Tam Cycling News - Race and Ride Reports

Hutchins World Champion

2006-11-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

Tam Cycling News
CAROLYN HUTCHINS WINS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 1/2 IRONMAN

Tam Cycling's Carolyn Hutchins took first place in her age group 45-49 at the Ford 1/2 Iron Man World Championships. The world championships in Clearwater Florida were invitation only and she beat out 36 other athletes in order to take the win.
Total time was only 4:48!

Tam Cycling News

2006-11-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

Giro de San Francisco

2006-10-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

by Katie Kelly

September 4th, San Francisco, CA.

Race: Giro de San Francisco

Where: Around the Levi Strauss Plaza.

Course description: Mildly bumpy with one turn oversome railroad tracks, and even one left hand turn,just to keep us on our toes.

When: Yesterday morning.

Teammates: Laurie Fenech (Team Taylor)

Result: 19th out of 20 but wait.

As this was my first race as a Cat 3, I knew I would need the help of a teammate, if only to motivate me to even show up to the line. My friend Laurie and I also had discussed some team tactics weeks prior tothis race. Having a a tactic is a great way to distract your mind from the reality that you may be in over your head.

Because we'd be in two different team kits, we thought this might be to our advantage as no one would knowthat we would be employing a "team strategy".

Our strategy was to attack and to counter-attack MetroMint's attacks for which they've grown famous.

Then what happened was the race started. My typical habit of yelling, "Hey, wait up," wasn't going to work here. These are Cat 3s, hardened byyears of racing experience.

The brisk pace soon became uncomfortable. I spent the first four or thirteen laps dangling off the back, inspired by friends on every corner of the race, all yelling something to the tune of, "Hang inthere, Katie!"

This isn't what champions want to hear. Champions want to hear something alluding to the pain they are inflicting. But we count on our friends for their honesty. This is why they are our friends. I probablywould not have finished without them cheering for me.

During the race, I reminded myself of all of the latest research that says that lactate is actually used by your muscles as fuel.

Off of the front, I could see MetroMint and other racers staging attack after attack. Somewhere in there, there was Laurie. That I was somehow still withthe group, barely, even by lap 18, was nothing shortof a miracle to me.

With one and a half laps to go, I remembered our team strategy, the one about all the attacks.

And then, another thought: how many times in my life have I let golden opportunities go by, only to wonder, what if. Katie, think of the stories you can tell your grandchildren one day. That you don't even havechildren is not of consequence at this moment. It's just the idea, the principle, that one day, you will have a good story to tell.

I jumped off the front.

"Who is that, is she in our race?" I heard someone say.

Now I was spinning furiously through the start-finish line, too afraid to look behind me while pretending to look collected in front of the cameras and screaming fans.

"There's Katie Kelly, stringing out the pack," said the announcer.

By the time I reached the railroad tracks, I could only breathe via coughing as my throat was blocked by phlegm which I told myself was really fuel.

Could I hold them off during the ascent?

No. They swarmed around me so close, in hindsight, I should have grabbed onto someone's pocket.

"Hang in there, Katie!" I heard, again, as I was spit out the back.

For some reason, I passed MetroMint's Sarah Lightfoot, who was obviously doing work for teammates.

"That was awesome," she said. That felt good.

We coasted in 19th and 20th. She let me win.

After the race, I caught up with Laurie, who managed a pack finish.

"Well, I had to change my strategy," she said. We had a good laugh.

Devyani Kamdar Reports from the World Xterra Scene

2006-09-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

by Devyani Kamdar, Tam Cycling News World Correspondent

I've really been enjoying reading everyone's stories. Here is a race
report from a different sort of race. I'm sorry that this is so long. It is actually three race reports in one. I'm hoping I can get some of you mountain bikers to come do some Xterra off road triathlons with me! They are really fun. If you are looking for something new to try.....

I just returned from Europe where I did two Xterra races. I'm
thinking of trying to start a tour company for triathletes with some of the tours taking athletes to races overseas, so I needed to check out some races in Europe as possible tour destinations.

The first was Xterra Italy which takes place on the island of Sardinia. The race was on June 4th and my daughter was graduating from high school on June 1st, so I flew out of SFO on the morning of June 2nd and arrived in Sardinia at 7:00 pm on the 3rd. Unfortunately my bike box with my bike, shoes, helmet, etc., didn't make it and they weren't quite sure where it was. Perhaps in Rome?

To make a long story short my bike arrived in the nick of time the next morning. However, having given up on it the night before, when they still didn't know where it was, I'd been out drinking a Sardinian herbal liquor called Mirto with Dave Nichols, the Xterra "Big Kahuna"
and some of the staff, while the rest of the athletes were getting a good night's sleep! So I started the race jet-lagged, hung over, and with only half a bottle of water as that was all I could bum off other athletes in the transition area. Hey, I didn't get the bike box until an hour before the race (delivered by another athlete who'd picked it up at the airport after midnight. He'd been waiting for his bike, which never came, but he found mine and very sweetly brought it to the race start for me. By the time I had changed my clothes in the back of a truck, built my bike and thrown my stuff together I made it to the transition area just as they were closing it and calling athletes to the start.

