Rathe Tops Cherry Pie Men's Field

A trio of 17-year-old juniors dropped the hammer on the men's pro 1,2 field at the 2009 Cherry Pie Road Race, which kicked off the OBRA season Sunday on roads northwest of Albany.

The Hammer CMG Racing Team stamped its mark on the field by claiming three of the top four spots. Portland's Jacob Rathe, a member of the U.S. Junior National Team, out-sprinted Kennett Peterson (Life Cycles) and teammates Austin Arguello and Wes Stein over the uphill finish to claim the top prize. Arguello is also a member of the Junior National team.

Breakaway attempts met with little success over the 52.2 mile course, which combined long flat straightaways with a handful of gentle rollers and a deceptively tough uphill finish. Small groups in the men's pro 1,2 field tried in vain to animate the race with repeated breaks, but none gained more than 20 seconds before the field reeled them back.

The combined women's 1,2,3 field followed pretty much the same pattern, with the group remaining intact until the finishing climbs, where Lisa Turnbull sprinted away from the field to take an easy win by seven seconds. Jen Akeroyd (3) fought hard for second, and Libby Evans (3) finished third, nipping Jackie Cohen (3) at the line.

Men Pro,1,2
1. Jacob RATHE
2. Kennett PETERSON
3. Austin ARGUELLO

Women 1,2,3
1. Lisa TURNBULL (1,2)
2. Jen AKEROYD (3)
3. Libby EVANS (3)

Men 3
1. Andrew BENNETT
2. Zak KOVALCIK
3. Sage FREEMAN

Juniors 13-15
1. Colby WAIT-MOLYNEUX
2. Lance PUGH
3. Gabriel NOLLER

Juniors 16-18
1. Joe PRETTYMAN
2. George ZACK
3. Brian FAWCETT

Masters 40+
1. Karsten HAGEN
2. David ZIMBELMAN
3. Matt SLATER

Check OBRA'scomplete results here.

Light Rain, Winds Forecast For Oregon Opener

Oregon roadies itching to stretch their legs at the Cherry Pie Road Race Sunday can expect some typically Oregon spring weather. Local forecasts paint the perfect picture of a Belgianesque spring classic.

"Light rain and wind early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 46F. ENE winds at 15 to 25 mph, diminishing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent."

National Road Race Championships Headed For Bend

Just six weeks after deciding Bend will host the cyclocross national championships for the next two years, USA Cycling announced today that the central Oregon city will also host the 2009 and 2010 junior, under-23 and elite road championships.

"Bend is a top destination for both recreational and competitive cycling, and USA Cycling is excited to be bringing another national championship race to Oregon," said Steve Johnson, CEO for USA Cycling. "Bend's long tradition of community-wide support and passion for cycling convinced us to award them two national championships in the same year."

The 2009 USA Cycling Road Championships will run from July 28 through Aug. 2. The six-day event will bring about 1,000 racers to Bend, where they will compete for national titles in the individual time trial, road race and criterium.

Because of the timing of the event, which begins just two days after the conclusion of central Oregon's Cascade Cycling Classic, a USA Cycling National Calendar race, many competitors, media and spectators are expected to remain in town for both events.

Bend's tourism officials are excited about the opportunities to show off their city.

"The road national championships are a perfect fit with Visit Bend's efforts to attract large events that will help our destination weather uncertain economic times," said Doug LaPlaca, president and CEO of Visit Bend. "We are thankful to USA Cycling for the trust they have put in us by awarding not one, but two national championships to Bend."

This marks the first time in recent history that two USA Cycling National Championships will take place in the same city in the same year.

The 2009 cyclocross championships are slated for Dec. 10-13

Cherry Pie Road Race Registration Open

The 2009 Cherry Pie Road Race online registration opened Feb. 2, and tandems are once again invited.

Oregon's first road race of the year will test riders' early season legs Sunday, Feb. 15, on rural roads outside of Albany. Organizers say the course has a generous helping of rolling hills to break up the fields, and it will feature an uphill finish "in an attempt to reduce visits to the local emergency rooms."

The Men and Women 1/2 fields will cover the course twice for a total of 52.2 miles. The men will leave at 12:30 p.m. The women will hit the course a half-hour later.

The tandems will be the first group of the day on the course. The A's and B's will start together at 10 a.m., covering 1 lap for 26.9 miles (including a neutral roll out from the staging area). Teams with juniors and slower adults will be scored separately and have their own podium.

Check out the Event Website for complete details and a few changes for the 2009 edition.