Feedback Sports @ the Boulder Cup Cross Race

I went out to the Boulder Cup on this beautiful Colorado fall day hoping to snap some pics of the Feedback guys in the SM 3 race. Nobody was in the race though! It was still a worthwhile trip as the event was really great to see.

Walking around the festival and team booth area I came upon the Feedback Sports tent and had a nice conversation with Doug the owner who was back at the booth after completing his race a bit before.

It was also cool to Feedback repair stands being used in many of the team crew areas like this one at Specialized.

A Busy Fall Day For FSR Team Members

Saturday 10/24/09 was a busy and great day for Feedback Sports Road Racing team members. Brad rocked the Castle Cross, we had a great training ride, and a couple guys made some extra cash at VeloSwap.

Brad - 3rd in the 3s AND 8th in the Open at the Castle Cross

SM Open - As I registered for the races, I noticed lots of riders who had just finished their race who were COVERED in mud. I did not anticipate mud since in Colorado, it only takes about 1 day of sun to dry everything up, but at this venue, the mud bogs and puddles were everywhere. I was actually pumped to have a real cyclocross race!

Anyway, I actually got a starting spot on the front row because the other 40 or so guys ahead of me on the BCR were absent, but it didn't work out to my advantage. I couldn't get clipped in fast enough and probably was in about 20th place or so going into the single track. The first half of the course was the muddiest with sections where the mud and water was pushing 6 inches deep. Luckily it was fairly soupy and rideable, except for the steep uphills. Not too many places to pass in the first half, but the second half was a consistent uphill grind, with only a few sections to recover, and a little more dry, so that's where I moved up the most.

Gradually, I picked off more and more riders, passing when I could, and trying not to crash in the mud. I passed people nearly every lap, and moved into my final placing with only a couple hundred meteres left to race. I think I only had to unclip once to catch my balance, but other than that, I had a clean race, well at least technically, ha ha. After the race there was a long line waiting to use the hose they had hooked up to wash off bikes and bodies. I rinsed myself and bike off and waited for the next race.

SM 3 - I did not get a call up for this race and started somewhere in the second row. However, I did get a much better start and was probably about 10th place going into the single track. The good thing about racing twice in one day is that I have all the good lines picked out already and know exactly what gear to be in and when to shift for the whole course.

Through one particularly deep mud section, a few guys in front of me picked a slower line and hit their bakes, so I just slammed the cranks and powered through passing about 3 guys with one effort. Again the best place to move up was the second half of the course which I did consistently. Since this race was later in the day, some unrideable sections had dried out and were rideable which was good because I don't like getting off my bike if I don't have to. After the first two laps I had moved up to the wheels of third and fourth place. I waited for the right time to pass where I could attack and get a good gap and when I did it worked out perfectly. They were not able to respond and I rode away toward the 2nd place rider. I could see 1st and 2nd ahead of me, but I wasn't closing that fast. The first place rider was strong, and I definitely was not going to catch him, but 2nd was kind of yo-yo-ing getting closer and then getting some distance.

On the penultimate lap I rode steady and tried to recover as best I could, and on the final lap I hit the gas. Someone yelled a time gap of 20 sec to 2nd place, but I keep pounding the pedals and eventually closed to gap to probably about 5 second, but I needed a little bit more time to make the pass so I ended up in 3rd. All in all they were definitely fun, true cyclocross races, where I ended up soaked and covered in mud from head to toe.

Here is a recap of the training ride from Nate --

Warm-ish weather but windy conditions met the team as we gathered at LVC at 8:30 for our weekly-scheduled Saturday morning team ride. The plan was to stay on the rollers to the north and east, out toward Carter Lake and loop around back for about 3hrs / 60mi.

We’ve added a strong group of new riders to the team. The majority of the group this past weekend consisted of new riders, which is great! It’s always fun to chat it up and learn more about new team members, which also helps to gel the group. Overall, there was an excitement as discussions invariably turned to 2010 racing plans and goals, both individual and for the team.

The ride ran the gamut – ‘tranquillo’ as they say in Europe, some spirited accelerations as well as a strong push toward the end. We’re rounding out the team well and will be able to continue our multi-pronged approach to races. It appears we’ll be getting an even earlier start to racing next year, as talk is already turning to the Valley of the Sun stage race in February.

As for VelowSwap --

Donuts, Ben Butxon and Robb Cope (LVC) had a table in the team area. Overall we rated the success of the Swap as good, not great, this year. There seemed to be a lot more shops and stores selling their inventory at real cheap prices. This is obviously good for buyers but it kind a hurts the individual sellers. Many of our lower priced items such as helmets, jerseys, old wheels, old components, etc sold pretty well. Our higher end wheels, frames, bikes and such got a lot of interest but no buyers. Everyone said our prices were very good but I guess the right buyers did not come across our table. Oh well.

As always the people watching at VeloSwap is part of the fun of attending. People of all types and knowledge bases attend. Some people are looking for classic items we think are junk but they still see the beauty and value. Some are looking for current items at great deals and some seem to just buy stuff for no real apparent reason at all merely moving cycling gear from one garage to another. My favorite line of the day came from a guy who bought an old jersey for $5. It was in good condition but obviously had been used. As we exchanged money and the jersey he asked me "how used was the jersey?" I did not know how to answer. Does it really matter for a $5 jersey?

A Mass Intro of the New Feedback Riders for 2010

10 new recruits, all ages and abilities, really rounding out the team!!

Lars Finanger
Though he still competes as a professional triathlete, Lars has been doing road races for the past 4 years and will be racing as a Cat 2 in 2010.

Lee Gerakos
Lee has been racing for about 4 years. Last year was his first season racing cat 3. In addition to road racing, Lee also likes to get dirty in the fall with cross.

Matt Gibble
Matt has been riding/racing bikes since 1982. He raced for a number of years back east and came to Colorado in 1991. In 2007 and 2008 he dabbled in racing again and is most excited about the 35+ Open in 2010. Since Matt is a Cat 3 we will be sure to get him out in the 3's as well!

Isaac Karsen
Isaac's favorite type of ride is one that involves climbing. Isaac Karsen will be racing Cat 4 in 2010.

Chris Mitchell
Chris got a road bike a few summers ago after 7 years away from the bike and re discovered his love for racing and training. Chris will be racing Cat 4 in 2010.

Jon Moro
Will be a Cat 2 in 2010 and has a knack for stage races. Jon is 6'3" and 148 lbs so hills give him thrills. Dead Dog was his favorite road race in 2009.

Sam Peketz
In 2008 and 2009 Sam placed 4th and 7th respectively in the JR 15-16 BAR competition. Sam is looking for 2010 to be a big year for him with his sights on high placings in junior and Cat 4 races. He loves the mountains and time trials but hopes to be improving his all around racing.

Martins Putelis
Martins (pronounced Mah-ting) moved up to Louisville CO. this summer from Prescott, AZ. He just got on the bike in the last year and a half and had a great season in AZ moving from a CAT 5 to a CAT 3 by May where he took 3rd in GC at the Tour of the Gila. Martins is an all around rider with love of stage races and considers climbing a semi-fun thing to do.

Eric Steele
Eric has been racing since 2007 and was first in the BAR points competition for his age group in 2008. Eric will be racing juniors and Cat 4 in 2010.

