Cascade Cycling Classic 35+ race report

By Chris Lyman

This past weekend teammate Craig Roemer, Morgan Stanley rider Greg Anderson and I headed to the Cascade Cycling Classic for the 35+ race. CCC is a great event with four demanding stages attracting top riders. This year was no different with Northern Cal hardmen Chris Phipps, Andreas Gil, Jonathon Eropkin, Jason Walker, Brian Choi, Matt Carino, Hernando and others, along with Sam Krieg, who won Mt. Hood earlier this year plus numerous past RR and TT podiums at nationals.

I had a fairly hectic work week leading to CCC and arrived feeling like lousy. After a Thursday afternoon pre-race ride I started to wonder if I’d forgotten my race legs at home.

Feeling the same way on stage 1, I decided to stay hidden in the field until the climb to Mt. Bachelor. With numerous teams fielding a full contingent of riders, as long as a break didn’t get away with everyone represented I felt confident playing it safe.

With about 15k to go a serious attack got up the road with Andreas. Veloce, a local team, did a lot of work at the front and caught the break just as we started the last climb. The field was immediately reduced to about 20 riders as a solid tempo set in and I was hit with a nasty calf cramp, which left me struggling to hang onto the back. As it ramped up, Chris Phipps attacked (no surprise) and nobody could follow his surge. Jonathan Eropkin and Sam did a lot of the initial work on the front and kept Phipps :10-:20 in front of us. I joined in and took hard pulls trying to maintain our gap, knowing that if we did by the flat section then we’d be able to bring him back.

Unfortunately none of the 12 or so other riders chipped in when it flattened out and it was left to the three of us to chase until under 1k to go when suddenly all the wheel suckers found their legs. Chris finished :20 ahead and bagged a :10 time bonus, and I knew that was probably too much to give him.

Stage 2 was the TT that climbed 750 feet in about 5.5 miles. Once again my legs weren’t there and I struggled to find a good cadence for the climb. After a grueling 16:38 outbound leg the return was a merciful and fun 8:46 at 38 MPH. Enough to win but the stage but only take back :11 on a TT custom made for a climber like Phipps. That slotted me into 2nd GC with Sam just behind.

Stage 3 was a fast but uneventful crit won by Andreas Gil. Chalk up another W for Nor Cal!

Stage 4 was the Awbrey Butte Circuit Race, a guaranteed sufferfest with sharp rollers, a 1.5k climb and the infamous Archie Briggs, which ramps to something idiotic like 15% before leveling out to a more reasonable pitch.

Before the start I saddled up to Sam and we discussed both being there to win and not finish 2nd or 3rd. We made a truce to not chase each other in order to force a move, and our intent to go out swinging. Sam must have attacked 25 times and Jonathan and Jason continuously peppered the front with moves. While not trusting my legs, I decided to wait until when I hoped Phipps’ team would be softened up.

After a mental error on 3rd lap – going for a bottle just as the lead group surged and getting gapped off – Roemer put in a huge effort to bring me back to the front and I finally found my legs. I started attacking to see who would chase and then Sam and I got into a nice rhythm launching one big move after another. After two final all-chips-in efforts - one bridging solo to Sam as he was left to cook and another to Jason - I had done all that I could and was near the point of cracking. With the two climbs yet to come I tucked in out of the wind and kept my fingers crossed that I had enough to get over Archie Briggs.

Attacks continued but without any real snap as everyone was spent. A small group of about 15 made it over Briggs and headed to the line. I felt enough to reach back for one more effort and was trying to figure out where to make it when a few more guys made it back on and swarmed to the front. A moment of hesitation and the opportunity was gone so I rode to the line knowing and finished with the small group, preserving my 2nd GC.

Andreas did Northern Cal proud winning again while Jason Walker sprinted for 3rd and moved up to 4th overall GC.

Overall it was a great weekend, and ended up resembling an NCNCA event with a Nor Cal sweep:
Stage One - 1st, 2nd & 3rd
Stage Two - 1st & 2nd
Sage Three - 1st, 2nd & 3rd
Stage Four - 1st & 3rd
Final GC - 1st, 2nd & 4th

A special thanks to the O’Shannon family, our gracious hosts who put up with us crowding around the kitchen TV to watch the Tour as we ate breakfast each morning!

Looking forward to heading back for Nats in a few weeks.

43rd annual Tour de l’abitibi - Amos, Quebec, Canada – Day Five/ Stage Six

Stage six had the 122 starters competing for nine laps of an eleven kilometer downtown Amos circuit. There was some hard racing, many breakaway attempts but in the end we had another field sprint. Eighty one riders on the same time, and 109 riders will go on to today’s seventh and final stage.

Thibaut Boulanger of the France National team won for the third consecutive day. Team Specialized’s Jeff Perrin almost pulled off the win. Coming into the last 6km Jeff attacked and bridged up to the three leaders, worked with those that could match his speed and then started his sprint. He was caught in the last fifty meters, yet still hung on for 7th place.

