Saturday, December 13, 2008

Veloce's Sheagley Third In Kansas City

Portlander Eric Sheagley (Veloce-Felt) took third today in the Men's Masters 35-39 age-graded division at the U.S. Cyclocross National Championships in Kansas City.

Oregon Bicycle Racing Association state cyclocross champion Kevin Hulik just missed the podium, coming across the line in fourth. Sheagley finished 1.21 behind winner Brandon Dwight (Boulder Cycle Sport). Hulik was 2.24 behind.

Sheagley (pictured here at the Kruger's Crossing race on Sauvie's Island) is the OBRA Men's Masters champion in the time trial (35-39), the criterium (30-39) and the track 1k TT (35-39) at Alpenrose Velodrome.

Sheagley's podium place follows on the heels of Friday's win by OBRA member Wendy Williams (40-44) and a second place finish by her River City Teammate Emily VanMeter (30-34).

Find A more complete list of Pacific Northwest finishers HERE.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Wendy Williams Scores National Championship

OBRA's own Wendy Williams won the Women's 40-44 National Cyclocross Championship Friday in Kansas City.

Williams (pictured here racing at the Washington County Fairgrounds) was also winner of Oregon's eight-race 2008 Cross Crusade series and Portland's unsanctioned Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships in 2007. She rides for River City Bicycles.

Emily VanMeter, Williams' River City teammate, earned the silver medal in the Women's 30-34 race, which was won by Maureen Bruno-Roy (MM Racing p/b Seven Cycles). VanMetter finished second in this year's Cross Crusade series.

The U.S. Cyclocross National Championships began Thursday and continues through Sunday, when the country's Elite men and women will compete for their titles. The same riders who battled this weekend in Portland at the U.S. Gran Prix will be vying for the chance to wear the stars-and-stripes jersey next season.

In the Elite Men's race, Bend's Ryan Trebon will be hoping to win back the title he earned in 2006 but lost to Tim Johnson in 2007. In the Elite Women's race, Sue Butler, who took third and fourth in last weekend's USGP races, will be trying for a podium spot.

Dave Zabriskie's Nuts

I'm not sure what to make of this. Any ideas?

OBRA Releases Preliminary 2009 Calendar

Over at Racing with K-Man, Oregon Bicycle Racing Association Director Kenji Sugahara has released an updated version of the "very, very, very preliminary" 2009 OBRA race calendar. From his blog:
"My plan is to update this calendar as we receive more information. I must stress this is a very, very, very preliminary calendar. Many changes will be made as we receive more information and as promoters talk with each other about conflicts. My plan is also to transfer the data to ICAL so folks can import then into their Google or Ical calendars. Please also remember that the correct data will always be found on the OBRA website. If there is a conflict between the ICAL calendar and OBRA calendar- the OBRA calendar is assumed to be always correct."
Check out the preliminary 2009 schedule HERE.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Cross Nats For Oregon Next Year?

Don't mark your calendar yet, but Oregon just may host the nation's top cyclocross weekend in 2009.

As first reported at cxmagazine.com, Cross Crusade promoter and local USGP organizer Brad Ross hinted Sunday that Oregon could be hosting the 2009 National Cyclocross Championships.

"Next year the U.S. National Cyclocross Championships sound very much like it's going to potentially be in this state," he told the cheering crowd gathered for the USGP awards ceremony Sunday evening at Portland International raceway.

CX Magazine reports that Bend has put in the Oregon bid.

Cyclingnews.com broke the news that there are actually two bids from the Pacific Northwest.

"Another bid has been submitted from eastern Washington, giving the Pacific Northwest a strong chance of hosting the national championships next year," according to the website.

Can't Wait!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Wells, Wells, Lookie Here What I Found At Dante's

Cyclocrossing brothers Todd and Troy Wells had some interesting things to say on their blogs about last weekend's Portland races. Their posts also provide a small glimpse into life as a world class cyclist, including a post-race visit to Dante's in downtown Portland.