Derek West
One of Derek's proudest cycling moments was when he beat our very own Nate Llerandi at the 2006 Hugo Cat 4 Road Race. Derek will be racing Cat 3 and maybe some 35+ Open in 2010.

Fall Team Meeting

We had our yearly fall team meeting at Louisville Cyclery a couple nights ago. It was great to see the returning team members and many of the new additions to the team. We are really excited about all the new additions. They fit in well with our culture and they will most definitely contribute nicely to our team goals in 2010.



We will have a bigger P-1-2 team in 2010 which will be great for our current P-1-2s - Greg, Chris, and Brad. Our 3s team has many returning riders, a few strong additions and the return of the A-factor (Andy Johnson and Andrew Bagnato) to more races next year. Our 4s squad will be bigger and we will probably have a presence in some SM 35+ races as well. We even have some new juniors on the team! 2010 is looking to be another great year for the Feedback Sports Road Racing team.

Look for rider profiles on the new riders soon.

Achieved My Goals and Had a Blast in 2009 - Matt Drinker

I set out at the end of the 2008 season to find a good team to race with and get fit for racing in the 3s for 2009. When Andrew Bagnato approached me after one of the Louisville Velo Club rides and asked if I would be interested in joining the team, it was a no-brainer. The Feedback riders I had met so far that year were a good group of guys and I felt like I would fit in well.

Juggling weekend training rides over the winter with my snowboard coaching job proved a little tricky, but I was able to get some nice long rides in with the team, which really got me ready both physically and mentally for the upcoming race year. Thanks to Nate, Ben, Greg, and everyone for dragging me around in the mountains all fall and winter and waiting for me at the top!

The season started out a little slow with a flat and a mechanical at Deer Trail, but started to look pretty good as we swept the 2 TTTs and got off to an early BAT lead. Soon enough it was crit season and with the help of the team, I was able to rack up a few podium spots.

Highlights were definitely The Hugo/SMK weekend where Matt Duncan selflessly led me into the finish stretch both days enabling me to take 3rd and 1st respectively. SMK in particular was really a pro class effort with the whole team taking part in my victory. I really don't think you could find another team in the 3s who would have pulled that off.

Another highlight was taking the trip out to Wyoming with the guys for Dead Dog. I had a great time despite my lackluster results and it was awesome to come across the finish at the road race and hear that Nate had won. The look on his face made all the suffering worth it.

On the whole it was really a fun season. I was able to achieve my goals results wise, and at the same time had a blast hanging out with a real top notch group of guys. Looking forward to next season as a Cat 2!

Look back to move ahead - Jonathan Weaver

Every year when the race season concludes, I am always tempted to launch right into the planning of the next season. However before I can really plan ahead, I must first look back and provide an honest assessment of how the year went. What went well and what was more challenging (areas for improvement)?

All in all, I would consider the year a success. Whether in triathlon or cycling, I learned a few things this year that will hopefully lead to greater things in 2010. I narrowly missed out on a qualifying slot for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, which has really given me a focus and determination through the off season that I have probably lacked in previous seasons. While I was unable to score any victories, I had fun and performed to a level that continues to drive me to want to succeed even more.

Read more about Jonathan's look back on his 2009 road and triathlon season at his blog - Boulder Multisport.

Louisville Cross Race Report

It was another hot and dry day that was probably better suited for a criterium than a cross race.

We had a great showing - Brad Winn (raced SM Open and SM 3), Jerry Kopack (SM3), Todd Brady (SM3), Rich DiGeronimo (SM4, Feedback Sports mountain bike team), and Doug Hudson (SM3, owner of Feedback Sports).

Other members of the road team were on hand to cheer these guys on as part of our team tailgate. Here are some pictures.

My apologies on the quality and color. I was trying out some settings for indoor pictures before this and forgot to change them for outdoor.

2009 End of Season Thoughts - Nate Llerandi

If anyone had said at the beginning of the season that I'd win 4 races in 2009, I would have had a good chuckle. With Mt. Evans as the big goal, I would have been very pleased with just the one win. Overall, for the races I focused on more individually than for the team, it was a much more consistent and solid season than I had hoped to achieve:

Deer Trail - 2nd
Haystack TTT - 1st
Lookout Mtn HC - 3rd
Sunshine HC - 4th
Mike Horgan HC - 1st
Dead Dog Stage Race - 2nd overall
* Road Race - 1st
* Crit - 12th
* TT - 3rd
Mt. Evans HC - 1st

In the crits, with the directive being helping to tee up the sprinters for their shot at victory, I did my best to help make this happen. Helping control the race and leaving it all out on the course during my stint in the leadout train left me way off the back heading into the finish line. Given the team's success in these races, it was a role well worth taking on - not just by me but by everyone who participated. The team is very strong.

Salida and Sunshine HC were the 2 cricks in my neck. At Sunshine, I was still recovering from a bronchial infection and at Salida a flat tire took away my ability to at least have a shot at a top 10 spot. But, that's OK. Looking at the big picture, I've got no regrets with how the season unfolded. Rarely does everything go according to plan. And, if I'm being honest, Salida is the only sub-par result. I can live with that.

Looking at the rest of the 3s peloton, I noticed several things worth mentioning. First, the team I'm on, Feedback Sports Racing, has had an incredible year. Not just in the 3s, but in the 2s as well. Whether we won races or not, we clearly helped dictate how they would unfold. What a great team to be a part of!! Secondly, the quality of the 3s is as high as ever. Some new guys stepped up and some of the old guard really improved this year - Ben Buxton, Jayson Middlemiss and Jordan Sherr to name the first 3 which come to mind (old guard types). Lars Finanger and Todd Robertson impressed me with their dogged consistency in any type of race.

2010 will be interesting. I've upgraded to the 2s, for starters. Not sure if I'll throw my hat in the ring in the P/1/2 races or focus on 35+. Or both, depending on the race. For example, why go to Dead Dog this year and race in a 35+ field of only 7 riders? In any case, it will be nice to have that flexibility. Also going to be shoring up my weaknesses, which forever have been on my top end speed - from the days as an age group swimmer, through my entire swimming career and now as a cyclist. My power/weight ratio lags way, way behind at the top end of things - the 5sec, 30sec and 1min values. Interestingly enough, P/W is strongest at the 5min VO2Max range, with my 20min and 60min values not far behind.

As always, it's been a fun season.

Nate

Looking Back on 2009 - Matt Duncan

Overall I am very happy for how the 2009 road season turned out for me. Here are some of my personal highs and lows of 2009.

The Highs

Playing an active role in our SM3 BAT victory
I am very happy to be part of this team and was glad I was able to contribute points throughout the season to our main team goal of winning the SM3 BAT in 2009.

Leading out Matt Drinker at the Scott Kornfield Classic Criterium
Ahh, the gap we got then Matt super confidently saying he could handle the rest when I ran out of steam.

Being part of two Team Time Trial victories
This renewed my interest in individual time trials as well.

6th place Koppenberg
I have never done this race before. To be honest it is not the type of race that intrigues me in the early season but since it was delayed to the late season this year I decided it was time for me to give it a go. Many consider this a toughman's race so I was quite pleased when I was able to bridge up to the lead group and stick with them through the race and get a solid 6th place.

4th place at Prospect
I love this race. I think it has the potential to be a hugely popular race from a spectator perspective. I wanted to ride aggressively and was able to do so right from the get go. Maybe I did a bit too much work up front but hey that is what I like to do so I was really happy to hold on for 4th.

