red zone to the extent that I started to head to the medical tent to see if I could get an IV.  This overwhelming feeling subsided as I rehydrated, and could enjoy a successful day in Burlington. Great race, well organized and congrats to the field that braved this tough course.