UCLA RR / NOW Energy Bar Crit – women’s 1/2 report

UCLA RR

Julie braved the cold, and the hilly terrain and raced in Pearblossom on Saturday. I wish I knew details, but what I know is that she got 2nd!! Julie is a great asset to our team, and she is on fire right now!

NOW Energy Bar Crit
Bee and I raced the local crit in Carson/Dominguez Hills last Sunday. The field was of average size, with Helen’s, SC Velo, and NOW, having full squads. We knew the key would be to conserve our energy, in order to react to the most promising attacks. After about 25 minutes into the 50 minute race, THE attack happened…and…Bee was there! All teams had 1 rider, with the exception of Helen’s having 2. The break totaled 7 riders, and after a few laps of wondering if it was going to stick, they were able to get organized, start working together, and quickly gained significant time on the field. Bee did an excellent job of staying patient, riding smart, and having an amazing attitude! In the end, she sprinted her way to 4th place! The first four places were: (1) Amber Gaffney (2) Anna Drakulich (3) Neva Day (4) BEE! Oh and she also won a prime while in the break!! Way to go, you rode an awesome race!

Nicole

Victor Ayala’s Update from Vuelta Republica

A short report of the Vuelta Independencia in the Dominican Republic
consisting of 11 stages in 9 days with a total of 1250km (777 miles) of racing and 132 competitors.

Stage 1 – 80km flat circuit race:

Since my trip consisted of 3 flights and a total of 30 hours of travel time, I wanted to start slow and build up from there. Surprisingly on the first lap I saw 2 flats, 7 water bottles, one rider without a rear derailleur and one more with the left crank arm hanging up to his left shoe. All these in just 6 km.

During the 3rd lap, about 25 riders lost contact with the pack and it was then when I had to adjust plans (throwing my start-slow-and-build-up-from-there plan out of the window). The peloton came back together just to see 3 riders break away and build a gap of 3:30min. 2 teams from Kazakhstan featuring a total of 12 riders organized the chase and the break was caught on the last lap.

I tried to go for the final sprint but went from 15th to 70th on the last 600m… the legs simply were not responding. The average speed was 45km/h (28 mph) and the max speed was 45km/h (43.5 mph).

Stage 2a – 105km flat:

Here the hard part was the windy conditions (featuring a headwind all along stage).

After realizing the danger I could be in riding alongside some of the locals I decided to ride aggressively and near the front of the pack. Apparently I wasn’t the only one with said plan and the race was aggressivewith constant attacks. There were splits and crashes (mostly on the sides of the peloton) and by mile 50 (80km)I found myself with about 40 other riders in the second group chasing a 25 men group ahead of us. It was then when Astana organized the chase and just when we were about to catch them I flatted and had a hard time changing the wheel and chasing back the pack. When I finally managed to get back to the pack a 30men group got away and with 5K to go 6 riders broke away and managed to stay away. Our group just rode calmly to the finish as the second part of the stage was waiting for us. The average speed was 42km/h (26 mph).
Stage 2b – 50km rolling terrain:

In short this has been the most dangerous [race] I can remember. If in previous stages the roads had been bad, this stage topped it off: I can say that on a stretch of 25 miles (40Km), every 200 meters you could find something wrong, really really wrong with the road. 10Km into the stage we went through a 10-12% 700 meter stretch (a little less than 0.5 miles). There as you could imagine, the `colos’ (Colombians) went full speed ahead. The race went on with riders going over pot holes and trying to avoid crashing into oncoming traffic in an open road that could only fit 2 Toyota Corollas. Did I also mention the wet parts of the road that featured mud and train tracks that you needed to bunny hop?

With 7Km to go I got stuck in a crash and while I did not hit the tarmac I had to chase and found myself in a bad position. With 1Km to go there was a split in the group [and I finished] in 60th place. The average speed was 45km/h (28 mph).

Well greetings from the island and I hope to have wifi to send more reports.

