It’s always a good idea to get to Europe a week before the World Champs and do a bit of racing to sort yourself out on the time schedule and get the body movin’.  Usually this opener race involves a Swisspower Cup or Bundasliga race or something proper with some UCI points and the guys you’ll be racing against at Worlds the next week.  Over here at the Fun Giant Mountain Bike Team, we decided to mix things up a bit this year.  Instead of proper racing somewhere on the continent, we took advantage of the fact that the SingleSpeed World Championships was taking place a mere 70 miles up the road from Fort William in Aviemore, Scotland.  The fact that we’re always scheming a way to go to SSWC anyway made it an easy choice to pull off our shifters and deraiulers, install the magic gear, grow some inappropriate facial hair and wear goofy-ass clothes while partaking in possibly (probably) the funnest race of the year.

    Upon arrival in the Glasgow airport (with all of our stuff, yes!) we immediately ran into Jimbo, organizer of the SSWC ’05 that we attended in State College, PA.  He and a his buddy Matt, who had just completed the Paris-Brest-Paris bike tour, were waiting for their bags, which arrived with ours, and were going to take the train to Aviemore.  We volunteered the (windowless) back of our Transit van and they ended up sleeping on the couches at our place all weekend.  Keeping the bikes of our fellow American bike touring vagrants running in the meantime…  Those guys rode up from the airport, as they should have, neglecting to tell us that the knobby tires we brought for them to replace their touring slicks needed to measure 29” in diameter…  No worries though, Jimbo had them fixed up with new rubber just as the last singlespeeder rolled out of the Bothy Bikes car park on race morning.  Well played.  

    But let’s back up a bit.  Before the seven mile social hour/roll-out to the race site proper on Sunday morning, we spent a couple days enjoying the atypically nice Scottish weather and did some sweet exploring in the Cairngorm Mountains.  Good stuff out in them hills for bike riding, complemented by excellent maps, knowledgeable and stoked singlespeed locals and foreigners rolling about.  Various activities, mostly centered around drinking and riding, took place throughout the week as folks rolled into town.  The highlight was the Saturday evening SSWC ’08 host decider.  Our girl Elke represented her homeboys in Durango, CO in the ADD event.  First a 500m sprint on a roller bike, then a double shot of local scotch whiskey, then an interpretive dance of a jig.  All judged by a panel of experts and their peers…  It came down to a tiebreaker between Napa, CA and D-Town.  Cali won.  Boo.  I hate poison oak.  

    Sunday morning came soon enough and we all kitted up (I use that phrase loosely…) and rolled on down to Bothy Bikes for the formal rollout.  It was pretty sweet to have a seven mile cruise through the Rothiemurchus State Forest on nice gravel paths through the forest and moors before finding out exactly where the secret race location was, wondering how cool it was.  Turns out it was one of the coolest race courses I’ve ever had the pleasure of riding around.  After, of course, we ran down a forest track and around the “Auld Man of the Woods”, one very scantily clad Dr. Jon (event organizer) and back to our bikes, wherever they were. (mine ended up hung from a tree about 50 yards up in the woods from where I left it…)  After catching a very obvious (and hauling ass on her pink chain) Kelli Emmett at the top of the first climb (I ran really slow) and moving on through the throngs, I eventually saw a classic red Scottish kilt flowing through the woods, Carl.  We posse’d up with Travis Brown and rode around for a couple laps, marveling in the amazingly perfect pitched climbs and all-time great black dirt singletrack descents.  It was amazingly perfect.  Sunny skies to boot.  After a mid-race snack of Hob-Nob’s (nobbly, oaty, honey biscuits), I decided to ride really fast for a bit.  Carl and Travis faded back, so I figured I’d stop at the impromptu beer garden to avoid heckling and get a beverage.  They caught up, I rode fast, we had fun.  Another gap opened, another garden stop happened, etc.  Starting the last lap I made a pit-stop at the finish line for a beverage, which I handily stuck in my denim vest pocket just before hitting a rock at about 25mph and pile-driving myself on a gravel road descent.  Oops.  That’s an impressive amount of blood on my arms.  Denim kept the rest of me safe and sound though.  Should have gone for the jacket…  20 minutes of wondering if I should wait for Carl so he got Tattooed later I crossed the finish line victorious.  Carl arrived just in time to see me getting stern directions from Marty as to where and when to show up for my tattooing…  He did, to his credit, say at the start (before pounding a beer), “if you don’t want the tattoo, don’t win!”  A few minutes later an impressively fast riding (with a 2:1 gear, she really didn’t have a choice) Kelli appeared in her red “onesie” to take the women’s honors…  Which meant I’d have someone to commiserate about sore skin with…

    An hour later we were sitting in a small flat down by the tracks with a tattoo artist from Glasgow who had some options for us.  Unfortunately, by far the coolest one was also by far the biggest one…  We figured it’s a life-long thing, so we bucked up.  Two hours later each and we had matching his and hers SSWC logos on our asses.  Kelli’s a bit lower than mine…  A fine weekend of World’s prep indeed…  



If you want to see photos, www.singletrackworld.com  



Have fun out there.

