The Trek/Volkswagen Team had a fun last night attending the longest running mid-week mountain bike series in the country at the Catamount act ski area!
There were close to 300 people there and it seemed like there were 100 or so kids there!!! WOW!
It was like a weekend event because Trek's "Demo Dave" was there with all kinds of bikes to try out, our team had a tent, we were signing autographs and the Little Belles were having a silent auction to raise money for their kids club.
The course was on fast act ski trails with rolling hills roots and a couple really nice turning single tracks that had roots and just a few rocks to keep us on our toes.
The race was super fun!
Notice that our team manager Zack just barely nipped Subaru Gary Fisher star Andy Bishop (also our host for the week). It's been neat hearing stories of him racing with Lemond and tales from the Tour de France.
After seeing how cool this was I am going to talk with our local club, the Shenandoah Bicycle Coalition, about having a Wednesday night series next summer too. It could be a great chance for riders to compete have fun and not drive really far to do it!
Next stop, my last World Cup of the year - BROMONT!
I'll keep ya posted!
JB
Place Name City Age Overall Time
1 Jeremiah Bishop 32 1 53:05.7
2 Adam Snyder 24 2 54:21.4
3 Nathan Ringquist 26 3 54:59.9
4 Wiley Mosley 30 5 56:03.7
5 Mikiael Stearns 20 6 56:06.7
6 Travis Voyer 31 7 56:19.2
7 Zack Vestal 33 8 57:30.2
8 Mat Katz 29 10 57:39.8
9 Daniel Hock 22 14 59:20.8
10 Andrew Nelson 24 21 1:00:47.0
11 Jason Achilich 29 23 1:01:14.1
12 Dusty Labarr 33 25 1:01:34.8
13 Tim Burgher 27 26 1:02:53.5
14 Matt Schifferele 30 31 1:07:00.9
15 Kyle Hickey 23 33 1:09:47.2
16 Josh Welch 32
Vet 35-44 4 Lap M
Place Name City Age Overall Time
1 Jay Provencher 40 4 55:31.7
2 Andy Bishop 43 9 57:31.7
3 Nate McHugh 41 11 58:21.5
4 Dave Ricklefs 38 12 58:53.4
5 Marc Stannard 36 13 59:02.5
6 Kevin Spillane 40 15 59:46.8
7 Stefan Bumbeck 37 16 59:54.8
8 Don Harmeyer 42 18 1:00:03.1
9 Shawn Patenaude 36 20 1:00:25.3
10 Stephen Gorman 43 24 1:01:15.5
11 John Zouck 42 29 1:03:31.8Labels: Racing, Trek/VW Team Happenings
Ok, it's just a shirt right?
That's what I first thought to myself as my nose started to run from the exertion of yesterday's ride, but I found my self pause to instead wipe with the glove - not sleeve - as I looked at the flag on my left shoulder. I also made sure that I stoped at the light before my right turn.
Trust me I am very proud to wear these colors it is a special honor!
Check this out...
United States Code Title 4, Chapter 1 - The Flag
SS1. Flag; stripes and stars
On the flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and the union of the flag shall be forty-eight stars [Note that sec. 2 which follows provides for additional stars. Today the flag has fifty stars representing the fifty states - Webmaster], white in a blue field
SS2. Same; additional stars
On the admission of a new State into the Union one star shall be added to the union of the flag; and such addition shall take effect on the fourth day of July then next succeeding such admission
SS3. Use of flag for advertising purposes; mutilation of flag
Any person who, within the District of Columbia, in any manner, for exhibition or display, shall place or cause to be placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, or any advertisement of any nature upon any flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America; or shall expose or cause to be exposed to public view any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign upon which shall have been printed, painted, or otherwise placed, or to which shall be attached, appended, affixed, or annexed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, or drawing, or any advertisement of any nature; or who, within the District of Columbia, shall manufacture, sell, expose for sale, or to public view, or give away or have in possession for sale, or to be given away or for use for any purpose, any article or substance being an article of merchandise, or a receptacle for merchandise or article or thing for carrying or transporting merchandise, upon which shall have been printed, painted, attached, or otherwise placed a representation of any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign, to advertise, call attention to, decorate, mark, or distinguish the article or substance on which so placed shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, in the discretion of the court.
Yikes. I think I'm going to start riding with tissues! :)
So, the code goes on for another two pages, but I thought it was interesting.
The next stops on the race circuit are Mt Saint Anne, Canada and Bromont, Canada for consecutive World Cups. My start position may not be great, but it will be fun if my legs are still on! A podium race could be in the cards!