Stage six results –
1- Thibaut Boulanger, France National
2- Alex Darville, USA National
3- Anthony Morel, France National
7- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized
34- James LaBerge, Team Specialized
41- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized
60- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized
65- David Benkoski, Team Specialized
81- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized

General Classification, after six stages
1- James Oram, New Zealand 10:55.14
2- Dion Smith, New Zealand +.19
3- Colby Wait-Molyneaux, USA National +.23
4- Kristo Jorgenson, USA National + .27
5- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .34
6- Jean Emile, Canada National + .36
7- Alexy Vermeeulen, Pro Chain + .42
8- Thibaut Boulanger, France National + .43
9- Daniel Eaton, Mid South Regional + .50
10- Gregory Daniel, USA National + .53
20- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + 1.13
22- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + 1.15
26- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + 1.23
36- James LaBerge, Team Specialized + 1.42
44- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + 1.57
132 starters on Day one, 109 finishers

Team General Classification (time of top three riders on each stage)
1- United States National Team 32:47:25
2- New Zealand National Team + .04
3- Canada National Team + 1.11
4- Team Specialized + 1.19
5- Kazahkstan National Team + 2.00
6- Pro Chain + 2.09

More pictures are posted on the Team FaceBook page : www.facebook.com/#!/TeamSpecializedRacing

On stage seven in 2010 the riders were greeted with 20 mile per hour winds and the field was separated. Twenty two riders went clear. The wind looks light right now, but that doesn’t mean that the racing will be easy.

USA National would love to leap frog either Colby or Kristopher into the lead but New Zealand won’t have that. Canada needs a stage win and if Thibaut Boulanger of France takes another win he will move into 5th, ahead of Willy. We can’t have that! In fact, we’re still making plans to win this whole race.

Au revoir, Larry

43rd annual Tour de l’abitibi - Amos, Quebec, Canada – Day Four/ Stage Five

Stage five was the longest of the week at 120km. The 130 starters rode from the southwest and were aided by a strong tailwind/ crosswind averaging 46.6kph on the stage. The stage finished in a field sprint, less 31 riders that lost time and 8 riders that were time cut or pulled out.

The France National team swept the podium for the second consecutive day with a 1-2-3 finish. James sprinted to 12th place. Willy was off in a threatening 14 man break but New Zealand missed the move and sacrificed two riders to bring the break back.

Stage four results –
1- Thibaut Boulanger, France National
2- Kevin Goulet, France National
3- Anthony Smorel, France National
12- James LaBerge, Team Specialized
23- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized
35- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized
51- David Benkoski, Team Specialized
69- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized
78- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized

General Classification, after four stages
1- James Oram, New Zealand
2- Dion Smith, New Zealand +.17
3- Colby Wait-Molyneaux, USA National +.20
4- Kristo Jorgenson, USA National + .24
5- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .31
6- Jean Emile, Canada National + .37
7- Michael Reidenbach, Colavita + .39
21- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + 1.10
22- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + 1.12
25- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + 1.20
38- James LaBerge, Team Specialized + 1.39
49- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + 1.54
132 starters, 122 finishers

Team General Classification (time of top three riders on each stage)
1- United States National Team 26:06.16
2- New Zealand National Team + .04
3- Canada National Team + 1.11
4- Team Specialized + 1.19
5- Mexico National Team + 1.47
6- Kazaskhstan National Team + 2.00

More pictures are posted on the Team FaceBook page : www.facebook.com/#!/TeamSpecializedRacing

Five stages down, two big stages to go. Today will see the riders go through the two eleven kilometer circuits in Amos nine times. Fourteen corners in the east loop, three corners in the west loop with a bridge across the river in between. The race starts in Amos, so today is a relaxing day and then some hard racing at 5pm.

Au revoir, Larry

Brazilian ramblings

How is it possible that dreams sometimes are prescient?

Even at my age, each day can bring a learning experience. Sometimes the lessons are hard.

Today started with excitement for me. I felt really good, like I’ve been feeling all this championship season. My warm up confirmed my race preparation was right. I toed the line as the first call-up to this year’s Master Mountain Bike World Championship in Brazil and the race started with an explosion, like it always does.

It’s the dead of winter here. I pre-rode the course for three days earlier this week but stuck to the trainer yesterday as once again it rained hard and I’d had enough of riding in the nasty stuff. The course was a muddy mess each time I rode it, not what I am used to in the dry dusty races I do in the Bay area. I wore my training pads and for good reason, I think I hit the deck 20 to 25 times in the mere six laps of the course I completed in practice over my three days outside. The pain of those times face down in the mud convinced me how to ride (nay, run) the dangerous parts of the descents. As a point of reference, those dangerous sections made up at least ¾ of all descending on the course. I expected these descents to be the daunting challenges come race day.

I was wrong.

Now common sense and good thinking suggested making sure all your equipment has been tested prior to a big race. I always do this, until today. After today, I always will.

As I always do for Mountain Bike World Championships, I bring two identical bikes, one for the race and one for training. This year I put an all new drive train on the race bike before I left home; chain, cassette, cables, cable housing, new wheels, tires, rotors and brake pads too. I wanted everything to be perfect, no worn parts. I rode it around on the road at home to see if everything was working, it seemed fine.

At the race venue, I always do one lap on the race bike at quasi-racing speed to do a final test. This year I didn’t. The course was too much of a mess and I was constantly crashing while practicing. I didn’t want to risk going down and breaking something on the race bike or taking a chance of gumming up the cables and risking bad shifting. Even at 56 years of age, we make bad decisions.

The first 200 meters of the race course is flat, the next 300 meters climbs on pavement at 20 percent, the perfect way to start a race for me. Somebody jumps by me as we hit the climb. No problem, I kick a little bit and drop him easily. Benny Anderson, the current Swedish National champ and reigning European champion pulls up beside me. He beat me for the first time in four tries two years ago in France when he won his first World Championship. I knew he was the one I needed to beat today to win.