The rest of the race was less eventful. A slow swim (no surprise there and can't blame the jet-lag or the mirto for not being able to swim straight), a long hot bike where I really missed my camelback. I did take advantage of those moments I'd usually take to grab a drink to
soak in some of the beautiful views on the course as it wound up the mountainous interior of the island. It was a road biker's course. All fire roads. All hard pack. All about fitness. Unfortunately, fear wasn't a factor, and bike handling skills didn't really come into play, so I just had to work hard. Some of the climbs were so steep I had to fight to stay on the bike. I was sweating up a storm, there was only one aid station, and no shade on the entire course. By the time I got to the run I was spent. Exhausted and dehydrated. I didn't walk the run, but it actually might have been faster. I was running so slowly it was more of a shuffle. People doing their second lap passed me on my first. On my second it seemed I was out there on my own. You know what though. It didn't matter. I was still smiling. I had made it to Italy. My bike had made it to Italy. I was going to finish. And I'd heard that Villacidro had the best after race party of any Xterra in the world!

I wasn't let down. The party was great. The whole town seemed to be there and it went on for hours. More Mirto surfaced.. And some Limoncello... I came in second of three women in my age group and even won a helmet. Xterra age groupers usually just get a medal so it was really fun to actually win something.

After a few days recovering on Sardinia's white sand beaches I flew home. I gave the helmet to my son, who was thrilled to get something besides the usual tee shirt.

A week later the kids and I flew to Frankfurt en route to the second European Xterra race in the Czech Republic. We arrived mid-morning and picked up the rental car, which, luckily happened to have navigation and spoke flawless British English, so we made the car journey to Hluboka from Frankfurt in good time - about 7 hours. Once again my bike hadn't made the flight. However, this time Lufthansa was in control. They knew exactly where it was (It had been left in San Francisco because the flight was full and overweight so they had to leave some baggage behind.) If I'd known that was their policy I'd have objected to the new overweight fee I was charged to get the bike on the plane! Anyway, the capable agent in Frankfurt insisted that the bike would be delivered to me at my hotel in the Czech Republic. And it was. They flew it to Prague and then had it trucked to me in Hluboka. After which I no longer resented the $50 overweight charge. It was acually easier than hassling with the big box myself.

I don't usually have my kids at my races. I'm divorced and I only get them half the time, so I usually travel for races only when I don't have them. I have to admit, though, that Xterra Czech will always be a special race for me. Having my sons there cheering for me gave me such a lift. We swam in a muddy river, starting just beyond a pontoon bridge and going upriver to the turnaround and back. I had a good swim. The river was narrow so I couldn't swim too far off course and the buoy was a big bright orange one which was easy to sight off of. The bike course took us up and down and around the extensive private grounds of the Hluboka Castle. Some fun single track, a few creek crossings, a few climbs, some rocks, some loose leaves and roots in the forest, some fast road sections.... The race had a little of everything but nothing really technical. I had brought my hardtail and was perfectly happy with that. The run was fun. Of course I wasn't exhausted and dehydrated like I'd been in Italy, which helped. We ran up to the Castle and and even used ropes to get up an extremely steep section that was, well, almost a cliff. That's the fun of Xterra. You never know what you'll find on the course. It is always an adventure.

I finished not sure if the other woman in my age group (I race 45 - 49 and often don't have a lot of company in my age group.) was ahead of me or behind me. I hadn't passed her on the bike or run so I thought I must be behind her. Almost no one is a slower swimmer. Evidently she
dnf'd or didn't show though because they called me up to the podium alone. The mayor of Hluboka came out to give me my award and in Xterra Czech you win crystal. Real lead crystal. They must have felt sorry for me being up on the podium all alone, because I got a gorgeous crystal covered candy dish! The awards for Xterra Czech were in the evening and they had a great BBQ, drinks and a band. The Europeans do know how to party after a race.

The European races were really fun, but they don't count in the USA series, so after I returned to the US I had to do a little Xterra qualifier in Snow Valley in the San Bernardino mountains. The series counts your three best races and I only had two. Luckily I came in first and snagged my spot for the National Championship race in Tahoe in September. Since I won the Regional Championship race in Temecula and now have two other regional wins I've earned the title of Regional Champion, too! Last year I didn't even qualify for Nationals, so I am very happy with my racing so far this season. Of course I'd be happier if there were more women out there racing with me.

If anyone is interested in trying an Xterra the Xterra Nevada race is the day before the National Championship race at Tahoe. It is the exact same bike course (on the flume - one of my favorite courses) but has only a half mile swim and a short 4 mile run. Check out Xterraplanet.com for more info.

Hope to see some of you out there some day!

Howell Mountain Challenge Results

2006-08-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

Good results for the dirt lovers on Tam Cycling!

Cammie Urban took 1st in Expert 35-44 (and her husband, Chris, got 1st in Expert 45-49)
Tricia Wallace took 1st in Masters 45+ (and her son, Stephen, got 3rd in Junior expert)

and Alexander Price took 3rd in Beginner 30-34!

Our hero Pat Bush cracked his frame after a short battle with a manzanita bush. Bush v. bush and the manzanita pervailed.

Good Job All!

Albany Crit versus The Beach

2006-07-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

by Robyn Berry

Albany, CA -- Beach day. That’s what the weather, my family and my legs were telling me. Sunday was definitely going to be a beach day. Then, like always, I get an annoying little e-mail (you got it too): “I’m doing the Albany Crit this weekend – it’s close – anyone else want to do it?”

