Howell Mountain Challenge XC – 3rd Place Elite Cat 1

He’s a Category 3 by road, Cat 1 by dirt…Antonio Ricalde recaps his recent fight for 3rd place at the Howell Mt. Challenge XC race.

Date: 8/9/2009
Race: Howell Mountain Challenge XC
Class: Cat 1
Distance: 30 miles and 3,200+ feet of climbing
Place: 3rd

Well, I was looking forward for this race since April after I finished “Napa Dirt Classic” which is held in the same location and similar course but shorter distance. When I raced Napa Dirt Classic I was just getting back on the bike after been away for almost 5 months, and the result was awful. I finished almost in last place. I suffered the whole course and even walk my bike in some climbs. That was why I was thirsty for revenge with myself and wanted so bad to do good at Howell Mountain Challenge.

The race started at 10:30 am at about 85 degrees Fahrenheit, was hot already; fortunately the course is 80% under shade so that makes it a bit easier. All Cat 1’s 19-34 and 35-45 started together. I had a bad start, I was on the front line but I couldn’t clip in fast and instantly my gears start to fail. Finally I got into a gear that was working right and I was able to pass about half of the field before a short single track. This was follow for half a mile of fire road before a really steep hike a bike. I pushed really hard in all that section and passed another quarter of the field. After I mount back my bike there was a long flat section on fire road, I was on my red line just trying to get back my breath and swallowing the dust that I ate at the start. A couple guys passed me at a good speed and immediately I jumped on their wheel until we got to a technical long single track. I stayed on these guys wheels for about 20 minutes, but I was really paying for the big effort I did at the start. I had to set up on my own rhythm and let them go. When I started the second lap I was in about 8th place, I was feeling better, I took a gel shot a big drink and thought that the race was far from getting over and that if I pushed harder I could get back on the fight. I was by myself for
about other 30 minutes trying to have a fast pace.

Finally when I got to the monster climb, about 22% gradient, I saw a line of racers most of them walking their bikes up hill. I just down shifted to my small ring and focus on riding up my bike without stopping. With just staying on my bike I started to pass one by one even though I had to take the loose and rocky section of the climb. A couple guys that I know were surprise when I caught them back and just said “Antooonio”. I was super motivated, my heart rate was through the roof but I continue pushing hard and not looking back. The climb became less steep and I moved onto my big ring inspired (LOL). I started the last lap on 3rd position and I stay there until the end of the race, just suffering and hoping that any rider weren’t behind me. Was a looong last lap.

Timpani Category 3 WIN!!

Gabriel Byrne pulls off a huge sprint to take the win at the Timpani Criterium in Santa Clara, CA.

Here’s his recap:

Friday and Saturday I was camping out and moumtain biking in Downieville, so much fun but came back early so I could race this crit. I almost didn’t make it, for some reason I had it in my head that my race was at 2pm. (Note from editor: Always prepare by knowing WHEN your race is!!!) I had a leisurely breakfast, hang out with the dog, around 10:30 I start thinking I better check where this race is… Oh Crap! It’s at 11:45! Threw my stuff in the car, dammit, need to change over to the cork pads real quick, hit every red light in the city between the Presidio and 101. C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, let’s go!

At 11:35 I was still a bit away and I was very close to saying screw it and just go to the beach. Got there at 11:45 and luckily they were running late. I had just enough time to throw on the kit, my girlfriend pins my number (all loose and
flappy) and I rolled up to the start just in time.

After that the race itself was pretty uneventful. A non-technical course, which is not my favorite thing. At the gun I went straight through the field to get up to 3rd wheel by corner 1. My legs felt real funky for the first few laps, a few days of using different muscles downhilling on the mt. bike, plus absolutely no warmup. I just hung out in the top 10, no serious attacks went. There was one crash, but I didn’t see at all. With 3 to go one of those really ugly sounding pile-ups
happened right next to me. They were all gone the next time we came around, so thankfully there were no broken bones.

At the bell lap I was sitting 3rd wheel and someone attacked hard. A surge came up
the right while the guys I was behind slowed a bit, I squeezed through a hole to get 4th wheel. On the backside two guys counter attacked, by then I was second wheel. The guy in front of me was loosing steam, so I came around him and closed in on one of the attackers. At the second to last corner I passed that guy, caught the final guy, upshifted and dove into the corner and out of the saddle. Looks like a looooong way to that blue tent, halfway there, chin in front of the stem, upshift one more time. Amazing, I’m going to get it. So stoked. Passed the line with a big smile.

CO Mt. Bike Hill Climb

Mark Mastoras takes a trip to the Rockies and reports on a tough Mt. Bike Hill Climb.

Race: MTB race (hill climb)
Category: Expert (cat 1) 40+
Field: 16
Finish: 12th
Course: brutal

While in Steamboat Springs I rented a MTB (an excellent Rocky Mt. Altitude) and entered the local town challenge MTB race. This race happened to be a serious hill climb starting at 7000′ and proceeding
up to 9000′ over 4.5 miles. I was nervous and as it turns out rightfully so, I went off with the 40+ experts and for a small town there was a serious amount of fit competition, old mountain men.