I’m riding tempo and decide it’s time to test Benny. I shift down one gear and get out of the saddle to attack. Pop! My chain jumps a gear and tweaks on an angle as the rear derailleur lurches down the cassette. What the f@#* just happened. I put a little pressure on the pedals and realize I am about to break the chain as the rear wheel locks up. I stop and get off the bike, pick the rear end up with one hand and spin the pedals with the other, the only way to correct the problem.

Benny’s put 50 meters on me and I know he heard the crunching of my chain, opportunity knocks or should I say crunches for him.

I pedal and the chain jumps again on the cassette, and again, and again, and again. I realize that, at this point, I can ride nothing more than tempo as any more pressure than that yields the same troubling result. How do you win a world championship riding tempo???

We crest the top of the start loop and hit the first tricky descent. I can see Benny cautiously finding his way down to the start/finish line about 75 meters in front of me. I see his strategy given his knowledge of my circumstance.

To hell with it, I’m going to rip this descent and take my chances. My heart’s in my throat a couple of times but I get back to Benny by the bottom and we’re on to the first of two full laps.
Now I can pedal again but fear the outcome. Sure enough the problem persists, I need to make a barrel adjustment for the rear derailleur on the fly and see if it makes a difference. The first climb of this lap is 50 meters in front of me.

Twist the barrel adjuster, pedal. Nope, that didn’t work. Twist the barrel adjuster, pedal. Uh oh, I’m on the climb and my amateur attempts at a mechanic’s work have failed. Not only that, but I have adjusted my way out of even being able to ride at tempo on the climb. Even the easiest of pressure on the pedals is now unworkable.

This is an easy climb I can do in my big chain ring but with every pedal stroke the chain jumps. I get off the bike and start running as I watch Benny sprint away from me. I crest the climb and I realize that caution needs to be tossed. I scream down the descent, but this is the easiest of the 10 to 12 descents in front of me. I fear trouble lies ahead but what choice do I have.

Immediately I’m on the next climb, I see Benny in front of me climbing with speed. I have no choice but to run again and the first challenging drop is up next. I cut it loose and crash! Not bad but it shakes me up. Unhurt other than a trickle of blood down my knee and elbow, I remount and let it go again.

Next climb up, next piece of running and I no longer see Benny in front of me. Someone at the side of the road says he has a minute on me.

And so it goes. Run up each climb, take my chances on the descents. Other than that one crash, this strategy (it’s all I can come up with at this point) is working.

Through the start/finish and the bell rings. Again someone says “one minute to the leader”. A surge of adrenaline hits me as I realize I’m still in this race, in the last 15 minutes since that first crash I’ve haven’t given up a thing to Benny.

Now I know what Benny’s thinking as he has a friend out on the course who may have seen me running up climbs that make no sense to run, unless you have a mechanical problem. Benny climbs hard and takes no chances on the descents, probably off the bike on all of them. My only chance is that he continues this strategy while I take even more chances on the descents.
I now hit that descent I crashed on in lap one, this time though I go even faster.

Usually I act rationally, in fact, it’s been years since my days of irrationality.

This is the world championships and, given the circumstances, I need to take chances to even have the slightest hope of winning. It’s that slightest hope that puts rational thinking into the dust bin.

I make it past the point of the crash last lap but I am going much too fast and I’m headed for a tree. My front wheel is in a rut and I the brakes aren’t slowing me down. My choices are slowing down by putting my face square into the trunk of that tree or dive off the side of this descent down the embankment.

It’s not like you actually make a decision given those choices. Survival instinct takes over and I’m off the side of the trail careening downward. Suddenly I flip and come to a sudden stop. I’ve fallen into a 4 foot hole filled with vines and broken tree branches. I shake my head, neck seems okay. I move my arms, they work, legs work too. Okay, now what? I look up and my bike is across the top of the hole. I pull myself up grabbing vines until I get to my bike. I push up and throw the bike back onto the hill and struggle to crawl out of the hole. Suddenly the Columbian that finished third behind me last year after I broke my pedal is coming cautiously down the descent. I lost 8 minutes to a broken pedal and beat him by 3 minutes on top of that, this tells me just how costly my mechanical nightmare has been to me today.

He goes by me as I get back on course. Thirty seconds later we cross the road to start the next climb. The Columbian is 50 meters in front of me and Benny’s friend is there and tells me Benny’s 3 minutes up the road. Sounds like I was in that hole for about 2 minutes.

The race is over for first but damned if I’ll give up fighting for second. I am running up the climb with every last bit of energy I have. I catch the Columbian and push by him. I am seeing stars.
Now that I’m in front of him and bleeding from both knees and elbows , with many bruises I can’t even see, no more chances on the descents. I take them all cautiously, top tubing it. We’re back on the road and he’s back on me. Up the final climb of the day and I’ve gapped him with my running.

For some strange reason, I decide to try pedaling the bike as I hit the only gentle part of the last climb knowing the Columbian will be riding it much faster than I can run it. I put it in the 36 on the back but as I put it in the gear, I don’t let up on the shifter paddle, thinking that keeping the pressure on the cable might stop the chain from jumping. This only works at the top of the cassette as such pressure on the paddle in any other gear would just move the chain up the cassette. At the top, it butts up against the set screw and can’t jump. Why didn’t I think of this earlier? Sh#*!

My legs are fried from a race spent running up every climb. Constant pressure on the paddle is taking all my will power as my thumb is cramping but I am nearly to the top of the course and I’ve put another 30 meters on the Columbian. The last descents to the finish line are tricky and he’s behind me far enough that I think I can top tube each one.

I’m on the last tricky switchback drop before the finish and I see he’s ten meters behind me. Okay, get off the top tube and let it go!