Best regards,

Victor
(translated by Ricardo Salazar)

En Espanol:
Un pequeño reporte de la Vuelta Independencia en República Dominicana que consta de 11 etapas en 9 días con un total de 1250km sin contar las rodadas a salida participamos 132 corredores…

1ra Etapa circuito 80km plano
Salí tranquilo pues mi viaje constó de 3 vuelos y un total de 30hrs y quería abrir piernas tratando de ir de menos a mas y para mi sorpresa en la primer vuelta vi 2 ponchadas 7 ánforas un corredor sin desviador trasero y otro con la biela izquierda colgada de su pedal jaja esto solo en 6 km para la 3er vuelta hubo un corte de unos 25 corredores y fue cuando tuve que arrancar tirando mis planes por la ventana se reagrupo el pelotón saltando 3 corredores que alcanzaron abrir hasta 3:30 pero hay 2 equipos de Kazakhstan 12 corredores en total los cuales se formaron las ultimas 5 vueltas y se logro capturar a la fuga en la ultima vuelta para el sprint final lo intente pero de ir 15 primeros faltando 600m termine en los 70 simplemente no había piernas..promedio de vel 45km máx 70km

2da etapa A 105km plano
Esta lo difícil fue el viento de lado y frente todo el día, después de ver el peligro que se corre con ciertos corredores locales salí con el plan de correr agresivo y estar enfrente pues parese que todos querían lo mismo la carrera fue agresiva y con constantes ataques en las orilladas había caídas y cortes de grupo para el km 80 había corte de un grupo de alrededor de 25 y en siguiente éramos unos 40 pero Astana se formo y estamos por hacer el alcance cuando conectábamos sufrí una pinchadura y con trabajos pude hacer cambio y hacer tras carro o mejor trás autobús y cuando llegue al grupo de nuevo se formo una fuga de alrededor de 30 y 6 se fueron faltando 5km nuestro grupo solo rodamos a meta pues nos esperaba la 2da etapa del día…promedio 42km

2da etapa B 50km ondulada
En pocas palabras esta a sido la mas peligrosa que pueda recordar si las carreteras habían sido malas en esta puedo decir que 40km cada 200metros había algo mal pero mal! 10km en la carrera llegamos a un repecho de 700m con 10-12% y había meta de montaña pues ya sabrán los colos le dieron a tope y de ahí se siguió la carrera pues si no caías en cráteres o chocabas de frente a carros en trafico abierto en una carretera que caben 2 toyotas corollas faltaba pasar por partes mojadas con lodo para brincar vías de tren jaja pues faltando 7km caída donde choque pero libre el suelo el problema fue que perseguí y quede en mala posición y en ultimo kilo se corto el grupo.en los 60…promedio 45km

Bueno saludos desde la isla y espero tener wifi para mandarles mas reportes.

 

UCLA RR Cat 3 Report

Saturday, February 18th the UCLA “shut up legs” Road Race was held. It was four laps of a 12 mile course. The race begins with a long slow climb, then takes a right turn onto a shorter “stair-step” type climb. It then heads into a long FAST downhill, turns right where you catch a nice tailwind, then the final right takes you onto about a 1.5k slope to the finish.

There were only about 30 competitors in the Cat 3 race. The La Grange racers were myself, Yair Vetchtein, and Nick Gillock. The weather was beautiful by the time our race began, sunny and warm-ish with just a bit of wind at times. I came into the race having done some hard work early in the week, but had taken it very easy on thursday and friday. I felt very little anxiety, which is not normal for me. I guess I was confident with my fitness, but I never know how that will compare with the fitness of the other racers (Gerry Cody, Marco Cubillos, Nick Ostrovsky, Aaron Wise…).

As we staged, Nick rolled up and let Yair and I know that his derailleur was having issues. Great. I believe he pulled out of the race after the first lap…

Yair and I were both present up front. We worked with other teams and riders to ensure that no break went too far ahead. In a race earlier this year, I learned that short bursts of speed REALLY drain my strength, so I was conscious about keeping a consistent yet strong pace. Each lap as we turned right onto the 2nd climb, I took the front. The wind was coming from the left, so I stayed close to the dirt on the right. This meant even the guy directly behind me was not getting a draft. I was able to keep the pace high enough that no one would want to come around me, but just easy enough that I knew I could recover each lap. We hit the downhill, and here again I led every lap. Being a bigger body (185 lbs.), I am able to crouch down onto the top tube and wouldn’t have to pedal at all heading down. The riders behind would have had to get in the wind and work just to get in front of me, so they were more than happy to follow.