British Columbia Super Week: Tour de White Rock

Warning to readers: This post is extremely long due to the fact that I have not won a major race in a long time. When you win races everyday like some people, then a report is no big deal. I have taken full advantage of this opportunity to write a race report about an awesome experience and a great win. Therefore, I have tried to translate my excitement into words, which has led to a lengthy report. Thanks to everyone for all of your continued support.

The Tour de White Rock takes place in White Rock, B.C. about 12 miles from the Washington state line. White Rock is a gorgeous town with beautiful ocean views and perfect temperatures for racing along the Pacific Ocean and of course the best fish ‘n chips in Canada. The setting of White Rock is much like that of San Francisco, California with the steep climbs and narrow twisting roads that wind through the neighborhoods overlooking the ocean. We would be racing each day along these roads with some of the roads being a 23% grade and even higher.

The first stage of the Tour de White Rock was a short but very difficult hill climb time trial with an interesting Drag-Race style format. Two riders would race at the same time up the climb for the best time. The riders that placed the five best times would have a five-up drag race to the top to decide the winner of the stage and the first overall leader of the race. My typical pre race jitters had me confused on how I would perform. I went through the usual routine of telling my teammates “I feel good”, a bit later in the warm up, “I don’t feel so good”. If you have gotten to know me at all “I don’t feel so good” usually translates into I am going to have a good legs and a good ride.

The climb was just under one kilometer long and there was a nice false summit just after the 18% pitch at about 600 meters in. Although it wasn’t to long there was still a bit of strategy involved and going to early would definitely have you struggling the last 200 meters to the finish line. I made it through my first climb to the top with the 3rd best time of the day. This would put me in the final 5 up sprint for the stage placing and the overall lead after stage one. The final was a bit more strategic than the first all out race to the top and it would be myself versus Canada. The strong Canadian Symmetrics team put three of their riders into the final heat with me and one other Canadian rider. My strategy was to wait for one of the Symmetrics guys to attack and I would follow hoping to win the sprint at the top. Halfway up the climb it was the newly crowned Canadian National Champion Cam Evans who attacked. Digging a bit deep I jumped on his wheel and we had a big gap on the other riders. Cam attacked over the top of the climb and there was about 100 meters to the line. At this point I was still on the hoods and running out of gears. Cam and I were both suffering like dogs and giving everything to get that extra bit of power out of the cranks to shake each other. Finally I dropped to the 11 cog in the back, clenched the drops in the handle bars and dug for everything I had left in my scrawny chicken legs. I looked back to see that I had a good four bike lengths on Cam before pumping my fist with excitement. It is my first big win of the year and my first ever overall leader’s jersey. I was so shocked and couldn’t believe how I felt on the climbs.

The following day was the criterium in downtown White Rock. Luckily the crit suited me very well with a climb on the back straight and a downhill finish. The race would come down to the climb on the back. Before the race began we decided that we would not race to defend my overall jersey, but rather try to get Evan and Hoppy up there for the finish and I would try to stay in the top 10 to score some points and hold onto the overall leader’s jersey. The Symetrics guys got right to the point and attacks started coming right away. David Veilleux rode like a possessed mad man and covered moves, bridged gaps, and made sure that no move was up the road without a Jittery Joe’s rider in it. Austin did the same, but a little more gracefully. I was a bit excited and racing on good legs and pure motivation to maintain the overall lead.

As the attacks continued I followed the guys that were a threat to the overall jersey. With about 10 laps left in the crit the race came apart on the back straight climb and I found myself in a group of eight guys. Four of them being Symmetrics, but none of them were the guys in the G.C. With two laps to go it had whittled down to a group of 7 and still four of the Symmetrics riders. There was a small gap opening on the downhill finish straight with one lap to go. I closed the gap and by then I was at the bottom of the climb and coming up fast with momentum. I went for it and attacked with everything I had. Unfortunately I had misjudged my opponents and they all jumped right on my wheel and I was in poor position. They countered my attack and I rode in for 4th place. Big Evan cleaned up the field sprint for 8th place and Hoppy ran 12th just behind Evan. I was a bit disappointed with myself for going to early, but my goal was to score some points to maintain the leader’s jersey and I ended up getting a solid lead before the final road stage the next day.

