2nd for Markelz from the Break - Snelling Road Race 2018

by Todd Markelz

Team: Dave Allen, Rob Amatelli, Sam Bennett, Scott Cox, Todd Markelz, Craig Roemer, Oli Ryan, Matthew Sloan

Everyone always looks forward to Snelling. In many ways it feels like the official kick-off to the road racing season in northern California. With a strong squad of eight starting, TMB had lots of cards to play in either a breakaway situation or a full field sprint.

The morning of the race was cold. My Garmin read 35 degrees on the starting line and most of the field was bundled up to race in full leg warmers. There was one notable exception though. Rob is not “most of the field” and he wouldn’t be caught dead covering up his glistening guns no matter what mother nature threw at him. After a shivering neutral roll out we arrived at the 12 mile loop that our field would complete a total of five times.

As soon as the moto-ref pulled off attacks started to fly. A thinly veiled attempt just to get warm? Perhaps. Riffelmacher from Olympic Club was active as were a number of Pete’s and Thirsty Bear riders. The first lap was defined by persistent attempts by various sets of riders to form the early break. Per the pre-race plan TMB was all over the front of the race ensuring representation in each and every move. It was an excellent piece of team racing and on numerous occasions I found myself chasing down a move only to get reeled back by the field, only to see another attack fly, and smiling as a teammate shot past me to cover it.

Late into the first lap a 10-or-so man break formed containing our own Rob along with other contenders such as Riffelmacher. Their gap grew as the rest of the field relaxed but it didn’t stretch very far. Always insight, the breakaway sat out front for the better part of a full lap but eventually fell apart and was reabsorbed. There was a relative calm as the race crossed the finish line and headed out onto lap 4.

After the right hand turn onto Keyes Rd, the long straight shot heading west on the course, the wind had started to pick up blowing in from the south. The field began to stretch and I was sitting about mid-pack when I saw a streak of blue pass me on the right. It was Claudio of Thirsty Bear and he was accelerating in an attack. I jumped onto his wheel and we shot off the front of the field. Knowing Claudio is strong on the flats and would be willing to collaborate to establish a break I quickly pulled through and kept the pressure on. After three or four rotations we started to get company as the field felt the danger of this late race move. Cottell made the bridge, along with Evans, Coble, and a few others. The group settled around 8 strong and everyone started working with the exception of Evans who was content to just sit on.

Lap 4 flew by and our lead over the field grew to about a minute and a half. We crossed the finish line to begin the fifth and final lap and I was pretty confident that the break would stick to the end. After turning on to Keyes Road for the last time Evans put in a surprise attack from the back of the break which definitely didn’t go over well given the amount of work he was not doing for the previous full lap. Coble chased him down and order was restored. Heading into the final 5km several members of the break were starting to fade and it was clear a further selection was imminent. On the hill after the bridge I got to the front and started to lift the pace. This strung out the break and tailed a couple of people off the back. I kept the pace high around the right hand bend and into the two rollers that are effectively the final bumps before the finish. Still on the front I started to accelerate again when I hear yelling followed by the crashing of carbon on asphalt. Apparently Coble jumped from the back of the break to come up alongside me. In the process, a rider attempted to grab his wheel but collided with another and a crash ensued taking out several others. Coble and I pressed on without looking back and Evans was able to avoid the tangle and chase back up to us. The three of us rode into the finale still about a minute clear of the field.

We turned onto Figmond Ave (aka the crappy part of the course) and the games begin. Coble is doing most of the work on the front, I start taking half pulls, and Evans continues to sit on. Coble starts getting nervous and continues to look back. Eventually he’s telling me that the field is coming and we need to keep riding or we won’t make it. Given the field contained our sprinter for the day, Sam, I wasn’t overly concerned with getting caught so I continued light pulls in an effort to save up enough to try and best Coble and Evans in the sprint. But Coble was determined to stay away and he worked just hard enough to ensure that outcome. Coble led through the final corner, I was in second wheel, and Evans was behind me. There was a crash from another field on the right side of the road in the final stretch and a race ref was waving us to be cautious which ruled out a surprise early jump. While clearing the crash I eased up and Coble rolled alongside my right. As soon as we started the small climb to the line I opened up my sprint with Coble accelerating along side me. He quickly pulled ahead and I got onto his wheel. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough to pull around him and crossed the line in 2nd. The fast chasing field was a mere 30 seconds back and Sam completely smashed everyone to take 4th. 

Of course winning is always better but I left the day satisfied. I felt great throughout the race and that is a good indication for the rest of the season ahead! The team also rode super strong all day, especially in the early stages of the race. Everyone was aggressive yet smart at the same time. Although I was the one who was lucky enough to end up in the race winning move, had that move failed I’m confident that a teammate would have been there to force the next one!

2018 Grasshopper Adventure Series: Old Caz

The first Grasshopper of the series, Old Caz is always a mighty wake-up call that the season of bikes has officially begun. This wake-up call isn't of the gentle iPhone alarm variety though. No, for me it's usually more like a punch in the gut or a bucket of cold water straight to the face. "AMY, it's time to get serious," it yells. "Pfft," I scoff, "notice my lack of fitness, these knobby tires I'm riding and this goofy grin on my face. Clearly serious isn't my plan. Plus, JANUARY."

This year Jennifer, Sara and I joined 680 of our closest friends for the 20th anniversary of this "race," which always attracts some serious hitters on the men's and women's side. Sara was rocking her FS MTB, and asked about a Camelbak (her chill factor was sky high). Jen has a Stigmata that matches mine, but she probably rides it as much as I do. At least we all looked really good!

Climb, descend (keep your mouth closed), group up with some others, climb, descend, shove in some food, climb, refill bottles, descend, slosh across the creek, climb, roll for a bit, climb, DONE. See, wasn't that easy? Well yes and no. I couldn't help but be awed by the gorgeous day we got to enjoy. The area around Occidental is just insanely beautiful and every time I'm up there I'm thankful we get to ride around like kids in such a great area. The race itself forces you to go into the red from the gun, right up the Coleman climb, so nothing about it is particularly easy. This was my first year riding my Santa Cruz Stigmata CC, though, and it definitely made a difference. Plus I've been riding dirt a little bit more than usual, so I was a *wee bit* faster downhill this year (don't laugh). 

For me, Old Caz is all about the experience: seeing a bunch of friends at reg and on the start line, riding a stunning course, laughing at my own misadventures and those of others, getting really dirty, embracing the punch to the gut. The season of bikes is officially here my friends, and I couldn't be happier! See you at Chileno...

A Home Race Victory: 2017 San Rafael Sunset Criterium

A post race interview with Team Mikes Bikes p/b Equator Coffee Masters teammates Dana Williams & Scott Cox about how they finished 1-2 at the 2017 San Rafael Sunset Criterium M123 +35 race.

