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.  

Wente Vineyards Classic Road Race 2017

There was little rest between the finish of Cat's Hill, scrambling to get some supplies for our trip down to Redlands on Saturday night, and an early start in Livermore for the Wente vineyards Road Race.

Thankfully, the team had our trusty Toyota Sienna and some strong Equator Coffee to get us the jump start we needed!

And quite the jump start we got, with Team Captain Adam Switters attacking off the start line! Two riders promptly joined Adam in the breakaway, and with TMB and Cyclesport represented, there were only a few guys in the field contributing to a concerted chase in the early laps (big props to Cooper Shanks for a gutsy race). 

The temps increased a bit, but I remained cool and comfortable in my Capo skinsuit. Gu Energy Labs had my nutrition covered, with the proper mix of hydration, electrolytes, and tasty treats (I'm talking Gu Stroopwafel, people!). If only I could race with a mug of Equator Coffee to warm up those tasty waffles. Yum yum yum!

After a slow pace up the climb on Lap 4 of 5, my legs felt fresh and I followed some attacks. Adam had dispatched from the break, and some punchy moves reduced the group to about 10, which grew by a few guys into 1 lap to go. 

Team Captain Roman rolled ahead of the peloton with Cooper, leaving the rest to chase and Craig to selflessly cover moves. I attacked hard on the approach to the final time up climb, catching Roman and then pursuing the leading duo through the feed zone. 

My Specialized Tarmac was the stiffest and trustiest of steeds, and I felt like one with my machine as I punched my way up the road, dropped the remnants of the break, and zoomed to a solo victory - my first of the season! I was glad to finish it off successfully after a strong team effort.

The team dedicates this success to our friend and manager Steve Pelaez, who continues to remain in our thoughts and prayers. You were riding with us the entire race, Steve!

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. 

Victory at Paris-Roubaix of NorCal: Amatelli Wins the 2017 Copperopolis M123 +35 Road Rac

By Rob Amatelli

Copperopolis.  A California Road Racing Classic.  Empress to all amateur bike races.  The Queen of the Classics, and for one euphoric moment on the Saturday before Easter, the mistress of one worthy conquerer.  It is written that only champions stiffened by an army of warriors with demigod-like powers possessing the purest of beating hearts and boasting unyielding strength will have the merit to lift her skirt and vie for her spoils.  To achieve such everlasting immortality one must first traverse eighty-five miles of the most cragged and scabrous terrain ever implanted on this terrestrial sphere we call Earth.  Mortal straphangers stand nary a chance against the menacing parcours set out by the Queen, and will be mercilessly crucified as punishment for such unabated insolence.  

Enlisted and qualified among our ranks that day: Madams, Oli, Sparkelz, Señor Donkey, Rooster, Pizza, and me Robo.  A worthy ensemble comprised of enough majestic force to rip the legs off any and every troll who dare threaten our premeditated barrage on the competition.  Among us forty other dogged and purposeful mercenaries with similar ambitions came prepared for the hostilities, willing to employ their own talents in a bid for the booty.  Though many of them honorable, none possessed the depth and synergy that is omnipresent in our band of hardened marauders.  Though we stood tallest amongst the teams, one man's strength transcended the capabilities of all others, even our own demigods.  According to cycling lore he was once bitten by a cobra, and after five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died.  He goes by the name Coble.          

The race commenced and the pace heightened immediately as men fought for position going into the precipitous early slopes of the course.  Cold patches of tar littered the crumbling pave, spraying shards of oily rock at the competitors.  In an attempt to shed the weakest riders and break up the field, several of our adversaries drove a fierce pace through a countryside blanketed in mutilated tarmac.  

Half way through the race, in a cagey display of tactical brilliance, Madams and Oli slipped away from the group.  With the field already decimated, those astute enough to sense the danger quickly reacted and leapt away to join our men.  Noting that Coble remained anchored to the dwindling powers of the chase in favor of letting his mate Will Riffelmacher ride the breakaway, Señor Donkey, Rooster, Sparkelz and I also secured ourselves at the rear of affairs acting as watchdogs over Coble.  Even though Madams and Oli are both proven champions, the combined strength of the men around them made victory less than certain.  Nevertheless they were in a group without Coble and that represented our most prolific opportunity for victory.  They quickly established a ninety second advantage over our group of weakening chasers.  

After a harrowing descent that plummeted down over the most ragged of the courses surfaces, the referee informed us the leaders had nearly two minutes advantage.  Optimistic that my brethren would handle business, I was nonetheless certain my own race for glory was over.  Just as the thought crossed my mind the cycling Gods imposed their will.  The destructive and malevolent roads of Copperopolis had claimed Pizza's machine earlier in the race. as well as many of the others, and now Coble had fallen victim to the same misfortune when his tire punctured and he was forced to stop.  Anyone else would have been out of the race.  But this was a man who wrote an autobiography that later became known as the Guiness Book of World Records.  I knew he would come back to us, I just didn't know when.  I seized the opportunity to improve our chances.  