Usually, it’s easy to ignore these race reminders from Katie. First of all, anything in the 209 area code is automatically off my list – that eliminates most of the road races around here. But Albany is in the 510 – that’s practically next door. It did not qualify for my normal list of excuses – too hilly, too long, and too tough of a field. No, it was flat, short, and a cat 4 only race. After a long racing break, Katie had finally sent one that piqued my interest. I waited until the last minute, cringed, then, gave Active my credit card number. Darn Katie!

At the start line, they informed us that the mentors in the race would be picking the “winners” based on their use of skills and racing techniques. Perfect – I might have a chance! This concerned Katie, who was poised and ready on the front row. “Uh, aren’t you going to count the actual winners for points?” She and the rest of the front line were assured that, yes; the top riders across the line would receive the points. The rest of us now had our goal: we were racing for style!

The whistle blew quickly, and the sound of sixty sidis clipping in was followed by the whir of thirty bikes traveling as one. I had missed this adrenaline-inducing hum – the sound of the peleton. I was glad to be back, now just waiting a few laps for the burn to kick in.

Katie’s race experience showed, as she always remained toward the front of the pack, taking her turns leading, too long, she said. I raced inefficiently – first in back, then in front, devouring the corners, and losing places on the straights. I was just happy to be part of the race. A highlight was when Katie and I both shared the front briefly during the middle of the race – not an ideal time to lead - but a thrill nonetheless. A tip from Taitt Sato, one of the mentors helped me. She advised me to get out of the saddle coming around the 2nd turn. This is a minor uphill stretch on the course. I did it every lap, and passed riders every time.

Katie finished a very strong 6th, and ever closer to her goal of becoming a cat 3 racer. I still do not know my place. This is what happens in a crit – if you can count the riders in front, you have placed – if not, you are middle of the pack and you have to wait for the posted results.

Four days later, the results still aren’t posted, but no matter. I showed up. I raced hard and well. And, I still had time to go to the beach.

BurlinGame of Death

2006-06-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

By Pete Billington

At first I thought it was the 7am start that kept most of the CAT4 Tam Cycling riders from making an appearance at the 19th Annual Downtown Burlingame Criterium. Nick Agate and I arrived by 6am in order to warm up and recon the course. At least the recent hot weather would not be an issue. In fact, I had to put on my leg warmers it was so cold.

Once I did a few laps on the course, I realized that there may be another reason some of the more experienced "Tammers" had chosen not to participate. The course consisted of a downtown "L" shape, with a fast right-left-right chicane over brick and cement. The last turn was more of a sweeping right hand curve than a turn, with a 100 meter sprint to the finish. The start/finish had a small crest at the line, which immediately narrowed by one rider-width from the left. Not merging meant hitting the curb, or worse the metal fences. There were no hay bails on the course.

At the beginning of our race we were informed that there were a few cars left out on the course, and that the officials would attempt to remove them between LAPS! WTF? How about removing them between races? Or better yet, before our race? By lap ten all of the cars had been ticketed and towed out of the way, and we were able to take full advantage of the course. The pace started fast, but slowed down after about lap 15. Pescadero was the day before and many of the riders had burnt up a lot of energy climbing in the heat.

Both Nick and I sat in the top of the field. Waiting for the opportunity to move forward. The chicane made it difficult to move up, and the sweeper was a very dangerous place to pass. With 10 to go I heard the first rider go down right behind me. After the race a guy named Russ from Galaxy Granola came up to me and told me that he was the one who had gone down. "I was in your draft when someone crossed my wheel. You block a lot of wind, so I thought it was a good place to be, but apparently so did someone else."

Nick was caught behind this crash and had to fight to move forward. I saw him get into the top twenty on the inside line. I had elected to stay on the left side so I could carry more momentum through the right hand turns. The race was shaping up nicely. I was in a good position and needed to move up again with 2 to go. But Nick was not putting down the hammer. At the time I didn't realize it, but he could not see the lap cards from the inside line. With 1 to go he thought that there were 10 laps left.

As it started to stretch out through the chicane it was impossible to pace. The pace was fast and into the sweeper another guy went down. I had to pull up and lock the brakes. The race was over for me. A guy from Roaring mouse had endo'd and landed on his head. When I came around on the cool down lap I stopped and talked to him. He had a nasty cut around his eye, but was in good spirits. He joked, " I will live to race again." Nick had managed to avoid the crash on the inside and came in for a mid-pack finish.

I decided to stay and watch the rest of the day's races. It was like watching re-runs of our race in fast-forward. A crash at the beginning of the sweeper, and a crash at the end of the sweeper. Over and over, the same thing. What is it about a gradual turn that is so much more dangerous then a sharp one? The pro race was amazing to watch. I walked around the course twice, observing all of the subtleties of their lines.

Halfway through the race Andy Jacques-Maynes of Cal-Giant led a three man breakaway that managed to get a turns-length on the field. Once they were out of sight, their lead increased. One rider was dropped and the finish was down to a two man sprint, followed by a pack sprint for third. As the field came through the start/finish on the last lap, a rider clipped the curb on the narrowing left side. He careened into the peloton and twelve riders went down. It was awful. They blasted into fences, knocking a whole section into the crowd. Two riders were hurt badly and could not be moved. In seconds the finishing sprint would be coming through the same area. It was a very dangerous situation. The safety officials did a great job of flagging the remaining riders to the right side of the course. Andy won the sprint. It was a very exciting and terrifying race.

