Hey there cycling fans. I thought I'd resurrect the Blog to post a few pics from the Tour of California. Susan and I made the 3 hour trek out of the Sierra to witness the best that America has to offer. And we weren't disappointed! The day was perfect. The Expo, the crowd and the riders were an awesome site to behold, and we got a few good shots in the process.
How about a big round of applause to all of those local triathletes that competed in the Bitterroot Classic Tri this past weekend. Looks like there was a lot of Orange out there again. This is a good fast-paced race that brought out some good times. Kudos to Monica LaBarge for taking the women's title. nice swim/bike/run girl. Props also go out to my friends Jean Higgins-Peretto and Lauren Fern for posting solid times!
And how about our consummate Master's Triathlete, Jeremy Oury and his daughter, Racine. Way to go you two!
Geoff L'Heureux taking the whole race, Bryan Broscious 2nd and Oury 3rd. Nice run Jeremy. Dean McGovern had a solid performance as did Jeff Crouch.
ADVERTISEMENT: Five Valley Velo Blog Administrator wanted. As most of you know I'm in California now and not so much a part of the local scene. I'd love to see this BLOG continue and I'm looking for someone to post on it. Anyone interested? It has been a blast this past year, posting basically anything I've wanted to post. (Thanks for putting up with me) Contact me if you're interested. It's a fun pastime.
And I'm not talkin' about the Grizzly Headquarters on Van Buren!
All I can say about today's race is WOW. I had the opportunity to put on my first ever race today with the Bearmouth Road Race. I am a little bummed that I wasn't able to ride it, but I'm very glad to have been there supporting my team and (hopefully) putting on a choice event for the bicycle racers of Montana.
Susan and I got up early this morning and started up the Rocket, our two-person, stove top espresso maker. Weekends were made for caffeine, especially if you're out camping with 3 dogs! And you know that I have to be keen as Race Promoter for today's 64 miler out in Granite county.
The early morning cloud cover and light breeze made me feel easy. I knew that it would be a good day of racing. We pitched the trademark, Team Stampede/Five Valley Velo tent and started signing riders in. At first it was slow, but then the rush came. Bozeman was there in force (as usual), Flathead, Sportsman's and Great Northern were there. Five Valley, of course, was present and even a Spokane rider, Anthony Aleto, from Spokane. With the Master's men and Women we had 50 riders in total. This was a good showing for a mid-summer event.
I scrambled to find even 3 wheel cars and I had to man the 2nd turn around/feed zone as there were literally, only a handful volunteers from our team there to assist. Thanks Dean, Kyle, John and Miles for stepping up. A HUGE thanks to NRO for stepping up and providing 2 wheel cars. You guys were AWESOME.
Even so, we started within 10 minutes of our scheduled start time. First out was the biggest group of the day, the Cat 1/2/3 men. 24 riders, half the entire showing headed out. In them were Matt Seeley, Elliot Bassett, Willy Zellmer and John Weyrich. Today would turn out to be a test of the riders' resolve and ability to negotiate the climbs in 90 degree heat. Think of a stage through the Pyrenees during the tour. As I said, I was Marshall at the 2nd turn around (~mile 32) and Brad Morgan had a 30 second gap when he passed us. The riders took their water from us (thanks G.A.S. ladies) and started lap two. I was thankful to see our team all in the main group at the half way mark. Now only another hour and a half til the finish...
At 2:30 or so I talked to Shaun, who unfortunately didn't finish, and he said that he saw Weyrich out on a solo break during lap 2. Shaun figured it a sacrifice, but I wondered if the cagey veteran didn't have another plan in mind. We waited, I worried, and then we saw them round the last corner. It was a big group. They must have caught John. Who would be the winner? It was going to be close, and it was an incredible finish. Anthony Aleto (Emde) took it by 1/2 a wheel from our very own John Weyrich. Russ Schneider (Cat3 Flathead) was third, and first in his category. If you listen to the reel from the video, "WOW" just about describes how it looked. Seeley took 6th.
After the race I met up with John and it looks like he and Brad had it going on for a little while, but then Brad got into trouble and that left John along to hang on. Without Brad, a hard chase ensued. If the two of them had been able to work together, the entire outcome may have been different.
Men's master's B contained 6 riders, two from Five Valley Velo. Dean McGovern and John Weston were there to represent. Dean hung on to Big, Cliff Sheehan's (NRO) wheel for a solid 3rd place finish.
Men's Cat3's: Willy Zellmer has shown that he is learning how to play with the big kids in the playground with a 3rd place finish (10th in the bunch sprint). He's the one that looks like everyone else, deftly hiding his 15 year age!
Cat4/5 was graced with the presence of Dr. Struckman, who had to remember how to ride a bike, but came in with 3rd overall. I thought he was going to have it as he and Michael Longmire (Master's A, NRO) had about a minute on the field at the feed zone, but both of them must have tired over the hot asphault on the backside of the course. NRO crushed the field by taking 1,2 in the Cat4/5's and first (Longmire) in the A's. Nice work guys...we secretly hate you.