Golden State Criterium & Road Race

by Makenzie DeLaughder

    The Golden State criterium and circuit race are always one of my favorite courses of the year! It was fun having my teammates Trish and Mei for the race, and I felt that we did a good job working together. About halfway through the race, a woman went off the front and developed a good 30-second gap from the field. Oftentimes I would attack and bridge the gap, but I thought two things. One, the group would probably not let me go and would chase me down because they have seen me break away before. Another thought was that maybe I should try not attacking at all during the race and see what happens. It was strange not attacking, because I’m often attacking and trying to bridge gaps. I sat in for the entire race, and at the end found my teammates and I on the last lap at the very front of the pack. Seeing that we were not in the best position, I jumped out from 3rd or 4th wheel and attacked before the 2nd to last turn. I lead out the pack into the last turn and ended up getting 6th place.

For the circuit race there was Mei and I, and I decided again to watch the pack and see what I could do at the end, in support of the team result. On the second to last lap, I started moving up towards the front, and felt pretty good about my positioning. Just before the chicane, I was 3rd or 4th wheel and was pleased to have finally learned the timing for good positioning! When my team mate Mei came by me and told me to get on her wheel, I followed this move, but unfortunately, as we went through the chicane I ended up on the inside line and consequently got pinched by the curb and the pelotons’ line. I had to brake very hard to avoid hitting Mei’s wheel and the curb on the side, and due to this I lost all my momentum and got 6th place. Lucklily, the riders around me were alert and the corner braking did not cause a crash.  I did learn more about navigating through the pack and how to place for a sprint finish. However, since I know that I’m not a sprinter, this race was a good reminder to focus on getting in a break away or coordinating a lead out for a teammate who has that finish line kick that can net us the win. Overall, I learned a lot that weekend and I will try to have more patience with my moves in the pack, and continue to learn more race tactics.

Pop the Olive Oil! Victory for Williams at Colavita Grand Prix

By: Dana Williams

Event: 2017 Colavita Grand Prix M123 +35

Date: July 16, 2017

Teammates: Chris Hobbs, Matthew Sloan, Oliver Ryan, David Allen

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/1087171176

Conditions: Sunny and hot, low 90's F, Wind from the West so cross wind before final turn and slight tailwind on the finishing straight.

The Plan

Be attentive, mark any dangerous moves, stack the break and get me to the final turn for the sprint. 

Summary

As it happens with most races, I try to leave the house early enough so I get to the race venue about an hour before the start. This was no different today, except for one main difference. All three of my boys, Hudson (7), Brodie (5) and Ryder (1) were joining me because mom was away for the weekend at a conference. I did have one of our friends join me to watch the kids while I raced. Thankfully I left early enough to make a quick stop at Equator Coffee & Tea for a iced coffee; the caffeine and cold nature of the drink would be well needed today with the 90F+ temperatures and 60 minute criterium. We got to the race with enough time but I still needed to keep moving to get pinned up and a good warm up in. A quick flash the person parked next to me allowed me to slip on my Capo skin suit. I grabbed one frozen water bottle from my cooler, but not the one filled with Gu hydration mix, and rolled away. Pinned up, warm up done, and one frozen water bottle with Gu hydration, I was ready to race. And it was neat to hear my boys saying 'go daddy'.

The gun went off and the pace wasn't too bad for the first lap. I think the majority of riders realized how hot it was and knew that an early attack might burn a well needed 'match' later in the race. But not everybody was thinking this. As I rounded the final turn and about to head up the false flat 250m run to the finish line, Sam Worthington accelerated pretty hard. I was right there and decided to follow him, not wanting to be swarmed by all the other riders and end up at the back. Sam kept going, and going, and going. I soon realized nobody from the field was chasing us and we had a good gap. Then after about 45secs of close to 500W following Sam's rear wheel, he sat up and waved me through. I thought to myself 'ok, why not. Let's keep this going and see who bridges up'. Sure enough a few riders at a time joined us. This break ultimately ended up being nine riders, two being from Team Mike's Bikes p/b Equator Coffee, myself and David Allen. Also of note to me was NorCal strong man Chris 'Sagan' Coble, all-year round strong rider, Mark Howard and coming into strong form as of late, Jason Boyton. 

For the next 50 minutes the break rolled really well. Everybody was doing their fair share of work. This resulted in us getting a good gap from the main field. At one point I looked back and could see a solo rider trying to bridge up. I tried to see if it was a teammate but couldn't tell so kept focused at the task at hand. With about three laps to go, Dave and I had a talk at the back of the field. We agreed he'd take over at the front on the last lap and keep the pace high to hold riders off from attacking. My plan was to attack just before the final turn and try to hold off the field to the finish line.

I believe Jason Boyton put in an attack just after the start/finish line with two laps to go. He was brought back and we were all together waiting for the next move. As the bell rang signifying the last lap, Dave went to the front and kept the pace high. This worked all the way through the 2nd last turn. At this point I believe it was Travis Lee of Folsom Bikes who attacked hard up the left. There was a slight hesitation and a few of us riders looked at each other, but ultimately one rider and Coble started the chase. I hopped on the back and Travis was brought back. I believe he then kept the pace up towards the final turn. The pace was pretty high so I decided to delay my planned attack. As we rounded the final turn and started up the false flat, I could see Coble getting ready to start his sprint. There was a slight hesitation which was my signal to go. I believe Coble also sensed this and we simultaneously moved left, jumped out of our saddles and started sprinting. It ended up being a 25 second sprint, of which I was able to hold off Coble and the rest of the break and cross the finish line first. 

Following some high fives at the finish line and continually being amazed by how much I love my Specialized Venge Vias, we gathered around our Toyota team van for our debrief and to enjoy a few adult sodas. 

Berkeley Hills Road Race with Cameron

This was a new BHRR course, have you raced it or ridden the loop before?

I was particularly excited for this edition of Berkeley Hills. While it was not the classic course, it was a return to Crockett and the site of my first race win as a cyclist, when I won the Cal Cycling Collegiate Men’s C race in 2014. That race was only 3 laps, so 8 laps in the P/1/2 would be a very different challenge! These roads also have significance for me in that one of my first long rides as a cyclist (and my first experience bonking) came from riding out to the Crockett loop from Berkeley in the pouring rain.

What were the defining features?

 The McEwen climb is a true beast, with a brutal 12% grade for the first half. 8 times up the climb was a true test of strength. The wind was also brutal on most of the course, so it was important to stay focused and not get caught out.

What was the plan going into the race?

With Roman, Craig, and Andrew on the start line with me, we knew we had the best depth of any team in the race. We planned to follow moves, have representation if an early breakaway formed, and to have our other guys make it across as the field whittled down midway through the race. Numbers in the final was our intention.