The Alps of San Jose

2006-05-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

by Tom Rosencrantz

Livermore, CA -- It was a perfect day for racing, especially if you like climbing. The Tam Cycling highlight of the day was Katie Kelly coming in second in the Women Category 4 race for a sweet podium finish at the Five Wire, Inc. Mt. Hamilton Classic last Sunday. After last year's run in with the porta potty, Katie was ecstatic with her accomplishments of the day. Let's face it, we all desire to make it to the podium. Congratulations Katie!

Katie was not the only podium finisher at Mt. Hamilton. Nick Agate earned his way to the third spot on the podium in Elite Category 5 race. Well done, Nick!

For the Elite Cat 4 race, it was Jon Ardell to make it to the top of Mt Hamilton first for the team and in convincing fashion. He was in approximately 5th place by the bottom of the descent on the back side of Mt Hamilton, and would eventually fall back for an 18th place final finish out of 93 starting racers. Great Job Jon!

Krage Olrich was the second Tam Cyclist to make it to the top of the grueling twenty mile climb out of San Jose that was fueled by an aggressively strong Elite Cat 4 group at a blistering pace up the mountain. Krage with his strong mountain bike skills was able to drop the group he was with as he flew down the back side as well, barely using his brakes. Good thing he kept his wheels on the pavement, as a few unlucky riders from our race had taken some bad spills on the down hill of the demoralizing Mt Hamilton. Krage ended up in 31st place out of 93. A great race for a guy that spends more time on his knobbies.

I, being the newest member to Tam Cycling, have been learning the important lesson that Bay Area races require ample warm ups, unlike the Flat races I'm accustomed to coming from Minnesota. When you have to climb as hard as you can right out of the shoot for twenty miles, you better have your body ready for the punishment. Needless to say, I ended up in the second pack after the split of 93 riders around 60th place. As we neared the top of Mt. Ham approximately two miles from the pinnacle, I left the eight riders I was with and descended like I was on fire. I was by myself for about four to five miles when the eight-plus riders caught me and we worked together reeling in other weakened riders. I would eventually pull away again to end up catching three other riders where we all came in to a sprint finish. I was able to pull off a 40th place finish after a weak initial climb up the never ending ascent.

I must say it was the toughest road race I've ever done and I'm glad I registered early enough for it, as it was the most enjoyable race I've done to date.

CAT'Stastrophy

2006-05-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

by Pete Billington

Los Gatos, CA -- Only the brilliant result of Joaquim Neto at Berkeley Hills could have washed away the disappointment that was the 2006 CAT's Hill Classic. Three out of four DNF's were the numbers of the day with Tom Rosencrantz pulling through with a top 20 finish in the Men's 35+ 4/5 race. Tom overcame his car being broken into, his mountain being stolen, and an unruly race official that would not let him start the Elite 4 race. Truly amazing perseverance given the circumstances. Nice job Tom! For the rest of us, it went bad early and often.

In the Elite CAT5 race, Pete Billington stayed with the pack until lap 5, when several riders crashed at the bottom of the hill. Losing all momentum, he chased hard to catch back on to the pack. On the following lap a dropped chain forced him to run the hill. There was no catching-on after this, and he was pulled from the race on lap 7.

The CAT 3 race started fast, heart rates spiking into the 180's. On the 3rd lap a loud pop signaled the end of Joaquim's race as his rear wheel flatted at the bottom of the descent. Harry Hunt made it around for three more laps, before another rider's crash sent him off course at the bottom of the hill. He was forced to unclip and run the remainder of the climb. He chased for one more lap and then decided to save his strength for Berkeley the next day.

The 35+ CAT 4/5 race started at 2:30 in the afternoon. It had grown very hot outside. The pack stayed tight until the last few laps when a group went off the front. Tom hung with the chase group and managed to finish 14th.

Brain Flat: One Racer's Experience at Berkeley Hills

2006-05-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

From our correspondent

San Pablo Reservoir, CA -- It can happen to almost anyone. The symptoms seem all too familiar.

"It started with an increased exertion level with no increased speed," says Katie Kelly after her experience at the Berkeley Hills Road Race last Sunday.

"There were four of us in a chase group. I was giving it all I had," she said. "A girl pulled off, saying she had a flat tire."

It was then that Kelly's symptoms began to take effect.

"I felt it at the bottom of Mama Bear," the first of three climbs in this gruelling road race. "It was becoming more difficult to pedal. The other two were pulling away from me."

Kelly gallantly continued pedaling to the top of Mama Bear, "where I knew I could stop safetly", she said. It was then, however, Kelly's worst fears of her life were confirmed. This was, in fact, not a flat tire at all but, as Kelly calls it, "A flat BRAIN!"

In fact, the tire was pumped to its suggested PSI of 116.

Kelly took a quick glimpse around her and noticed that least there was no one to witness this charade, and promptly started pedaling again, hoping for her second wind, or even a large gust of wind, to help bring her to the finish line.

Kelly eventually finished in the top twenty, not too far behind her teammate Paula Bock who finished 12th, but far enough.

Kelly later complained to her coach, saying, "I am not sure if I'm the climber I thought I was."

"Well," said her coach, "Berkeley Hills really isn't a climber's course."

This has only added to Kelly's depression as she is wondering what those three hills were. Short sprints?

