Making some cash in Vegas

Posted by Dylan on behalf of Wyatt.

This past weekend I headed to the South Nevada Stage Race in hopes of getting some warm early season race miles in my legs. Somehow I convinced two teammates to join me for the long trip to race in January - Mike Audley from our Masters team and Charlie Avis from our Junior program. We arrived in Vegas Friday morning in less than optimal conditions with scattered showers and cold temperatures predicted for the weekend. Mike and I cruised through the first two days of racing in the Master 35s getting some solid racing miles with a focus on solid training rather than results. Young Charlie's experience was another story as he raced in the elite 3s as a 16 year old junior. This was Charlie’s first stage race and as we were warming up for the first stage, Charlie and I talked about what a great start of the season it would be for him if he could get himself on the podium and start his campaign to get back to Europe this summer to race with the Junior National Team. Friday was a 20K out and back TT that began with a downhill start with a tailwind and ended (obviously) with an uphill finish into a headwind. Charlie rode a loaner bike, without aero equipment and was required to ride junior gearing. Regardless, he rode a great time finishing 3rd (30 seconds out of 1st place).
Saturday was a criteruim around the UNLV stadium. Charlie was clearly a marked man throughout the day as he was shadowed by several riders. A break of five riders (all out of contention for the GC) got away in an early break and managed to stay away to finish 40 second up on the main group. Charlie rode a smart race and finished with all the top GC contenders and maintained his 3rd place position on GC. In the first two days of racing we were able to beat the odds of the weather, staying dry and relatively warm. Sunday was a different story. We woke early Sunday morning to driving rain and temperatures in the high 30’s. The profile for the day was 7,500 feet of climbing in 52 miles. When we arrived at the start an hour south of Vegas it was still raining hard and the temperature was in the low 40’s. Charlie, Greg (Charlie’s dad), Mike and I stood in the rain debating what to do. Mike and I quickly came to the conclusion that it did not make sense for us to race in these conditions given our objectives for the weekend. Charlie felt differently. He said he could not live with himself if he did not give it a shot. Mike and I, the old men, handed Charlie all the warm and dry clothes that we had, wished him luck and jumped back in the car. The race stayed together until the last climb of day as everyone tried to stay warm. At the base of the last climb there was single attack by a rider not in the chase for the GC. Charlie and one other rider sat on the front and pushed a hard tempo that quickly blew up the field leaving Charlie with one other rider and one rider up the road (neither of the other riders were in the hunt for GC). The finish was a downhill finish. Charlie and his chase companion were quickly closing in on the sole leader but at this point Charlie was not able to be of much assistance to the chase given he was completely spun out in his junior gearing. The three ended up finishing together with Charlie taking 3rd place for the day, but having put serious time into the other contenders for the GC. Charlie took the GC for a win on his first ever stage race... way to go Charlie!!! Overall it was an excellent weekend and having Charlie win the race with such class and heart makes being a part of this team truly exceptional.

Just when I get use to riding on the left, looking over my right shoulder, staying to the left when turning left, crossing all the way across traffic when turning right, giving way to the right, legally riding two abreast or more, weet bix, vegemite, meat pies, pasties, sausage rolls, iced coffee, and Cooper’s Red Ale it’s almost time to leave Australia. The last three weeks have flown right by… As my time in Oz comes to a close, I’m already making plans to be back here again next year. Anyone interested in coming along?

I stayed in the Hills above the city of Adelaide, South Australia (about 500m above sea level). Here the riding terrain is vast and varied: flats to 25 minutes climbs. It was like being in Napa without the cold rainy weather.

My motive for coming to Australia was simple: ride, eat, drink, socialize, and repeat. Following the Tour Down Under was far less important. Although, during the TDU I took kindly to photography: www.pezcyclingnews.com/cgi/gallerypicget.asp?pic=http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/babes/babes08/dunder08-3.jpg I got my socks…
Along with the Pro Tour race, there was a Veterans (Masters) Race Series: 80km road race, 24km time trial, and 5 laps on the stage 6 TDU downtown circuit. Not boring you with details, I ended up second in the RR, 3rd in the time trial (without a TT bike), and crashed out with 1km to go in the circuit race.
The South Australia Veterans Cycling Council (SAVCC) and its cast of characters are amazingly similar to NCNCA. Aside from having fewer members with strange accents and quirky phrases, I felt like I was in Cali.
Other cycling sites along the way:

Provided that the weather is good, I will be at the Early Bird Crit on 2/3. If it rains, I’ll see you in Merced.
Cheers
Craig

Testing with Clark from endurance

On Tuesday I went in for my V02 test with Clark Natwick from endurance (a 2008 sponser for coaching and testing). Their office is in the financial district of San Francisco. I went in and was expecting a doctor's office like how other test facilities are. It looks like an exercise club. There were spin classes going on and bike fittings. It looked like a fun place to be. It turns out that the person who tested me had tested me before at Max Testa's. They had me do two test with a special bike and a large breathing mechanism. I don't know how to describe it other than a large plastic mouth piece or a scuba mouth piece. I finished the first test which was fun because they didn't push me till failure. Then I did the second test which wasn't fun because they pushed you almost to failure. After it was over they talked to me about my results and how they effect my training plan. I came home and found an email in my inbox with my number that I plugged into a chart. It gave me my zones for training. I enjoyed the experience and am looking forward to the next test. I am very glad that they are one of our sponsors.

