Saturday, May 2, 2009

Land Rover-Orbea's Van Uden wins Tour of the Gila Criterium

Land Rover-Orbea's Roman van Uden won the Stage 4 Silver City Criterium at the Tour of the Gila Saturday in New Nexico. Van Uden slipped through a series of crashes in the final laps that blocked out many of the top contenders.

The 20-year-old who rides for Portland's professional cycling team hung on to snatch the win in front of quickly closing Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita). Levi Leipheimer nearly crashed after rolling a tire but managed to retain his overall lead. Lance Armstrong finished 11th.

Van Uden also recently won the Cherry City Criterium stage (pictured) of Oregon's Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic in The Dalles April 4.

VeloNews.com has a complete report.

Rathe Report: The streets of Hoboken

(Oregon juniors Jacob Rathe, Austin Arguello and Ian Boswell are currently in Europe with the USA Cycling Junior National Team, which just completed the Grand Prix Hoboken in Belgium. Rathe sent Cycling Action this report).

HOBOKEN, Belgium -- A typical race in Belgium: crappy roads, small roads, narrow roads, road furniture, lots of corners and more crappy roads. The race featured a total elevation gain of almost 300 feet in 116 kilometers, and more than 30 90+ degree corners in 50k.

It's been my first race in over two weeks due to an ear infection, I wasn’t expecting much but needed a good race under me for next week's Course de la Paix in the Czech Republic.

Thirty-three teams with a total of 196 riders lined up. We started in the city of Hoboken, did two 50 kilometer loops, then finished with two circuits around the town.

A break of three got away 20k into the race. They were joined not soon after by four more, including U.S. rider Andrew Barker. At the end of the first lap I made my way up to the break with four other riders. The break was now 12. Then more came up. Then it was 25. The group was more of a selection rather than a breakaway.

My only teammate in the group, Andrew, flatted on the second lap, and I was the only U.S. rider there until another teammate, Ryan Eastman, came up with another 10 riders. At the same time three riders sneaked off the front just as we got to the finishing circuits. They got out of sight, and I spent a lap trying to bridge up with another Belgian but couldn’t make it before getting swallowed up by the lead pack.

The finishing circuit was somewhat ridiculous, with several 90+ degree corners every kilometer and a cobble stone section that was scary to look at. From a big road, we turned onto a small road that turned to cobbles. Fifty meters later it opened up into somewhat of a field of cobbles, with train tracks and a sharp bend onto an uphill highway overpass. The train tracks weren’t even nice train tracks; rising above the cobbles and worthy of a good bunny hop.

There was no organized chase, but rather a constant barrage of attacks. Eventually five more riders got away to the lead group that grew to eight. I tried but had no more bullets left. We got caught by another group on the last lap, containing another teammate, Charlie Avis. I was destroyed, and he looked like he still had some hop in his legs so I told him I’d lead him out for the sprint. I led the last 1.5k through the town only to get swarmed with 200 meters to go.

Charlie ended up in 17th, Ryan in 28th, me in 29th. Austin came in not soon after in 41st, and all other U.S. riders finished in the top 100. We were 6th in team GC.

It wasn’t a great race for us, but not bad.

The Course de la Paix (Peace Race) starts on Wednesday. It's five days long with lots of climbing. Nations Cup-only national teams will be there, but the race is probably better suited to our strengths as a team.

VeloNews reporter Fred Dreier has been in Europe and spent some time with the Junior team. Read his report HERE.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Mt. Hood Cycling Classic Video

The 2009 Mt. Hood Cycling Classic is just about a month away.
Here's some video of last year's race to get you ready:


ZteaM makes hay at Hood River Crit Series finale

(UPDATE, 3:45 p.m.: Complete criterium photo galleries are now posted online HERE).



HOOD RIVER -- ZteaM's Matthew Slater escaped from the lead group of a split Cat 1/2/3 field late in the race and held off a furious last-lap chase by Guiness Cycling's Ben Miller to take the Hood River Criterium Series finale Thursday night.