Bad idea, down I go into the mud.

Just as I get back on he goes by me. Seventy five meters to the finish and one last dagger enters my heart. What a day or should I say night(mare).

Two days ago, I had a dream. It woke me up in a cold sweat. It was one of those dreams where you absolutely believed it was actually happening. I dreamed I was racing in today’s championship, I was battling it out for first, second and third. Believe it or not, Benny was in the dream. I had trouble with the details but Benny won, someone unknown to me finished second and I was third. I swear it took me 5 minutes to realize it was just a dream. How weird is that????

43rd annual Tour de l’abitibi - Amos, Quebec, Canada – Day Three

Stages three and four are run off on the same day here at the 43rd annual Tour de l’abitibi. Morning time trial stage, afternoon road stage.

The 132 riders took off for their 12.3km time trial on a rolling course in one minute intervals. Kyle was the first off at 9:37 and Willy was the last off at 10:54am. We were able to follow Torey, James and Willy. Our goal was to place all six riders in the top thirty. It was a reasonable goal as we have strong time trialists. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a great day on course. A good day, just not a great day. Willy placed eight and moved into 5th on over GC. The team solidified its 3rd on Team GC. Some pictures are posted on the Team FaceBook page

Stage three results –
1- Colby Wait-Molyneaux, USA National
2- Michael Reidenbach, Colavita + 4sec
3- Kristo Jorgenson, USA National + 4sec
8- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .29
21- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + .50
22- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + .52
25- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + 1minute
50- James LaBerge, Team Specialized + 1.29
55- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + 1.34


About six hours later the riders lined up for a 52km stage about an hour south of Amos. The weather has been either perfect or just a bit warm. For this stage the riders started out in 90 degree weather at 6pm and raced right into a rain cloud. They got drenched! With limited visibility and wet roads the riders and the staff get nervous. Thankfully the majority of the riders, including all of ours, stayed upright and safe… until the third to last corner when the first rider took himself out and our riders backed off and did not sprint. Therein lies a tale of how much we want to win yet, safety is always more important than taking unnecessary risks.

Stage four results –
1- Thibaut Boulanger, France National
2- Anthony Smorel, France National
3- Kevin Goulet, France National
37- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized
60- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized
71- James LaBerge, Team Specialized
98- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized
118- David Benkoski, Team Specialized
127- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized

General Classification, after four stages
1- James Oram, New Zealand
2- Dion Smith, New Zealand +.19
3- Colby Wait-Molyneaux, USA National +.20
4- Kristo Jorgenson, USA National + .24
5- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .31
6- Jean Emile, Canada National + .37
7- Michael Reidenbach, Colavita + 39
21- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + 1.10
22- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + 1.12
24- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + 1.20
40- James LaBerge, Team Specialized +1.41
51- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + 1.54
130 finishers

Four stages down, three to go. Today is a 120km road race from Rouyn-Nourada to Amos and then into the circuits of Amos.

Au revoir, Larry

43rd annual Tour de l’abitibi - Amos, Quebec, Canada - day two

Before the stage today I ran out to the laundromat and drafted the story below. Might as well maximize the 37 minute wash cycle. Then we headed west to the start of today’s stage where I met up with the team and they gave us a whole new story to share! Read on…

James LaBerge won stage two today. The 132 rider field averaged 48.1kph, for an average of 99 RPM’s in their maximum 52x14 gearing. Fast! Thankfully James was fastest.

As car three in the caravan our first piece of action was Torey flatting and then using the 23 cars to get back into the field. Before and after that we were hearing race radio announce small breakaway attempts and sprint points. We wanted to contest the two sprint time bonus’ but missed out. The big move came on the last lap when James came out of the last corner about 10 riders back and took off from 275 meters to go up the climb to take the field sprint and his second stage win in two years at l’abitibi. Willy chased a threatening move in the last 3km that helped to string out the field and make the sprint safer for all. Jeff and David were also helpful in moving James up and sweeping his wheel before the last turn.

Stage two results –
1- James, Team Specialized, plus 10 second time bonus
2- Thanawut Sanikwathi, Thailand national team
3- Thibaut Bolanger, France national team
23- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + .28
50- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .10
68- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + .28
77- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + .28
84- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + .28

General Classification, after two stages
1- James Oram, New Zealand
2- Dion Smith, New Zealand +.01
3- Roman Semyonov, Kazakhstan +.06
4- Vitality Marayhin, Kazakhstan + .08
7- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .10
8- James LaBerge, Team Specialized +.18
27- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + .28
43- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + .28
65- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + .28
80- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + .28
131 finishers

Congratulations team on a fine performance today!

For the Tour de l’abitibi Team Specialized includes the six riders and teammates Chris LaBerge, Dean LaBerge, Billy Innes and me, Larry Nolan.

Chris is a 17 year old junior and this is his second trip to Canada to support the team. He’s got an easy going disposition and is willing to help in any way that he can. He’s valuable to the team in his willingness to pitch in and get things done. After watching his teammates last year he still has a desire to do this race so that helps to fuel his racing desires.

Dean is James and Chris’ father, and also has 30+ years of racing experience, including a World Championship in BMX racing. Dean helps to provide insight and coaching for the team which is particularly helpful in these bunch sprints to the line. A true sprinter always has a calm before the final giddy up to the line. Sometimes that’s innate in an athlete, sometimes it can be taught. The team is lucky to have a rider with Dean’s experience. Dean also has a great way of keeping his cool and helps the team in everything that they do.