I'm stoked for the rest of the season because I get to do some more really fun endurance races and shift gears a little!
The week after Bromont I'll tackle the Fools Golds 100 miler in north Georgia. This will be my first time doing the race but the reviews are awesome and it sounds like as much of a festival as a bike race!
See ya at the races,
JeremiahLabels: Endurance Racing, Racing
I WON ????? I was confused... Nick Martin, Brian Smith and the rest of the Trek crew were spraying me in the face with Pabst Blue Ribbon, screaming and jumping on me.
Today, somehow, I won the US National Marathon Championships even after a major mechanical.
I had a strong race going and had a 90-second lead with about 35 miles left when my chain got caught in the spokes.
Ryan Trebon and Andy Shultz were not far behind.
I tied up the three broken spokes and took a link out of my chain. This took a while and I assumed my chances of wining the race were becoming next to none as riders passed by. I charged hard hoping to rally for a top-5 finish. Then I caught up with Travis Brown and he helped pull my hanger back out. He gave my a really good pull on the flat fire road before the major descent to the finish. THANK YOU! I thought that if I kept on charging I could pull back some spots.
I just buried my head and went flat out the second time up the first 2000-foot ascent of the course. I was fired up after losing the lead. Then, just as I was making good headway, my chain went out again! I laughed as Travis passed again as I remounted. 'What else can go wrong?' I thought, but I went like hell.
This time I was just possessed to hammer every hill at max! My lungs were on fire but I was moving! I caught Dave Weins with about 7 miles left and he encouraged me to chase the two guys who where just 30 seconds ahead. I only had one climb left and my body was in the hurt locker. I just went max and caught a guy with an orange jersey. I sat for a little and then jumped for the hole shot for the single track. I was going for it hoping to catch the next guy, Evan Plews. I did catch him about halfway down. I tried to surge pass but he picked up the pace. I guess he was going too fast thru some rocks and flatted!
Absolutely exhausted and light headed, I conceded that I was not going to be able to catch any more riders so I just tried to stay smooth and not crash. I found out that behind me Ryan Trebon and Andy Shultz had pulled out - they'd not been among riders who passed me when my chain broke - so I was racing for the win!
Wow. That was a strange but amazing race, I will not soon forget it!
THANK YOU to all that have helped me out past and present to make this win a possible.
I'm donating prize money to the mike Janelle fund www.livelikemike.org. I thought of Mike while I raced today and I knew he was a fighter and loved to push it to the max. So I did the same. Thanks Mike.
Happy Fourth!
JeremiahLabels: Endurance Racing, Racing
”What do they think this is, a war?” I asked Max Plaxton, who was lined up next to me in the start box of the second round of the World Cup. One thing I’ve learned, talk always seems to calm the nerves.
“That what it was like last week!” Max replied. “Some guy crashed into me and ripped my derailleur off on the first lap! The traffic made it stupid to continue so I pulled the plug.”
As hundreds of riders were called up to the start line behind us, we watched a dramatic movie-like trailer on the big jumbotron screen towering above the start/finish line. Red stills of race action flashed across the screen, heavy dramatic music blared and text read “The top mountain bike racers on the planet converge in Offenburg, Germany for the 2008 Mountain Bike World Cup.”
“Look back there” Max said.
We were lined up on the forth row, but behind us were hundreds of angry warrior-looking racers. I could easily imagine them waving swords in the air. It was certain that the crowd was in a froth to see blood and battle. Tens of thousands of spectators were armed with promotional signs, inflatable green tubes, flags, bells and air horns.
I was ready to go, and at the blast of the start cannon I put myself into a good position on the first of two start loops just behind Bury Stander. The next lap, I was caught behind a major crash. The rest of the race I fought the dread of racing on legs that were mysteriously empty. Well little mystery really. I did have a stomach bug last Sunday thru midweek.
Oh well, I was focused and went for it! It will just take some time to turn the power back on as soon as I find the switch.
Next stop is Madrid, Spain for round three of the formula 1 of mountain bike racing. I guess that makes the NMBS like NASCAR. Who knows.
The JBL Tunes to Ride by, Volume III contest is in its final week. Check out the Tunes link at the left and send in some great songs. Albums are almost ready for download. Stayed tuned!
JeremiahLabels: Racing, World Cups
Greetings from South Africa!
Just a brief post to let you know that the Cape Epic adventure has begun.
Photo by Sven Martin/SPORTZPICS
There will be exceptional race coverage over the next nine days. You can check out previews and AWESOME photos from the news page, here.
Wish us luck!
Labels: Epic Adventures, Racing