Traveling as a team up to Dead Dog
Dead Dog was a hard race for me but I had a blast up in Laramie with my teammates. It was a lot of fun travelling with them to this well organized race.

Completing 28 races
Last but certainly not least on my highs for 2009 was my ability to complete 28 races. I owe a big time thank you to my wife and kids for letting me do so many races.


The Lows

Embarrassing myself at the North Boulder Park Criterium with a solo crash
A boneheaded move when I was tired. Luckily I only took myself out. To make it even worse I went down right at the start-finish line in front of everyone. Guess people thought it was entertaining though.

16 min and Flagstaff
Part of my regular training includes a timed interval up Flagstaff from the bridge to the amphitheater turn off. While I was able to get a personal best this summer of about 15 and a half minutes on a couple occasions I was cursed to see right around 16 minutes more often than I wanted. On days I felt good I got around 16. On days I felt bad I got around 16. I guess I should be somewhat happy with the consistency but it was frustrating as I was trying to improve my hill climbing but did not seem to be getting anywhere.

7th place at Niwot
Came into this race hoping for a podium. I rode a good race but came up short in the final sprint.

Not bettering my time at Mt Evans
I really wanted to improve on my time from last year but it did not happen. I was very happy with my team effort in this race though helping set an early fast pace for our climbers.

Another year of not getting to put my hands in the air
OK, not entirely true as I did do this for Matt Drinker's victory at the Scott Kornfield Classic crit. You know what I mean though...

2009 Road Season: A Resounding Success for Feedback Sports

210 days ago we sat as a team in the basement lounge of the Old Louisville Inn to determine our road racing goals for the year. As a team our primary goal was to win the Best All-Around Team (BAT) award in the SM3 category. We also wanted to have podium finishes in multiple races including the Colorado Hill Climb Championship, Colorado Road Race Championship and our own race the Scott Kornfield Classic. Above all we wanted to have a solid team presence throughout the season where we used our collective strength and skills to not just participate in races but control them as well.

While we did come up short in a couple individual goals the 2009 road season was a resounding success for the Feedback Sports Road Racing team. Here is a quick summary.

Presence in 53 road race events in the Rocky Mountain region
In the 2009 road season we competed in the Pro-1-2, SM3, SM4, and SM 35_4 categories. Between March and October 2009 there were 66 events on the ACA road race calendar. This included the primary weekend races as well as the popular training races like the Cherry Creek Time Trial Series, CSP Table Mtn Criterium Series, and the Bear Creek Time Trial Series. Our team had a presence in 44 of these races. Out of the 22 that we missed, 14 were training races and we only missed out on one major event, the Steamboat Stage Race. In addition to these 44 ACA events we also had a presence in 9 USA Cycling events giving us a total presence in 53 road race events in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico in 2009.

Out of 167 finishes for our team members in all the ACA and USCF events we participated in -

102 were top 20
56 were top 10
18 were top 3
7 were victories!

There were lots of individual highlights for us in 2009 here are some of our favorites:

• Nate Llerandi winning the SM3 Mt Evans race and claiming the 2009 Colorado Hill Climb Championship
• Nate Llerandi coming in a very close 2nd place in the Dead Dog Stage Race GC in Laramie Wyoming.
• Matt Drinker winning the SM3 race at the Scott Kornfield Classic
• Winning two SM3 team time trial events (Haystack and Rabbit Mountain) by large margins over teams that had more focus on time trials than us
• Bryan Myers taking his first ever podium finish in the SM 35_4 race at the Niwot Criterium
• Brad Winn taking 3rd place in the 5th stage of SM2 race at the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico
• Brad Winn taking 5th place in the Pro-1-2 race at the Rist Canyon Hill Climb within a minute behind Jani Brajkovic of Team Astana
• Nate Llerandi and Matt Drinker upgrading to Cat2 for next year

In just about every race we were complimented for our strength, our aggressive yet smart riding, and our animating of the races. Hearing this feedback from riders of other teams was awesome and made us all proud to be part of Feedback Sports Racing.

ACA Best All-Around Team (BAT)
We took control of the SM 3 BAT competition from the first race and never let go. Our victory in this competition was extra sweet this year as we won by a large margin after coming in 2nd that last couple years by very slim margins. At the Pro-1-2 level we came in 9th place which is outstanding and gives us great motivation to do even better in 2010 especially since our P-1-2 squad will be even bigger due to upgrades by Nate Llerandi and Matt Drinker along with possible new recruits we are looking to add to the team. We took 19th and 21st respectively in the SM 4 and SM 35_4 categories which is respectable especially when you consider that we only had a handful of riders in these categories and they only did a handful of races so their results were great.

ACA Best All-Around Rider (BAR)
In terms of the BAR points competition within the ACA we had some excellent results. In the P-1-2 Brad Winn placed and awesome 11th. Brad was right in the mix with stellar riders like Scott Moniger, Stefano Barberi, Dirk Friel, Chuck Coyle, and Greg Krause which is awesome company to be in with. In the SM3 BAR competition we were well represented in the top 15 with Nate Llerandi coming in 3rd, Ben Buxton at 8th, and Matt Drinker at 11th.

210 days flew by. Like they say, time flies when you are having fun... We are not resting on our laurels from 2009 though. Now there is only something like 150 or so days left to get ready to kick off an even better season in 2010!

Eat More and Pedal Smoother

I went through some cardio tests at the beginning of the year at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. Thanks to our victory in the Haystack Mountain Team Time Trial I was also able to get a good discount to have another cardio test at the Boulder Performance Labs (BPL) which I just completed last week.

In both tests I received my VO2 max and Lactate Threshold numbers along with bountiful analysis and tips from each. In the BPL test I also received a pedal stroke analysis and a hematocrit analysis.

My VO2 max and LT numbers are nothing impressive but now that I have seen them at two different points in my typical season I can use them to enhance my training. Here were some other results that I found interesting.

Hematocrit
The BPL test included a hematocrit analysis. Apparently normal levels for males is between 44 and 50. I believe in doping cases the numbers were something like 53 or so. I can now definitely report that I am either not doping or I have a really bad supplier as my hematocrit was 44. This result was surprising to the guys at BPL. They were expecting at least a 46 or higher for me as an athlete. During the analysis part of the test the guys asked me if I eat meat. I said yes but as the conversation progressed I realized that while I do eat meat my wife does not (at least red meat) so I do not eat it very frequently. In fact I think it had been a month or so prior to the test when I had my last burger. They said low iron plays into low hematocrit levels which plays into fatigue and lower performance. Interesting. The advice was to increase my red meat consumption to see if that improves the number which I gladly did immediately after the test by stopping at Smash Burger on the way home.

Pedal stroke
The BPL pedal stroke analysis uses the Compu Trainer software to visually show you where you are, or are not, putting power into your pedal stroke. An ideal result would show a perfect circle. In reality most of us have a picture that looks more like some form of a peanut. My results showed power dips on my upstrokes that were a bit larger than what was expected of someone like me with many years of race experience. Truth be told that while I know pedal stroke is very important I have not focused attention to it this year. I know when I get tired I get sloppy but this test pointed out clearly that I was losing watts by not paying attention to this detail. I will work a bit more on my pedal stroke this off-season to get my hammies more involved and hopefully gain a bit more efficiency and power.