Billy Innes also has over 30+ years of racing experience. Plus, he’s been wrenching bicycles for most of his life, and he’s quite good at it. The kids (and I) know this because Billy cares about our equipment and wants us to care about our equipment too. Communication is key on this team so that we get what we want, and it starts with the bike. If something is out of true, it needs attention. Delay in looking after mechanicals can have long-term repercussions. As a racer Billy was a professional for a short period of time, so he understands international riders and customs and racing styles. This knowledge has helped him to read races as a competitor and now he also directs the USA National program in Europe for USA Cycling. He’s on a break from the European scene as the USA National Team is in Canada, so Team Specialized is so very lucky to have him wrenching and coaching the riders.

I (Larry Nolan) only took up cycling as a 30 year old, and I have limited international experience, but just like Dean and Billy, I’m a solid teammate and I know how to win races, including masters national and world championships. I’ve been coaching riders for the past twenty years and this is my second year directing Team Specialized Juniors. I’m also the west coast regional camp manager/ head coach and our 2011 camp starts July 31.

My family and I lived in Belgium for a year and there are many similarities to Belgium here in Quebec. For the riders coming to Quebec it’s all about the differences than the similarities of being at home. Just living in a high school with 132 athletes and coaches, and eating every meal together helps these riders open up to new possibilities. I know it was that way for my children and they were 13, 15 and 17 years old. Not exactly the move that they preferred, away from their comforts and friends, but they adjusted and learned to be flexible and accepting of others and their differences.

Stage three starts tomorrow at 8:45am with a morning 12.3km time trial. The riders go off in reverse GC order, so we have Kyle, Torey, David, Jeff, James and Willy.

Au revoir, Larry

43rd annual Tour de l’abitibi - Amos, Quebec, Canada – Day One

Willy Zellmer of Team Specialized takes fifth place in the first stage of the Tour de l’abitibi. While a win would have us at an early celebration party, sometimes a fifth place finish can be a “win”. Firstly, an eight man breakaway went clear of the field, built up a lead of one minute and still held off a charging field. Secondly, National teams Canada, France, USA and Japan all missed the move and thirdly, New Zealand had two riders and Kazakhstan had three riders. Mexico, Thailand and Team Specialized made up the rest of the break. Yes, a trade team/ regional team away with the strong National teams! Finally, Willy’s teammates enjoyed a day of following wheels and monitoring the moves. Mostly they found that the chase was not well organized, probably due to the average pace of 28.4 miles per hour over this 112 kilometer stage. Further to this point was that Willy hung on and dished out some fierce attacks, until the breakaway gap came down and the eight decided to cooperate to the line.

1- James Oram, New Zealand
2- Dion Smith, New Zealand +.01
3- Roman Semyonov, Kazakhstan +.06
4- Vitality Marayhin, Kazakhstan + .08
5- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .10
28- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + .28
30- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + .28
41- James LaBerge, Team Specialized + .28
63- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + .28
84- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + .28
132 finishers

Our position in the caravan slides up to 3rd car. This is a reflection of Willy being 5th place on GC but 3rd team behind New Zealand and Kazakhstan. Team Specialized is sitting 3rd on Team GC 25 seconds behind Kazakhstan and New Zealand.

Overall, the team is in good spirits. They are eating lunch and breakfast together as a team and dressing the part. They are going to bed at 10pm and sleeping ten hours a night. Nutrition and recovery is critical to a six day stage race.

Cheers, Larry

Tour de L'abitibi

 I am currently in Quebec Canada with Team Specialized racing the Tour de L'abitib.  A six day seven stage race.  Yesterday was the first stage, 112km mostly flat.  I was able to make the winning break of eight riders.  Two New Zealand riders, three Kazakhstan riders, one rider from Thailand and one Mexican rider.  The break went clear about 70km into the race.  We all worked very well together.  I was a little surprised we stayed away as the French national team and the USA national team were not represented.   

We start stage two this afternoon I am sitting 5th on GC, we are sitting 3rd on team GC.  Looking forward to the time trial in the morning and a short stage in the afternoon.

- Willy Zellmer

43rd annual Tour de l’abitibi - Amos, Quebec, Canada - day zero

For the second consecutive year Team Specialized is proud to send a team to the only UCI event in North America. Tour de l’abitibi is a six day, seven stage race. Five stages of 100+ kilometers per day and one day with a time trial (12.3km) and short road race (52km) comprise the week-long event. Team Specialized is set to start stage one tomorrow afternoon, July 19. Racing will wrap up on Sunday, July 26th.

This is a UCI Nations Cup event. Twenty three teams of six 17 and 18 year old riders make up this years’ field of competitors. France, the UCI number one ranked nation is here, as well as national teams from Japan, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Thailand, Mexico, Canada and Team USA. Unfortunately, that means that our best possible placing in the caravan will be 13th spot behind the commissar, medical, neutral support, and all 23 following support cars. We were spoiled last year after James LaBerge won stage one and we moved right up to the front three cars. There’s a managers meeting at 10am tomorrow to determine our spot in the rolling circus.

Tough competition aside, Team Specialized has a rich history at this event. In 2007 Ben Barsi-Rhyne won a stage, in 2008 Charlie Avis won the time trial, in 2009 Charlie Avis was 2nd overall, in 2010 James LaBerge won stage one and Eamon Lucas was 2nd overall. We have high hopes for our six riders and here’s a bit about our team:
- Five of the six teammates have experience from 2010. This is Kyle’s debut and that’s because he is just 17 years old.
- Four of the six teammates have been a part of the USA Cycling European trips.
- All six of them have won events and placed well at the USA Cycling Junior Road National Championships.
- On paper, we have a strong team well suited for this event.