Quickly I hatched a plan to take Sparkelz and bridge to the leading group of six.  With Coble stalled by his wheel change we were free to attack the remaining chasers and rejoin the front of affairs, giving us a strong advantage in numbers.  After discussing the strategy with Señor Donkey, Rooster, and Sparkelz, we were all resolved to the endeavor.  Señor Donkey rode a hard tempo into the foot of the climb, tiring all but the strongest of legs.  Sparkelz then leapt away from the last of the competitors as if he had wings.  I could see as he rode away he was taking their souls with him.  As they hung their heads in defeat I launched my own attack.  The plan worked perfectly.  Sparkelz had decimated the remnants allowing me to escape in his wake.  He nursed me up the steepest pitches of the hillside over the next several minutes as I imposed the death of a thousand soles on myself.  We would finally reach the summit where the gradient leveled and I was able to contribute to the pace making.  

After catching the breakaway and taking a moment to asses my condition, I caught my breath and prepared to fight.  With thirty miles left to race over such unforgiving terrain against such rugged men, I prepared myself mentally for the rigors to come.  Soon enough we were back on the slopes of the sinister climb to the plateau and right on cue Sparkelz launches another vicious attack that none could follow.  A small group of four formed behind him.  Madams, Jeromy Cottell, Will Riffelmacher, and Dan Bryant.  Dropped and trailing ten seconds behind I gritted my teeth willing myself to make it to the top and regain contact in an effort to help protect Sparkelz's bid for greatness.  My perseverance paid off as we crested the summit and I slipped back into the draft of the quartet.    

Exhausted from the effort, it took an incredible amount of concentration to stay in the shelter of their wheels.  Before long Cottell submitted to fatigue and fell back.  Then Will stopped taking his turns on the front.  The pace slowed and I was all but certain this was Sparkelz's day.  Little did we know the mighty Coble was closing in fast and a mere one-hundred meters behind us charging like a raging bull with steam coming from his nostrils ready to run us over and leave us for dead.  

Then the powerhouse that is Dan Bryant decided he wasn't racing for second and ramped up the pace to an almost unbearable clip of speed.  It took everything I had to stay in his draft.  After fifteen minutes of hell on wheels I look back to see it was only Will and myself behind Bryant, who was riding like he was on a mission from God.  We tore through the remnants of other fields like they were stuck to the ground when suddenly I could see Sparkelz just ahead of us.  Smelling blood, Bryant stayed on the rivet and swept up Sparkelz in an indomitable display of speed and endurance.  Without hesitation Will attacks our group to test our resolve.  Unwilling to succumb to the pain in my body I somehow manage to follow his acceleration.  When it was clear that I still had fight Will wisely slowed to save his energy and the four of us rode defensively into the final hill before the ever treacherous descent.    

When we finally began the short ascent Will attacked again but Sparkelz was ready for him.  Bryant was also able to follow and again, I am dropped.  I struggle up the hill yet am able to keep them within striking distance.  Ultimately I managed to make contact just as we begin the bone rattling descent for the last time.  

Riding into the final two kilometers Sparkelz sees I am on the front and intuitively takes over control, forcing Will to go around me.  I slip behind Will to get his wheel.  I am exactly where I need to be.  Sparkelz rides an even pace delivering us two-hundred meters from the line when Will starts his sprint!  I react instantly and am right on top of him as we drag around the bend shoulder to shoulder.  He takes the shorter inside line and is turning a big gear; but I have one more shift left in me.  I drop the hammer and kick again! I'm pulling away and adrenaline floods my body.  Bearing down I give it everything I've got when excitement overwhelms me as I realize I am about to win.    

Howling with delight I cross the line with fists pumping!  I've won!  I can't believe it, but I've somehow won the race.    

Rejoining my teammates after the race we embrace with celebratory hugs, reliving the chain of events that led to one of our own crossing the line first for the second year in a row.  Truly a team victory, it took seven of us and an act from the Gods to defeat Coble, who in a display of pure physical strength managed to finish fifth after repairing his wheel and ripping through the bodies left behind.  His legend grows. 

For now however, the spoils once again belong to Team Mike's Bikes.

Aggressive Racing Nets TMBMasters Victory: Williams Wins the 2017 Santa Cruz Classic Criterium

By: Dana Williams

2017 Santa Cruz Classic Criterium

Date: March 26, 2017

Teammates: Matt Adams, Oliver Ryan, Rob Amatelli, Scott Cox, Matthew Sloan, Josh Pizzica and Chris Hobbs

The plan: Make sure we have teammates represented in any breaks. If it comes down to a sprint then the lead out Dana.

Course: https://www.strava.com/segments/609611

Conditions: High 50’s/Low 60’s, a little wind and sunshine.

Summary
Before the festivities got underway, I sensed some pre-race jitters swelling up in my stomach and throat while I waited at the start line for the race to begin. I was reminded that this was my first race of the 2017 season and one of my main goals was to keep my bike up right and all my flesh intact. Those thoughts and feelings quickly faded when the whistle blew to start the race and I stepped down the Look pedals of my Specialized Venge Vias, accelerated and got the first shot of adrenaline.