Calorie Burn at LT
The BPL test told me that I burn 870 calories per hour when I am at my LT. Knowing this information can really help me improve my nutritional intake during rides and races. I felt I did a pretty good job with my nutrition this past season but I knew it could be better. There were times during some longer training rides and road races where I did feel like I was prematurely getting fatigued. I am pretty lean and do get worried about what I eat but I do have a decent metabolism so having more insight to how my body is handling the fuel will really help me make sure I am giving my body all the fuel it needs to do its job.

Green Mountain Sports Cross Race Report

Todd Brady
We had 6 Feedback guys in the 3’s race and it was very HOT and dusty. Rain would have been a nice touch for the first race. Jerry and I had a great start in the second row and were sitting top ten out of the gun. When we hit the dirt, it was so dusty that I could not see the guy in front of me.

The course was great, very technical and had a mix of everything. Hydrating was difficult and that is what started getting me in the last laps of the race.

Jerry Kopack
Huge props to Brad Winn who laid down a solid 10th place in the P 1/2 race in the morning, then showed up for the 3's race a few hours later. I kept seeing him on switchbacks throughout the race and knew it was only a matter of time before he caught me...but then unfortunately he flatted out of the race.

The course was definitely rowdy - loose and rocky switchbacks - tough dismount and run up sections that just took the legs out of people. It had good uphill sections to blow apart the pack as well, definitely a bike handler's course. I've been sneezing dirt for 2 days now.


Jerry had a great finish for his first SM3 race, ending up in 12th and Todd finished in 24th. Doug finished 15th and Greg got caught in a pile up and punctured a tire.

Next up is the Louisville Cross race at the Rec. Center.

Copper Crit 2009

I hope the new organizers are able to work out the kinks on their planning and communications so this race can happen next year. This is a great course and it should be a staple race on the ACA calendar. The on-again, off-again communications leading up to the race combined with the end of season and poor weather turned away lots of riders so the fields were unfortunately very small. At the race the organizers did a very good job and I really like their goal of having this be a twilight crit as I think twilight crits are cool for both the riders and spectators.

For those who have raced on the Copper course before the start/finish line was moved into the cobblestone area this year which was kind of cool. The only problem with this new location would be if they have big fields. The 3s field was tiny, only 14 guys (which was the biggest of the day) so there was plenty of room to maneuver into the cobble area and get through it.

As we were leaving Louisville on a dreary day I had bad thoughts of what the weather would be up in Copper. I was hoping that it was a different story on the other side of the Continental Divide and to some extent it was. Instead of being socked in with cool wet weather the Copper area was having scattered showers and thunder storms mixed in with sun. When the sun was out it was actually very nice. We were lucky as it stayed dry for the entire SM3 race. It started raining though on the last lap and was steady rain for the subsequent 35+ race.

As has been my modus over the last few races I found myself at the front in an animator role. I started out front for the first lap and quickly realized with the small field that everyone else would keep me out there all day if they had their way. On the second or so lap I slowed it down a bit to let someone else come up front. A few more laps into the race I noticed the pace slowed significantly so I decided to try an attack through the start finish which is the uphill portion. I was able to get a good gap on the group and extend some time but after about 4 laps, with each taking about 2 to 2.5 minutes, the group caught me. I did get a $25 prime though which is my first prime ever as I usually do not even go for them!

My break was a good benchmark for me to gain more input around an area I want to improve over the off season - TT/sustained high tempo. Ever since the Bannock Criterium where I watched Todd Robertson of Skins stay away on his own I have been wanting (dreaming?) to see if I could do the same. I have a bit of work though to get even remotely close to his level of sustained high tempo. I was able to get somewhat in a grove of effort and rest but I was getting tired and knew my time alone would be limited.

After I was caught the group stayed together with only minor surges for some primes. I was able to recover a bit in the group during this time.

Going into the final lap one of the young guns, I believe from the Vics team, in the race attacked the group on the back side. He got some distance before I started leading the group through the uphill trying to catch him. Unfortunately as we approached the round-about at the top of the course we saw him on the side from taking it a bit too hot.

I was feeling some fatigue from my work upfront, the break, the cool/damp weather, and the thin air. I got boxed in by a couple guys on the last corner and found myself at the back of the leaders going into the sprint. I was kicking myself as I did not want this to happen. It provided me another good benchmark though on something else I want to improve - my finishing strength to push out of situations like that. I knew it was happening but the legs just did not have enough to get me out.

Anyway I was a few feet behind the top 5 heading up the hill for the final sprint. I caught one guy and almost caught Kit Recca but it was not to be. Taylor Jung of BRE/S&S won with a nice sprint over Brian Huggins of Hart coming in 2nd. So I got 5th which obviously is not bad but I, as always, hoped for more. On the bright side the race put a nice end to my season of pretty consistent results. Now I have even more drive and knowledge on things to work on in the offseason so I can step up a bit more in 2010!

Orthopedic Professional Association Gets Us Back On Our Bikes!

The Feedback Sports Road Racing team was fortunate this year in that we only had a handful of minor crashes and one moderate crash. The minor crashes did not require any advanced diagnosis or therapy. Peter, who had the moderate crash, did need some follow-up work. He recounts his good experience with one of our sponsors Orthopedic Professional Association (OPA) below.

At the Longmont Criterium I was involved in a crash early in third or fourth lap of the race. Although I felt fine when I hopped up off the asphalt I later determined that my shoulder was not OK. The next day I made an appointment with Theresa Ayandele, the physician's assistant at Orthopedic Professional Association to get my shoulder checked out. By that point my shoulder was quite stiff and painful and I had already noticed my shoulder bones had an unconventional range of motion. The medical staff on-site at the Longmont crit had mentioned that lead times to see orthopedic surgeons were typically around a month so I was pretty pleased to be able to get checked out on such short notice. The staff at OPA were quick and efficient and I had only a minimal wait in the waiting room before getting treated. The first step was of course a bunch of x-rays to assess the damage. Some of these weren't particular comfortable, especially when I had to hold a gallon of fluid at my side with my injured arm to highlight the gap in my shoulder. The x-ray technician was really nice about it and warned me ahead of time whenever something was likely to hurt -- indeed it was generally the case that the x-ray pose didn't hurt as much as I was expecting based on the technician's warning.

The x-rays revealed a grade 2 AC separation in my shoulder which means the outer ligament that connects the clavicle to the scapula is ruptured. Based on the anatomical diagrams in the waiting room there are more severe AC injuries up to grade 5 at which point apparently your clavicle points up past your head like a compass needle. I learned a lot about shoulder anatomy during my recovery and it is a surprisingly complicated joint! After consulting with one the surgeons Theresa informed me that I would not need surgery and with rest my shoulder would recover in 4-6 weeks although it wouldn't be exactly like it was before. It's now nearly 8 weeks later and my shoulder recovery has essentially been exactly as predicted. Around the 3 week mark I was able to ride with a tolerable amount of discomfort and 4 weeks after the injury I raced again in the Vic's crit. I was glad to be able to get some late season races in thanks to the folks at Orthopedic Professional Association!

What we like about Specialized

Specialized is a primary sponsor of our team. Their products are outstanding and they have played a major role in our success. Here are some impressions from team members.

