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May 19th
Well it's all over and I'm already back home in BC. After a week of racing in scorching temperatures, it is nice to see the familiar sight of rain in Langley. Since my last update there were two stages of racing; the long road race on Saturday, and the crit on Sunday.
Saturday's excitement came before the race even started. It was about an hour commute to get to the race start, at which point we realized we had forgotten the keys to the trailer. The trailer was full of our bikes, so we had to get in there in a hurry. Luckily a hotel nearby had bolt cutters, and we used Amerigo's strength to cut through the lock like butter. Good thing we had a 60 year old man to do the dirty work, since a bunch of cyclists didn't have the upper body strength to get it done.
The racing went well, and with Saturday's giant mountain top finish, I moved up to 12th on GC. It was a pretty cool stage. We started in the dry rain shadow at 40 degrees celcius and at sea level, then 162 km later we finished halfway up Mt Hood at 5,500 ft. By the finish there were 10 foot walls of snow on each side of the road.
Sunday was the final crit and we went out with a bang. Pinner got into the break which succeeded in making it to the finish. He then won the sprint, taking the final stage of the tour. The rest of us finished it off in the main pack, and I maintained 12th for the overall tour.
Now it's good to be home, and I'm quickly planning for the next trip. |
May 16th
Yesterday was the first road race stage. The race was 4.5 laps with a long climb, then descend back down and repeat. A heat wave has blown in so there were a lot of salty riders out there. The race came down the final time up the climb. The early breakaway was caught halfway up, and from there it was full speed with lots of attacking.
At 1 KM to go eventual winner Darren Lil attacked. When nobody followed, I attacked and almost bridged up, came up a bit short, then got passed by the first few riders as they were sprinting in the final meters. If nothing else, it was worth a shot. Christian was also in the front group and ended finishing the job coming in 3rd, so a great ride for him.
All in all, a good day.
Next up was today's time trial. It was a tough course with lots of climbing, and an incredible section along the edge of the George. The view was pretty great, but a little hard to take in while suffering away on the TT bike. I think there were a lot of really fast times today, so we shall have to see how thighs pan out. The results still aren't posted.
Regardless of the situation after today's time trial, tomorrow's stage should be crucial for the overall. It is a 162km stage with a boat load of climbing, about 11,000 feet.
I'm really looking forward to it! |
Day 2 (May 14th)
Tonight was the second stage in Portland. The course was a 2 km loop that was all uphill, with an 180 degree turn at the top. It then bombs straight back to the bottom to do it again. With such a strong field of over 140 men someone was attacking every lap up the climb. The heat wave also moved in by the afternoon, so it was about 25 degrees warmer than the prologue of last night. It was a really tough race in front of a great crowd.
I myself tried a couple breakaways, and did get into a nice one near the end of the race, but it was just too difficult to get away. The descent was gradual enough that the big peloton had no trouble bringing back breakaways. After a nasty 1.5 hour race it came down to a field sprint. We on the Symmetrics team had all of our riders stay safe near the front, and Pinner got 4th in the sprint. Another good day down, with no lost time for the overall. We now head into the hilly circuit race in Hood river at 1pm on Thursday afternoon.
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May 13th, stage 1
Today's opening prologue was a short out and back time trial. Basically it was a really painful sprint. The race took place on a busy boulevard alongside the river, right in downtown Portland. I was actually a bit surprised to see the other teams present and warming up when we made for the start. This race has a really strong field with and a great turnout. I think the organizers are seeing success in growing the race each year.
As for the competition; despite hurting like a fiend, I put in a solid time finishing 16th. While today is only a short opening stage, it is good for the confidence to have ridden well, and as my team-mate Christian put it, you can't win the overall on a stage like today, but you can defiantly lose it.
Just like a week ago in New Mexico, I am looking forward to the tougher and longer mountain stages which shall come later in the week.
As for tomorrow, it is a technical little crit course, again right in Portland.
