People’s Community Bank Omnium June 5 and 6th

Johnson City, TN

June 5^th:

RR (the Roan Groan) – 30mile race up Roan Mountain the last 8 miles at an average of 7% (1st place Wcat 1-4)

The Roan Groan is an infamous climbers race that lived up to its reputation.  I have to admit being a little nervous since I have been dubbed a “climber” among the women’s field since the 2009 Highland Rim RR and this would be a true test of that title.  The women’s field consisted of Cat 1-4, with some serious power in Team Belladium and Nashville Cyclist.  Living up to our reputation, the women lined up and paraded out for the first ten miles.  There is nothing more frustrating than to sit on the front and drive a hard pace only to be stranded on the front.  The first hill began to break up the pack.  We dropped off some of the Cat4s.  Marilyn Senz from Asheville Fitness went on hard on the downhill and even harder up the next climb dropping off the rest of the weight from the group leaving about 8 people.  We began rotating the paceline to get some time on the rest of the field until we turned onto HWY 143 which began the climbing.  There were still a few individuals hanging on the back while a few of us worked so after some hard pulls, the thinning began.  Parri Gilbride, a powerhouse from Team Belladium, pulled up next to me and told me to trade off with her on the front to drop the rest of the field.  We traded pulls from the base until Parri told me that we were alone.  I sat up took a quick look and no one was behind us.  Fixated on the straggling men in front of us and the beautiful scenery, we climbed the next 8 (7%) miles together alternating positions.  At the 1K mark, I was concerned that I wouldn’t have enough to keep her off until after we rounded the corner and it leveled out some especially since she can out sprint me 99% of the time.  As we came around the corner, I stood up and started the sprint in, I could hear her get up to chase me and knowing she was on my left side I moved left to force her to go around me on the right.  The strategy worked and I won.

TT (Watauga Orthopedics Trial) – 2.7 mi; 2.75 laps around Boar Industrial Park  (4th place W cat1-4)

Not much to say.  The course was rolling with a long uphill on the backside.  It was hot and muggy and my legs felt like they weighed as much as one of Paul’s calves.  I made a mistake with my gearing on the long hill which slowed my time and ended u p with 4^th for the TT.  Not bad considering I didn’t have a TT bike, skinsuit, or deep dish wheels like some.  Parri placed right in front of me so we were tied for the omnium.

June 6^th – The Tennessee State Championship Criterium (9th place cat 1-4)

Originally there weren’t many women signed up for the Omnium but they allowed “day of” entry for the crit since it was for the state title.  We ended up with 35 women: team Kenda, Missy Petty, a few additional Cat1/2s that I didn’t know that were all fresh and ready to ride.  I had previewed the course earlier in the day and it seemed like a relatively open course.  I was taking the laps before we began and ran straight into the barriers blocking the road which had previously been open.  The course had been changed back to the original 8 corners, narrow  “s” turn, slight uphill and one sketchy corner.  The size and strength of the field made me nervous but the extra cornersI almost made me wet my shammy.  We started and I missed the jump because I couldn’t get clipped in fast enough.  I spent the next three laps playing catch up to the front field.  When I finally caught on, I settled in to get a feel for the race.  On the next lap, I jumped on the hill and ended up on the front.  I dropped back into the field staying in the top 6.  With five laps to go there had not been any serious attacks so on the next hill, I attacked again, bouncing a little on the sketchy corner.  I stayed on the front through the straight and then dropped back a little again.  With a little over a lap to go, I attacked the hill again almost laying it down on the corner but I sat my backend down on the saddle and regained control , Missy yelled at me to keep going that we had the gap but after almost crashing, it took a second to get back up to speed.  Last lap and I was playing recovery to get back up to the front.  I wasn’t as worried about winning as trying to keep my place in the omnium (tied for first with Parri).  With the mass sprint for the finish, Parri finished in front of me but I still managed second for the omnium.

Anyway, that’s it….  for this race….

How did I get here?

Thanks to one of our new co-title sponsors for 2010, Dan Taylor at Infinity Med-I-Spa hosted us for a laid back fall mini training camp at his house on Lake Martin. Absolutely beautiful base location for three great rides. Thanks Dan!!! Check out the photos and details below.

Friday, 11/20/2009
A few people were able to take off work early on Friday and head on down. With crazy Friday traffic so close to Thanksgiving holidays, the guys only had time to do a short 55km ride before sunset.