Nate Llerandi
The Specialized Tarmac SL is the best all-around bike I’ve ever ridden. As a former pro athlete, I’ve ridden all materials (steel, aluminum, carbon, titanium). The Tarmac SL is a superb blend of the best qualities of each material, resulting in an unsurpassed ride quality. The bike is responsive and stiff yet forgiving, and very light without becoming squirrely. I love this ride! To top it off, the Specialized bike shoes are the most comfortable I’ve worn. The boa tightening mechanism does a better job of distributing the pressure and reducing discomfort on the top of the foot, and remains tighter than Velcro straps can.

Ben Buxton
The Specialized Tarmac is absolutely the best race bike I’ve ridden - hands down. This is my first full carbon bike and I can say that it met and exceeded my expectation in every key category - it’s light (58cm is 16.5 lbs w/ light training wheels), super stiff (on both climbs and sprints you can just feel the power being directly transferred to the road), and is very comfortable (this bike dampens road shock as well as any high end Ti bike I’ve had in the past).

When I received the bike, the first thing I noticed was the massive head and down tubes. These babies are very large in diameter and clearly do the job when it comes to rock solid and predictable handling. In fact, on a recent high speed, curvy descent down the back side of Rist Canyon, I couldn’t believe how predictable, agile, and confidence inspiring I felt as my speed touched near 60mph!

When I looked more closely at the frame, the next thing I noticed was the beefy bottom bracket and chain stays. I recall reading a review where Specialized had gotten feedback from Tom Boonen on a prototype Tarmac and he liked the bike, but felt that when sprinting the rear end of the bike seemed to follow the rest of the bike. Specialized took this feedback and came out with the current design. Boonen loved it and remarked how the rear wheel now felt forceful and drove the bike forward when sprinting - clearly the stiff bottom bracket and chain stay design delivered. So what does this mean for a mere mortal such as me? - it means that every watt I can put into the pedals, the Tarmac will deliver to the road and make me go faster in sprints and more efficient on climbs, period!

Bryan Myers
So I committed to buying my new Tarmac SL this race season but honestly at first I was a bit reluctant. I had a nice carbon Giant and I really wasn't sure about forking up the dollars to move to another carbon bike- would I really be able to tell a difference?? I read up reviews on the new Tarmac SLs and decided to go for it as everyone was giving it rave evals. But honestly, I was still skeptical that I would not notice any real differences. And I had, like many of my friends, lusted over the insanely pricey boutique carbon bike brands...(you know the names).

Wow was I wrong, the difference between my new Tarmac SL and Giant was noticeable instantly. The ride quality was outrageously snappy, with an unreal power transfer, no doubt in part due to the oversized bottom bracket w/ press fit bearings. But what was seriously amazing was how much smoother the ride was than my previous carbon bike. Literally none of the rear-end "chatter" I had just learn to deal while riding on Colorado's famous "chip-sealed" roads on my previous bike. During lightening descents this rear-triangle ride quality keeps the bike perfectly attached to the road so you can rip through turns. I could not be more pleased with my bike and can't imagine ever paying for an over priced boutique name from a company that likely just do not have the resources to design such a sweet, intentional, carbon machine. Love the bike.

Peter Dunlap
My new ride for this season is a Specialized Tarmac SL that I bought as a frameset last fall. The fine folks at Louisville Cyclery switched the parts over from my old bike to the new frame. This new bike seems to excel at everything and I'm quite pleased. The head tube and bottom bracket areas are very stiff and I don't notice any flex even when I'm sprinting or climbing out of the saddle. Cornering is stable and confidence inspiring. The Tarmac doesn't exhibit any of the disturbing high speed wobbles that my old bike had which means I feel fairly confident pulling on a vest or jacket while riding with no hands after rolling over the top of a climb.

Matt Duncan
My Specialized Tarmac SL bike has exceeded expectations in all types of races I have completed this season. It is fast and responds well in crits, it is light for the hillclimbs, and it is very comfortable even in bumpy dirt roads like we had in the Rock the River road race and Koppenberg.

I have been using Specialized road shoes for a few years now and love them. I got the new S-Works road shoe at the start of the season and could not be happier. The BOA tightening mechanism is the best out there. The shoes are light and comfortable. I also use the green footbeds and shims to get the perfect fit.

Matt Drinker
I've been using the S-Works Helmet and Arc-II sunglasses this season and have been very pleased with the performance of both. I would choose these products even if the team was not sponsored by Specialized.

The Arc-II sunglasses are light, never slip, very rarely fog, and thus far show no signs of scratching despite being pelted with rocks on nearly every ride. They adjust contrast to the lighting as well, which is a great feature. In the end, they make you forget you are wearing them, which in my opinion is the best compliment you can give to a pair of sunglasses.

On a similar note, the S-Works helmet is so light and comfortable I also forget that I am wearing it. It keeps my head cool, never slips and has withstood a few minor brushes with the pavement with no sign of wear.

Thanks to Specialized we get to wear the most comfortable, lightest, most aero gear out there. And it looks cool too!

Koppenberg 2009

SM 3: Matt 6th, Diran 40th

SM 35/4: Jerry Kopack 4th

Matt

I have to say I was a bit nervous going into this race as the Koppenberg is a race that I typically pass on every year since me and dirt usually don't go well together. With the delays this year the race was pushed into the prime part of my season so I figured why not give it a try and hopefully get some BAT points.

As expected the pace from the start was super fast to get positioning on the dirt. The dirt right after the road was more like a sandbox. On the first time through with the bigger group people were going everywhere. I heard a "whoa" next to me then felt a guy lean right into me. I was able to hold up and we both made it though. I think if I was not there though that this guy would have just fallen over.

There was lots of jockeying for position as we approached the hill. I did not have great position but it actually worked out ok as a few of the front guys crashed into the gully. By the time it was my turn they had cleared out and I had a slow but steady line up the middle. A group of leaders were able to get some separation on the dirt section at the top. I was in a second chase group that rode really hard to catch the leaders which we did by the second lap if my memory is correct. This chase was very hard and I had to dig really deep but the pain was worth it.

Due to the pace of this pursuit and some more carnage/flat tires the lead group was formed with about 10ish guys, including me. We did slow up compared to the chase but we maintained a very steady pace and had a significant lead over the rest of the riders.

On the last time up the Kopp hill Jerad from Mafia attacked and got a gap on the lead group. While he was moving closer to his victory there was a bit of in fighting in the group that only helped him out. Todd Robertson of Skins had been doing lots of work up front in his typical fashion but he wanted some help. Unfortunately not many were willing, or able to do so. Just after the right turn on Marshall Karl from CO Bike Law attacked the group and all we did was watch him go along with arguing some more. A bit further up the road Aaron from Rocky Mounts did the same. Again we watched and argued. In hindsight I am kicking myself for not going with either one of these two but at the time I was pretty tired and was afraid that if I did try to go with them and failed that I would not have any energy at the final sprint. At the crest of the hill Jesse jumped which finally ignited some reaction in this small group. We approached the final turn at a fast pace knowing now that we were sprinting for 4th. It was a drag race behind Costco for me, Jesse, and Todd trying to get 4th. Jesse was able to take both us old guys at the line with Todd getting 5th and me a few inches back in 6th. I can't say that I enjoyed the race but I am happy I did it and will consider it again next year.