Slater started the fireworks early with a solo move after countering an attack by Gentle Lovers' Steven Beardsley. He was soon joined at the front by Andy Skeen (ABD), and the pair stayed away for several laps before the first half of the split field pulled them back in the closing laps.

Slater rested briefly in the field and then jumped on a move by Spencer Bushnell (Therapeutic Associates). The pair held a small gap for three laps with chasers slowly whittling away at their lead by the finale. That's when Miller attacked the chase group on the final lap as Bushnell, who had supplied most of the power for the move with Slater, faded. Miller, followed closely by Adam Blanchard (Therapeutic Associates), closed to within inches of Slater by the finish, but the ZteaM rider won by a bike throw. Bushnell held on for third, and Blanchard was fourth.

ZteaM also won the special combined Masters race, sending Michael Dunn up the road with Kent Johnston (Fred Meyer/Lakeside) early in the 35-minute event. The two riders worked well together and dangled off the front of the field, which never seemed to muster an extended, organized chase. Dunn held off Johnston at the line to take the win. Peter Drake (Fred Meyer/Lakeside) took the field sprint for third.

RESULTS

Senior Men Cat 1/2/3
1. Slater, Matthew (ZteaM)
2. Miller, Benjamin (Guinness Cycling)
3. Bushnell, Spencer (Therapeutic Associates)
4. Blanchard, Adam (Therapeutic Associates)
5. Collura, Sal (Springfield VELO Television)

Masters 40+
1. Dunn, Michael (ZteaM)
2. Johnston, Kent (Fred Meyer/Lakeside Cycling Team)
3. Drake, Peter (Fred Meyer/Lakeside Cycling Team)
4. Slater, Matthew (ZteaM)
5. Lujan, Michael (Specialized River City Bicycles)

Masters 50+
1. Desmond, Richard (Team Oregon)
2. Provencher Darell (Team Rose City)
3. Murray Mike (Gresham Bike Central)
4. Mautner Paul (Portland Team Rose City)
5. Mallon, Cary (Sandy Disco Velo)

Masters 60+
1. Magnus, Ron (Fred Meyer/Lakeside Cycling Team)
2. Hanson, Don (ZteaM)

Women
1. Swearingen, Julie (Mountain View Cycles)
2. Wardell, Jennifer (Mountain View Cycles)
3. Richardson, Judy (Sorella Forte)
4. Nobbs, Cassie (Athletes for a Cure)
5. Mautner, Meg (Portland Bike Central)

Juniors
1. Mikkelson, Zachary (Mountain View Cycles)
2. Alling, Austin (Portland Fred Meyer/Lakeside Cycling Team)

Senior Men Cat. 3/4
1. Holcomb Joseph (Specialized River City Bicycles)
2. Schauer, Tim (Specialized River City Bicycles)
3. Swearingen, Wes (Mountain View Cycles)
4. Parra, Greg (Team Oregon/Sunset Cycles)
5. Simon, Tom (Specialized River City Bicycles)

Senior Men Cat 4/5
1. Hayes, Andrew (Mountain View Cycles)
2. Weaver, Benjamin (Team Oregon)
3. Olsson, Andy (Dirty Finger)
4. Aldersebaes, Dave (Ironclad Performance Wear)
5. Irusta, Joseba (Scott's Cycle & Sports)

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Tresser tops Cameron at PIR Tuesday Nighter

The fourth time proved to be the charm for Cyclepath's Christian Tresser at this week's PIR Tuesday Nighter.

Tresser battled Portland Bicycle Studio's Molly Cameron throughout the night, eventually taking the win with 17 final points over Cameron's 15. Tresser has been at the front every Tuesday throughout April but couldn't quite climb to the top spot on the podium until this week.