Results below↓
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Stage 1 - May 13: Portland Prologue, 1.7 miles
Results
Pro men
1 Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling Team 2.46 (59.332 km/h)
2 Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Pro Cycling Team 0.02
3 Ivan Stevic (Ser) Toyota-United 0.03
4 Edward King (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling Team
5 Aaron Olson (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling Team
6 Darren Lill (USA) BMC Pro Cycling Team 0.04
7 Matt Crane (USA) Health Net/Maxis
8 Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized
8 Jeremy Vennell (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling Team
10 Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Pro Cycling Team
11 Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing
12 Matt White (USA) Fiordifrutta Elite Cycling Team 0.05
12 Ben Day (USA) Toyota-United
14 Peter Dawson (USA) Rock Racing
15 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net/Maxis
16 Will Routley (USA) Symmetrics Cycling
17 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Rock Racing 0.06
18 Phil Zajicek (USA) Health Net/Maxis
19 Rob Britton (USA) Trek Red-Truck Racing presented by Mosaic Homes
20 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Toyota-United
20 Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net/Maxis
22 Sam Johnson (USA) Hagens Berman LLP Cycling Team
23 Ben Kneller (USA) Jittery Joe's
24 Bradley White (USA) Successful Living.com P/B Parkpre 0.07
25 Dan Harm (USA) Hagens Berman LLP Cycling Team
25 Michael Creed (USA) Rock Racing
27 Andrew Pinfold (USA) Symmetrics Cycling
28 Chris Baldwin (USA) Toyota-United
29 David Clinger (USA) Rock Racing
29 Michael Grabinger (USA) Successful Living.com P/B Parkpre
31 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Health Net/Maxis 0.08
32 Curtis Gunn (USA) Successful Living.com P/B Parkpre
33 Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
33 Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota-United
35 Graham Howard (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling Team
36 Matt Shriver (USA) Jittery Joe's
37 Jamie Sparling (USA) Trek Red-Truck Racing presented by Mosaic Homes
38 Brian Buchholz (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
39 Taylor Shelden (USA) Rio Grande
40 Mike Telega (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized 0.09
41 Jonnie Clarke (USA) Toyota-United
42 Andrew Randell (USA) Symmetrics Cycling
43 Adrian Hegyvary (USA) Hagens Berman LLP Cycling Team
44 Mike Olheiser (USA) Memphis Motor Works/Carve
45 Daniel Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
46 Morgan Schmitt (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling Team 0.10
46 Justin England (USA) Toyota-United
48 James Mattis (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized
49 Christian Valenzuela (USA) Successful Living.com P/B Parkpre
50 Tyler Trace (USA) Trek Red-Truck Racing presented by Mosaic Homes 0.11
51 Corey Collier (USA) Health Net/Maxis
52 Charles Dionne (USA) Successful Living.com P/B Parkpre
53 Evan Elken (USA) Jittery Joe's 0.12
53 Ryan Anderson (USA) Symmetrics Cycling
55 Matt Cooke (USA) Health Net/Maxis
56 Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
57 Phil Gaimon (USA) Fiordifrutta Elite Cycling Team
57 Christian Meier (USA) Symmetrics Cycling
59 Tim Johnson (USA) Health Net/Maxis
59 Tyler Dibble (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized
61 Josh Dillon (USA) Fiordifrutta Elite Cycling Team
62 Craig Luekens (USA) Targetraining U25/Elite Development
62 Joe Wiley (USA) Kahala La Grange
64 Justin Rose (USA) Team Bobs-Bicycles.com
65 Adrian Gerrits (USA) Kahala La Grange
66 Logan Garey (USA) Rio Grande
67 Tom Githen (USA) Kahala La Grange 0.13
68 Rand Miller (USA) ZteaM Cycling
69 Tim Sherstobitoff (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
70 Jake MacArthur (USA) Hagens Berman LLP Cycling Team
71 Cody O'Reilly (USA) Successful Living.com P/B Parkpre
72 Jeff Shestobitoff (USA) Symmetrics Cycling
73 Jacob Erker (USA) Symmetrics Cycling
74 Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling Team
75 Nick Clayville (USA) Hagens Berman LLP Cycling Team 0.14
76 Alessandro Bazzana (USA) Successful Living.com P/B Parkpre
77 Kevin Rowe (USA) Team Bobs-Bicycles.com
77 Matt Weyen (USA) Team Bobs-Bicycles.com
79 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona-Adobe
80 Neil Shirley (USA) Jittery Joe's
81 Markus Weinberg (Ger) Dresdner SC
81 Jamey Driscoll (USA) Fiordifrutta Elite Cycling Team
83 Caleb Manion (USA) Toyota-United 0.15
83 Ryan Hamity (USA) Rio Grande
85 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