What was the key moment of the race?

Most of the drama came in lap 1. Roman unfortunately was caught up behind a crash onthe one techincal turn of the course and crashed out before the first time up McEwen. Zeke Mostov of Aevolo Cycling hit the front hard on the climb, and the field immediately broke apart, with only 8 of us left after one full lap. Andrew and I were patient and put the hurt on the rest of the guys by trading attacks in the last few laps. With about half a lap to go, and Andrew and I in the front group of 4, I attacked hard a few miles before McEwen and motored home to victory!

Where does this win rank in your career?

After two second place finishes at Pescadero and Tour de Nez, it certainly feels good to be on the top step. Closing it out after the unfortunate circumstances of Roman’s crash makes it all the more special. And the sweetest icing on this victory cake was watching Andrew overpower Cole and Zeke in the sprint to take second! Racing on this team and the work all the guys put in makes these successes feel so much bigger.

Which sponsor's product stood out during this race?

Our new Smith Optics Arena Max sunglasses were perfect for the sunny day. The new colors are fresh!

Did you wear a romper on the podium?

Our Capo skinsuits aren’t so dissimilar from the conventional romper. They are one piece, have plenty of pockets, and allow for some serious mobility. However, if Capo was to make some custom overalls for the team, I would likely wear those on the podium!

Cox 6th in a Stacked Field - 2017 USA Cycling National Criterium Championship

by: Scott Cox

We started out the day with a leisurely morning and a 45 minute spin on the bike path near our perfect cottage that teammate Dana Williams lined up for us.  I started to get pretty fired up thinking about the race that would start later in the evening in downtown Augusta and reminded myself to pace that energy as I knew I would need every ounce of it later.  Great teammates make relaxing easy as we shared a lot of laughs, but we were also pretty bummed for reigning National Criterium Champion, Matt Adams.  Being the stand up guy he is, he made a bee line for home when he was needed there and would miss the opportunity to defend his jersey.   Matt leaving led to teammate’s Rob "Robo' Amatelli, Josh Pizzica and Dana designating me as the protected rider for the crit and the pressure I started to put on myself was motivating for me.  I did not have race result expectations as there are many things that need to go right.  I knew I had put in the necessary work leading to nationals and was only expecting to be in a position to contest at the end if it came to a sprint or not miss an obvious move.  

It was a long day waiting for the race and we passed the time watching a Back to the Future marathon and relaxing while pinning up our sweet Capo Custom skin suits for the big show.  We all took care of pre-race nutrition and hydration thanks to the tasty Gu Energy products.  Robo got the party started by kitting up and being the hype man and the four of us rolled to the crit course in style on our Specialized bikes.  Rain drops started falling as we arrived at the course.  We found some shelter in a parking garage and went over our race plan and were thankful for the Specialized Turbo traction with the potential for wet conditions.  

The course was flat and fast and we thought an early break was unlikely to make it, but a late move could work and we would race defensively for the first 45 minutes and be attentive for the last 30 minutes of the 75 minute race.  We had our hands full with the talent in the field: Emile Abraham (North Georgia Cycling Association - won the RR 2 days earlier), Michael Olheiser (won the TT 3 days earlier and 2nd in RR), Jeromy Cottell (Team Specialized/Touchstone Racing - always a threat), Chad Moston (Santa Monica BMW Helen’s Cycles - reigning SoCal crit champ), Phil Tinstman (Monster Media Racing), Charon Smith (Team Surf City), and Ken Vida (FloridaVelo) were the notables and there are always many other strong racers that are under the radar in championship races.  So we were faced with high caliber sprinters, TT diesels and hard men, but I liked our odds with the strength of our team.

The rain passed and the roads were dry as we staged for the race.  Aaron Patterson (Peet’s Coffee) shared the nationals NorCal love and handed my pump and saddlebag off to his family and the atmosphere was friendly with Charon and Dana making a real estate deal.  We rolled to the line and the “neutral” lap was exciting with pushing and jostling as everyone wanted that front spot.  I love these big races!   The whistle blew and the jitters disappeared.  There were many attacks and counter attacks early in the race and I could relax seeing Josh, Rob and Dana  covering moves.  I made sure to stay up front and marked other known strong riders as needed.  I did not want to work too much, but also knew I needed to take charge of my own destiny and read the race.  A large break formed with Rob and about 8 other riders around the 30 minute mark.  I made a move and got a gap so bridged to the break.  I heard the announcer, Frankie Andreu, say something about Olheiser not having it and we were all back together.  At that point, I sensed there would be 15-30 minutes before a break might go and I had not seen Charon or Emile yet.  I went back to find them and get some recovery from being active early and also thought it would be smart to follow Emile since he has so much experience racing in the pro ranks.  They were having a relaxed conversation, so I figured they were gambling on a bunch sprint and riding easy getting sucked along by the large field.  

A two man break made it off the front and I did not think they had a chance and stayed in the back.  Sure enough, a crash happened near the back of the pack coming out of the final turn with maybe 10 laps to go.  All of the main sprinters and myself managed to avoid the crash with some evasive maneuvering and I chased back on for 20 seconds or so.  The race was neutralized and we restarted after a few minutes with the break having 10 seconds and they hit the gas and the field was looking at each other.

 I knew it was time to race up front and figured I would see Emile and the gang later, so best not to get too focused on any one rider.  This part of the race is fuzzy for me, but I believe we caught all but one rider and then Jeromy Cottell attacked through the start finish with 6 laps to go.  Check out this video from Dana’s on-bike camera (it is pretty sweet to have one of the best amateur racers in the country at any age/level WORKING for you - thanks, Dana!):

Many players were there and I was expecting them to chase Jeromy down, but we all looked at each other and then he was gone.  Nice move, Jeromy!  He quickly bridged to the other rider and I thought there was no way the break would make it with the horsepower in the field, so focused on holding position.  

Justin Little (Simple Racing) made a move to get to the break and he was also let go and I still thought the break would not make it and was 100% in for a sprint - gotta commit to something at this point in the race I believe.  Dana was keeping the pace high and a few other guys were helping and I was waiting for Olheiser, Tinstman and other teams to get involved since they are not known as sprinters and other teams had some numbers.  Simple Racing interfered with the chase by accelerating to get on the front and then slowing abruptly.  A successful tactic, but not one that made many friends in the peloton and probably not the classiest racing, but it is what it is.   The end result was the break was gone and the race for 4th was on and Mike’s Bikes was all in for a leadout.  Championship races often play out like this when no one wants to do the work (understandable) and there are not large teams.  That’s racing and part of what makes it so fun.  

