RACE REPORT: Charleston Weekend - 2 WINS IN TWO WEEKS!

This past weekend brought the team's second win in as many weeks as Dylan Cipkowski broke away with one lap to go in a repeat solo win! This past week highlighted the unity of the team as HD Coaching's training, team strategy, and equipment all helped to orchestrate success.

The team lined up Saturday with several of the region's teams to contest a great event in Charleston, SC in the I'ON Village in Mt. Pleasant. The team looked forward to representing Earth Fare in this event as they have a location only 8 miles from the race course! We passed out Earth Fare coupons before the race and planned on not only winning, but getting the team name announced as much as possible. The plan was to have Matt D, Dylan, and myself attack and counter attack and have Evan W. and Matt G. sit in the field and wait for the sprint. We lined up for a 55 minute race on a tight course that started with a chicane, leading into a long right hand sweeping turn into another 90 degree right hander. This led to the backside of the course that was up and over a small bridge before heading through a tight right hand cobble stone turn into the last straight-away before the final turn into the finishing straight. The tight course meant that it was fairly easy to control from the front, but the race stayed strung out as riders battled for position through the wide straights before hitting the tight turns. This was complicated by a light rain that fell on and off during the race. Combined with temperatures in the 80s, it felt like a sauna to those of us that live in the mountains!

As we waited for the start, we let a little air out of our Specialized tires to better grip the wet turns. After the gun went off the team started off right away with attacks as myself and another rider went up the road on the second lap. Matt D. and Dylan counter attacked until finally Dylan got away with another rider. This made it easy for the team as we were able to "follow wheels" as riders tried to bridge up to the leading duo. As Dylan grew his gap up front, a crash in the field behind took out Matt Dinsmore and he headed to the pit for a front wheel change. Fortunately I9 provided spare wheels for the event and Matt was able to swap out his wheel in the pit and hop back in the field. Unfortunately a staunch headwind made it tough for Dylan and his compatriot as Dylan ended up battling the wind by himself with about 15 laps to go. He decided that it would be silly to stay out there by himself and dropped back to the pack to recover for a few laps. I took an opportunity for a prime (mid-race prize) with 10 laps to go as riders sprinted for the next 2 laps as the promoters handed out prizes. Dylan decided that the strung out field had enough and took off for the second time of the day, getting a solid gap and taking a rider from Bitter Dose Racing with him. Their gap grew to 30 seconds as Matt and I covered moves behind. Matt decided that he would hit the front with 2 laps to go and he and I would lead out Evan for the sprint to the finish (behind Dylan of course!). However it was touch and go during the final 3 laps as the gap shrunk to about 10 seconds. Matt and I had front-row seats as Dylan attacked with about 1 km to go, dropping his partner, and Matt drilled it on the front, lining it out through the turns and making sure that no one would be able to get near the front in the sprint for second. We came through the 3rd turn, but I hesitated for just a second, and Charlie Brown (real name, and a local power-house) jumped around me before the final turn. I tried to close the gap between him and another rider but had to settle for 4th and a front row seat to see Dylan take his second win in a week! Evan rounded out the results with 14th and the team was able to show off a local sponsor yet again!

Sunday's results were almost as good, as the team scored 2nd (with Dylan in the winning breakaway) and Evan Wynn winning the filed sprint! Check out the race report, photos and more on our website and facebook pages:

http://ashevillegrassrootscycling.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001680326288

A big thanks to all our sponsors: Earth Fare, Industry Nine, Specialized provide by Cycle Sport Concepts, Highland Brewing, Blue Sky M.D., DNA, Defeet, HD Coaching, PEAK 10, Omnium Bodyworks, and Carbo Rocket

Greenville Spring Training Series Race Reports by Matt Dinsmore

The Hincapie Spring Training Series is the "official" opening to the race season, and provides an opportunity to test our legs against all the region's biggest teams, and even some pro riders! The Donaldson Center hosted both days of the first weekend, and both of those days presented completely different racing conditions.