The circuit road race would prove to be difficult with only five of us to try to protect my overall jersey. I learned so much about how it feels to protect a jersey. You have to be on your toes constantly, drinking eating, spinning and watching everyone. Your team is taking care of you at all times and everyone will attack you without hesitation.

The circuit had two very steep and difficult climbs that suited me very well. Maintaining good position and watching the G.C. threats was most important in maintaining the leader’s jersey and that was my sole focus all day. I didn’t care who went up the road, as long as they were not a threat to the overall.

Again there was no time wasted in attacking us and Austin was away in a break the first time up the lesser feed zone climb. He stayed in this break for a while making sure that no one would ride away. Eventually this break came back and as the laps wore on the group got smaller and smaller each time up the longer difficult climb. We stayed sharp and rode tough watching every move that went up the road and bringing back the threats to the lead. Soon the race had whittled down to a group of about 20 riders and I still had Austin and David in there to help me. They kept the tempo high on the front to keep the riders from attacking. With only four small circuits left in the race it came apart on the climb. One of the G.C. threats attacked and I was alone and had to follow. I covered the move but still had a bit farther to go to the top of the climb. Immediately Cam Evans, another major threat, attacked. I tried to go but the legs were just a bit tired from the previous day and the many attacks I had already covered up the climbs. That final attack was the nail in the coffin. I cracked like an egg and clawed my way over the top.

Coming into the finish I was again out-numbered by the Canadian team and knew that I would be no match in the sprint. Just hanging on, I clawed my way to the finish and crossed the line in 9th place and enough points in the overall to hang on the leaders jersey and win my first big stage race.

The team rode awesome all weekend and I surely the jersey would have been lost had we not had the combined experience and strength to finish the job. We are all riding very well, but strength is not enough. It was great having the veterans of the team Jeff and Evan to keep me from doing unnecessary work and wasting energy. Austin was always there with good advice and making sure that I had plenty of food and drink and staying out of the wind. And of course there is the token Canadian guy on the team David, who is by far the strongest 19 year old I have ever seen ride a bike, who just gave it his all the entire time. I think he even attacked me once in the road race by accident and went up the road with a couple laps to go. Either way, we road awesome and I am very happy to have finally contributed to the teams success and have my first stage race win. It has been an exciting few days of racing with many unknown challenges that were overcome. Next up is the Tour de Gastown in Vancouver. Look for us to continue our foreword momentum and win some more races.



Photos by Greg Descantes (www.descantes.com)

Thanks!

Matt

David puts the hurt on.

Fairfield, CA: The Jelly Belly Pro-Cycling Team announced this week that it has accepted invitations to compete at the internationally sanctioned Tour of Qinghai Lake and the Tour of Hong Kong this summer.  Jelly Belly Candy Company, the title sponsor, is the maker of the internationally famous Jelly Belly^® jelly bean, the American sweet preferred by President Ronald Reagan. The company recently introduced Sport Beans™ jelly beans, a sport performance jelly bean, in Hong Kong.

“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to send our riders to compete in such prestigious and competitive races,” said Jelly Belly Candy Company President Robert Simpson. “China is an emerging market for Jelly Belly beans and Sport Beans. The exposure the team will garner during its appearances will create excitement for our products.”

Riders scheduled to compete at the Tour of Qinghai Lake are Andrew Bajadali (US), Alex Candelario (US), Nick Reistad (US), Brian Dziewa (US), Matty Rice (AUS) and James Meadley (AUS). 

“These races are considered among the world’s premier cycling events, so our riders are honored at the invitations and are looking forward to a strong showing,” said Danny Van Haute, Team Director. “The Tour of Qinghai Lake actually suits us well, it is a long, tough race at altitude. Several of our top riders live and train at altitude so we’re confident we’ll do well. Look for Andy Bajadali to really excel when the climbs get steep.”

Riders Reistad, Rice and Meadley are also scheduled to compete in the Tour of Hong Kong. Joining them will be Brice Jones (US) and Bryce Mead (US).  

Van Haute added, “The stages for the Tour of Hong Kong are mostly flat circuits so we are sending our ace sprinter Brice Jones. With two NRC stage wins under his belt, he’s enjoying the best season of his career.”

While in Hong Kong, the team is scheduled to make promotional appearances at area bike shops and candy retailers. They also plan to conduct a mini training camp for the Future Stars, Hong Kong’s aspiring competitive cyclists ages 8-18.

About the Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team:

My race was yesterday (July 4th). The Firecracker 50 which was also the Marathon National Championships is always on the 4th of July.