Rob made his way to the front and took a big pull and then Dana took over with one to go.   Dana went into beast mode staying on the front at a blistering pace all the way to about 50 meters from the second to last turn - whoa.  I was second wheel and knew I had some great sprinters on my wheel.  When Dana finally started to slow after making about 500 meters longer than I thought possible, I felt it was a touch too early to start my sprint, but Chad Moston had other plans and jumped us on the inside hard and had a nice gap.  I hesitated for a moment, knowing who was on my wheel and no one came around, so it was go time.  Goal one was to get to the final turn first with something left for a second sprint to the line.  I heard guys coming on the inside fast, but was first to the corner and they had to brake.  We made it through the turn and sprinted again.  Moston held on for 4th, Emile was able to come by me and I held on for 6th.  Jeromy attacked his 3 man break and rode to an impressive victory with clean wheels.  We bugged out before a storm rolled in and capped off the trip with the obligatory trip to Waffle House - another nationals smothered and covered.  
A special thank you to my teammates that gave all they had to help me in the crit and for all of the laughs and good times.  

Adams 3rd in the US: 2017 USA Cycling Masters Road Race Championship

Matt shares how his race unfolded just after the finish.

Zuniga Qualifies for the 2017 UCI World Gran Fondo Championships

By Luiggi Zuniga

2017 UCI Worlds Championships Qualifier

Jacksonville, Alabama

The Cheaha Century Challenge won the bid to host the 2017 Union Cycliste International (UCI) Gran Fondo World Championship Qualifier for the United States. This is the only qualifier in the United States for the UCI Championship that will be held in August 2017 in Albi, France.

Day before the race:

Weather reports indicated a 90% chance of rain for race day, which made me nervous. The day before the race, it rained for 12 straight hours, with thunder and wind so strong like I’ve never seen before. I kept looking out of the window of my hotel room just pondering how this race is going to unfold.

Race Day:

To my pleasant surprise, I woke up to cloudy skies and a few sprinkles, but no sign of thunder, rain or wind like the previous day.

The race consisted of 99.8 miles and 9,443 feet of climbing. I expected the race to start at a moderate pace, and pick up as the race progressed.

I was wrong.

The race started hard from the gun. There were many well represented teams in the race, which allowed them to orchestrate a flurry of attacks for the first 90 minutes or so. I did not recognize anybody in the race, except for fellow norcal cyclist Jonathan Eropkin, racing for Peet’s Coffee cycling team, and racing in the same age category as me.

The peloton included a mix of different age groups racing together. For scoring purposes, I only had to mark the guys with the green bib numbers, which represented the 40-44 age group. During one of the attacks, I saw Jonathan grab the wheel of a younger rider who was trying to break away. Once they established a gap, I was forced to bridge. Once I joined them, the eventual age group winner Marco Arocha countered. We never saw him again.

As the race progressed, the high temperature and humidity started to take a toll on me. The rolling hills seem harder than before, but we were still gaining time on the group behind us. Once we hit the first long climb, the pace started to pick up even more. As we reached the top, it was just a handful of us left. I noticed Jonathan starting to fall behind, but somehow he managed to catch us on the descent. Jonathan and I stayed together for the second climb, and that’s when I figured it would just be us fighting for 2nd and 3rd place.

By mile 65, Jonathan got a cramp and fell behind. I thought he was gone this time for sure, but again was able to recover and get back in the group. But then, with 20 miles to go, my legs started to feel the effects of all the hard racing. To add to my worries, fellow NorCal rider Bryan Hoadley, racing for the Make a Wish cycling team, managed to catch us from behind. In the process, Bryan brought a rider from my same age category. Now it was 3 of us fighting for 2 podium spots. At first, we were all working well together, but a cramp on my left leg forced me to skip a few pulls. With 10 miles to go, the guy in my age group who had joined us had been dropped. Bryan also fell back. The rest of us were working very hard just trying to keep our distance with the group behind. With 5 miles to go, the group was down to a guy from another age group, Jonathan and me. My legs were gone by then, and I eventually found myself getting dropped and riding alone. With a couple of miles left to the finish, I continued to push in whichever way I could. I looked back and saw the guy in my age group closing in. I started pushing harder and harder and somehow I was able to hold him off and finish in 3rd place.

I have been dreaming to be able to one day race a World Championships representing USA. I just qualified, and I did it! I’m a US citizen now and I’m going to a Cycling World Championships again, in Albi, France!

Thank to Rob “Danger” Fulford the tech Manager at Mike’s Bikes Walnut Creek for keeping my bike top notch for the races.

Thanks to our sponsors for their continued support: Equator Coffee & Teas, Toyota, Specialized, Capo Cycling Apparel, Violich Farms, Smith Optics, Gu Energy Labs, Mikes Bikes, Achieve Performance Training & Coaching, Financial Force and Bike Smart.

3rd in the USA: Adams Finishes Behind Abraham & Olheiser at 2017 USA Cycling National Championship Road Race

Matt Adams shares how his race unfolded at the 2017 USA Cycling Masters 40-44 Road Race.

Wente Road Race: Women's 1/2/3

I was exhausted when my alarm blasted through my dreams at 5 am that Sunday.  The prior day had been spent helping out at Mike’s Bike’s Mega Sale and then racing in the brutally hot Cat’s Hill race.  I was on a bit of a mission though; I had placed almost stone last at Cat’s Hill due to a mixture of heat, delayed start, and poor timing on my hard efforts.  I really wanted to redeem myself.  After begrudgingly going through the morning routine and flopping into the car, we drove over to Livermore.  It was surprisingly chilly that morning, and I warmed up by turning on the seat warmer and watching the competition roll around through the window. When we lined up and the whistle blew there was a small group of us, but one notably strong pro rider.  The race odds went from “possible win” to “this is going to be a sufferfest” once I noted that addition to our start list.  

The first hill was decent, but it got harder, and harder, and finally I was climbing fully out of the saddle and breathing like a dinosaur.  Thank goodness we crested the hill and turned over the overpass just as I registered that my legs were screaming.  We’d already lost two people.  We got to the next rollers and the pro rider rolled to the front.  She looked over her shoulder and then just started kicking out watts like she’s just been warming up over the first hill.  Only 3 people made it over the rollers with her, and I was not one of them.  I looked down at my garmin to vaguely register that we were 20 minutes into a 3.5 hour race, and the field had just shattered into the final selection.  This was definitely a sufferfest.

I caught a rider and we both got caught by another.  That makes four up the road and three in the chase with some stragglers deciding whether to keep chasing or to throw in the towel for the day. By this point it was also in the high 80s.  Aka quite warm.  Things were pretty boring for the next few hours/laps.  I even got to enjoy the snake carcass we kept passing, and caught glimpses of the infamous windmills that dot the horizon throughout Livermore. This place would be quite gorgeous if I didn’t happen to strongly dislike getting dropped on hills in dry heat with only two waterbottles and no flat kit.    