Kelly urges other to play close attention to the symptoms of a Flat Brain. A few symptoms include:

Stale, tired legs.
A lack of power.
An inability to increase your effort, no matter how much you will yourself into it.
Depression, thoughts of turning around.
Questioning your own reason for living.

Kelly urges all bearers of these symptoms to just keep on pedaling and whatever you do, do not vocalize that you have a flat tire unless you can prove it with hard facts.

Neto Wins Berkeley Hills!

2006-05-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

Photo of Joachuim Neto courtesy of steep.tv.

by Harry Hunt

San Pablo Reservoir, CA -- Men's team captain Joaquim Neto delivered his 2nd victory of 2006 to Tam Cycling by winning the 71 mile, Cat 3, Berkeley Hills Road Race on Sunday.

Despite the presence of much larger teams, including Team Spine, Webcor and Squadra Ovest, Neto was able to overpower the field, which had widdled down to 25 riders, on the final climb with only one teammate, Harry Hunt.

Neither Hunt nor Neto would have fared well without the support of up and coming Tam Cycling star and teammate, Peter Billington. Billington worked the neutral support like a pro making sure his teammates had fresh water bottles each lap to combat the heat.

The race was one of attrition, as lap after lap, riders slowly fell off the back. Harry Hunt had the dual role as domestique and director sportiff during the race and instructed Neto to conserve as much energy as possible until the final climb. Despite Hunt's guidance, Neto decided to test his legs with an attack on the 3rd lap, but was reeled in after a few minutes off the front.

As the temperature quickly rose, Neto thought he had burned too many matches during the attack and didn't think he had the legs for the win. However, Hunt knew that Neto was on form and could recover before the last climb. Channeling his his inner Bjarne Riis, Hunt ordered Neto to sit in and ready himself mentally and physically for the finish.

As the final climb began, Neto dug deep and attacked the field. No one could match Neto's power and only a few managed to hold his wheel as he crossed the finish line in first. Hunt didn't have the legs to follow Neto on the final climb, but was able to hang on for a position in the top 20. It was a great win for Neto and Tam Cycling.

Nicole Freedman Retires: A Tam Cycling News Special Report

2006-05-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

Fort Cronkhite, CA -- It was a bittersweet day last Sunday as former Olympian and two-time National Champion Nicole Freedman made her announcement of retirement from the sport of cycling. Newly joined Tam Cyclist Melissa Mooney hosted her retirement party yesterday on the beach at Fort Cronkhite.

Scores of Freedman's west coast friends journeyed out to the beach including a few hardcore souls who even particated in what seemed to be a rough game of touch football, still in their Webcor and Palo Alto Women's Cycling Team kits. When the antics later turned into tackle kickball, your friendly Pack Fill Reporter wisely opted to stay closer to the many food and wine selections.

Little to her knowledge, it was in fact Nicole Freedman who inspired your Pack Fill Reporter to stick with racing at a free inspirational talk at the Sports Basement almost a year ago. Already cut from her squad for basically being an embarassment to the sport itself, your Pack Fill Reporter took solace in Nicole Freedman's words.

"I sucked," said the former Olympian, who reiterated these words during her toast last night. "I got dropped or pulled out of every race. I wanted to quit so bad, but my friends wouldn't let me."

It was at this talk that your Pack Fill Reporter was also shocked to discover that a cyclist of this caliber could also be so funny.

"Here was a woman even funnier than I am," recalled your reporter, in one of her many conversations to herself. "And she made it to the Olympics. If she can do that, for sure I can upgrade to Category 3."

It is, in fact, thanks to the seven free upgrade points offered for all attendees of Nicole Freedman's cycling clinic a month ago, that your Pack Fill Reporter only has 13 more points out of 20 to go.

We caught up with Nicole for this exclusive interview.

Tam Cycling News: Hi, Nicole, hey, I was wondering, is it true that you were really runner up in the 5th grade spelling bee?

Nicole Freedman: Oh f*** no!

Moments later, Nicole was trampled to the ground by a few of her adoring fans.

We at Tam Cycling News wish Nicole Freedman the best of luck in all her future endeavors. For now, it looks like it's up to us to carry on the torch of goodwill and fun.

E=MC 2???

2006-05-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

by Pete Billington

Another early start for the Tam Cycling men's road team had us rallying at the Greenbrae Peet's around 6am this past Sunday. On the surface this would seem like a good place to meet, with its central location and abundance of coffee. But Peet's is not open at 6am, and Harry had to resort to pounding caffeinated clif shots.

Once the bikes were loaded we set off, retracing our path from the Wente Road Race a few weeks before. Before long we realized that not a single radio station in the Bay Area plays music on Sunday mornings. Instead of getting pumped-up by LIVE!105, we were subjected to the Director of Public Works for the Golden Gate bridge discussing the Suicide Prevention Net Project. Click. Discussions then turned to the Giro, and who's fantasy draft rider would net the most points over the next three weeks. I had picked Petacchi, and was feeling overly confident.. Karma is a bitch.

As we crested the last hill before entering the Pleasanton Valley, Joaquim pointed out the ride that he wanted to do after the race. At the time it seemed like a great idea. A short 40-50 minute Crit, followed by a nice 2 hour spin in the hills. It was, after all, a beautiful day.