 Here’s a quick synopsis of how to go from finally riding strong to being a groveling, sniffling weakling in three short days.  Step 1:  Race fast enough at a world cup to actually make yourself tired.  Step 2:  Sleep six hours, then travel 30 hours to get home.  Step 3:  Get two poor nights of jet-lagged sleep.  Step 4:  Get tipped off that the high country singletrack is open, then take the singlespeed out on a nice five-hour ride in the hills, have a really good time.  Step 5:  As if you’ve never trained before and know nothing, stay dehydrated for the rest of the day while trying to catch up on things around the house.  Viola, you’ve got a cold.  And feel terrible.  Shocking.  To preserve these terrible feelings, fly to Deer Valley at 7500 feet, your body will be so embattled with sickness and acclimatization that you’ll be sure to stay guttered for a goodly while.  Amazing, that after eight years as a professional, I’m still making these kinds of rookie moves…  Good thing we’re a group of professionals here on the Giant Mountain Bike Team.  Everyone else can hold it down for Emmett (who has a fractured humerous, making her the toughest chick I know, and making her sit out for at least a weekend…) and myself while we grovel…

    And hold it down they did.  Of our three active racers, DH’ers Amiel Cavalier and Jared Rando, plus a very skinny and fit Carl Decker, there were no less than eight podium finishes over the weekend.  In fact, none of the boys finished off the box all weekend.  

    Amiel got the party started in grand style with a (not really) surprising win in the mostly downhill Super D on Friday night.  He made quite the entrance to the finish straight, hucking to flat big enough to flatten both his tires, and one of his rims (Tom is going to make him build a new wheel) before sprinting to the line with the telltale, and classy, pssssst, from both wheels.  Awesome.  Decker got schooled by some other DH boys but still held on for 5th and the series lead….

    Next up was the XC, where we would find out two very important things.  First, Carl is skinny, fit, and rested.  Therefore, he’s fast.  Second, I’m sick and tired.  Not fast, dropped out after one lap, something I haven’t done in years, and don’t condone, but was definitely the right thing to do in the name of getting rested up for the World Cup showdown in Quebexico the next two weekends.  Carl is really in shape though, after politely asking me to get out of the way he rode solidly through the field to finish fourth, his best XC result in quite some time.  Well played.  Carl retired to the condo to cook steak and sweet potatoes and I flew home to lick my wounds, and rub mucous on them…

    Gravity boys had a strong showing in the Dual Slalom, taking the fourth and fifth spots for Rando and Sammish, respectively.  I kind of wanted to go watch them roost some turns and try to learn a thing or two but couldn’t muster the strength to get up the hill…  

    Sunday is DH and STXC day at NMBS, and the last day for the boys to keep the streak alive.  Which they did by the skin of their teeth.  First off, Carl was the aggressor in the chase group for the Short Track, a sure-fire way to get pipped on the last lap and end up last in the group, which was still 5th, strong.  DH’ers had solid runs with no flats or breaking stuff, thanks to some shiny new ’08 Shmano XT parts keeping their bikes slim and nimble, specifically the Shadow rear deraiuler.  Same result as the slalom, the elder Rando 4th and the youngster 5th.  

    Although mountain biking is an individual sport, sometimes it’s good to remember the team aspect, between watching tv and making dinner or just sitting around working on our respective aussie or mainah accents, it’s good to have a good crew to cruise around with, even better when they pick up the slack for the slackers…

Champerey WC Report    





    Now, as globetrotting bike racers we face various challenges.  Being in shape, food, travel, sleep, navigation, luck, etc.  Over the years a respectable skill set develops to deal with said challenges.  One skill set I’m still struggling with, however, is controlling the kid in a candy store syndrome that strikes when we get plopped smack dab in the middle of an absolutely stunning environment.  This happened in Champerey, Switzerland this week, where we were allegedly staying to compete in a World Cup #3 on Saturday.  Driving up the valley with the 3000 meter Dents du Midi towering over the perfect village nestled above a gushing glacial creek I immediately identified the kid in a candy store syndrome that would control the rest of the week.  