The last lap I spent the majority of the time trying to figure out how I was going to win the “field sprint”…out of the three person groupetto that we’d become.  Was it worth sprinting for 5th?  Yes.  Was it going to hurt?  Yes.  How long should I anticipate having to sprint?  2 mins max up a fairly steep hill.  Did they have water at the finish?  Hopefully.  Were we last on the course for the morning wave?  Yes.  We hit the rollers.  Folsom, who had two team mates up the road and had done an excellent job of doing nothing to help us catch the selection, attacked up the hill, drilling the pace to make sure I didn’t attack her into the descent like the last lap.  She was pooped by the flats though and I took a pull, constantly glancing back in anticipation of the attack.  Finally I rolled off the front to see if anyone else would pull as we got to the last right hand turn.  Only 4 minutes left!!!  JLVelo thankfully took the front and I slotted in at third.  At the base of the hill, Folsom attacked again and I followed, JLVelo dropping back with a leg cramp.  Half way up and I knew I’d have to go soon but not too soon as the finish line was jauntily placed on the flattish descent after cresting the hill.  When I could see the line I attacked with everything I had (not much at that point) and pretended it was a crit finish.  Wheezing like a stuck train, I sweated and grimaced and groaned past Folsom for a 5th place finish.  What a long ride.

Copperopolis Road Race - Women's 1/23

by Trish Pablo

There were seven of us. As the climbing started two popped off. A few miles up ahead there were rollers and another popped off. So, down to 4. One of the ladies with us was not really working, likely in an effort to save her legs for the later laps and because there were a couple of her team mates in the selection with us as well. The other three of us in the selection were doing more of the work, so it was kind of obvious who the main team was working for.

Anyways, first lap went well. Second lap, two women were attacking on the climb, and I was behind another rider who let a gap open.  Burned a match trying to catch the attacks after the gap opend up...and one match definitely became many matches. I never caught them, they kept getting further and further away until I couldn't see them anymore.  I pretty much dragged the others around for most of the second lap. I was desperately trying to drop the other rider, since she wasn’t working while her team mate was up the road, but I was so exhausted! I even slowed down to about 10 mph to see if she would come around. It was kinda funny, she wouldn't come around. The third lap came along with the climb and I popped! She took off. I was so close to quitting that that turning around went through my head at least 4 times. But I held on and finished. I'm so glad I did, as I got 5th and an epic lesson in bumpy road riding, steep climbs and descents, and how to tactically ride when team mates are up the road.  

Markelz Triumphant From a Two-Man Break Away: 2017 NorCal District Road Race Championship

By: Todd Markelz

Event: 2017 NCNCA Championship 35-39

Date: 5/13/2017

Teammates: No masters teammates, Trevor Gilmore from the MB development squad

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/984907751/overview

Conditions: Sunny, mid-60s with a 10-15mph headwind on the climbing portion of the course, strong tailwind for the miles leading into the start/finish.

The Plan

Without teammates the plan was to animate the race on my own. With the strong headwind the thought was that a break would surely take the day. Therefore, my approach was going to consist of early aggression in an attempt to form a select group that was willing to work together. My best chance for victory would come from a reduced sprint in the end.

The Race

There were several key players to keep an eye on. Chris Cain (Squadra), Chris Coble (Olympic Club), Will Riffelmacher (Olympic Club), and Josh Carling (William Cycling) all promised to be there in the end and would be the likely candidates to race aggressively.

The race started out mellow. After an entire first lap of what felt like soft pedaling I decided it was time to test some legs. The second time into the climbing portion of the course I put in an attack to see who was in the mood to race. After about a minute of effort I looked back and saw that three had followed. I kept the pressure on for another two minutes, yes the four of us only had a marginal gap which was quickly washed away by the field during the rapid descent down into the valley. I had fired the first shot, but it was a miss. During the long tailwind section in the lead up to start/finish line everyone regrouped and prepared the climbs again.

The second time hitting the bumps Coble rolled off the front. It was clearly not an all out attack but he easily grabbed bike lengths and then looked back as if to dare people to bridge. Sticking with the plan of early aggression I bit. With a quick jump I sped across the gap thinking he would make a great breakaway companion. Alas, this move was also not to be. By the top of the climb and the subsequent descent the pack was all back together. Several people made charges out of the descent and onto the flats but the headwind was so fierce that all attacks were short lived. The field was approaching the end of lap three all together.

As the gradient toward the start/finish increased Coble once again sped off the front and quickly established 50 meters. Again he looked back, apparently waiting to see who would join. As the hill began to crest the collective pack backed way off the pressure and I saw my opening. With a slight acceleration I bridged to Coble with his teammate Will tailing me. After catching Coble he sat up, but I had other plans. Knowing Will would stick on me I pushed through and in no time both Will and I had established an advantage of 10 seconds and we were rapidly approaching the climbing portion of the loop. It was make or break time. With an all out assault for the next several minutes I was convinced we could open up a significant lead… one that we may just be able to hold to the line if we both were willing to work. I lowered my head and dug in. As we reached the end of the 4th lap the pack was nowhere to be seen behind us. It was time to settle in as we still had 9 laps to go.

Will and I collaborated well. Through an even share of the work load we rode steady for several laps and still the pack was nowhere to be seen. By the time we started getting gaps back to the group we’d already open up a 1:10 advantage. That gap held steady for several of the mid-race laps but then slowly started to increase. With each lap my optimism grew. It climbed to 1:20, then 1:30, then 1:45. With only 4 laps left to race we’d increased our lead to over 2 minutes. Surely we would not be seen again.

Then it happened. Halfway through lap number 11 the motorbike pulls along side me and delivers the one piece of news I was hoping to not hear. While the field was 2:30 back a solo rider had escaped the group and was now charging his way toward us. I didn’t need to ask who it was…  who else could it have been? Coble was coming.

Will was aware of this fact as well and suddenly the tables had turned. My pulls got longer, Will’s got shorter, and I could sense the weight of the race shifting to my shoulders. It was now up to me to try and stay away. The final two times up the climbing portion of the course I expected no help and instead remained focused on maintaining as much of my lead as possible over the now unleashed Coble.

Well into the final lap, a quick look back over my shoulder after the last ascent of the day gave me hope. No other riders were in sight and all that stood between me and victory was a descent, a few miles of tailwind, and Will who had been happily sitting on my wheel.

As the finale approached I started soft pedaling while constantly looking over my shoulder to ensure Coble was still out of sight. Will made it clear that given the race situation he was content with forcing me to lead out the sprint. Realistically there was no way I was going to be able to avoid it. Given this fact I knew the longer I could wait the better. I was only going to have one shot at a kick and I didn’t want Will to have enough time to accelerate up behind me and make a last second charge. The line came into view and the gradient started to increase. With one eye on the finish and one eye on Will I waited to see if he would jump. Well inside of 200m and still neither of us had committed anything. The line approached ever closer and I finally felt the time had come. I poured everything I had into ten hard pedal strokes then glanced between my arm. I saw a gap... I saw victory. With a final kick I shot across the line. I had won!