We pulled into the business park off of Providian Way. Parking was a breeze compared to the Wente madness. The course was an ~.8 mile rectangle with a soft right sweeper in turn 1. The race organizers had generously provided three lanes for racing with ample room in the turns. In the end this proved to be bothersome, as the "bots" running down the center of the road caused riders to skip or swerve through the corners.

The CAT3 mens race started at 8am sharp. The pace was fast, and 7 preems kept the action coming. Both Harry Hunt and Joaquim Neto fought the aggressive pack of riders. On the last two laps, things got a bit stupid, with riders changing lines and swinging very wide. Harry was shoulder-checked out of the course by some yahoo, and Joaquim pulled in with the pack.

The CAT4-5 mixed mens race started just 10 minutes later. The pace was reasonable. Joaquim had passed on some valuable information regarding the outside line. I managed to stay in the middle of the pack for most of the race. With 7 laps to go, the preem bell rang, and I received a great tow to the front. Going into turn 4 I stood up and gave it my best shot. Another rider pulled up next to me, we had about 100 feet on the rest of the pack. I had gone just a bit too early and had to sit up recover. My heart rate was spiked. The next four laps I sat on the back. With 2 to go I tried to make it back to the front but my legs were blown. A middle-of-the-pack finish was the result.

After a short recovery, and some refilled bottles, we departed for a nice ride through Palomares Rd. It was beautiful. A big climb and then an amazing descent dropped us onto Niles Canyon Rd. It seemed that many other racers were also taking advantage of the surrounding terrain. Turning left of Pleasanton-Sunol Rd, we weaved our way back to the race, hit the local Mexican place (where I almost tossed my cookies from exertion) and headed home. It's all relative.

Next week is the Cat's Hil l, Berkeley Road Race double header. Hope to see you there.

The Bock Report: Copperopolis

2006-04-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

by Paula Bock

Copperopolis has a special place in my heart because, in 2000, it was my second road race ever. I remember the beautiful scenery, the cool, foggy breezes and the wicked fast descent. Bridget May, Cheryl Hebert and I stayed together the rest of the race after we got dropped on the first long climb. That climb felt like eternity, but the company of others was comforting. The race is especially nostalgic for me because I was on my first road bike: an old Basso frame put together with some hand-me down parts from my racer boyfriend (now husband Olivier). It was a bomber bike, fit me well enough, and funny thing is, I don't think I've ever descended better with newer bikes and more experience. Too bad I crashed in a crit the following weekend at Wente, and the Basso had to be retired. But, as they say, "steel is real" and it's all I've ever ridden since. This time around, six years later, I took my custom steel Inglis bike for the ride, and I couldn't have been happier with its light weight and nimbleness on the climbs.

Anyway, bike nostalgia aside, it was a great day, the best of road racing as I remember it. The usual early morning departure, except this time I got to sleep during the drive, Olivier had the early race, mine didn't start until 11:20. We went with our friend Shane Deal. It was really weird to wake up in the middle of the registration area, then standing around trying to get coherent with a full thermos of coffee. After finally achieving sufficient caffeine levels, I ventured off looking for friends while the boys got ready for their races. I found Katie, hung out and chatted oh-so-casually, while everybody else around us had to deal with getting ready and warmed up. We were probably the only people standing who weren't also in line for the portapotties. Katie couldn't help but notice a guy lining up who was in a Gerolosteiner kit. "Could that be Levi Leipheimer?" Katie asked. Sure 'nuf, upon closer inspection, he looked like the real deal. Katie went to get her camera ready so she could get some snapshots later.

Then we headed out towards the feed zone for our guys. The weather was getting nice: sunny and warm. We settled down on the side of the road and waited for the racers to start coming through. The pros came first, and Katie was ready: Levi came by and she caught him on film! The others riders started coming through in waves, and I was happy to see that all the guys I was supporting were in good positions after one lap. I got to chit chat with an old friend from my early days of racing, and catch up on other news of other friendly racing acquaintances.

Before too long though, it was time for my race to start. I hardly had enough time to warm up, but I wasn't worried, my expectations are so low of myself, I'm just out there to have fun, and suffer while I'm at it. At the start line, Olivier gave me words of advice and encouragement, and then we were off. I decided right away that I didn't want to be too close to anybody's wheel, and stay close to the front so I could see the road comfortably ahead, and also to stay clear of riders who liked to swerve a lot to avoid potholes/bumps/broken up pavement. As a mountain biker and having new burly training tires, the road debris and rocks didn't faze me, so I picked the straightest, fastest lines possible. Luckily, the places where drafting was most important, the road surfaces were safer and smoother. At this point, I could get into the nitty gritty Cat 4 women's racing tactics (or lack thereof, depending on perspective), but that's sure to put anyone to sleep, so I'll just say that that group got broken up, many of us were out there solo or in mini groups, and in the end, I didn't crash and managed to finish 5th! It hurt incredibly, but I was relieved to be finished and cheered on by my friends waiting at the finish line. They were so happy for me, and I was perfectly happy, too. The moment just kept getting better as I congratulated the other riders on their race, and then turned around to see my teammate Katie coming in across the finish line for 6th place!

Wente Woes: Men's CAT 3 Race

2006-04-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

by Pete Billington

On a crisp Saturday morning around 6am, the Tam Cycling CAT3 guys departed for Livermore's Wente Road Race. Pat Bush, Harry Hunt and Joaquim Neto showed up to ride, while Pete Billington tagged along as their faithful domestique. Upon arriving it was clear that this was going to be a challenging day of racing. Team Spine was out in force, and rumors of Levi Leipheimer's presence were drifting through the parking lot. Registration went smoothly and it was time to prepare.