From Troy's blog "Tdub":
About Saturday's race ... "Portland is normally a good race for me but yesterday just didn't seem to be my day. I just couldn't get going. I was in suffering the entire race and going nowhere. I don't even think I was in the top 20. Every part of my body was hurting, but I hope I can turn it around today and put in a solid ride heading into nationals. ... it is still not raining here, which is amazing. Normally it rains from the time I get off the plane until I get back on in Portland."
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"Sunday night ended up being a fun night. Alison came down and watched the race and hung out. We had a large crew including Mcduff, Jpows, Timmy J, Treefarm, Kira, Salam, Simon, The Jacques-Maynes, and Meredith. We went to Treefarm's favorite place in Portland, Dante's. It is crazy there. You see some stuff you definitely don't see everyday, that's all I'm going to say. It was a lot of fun for everyone, including powers, even though at first he wasn't really feeling it. Todd and I flew out around 11 on Monday got back to dtown by 5."
Big brother Todd also discussed his weekend:
"I had a sweet white skinsuit that was covered with mud after about 1 minute of racing, and I spent the day with a look of agony painted on my face for the entire race. Not sure why it wasn't happening for me but it was just one of those days. Crashing into Wicks after he crashed at the start didn't help, and getting my bike stuck on Sheps as a result wasn't that great either. Neither made much of a difference though as I was destined to spend the day in the hurt locker."
But it was his mini rant about the USADA changes to its out-of-competition testing protocols that provided the most interesting look into an elite cyclists' life and the negative effects the dopers have on all cyclists. From Todd's blog:
"The big change for 09 is that you must provide USADA with a 1 hour window every day of the year for being tested. Now not only do you have to tell them where you are every day, but you must be at a certain location for 1 hour each day, so if they show up to test you during that hour and your dog got sick so you took him to the vet and didn't update your whereabouts form, you will get a missed test, of which you are only allowed 3 in an 18 month period. You can change your hour for that day anytime previous to it, but if you are constantly changing your time and/or location you will be targeted for additional testing b/c you will be deemed trying to avoid the testers.

"Now if you work a normal job you know where you will be most of the time for at least 5 days of the week, but I'm betting most people in this testing pool don't work a normal job. Do you know where you will be every hour of every day 3 months in advance? And would you remember to update all this information anytime you may wake up early and go for coffee instead of being at home waiting to be tested by USADA out of competition, which by the way, happens about 1 or 2 times a year?

"There has to be an easier way to do this. I would rather have a tracking device injected into my body like some Will Smith cyber movie so they can track me all the time then try to predict where I am going to be hour by hour 3 months in advance or remember to update it if it changes but not too often or I will be targeted.

"Whaaahwhaaah, things can always be worse.
Things can always be worse, true, but Wells' post reveals that the dopers have become a cancer that's infiltrated the life of every rider, clean or dirty. You have to wonder if overzealous efforts by the USADA are futile or if they really will lead to a cure."

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

What Do The Nation's Top Pros Think About Cyclocross Portland Style? FUNTASTIC!


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Reminiscent of the international and domestic pros' glowing reviews of the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic last May, America's top 'crossers seem to relish racing in Portland.

Luna pro and Beijing Olympic mountain biker Georgia Gould, who took second both days of the Portland Cup Dec. 6-7, said the fan support in Portland is a “huge” boost for riders like herself and teammate Katerina Nash.

“Especially at this point in the season,” she said. “For people like me and Katerina, who have been racing since March, the more people who are out there, it can inject some enthusiasm and give you that extra little bit you need to dig deep when it really hurts. So I think every extra person and cowbell, or even some little kid banging on a pot or whatever, it all helps. Absolutely!”

Cyclocrossworld.com-Cannondale pro Jeremy Powers, who races for Jittery Joe's on the road, said the most “Belgianesque” crowds in the States are found in Portland, where the rowdy-yet-knowledgeable fans are known to tip back one or two at the beer garden.

“I love when people come out to the races,” Powers said. “Especially in Portland. Last time there was a drum band and people were dressed up. It sets the bar pretty high.”

Reigning national champion and 2008 USGP winner Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com-Cannondale), who said he first raced in Portland in 1997, always enjoys the enthusiastic – and creative – Pacific Northwest crowds.

“The bigger the better,” he said before recalling a USGP race he won in 2006 at the Hillsboro Stadium.

“The course was just sick,” he said. “It was just nasty. There was one especially tough climb, and at the top of it there were people in a hot tub watching – just hanging out. That was great.

“They’re out there racing all day in their categories and then they hang around to support us,” Johnson said. “It makes you want to perform.”

Bend's own Ryan Trebon, the 2006 national champion who will head to Europe for the World Cup races after traveling to Kansas City for this year's nationals, said he enjoys racing so close to home, but it's about more than just the obvious convenience.