The race was aggressive almost right from the very start. Your typical NorCal strong men were represented in the field including former world champion, Jeromy Cottell, Thirsty Bear tag team duo of Ariel Herrmann and Jan Weissenberger, and Olympic Club’s Chris Coble (who I like to tag as this seasons NorCal replica of Peter Sagan in the M123 field because he’s been consistently all over podium) and fortunately for me lots of strong proven teammates. There were so many different moves off the front that it's hard to remember them all but I do know that I felt very comfortable that my teammates were marking them and representing us. This took the pressure off to chase so I could wait for the right opportunity. My main goal was to not miss out on a break that included any of the above mentioned pre-race favorites.

At around 30 minutes into the race, as I exited the final turn close to the front, I pushed on the pedals a little harder than usual to see what would happen. I got some space off the front and was quickly joined by Ariel Herrmann. Looking back and having 20/20 hindsight vision, this was a perfect rider to join me. Ariel is very strong and isn't afraid to work, plus his ‘team sprinter’, Jan Weissenberger, was back in the field and wouldn't likely be chasing. I don't recall it being very long before Chris ‘Sagan’ Coble bridged up to us, but to my ‘excite’ in tow was my teammate Chris Hobbs. And I believe Chris Cain of Squadra joined at the same time. From what I recall, we worked pretty well together, with the occasional attack. Fortunately Chris was riding super strong and was on everything I wasn’t able to cover. He too must have been sipping Gu Hydration from his water bottle to keep his energy high. Next thing I recall is looking back and seeing another rider getting close to bridging up. I did a double check and was happy to see another teammate, Rob Amatelli, about to join the party. He also had a rider on his wheel, Jeromy Cottell. Now with three teammates in the break of seven, I felt pretty confident on how things would play out and our chances of success.

Fast forward to halfway through the last lap and Rob is on the front, followed by Chris Coble and me on his wheel. A little encouragement to Rob as we went up the small rise before the final turn kept the pace high enough that nobody took a late lap flyer. We exited the final turn and almost immediately Chris Coble got out of the saddle and started winding it up for a sprint. We crested of the short riser and continued on the false flat. At around 150 m to the line dug deep and accelerated up along the right side of him. As we hit the finish line I had about a half bike advantage for the win.

Thanks to all my teammates for solid racing.

Strava file: https://www.strava.com/activities/915999454

L-R: Rob Amatelli, Jeromy Cottel, Dana Williams, Chris Coble, Chris Cain

Santa Cruz Criterium Video Report with Achieve PTC

Andrew chats with Achieve Performance Training & Coaching, speaking about his recent victory at the Santa Cruz Criterium.

San Dimas Stage Race - Stage 1 Time Trial

Time trial days always seem to be unnecessarily stressful. Because you’re only racing yourself, you really don’t have much to worry about. Yet, nerves seem to create a myriad of non-existent stresses, so it’s often important to focus on the small victories leading up to those few last heaving breathes you make as the clock beeps 5-4-3-2-1.

First success: we got an AWESOME parking spot. We also had Caesar to pump up our slick Specialized tires so that our 3 pairs of puny climber arms could be spared for our ~ 16 minute uphill grinds. I was certainly thankful for this, as my arms had to do a bit more work than I could have predicted (more on this in a moment).

Aria, Andrew and I were starting within 20 minutes of each other, so we could pretty much roll around together, loosen up the legs and get focused to beat ourselves to a pulp against the steep and winding gradient that makes up Glendora Mountain Road. I was sure to gulp down plenty of GU hydration drink mix before the TT.  Andrew and I even opted to remove our lightweight BikeSmart HydroCarbon bottle cages for the sake of marginal gains!

The first section of the TT is flat, so I was sure to get low and aero on my bike. My S-Works Evade helmet and Capo Skinsuit helped nicely, too. Unfortunately aerodynamic equipment doesn’t do much to prevent punctures, and about two minutes in I heard the most nightmarish sound one could hear during a time trial: Phhhwoooosshhhhhhh.

I reassured myself that I was “going to break this f*#%ing wheel” to get to the top, so I kept my power solid and tried to salvage my race, at least for another few minutes until it was totally flat. Eventually, I stopped and asked a spectator for a wheel, and in perfect timing, Andrew rounded the turn on his way back to the van. I hopped on his bike and away I went. It was in this moment that my arms were finally ready for some real work. Riding a bike that is at least one size too small means that sitting down is less than ideal, so I nearly rode the last 10 minutes of the time trial out of the saddle… OUCH! I still managed to pass my 30 second man, though I finished with a time that was far from what I felt capable of.

It is rather ironic: in 2016, I successfully made it to the top of the GMR, only to have my rear tire explode just minutes after crossing the finish line. In hindsight, that was not such a bad predicament. I guess this Hill has some strange grudge against me. Maybe I’ll have to go the the USAC Hill Climb Championships after all. At least Aria will have some company now!

Much thanks to Brian Sarno for unexpectedly capturing what superficially appears to be positive emotional expression! I assure you: this is pure suffering and anger. Not a bad look, I guess.