I want to thank my teammate Peter Dunlap for providing me with lots of motivation when he was cheering from the side of the hill. On our last lap he even ran along side me. If he grows out his beard and gets a red cape we can have our own Didi Senft! :)

Jerry

I had raced the Winter Park King of the Rockies the day before which entailed, 2 hrs of red line adrenaline, 4000 ft of climbing spread over nearly 2 hours...so, my legs were tired. My plan for Kopp would be just to try to hold on and maybe provide Bryan Myers with some help if possible and finish in the top 20. I hadn't done a road race all summer and can count the number of times I've ridden my road bike on 1 hand. However, it was dirt and I could ride to the start, so I rallied.

The race started fast, as I knew it would. The pack hit the dirt at speed and several guys went down or nearly washed out as the dirt was extremely loose. The pace stayed hot and I made sure I remained in the top 10 as the initial sort up the hill would be critical. Of course the entire field had that plan. Bryan was riding at the front (literally) and hit the hill in about 3rd position. Unfortunately there was someone from the Cat 4 race struggling up the hill as we got there and the first 5 guys in our 35+ 4's race had difficulty getting around him. Bryan was forced to clip out at the bottom of the hill and run to the top which I'm sure blew his heart out of his chest. I hit the hill a half second later, just as Bryan started to run and was able to navigate around the mess, as did some others, but unfortunately a group of roughly 10 riders had gotten away as a result. I knew that if I didn't bury myself immediately, I would never catch up and my day would be over before I broke a sweat. I put my head down and dug deep and finally caught the group at the bottom of the pavement, just before the right turn on Marshall road. I think I managed to inadvertently drag a few others with me as well. We were now a group of roughly 15.

Heading up Marshall road, the pace stayed high so as to ensure nobody else could bridge up. Laps 2 and 3 were crisp and somehow I found myself at the front of the pack with only 1 or 2 other riders (1 from Blue Sky and 1 from Body Sync) willing or able to rotate through. I hit the Kopp hill third on the 2nd lap and was able to pass the 2 guys in front of me. As I crested, I saw Jeremy Collins and asked where Bryan was and he told me he never made the initial bridge. Coming into the 4th lap, I again crested the Kopp hill 1st and knew there would be guys wanting to sit on me and outsprint me at the tape, so I took turns pulling up Marshall road with 2 other guys as we tried to peel people off. The strategy worked as the group of roughly 10 that was together at the start of the 4th lap was down to 5 or 6 as we came into the final turn. (The concept of drafting was a very welcome benefit that I was happy to take advantage of, something that just doesn't exist in mountain bike racing.) I knew I didn't have a sprint in me so I just tried to make some people bleed before I cruised home in 4th.

At the end of the race, I think if I would have had 2 more laps, I would have fared better because I could audibly hear people gasping for air behind me on the last 2 laps...which is my favorite sound, especially when you yourself are breathing just fine. I'm mostly bummed for Bryan as that guy has been riding strong and was ready to unleash some pain. This actually has happened 2 yrs in a row now. Last year Bryan bribed me to go out to the Summer's End road race and unfortunately got tangled up in a mess in the first 20 minutes and had to watch from the sidelines as came within half a wheel of winning. Next year Bryan!

Check out 303cycling.com for pictures and a cool webcam video taken during the SM 35+ race.

Rist Canyon Hill Climb 2009

P-1-2: Brad Winn 5th
SM3: Ben Buxton 11th, Matt Duncan 18th, Peter Dunlap 27th

Brad
The race was fast from the start and we were strung out single file til we hit the climbs over Horsetooth. Finally a group of 2 established a break off the front and things settled down a bit. We rolled pretty steady to the base of the canyon where we heard a time gap of 1:30 to the 2 up the road. With that, the pace picked up significantly.

Matt Cooke, of the Ride Clean team, took a monster pull for what seemed like miles. I managed to hang on to what was left of the group through that and when he pulled off, I thought the pace would ease a bit. But then the Astana rider Janez Brajkovic took his turn at the front and further increased the speed and shredded the group. Soon enough there were only 5 of us left, and we were closing fast on the 2 breakaway riders. Once we caught them, the winning attack came, which I tried to go with, but couldn't respond.

I settled back in with the other 3 riders I was with and we tried to work together to bring back the eventual winner. Well, that never happened and I eventually fell off the pace with about a mile and a half to go. Luckily the fast pace at the bottom kept anyone from coming back, and I managed to hang on for 5th, less than a minute behind the pro tour rider in 4th.

Only in Colorado can the local race turn into a national, or even international, level race!

Ben
Rist Canyon HC is a great course. The Rist Canyon climb is challenging for sure and when prefaced with 4-5 hard climbs along Horsetooth reservoir it makes for a very interesting tactical race as well. We started the day under sunny skies and pleasant temperatures. The field seemed to be around 50-60 guys with many of the stronger climbers in the mix, including Mike Hanna and Jordan Sher from HART, Jayson Middlemiss from Mafia, John Moro, and Matt Benti as well as several strong juniors - the likes of Kit Recca, Jesse Goodrich, and a few others. The peloton seemed a little more relaxed than usual as most of the guys have been at it for a long season, and I for one was excited for the race, yet also ready to call this my last race of the season.

We rolled out of Masonville and a few eager starters began setting tempo as we transitioned from the neutral rollout. I settled in and let others set the pace and was content to just sit in up front. Peter and Matt were right up front as well and it was good to have a presence in this race, but our numbers were a bit down as the season is winding down. When we made the big left hander on to the Horsetooth climbs, my first reaction was, wow, those climbs are a bit steeper and a bit longer than I remembered. My plan was to just ride tempo at the front of these climbs knowing the descent would neutralize any efforts others put in and that's pretty much how it played out. On about the 3rd climb, Jayson Middlemiss laid down an impressive attack, but I stuck to my plan of letting the surges go and just regaining the group on the descent.

As we approach the Canyon climb, a couple guys put in another attack, but I was content to ride tempo and let the climb come to us. I was riding in the front group as the grade steepened and felt good in the group. I looked around and saw Jesse, Hanna, Moro and others and I also heard Jordan Sher (we have a little joke amongst ourselves about who breaths the loudest on any given day...:-)). I did notice that Jayson was not sitting up front and just as I was thinking this, he came by with another impressive attack. The pace quickened and I could feel myself approaching redline, but still was able to maintain. As we approach the middle section of the climb, there's a steep pitch up and then a lull. On the steep section, a Front Range junior upped the tempo along with others in the lead group and I found myself coming unhitched by about 10m. Matt Benti came along side me, and urged me along. I sat on Matt's wheel and was able to regain the group. But at this moment another surge when, and that's where I couldn't quite hang. We were about 2/3rds up the climb at this point, so I eased off and regained my tempo pace and then was able to up it again. I was dangling off the lead group by about 100m and could see them rounding the final switchbacks to the top. I hadn't remembered the climb as well as I thought, so wasn't exactly sure how much more to go, but glanced down at a chalk message that said 2 more turns to go. At this point I gave it full gas, caught one guy in the process, and came across the line in what would be 11th place. I was a little disappointed in the place as of course I wanted better, but learned that Jayson had won and he clearly demonstrated he was the strongest - nice job to him. Matt came across the line to take 18th and Peter a few out of the BAT points at 27th - but great job to both of my teammates who came out to race a hard climbing race, even though they are a bit more in their element in the races that go round in circles given their strong sprinting abilities. All in all a good day and a nice wrap up of the season for me.