"I much prefer racing out here," Trebon said. "When we're out east, there's always a bias for the East Coast riders. I like coming to race in Oregon, where there's a bias toward Oregon riders. I know most of these people, and I think it's the best scene in the country for racing and the best place to live."

As if to emphasize the point, Mother Nature put on a little show of Her own Saturday evening as the day's events wrapped up and PIR's holiday lights flickered to life. Cyclocross is great fun, but the greatest show on Earth puts it all into perspective ...

Sunday, December 7, 2008

USGP Day 2: 'Tree Farm' On Fire, Johnson Cruises To Overall, Nash Gets The Double And The Series

The weather on Day 2 of the Crank Brothers US Gran Prix of Cyclocross Portland Cup Presented by Stanley was, to say the least, a bit wetter than Day 1, but the racing was just as fierce.

RELATED: Preview / Day 1 Results / Day 1 Report / Day 2 Results

ELITE WOMEN, Day 2

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Beijing Olympian Katerina Nash (Luna) overcame the mud on Day 2 to sweep the Portland Cup. Nash was gone from the gun and never looked back. Her weekend effort was enough to seize the Elite Women's overall prize from teammate Georgia Gould.

Gould, who also rode in last summer's Olympics, was never far behind, taking second both days and slipping to second overall.


Sue Butler (Monavie/Cannondale) enjoyed a podium finish in front of the home crowd, coming in third on Sunday, but she just missed an overall podium spot.


Maureen Bruno-Roy (MM Racing P/B Seven Cycles) and Kelli Emmett (Giant Bicycles) had to deal with the mud and Nash's take-no-prisoners pace. Emmet finished sixth Sunday, and Bruno-Roy followed in seventh.

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ELITE MEN, Day 2


Jeremy Powers (Cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale) was first up the newly configured run-up at the Portland International Raceway course, but he had to settle for fourth on the day, knocking him from the overall podium.


Beijing Olympic mountain biker Todd Wells (GT Bicycles) got a better start Sunday. He finished second on the day and third overall.


The cream of the American cyclocross crop had already exploded the field by the beginning of the second lap.


Oregon homeboy Ryan "Tree Farm" Trebon (Kona) shook off his Saturday slip and put the hammer down for an impressive win that left a long train of pain behind him. But it wasn't enough to seize the overall.


National Champion Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale) took over the series lead with a Saturday win, then sealed it by hanging on for third Sunday.


Trebon may have had to settle for second overall, but he walked away (literally) with the giant check for the day's most aggressive male rider. When you cash that check, does the bank pay you off in large bills?

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USGP Day 2 Results: Trebon, Nash Victorious; Johnson, Nash Take Overall

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Elite Men's Overall Podium: Ryan Trebon, Tim Johnson and Todd Wells.


Katerina Nash won the Elite Women's overall by sweeping the Portland races. Nash's pair of weekend wins left the race for the overall a dead heat with her Luna teammate Georgia Gould. Judges gave the three-time Czech Olympian the overall crown because she won the final race.

USGP PORTLAND CUP DAY 2

Elite Women Day 2
1. Katarina Nash (Kona)
2. Georgia Gould (Kona)
3. Sue Butler (Monavie/Cannondale)
4. Rachel Lloyd (California Giant)
5. Wendy Simms (Kona)
6. Kelly Emmett

Elite Men Day 2
1. Ryan Trebon (Kona)
2. Todd Wells (GT Bicycles)
3. Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale)
4. Jeremy Powers (Cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale)
5. Troy Wells (Clif)
6. Barry Wicks (Kona)

USGP SERIES OVERALL

Elite Women
1. Nash
2. Gould
3. Lloyd

Elite Men
1. Johnson
2. Trebon
3. Wells

U23 Men
1. Nicholas Wayhall
2. Danny Summerhill
3. Adam McGrath

STAY TUNED FOR COMPLETE REPORT AND PHOTOS.

USGP Portland Cup Day 2 Weather Report


What a difference a day makes.

While Saturday's Crank Brothers US Gran Prix of Cyclocross was contested under sunny skies and near 50 degrees, Sunday's outlook looks a bit different. Rain moving in from the northwest should be dumping on Portland International Raceway just in time to completely change the character of the course.

Saturday was fast and furious. Sunday could well be the slopfest the pros expect when they come to the Pacific Northwest in December.

See you there!