There were a couple of testing breaks on the tailwind section, and some separation on the finishing climb, but a main group of about twenty was always able to stay together. However, At the end of the third lap, there was some excitement. A small break got a little gap…a chase group of about six went to join, and Yair and I had missed both! I saw Yair begin his solo chase, and just watched hoping the group would follow, or Yair would make it…neither one happened. After feeling sorry for myself for a couple of seconds, I had to head out and either help Yair, or help myself. I chased. Yair saw me coming and slowed so that we could work together and at least get one of us there. Brilliant! As I reached him, he told me that he would do all he could to get me there then he was done. I slipped in behind and was struggling even to stay on his wheel. He was killing himself (figuratively) to close the gap, which was about 200 meters by now. As we headed up to one lap to go, I was back in the front group and able to rest a LITTLE.

I still set the pace up the climb, but feeling strong and knowing I needed to thin the group even more, I chose to attack. I figured I could still recover enough to finish well, but it would test whoever was left. It seemed to work. I was alone over the top, all the way downhill, and probably had about 15 seconds at the bottom of the hill. I felt fatigued along the bottom, but knew I had to push the pace. With that tailwind, the group would have a good chance to catch me AND drop me!

It turned out that two riders were chasing, and I was feeling like I wouldn’t be able to hold them off alone. I softened up a bit so I could hang on when they caught me. They were a Big Orange rider and a Fast Friday guy, who Yair had told me to watch before the race. The three of us worked very well together immediately. No games here…we needed to cooperate to stay ahead of the chasers! We made the final turn into the finish together, then it was a slow motion slog-fest all the way up. We traded positions a bit, but in the end the Big Orange rider took the win. I came in about 10 meters back, and Fast Friday about 10 meters behind me.

Phew!

Lessons:
-Teammates are great. Yair spent himself for me, and was as happy as I was at the finish.

-Someone please convince Nick Gillock (a top Cat 3 climber!) to ride a standard Di2 set up.

-I listened to my body during the race, and felt like I was more successful because of the time I spent at the front…?

-The three times I’ve raced this course (healthy), I have used the top of the climb as my finish line and it has worked out well. 4th, 2nd, and 2nd! There’s enough time to recover on the downhill and the rest of the racers are really struggling there.

-Jeff Tuttle

Cantua Creek RR Report

Saturday, Feb 18

Woke up at 2am. Still feeling full from a night of gluttony. Can’t go a night without my cereal. So we leave around 3am and stop at McDonald’s for our usual pre-race meal. I always order their healthiest of foods, deluxe breakfast with coffee. It seems to do the trick. We arrive at Cantua Creek around 7am giving us an hour to spare. The temperatures were freezing but the sun was making an appearance. Given that the course starts on a hill, there was no need for a warm-up. I got ready and sat in my warm car until it was time to race.

The race was three laps, out and back, 72 miles and the field consisted of 44 racers. As soon as the race started, there were a few fellows trying to breakaway. I could still see them but I was busy working my way up the field. By the time I was near the front, the breakaway group of three dudes formed and had gained some ground. There was no anticipation to catch them either. Everyone was chilling and talking about their life stories. On the first turnaround, the break increased their time to 3 minutes on the field. At this moment the pace finally picked up. However, a tailwind on the way back also helped the break. I kept making imaginary checkpoints when we saw the breakaway on turnarounds, implementing a time difference, and they held the 3 minutes all the way through the last lap. I knew something had to be done. Terrence, from Ritte, and I started putting in work for a chance to catch the break and give us a better standing in the end. No one else helped. With 18 miles left, I started to feel a little nervous. Then two guys attempted to breakaway from the field. I decided to let the other guys reel them back in, and once they did I took off! Not sure what I was thinking, most likely boredom. I’m up ahead only pedaling at 40% to see if anyone would join me. The same two guys that attempted earlier soon join me, a junior and senior. I was skeptical about it, but I told myself not to try. We get a rotating paceline going until the last turnaround. Keeping track of time, our little group gained 30 seconds on the field. At this point, there was nothing to lose. I begin to take it up a notch hitting 27-29 mph with some help of the tailwind. The other guys seemed to suffer by this move. It was time for them to go. Took up the speed to 30mph on the flat and dropped them both with ease. I continue drilling it, not looking back, and only remembering all of Cancellera’s epic videos. 6 miles to go, I finally looked back and had to squint in order to see the field. It was a cool feeling. When I get over to the climb, I saw three racers spread out before the finish. Without even thinking about it, I took chase. It didn’t end up being the breakaway group but it got me far enough to pass the line on my own! The breakaway group finished a minute and a half ahead of me and the field came in one minute later. And of course, a beer awaited me.