While Joaquim and Harry both subscribe to the parallel placement method of attaching one's racing number, Pat defended his crinkle technique: "It's like a golf ball or even a nice set of Zipp wheels; the wrinkles break up the airflow. It makes you faster." This expertise was thrown to the wind as Pat then showed the proper technique for applying Belgian racing oil.

The race started quickly, leaving the office park behind and turning towards the right for the first ascent of Altamont Pass. The feed area and finish were at the top of this climb, and this was the best area to watch the race. By the second lap the rumors of Levi were confirmed, as he was out in front of the Pro 1/2 Category on the climb. They would eventually ascend this pitch six times over the course of the race. The CAT3 men had four laps with five trips up the pass.

After the second lap, four riders managed to get off the front: two teammates from Team Chico, a Spine guy and someone wearing a Specialized Jersey. Upon closer examination of Mr. Specialized, it was evident that his helmet had Chico colors. This could have been a nasty ploy to fool the peloton into allowing a four-man mixed break to go.

By the last lap this break had 2' 30" on the field. It was clear that they would not be caught. In the end the break captured 1st through 4th places and our Tam riders finished in the pack. Congratulations to Pat, Harry and Joaquim for riding a tough race.

Asbestosopolis

2006-04-18T12:46:00.000-07:00

by Katie Kelly

I just learned from my friend Tricia Wallace that Copperopolis was named thusly as it was a copper mining town during the height of the Gold Rush. But when they were done mining that after World War II, they found they could mine asbestos as well. Then they later learned it's a toxic substance, so they started putting it back in the ground. They decided not to call it Asbestosopolis after all.

This was my first bike race ever three years ago. A friend talked me into it. He said it would be fun. I didn't know that it was known as the Paris-Roubaix of Northern California, nor did I even know what the Paris-Roubaix was (the most bumpy road race in the world), so I thought the numb hands and tweaked back was a normal part of bike racing. When I did this race again the next year, I actually had races to compare it to, and I swore, after collapsing at the finish, that I would never do it again.

Two years later, this last Saturday, I did it again. Nobody talked me into it this time. My new Orbea is so nice to me, I thought, this bike's going to carry me through, like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the most fantasmagorical car in the history of everything.

I was joined by my teammate Paula Bock, a mountain biker extraordinaire, who no doubt would be able to jump her bike over the potholes and rocks. Of course, I had blocked these obstacles from my mind. I thought, if I could do this race twice, surely I could do it again.

It was a small field, under twenty, which made navigating the deteriorating road easier than two years ago. The climb, unfortunately, is just as steep as ever. And then, I was faced with my own inner-obstacle: my deep distaste for discomfort. I can handle it for short bouts, but not when I know I still have to ride for another two hours. I thought, good for them, able to push hard like this. But this is too painful for me. I found myself at the top by myself, while I watched a glob of riders, Paula included, ride away.

Up ahead, I counted them one by one. Nine. A thought flashed: miracle of miracles, I'm in the top ten. But before I could rejoice too much, there, on the side of the road were photographers Nancy and Russ Wright of Abbiorca. They only photograph my magical moments right after I've been dropped, and I tend to resent them for this,
even though it is no fault of their own. I bought all the pictures anyway.

I know it's not an optimal racing mentality to pay attention to the scenery more than to the race itself, but when you're by yourself, I suppose you have no choice. Some of these races are in beautiful locations, and Copperopolis is no exception. Nearing the top of the climb, I noticed a waterfall. The water pounded the rocks under the shade of the trees. How did I miss this before? And then, I rode around a peaceful lake and then through green pastures with cows.

I did all two laps by myself, just like all the other times. This time, however, my laps were actually comfortable. I'm not sure why.

I somehow managed to pass by three others, and wound up sixth of all things. How about that. Paula was 5th. We both got t-shirts that say Copperopolis: The Paris-Roubaix of Northern California. Now that I know what it means, I'm quite pleased.

Archived Report: Team Tam Sends a Strong Message at Mt. Hamilton

2006-04-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Originally published on www.ncncaracing.com

From our correspondent, May 29th, 2005

Livermore, CA -- Velo Bella led from start to finish to sweep the top three in the Women’s 4 category at the MIPS Technologies Mount Hamilton Road Race today. Deborah Levine took top honors, followed by Heather Kirkby and Ann Fitzsimmons. Birgit Cory of CRC/Hill & Co. finished fourth.

The race was the abridged version of this historical classic, avoiding the 15 mile climb from San Jose for which this race is famous.

Meanwhile, Clare Parker and Katie Kelly of Team Tam sent a strong message to the peloton today. Exactly what this message is remains unclear, but look for more good things to come from this growing San Anselmo-based squad.

Parker, of San Francisco, added yet another top ten finish to her resume, finishing 8th over all out of a field of a lot.

Kelly, of San Rafael, making her comeback to racing after hitting a pole accidentally and breaking her clavicle in five places and not being able to stop talking about it still, after ten months, finished a respectable 12th, but this was after a nearly disastrous start.

"The toilet dispenser wasn't working," said Kelly, minutes after the race, of her pre-race run-in with the porta-potty. "I kept hitting it, and cursing, and nothing was coming out. And I NEEDED that toilet paper."