And, our six teammates:
- David Benkoski (18) Menlo Park, CA
- James LaBerge (18) Napa, CA
- Jeff Perrin (18) Lakewood, CO
- Torey Philipp (18) El Dorado Hills, CA
- Kyle Torres (17) Laguna Nigel, CA
- Willy Zellmer (18) Missoula, MT

Amos is a small Canadian city in the Quebec region of Canada. French speakers dominate the local scene but seem to understand our English questions easily. The beauty of this event is the region that we ride in, and the organization capitalizes on that by starting the majority of the stages in another host city and having the athlete’s race back to Amos. The stage maps resemble a spider web with stages coming in from the west, south, north and east. This layout helps simplify the logistics. Another benefit of this set-up is that the courses tend to be along wide highways until we get back into Amos, then the riders are treated to a number of circuits in Amos. This year we have two different circuits. Stages one and two use a three corner 5.3km circuit and have the athletes hit it five times, then on stages five and seven the riders are treated to a twelve corner 5.3km circuit. Stage three is the time trial, stage four is a short out and back road race in another host city (Malartic). Stage six features nine laps of the 11km combined two circuits and could be the decisive stage if there is no big weather swings out on the open roads. These are just my opinions but I think that the circuits favor the American riders that grow up on criteriums. We shall see.

While many will accurately say that we are “out in the middle of nowhere”, Amos is a great place to visit. I can’t imagine the winter months (brrr!) but the summer days are nice and long. The sun was shining through our window well before 5:30am and the sky was still lit up at 10pm. Yesterday we had temps in the 80’s and a thunderstorm. Today started off cool (high 60’s) and settled nicely into the 80’s with gusty winds. I’m not one to care about the weather much but we pay attention to these details when we’re racing up here. One big wind day and general classification could be set.

You can follow all of the action at: www.tourabitibi.com

The team presentation went smoothly. The team is pumped up and ready to race. Wish us luck and speed. Cheers, Larry

Team Specialized National Champions (so far)

A July 10 look at the 2011 National Championships. Canadian Masters Road Nationals wrapped up last week, USA Junior Road Nationals finished in late June, and Junior Track Nationals finish today. Let's take a quick look at the successes of three teammates in four National Championship events

Rob Anderson (56) has travelled on many occasions to his homeland to compete in the Canadian National Championships and this year he came home with both the time trial and the road race championships.

Andrew Lanier Junior (18) popped over to track nationals in Frisco, TX after wrapping up road nationals in Augusta, GA. In the first two days he competed in the six event omnium and placed 6th, then came back the next morning to qualify for the gold medal ride in the team pursuit. Then, in the heat of the Texas day, he won his USA National Championship in the points race.

Jack Maddux (14) was crashed out of the 13-14 road race on the first day of competition at the USA Junior Road National Championships. He picked himself up, got into his head that he could still achieve his goal of winning a national championship and then went out and won the time trail the very next day.

Persistence is a great attribute to take through life. Congratulations to Rob, Andrew Jr and Jack. Best of luck to those racing at Masters Nationals and Masters Worlds later in the year. Cheers, Larry

A Mountain Bike Race, Coffee and Something To Put It All In

Today I raced the Winter Park Series #3 Valley Point to Point Mountain Bike Race.  It was a 22 mile race where I raced the Category 2 Juniors.  I did the race in just about 2:00:00 setting one of the best Cat 2 times for all ages.  My group was the last to start out of the Cat 2's so I had to use a lot of energy to pass older Cat 2 riders and slowed me down a bit.  I had a fast enough time to win the Junior Cat 1 race and win some other Cat 1 races too.  The race was in beautiful Winter Park, CO where most of the race was around 10,000 feet of elevation.  The race was just a total blast with super fast downhills that were really technical and where the climbs up the fire road were super fast also.  The singletrack was so much fun and the fact that it had rained the night before made the forested sections wet and muddy so I got really dirty.  This is my first mountain bike race and it is definitely not my last one.  Oh and about the title.  Well I won a mountain bike race, I won a bag of coffee and I won a mug to put all the coffee in.  Not such a bad day of racing huh?

-Dean Haas

Leesville Gap RR - Pro/1/2

At his request, one rider's name has been changed.

I showed up with a bit of trepidation knowing that Paul Mach was registered. This race is all about making it over the Leesville gap climb in the front group and I was afraid that Mach would destroy the group and I’d get left for dead. Also along for the fun was Rider P, and Kirk Carlsen (Garmin), Willy and a bunch of Marcpro Strava, Yahoo and Metro Mint guys. As we left town a break formed with Mike Taylor of Yahoo, Kirk and a few others. Mach was pretty aggressive and made some attacks, but nothing stuck. We hit the rough roads around 1:00 behind the break. It was pretty fast on the rough roads and after a while, Mach flatted. I felt bad for him, but also relieved. :-)

Leading up to the climb, I tried to get Willy’s attention to get him up to the front, but I think he had already flatted by then. He had been riding well near the front previously. I hit the climb in 4th place behind Rider P, Jesse Miller Smith (Strava) and a Yahoo (Wingert or Switters?). The Yahoo immediately opened a gap so I went around him and that was it. Nobody else made the split, even for a little bit. We had been going fairly hard, but I still found that odd. The climb was pretty freaking hard. It ended up being 368W for almost 17 minutes and that was with asking them to ease up a bit two times. We caught and dropped all of the break except for Carlsen who was still about 30 seconds ahead and Taylor who we caught basically at the top. We worked well together and caught Carlsen pretty quickly.