Matt
While I do wish this race would grow back to the full loop, it is plenty hard enough just as a hill climb. It was a great day for a bike race on Saturday. We started in Masonville and made our way to the rollers around Horsetooth. As everyone knows these are some serious rollers. I almost lost the group on the longest one but dug deep and stayed with them. At the front of the race there was not too much action until mid way up Rist when the true climbers showed their ability to surge through the steeper sections. I made it farther than I thought I would with the lead group but sure enough I was not able to hang when the pace picked up a bit. I had to go back into my own climbing groove. For a while I had a couple riders in front of me that helped me mentally pace a bit harder. I was then caught by Jeff from Boulder Cycle Sport. He too was dropped with the climber's surge but he was putting in a great tempo after he recovered a bit. I rode with him for a while, catching two riders in the process. I tried to hang with him in the steep switch backs near the finish but fell off a bit. I also saw another rider up the road a bit and tried to dig even deeper but the switchbacks hurt quite a bit so I had to go into survival mode just to get through them. Overall I am very happy with the race as I had a goal to crack the top 20 which I did.

The post race BBQ back in the quirky town of Masonville is always a nice component of this race. Rist Canyon is a beautiful place. Ben, Peter, and I agreed that we need to make it back up there for a non racing ride sometime to really take it in.

Peter
It would have helped to have pre-ridden the course -- the elevation profile on the flyer did not do justice to the "rollers", at least one of which felt like Olde Stage both in grade and length. I got shelled off the back of the group on one of the big rollers, chased for a while with a guy from Spine and Sport and was within 25 yards of the main field when the road turned up for good and started the climb into Rist Canyon. The rollers took more out of me than I expected and I pretty much did not feel good climbing the canyon itself. There were a couple riders that were just a couple hundred yards ahead of me for most of the climb. I caught one guy on a steep section then he pulled away from me again when it leveled out (I think he accelerated when he saw me on his wheel). On the next steep section I caught him again and I decided to dig deeper and pass him. I pushed on past the next shallow section and started trying to pull myself up to the next guy but soon after that I hit the last steep section and I regretted spending all that energy. After the 1:35 of climbing and being pretty much fried for the last hour or so of that I barely made it up that section to the finish -- without exaggeration I genuinely thought I was going to have to put my foot down and rest. The only thing that stopped me from resting was the fact that I was pretty sure I would throw up if I stopped pedaling. Through all this I had no idea where the actual finish was although I was pretty sure I was close. Turned out I was almost there and once past the steep section I staggered into the finish. Later I found out my epic battle with that other rider had been for 26th place. Woohoo!

Beyond the fact that I was well past my fitness peak for the season one thing that was a factor for me was that I showed up with my crit setup -- 53/39 crank with 11/23 cassette. Thats way too much gear for the steep sections of the course and I suffered more than I needed to even on the rollers. I think I would have done better with my 12/27 and I'll definitely avoid making that mistake again!

Visit http://www.fccyclingfest.com/ for a cool video of the 35+ race to get a feel for the course

Next Up: Koppenberg

What we like about Feedback Sports

Peter Dunlap - Earlier this year I purchased a Feedback Sport Pro-Elite repair stand along with the optional tool tray, wheel truing station, and handlebar "flop stop". I'm extremely pleased with all of these. The stand is lightweight yet sturdy and all the adjustments have a solid high quality feel to them. The clamp has a smooth ratcheting action for attaching the bike and a push button quick release. A tote bag is also included for road trips.


The "flop stop" is an adjustable length rod with attachment points on each end for the seat post and handlebar and is used to hold the handlebars in a fixed position during repair. Pretty handy and everyone who has seen mine has had more or less the same reaction of "hey, that's really cool!"

One of the cool things about this stand is the integration with the other products. The Feedback Sports wheel truing stand comes with a heavy metal base for use on a workbench but it can also detach from the base and mount to the repair stand. Since my workbench rarely has enough spare real estate for a repair stand I find that very handy -- all the bike repair stuff is centralized. I'm no wheel building expert but I was able to true my powertap wheel using the stand in a few minutes which saved me a trip to the shop.


The one-sided mount is a bit unconventional compared to other truing stands but it has the advantage that you can check the dish by simply flipping the wheel over.

Bryan Myers - My new Feedback Sports stand is a fantastic addition to the garage and my biking quiver. Nothing compares to the ease of tuning your bike in the late evening the night before a big race w/ this stand. No more propping it against the wall and flailing to adjust out that pesky skip in the rear derailleur. The anodized red is a slick look too, making the stand closer to an extension of the bike than a greasy garage tool. You can't beat the new clamping system on these Feedback stands with the 'quick-slide button' for hanging the bike rapidly on the stand and quickly pulling it off. I've had other bike stands with tightening mechanisms for hanging that take an fortnight to tighten the clamp or to release- all the while your straining to one-hand the bike in a bicep burning pretzelesque position. You just don't have to think twice when hanging or removing a bike from this new clamping mechanism and its bomb-proof!

Diran Ayandele - Feedback Sports makes the best stands and scales on the market today. We're very fortunate to have garnered their support for several years now. From the first day I saw their design for a bike stand I knew my days of kneeling to perform maintenance were over. I could stand like a man and get the job done knowing my bike is securely held at whatever height and angle I need it to be. The stand's convenience is great, but also wonderful is how light and collapsible it is.

Did I mention that Feedback Sports got it's start making scales? I have spent many hours weighing the various bike parts found my garage on my alpine scale to determine the lightest configuration possible. One could easily become obsessed with it... oh wait, all bike racers are already obsessed with that stuff!

In summary, check out FeedbackSports.com to get the edge that the members of our team already have!

Matt Duncan - I used the Feedback Pro-Elite Repair Stand at a couple races this year and really like its portability and ease of use. It provides a great solution to an ongoing "challenge" I have with my wife when I lean my bike against our mini-van as I get ready and she opens the sliding doors knocking it over. I also really like the ease of use and precision of the scales. I have some friends who do a type of competitive backpacking event where they are very precise about the weight of their packs. They use the Feedback scales and love them.

Andy Johnson - (Regarding the Feedback scales) - Great way to weigh your new born baby to the 1/10th of a pound. (yes, we all have done it)

HART Criterium 2009

There is nothing like a late Sunday criterium in 98 degree heat and very strong winds. These elements along with a solid pace made this a tough race. As far as office park crits go I have always liked this one. The HART team does a great job putting it on and their announcers always make you smile.

The SM 3 was pretty good sized at about 70. The dynamic of the race was very similar to the last few crits with 2-3 teams (including us and Skins) doing most of the driving throughout the race with the HART crew owning the last lap. Some have questioned our aggressive style staying up front for the entire race and others have praised it. We will win some and lose some with this strategy but that is just who we are and what we want to do every race.

There were a few break attempts that yielded some primes but none lasted for the finish. The wind at the top of the hill was like a wall.

Ben rode at the front pretty much the entire race. I was back and forth in this one as the heat and wind made me have up and down laps. Apparently on the first lap there was a big crash right in front of the start-finish line. The field also splintered quite a bit on the first couple laps due to the crash and pace.

With a few laps to go there were a couple guys off the front. I took a big pull to significantly reduce the distance to them then the pace of the group overtook them. As the last lap came around I knew the key was positioning in the second to last corner. I had ok position but got a little nervous with some of the riders around me which took off a bit of my aggression to move up more. I was also a tad tired from the elements, a long season (this was race #27 for me), and having helped reel in the break a few laps before.