The field, the climbing, the headwinds, and two hours off the front with Will, had all made for a tough day of racing. But it also meant the taste of victory was that much more sweet!

My Posse Won Districts

Old School Rap

My Posse Won Districts

(Play video above and read along below)

Me and Oli Ryan, my friend the British chap
I’m on the black Venge Vias with the SRAM eTap
I'm calling up the posse, it's time to get racin’
A team full of beasts, to keep you suckas trippin'
Everybody's looking if you're jealous turn around
The 64 wheels keep us closer to the ground
We’re getting good grip from the turbo cotton tires
The GU juice pumping but I need the caffeine higher
Cause the CapoForma team kit makes the girlies get dumb
We're rolling to the start and the jealous wanna get some
Every time we do this sucka masters wanna battle
We’re the team they love to hate, the TMB that you can’t rattle
We headed off the start on Parker Flat Rd
Heading for the win, yes we're in cruisin’ mode
The field’s kinda crowded, the whole pack was kinda stacked
Amatelli’s watching T.V. with two girlies on his lap
On Eucalyptus Rd the set looks kinda dead
We need a new attack so posse move ahead
We all look kinda swass the crew you can't forget
The TMB posse cold rippin’ up the set

My posse’s winning Districts
My posse’s winning Districts

Rollin’ in, my posse was getting kinda bored
There's not another posse with more points scored
We don't ride around like pack fodder or flex like big gorillas
My homeboy Oli Ryan is the British blurple killa
Luigi’s on the move his bike dancing like a freak
The girlies see his booty and their knees get weak
Cox is the white guy people think he’s funny
An animal doctor who’s attacks are hella money
Clocking lots a watts, he got a big gap
We cruising in the field and markin’ all the moves
Wheeling past the start, saw nothing in the pack
The competition got mad from watching Cox attack
Cause the Scott man got ‘em and their watts just drop
The teams look depressed cause our crew won’t stop
For lap after lap, the Doc held his gap
Josh shouted Mustard Flowers it's time to get slapped
Oli blew me a kiss he said I looked fit
He’s looking mighty freaky in his TMB kit
The closer that we get, the crazier I feel
My posse's winning Districts, it's time to get ill

My posse’s winning Districts
My posse’s winning Districts

Following the chase and my wheels spin slow
Rolling with your posse is the only way to go
The others finally caught him he was looking for a ride
We even picked him up but then attacked the other side
We attacked up the left, we attacked up the right
We attacked up the middle and made them suckas bite
The posse’s getting stronger, the attacks are getting fierce
My brakes ain’t dragging and my tires ain’t pierced
Other racers getting’ tired from TMB’s dishin’
I attack on the left, a little bit of fishin’
But Baker was done, And so was Jer-o-my
They said, "Please stop this racing ‘cause we’re getting too damn tired"
The finish is the place were the cool hang out
The swass like to play and the fast flaunt clout
I get a big gap, so big we count by twos
We're getting dirty looks from those other sucker crews
My gap got big, like over a minute
Skeezer from another crew attacked hard but missed it
The others were illin’, kept trying to close it down
My homeboys TMB cold marked them down like clowns
Cause I never liked a dude who wouldn’t pull through
If you don't have legs then let us crush your world
I help the gap for laps, 2 to be exact
I crossed the line alone and Beardo starts to cheer
Boy I got a def posse you got a bunch a dudes
You're broke cold crying about the TMB blues
Ya couldn’t hang with us and now you got a cramp
The TMB posse just won the District champs

My posse won Districts
My posse won Districts

Redlands Classic: The Interview with Andrew Shimizu

After wrapping up one of the longest running and most prestigious stage races in the US, the Redlands Bicycle Classic, we chatted with Elite rider Andrew Shimizu about his experiences at the race. Andrew is also a keen classic photographer, and all the accompanying photos were shot on his vintage Hasselblad large-format camera.

What stood out the most about this race?

The speed of the field and with the massive size of the peloton was something I had never experienced before. For the Highlands circuit, I was able to hold decent position from the start and be in the front 20 guys for most of the race, I imagine that if I had been struggling at the back like the day before I wouldn’t have made it more than a few laps. The fast technical section through the neighborhood definitely took some getting used to. On the first turn off the downhill we flew over a series of rain channels cut perpendicular across the road, those things were always a crapshoot in terms of timing and making sure you can bunny hop over each section without bottoming out. I must have seen at least 20 people’s water bottles eject out of their cages on this section, one poor guy ahead of me got caught in the crossfire and took a full bottle straight to the dome. He stayed upright, barely.   

What is the biggest difference between racing at the top of the NorCal amateur circuit and these national level Pro races?

The main difference I’d say would be the organization by the bigger teams and seeing them really exert their power to control the race. It was pretty amazing to watch Holowesko take the front from the and control the whole race ensuring that T.J. would stay safe in the yellow jersey.

Cyclists are generally weird, what was the strangest thing that happened on the trip?

I think stage races are special in that they raise the bar for all the weirdness usually accepted as a part of cycling. The amount of silliness from being cracked that is normally present around bike races is dragged out over a series of days and continually raised till seeing things like Brad Huff post-race in nothing but his bib shorts hiked up to the length of a speedo devouring watermelon in the sun glistening in sweat in a slightly erotic manner is just blasé. If you’re into the strange, stage races are the place to be.

Was there a race plan for each stage or was it really "just try not to get dropped"?

Each day we had realistic goals for how we wanted to perform knowing where we matched up compared to our competition, and we tried in earnest to influence the race in some manner. Our plan for the Highland circuit was to try to get some representation in the break and hold out for a decent finish. That being said, I think ole Bob Burns sums it up best when he says that even the ‘best laid schemes o’ mice an' men, Gang aft a-gley.” That Scots for saying “Redlands is really F@&%ing hard, and things rarely go to plan.” We weren’t able to get anyone in the break despite some solid efforts, but in the end Cameron was able to put out a hard fought top 30 result.   

Do you have any Redlands traditions?

This was my first time at Redlands but I’m gonna jump on the haircut bandwagon (sorry Roman) and make Wilson’s Classic Barber shop a staple of my stage race diet. More specifically getting cleaned up by Garay (pronounced Gare-ay) if not just for the spectacular conversation he provides. The man is truly one of a kind, and an amazing barber on top of it. If you’re ever in the area look him up, you won’t regret it.

What was the best stage for the team, and not necessarily because of the placing?