Saturday, 11/21/2009
This was our big ride day with a 75 mile ride around Lake Martin on tap. We kept the pace moderate throughout the ride except for two designated attack zones near the end of the ride where we split up into two teams and practiced team tactics for winning the attack zone sprints. Team “One” came out on top for both attack zones. Check out the topocreator.com map of the ride:

Sunday, 11/22/2009
We woke up to a wet cold morning with a strong wind coming off the lake – but nothing was going to keep us from having another amazing ride. Dan picked out some great roads (Tallapoosa County 20 is awesome) and even though it misted a bit we were able to get in some good pacelining and echelon practice. Also, we revisited the same two attack zones for Team “Two” to try and rework its strategy to come out victorious for the attack zones. But alas, Team “One” still had it worked out to come out on top for both attack zones — all in the name of good fun, practice, learning, and hard training. Check out the topocreator.com map of the ride:

Dahlonega Road Race

5/31/2009

Wes Douglas

I did this race “mountain bike style” by driving over on Saturday after work and arriving at the Montaluce Winery Dahlonega road race start location around 1AM….Slept right there in the car.  Before the start I took at quick look at the hill leading into the S/F line. It was something of a stair stepping climb…not too long but brutal with about a 18-20% grade starting out (with no momentum) then a second kick of about 13-15% and then a more gradual 8% or so to the top and the Start/Finish.  We were going go have to climb this after each lap.  Immediately after the neutral start the attacks began.  Nothing on this course seemed to be flat….It all seemed to be either up or down and what I would call a bit of a meat grinder for me.  There were a few small breaks and a few flyers on the first lap but the pace was killing me because we would go super slow and then all out….Off and On…Off and On. 

After the first lap and climb to the S/F and the following climbs I was getting a little worried about even finishing this race….I did not feel good at all.  I decided I needed to put an end to this stop and go business, if I could.  To that end, I waited until we were back on the main road where the terrain would allow me to use power and maintain some momentum.  Previously a Pacesetter rider had been allowed to go solo off the front and was still out there.  Once my heart rate and the pace had finally settled down I decided to give it a shot and made the attack hoping I could get away with another rider or two.  I slipped off pretty easily and was quickly joined by Myogenesis Adam Ray.  Looking back I saw this was going to work….at least for a while….and after a few minutes we had joined the Pacesetter rider.  The three of us were really working well together but it was obvious that on this day Adam was the faster climber followed by me and then Pacesetter.  I was certain that if we managed to stay away I would end up second. 

After the third lap the Pacesetter rider popped on the S/F climb even though we didn’t want this.  He was trying to hold on and Adam and I though for a second about waiting to see if he could latch back on but decided this would be the wrong decision.  We had to go.  We knew there was a chase but weren’t too sure about how far back they were or who was in it or their numbers.  Adam and I were crushing it now.   He would lead up most the climbs with me being able to hold on and do more work on the rolling sections.  It was getting really hot and with the hard work (my HR was averaging 180 the whole break) we were doing and I was going through a bottle of water every lap.  Halfway though the 4^th lap we got a glimpse of the chase group.  We could see there was a big group but didn’t know for sure who was in it.  I was just praying we could hold them off or that Brian was back there and staying fresh.  Adam and I doubled our efforts and were putting time back on them.  After climb to the S/F there was still no sight of the chase group but Ruth was holding a radio and let me know they were a minute back going into the 5^th and final lap. 

On the second climb I lost a little more ground to Adam but I though I would catch back on when we hit the main road however, just before I did the chase group surprised me as they came by.  I grabbed onto the last wheel and started to recover.  Adam was also caught a few seconds later.   It was a good run but now it as time to change tactics.  Time for me to recover a little if I could!!!  I saw a few stragglers trying to make it up to us but I didn’t want them to make it so the second I felt a little rested I went to the front to drill the pace….It worked…no one else got into the break of ten.  Still, Myogenesis and most of the other riders seemed want to take it pretty slow, rest up and let the Start/Finish hill sprint decide things.  Well at this point I knew I would not be winning that contest and I didn’t want the any other riders to catch and have a chance either…nor did I want the group to rest and have more energy to use against Brian.   To keep this from happening I attacked every time the pace got too slow, going off the front and forcing a chase.  At one point I got way out there and out of sight so these efforts forced the group to chase and not take it nice and easy until the sprint. 

I was pretty much dead and cramping on the hill sprint and came in ninth.  After I rolled though the S/F I saw Brian rolling back towards me signaling a number ONE….Awesome Day!! 

