New Faces for the Peloton

First Piece of Cake

for many.
by
J. Fritzgerald B.

A first road race for others.
First road race of 2010 for some more.

Driving SW to Perrydale just outside of Amity, we weren't far from nowhere. Yet, to my surprise and joy, there was a drive-through espresso stand in the middle of the five way stop that is the urban center of downtown Perrydale.

Loreful Nissy Cobb left, overlooked our new racer Catherine "Hana" Cooper, while freezing in not enough clothing.
Our girl at least had that much right at the Start!
Unfortunately, Hana would not long be on that side of the Cat 2 Woman Track racer who once stood in Hana's shoes in her first race with Cyclisme. However Hana is tough and barreled through the wind to come in after the pack quickly, and with a smile on her face. Well done!


Word RCB Cyclisme teammates worked together to support each other.

Some of the Juniors led the way, recognizing folks they knew all the while babysitting kids. Parents supported in every way. They drove, fed, cheered, and paid for.
Esteban's folks, and Jake's too made the parking lot nice.

Our Juniors were well prepared physically for what they decided to do and we ended up with some happy campers at the end of the day.

Esteban Vasquez posted a 6th place in the 16-18, while Shaun and Wan finished 5th and 6th in the 13-15 Juniors.

31 year old Issac Potoczny-Jones who recently took up private after-work rollers/weightlifting lessons with his coach, and then checked every lesson twice, was trying to stay in Fifth. It worked, and he rode a very savvy, leeward race.
Gaging how the wind would be blowing in the next corner, and moving before the turn, left him always out of the wind. Sprinting in the pack sprint at the end. Isaac finished fourth in the Fives.

Banana Belt Reflection On Victory

Genesis of a Great Season
by
Stephen Bedford

Photos by
Pat Malach

As the popular series, Banana Belt came rolling around the corner this year, its notorious reputation of being a dangerous course weighed heavy on my mind. Many collar bones have met their demise in this race which circumnavigates Henry Hagg lake. However, the allure of a new Fuji carbon bike frame, the momentum of a 2nd place finish at Sublimity, and the forecast of dry weather convinced me to give it a try. In the first race I was cautious, staying out of the wind and near the front of the pack. There were several crashes, but I was lucky to narrowly avoid them.

The laps ticked by and as we came into the final kilo, the pace quickened. Everyone was anxious to be in a good position for the sprint. With 300 meters to go and racers coming around on all sides, I went for the only opening. So I stood up, moved over to the shoulder and sprinted. The timing was right, and I was able to get to the front and hang on for the win.

It was my intention to just race the first race in the series, but now I was looking at a 2 point lead in the series and even more momentum than the previous week. How could I not race the rest of the series? So I approached the second BB like a stage race. I was in the leaders jersey, and all I had to do was finish in front of my closest competitors. I planned on going for the "hot-spot" points on the 2nd lap to increase my point lead and was lucky enough to have another racer attack right before the approach. So I jumped on his wheel and was carried away from the pack where I was able to sprint for the bonus points.

The rest of the race I spent trying to cover all the breaks, with Team Oregon watching my every move. After 4 laps, and 1 to go, Trevor Spahr and Mitch Lee got off the front and I decided I had better save my energy for the final sprint, so I didn't chase. They got away and although Mitch came back to the pack, we never saw Trevor again, he was able to TT for the last lap for the win.

Meanwhile, back in the pack, at the bottom of the finishing hill, the pace was heating up. Chris Dubois was being led out by a team mate, so I tried to get on his wheel. I was tired at this point and was not able to get around him, so I finished 3rd in the pack sprint and 4th on the day.