86 Patrick Caro (USA) Liquid Cycling Elite Team
87 Colby Pearce (USA) Slipstream/Chipotle pb H3O
88 Chris Swan (USA) ZteaM Cycling
89 Allen Krughoff (USA) Rio Grande
90 Justin Kerr (USA) Liquid Cycling Elite Team 0.16
91 Hayden Brooks (Aus) Fiordifrutta Elite Cycling Team
92 Mike Zagorski (USA) Pacific Velo - IT&B
93 Josh Bartlett (USA) Team Rubicon
94 Kevin Klein (USA) Rock Racing
95 Max Jenkins (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized 0.17
95 Sam Silvey (USA) Marx and Bensdorf/Tristar
97 Jonathan Gormick (Can) Kona-Adobe
98 Jason Sager (USA) MonavieCannondale.com
99 Dave Brooks (USA) Trek Red-Truck Racing presented by Mosaic Homes
100 Anthony Akers (USA) Kahala La Grange
101 Jesse Moore (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized 0.18
102 Dave Richter (USA) Benaroya Research Institute
103 Mitchell Trux (USA) Metromint Cycling on Marin Bikes
104 Nate Page (USA) Contender Bicycles
105 Jesse Gordon (USA) Contender Bicycles 0.19
106 Nathan MacDonald (USA) Trek Red-Truck Racing presented by Mosaic Homes
107 Chris Stuart (USA) Team Bobs-Bicycles.com
108 Joe Saperstein (USA) Rio Grande
108 Kris Koke (Aus) Liquid Cycling Elite Team
110 Nathan Miller (USA) BMC Pro Cycling Team
111 G. Tommaso Cirella (Can) Hawaii Cycling Club
112 Erik Tonkin (USA) Kona-Adobe 0.20
112 Ben Sontagg (USA) Kahala La Grange
114 Alister Ratcliff (USA) Fiordifrutta Elite Cycling Team
115 Christian Kearney (USA) ZteaM Cycling
116 Trevor Mays (USA) Gin Optics
116 Roman Van Uden (USA) Team Rubicon
118 Marco Rios MES Liquid Cycling Elite Team
119 Josh Horowitz (USA) Liquid Cycling Elite Team
120 Dave Vukets (USA) Trek Red-Truck Racing presented by Mosaic Homes 0.21
120 Alex Rock (USA) Contender Bicycles
122 Zach Winter (USA) Guinness
123 Cesar Grajales (USA) Rock Racing
124 Shaun Morris (USA) Team Rubicon
124 Osvaldo Olmos (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized
126 Vincent Owens (USA) Sierra Pacific Racing
126 Logan Hunn (USA) Team Rubicon
128 Corey Carlson (USA) Rio Grande
129 Michael Sayers (USA) BMC Pro Cycling Team 0.22
130 Steve Weller (USA) Fiordifrutta Elite Cycling Team
131 Jorge Alvarado (USA) Kahala La Grange 0.23
132 Trevor Connor (Can) Chris Cookies/Swan Cycles
133 Mendez Gustavo-Adolfo (USA) Kahala La Grange
134 Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Pro Cycling Team
135 Kevin Noiles (USA) Trek Red-Truck Racing presented by Mosaic Homes 0.24
136 Richard Speer (NZl) Liquid Cycling Elite Team
137 Travis Sherman (USA) Marx and Bensdorf/Tristar 0.25
138 Omer Kem (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling Team 0.27
139 Tad Hamilton (USA) Team Bobs-Bicycles.com 0.32
140 Nicholas Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 0.33
141 Rudolph Napolitano (USA) Rock Racing 0.36
142 Marco Rullo (Ita) Unattached 0.43
143 Matt Seagrave (USA) Kahala La Grange |
Pre Race Report: (May 12th)
On this, the Eve of the Mt Hood Cycling Classic, it is time for an update. This time the Symmetrics Cycling team will be fielding a seven man squad of Jeff, Andrew, Pinner, Christian, Ryan, Jake, and Will (that’s me!). I should also mention we are once again lucky to have the support of Amerigo. He is Italian, so naturally a big fan of cycling and a great cook. He has come along to support our racing and keep us well fed with delicious traditional cooking. He brought his RV too, talk about support!
Mt Hood is on the USA’s NRC calendar and has a top-notch field signed up. The race takes place over 6 days this year, with the first two being in Portland and the next four being in Hood River at the base of the famous mountain. There will be two time trials, two criteriums, and two mountainous road race stages. Tomorrow is the prologue TT, a short painful little sprint.
We’re lucky to be crashing at Jake’s house for the first few days. He lives in Portland so it’s his hometown race! The house looks great with all the yard work and renos; I think he must have known we were coming.
Below is the week’s schedule, check back every day, as I’ll be posting photos and updates from each race.
Stage 1 Tuesday, May 13 Downtown Portland 1.7 mi
Stage 2 Wednesday, May 14 Mt. Tabor Park 90 minutes
Stage 3 Thursday, May 15 Toll Bridge Park 85 mi
Stage 4 Friday, May 16 Discovery Center 18.2 mi
Stage 5 Saturday, May 17 Petersburg School 101 mi
Stage 6 Sunday, May 18 Downtown Hood River 75 minutes |
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| Ready to travel in style |
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| Super chef Amerigo |
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| At Jake's house |
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| We have bikes! |
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