Gone with the wind: blowing through the stage 2 time trial

(Oregon rider Karsten Hagen [ZteaM] is racing the Matsers 35+/45+ race at the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic. He sent Cycling Action this report from the Stage 2 Scenic Gorge Time Trial).

By Karsten Hagen

We left the start house facing headwinds so strong I was considering starting in my small ring. Nevertheless, my goal was to keep Jeff Bannink (Team Type1) from passing me. I mean, I haven't had this much horsepower nipping at my heels since I threw a water balloon at a guy on a Harley when I was 8.

Everyone in our race had the same goal; break up the GC and score some extra time. Dave Zimbelman (ZteaM) was an angry man after cramping up and getting shelled yesterday. He more than made up for it today by storming the course showing everyone else out there how to time trial. Paul Bourcier and Bannink rounded out the top three (yep, Jeff passed me).

Tomorrow, the time gaps in the GC will be measured in five and 10 minute chunks rather than seconds. But I'll think about that then.

Mt. Hood amusement park open for business

(Oregon rider Karsten Hagen (ZteaM) is racing the Matsers 35-45 race at the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic. He sent Cycling Action this report from the Cooper Spur Circuit Race).

By Karsten Hagen

HOOD RIVER -- Today's Masters race was a 3rd rate amusement park haunted house ride through every kind of weather June can throw at humanity. At first, we flew on rails through shimmering 90 degree heat and slick humidity. Attacks were active and quite noble; my teammates got involved often and we put a good face on the race. There was the usual bitching and complaining about heat and lack of feedzones. But when it came time to race, we got after it.

Then, everything changed.

The sky became bruised and sullen and the wind reminded us that the Gorge is no place for complacency. The temperature dropped 30 degrees and hail pelted us as if it were being shot by malicious kids in the bushes. Our amusement park ride became slow, choppy and full of irritated, middle aged men.

For every attack, there was a response, but no counterattack. It was as if nobody felt motivated to hang by themselves in what was becoming a hail and wind driven maelstrom worthy of a Wagenerian opera.

But why am I talking about Opera at midnight on a Thursday?

I, myself, got sick of being batted around by a field that was moving slower than a funeral procession in New Orlens. I made a move, got joined by someone from River City Bicycles and forged one of those fleeting and wordless partnershps that breakaway compatriots have enacted in countless races since the turn of the 20th century. We slogged it out and were joined by John Browning (Cyclepath Racing), a superhuman being from another planet.

The three of us tried our best to put time on the field in what I thought was a sure bid for victory. We worked through the switchbacks up to Cooper Spur with some semblence of efficiency and finished the lap with no field in sight.

Unfortunatley for me, as we crossed the line at the top of the climb, I realized we still had a lap to go. My legs seized up in thermonuclear powered cramps almost immediately and it took every ounce of willpower my mama gave me to put any effort into the descent.

But that descent is sure fun!

We were summarily caught and executed by the chasing field at the bottom of the hill and rode our way into another tempestuous headwind. My seeapost managed to work its way down about 5mm during the race and my legs felt like death had come to them at least 40 years early.

The finish was uneventful, but very, very hard. I managed to hang onto the main field; pretty good for a 200 pound dude!

Hagen Caps Masters Hat Trick at Piece of Cake

Karsten Hagen (ZteaM) topped off his Banana Belt series overall win with a Piece of Cake Sunday by claiming his third victory in as many races. The Hood River rider finished his March hat trick the same way he won the second and third races of the Banana Belt series -- by joining a small break away group set up by one of his ZteaM comrades.

In a race typified by many breakaways and bridging efforts, the attacks started on the first crosswind section and did not let up. There were a couple of initial efforts up the road that were swallowed quickly; the wind made it difficult for small groups dangling off the front to stay away.

"If you didn't establish a convincing gap right away, the field would swallow you up," Hagen said.

Nike, ZteaM and bicycleattorney.com controlled the race until Matt Slater (ZteaM) and Matt Hill (Garage) got away about halfway through the first lap and built a good gap right away. Mark Magilner (Half Fast Velo) slipped away and chased alone for nearly an entire lap.

Hagen said with constant bridge attempts up to the two-man break, his goal was to make sure another ZteaM rider made it into any chasing groups.

"I finally got a good bridge effort going with Mark Steger (Nike) and Brian Griffith (Garage)," he said. "Brian refused to work, so Mark and I battled the headwind until we caught Magilner. Our speed picked up and we caught Slater and Hill with about one lap to go."

With six strong riders in the lead group working hard against the winds and building a good gap, thoughts turned to the finish.

Hagen and Slater began attacking the group and whittled the leaders down to four: Hagen, Magilner, Steger, Slater. Hagen started attacking with about five miles to go and within a mile had dropped everyone but Steger.

"Mark began sprinting at about 300 meters and I came around him at the line," he said. "I raised one hand in an OBRA compliant salute."

Magilner and Slater duked it out for third and fourth respectively. The Garage riders came across the line individually and Kent Johnston (Fred Meyer/Lakeside) won the field sprint.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
1. Karsten Hagen (ZteaM)
2. Mark Steger (Nike)
3. Mark Magilner (Half Fast Velo)

2009 Piece of Cake Masters 1/2/3 Slideshow:



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