At the start they drilled it, and I’m like WTF? Thankfully after about 1000 meters the pace settled down some so maybe the start was for show or adrenaline. I was just trying to stay with the group and
managed to make it about 1/2 way up when the double-tracked turned into single-track switch backs after that it was just finding my own pace.

3/4 the way up a women on a single-speed went by me ! Don’t mess with the locals!

After a seeming eternity (49.21 minutes) it was over and I was treated to 2000′ feet of single-track downhill, yea!

BIG Win the Madison Event in San Diego!!

The “Madison” is a spectacular track event. Beautiful to watch and tough to pull off.

Here’s a cool video that follows one rider around while the cameraman explains what’s happening:

And now…the full report from Javier:

Race: San Diego Velodrome Madison
Teams: 5
Former Pro’s in Race: 1
Number of Former National Champions: 2
Riders with International Racing Experience: 5
Distance: 20k (60 laps) with sprints every 10 laps.
Teammate: Brett Harnish (the other SoCal teammie)
Number of other races we both raced earlier that night: 3

Going into the 4th and final event of the night, Brett stated he was feeling good and had a nice snap to his legs. On the other hand, I was lacking the snap, but was feeling okay to ride a strong pace and put in some attacks. My only concern was the slow leak in my rear tire. It
would lose about 20psi every 10-15 minutes. Not being one that likes borrowing other riders equipment, especially so close to the start of the race, I decided to pump up the tire to 140psi and with luck, it would carry me through to the end of the 30ish minute race.

We start the race and are marking the blue team since they had one the madison held earlier in the season. For some reason they didn’t have their act together tonight and would end up being a non-contender.

First sprint of the night I get thrown in for it and while trying to come around for 2nd place, my rear tire is feeling a little too soft for the speed I was riding at (33+mph) and I just didn’t feel safe to push it. I take 3rd in the sprint and it gives us 2 points.

Next sprint Brett goes in for it and takes 2nd place while in the third sprint I also manage to take 2nd.

We’re half way into the race and my rear tire is feeling way too soft. I go into the infield and it turns out it’s hoovering at around 100psi. Not good. I’m offered a spare wheel but decide it would be faster to pump it back up to 150psi and not leave Brett hanging out with less than 30 to go.

I jump back in the race, and going into the 4th spring, we manage another 2nd place thansk to Brett’s good sprint.

At 17 to go the announcer stated the Silver team is in 1st with 17 points and we are in 2nd with 12. There are two sprints to go and we need to win both and have them place 3rd or lower in at least one of them.

13 laps to go I tell Brett to wait for me in turn 1. I pull for two laps, mostly at the front of the group and with 1 to go, I throw him in pretty hard. The silver team was exchanging about 15 meters ahead of us and Brett was able to close the gap fairly quickly (in Madisons 15 meters difference is significant going into a sprint lap) and come around the Silver team for the win in the sprint.

Score is now Silver team 19, White team (meaning us) 17. The pressure is on for us to take the win and have them place 3rd, ideally 4th.

Five laps to go, Silver team is on my wheel. They are basically sitting on us and would try to come around. I take a two lap pull and throw Brett in with about 2.5 laps to go. At this point I am looking to see were other teams are exchanging and trying to place the Silver team in a position of traffic were we could open a gap and hold it till the end. With 2 to go, Brett throws me in as a red team rider attacks as I was coming down onto Brett. Brett yell’s go and I latch onto the red team. Silver team was making their exchange about 25 meters ahead of were Brett and I were exchanging. I then attack the red team and just power away for the next lap and a half and threw Brett in.

Silver team was caught off guard and unable to close the gap, however the black team was closing in on Brett. If he came around, we would tie for 2nd place, however Brett sprinted through and got 1st on the final sprint, with black team in 2nd and silver team in 3rd. We had
taken the win by 1 point.

By the way, the silver team consisted of Shaun Wallace and Allen Richburg, a former masters national champion.

Felt great to obtain a result especially considering my form is just recently improving, I had a flat and we were able to come from behind to take the win.

Dash for Cash: P/1/2/3

P/1/2/3
Team: Aaron, Angelo, Carmi, Dan, Gabe, Geoff, Jan and Murat (and Dino on the radio)
Course: Office park crit…almost rectangle, with a pretty good wind.
Top Placing: 9th (Carmi)

Being a 1/2/3 race, we had a very strong presence with 8 guys on the line. The Dash for Cash is a “prime-heavy” race…several $40 laps, a $500 gas card on the line and a $250 bonus for the person that could lap the field!

With 75 minutes of racing and all those primes this is typically a fast and competitive criterium. Well, it lived up to that. We played around a bit in some of the breakaway attempts, but nothing really stuck until late in the game. Once the race started to slow down a break of 9 formed and got 20 second on the field. Carmi ended up in a chase group 6 that wittled down to 2 (Carmi and a DBC Rider) bridged up to the break. Joel ended up attacking the break and won it solo and Carmi says, “I had nothing left in the tank and sprinted in for 9th.” Well done!

Jan mixed it up in the field sprint for a great placing as well…just outside of the top 10 due to the breakaway.

Good day of racing for sure. Everyone was working well together and sharing the workload at the front.

Photo Credit: Steven Woo