The ALL WOMEN'S field, Cat's 1/2/3/4 took off last (but not least). It was a powerful group of 9 women who battled it out over every hill and came down to the finish. Tamara Bessette (NRO) took it in the sprint, but Mario Schat hung in there 'til the end. Nice work ladies! You Cat4 ladies need to keep your radar out for Caroline Roy (Delphine) who took 3rd overall and 1st in her category.
A big thanks to the many who came out to race and the FEW who volunteered. The Bearmouth Road Race is truly a great race that suits any racer and we at Five Valley Velo have put it on for years. It would be a shame to let it die due to lack of team support in putting it on. We need more local races, not less.
Hey there bicycle racing fans. Bearmouth is this weekend and it looks to be a hot weekend. Here are a few pictures of the course from last night's drive out there. The pavement is in good shape with only a few potholes that will be marked. It's really nice out there. Have a look.
Promising, young Elliot Bassett set out from Frenchtown at 6 am this morning with one objective; to win the 2nd Annual Missoula Marathon. And he did. Elliott finished the course in 2:44 and change, nearly beating the inaugural event's winner, Keifer Hahn, who had 30 seconds on him. Way to go Elliot!
The conditions were perfect for a "summer" marathon, that is, not a hundred degrees. Elliot found his pace (6:16/mi) and never looked back. The closest man to him finished a staggering 10 minutes back. Ouch!
So it looks like Team Stampede is back on top. Interesting how the Missoula Marathon keeps being won by cyclists, hmm.
The Bearmouth road race is a go and will take place Sunday, July 20, 2008 at 11 am. This race is known for its desert-like appearance and conditions. Temperatures may reach 90+ degrees with very little shade. This race will test the will of the riders! There are no big climbs, but this course is one big set of rollers that will wear you down by the time it's all over.
So, who will bring home the glory? Will Northern Rockies continue to rob 5VV or will the Orange Crush dominate the field? Let's get a big turnout and show the rest of Montana how it's done. I'll post more in the next week, including a slide show to preview the course.
Many of you are anxiously awaiting the details of this weekend's State Championship Road Race and I appreciate your patience. Here is my account from the back...
Sunday we awoke to rain and wind here in the Garden City. John, Nadia, Geraldine and I loaded up the now, NRO/5VV team van for our trip to Eden, Montana. I wasn't worried about our weather here as Great Falls is usually sunny, but how would the wind be?
We arrived at 9:30 am with the Men's Cat 1/2/3's slated to go off at 10:30. It was a beautiful, sunny morning with only a slight breeze. We began our pre-race rituals and warmed up some. But by 10:30 am the wind was steadily picking up. It would be a crosswind from the southwest today.
The fields were all scrawny, half the size of Star Meadows. Many riders, such as Bob Presta, Elliot Bassett and Matt Seeley were missing from the roster, so it would be a test. Who could keep it together in the wind and on the hills, over 46 or 75 miles of terrain, t be crowned the best of Montana's road racers for 2008.
Present was Willy Zellmer, the 15 y.o. junior from Missoula, in his Cat3 debut. John Weyrich and I rounded out the team. Again, this was a far cry from our dominant presence up in Whitefish. The Cat 4/5 field held NO Five Valley Velo riders, which I think is a travesty, seeing how we've been leading the MBRA series, both in individual and team standings. You guys really should've been here. You would have SWEPT the field. I know how you guys have been riding!
The women's fields were competitive, but also minuscule. I wouldn't be surprised if there were only a dozen ladies, total, in all of the fields. Northern Rockies took just about all of the placings, but our own Sarah Halverson came and rode hard. Nice to represent, Sarah!
Joel "Cosmo" Kramer took third in the juniors race. Joel has come a long way this year and you should be keeping an eye out for this guy over the next two years. I think he's got the toughness to make this sport a way of life for him!
So back to the Big Boys. John and I talked about each trying to get into a break to see where it might lead us. Without any real team it would be up to ourselves to make something happen. We took a neutral rollout and a slow climb up the first hill and then things began to develop. John went out in the first break, but was reeled in after only 5 minutes or so. Of course, there is a counter and some big names go up the road. This was also at the beginning of the first, big climb of the day. I worked hard to quickly bridge up to them and then began to climb. It was then that they put on the burners and cranked it up the hill. I immediately know that I wasn't going to be hanging with these guys and I eased up.
That was the race!
It was definitely my race, but also the race for everyone else, everyone who wasn't in that group. The pace that they set forced a hard chase from the peloton which quickly began to shatter. It was like a bomb had gone off in the middle of the bunch, halfway up this long, stairstepping hill and into the wind. WOW. I was quickly running out of steam and dropping back in the pack. By the time I crested the hill I was in the last group of two with Tomas Dubrovsky (G.A.S.). John had survived in the chase group, and Willy had made it up with Howard Williams, a solid rider. So at 12 miles or so into a 75 mile road race, I knew I wouldn't be finishing. We were on top of this plateau and the wind was fierce. And it was only Tomas and I. We began to work together, but also started a dialogue about just how far we would ride today. "One lap only" seemed to be the agreement as neither of us wanted to suffer out there for 4 hours.