I’d have to say results wise we did our “best” at Highlands, the shorter duration but yet still challenging circuit suited us pretty well. But I think as a team, looking at the week as a whole and how we grew together and worked hard as a unit was really where we shined. We started off with a time trial in over 90 degree heat, and finished with the Sunset circuits in freezing hail and rain. We endured a whole season’s worth of hurt in 5 short days, and I think everyone did a stand up job representing the team as well as our sponsors. We laid everything we had on the table, we all did our best to respect the iconic status of Redlands by giving nothing short of 100%.

Any funny anecdotes from the weekend?

Too many to count and possibly too incriminating to write on here.

Domestic Pros often complain that world tour pros don't give them any respect, is the same true between domestic pros and amateurs?

I have seen this of lack of respect from domestic pros to amateurs in a lot of races, mostly just by the pros giving the cold shoulder or being “too cool.” But I’d be hard pressed to say that I saw much of this at Redlands. Most of the time people in the peloton were pretty friendly. Sure when the going got tough people were short with each other and there would be shouting, but for the most part it was a good vibe.  

You guys get to ride the best products the industry offers, did any of them standout in this race? 

Specialized Tarmac with Di2. Period. When your full body is cramping and shivering from hypothermia on the Sunset stage so much that there’s a steady stream of drool running from our mouth you can’t do anything about, you’ll thank god that you have electronic shifting that requires the most minimal effort to change gears.  

The easy to eat on the bike GU Energy products were a god send as well this week. When you’re pushing the pedals real hard and need to fuel your body but don’t have the time or the oxygen to chew down a fig newton which will likely cause you to choke, a sleeve of Gu chomps will give you the instant carbs to make it through another lap.

What's the next big race for the team?

For those of us in Sacramento the Tuesday night South River Ride is always a big goal for us. If you want to talk about legendary races, this is as real as it gets. But as far as USAC sanctioned races, Elite Nationals in late June and Cascade in July are the next big targets for us.  

Team Tactics Reward a 1-2 Finish: 2017 Wente Vineyards Road Race

By: Dana Williams

Date: April 30, 2017

Teammates: Todd Markelz, John Barbicas, Scott Cox, Luiggi Zuniga, Marcel Appelman & Rob Amatelli

The Plan: The call came in from team captains for a straight up man-to-man marking with each of us placed on an opposing rider we felt were the biggest threats. For one rider in particular, we decided to put three guys on because of his aggressive and strong reputation.

Course: https://www.strava.com/activities/964944367/analysis/1675/4139

Conditions: clear skies, sunny and high 50's rising to low 70's at the finish

Summary
"The fuse has been lit" I shouted in the remaining group of riders as we quickly approached the main climb, Strava-dubbed 'Wente Hill'. It was our fourth and final time up the climb. Teammate Todd 'Sparkelz' Markelz and Team Specialized rider Josh Dapice had just been caught after being off the front for approximately 1.5 laps. This definitely played in our favour as strong riders including Kevin Metcalf, Michael Sayers, Will Riffelmacher and Josh Dapice had to burn matches up to this point. Will wasn't going to sit back and watch. He jumped out of his saddle and attacked at the base of the climb.

But first let's rewind back to the start where the energy was somewhat subdued among the 26 rider field. We, Team Mikes Bikes p/b Equator Coffee had the largest representations with eight riders. Peets Coffee Cycling team was next with five riders. Team Specialized and Kai Velo had 3 riders each and then there was individual rider team representation. The first lap was pretty casual with a decent tempo set by teammate Marcello and a few others. You could sense the pace was going to be quicker the second time up Wente Hill, and that's how it played out. The field was whittled down slightly and the pace stayed solid up Carroll-Flynn climb. As we started the Flynn descent, Jeromy Cottel pushed off the front and kept on the gas. Gaps started to form and you could sense some alarm bells going off. We all knew his strength and smart race tactics. As we turned onto Patterson Pass Rd (to begin Patterson - Cross climb) and hit the head wind we were all back together. This is where Todd sensed his time to attack and stretched his legs. Josh Dapice jumped on him and followed. Nobody else tried to join them and they were off....for the next 1.5 laps.

By the base of the third time up the Wente Hill, Todd and Josh were in sight and approx 20-25sec up the road. Will attacked hard at the base and went off in pursuit to bridge up. It was a smart move and would make any chase effort that much harder. He put in a commendable effort but ultimately dangled in the middle for 3/4 of the lap.

We hit the final time up the 'Wente Hill' and Will attached again. The pace picked up a notch, and then another notch when Sayer's dug hard and went after him. Others followed. A select group formed at the top including four TMBEquator rider (Cox, Zuniga, Amatelli and myself) and I believe the others were Cottel, Sayers, Riffelmacher, Eropkin and Henderson. We kept on the gas up the climb and down to Patterson Pass Rd. The false flat and head wind on Patterson Pass Rd combined with cumulative leg fatigue was the perfect recipe for Rob to attack. He jumped and quickly got a gap. Cottel went after him and I was able to tuck behind him in his draft. Jeromy caught Rob just before we took the right turn onto Cross Rd. I countered attacked right away and pushed hard up the steep little pitch, down it's back side and up Cross Rd climb to the highest point of the course. I finally looked back and didn't see anybody. But I knew the strength of Jeromy so I had to stay all in, hoping Rob would get a free ride if I was caught, and counter attack again. Half way down the descent I looked back and recognized a TMBEquator kit in the distance. I thought to myself 'is this somebody from a different field, or was it Rob and I couldn't see Jeromy'. A few more double takes and I realized it was Rob solo. I eased off and by the time we hit Tesla Rd we are together. I still didn't know where Jeromy was so kept on the gas. As we approached the finish I finally was able to realize we would stay off the front and had enough time to chat with Rob how we'd finish.

Dana Williams & Rob Amatelli Finish 1-2 at the 2017 Wente Vineyards Road Race

Jeromy stayed away from the next group and held onto second. Sparkelz finished fourth and Cox rounded out the 'Brodium' in fifth. Needless to say we were happy as a team with the results. 

L-R: Scott Cox, Jeromy Cottel, Dana Williams, Rob Amatelli, Todd Markelz

Thank you to our sponsors for their continued support: Equator Coffee & Teas, Toyota, Specialized, Capo Cycling Apparel, Violich Farms, Smith Optics, Gu Energy Labs, Mikes Bikes, Achieve Performance Training & Coaching, Financial Force and Bike Smart.

Team Work Gets the Win for Williams: 2017 Sea Otter Classic Circuit Race

By Dana Williams

2017 Sea Otter Classic Circuit Race M123 35+

Date: April 21, 2017

Teammates: Matt Adams

The plan: Play off each other (attack and counter attack), mark aggressive moves and figure out the finish when we got there, but the goal was to get the win. 