Unlike the warm spring conditions of day one, a cold, wind-driven rain poured over us throughout the entire race on day two. In hopes of staying warm and dry for as long as possible, Dylan and I got no warm-up in what turned out to be a bad gamble. About half as many riders lines up as on the previous day, including several dozen former and neo-professional riders itching for early results. We ripped out of the gates and into the water like a speedboat, with the wind and rain immediately taking tolls on us all. We fought to maintain contact, temporarily dropped in a crosswind section but brought back by a heroic effort from Dylan. A small break had established 15-20 seconds on the field, with remaining teammates happy to defend them from behind. The pace slowed to a near standstill, severely clogging the front. Despite having just suffered a few heart attacks, I made my way to the front and took the first opportunity I could to jump across to the break. In an effort to establish dominance, I immediately took to the front of the group and took a pull. This ol’ silverback loves a laugh, and that’s just what he got! As soon as I retreated to the rear of the group, I noted that the field was chasing and would consume us within a few seconds. Anticipating that the counter would be the move that stuck, I stood up and tried to respond but my legs were rocks. I was unable to cover it, and watched a group roll away. I jumped back into the already decimated field and hoped that it would come back. It did not, and everyone seemed content to finish together and chat. I rolled in for a top-20 finish.

The series’ holds its only criterium on the BMW Performance Center test track. A crash in the preceding race delayed the start of our race by an hour. Everyone was ready to roll and it was fast from the gun. The winds howled, but criteriums generally offer predictable conditions. I covered practically every significant move, really hopeful that something would stick. Luck would not have it, and the race ended in a massive field sprint. Out of contention, I opted to roll in with the field to fight another day.

Wanting badly to come out of the series with a result of which we could be proud, five of us lined up at the River Falls Road Race with the hopes of enduring all ten ascents of its arduous climb. My legs were aflame from the first time up the hill on, and only once did I feel good on it. The rest of the team appeared to feel the fatigue of the past few weeks and we did what we could to cover attacks. With a few laps to go I came out of hiding to follow a few wheels myself, but the riders I followed were heavily marked and those attacks were short-lived. I felt my best throughout the last lap, but with speeds exceeding 50mph, maintaining good position going into a finishing climb that had already killed me nine times prior was not in the cards. I did move up, but could not match the speeds of those already in front of me and the race ended just before I could win it.

I look forward to our next race together, as we all have a lot to learn from one another and I think we all expect great things from our collective organization, including each of our generous sponsors, without which none of this would be possible: Earthfare, Industry Nine, Specialized/Cycle Sport Concepts, Highland Brewing, Mamacitas, Blue Sky M.D., DNA Cycling, Carbo Rocket, DeFeet, HD Coaching, Omnium Bodyworks, Peak 10, and ABRC (check them all out on our facebook page!).

RACE REPORT: Greenville Training Series

The year started off with a bang as our newest rider, Evan Wynn, pulled off a 3rd place finish as the first race in the series against the biggest teams in the Southeast, including George Hincapie himself! The week before, Evan Fader, riding solo, won the field sprint for 8th in Raleigh at the Wolf Pack Classic. Tim Jenkinson (coming off a National Championship team win at Collegiate Nationals last month) took home a storming win in the Cat. 3 field the following day, winning solo after attacking early and staying away! He followed this up with an upgrade to category 2 to join the rest of the team this year.

While we had some great results and lots of excitement, we fought against some other big teams (and some of us the pavement) . . .

Last weekend, Matt led the team in the hardest race of the series on Saturday after attacking a hilly course over 10 laps. And while attacking Chris and Evan battled in the wind at the Donaldson Center again. Evan made the early split with pro Andy Baker, but was brought back early. Unfortunately, while in the chase of the winning break, Chris' day ended early when a rider swerved to miss a DEAD CAT and took the rider out behind him. Chris had nowhere to go but over his bars and hit the pavement hard on his head, shoulder and left knee. Fortunately only soft tissues injuries ensued and will all heal in time.

Please see all of our early season race reports here, pictures from races, and follow us all year long at: http://ashevillegrassrootscycling.wordpress.com/ & http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001680326288

A big thanks to all of our 2012 sponsors: Earthfare, Industry Nine, Specialized/Cycle Sport Concepts, Highland Brewing, Mamacitas, Blue Sky M.D., DNA Cycling, Carbo Rocket, DeFeet, HD Coaching, Omnium Bodyworks, Peak 10, and ABRC (check them all out on our facebook page!).

World Cyclocross Masters World Championships Race Report

After such a bumpy few months, I didn't think things could get any bumpier, but I didn't bargain in a cold front that blew in Thursday night. After watching the weather for 2 weeks and hoping for 40 degree weather I pre-rode the course for 2 days in ankle-deep mud, rain, and snow and then watched as temperatures plummeted to the teens Thursday night. The wet, sloppy, muddy course, turned to a rock hard, rutted course as if wet concrete had set over

night. After a leisurely morning, my "pit boss", Marty, and I headed to the course around 10:30

to walk the course, warm up, and get ready for a

1PM start.