-Gus

CBR – Cat 4/5 30+ Race Report

As some of you know, I was supposed to race UCLA RR on Saturday but unfortunately I was called into work. So to get my racing fix, I decided to do a crit on Sunday. I got to the gate at 8 for a 9 start, pinned my number and warmed up on the road until 8:50.

I had a bad starting position, but my goal for the race was to work on my cornering and get more comfortable in the sprints. On the 3rd or 4th loop there was a crash about 5 riders in front of me. The other two LG guys were involved (Jon Davis and sorry but I can’t remember the other guys name) so I was racing by myself. I was really happy with my cornering. Thanks Drew and Marc for giving me tips on cornering! I was hanging out in the back 2/3 of the race the whole time. The last two laps I started moving up, and felt fairly comfortable still. On the last hill I sprinted up and passed a lot of people and then held that through to the finish to end up mid-pack. Overall, I’m not crazy about the result, but I enjoyed this crit and will def. go down again and support some of the other cat 4′s as needed!

Thanks for reading!

Tim Rizzi

UCLA RR Report

I wake at 3am, brew a cup. Oats on the flame. Before I know it it’s 3:50 and David Manpearl, a saint of a man who volunteered to drive me to ucla, arrives at my place. The UCLA team van hits the road at 4:40. I feel cold, but one of the other guys mentions that it’s something like 34degrees in Pearblossom. When we arrive it is indeed f$%$$^#&# cold. My teeth chatter as I change in a porter potty for lack of a towel. I decide I’ll go with my craft base layer, a short sleeve jersey, and my ibex wool bibs, arm/leg warmers. I ride the course for 15minutes to warm up a little. Men’s Cs go off at 7:20. The peloton is a small group of about 30 guys. The race starts easy. The weather warms up uncomfortably. I spin to the front and hold 3rd wheel the entire climb not realizing that around 8 guys have already been dropped. I crest the hill with the top group and descend with them. But I lack comfort in descending with a bunch of guys doing near 40-45mph riding 4 abreast so I peel off the back but only a few feet. I grab a drink. Suddenly I’m a hundred feet back of group. I shift into my 50/11 and gun it, but no matter how hard I push I can’t reach em. I decide that if they are within sight they are reachable. After the right turn at the bottom of the descent a new climb begins and I finally make contact as the group turns sluggish on the 4% gradient. I get a breather and curse my stupidity. I promise myself I won’t repeat this mistake on the next loop. I spin up to around 5th wheel and help dictate the pace. But as we go on the climb begins to slowly kill me. I get dropped shortly before we reach the peak and descend. I reach the crest alone and decide to begin the descent. A critical mistake. The slow climbers crest and drop like stones behind me. I only see their shadows growing larger on the asphalt. 5 guys pass me. I try to hang on to the slip stream but fail. I descend alone catching one of them on the climb back up to the start. 18th place. I get to the start and turn off to get some food from t! he team van but it’s gone following the Men’s Bs and I am forced to eat nothing for an hour. On the upside I got to see Tuttle unleash a monstrous hill sprint, as well as supporting some fellow La Granger’s in their races.

Several idiotic mistakes. Got too hot. Need to practice descending.

Big thanks to David Manpearl, and Tuttle for driving me home after. La Grange you guys are an amazing group of guys.

Oleg Nashelskiy

UCLA Road Race Report: My First Mechanical

I arrived in Pearblossom psyched for my first road race of the season. I’d been training on Piuma, Fernwood, and all of the other great Malibu climbs for months, and I expected a strong finish. The race is two laps of a twelve mile course with a climb similar to Mandeville for the first half of the lap. I’d be racing with fellow Cat5 teammate Shai Oved. I started the climb with Shai at the front. About half a mile from the top disaster struck. I felt myself slowly dropping from the group. I knew something was wrong because I wasn’t fatigued. I looked sown to see that familiar sight of your rear tire spilling over both sides of the rim on the ground. A FLAT?!?!?!?!?! on my first B race of the season?!??!?! I pulled over to the side of the road, ready to perform the fastest flat fix in history (Marc Thomas style) when I realized I left my saddle bag IN THE CAR. I waited there by the side of the road for thirty minutes until I caught a ride back with a support car, but by then it was too late to avoid the DNF. Today wasn’t my day, but I learned an important lesson of racing: Expect the unexpected!!!

Next time I’ll kill it,

-Tommy Musca