Witnesses to the event were not sure what to do. "I saw the porta-potty shaking, and I heard her yells," said her boyfriend, who would prefer to remain nameless as of press time.

A man standing in line broke the door open, believing Kelly was trapped. "She scared me," he said. "There was a woman with chicken legs, with her pants down, pounding the dispenser. I don't think I'll ever be the same."

Although this equipment malfunction interfered greatly with Kelly's warm up, it did not impede her concentration. In her first of many messages to the field that day, Kelly tried a tactic never before attempted in the peloton, that is, on purpose.

Says Kelly, "I'm afraid of hurting myself, basically."

The race begins with a short steep climb, and then a series of sharp turns that have left others in the past extremely hurt. "So, I thought okay, I'll give myself a nice safety buffer, and then I'll pass everyone after they go down," said Kelly.

Unfortunately, her plan backfired.

"I was dropped in the first minute," said Kelly.

Meanwhile, Parker raced a solid race, like how a normal and skilled athlete would, staying close to the front of the peloton, climbing strong and descending gracefully.

"I didn't know what happened to her," said Parker.

But then she heard a voice. "She startled me. It came from nowhere. More like a screech. 'CLAAAAAARE! I'm HEEEEERE!'"

By this time, the pack had dwindled down to twenty, as they traversed the rolling hills towards Livermore.

"I was relieved to ride in a draft again," said Kelly.

Perhaps the duo's most heroic movement was catching a stray Vela Bella, who had broken away after the major climb."

"We caught her, and I mean, suddenly, we were, like, in the front!" said Kelly. "'Wow, I'm winning, I'm winning!' I thought. I thought maybe we could break away."

Kelly and Parker, in fact, did not break away, but they did succeed in pulling the field an awfully long way.

Then, suddenly, the Velo Bella squad of six began the first of their series of shenanigans.

"They started going a lot faster," said Kelly, adding that in the descent, they almost hit a snake. "That was icky," she said.

Parker held on to sprint to 8th, passing several people, all leaving Kelly to wonder what had happened.

"I mean, that snake," she said, still dazed and confused. "It was just slithering on the ground. That was upsetting," she said.

Kelly noted the strong teamwork of the Velo Bella squad, as well as an impressive showing of Kathleen Kubal, of Cycle Sports.

Still, she admits, she has no idea where they finished, and that she was 12th is a guess. She actually never looked at the results.

Still, she was happy with her finish, saying, "I got dropped, I caught back on, and I hung with the main crowd. And I have awesome teammates. Team Tam rules."

Kelly believes she learned a few valuable lessons. "Stay closer to the wheel in front of you is one," she said. "And bring your own toilet paper."

I Survived the Sea Otter

2006-04-13T17:17:00.000-07:00

by Katie Kelly

My favorite quote of the weekend:

"Excuse me, but have you seen the group of people we
were riding with?" Words spoken to me as I was caught
by maybe the 20th rider in at the Sea Otter road race.

So Lynette and I did the circuit race Friday and the
roadrace with Paula on Saturday. I should let them
tell you their stories, but I am pleased to announce
that Lynette had a stellar finish in the road race,
12th over all, out of some 50 riders, and this is
after nearly getting dropped on "the wall", this
brutal, cruelly placed climb that became steeper on
each lap.

I know this, because I was with Lynette at this point.
Let me say that I have never raced in a more exhausted
state in my life, and I'd like to think that had I
been in a more recovered condition, that I could have
been a more helpful teammate.

But no, what happened was, I tried to stay on
Lynette's wheel on this climb, and I succeeded, at
least at the crest of the hill, because I then watched
Lynette pedal off into the sunset, as she grabbed the
tail end of the peloton.

The rest of the race was a painful time trial for me.
I was happy to see in the results that Paula finished
right behind me, and we were still mid-pack out of 50
riders. I learned later that Paula had suffered from a
terrible fit of "wheel wobble", a bike condition I've
only heard terrible stories about, during the first
descent at the beginning of the race. Let's say I've
heard of others encountering this, and then crashing
terribly, so I'm very thankful that Paula made it out
alive, and IMPRESSED that her tenacity pushed her back
up to a midpack finish, right behind me in the
results. She'd be up with Lynette otherwise.

The circuit race on Friday was the most painful of my
recollection. I really cannot recommend working 'til
10 o'clock the night before a big race, as well as
every night that week, on top of training hard for
three weeks straight and then honestly expecting that
you're going to win, which is kind of what I was
actually hoping. So, whatever, you improvise, you
change your goals around, and you do what you can. It
sure beats working.

But let me tell you about my big lightbulb moment.
Lynette had only been saying for a few weeks, "Really,
I'm just doing this for fun, I haven't even been
training, I just want to finish."

I ignored this until maybe the last twenty minutes
before the start when a little voice in my head said,
"Katie, wake up! That's how ALL the fast people talk!"

Sure enough, it was Lynette pulling the pack up the
hill. I can't believe I found whatever strength I had
to stay up with her. The rest of the race maybe isn't
that memorable. In fact, it's sometimes for the best
that you forget about the painful parts, or you may
never race again. But for a couple of minutes, anyway,
Lynette and I controlled the race, and I bet people
were thinking, wow, who is this Team Tam, they're
going to kill us. Either that, or they were thinking,
what are those fools doing, don't they know we have to
do this for 50 minutes?