After parking, we walked the course and noted a few things. First, the race organizers had shortened the course, eliminated the treacherous muddy sidehill sector that riders were either running, or crashing on. Second, the course was frozen. SOLID. Riders were picking their way through the course, and even Scott Frederick that won the 35-39 race looked like he was warming up, not racing! The course started with a 300m paved section, taking a hard left onto a grass straight that had turned to a frozen, muddy bog. This emptied out into a left hand turn through frozen sand and rolled over more muddy, frozen grass before hitting a right-left section into a 180 degree turn into the first run up.

Frozen Run Up

The flyover was next after more mud and ice (theme of the day) and then through the pits for the first time. The "easiest" section of the course was next, but that was complicated by the icy

ruts that made this the most treacherous course I'd even ridden. After crossing through the pits again, we hit the long sand pit into the woods before heading up and down the sidehill sector and last run up before the paved finishing straight.

After the walk, I did 2 laps on the course, which was woefully short of what was needed to try to dial-in the lines that were

optimal on the day. Either way, all the riders were in the same boat. I got in a perfect warm up as Marty took my spare bike to

the pit. I was warm and ready to race by 12:45, hopped off the trainer and got to the the line.

I drew a second row start (behind fellow A-towners Drew Hager and Eric White) and lined up next to Thomas Turner, Sven van Eyndt, and Andrew Reardon - 1, 2, and 3 by the end of the day.

As we nervously awaited the gun we all stripped off our extra

layers and got ready for the challenging course. The gun went off and we accelerated off the line. I entered the first turn in around 10th place as we hit the frozen, rutted turf. After about 500m we hit the first S-turn and another rider careened into my front wheel, jamming my left brake

arm underneath my front wheel. As I came to a screeching halt, I jumped off and pulled the arm out and struggled to get the cable back into the arm. After nearly a minute I jumped back on my bike, dead last. I committed myself to pulling myself back into the top 10. I started passing rider after rider, but continued to get stuck as riders swerved and crashed all over the course.

Getting ready

After about 2 laps I pulled myself back into the top 15, and pulled back time on the straights, as well as the icy sections where the 3/8" screw "studs" I put into the bottom of my shoes aided me anytime that I dismounted. I could hear the battle unfold in front of me as Sven, the Belgian,

Andy, and Tom battle for the podium spots. I battled for my own spot and clawed my way back to the trio fighting for 8th place with about 2.5 laps to go. I focused on riding cleanly and smoothly, as I dismounted and ran the icy sections and zig-zagged across the course negotiating the deep ruts on the straights and turns. On the second to last lap I hit a deep rut on the backside of the course and crashed hard, losing a spot and hitting my head and right shoulder. I remounted and refocused as I got passed for 8th. I decided not to take any more risks and settled into 9th place with a lap to go. I rode the last lap myself, opening up on the straight-

aways and running full force on the run ups. I hit the final paved stretch and sprinted in, 2:30 down on the leader. After losing a minute on the first lap I was about 15s slower per lap than 1st place.

Riding the ruts . . .

and running the frozen puddles

Looking at the results:
1st place: 2009 World Champ and runner up last year
2nd: Pro mountain biker
3rd: former pro mountain biker
4th: Spaniard
5th: former pro mountain biker
6th: Brit
7th: where I "should have been" without the first lap crash and mechanical!

The results show a few things: our field was truly international, the course favored those with mountain bike skills, and it helps to stay on your bike!

Thanks for reading, and thanks for my 2011 sponsors: Industry 9 Componentry, Highland Brewery, Youngblood Bicycles, Cannondale, Mamacita’s, Schwalbe, DeFeet, Blue Sky, and Omnium Bodyworks

And a big thanks to Rachel, and all the other NCers who were out cheering!

Masters World Cyclocross Championships Week Diary

My journey to the 2012 Masters World Cyclocross Championships started with excitement when I first learned over a year ago that they would be held in Louisville, KY, one of my favorite race venues. I've participated in 2 editions of Masters Road Nats here as well as the USGP Derby Cross, so I was familiar with the area and the course. At the time I didn't bargain for how bumpy of a road I would take on the way.