    I was still confused and eating muesli on Tuesday morning as Emmett pulled out a map and asked for some route planning advice.  We settled on her riding a couple passes and looping it out however possible.  This immediately gave me rest day envy.  Kelli’s out exploring and I’m just supposed to go for a spin?  Boo, Hiss.  The comprimise was to counteract her multiple pass ride with some local exploring.  First up was the “Galeria” a trail blasted in the face of a 100 meter limestone cliff.  Unsure of the legality of the ride, I put on my best dumb American face and set about railing one of the more entertaining trails I’ve ever been on that just happened to be notched into a wall and protected by a two foot tall rickety wooden fence.  Awesome.  From there, responsibility took over and I went to suss out the race course, which, it turns out, was simply transplanted from Essex Street Hill in Bangor, Maine.  Perfect, I’ve ridden there a few (hundred) times on the classic slimy rocks and roots sprinkled over false flats and steep climbs.  What a nice surprise.  As I wondered how Kelli’s trek was going, feelings of guilt started to seep into the candy store for our esteemed Soignieur Ms. Brutsaert, whom I suspected was still at the hotel trying to e-mail pictures to Giant for posting on the Ride Life website.  I walked in just as she was getting her bike shoes on and made the international gesture for “come quick, sweet trails await”.  Ten minutes later we were mobbing down perfect rocky switchbacks to the creek and on down an uber-classic (and semi-overgrown) river trail.  Even more perfect.  Oh, dang it, I forgot it was a rest day, oh well, one more steep climb wouldn’t kill me.  So long as I could make it back and be napping before Emmett got home from proper training…  I just barely made it.  

    The next day our incredibly accommodating British hotel staff pointed me up into the hills toward the Col de Cou for a classic ridgeline singletrack in the high alpine.  After an hour forty and 1100 meters of climbing everything from pavement to goat paths I reached the Col, classic as it were.  Unsure of where the trail peeled off amongst the cow tracks, I considered consulting with the gaggle of ten-year-olds who were milling about, evidently enjoying a class field trip, but then noticed a prominent ribbon buried with snow along it’s climb to the ridge.  Must be what I’m looking for.  Turns out it was.  I haven’t seen storybook ridgeline singletrack like that in a long time, or ever.  Popping over rolls with huge peaks in the background and cows wearing proper massive cowbells in the foreground before fading into old-growth forest was an afternoon to remember.  You can see from the photo.  

    Ah, right, we were there for a race…  Good thing Thursday was deemed an emergency day off in order to rest up from the weeks playing.  One of the most scenic ice baths I’ve ever taken finalized the (less than optimal) preparation for Saturday’s showdown.  Unfortunately, Kelli felt the effects of her week spent riding up huge hills and never really got it going in the race.  It was the kind of course that if you weren’t charging, you weren’t really going to have a good day.  She finished it out midpack somewhere and went out to do some more exploring in the afternoon…

    I was pretty sure I was still tired from the week’s riding while standing on the start line.  Turns out I wasn’t.  Or even if I was, it’s June now and I’m in shape so it doesn’t matter. What a relief.  After holding my 63rd position or so on the start loop (walking festival) I observed my ability to shift into a harder gear and pedal faster at will.  Combine this with the fact that I was riding the glorious Anthem Advanced, giving me the option to take irresponsible (and entertaining) lines at speed and get away with it, and it appeared that I was going to have a banner day.  Then it started to downpour.  Even better.  Definitely going to be a banner day.  With this in mind, I started passing guys like it was my job, working into the top twenty after about three laps, then continuing to ride through guys as the sun came out for the last half of the race.  Somehow I wasn’t derailed by two of the clumsiest dismounts (by dismount, I mean falling off the bike while it stops suspended by roots, trees and course tape, much to the amusement of the throngs of spectators) I’ve ever had and kept the momentum rolling all the way into tenth place with two to go.  I was within striking distance of Thomas Frischneckt in 8th but just couldn’t get there.  I’ll settle for 10th and the realization that the hard work does pay off eventually.  Julien Absalon won over local hopes Christoph Sauser and Nino Schurter, a battle I got to watch unfold a couple minutes up the serpentine course.  Those guys are fast, but not THAT fast…

    Now it’s back home for a few days of bill paying and such before the Park City, UT NMBS this coming weekend, then we go to the homeland.  Not one but two World Cups await in Quebec to close out June, I can’t wait!  Maybe we’ll see a few of you there…



Cheers,

The Team Giant Euro Crew,

Adam, Kelli, Elke and Tom.



Special thanks go out to Giant for setting us up with Elle and Tom for Euro support, this level of racing isn’t possible without a solid crew, those two are best in the business for sure, at least we got one good result to make them proud. (and earn some prize money to pay their hotel bar tab…)



Oh yeah, it looks like by riding fast I secured myself a spot on the Pan Am Games team (if the UCI updates the world rankings by Tuesday…)  This is a great opportunity to travel to Rio de Janiero, Brazil to compete as part of the US delegation on July 14th in this once every four years event.  Unfortunately, it ixnays the possibility of doing the cool racing in July swing of the Cascade Creampuff and Downieville Classic.  Maybe in 2009…