This last training race was the hardest one I’ve ever done and Ty and I both thought the final break was the hardest either of us had ever been in.  I may get some of these details wrong because I just couldn’t do much more than ride.  The race began with Ty and Mike out on the front and I was about 15 back keeping an eye on them.  There were several flyers on the first lap that were mostly ignored and rightly so.  I think the real attacking began on lap two after turn one.   This pace was insane.  It seemed to be so fast the field was stretched out in a long line and somewhere around the hill on the back side the string was cut.  Me, Mike Olheiser (Tristar/Warp9), Ty Stanfield (Kenda), Pat Allison (TNT), Eric White (ProVelo), Travis Sherman (Tristar/Warp9), Craig Armstron and Timo Stark made this break and started working really well together. This 8 man break continued until just after the start of the 4^th lap.  I had just finished my pull and had just rotated to the back of the pace line when Mike and Ty attacked all out on the long gradual incline.  Everyone popped and I was caught in the back.  I could see Mike and Ty getting away but I was not going to just sit there and let it go.  I came around the other riders and continued to hammer with everything I had.  I was going to make this bridge or explode trying.  Afterwards Ty said he saw me trying to bridge up and he didn’t think I would be able to make it because the gap was pretty big and they were doing about 30mph.  Hell….I don’t know how I did it either but I got on with them right before turn one.  Previously the average speed of the 8 man break was around 27 but when the three of us started working together I hardly say anything below 30.  Lots of 32-37mph..We work hard and in no time were out of sight and gone.  Our rotations were tight and fast and they needed to be with the winds…We never let up.  On the 5^th lap I saw Ty downshift to his 12 right before the hill on the backside.  Mike was in front of him and I was thinking…Oh crap don’t start this now….Well Ty attacked mike and Mike countered.  Then Ty attacked again and Mike countered and got a good gap on the two of us.  This whole time I had decided to let those two go at it and I would hold Ty’s wheel.  I had no interest in attacking and thought we should keep it together until the climb at the end where both Ty and I would have better odds on Mike.  Ty was thinking he should go ahead and start softening mike up but I really thought that was a huge mistake at that point and it was.  So when mike got that gap Ty tried to wave me by to go bridge it and I was thinking Hell no bro….You got this going and you are going to have to do most of the work to bring it back because I’m not going to sacrifice myself for it.  I told Ty I would work with him but it was too late.  We were on TT terrain and Mike was gone.   From that point Ty and I traded pulls until the hill.  I put in a small attack on the second switchback and Ty held on then countered.  He came past me but didn’t gain more than about 20 meters.  I settled into my rhythm and just held the spacing.  With about ½ k to go I came out of the saddle, bridged the gap, came past Ty and kept going until the finish.  So the finish was Mike, Wes, Ty.  I think I started to blackout at least twice on this race.  I know I was seeing spots on the bridge effort to Mike and Ty and then attacking on the climb. I’m toast.

-Wes Douglas

Road Race

From Philip:

The 3’s RR was pretty good. We dropped some riders in the first two miles.  We had some breaks go on the first lap but nothing stuck.  Lackey drilled the top of the climb on the second lap [thanks for dropping me Lackey! -Jacob] and had a gap across the top but was eventually brought back.  So he was a one man army until Kevin rolled off the front.  Yet he still covered for him.  the third lap was reserved until the closing miles.  A Mellow Mushroom guy had a go for it and held it to the line after the break and Lackey took second in the field sprint.

From Jacob:

Philip already covered the RR, but I’ll just add that he and Mike rode incredibly strong on the first 2 laps.  Philip set a punishing pace up the climb on the first lap and I knew it wouldn’t be a good day for me immediately.  I tried to get near the front some just to spell Mike and Philip, who kept themselves on the attack covering pretty much everything.  I made one little minor attack just to keep the field stretched out and under pressure.  We rolled into the 2nd lap and hit the climb, Philip hit the gas, and I was immediately anaerobic.  I made it to the feed zone near the front, but was no longer under control.  By the time we hit the steep top pitch, I was in trouble. Mike punched it at the top and it was all over.  I could barely turn the pedals and had to traverse the climb to get over it.  I watched the field ride away.

Mike uncorked a great sprint to get 6th overall.

Crit

Again, Mike and Philip were all over the front most of the race.  I was really unsure of my form after Saturday’s implosion, so I hung back and tried to save something for the finish.  Philip got into a break that I really thought was gone, but the field just wasn’t having it.  He made several great efforts.  Mike kept hammering away at the front, closing gaps, lifting the pace.  Mike, I seriously don’t know how you do it man.  Your fitness is ridiculous.  A solo break rolled off with a few left and dangled for several laps.  The field scooped it up with 1 to go and it was game on.  Brent made a great move to come from the back to the front, and set up a perfect leadout that I was unable to capitalize on.  I just didn’t have enough left in the tank to accelerate through the gap at the right time.  Hurley brought Brock across to Brent’s wheel, and Brock launched from there for the win.  I finished 6th.

Win and Out

Finally, a race for the fast-twitch guy!  I’m a track cyclist without a track, and this race was made for me.  The format was cool — you start racing and wait for the official to ring a bell, which you know will happen sometime in the first 10 laps.  Once the bell is rung, it’s game on — the winner of the next lap is the winner of the race, the winner of the lap after that is 2nd, and so on.  It’s a gambler’s race, because if you go for the first sprint you’re catching everybody’s best shot, and if you don’t get it you’re toast.  Fortunately, I once again had Mike Lackey to keep everything under wraps, so I just hung back and cruised the pack for the first few laps.  Brock threw an early punch to draw out the attacks and Mike immediately countered and shut it down. Perfect.