Course: One of the main attractions of the Sea Otter Classic Circuit Race is that it takes place on the renowned Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway. Smooth pavement, wide open roads and no traffic greet all riders. But don't let those ideal conditions distract you from the most challenging part of the course; a climb approximately two minutes long, with the first half averaging 5-6% and the second half, nicked named 'The Wall', averaging 10% but kicking up to almost 20% close to the start of it.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/952165075.

Conditions: High 60’s, a tad windy and sunshine.

Summary

After two warm up laps around the track, I rolled up to the start and chatted briefly with Matt. The plan was to remain the same. I looked around and recognized quite a few of the guys, in particular to note from NorCal was Jeromy Cottell and Chris Cain, and from SoCal, Phil Tintsman. There were others I noted to Matt that looked strong but we didn't recognize them. And being the race took place on a Friday, the field wasn't that big either with 15 riders. The whistler blew, an 'Aloha' by Matt, and we were off.

The first time up the main climb was somewhat casual. Phil and I even had some time to catch up briefly. Thinking back now, it felt like we were in the pacing phase in a duel to the death, just about the draw our guns to see who would fire first. It might have been the second or third lap where the first 'shot' was fired. Thankfully the 'bullets' missed Matt and I as we stayed with the pace. But a few other riders weren't so lucky. The result was a slight decrease in the field size.

A rider I didn't know or recognize pushed the pace towards the top of the main climb (to my best recollection) and opened a small gap. With little reaction from those of us in the main field, his gap grew. A few laps went by and as we crossed the start/finish line the announcer called out 'there's a 30 second gap between the leader and chasing group'. I kept an eye on this rider, as I'm sure the others did, and wasn't too concerned because we would close the gap down by the top of the main climb each lap. Jeromy and Phil made some hard accelerations on the steep part of the main climb, causing the group to thin out even more. I don't recall exactly when we caught the guy off the front but fast forward to five laps to go and the video and my thoughts below tells the story of how the race went down from that point.

We rocketed down the cork screw with me leading the way. Matt soon attacked up the left and I follow other riders. We came back together and I thought about countering but I was a little too gassed so I ease off.  Matt attacked again after the next turn and I followed moves again. We rolled through the start/finish to begin our fourth to last lap. I took over just before diving back down the Corkscrew and lead for almost a full lap. It didn't feel like this long but the video surprised me when I saw this. My only thought is I wanted to race hard rather than accelerate, decelerate, and repeat. We crested the top of the climb, descended down the corkscrew, turned right at the bottom and then left into a solid head wind. As we went under the overpass, Jeromy made a well timed attack up the left. Aware of Jeromy's knack for attacking at the right times, I dug deep and accelerated after him over the crest and down around the next left hander. Matt soon took over, with Phil glued to his wheel (13:54 of the video). The guy who was off the front for a few laps earlier in the race (high vis yellow socks) went after Phil and Matt so I hopped on his wheel for a free ride. Just as Matt and Phil mak=de contact with Jeromy, we caught them and soon rolled over the start/finish line with two laps to go.

This time up the climb was pretty uneventful with Matt setting a solid pace. We descended down the corkscrew and continued to keep the pace at a rate that detered anybody from attacking. That said, it would have been a big ask of one's legs to attack on the flats and hold off the charging group for over a lap.

We rolled over the start/finish line with the bell ringing signifying last lap. Thinking back to last year's race, feeling strong and having a teammate in the group, I decided I was going to attack hard up the wall, try to get a gap and hold it as long as I could. This would give Matt a 'free ride' and hopefully he could get the win if I was brought back by the others. But as you can see in the video, Phil beat me to the punch and attacked hard up the right side of 'the Wall'. Jeromy went after him and I followed. At the same time Matt accelerate hard up the left with Chris Cain on his wheel. To give you a sense of the effort we were exerting, it took me almost 700W for 45 secs to stay with Jeromy. We all came together at the top, with Phil about five seconds ahead. Jeromy slowed slightly to see if I would come by him but having Matt ahead allowed me to be content where I was. Jeromy slotted in behind Chris for the descent. As we made the right turn at the bottom, Phil likely inched out a few more seconds, and Chris and Matt played a little cat and mouse of who would take up the chase. Matt dropped his head and pushed on around the next left turn and into the head wind. Jeromy was content where he was. My hope at this time was that Matt knew I was behind him, was confident that I could finish with a strong sprint, and therefore keep the pace up, not letting Phil get more of an advantage. This is exactly what he did, which was arguably the most critical part of how the race unfolded. This is a perfect example of how effective team work can come into play in bike racing. 

Chris then took over as we went under the overpass and started up a short incline. I was getting antsy and trying to let a small gap open up between Jeromy and I that I could accelerate into and go after Phil. It wasn't happening because Jeromy was slowing ever so slightly as well. I sensed it was time to go after Phil and attacked hard up the left. I crested the roller, stood up again and sprinted down the hill. My main concern now was Jeromy catching me and getting in my draft for a free ride towards the finish. I made the long left turn at the bottom of the hill and accelerated out of it. The gap to Phil is decreasing, and Jeromy wass just out of my draft. Phil's head was down and I know he was just focusing on getting to the line as quick as can, just like me. As I closed in on him just before the last long right hander, I stood up and sprinted to try to get a little more speed, hopefully enough so he couldn't  latch onto my wheel. As I went by him on the left, I believe he looked over his right shoulder to see where I was, giving me time to open up a precious gap. I looked back and he was still working hard. Ahhh, my legs were seizing up but I kept pushing. 

Time was on my side and I rolled across the line, hands in the air, grateful to have got the win for Team Mike's Bikes p/b Equator Coffee for the second year in a row. Of course, hats off again to my teammate Matt for all his strong and tactical riding. 

As much as Matt and I were happy to have got the win, we raced with heavy hearts due to a sever accident we were made aware of only a few hours before the start of the race. Steve Pelaez, the visionary, fearless leader and co-founder of Team Mike's Bikes, had a high speed collision with an SUV while riding his bike the morning of this race. Matt and I questioned whether we should race, but our feeling was that Steve would want us to so we rolled to the start line and gave it our best.

As the day went on we received more updates. Unfortunately the news did not get any better. Steve was severely injured and is fighting for his life. It is a very emotional time for everybody who knows Steve because he is that type of guy who has a positive influential impression on everybody he meets. His spirit is infectious. With all of infected with Steve (his energy and spirit), we are combining it together and making the spirit even stronger.  We are sending this greater force/energy back to him to help heal his injuries.

There's not a time during the day that we are not thinking about Steve and his family. If you want to contribute your energy towards Steve's healing then please join us. It is the hope of his amazing wife Jenna that all of our love, and anything else we can muster up to send his way, will help Steve heal. Updates are posted https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/stevepelaez.