Rapha Racing's Jon Grochau won the first race of the season. Land Rover-Orbea's Logan Hunn won week two, and Rapha Racing's Todd Littlehales took week three's overall win.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Cat 1/2/3
1. Tresser, Christian (Cyclepath Racing) 17
2. Cameron, Molly (Portland Bicycle Studio) 15
3. no visible number 12
4. no visible number 8
5. Heaberlin, Cliff (Guinness Cycling Team) 8

Cat 3/4
1. Ratliff, Brian (Portland Velo) 17
2. Crawford, Mark (Ironclad Performance Wear) 13
3. Leritz, Aaron (Team S&M) 13
4. Burger, Steven (Sunset Cycles) 8
5. Pollock, Jeffrey (Portland Velo) 7

Cat 4/5
1. O'Neal, Trevor 15
2. Garbellano, Jeremy (Guinness Cycling) 12
3. kenoyer, steve 10
4. Emerson, Mike (Capitol Velo) 8
5. Corkill, Rick 7

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Babcock, Butler claim snowy Bear Springs Trap XC wins

(UPDATE: Monday, 3:15 p.m., Complete photo galleries for
Bear Springs Trap XC are now posted online HERE).



PHOTO: James Williams makes his way through the snowpack.

McCUBBINS GULCH, Ore. -- Sean Babcock (Team S&M) rode at the front of the Bear Springs Trap cross country race from start to finish Sunday to take the Pro Men's event on Mount Hood. Sue Butler (Monavie-Cannondale) battled Veloforma's Alice Pennington for the win in the Pro Women's race.

Remains of last winter's record snowfall covered long stretches of the course as the Pro/Cat. 1 men and women covered 30+ miles on the rolling terrain around McCubbins Gulch near the Bear Springs Ranger station on Mount Hood between Government Camp and Maupin.

Although the clouds dissipated and the sun appeared Sunday to heat things up with summer-like temperatures, many of the upper sections of the course turned into hikes through snow that varied from six inches to several feet deep. Paths cut through the snow allowed passage, but most riders eventually had to dismount through the deepest, slipperiest sections.

Babcock wasted little time laying down the gauntlet with a hard charge off the line that saw him first up the powerline motorcycle-trail climb that kicked off the race.

By the time Babcock hit the Clear Creek Bridge heading for the Rimrock Loop, the S&M rider had built a lead of several minutes on a small group of chasers that included Steve Larsen, James Williams (Cannondale Factory Team), Matt Russell (Capitol Subaru Cycling), Erik Tonkin (Kona Factory Team) and Spencer Paxon (Team S&M). Echo Red to Red winner and Oregon XC Series overall leader Evan Plews (Capitol Subaru Cycling) suffered mechanical problems leading up to the bridge and was several minutes behind the chase group at the first crossing.

Babcock held onto his lead and finished the course in 2:17:22. Paxon used his time on the Rimrock Loop wisely, moving into second place by the end of the race, three minutes and seven seconds behind the winner. Larsen finished third, crossing the line one minute, 22 seconds later.

Butler, from Portland, used the same tactic in the Pro Women's race, opening an early gap on Hood River's Pennington and holding it for the 30+ miles to the finish.

Plews is now tied with Williams in the Oregon XC Series with 70 points. Babcock's win lifts him to third with 60. Pennington leads the Pro Women's series ahead of Butler, Stephanie Blasi and Sami Fournier.

The next race in the mountain bike series is the 21st Peak Sports Mudslinger on Sunday, May 3, near Philomath. The Mudslinger will also decide the OBRA XC Championships.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

Pro Men
1. Sean Babcock (Team S&M)
2. Spencer Paxon (Team S&M)
3. Steve Larsen
4. Erik Tonkin (Kona Factory Team)
5. James Williams (Cannondale Factory Team)
6. Matt Russell (Capitol Subaru Cycling)
7. Evan Plews (Capitol Subaru Cycling)
8. Steve Carwile (Capitol Subaru Cycling)
9. Justin Finn (Spooky bikes)

Pro Women
1. Sue Butler (Monavie-Cannondale)
2. Alice Pennington (Veloforma/Zym)