I had forgotten just how rough the road is even after the climb. This race really is tougher than Copperopolis as far as rough roads go I think.

Through the valley, I thought that my chances were pretty good. I’ve done this race enough that I have a pretty good sense of what to do tactically and I looked around and saw that I was the only one with aero wheels. I figured that every pull I’d be saving just a bit of energy and I hoped that it would even things up by the end. That all went to hell when Mach came back up near the end of the upper valley, along with about 7 or 8 others. He had FIXED his flat and chased back with this group! Pretty impressive.

On the climb out of the valley, Jesse accelerated and Mach followed. I tried to jump across towards the top, but left it too late, though I think we lost a few guys on that short climb. Towards the bottom of the descent Jesse stopped with some kind of mechanical issue. We decided to let Paul burn out there and finally caught him just about as we made the right turn down in the flats to head back north.

There were a number of attacks and counters over the next few miles. I made a few good counters and got away alone twice, but only for a minute or two each time. As we got towards the final left turn with around 5km to go Rider P and Carlsen opened up a small gap. They hung out there close for a while and I was sure I could jump across the gap, but the catch would be to get away clean. I waited for the right time, but waited too long as when the right time came the gap had opened up was too big so I stayed put. With about a km to go I stayed on the back and followed Mike Taylor. At the front, Jim Wingert opened up a small gap while the rest of us hesitated. Finally Cavanaugh opened up the sprint. When Taylor jumped I followed him. He didn’t quite pass Wingert and I threw my bike, but didn’t quite make it. Taylor was probably a half of a bike behind Wingert and I was close enough to wonder if I got Taylor, but I didn’t. In front Carlsen was cramping and conceded and that is when Rider P drilled it and opened up the gap.

Afterwards, everybody said that they were cracked. My calves had been “talking to me” and threatening to cramp towards the end and everybody else was in the same boat or worse. It’s amazing that such a short race can do so much damage to the riders. My arms are still sore…

1. Rider P
2. Kirk Carlsen (Garmin)
3. Jim Wingert (Yahoo!)
4. Mike Taylor (Yahoo!)
5. Kevin Metcalfe (Team Specialized Racing Masters)

Canadian Road Nationals-- Take Deux

I’m sitting on the plane heading home from Toronto. I’ve got six hours to kill and my computer battery says I have 5 hours and 1 minute of power so sit back relax, get a beer or soda and settle in for some reading. As distasteful as my lack of brevity is to Mick, I’ll encourage him to read on because he gets some honourable mention at a point in my missive (notice the Canadian spelling in honour of my citizenship and in recognition of July 1st, Canada Day, the 144th).

After winning the time trial on Thursday, some might consider the pressure off but I dearly wanted to do the double so I set about readying myself for the somewhat considerable task at hand. For me that meant course reconnaissance to plan strategy and the continued commitment to Kevin Metcalfe’s tried and true process of resting for championship events. In other words none of that Rob Anderson nonsense of five to six hour rides in the days before a big race. I tried Kevin’s approach starting a year ago and I am a true convert and disciple of it with the best results in such events in my career since embracing it.

So it was fourteen laps of the road race course in the two and a half days since the time trial. That’s only about six hours of easy recovery riding in that 72 hour period between races, the equivalent of a few minutes more than my daily training rides back home. It leaves me itching to race.

I had pretty much every inch of the race course memorized; 11 ½ kilometers, the first 5 ½ climbing the roughly 500 foot ascent to the top of the course and the last 5 ½ descending to the finish line. There was a hill near the end of the climb that probably averaged about 3% to 4% for 2 kilometers, a brief respite of 200 meters and then another kick at about 3% for another ½ kilometer before topping out. Of potentially major significance, especially for me, was the final 500 meters before the line, a sweeping descent that did a left/right chicane and then a 150 meter kick at about 5% to the line. I also realized on my reconnaissance that the wind was likely to be a factor and come race day it was blowing about 20 kilometers an hour.
Another item of note that needs mentioning is my cool new Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL3. Chris DeLusio blessed me with it about a month ago and it is the perfect bike for me, geometry and size seem custom made. I also decided to treat myself to an exotic present, something I hadn’t done for four or five years. Mick and I used to find all kinds of trick stuff and test it all. Some worked and some didn’t but since Mick went back to work and as the economy has taken its toll, I make do with what I’ve got, until now. With levels of guilt I haven’t felt since that first time I lied to my mother, I graced the Roubaix with Di2. I tested it in a race for the first and only time at Pescadero and, like I told my embarrassed teenage daughters, it was like having sex, not a feeling you usually get from riding a bike.

When you’re all by yourself with days between races and you’re as annually retentive as I am, everything is checked with a fine tooth comb and no stone is left unturned in preparing for a National Championship. I was ready to race!

It was a hot one, nothing like Louisville last summer but at race time it was about 89 degrees. Because the course was close to my hotel, I did my usual warm up in my air conditioned room. Then strapped on my new ice vest with the special attachment for cooling the hypothalamus and headed for the start.

I had a plan. One that was part related to words of guidance from John Hunt and also those from Mick. After getting my ass kicked in the finale at Pescadero two weeks ago by Chris Wire because I lollygagged up the first 1 ½ kilometers of Haskins even knowing I couldn’t respond to Chris’s finishing kick and getting a miserable third, John Hunt told me told me something I never considered in a bike race, “remember who you are!” He reminded me again on Thursday after the time trial, it’s my new mantra. Mick’s advice on how to win was more familiar and something that comes natural to me, “make it hard, hurt them every chance you get!”

