Saturday, April 25, 2009

Land Rover-Orbea competing at La Vuelta de Bisbee

Portland's professional cycling Team Land Rover-Orbea is in Bisbee, Arizona, this weekend competing in the three-day, four stage La Vuelta de Bisbee near the Mexican border.

Team rider Logan Hunn finished 22nd in the Prologue Time Trial and 18th during Saturday morning's 83-mile Sulphur Springs Road Race, where he finished eight seconds behind the lead trio of Darren Lill (Team Type 1), Phil Zajicek (Fly V Australia) and Shawn Milne (Team Type 1). Hunn's Land Rover-Orbea teammate Carson Miller was 22nd, 10 seconds behind the leaders. Hunn is currently 17th overall, 1 minute and 15 seconds back. Miller is 20th overall at +1:19.

The race continues with the Warren Time Trial Saturday night and concludes Sunday with the 85-mile Tombstone Road Race.

Women's track clinic Sunday at Alpenrose

Alpenrose Velodrome will host a track clinic Sunday for women who want to learn the intricacies of riding a fixed-gear around Portland's uniquely banked concrete bowl.

The clinic starts at 1 p.m. and will run though 3 p.m.

Several experienced riders will be on hand to teach the skills necessary for successful track riding. Students will learn to ride a fixed-gear bike on the apron (the flat part of the track) and then gradually work up to riding on the banking. The class will include drills to help riders gain confidence, and if time allows, there will be some mock races.

Bring your own helmet, pedals and shoes. Riders needing to rent a bike should arrive about 12:30 p.m.

The class will be canceled if it rains.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Construction Project Nixes Mt. Tabor Circuit Race

The Mt. Tabor Circuit Race has been postponed due to a City of Portland construction project near the Upper Reservoir, according to promoter Nathan Hobson. It appears from this photo (left) of last year's criterium stage of the Mt. Hood Classic professional race in May that these projects have been ongoing for nearly a year.

From Hobson's announcement to the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association members:
"Unfortunately, the road construction project on the Upper Reservoir road on Mount Tabor has forced the cancellation of the May 16th, 2009 Mount Tabor Circuit Race. I am working diligently with the Portland Parks and Recreation department as well as with OBRA to find a suitable date to reschedule the event."
Hobson said Velo on the Vocano, also known as the Mt. Tabor Series, which starts June 3, should be ready to go on time. However, as with all construction projects, there are no guarantees as to when the job will be finished and the road opened for racing.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Littlehales takes PIR Tuesday Nighter

UPDATE: Wednesday, 9 p.m. -- Complete April 21 PIR photos are now posted HERE.

Former Navigators and Sierra-Nevada pro Todd Littlehales returned to the old haunts at Portland International Raceway Tuesday, winning the final sprint and enough hotspot points to snatch the overall in the Men's Pro/1/2/3 race.

Huge numbers showed up for the third race of the 2009 Tuesday night series. Sixty-five riders competed in the Cat 4/5 race, more than 100 in the 3/4 race and nearly 90 in the Pro/1/2/3 event.

Littlehales, who rides for Rapha Racing's veteran squad, battled Land Rover-Orbea's Evan Elken, HP Chiropractic's Aaron Coker, Cyclepath's Christian Tresser and a host of others throughout the night for sprint points.

Littlehales' Rapha Teammate Jon Grochau won this year's first PIR April 7.

RESULTS (unofficial)

Pro/1/2/3
1. Littlehales, Todd - Rapha Racing (17)
2. Coker, Aaron - HPChiro/Hammer Nutrition (14)
3. Abers, Brian - Bike Central (10)
4. Tresser, Christian - Cyclepath Racing (10)
5. Elken, Evan - Land Rover/ORBEA (9)

Cat. 3/4
1. Ratliff, Brian - Portland Velo (15)
2. Goff, Wade - Half Fast Velo (12)
3. Swearingen, Wes - Mountain View Cycles (11)
4. Harwood, Jeff - Ironclad Performance Wear (10)
5. Gibson, Nick (8)

Cat. 4/5

1. Cummings, Jacob - tarck (15)
2. Seeds, Darrin - Yakima Bike Vigilantes (12)
3. Severson, Tom - Centrex Construction Inc. (10)
4. Cecotti, Shawn (8)
5. Utz, Zachary (7)

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

This weekend's Willamette Stage Race canceled

Promoters Mike Ripley and Sal Collura canceled this weekend's Willamette Stage Race today due to a low number of pre-registered riders. In an e-mail to the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association mailing list, Ripley said the registration numbers had fallen far short of paying for the race.

Ripley and Collura had previously asked for more riders to register by Today at noon, or the race would not take place. From their e-mails:
The Facts:

Cash Sponsorship in this economy is poor to non-existent.

Willamette costs $20,500 just to break even. And after getting 211 riders in 2008, in 40-degree weather, and losing $3,000, we were OK with that. Sal and I thought with proper planning and a kick-ass course, we should get at least that and maybe more; two or three nice road race courses and an anything-is-possible time trial and the weather will be 20 degree's warmer, probably still a bit of rain.

Currently (midnight Sunday) we have $10,100 dollars from registrations and need 100 more entries to make this race happen.

The Reality:

*By Tuesday at noon* I will officially say the race is on and we have the 100 riders needed to break even and keep this event going...YEA! On the other hand, if we do not get the 100 riders to either register or e-mail me and say "I am coming and here is my rider info and I will pay at sign in," then I will have to *cancel* the race in time to let riders alter plans and hotels, and cancel flaggers to porta poties, and all other race-related stuff and give everyone a full refund.

Many have signed up and yes it will disappoint riders coming from Canada, San Fransisco, and other parts of California, and to those locals who this is their back yard and your back yard in Oregon and the Willamette Valley, this may be it for Willamette.