This was enough to give me a 9 point lead on Dubois, but John thought we had better call in reinforcements. So, Jake Hansen and Alex Lightman joined me for the 3rd BB. It was fun to see the dismay of the field when they noticed that I had Jake and Alex there to help me. "Bedford's got teammates!?" people asked. With an "epic battle" between Team Oregon and Word-RCB being touted, it was an exciting race. All I had to do was mark Dubois, let Jake and Alex chase down attacks, and protect me. Thanks to my fast and powerful team mates, nothing was able to get away, and with 200 meters to go I followed Dubois' wheel right to the line and went around him for another 4th place finish and a new Fuji frame!

A great showing of teamwork by Cyclisme!

Three make three in the 3s at Piece of Cake R.R.

Three guys,
three positions on the road,
against the strength of the Cat 3s.
by
J. Fritzgerald B.
Stephen Bedford, Jake Hansen, and Alex Lightman lined up in Perrydale, Oregon to race a 51 mile Category 3 Road Race.

As their race unfolded, the Word-RCB men set up the perfect storm, but it unraveled as fast as a tire goes flat.

Still, their goal of the day to work for Lightman worked, as Alex made some great moves.

Sitting in near the front, Alex was chilaxing, but not before leading up Jake who made a monster move to bridge the winning 7 man break away.

Meanwhile back watching as well, Stephen covered the bridge attempt of the young Jr. Neo Pro from "Hot Tubes" and found himself way out in "no-man's land" in a brutal cross-wind with a 16year old kid that disappears if he turns sideways.

Fully represented, the break enjoyed the blocking of Ironclad, Team Oregon and others. Alex calmly waited for the pack sprint, while blocking up the front for his domestique's chances.
Then, adversity showed herself.


By the time he saw Jake on the roadside with his flat wheel in his hand, Alex knew his situation had changed. Soon he saw Bedford on the side of the road managing a cramp.


With about 2k to go, out of character, Alex attacked for a great long pursuit to the line with the pack just behind, taking a Team Oregon racer who turned out to be slower, but Alex nursed him for the huge crosswind straight-away ahead. Then picking up an earlier break away, Alex won a three up sprint - by a lot!


"Oh man, it was so hard! Half way through with the Team Oregon guy dying, I asked myself what am I doing?!" Alex lamented after the race.

Yoga in the Woods

Yep, you got it. Here's DeyShaun working the kinks out while on a little break from the trail.

University Falls, in the Tillamook Burn area.

Hana, Naiqwan, Jeff, DeyShaun and I rode the "Historic Hiking Trail" loop in the Tillamook State Forest last weekend. It's a fun, challenging loop, especially when it's a bit wet.


Greg

Raising the bar is uplifting.

Naiqwan and Jake Win Echo Red to Red, Echo Red to Red...

Naiqwan and Jake Win Echo Red to Red, Echo Red to Red...
By Greg O'Brien

What's there an echo in here?




Naiqwan Pellman, an all around Junior of many disciplines,





added strength and good form to a convincing win in the
15-18 yr. old Cat 3 field at the
Echo to Red XC Mountain Bike race in Eastern Oregon Saturday.
This was Naiqwan's first win on the MTB.
We should all be proud of his accomplishment.

Meanwhile...

Hammering a blistering pace on the gravel road before the singletrack,
Jake Hansen rode a strong but controlled race to win the Cat 2, 19-34 field.

Fergus, John Ebenal and myself had more mediocre results.
I took 8th in the Cat 2 45-54 group, a couple places ahead of John.
Fergus was somewhere near the middle of the cat 2 35-44 group.
John - E. was (IS) hard core, racing on his cyclocross bike.

Full results here:
http://www.mudslingerevents.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/EchoRed2Red2010results.pdf






It was a beautiful day, with tons and tons of tight, twisty up and down singletrack.
300+ racers for the first race in the 2010 River City Oregon XC Series
foreboded an insanely competitive mountain bike season ahead!

Greg





photos by shane young and el presidente

Bedford Sprints!

BEDFORD WINS!




After miles of motorpacing in practice,
AT BB#1 2010: Word-RCB’s Stephen Bedford took the sprint.

Photos by P. MalacH