Sixty three guys at the start, I was friends with a few from Canadian Nationals over the past half dozen years and had familiarized myself with a few key others. It’s the benefit of having the time trial before the road race. I had the numbers taped to my top tube of anyone who was within a minute of me in the time trial.
I waited until the first time up the 2 kilometer kicker and went to the front and went hard. I didn’t want to get away alone, just wanted to “make it hard”. It left half the race behind at the top of the course. We screamed down the descent, it was a little bumpy. These roads suffer tough winters in eastern Canada and the surfaces reflect it. As the descent flattened a bit I shifted from my biggest gear… Wait a minute; I shifted from my biggest gear? No I didn’t. My drive train wasn’t shifting! My drive train wasn’t f*#@% shifting!

Now for those of you who know what happens when your Di2 battery dies, you probably know what’s going through my mind. For those that don’t, the derailleurs automatically shift to the biggest gears and stay there, permanently! To almost coin a David Bowie song lyric, it was panic near Detroit (you see Detroit is just across the lake from Toronto). What do I do now? Can I ride the entire race in my biggest gear? No frickin’ way. Can I see any wires hanging loose? Nope. Press the button to see if I can get any response, nothing. Press it again, and again, and again…, nothing.

We’re now getting to the 150 meter kicker near the start finish line. I’ll give it a try. I can barely turn the cranks by the time I reach the line, then I am swarmed by the pack. How can I possibly make it up that 2 kilometer climb in a real bike race? My friend Sylvan, who won the road race last year, rides past me and knows what’s happened. He offers his condolences.

All kinds of crazy thoughts are going through my mind. One lap into the championship and am I headed for home. No way in hell. I’ve got to figure this out, and quick. I put my hand up to signal for neutral support. Surely they carry a spare Di2 battery. They pull up beside me and I ask them. They look at me like I’m speaking Russian or like I’m kidding. Of course the answer is no. I decide to remove the battery and then put it back while I am riding, but to do so I have to get rid of my bottles. I can’t ditch them in this heat with another 2 ¼ hours of racing to go. I ask the neutral to hold my bottles while I try to remove the battery, no easy task when, with every pedal stroke, the crank arm crushes my hand.

I can see the peloton heading out of sight so it’s now or never. I get the rhythm down of turning the crank and working the battery between strokes. I get the battery clamp loose and pull the battery away from its contact and snap it back down. I put the clamp on and joyfully see a green light on the console. I try a shift. It works!!! I am back in business baby!!
I call the neutral support back and they see a big smile on my face and know what’s happened. They give me my bottles back with some sage advice, “don’t panic, they’re not far up the road, you can get there without killing yourself”. My response with all the adrenaline cursing through my veins, “I’m going to win this f*%#ing race!”
Slowly I pull them back. I reach them just before the start of the crucial climb. I catch my breath for 30 seconds and then attack with everything I’ve got right from the back. They can’t respond and I get a good 200 meter gap by the top of the climb. On the descent, I get my senses back and realize I’ve got 6 ½ laps to go and it’s windy. I need some help.

Somehow I need to draw a few guys out and have them bridge up to me, so the next time we hit that climb I tempo it. I look back and see a yellow and black jersey coming across. Now on the podium of the time trial, the bronze medalist, who was 10 seconds behind me in the time trial, wore the same jersey I see coming up behind me. If it’s him, this would be perfect, a strong man to work with me. I let up and he catches on. Sure enough it’s him. He asks me how I feel and I say “I feel great, do you want to work with me?” With a strong affirmative, we begin the task of putting distance between us and the rest of the race.
He was a perfect partner, pulling as long and as hard as me, never missing a turn. He’s strong too. Keeping in mind Mick’s advice, I push it hard every time up the climbs. I test him a few times, he loses a few feet from my wheel when I do but always fights hard not to lose contact. I still need him so never hit it so hard that I discourage his work.

With two laps to go, we get a time check, it’s three minutes. The race is now just between us two. How do I win?

This being Canada, fair play is the norm. After all, we kick the crap out of each other in hockey games and shake hands immediately after and go drinking together. I’m torn with this in my upbringing. This guy is playing fair and so should I.
On lap seven I decide to go really hard up the climbs but not pimp him by sitting in just before and attacking him. From what I’ve seen so far in our break, I think I just might crack him. If it doesn’t work, I also think the finish suits me. He bends but doesn’t break. I can get no more than maybe 10 feet on him then he comes back on over the top. Same plan on the final lap, same result.
Okay, now it’s time to execute the finale, I need to be second wheel coming into the chicane. Job done.

He kicks at the last part of the chicane. I hold his wheel easy. He sits up. I sit up. Cool, he doesn’t seem to have a plan. He starts to go again at the bottom of the 150 meter climb to the finish. I’m having an easy time on his wheel.

It’s time to go with everything I’ve got! I pull off of his wheel away from the wind on his right and start my sprint. I hear him shift gears but it sounds like more than shifting gears. It doesn’t matter. Head down going as hard as I can I look under my left arm and see nothing. With 20 meters to go I take a chance and glance over my left shoulder and he’s not there. I cross the line with the color commentator screaming my name, my first Canadian road racing championship; I am fried but feel no pain.

I wait for him to come across the line and he tells me he dropped his chain going to the small ring. Bummer, I feel sorry for him, I’ve been there and done that.

So from going from the devastating thought of having to quit with a mechanical to winning a strange finale, it was a good week in Canada. I took deux!!!