Bottom line:


I respect your decision on whatever you decide, and want you to achieve all that cycling can for you. We have many opportunities with OBRA, and yes there will be other times to race as I will be holding other events and Sal will also. It is a sign of the times and budgets, so no matter what, no hard feelings. Register now and if you do not, Sal and I will have some time to relax...would you really want that?

Thanks everyone!

Mike

--- --- --- --- --- ---


Fellow Racers:

As a promoter, I have never had to cancel a race. It would be heart-breaking. However, with only 100 entrants, it would appear there is no market for WILLAMETTE this year. We will make a decision Tuesday morning that makes the most sense for everyone involved.

Sal Collura
Co-Motion Classic Racing

Monday, April 20, 2009

Turnbull caps weekend double with Table Rock win

Lisa Turnbull (Therapeutic Associates Inc) pulled off a two-week hat trick, taking back-to-back victories this weekend in the Women's Pro/1/2/3 field at Eugene-Roubaix and the Table Rock Road Race near Medford. She also won the Kings Valley Road race April 11.

Turnbull won a two-up sprint with breakaway companion Lindsay Fox at Saturday's race in Eugene. She finished ahead of Veloforma's Rebecca Hartkop and Jenny Slawta of Land Shark the next day at Table Rock, which was also the third race of the 2009 Oregon Cup points series.

Team Oregon's Kennett Peterson won the Men's Pro/1/2 race on Sunday after grabbing the field sprint for seventh at Saturday's Eugene-Roubaix. At Table Rock, Peterson finished ahead of breakaway companion Paul Bourcier (Hutch's). The field finished more than three minutes later, led across the line by Team Oregon's Chris Swan, the winner of Saturday's race in Eugene.

2009 Oregon Cup Standings
(unofficial)

MEN
1. Paul Bourcier...(150)...Hutch's
2. Evan Elken...(120)...Land Rover-Orbea
3. Matt Ritzow...(110)...Paul's Bicycles
* Brandon Dyer...(110)...Therapeutic Associates
5. Josh Bartlett...(100)...Land Rover-Orbea
* Kennett Peterson...(100)...Team Oregon
7. Seth Patla...(95)...River City Bicycles
8. Austin Arguello...(80)...Hammer/CMG Racing
9. Mark Blackwelder (75) Gentle Lovers
10. Chris Swan (60) Team Oregon

WOMEN
1. Lisa Turnbull...(200)...Therapeutic Associates Inc.
2. Jen Akeroyd...(175)...Team Group Health
3. Robin Secrist...(160)...Veloforma
4. Rebecca Hartkop...(130)...Veloforma
5. Beth Burns...(85)...Veloce-Felt
6. Jacqueline Cohen...(80)...Therapeutic Associates Inc.
7. Kelly Benjamin...(75)...Colavita/Sutter Home
8. Jenny Slawta...(60)...Land Shark
* Sue Butler...(60)...Monavie-Cannondale
10. Teri Sheasby...(45)...BBNS
* Alice Pennington...(45)...Veloforma

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Oregonians excel at 2009 Sea Otter Classic's weekend of racing

A strong contingent of Oregon racers left its mark at Laguna Seca Raceway during this weekend's Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, Calif.

Juniors Austin Arguello and Wes Stein (Hammer/CMG Racing) won both junior road races at the national-caliber event. Arguello won Friday's circuit race in a five-up sprint with his breakaway companions. Stein walked away with the win in Sunday's road race. Arguello finished 15th. Their Hammer/CMG teammate Marcel DeLisser finished 47th in the Friday Pro/1/2 road race won by Tour of California champ and Euro-pro deluxe Levi Leipheimer.

Portland's Kelly Benjamin (Colavita Sutter Home) won the Friday Women's Pro/1/2 criterium and finished fifth in Saturday's circuit race.

Hood River's Karsten Hagen has been tearing it up, finishing fourth in the Thursday 35/45+ criterium after making it into a five-rider break that gained more than 90 seconds on the chasers. He also nabbed a fourth-place finish in Friday's Masters 35+ 1/2/3 circuit race, finishing 2:30 behind the leader.

Land Rover-Orbea has been having a go in the pro men's races, placing sprinter Roman Van Uden in sixth place at Thurday's criterium. Evan Elken finished 14th. The team placed Van Uden, Elken and Carson Miller 20th, 21st and 22nd respectively in Saturday's circuit race, which saw their teammate Aaron Tuckerman help initiate the day's first serious move.

Bend's MTB Crowd Cashes In


On the mountain bike, the Bend delegation has been making its presence felt. Carl Decker (Team Giant), who recently won the Horning's Hustle Cross Country race in North Plains, won the Pro Men's event at Friday's Super D. Then Decker finished third in Saturday's Pro Men's Short Track event behind Olympian Todd Wells (Specialized). Bend resident and National Cyclocross Champion Ryan Trebon (Kona) finished sixth. Cody Peterson (Dedicated Athlete) finished 20th in the race. Portland's Erik Tonkin (Kona) finished 27th. Jason Sager (Jamis) finished 47th, and Steve Carwille came in 64th.

In the men's Pro cross country race Sunday, Decker finished ninth, Tonkin crossed the line 16th, Aaron Olson came in 17th, and Bend's Chris Sheppard (Jamis) finished 19th. Team S&M's Sean Babcock finished 29th, and Ben Thomson (Cannondale Factory Racing) came in 36th.

Portland's Sue Butler (Monavie/Cannondale) finished 20th in the Pro Women's Short Track race and 16th in Sunday's cross country race. Hood River's Alice Pennington (Veloforma) finished 20th in the Pro Women's XC race. Bend's Kirt Voreis took 15th in the Pro Men's Dual Slalom on Saturday and 19th in Sunday's SRAM downhill.