Dinuba Crit

Dinuba crit: P,1,2
only 25 total riders
55 laps which ended up being 1hr and 15 min
75 degrees

Sierra pacific had 7 guys, CG had 3, VOS had 3, and a bunch of other solo dudes. I knew the race would be interesting due to the numbers. I was expecting it to blow up and separate with a bunch of small groups of riders spread through out the race course so i lined up in the middle of the Field so i could get a good view of what wheels to follow off the front. The first few laps were like normal no super fast but it was still single file then on about the third lap a few fast guys from most of the teams and knew that was it because they had a bit of a gap with their tea mates left at the front of the peloton, I went with this and for about 10 min we each took lap pulls to make the gap grow, the break had six guys in it 2 Sierra guys, Oz from Cal Giant, 1 guy from Kahala, one from VOS, and me. We finally lapped into the broken up field and from there Sierra had all their guys on the front pulling and saving their two riders that were in the break and also chasing down any of us riders who would attack. I really played my card well in this race, the VOS guy was a high tempo break away rider who could not sprint and the same for oz from Cal Giant, the sierra guys were basically all rounders so i left it to them to chase for me to sprint in the end. VOS tried to take off and blew up a couple times while getting reeled back in so he was out. It all stayed together just really fast the last couple laps with us break away rider mixed with in the field of mostly Sierra guys working for their rider who lapped with me, with a couple turns and straight to go Bosch yelled at his guys to all sit and it was a huge cluster that i had to get though but i found a good line and with two turn to go into the final straight i had 5th wheel, Ken Hanson was trying to lead out OZ from cal Giant and Bosch with his tea mate then me. In the last straight i cam around the two CG guys and was reeling in on Sierra for 1st and second but ran out of room by lees than a wheel.

I should of had third wheel in the last turn and only would of had to come around the Sierra guys to win this thing but that's what i walked away from this one.

For my first crit i feel great, completely different form from last year. Which pleases me due to an off season of combining like three different coaching theories.

I cant so Snelling next weekend guys due to work but i will be at the Merced crit on Sun. Hopefully i could pick up the new kits there it Martin or Atn will be present.

Thanks guys, Aaron

Cherry Pie

(Posted By Justin Fraga)

We had beautiful weather for the first race of the season, which was all the more enjoyable since it followed weeks of cold, rainy mornings.

With Kelly Benefits, Cal Giant and Sierra Pacific fielding full teams, and a smattering of big engines in the mix (Rodriguez/Switters from Rock, Stewart/Sayers from BMC, and Lucas Euser from Slipstream), I expected the race to be organized and aggressive. The BPG pre race meeting stressed a conservative strategy ("don't burn the matches too early") but I suppose the early-season jitters had me up front and jumpy in the first few laps.

Etienne called out the formation of a break as soon as he saw it and I was the closest BPG rider to the front at the time, so I surged hard to cover. Brian Buccholz was hammering away with Jackson Stewart and a few other guys in tow. I was expecting to sit on the break and let it die-- until Lucas bridged up and immediately started screaming "go go go!" Jackson took some hard pulls and the pace picked up. At this point we had maybe a 15 second lead over the field, and my confidence in the break was solidified by the addition of Devon Vigus from Cal Giant. We already had a Sierra Pacific rider in the break, so now the major teams were all represented and it was nothing but full throttle from all nine of the break riders.

Every time the break swooped down the backside of the hairpin turn I could see the main field approaching from the other side of the street, and plenty of red, white and green on the front. With a substantial portion of the field dedicated to blocking and everyone in the break committed, we quickly sunk the better part of a minute into our lead. The rotations were smooth and nobody was dogging it. I don't know what the average speed was, besides fast.

The cat and mouse games didn't begin until we had 4 laps to go. Lucas and Jackson attacked the hill and I had to bury myself to stay on their wheels. We all spaced out and drifted around the course, eye-balling each other. A few more attacks were launched but nobody was dropped. On the bell lap I was expecting the 3 pros to deliver a knockout punch somewhere in the lower section of the course, so I came to the front and soft pedaled, waiting for the attack. It never came and I ended up dangling off the front like a chump. It was here that I should have been more decisive and switched tactics-- I have a strong 1k attack but only a mediocre sprint-- we were only maybe 800m from the finish when I had a healthy 50m on the rest. Jumping right then would have probably solidified a podium spot for me, since only Lucas, Jackson and Devon would have had the punch to make up the distance and catch me. But I hesitated and when the sprint began at the bottom of the hill I had no draft. The other 8 guys swarmed me and I finished last in the break.

It was a bittersweet race for me. I felt the team rode with a lot of cohesion which is always a great sign so early in the season; we have a great season ahead of us. I also felt pretty fresh at the end of the race considering the effort I had just put in. I made a big mental error at the last moment and it cost me quite a few places in the finish, but in the season opener I'd rather lose out due to tactical mistakes than a general lack of fitness.

I'm heading off to Phoenix for Valley of the Sun this weekend with a lot of confidence in my fitness, but pretty hungry for more racing and a chance to be more aggressive than I was yesterday.

-Justin

Pine Flat RR

(Posted By Aaron Cox)

First race of the year for me, the Field was 30-40 guys the berry boys had about 3-4, cvc, McGuire had their whole team, Uth dogg was present, lombardy, and a bunch of other solo guys.
We rolled out at 730 for 65 miles of a rolling hills then some steep long climbs towards the last 15 miles. It started out slow for the fir the first 30 then Cal Giant sent a guy off the front we chased
caught him and kept it strung out into some hills where the launches began. About the 3rd attempt about 5 guys got off the front representing all the teams except cvc or now known as Sierra Pacific Orthopedic. Elliot made the break so i just got to sit in and chill for an hr while cvc sent their men up front to bring the break back. during this time i dropped the chain rolling into a hill and had to get off the bike to put it back on. This was the first of two different times. The pack was all together rolling into the bottom of the hardest and longest climb when Vince O and a Berry along with some other guy, the rest of the Sierra guys started to slow the pace to let their boy get off to do his thing in the hills. So i didn't like this so i went to the front to rail it out to close that gap to keep it all together entering the climb. The climb is a couple miles then you descend into some rollers and into another 1 k steep windy climb to the finish. In the hill I
dropped the chain again and had to get off to put it back on and the rest of my day was playing catch up. I basically rode the rest by myself, caught a few guys and ended up 23rd, Elliot was with the pack but i heard it got shattered into the finish so not sure where he ended up. Ken Hanson won it from Cal Giant, Vince got 2ND and Uthman 5Th. Bad day for results but i feel good, strong and way different from last year at this time, cant wait to see you guys soon!

-Aaron