The state Championship Road Race course was just that, a champion's course. It was 75 miles of rolling hills with two longer climbs and was an out-and-back-and-out-and-back-and-out-and-back course of three laps, measuring ~5400 vertical feet of climbing. And did I mention the wind? It was plenty enough to make a grown man cry.
So the field was split into several, small chase groups that were all probably only 30 seconds apart, so like any self-respecting cyclist we all gave chase. Nothing like continued and sustained pain to take your mind off the hills and the wind. Tomas and I chased. John chased. Howard and Willy chased. Shaun chased. At each turn around we could see that we were all within either seconds or minutes of the leading groups, motivating us to continue. Willy eventually tired and dropped from Howard back to us and finally Tomas dropped the two of us. Before I knew it we were climbing out of Eden (an oxymoron as far as I'm concerned) and beginning our final run to the finish. My legs were totally spent and Will gapped me. Now he should've waited for his (elder) teammate, but he's young and inexperienced so I didn't give him grief. We solo rode the last 15 miles at 45 seconds apart for the final two finishers of the day. A little different ending than I had envisioned.
The lead group of 6 or 7 riders thinned down to the final three: Kiefer Hahn, Josh Tack and junior, Marshall Opel. It came down to a sprint. Kiefer went at 200 mts, too soon. The other two came around to duke it out. Tack took Marshall at the line. John came in a respectable 8th or 9th. Final results should be posted soon.
So this seemed like a true Montana race. There was the battle of the terrain, the elements and the toughest riders this side of the Mississippi River.
A week from today Montana's strongest cyclists will be battling it out over the hilly, Eden road course. So who will be crowned "The Best?"
Eden is going to be exciting. It's a new course that has lots of climbing, open and exposed sections and at 75 miles (Cat1/2/3) should be tortuous. Will the Five Valley Velo boys come out in force? Will Montana Velo finally put together a winning combination or will G.A.S. continue to impose their will onto the peloton?
I can foresee lots of attacks on the hilly sections that will keep the pace high and the legs and lungs burning. G.A.S. will be organized and it will be up to the other teams to break them up. Matt Seeley took the "W" at Star Meadows last weekend and John Weyrich has been riding well, but NRO may be a little bitter and will definitely be gunning for them. Right now, I don't think anyone can beat Seeley!
The Cat 3's have been showing their strength over the last few weeks and several of them will be vying for the top spot. This course really suits the aggressive riding style of our own Elliot Bassett, but if Jean Meyer (RUR) or Bob Presta (NRO) get away, it's all over. I will be fighting just to stay in the group!
The Cat4/5 group should be a great race, as usual. This year's group of 4/5's has been big, bad and strong! Five Valley Velo's "farm club" has been dominating and it's been awesome to see. Looks like we're going to have even more guys moving up to the 3's by next year. I can see Twohig getting away, but with Rob Gillespie and Kyle Shannon riding better each week, it's anyone's race...Willy got his upgrade and will be racing with the "Big Boys" this weekend. Good luck Willy!
The other strong field has been in the women's Cat1/2/3/4. Tamara Bessette (NRO) has been riding with the men, so Danyel (NRO) has stepped up and will be hard to stop. Lisa Curry (G.A.S.) may be the strongest woman on the road, but without teammates, will find it hard to come up with the win. This race is too close to call.
So come next Sunday we'll find out who will be crowned the Kings and Queens of Montana road racing. Stay tuned.
Now I knew we had a lot of talent on our team, but I have to say that I was awestruck to see all of the names listed in today's Missoulian. And that wasn't half of the athletes who competed in Half Ironman Triathlons this past weekend. Team Stampede showed the triathlon world again that we are a force to be reckoned with.
Beginning in Canada, "resident" Pro Triathlete Adam Jensen took 4th overall with a 4:10 time. Alison Forney Gorman took 1st in her age group (the fast women's group), and Donn Livoni beat everyone in his group by 20 minutes!
Congratulations to all of you who participated and thanks for showing North America how tough we are.
Oliver 1/2 Ironman
Adam Jensen (PRO) 4.10.41 4th
Dean McGovern 5.01.56
Jeff Bookwalter 5.04.23
Alison Forney-Gorman 5.04.50 6th, 1st AG
Edie Vanburkirk 5.22.37
Monica LaBarge 5.29.08
Renata Bush 5.32.48
Mark Hebblewhite 5.45.48
Boise 1/2 Ironman
Ben Hoffman (PRO) 4.01.55 6th
Brendan Halpin 4.18.15 18th
Michael Gordon 4.18.31 19th Linsey Corbin (PRO) 4.34.17 4th