Team Mates

Last Friday I was riding up Happy Valley Road (I call it Angry Valley) towards Lafayette. I flatted and was having a hell of a time getting the rear tire off the DT Swiss rim. It was not pretty. All of the sudden a white car comes racing down the hill towards me and stops. I was waiting for some inappropriate language and was not disappointed, it was Ken giving me a bad time. He was a real savior; he ripped the tire off the rim with his bare hands and then put a new tube in and got the tire back on! I had been trying to use a skewer to do it! That was real teamwork and I really appreciate it. I will do the same when the time comes. Of course the tire flatted again about 4 miles later and I had to use two skewers to get it off the rim; my follow vehicle never showed up! Thanks again Ken!

Mentor Profile: Rob Anderson

1. Place in your first race?
[Rob Anderson] It was a long time ago so my memory may be suspect but I think it was 58th place at a NORBA National in Mammoth in the late 1980's.

2. Ride alone or with friends?
[Rob Anderson] Always with friends!

3. Favorite subject in school?
[Rob Anderson] In grade school through high school it was PE. At University it was a finance class with a professor who later mentored me in the business world.

4. First bike ever?
[Rob Anderson] I think it was something like a Schwinn cruiser when I was about 8 years old.

5. Favorite post race meal?
[Rob Anderson] One of my wife's superb pasta dishes. I usually crave protein so it will likely include some seasoned tofu product.

6. Race you are most proud of and why?
[Rob Anderson] Winning the World Mountain Biking Championship in 2006 and not for the reason that might seem most obvious. What made me most proud was that my whole family was there to cheer me on and celebrate it with me. My mother, brothers, nieces, nephews and in-laws were there, but more importantly, my wife and daughters were at the finish line when I was the first to cross it.

7. Boxers or briefs?
[Rob Anderson] Have never worn boxers so it's briefs

8. What sport would you do if you weren't a cyclist?
[Rob Anderson] The injuries in hockey forced me off the ice otherwise I probably would never have taken up the sport of cycling. So if it wasn't cycling, I would still be playing hockey.

9. Biggest accomplishment ever?
[Rob Anderson] This one is real easy. I have two daughters, ages 12 and 9. They are kind, caring, loving, healthy and happy. I assume my wife and I contributed at least in some part to these characteristics and is therefore my biggest accomplishment ever.

10. Real food or the other stuff on rides?
[Rob Anderson] I am perhaps an anomaly on this front as I don't eat on rides (although I do when I race) only drink water. During races I eat energy blocks and drink energy drinks as opposed to real food like fruit or juices.

11. Razor, waxing, or electric?
[Rob Anderson] Hey, I am a old mountain biker so never have and never will shave my legs.

12. Green, polka dots, or the stage 20 TT?
[Rob Anderson] Climbing seems to be what I do best so definitely polka dots.

13. Celebrity you resemble the most?
[Rob Anderson] I've been told I look a little like Baryshinikov.

14. First job ever?
[Rob Anderson] When I was 11 years old I had a paper route, I was a paper boy.

15. Single most important piece of advice you give to your kids?
[Rob Anderson] Be a good person and be honest.

Turkey Day Ride

Every year in Marin there is an annual Thanksgiving mountain bike ride. This ride is known as the Turkey Day ride. It starts at a coffee shop in Fairfax, where the riders immediately start ascending up a long hill, go around a loop full of more hills, single-track, rocky sections, and winding hills -- Basically everything you can ask from a mountain bike ride. Given that this isn’t an organized ride, every rider has their own idea of what the actual loop is. There gets to a point in the ride where people start heading in different directions based on their preference and where they need to finish. 
 
One would think that this ride is small, given that it isn’t organized nor is there a planned start time. There isn’t even a designated route. However, it’s really quite the opposite. Not hundreds, but thousands of people show up for the event and it seems as if every rider in Marin is out on the trail. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a trail so full of bikes before. More amazing than the amount of riders that show up, is the variety of the riders. At any given time you might see a serious road racer that’s flying up a hill, or you might see a 70-year-old on a single speed that’s going even faster. On your left could be a soccer mom that only rides three times a year, and on your right could be a 10-year-old kid. Some people are on 29 inch wheels, while others are on cyclecross bikes. There was even a guy dressed in a turkey costume!
 
My favorite aspect of the ride is the comradeship that all the riders and volunteers share. No one dares to poach on this ride, and sheriffs help pass out food and water to the riders. There are also volunteers that stand at the top of the hills to cheer people on and pass out food. Since there are so many people that come out, there is almost a 100% chance that you will run into some one that you know. For the most part, everybody gets along. 
For me, the Turkey Day ride was more then I had hoped. I rode for half the day with Tyler Brandt, a cyclist I’ve known for years. After riding through Fairfax, we rode all the way to the top of Mt. Tam, then down to my house in Mill Valley where Thanksgiving dinner awaited me.

Davis Bentley

Nov. 4 Junior Ride

Today we had a junior ride at Joel's house. We did Old Lahonda then West on 84 to Alpine an back to Joel's house. After the ride we had a BBQ. We had a great time. All the juniors were there and some of the masters including Larry, Wyatt, Dylan, Fred, Steve. It was a great ride for meeting the new juniors on this year's roster.