Finally, on lap 7 we get the bell.  I had been glued to Brock’s wheel the entire race and knew he’d be the man to mark.  Sure enough, he waited for the short backstretch after turn 2 and threw down an enormous attack up the right side.  I jumped on for the ride.  We took the 90-degree left-hander on the outside and blew past the entire field.  We then swung all the way across the road to the left gutter to set up for the right, then down the hill for the sweeping downhill right.  We went through that turn so fast that I think both of us almost went straight off the course — Brock was absolutely flying.  I never looked back because I could hear nothing but air behind me.  Jim swung into the apex of the turn for the sprint and I hit him with everything I had up the hill.  Fortunately it was enough and I was able to hold it to the line.  Mike was then able to seal it off by recovering and winning the sprint for 3rd — a great result considering how hard he’d been working.

I have to give credit  and respect where it’s due to Brock.  He did 3 races yesterday and won the cat 3 crit after riding in a break in the Masters race, and still had enough to launch an attack that nobody but the guy glued to his wheel could follow.  He’s still the craftiest and fastest old guy in the sport!  If you want to learn how to race a crit, you could do a lot worse than following him around all day.

Berry Peddler Road Race – Dayton, TN 7/5/2008

Dayton, TN
July 5, 2008
Pro/1/2/3
Posted by Wes Douglas

This was supposed to be a cat 3 only field but the Pro, 1,2, field was combined with the Cat 3s at the last minute, however the 3s were to be scored on their own. This was a good race for me to do alone because the big climb was 5 miles in to the first loop and lasted for about 5 miles.  Very steep, Lots of Switchbacks, no recovery.  Think Nickajack (up in Mentone) only way longer and harder.  Teams were a non-factor here because there was nothing they could do to improve or impede any rider’s position.   If you didn’t climb well you were out.   Ty Stanfield and Matt Winstead were on the front going into the climb so I decided I was going to stay with them no matter what.  A mile or two into the climb guys were blowing up all over the place but I just stayed about 20m back from Ty and Matt. My focus was to stay in the saddle as much as possible and control my heart rate and breathing.  Basically, we shelled the whole field.  I made it to the top a few meters behind Matt and Ty with a guy from DLP (Spencer) a few meters back.  The field was about a minute back by the time we hit the ridge and I think there was a 3 or 4 man break between us and the field about 30 seconds back.  The four of us started working to improve the break and by the time we made it to the end of the first lap we had over 4 minutes on the field.  So here I was a cat 3 in the break with what I thought was two cat 1s and either another cat 1 or a 2.  Just before we started the 5 mile climb for the second time Spencer rolled up and said that Ty and Matt were going to attack hard on the climb and that, however it played out, he would wait for me at the top if I would wait for him should I make it there first.  I nodded that would be fine but I still considered trying to stay with Matt W.  At the first pitch Matt and Ty started to push it and I started to go with it but I was worried that the effort might make be blow up completely and I really didn’t have anything to gain by going with them.  I was in first place already and I didn’t want to make it this far only to blow up, get stuck out there alone in no mans land with the field closing in on me.  So I backed it all off and did the climb with DLP.  When the two of us got to the top Ty and Matt had a minute gap on us and I don’t think either of us had the motivation or the energy to try to catch up.  It really didn’t matter much for me.  I just needed to stay away from the field.  On the second to last rise before the finish DLP attacked me after I came off a pull.  I should have been watching out for this but I was really expecting this move a little later.  I was pretty drained so I didn’t really respond and I ended up finishing a few seconds behind him.  After I crossed the lined I rolled up to Spencer and asked if he was a cat one or two (because I was hoping I had beat all the twos) and he said, �Actually, I’m a pro. Are you a 3?�  So I won the cat three race, beat all the cat 2s, and finished 4^th behind Ty(1^st), Matt(2^nd), and  Spencer.  This was by far the hardest road race I have done.

-Wes Douglas

Lots has been happening here with the development of our revamped website. This post briefly explains some of the new features you will find on our site.

• Team Roster – a listing of current riders, including individual results and biographies
• Schedule – a complete schedule of races for the year, including results for completed races and links to external websites providing information about upcoming races
• Results – a listing of results from all riders on the team filtered to show only 1st-10th place finishes
• Photo Gallery – lots of photos posted by riders on the team, organized into albums
• Team Login – sorry, but this is for team members only to update results, upload photos, and post blogs.

There is still more to come, too! I am refining the photo gallery to show more information about each photo as well as make it easier for team members to upload photos. We hope to add a race reports page for public viewing as well. Check back often for updates, photos, results, and more!

Our old site was hacked! We have decided to come back stronger than ever with our team web presence. On this site, you will find our team roster, racing schedule, race reports, and more!