Apparently a couple recently upgraded juniors were up front but they could not beat the current final sprint stud, Patrick Hill from HART who won yet again. The HART train has been working well for them and Patrick yielding him 4 podium spots in the last four races. I was able to come in 11th, Ben in 15th, and Diran 27th. Diran's result is quite nice considering he has been having respiratory problems since the Prospect crit and has not been riding much.

Next up: Rist Canyon HC and Koppenberg

What we like about Hammer Nutrition

Hammer Nutrition is one of our original sponsors. The company and their products have been instrumental in our success. We solicited some direct feedback (pun intended) from our team members to see what importance they attach to using Hammer products and how they feel about the company. Here are some of the comments:

Diran Ayandele - Hammer! I love everything about Hammer. I love the company's guiding principles. I love the loyalty they've shown our team. I love the athlete support they provide in general. Oh yeah, and the products are the finest on the market as well.

Nate Llerandi - I have the privilege of being one of the early Hammer Nutrition customers, from back in 1989. I started using the core Hammer supplements back then leading into my senior year of competitive collegiate swimming and experienced my most successful season by far. From that point on I was sold on the quality and efficacy of Hammer’s nutritional solutions. Using a balance of pre-, during- and post-workout/race supplements gives me an edge I’m not willing to forego.

Ben Buxton - I started using Hammer Nutrition this year and the most noticeable difference for me is the speed of recovery after hard training sessions as well as feeling strong at the end long training rides. I use Recoverite religiously after every training session for glycogen replenishment as well as Hammer Whey for protein supplementation. On the bike, HEED, Hammer Gel and Endurolytes have helped me finish strong on both hard training days as well as races.

Peter Dunlap - This is my first year using the Hammer product line for training and racing. Their energy products have worked well for me and using the endurolytes has made a night and day difference in my performance in longer road races. The biggest revelations for me, however, has been Recoverite. After making Recoverite a part of my post-race routine I've been amazed at how much better I feel the next day. For the first time I've been able to have good results racing on consecutive days. Excellent stuff!

Matt Duncan - There are many things I like about Hammer products. My top one is my improved recovery without the stomach issues I was getting with other products. Even on my toughest training and racing days I have felt remarkably good the following day since I have been following the Hammer recovery process.

Matt Drinker - I've been using Hammer products (HEED, Recoverite, GEL) for the first time this season and have seen a huge improvement in energy and recovery time. I won't race or train without it anymore!

Brad Winn - Just wanted to give a short review of Hammer's Endurolyte capsules. Maybe some of you have already used these extensively, but I only recently was turned on to them, and they work great. During the last stage at Gila, it was about 80 degrees and the race was quite long. I ended up taking a total of 6 capsules over 5 hours along with a bottle of HEED, and I felt GREAT, even at the end of 102 miles of racing. I really do think the Endurolytes had something to do with this. On an earlier stage I tried a different supplement capsule and just didn't feel very good at all. Maybe it was just me, but I think the Endurolytes did their job and helped me to do mine. Bottom line, I'm going to be using these every time it's even remotely warm, and I would definitely recommend them!

Another Solid Team Showing at Niwot – 2009

We experienced some excitement and some disappointment yet overall satisfaction in Niwot this past weekend. We had riders in two races - the SM 35+ cat4 and SM 3. We came up short in our goal of a podium place in each race but we walked away satisfied knowing we were without doubt one of the main teams in control of both races.

In the SM 35+ cat 4 Bryan Myers, coming back from a racing hiatus, posted a sweet third place. This is his best finish in road racing. Congrats Brian! Todd Brady also had a nice race finishing in 11th and collecting a couple primes along the way.

Youth beat out experience in the SM3 race with 6 of the top 10 finishers being 30 or younger. Five of these guys were under 20. Two in particular, Yannick Eckmann and Maxwell Burnell also livened things up with multiple break attempts throughout the race AND they were able to hold on for 2nd and third respectively. This race clearly showcased a good future for Colorado cycling.


Our strategy was to set a blistering pace from the get go and I think everyone in the race would agree this mission was accomplished. We had an unplanned ally in this strategy from the Skins team. A huge tip of the hat is owed from us and all participants to Todd Robertson of Skins who was pretty much at the lead of the entire race. Todd, his Skins teammates, and us set the pace, did almost all the work, and chased down all the breaks.

Ben Buxton’s view on the breaks - While Todd was hammering at the front throughout the race, I traded pulls with him and ultimately chased Eckmann down 2 times, one mid-race, the other at 2 laps to go. In retrospect, I think I could have gone with Yannick after I chased him at 2 laps to go, as he was riding with his usual strength and I was feeling pretty good as well. It just seemed this race would come down to a sprint, so my tactic was to continue to ride the front, instead of driving a break."

While the fast pace splintered the group in the first lap leading to what I was told was 4 separate finishing groups we were not able to hold it in the final sprint to grab a podium place. We tried our best in the final sprint but it was clear that others had more finishing strength in their legs.


Ben’s view on the final sprint - Coming into the 2nd to last turn one of the HART guys came up the left side, slotted into the lead spot, then soft pedaled the 2nd to last right hand turn, while their sprinter (who would eventually win), attacked around him. I took a second to respond and I chased with all I had, but 4-5 of the stronger guys, including Eckmann and Burnell, were able to come by me and dive into the last turn.

Ben came in a strong 7th place with Matt Duncan right behind him in 8th place. On the bright side it did add to our BAT point lead.

One participant described the race as hellacious saying he had not ever had a harder first 30-35 minutes in a crit. Only 36 out of 77 starters finished this race which put it on par with the North Boulder Park Crit as the two hardest crits of the year. I would definitely say this was the fastest SM3 race of year in Colorado and knowing we were a major contributor to this race dynamic leaves me quite satisfied.

Related Note - Our top sprinter, Matt Drinker, who would have loved the SM 3 finish at Niwot, finished 17th in his p-1-2 debut the day before Niwot in the Raisin Hope criterium.

Nate Llerandi is now a Cat2!

The only times Nate finished outside the top 5 this summer in the Cat3s was when he was helping teammates in criteriums or dealing with mechanical problems like at the Salida RR.

Nate is the Colorado hill climb champion and just missed being the FIAC champion by a few seconds in the Dead Dog stage race. Being the huge competitor that Nate is he was quite disappointed in taking second but it was still an awesome achievement. To say Nate has had an outstanding season in 2009 would be a huge understatement.

Nate trains like nobody else I know and his results show the fruits of all his hard work. His work ethic and willingness to share his extensive training and nutrition knowledge has helped all his teammates and especially the Cat3s that had the pleasure of riding with him at many training rides and races.

Especially at his best when the road goes up, Nate showed that few Cat3s if any could beat him. Just look at the picture above. Nate's face shows fierce determination while the guy behind him shows pain and suffering. At many start lines this summer I noticed other teams looking around to see if Nate was there and when they saw him they knew the race would be hard as his presence elevated everyone else in the peloton as well.

Now it is time to take his racing to the next level as a Cat2. Nate joins Brad Winn, Chris Case, Greg Ross, and Matt Drinker as part of the Feedback Sports Road Racing Cat2 team. He is done for the 2009 road season. Be certain though that Nate will be ready for the Cat2s when the first road race of 2010 comes around.

Congrats Nate!