Over two and a half years ago, my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 fallopian tube cancer; a variation of ovarian cancer. It has been an up and down battle since then, and my mother finally succumbed, after a hard-fought battle, on December 11th. In the Spring my wife and I learned that she was pregnant with our second child, and one of my first questions was "should I still go to Worlds?". She assured me that it was still a good choice as long as she didn't have to go (3 weeks after our son was born on December 18th). Combine this, with my mother's funeral 4 days before I had to leave for Louisville, taking care of our toddler son, and the general stresses of a life lived on call half of the time during a 50-60hr work week, and what you got was a lot of 5AM mornings trying to squeeze in some workouts inside on the trainer before I headed out the door around 7AM.

To help combat all of these challenges, I hired a coach with the specific goal of accountability during this tumultuous time. He told me that I needed more than my available 5-7hrs a week to compete on a world-scale, but we worked together to formulate a plan to keep me sane and get me to Louisville in the best possible form given my unique set of circumstances.

Saturday/Sunday: Last week began with my mother's funeral and a trip to MD with my son on a plane to be with my family. We hit the road at 4:45AM to catch a 7AM flight before the funeral on Saturday. I got a quick run in Friday and a nice ride in Saturday after the service. While my head was elsewhere, it was nice to have some workouts to stay focused. Sunday was a lot of time with the family before having to return home on Monday.

Monday: Ethan and I flew home first thing, and I dropped him off at daycare, hit the trainer for a quick set of intervals, and then headed to the hospital until about 10PM. A late night for sure, following a long day.

Tuesday: Up early to get back to work, before washing the bikes, packing the Element for 3 days of cold and mud, and this meant 2 bikes, 4 sets of wheels, and practically every piece of cycling clothing I owned. Add to the mix food, drinks, and street clothes, and it was a packed car! I also learned that there wouldn't be a seeding heat for our field on Thursday, so I decided to get in another set of intervals before dinner.

Wednesday: Up early and a hot cup of coffee along with more clothes packing to combat the sub-freezing temperatures predicted for the next 3 days. I hit the road to pick up my stepfather from Louisville airport, before checking in and pre-riding the course. He was surprised to see how muddy it was after a full day of rain! He'd never seen a "real" cyclocross race before so he was in for a treat! The course was so muddy that they limited the pre-ride to 2 hours, and I was only able to get in about 2 laps, and that was after power washing the bike in between! We found a car wash to spray everything down since I didn't feel like waiting for the hose for 30 minutes in the cold. After that it was on to registration before our first of 3 gourmet meals that I lined up for our 3 night stay. Night one was at The Marketplace.

Thursday: The day I was supposed to riding in a seeding heat, turned into another pre-ride of the course as my "pit boss", Marty, practiced power washing and bike exchanges for what could be a very muddy course on Friday. The plan was bike changes every lap with the possibility of every half lap! After 2 laps, my dad power washed and lubed my bike, and then power washed me, while it was snowing! Then it was back to the hotel for a luke warm shower (since our hot water wasn't working so well), and off to dinner at our best dinner of the evening at Limestone. No beer or wine for me though since Friday was the big day . . .

2010 Redux & 2011 Goals

So I just finished reviewing my year and I ended up with about 300hrs. for the year. That's 6-7 hours a week if you add in a few strength workouts here and there. Don't ask me how this converts to miles because a lot of these hours were inside. Here's how my training year broke down:

Total hours: 330
Biggest month (August): 41hrs, 650mi
Longest ride (Shenandoah Mt. 100): 9hrs
Longest road ride: 105miles, 5.5hrs, 10k ft elevation gain
Fastest ride: Ring of Fire 3/31 - 29.1mph
Highest TSS: 86

The year had several highlights on and off the bike. First, of course, was the birth of my son Ethan! I also was able to fit a few bursts of fitness into the year which contributed to wins in the State TT (30-34), a win down at the River TT as well as an Elk Mtn TT, on the track at the last Ring of Fire, as well as a win on the mountain bike at Fontana. I entered the year without any major goals, like Nationals, since I wanted to fully enjoy the time with my son and not have to worry that my time off the bike was hurting a big goal. However I did want to win the State TT and having some success in local events, as well as across the event spectrum (road, track, TT, MTB) made things fun.

I'm refining my plans for 2011, but with the formation of Industry Nine Grassroots team there will be a new level of motivation and some great teammates to share success with. Tentative goals for 2011 will be:

• Repeat NC 30-34 TT championship
• Win a road race & cyclocross race
• Set PRs up Elk Mountain and at River TT
  

Happy New Year!

Race Report: NCCX Statesville

After opting not to race on Saturday due to a heavy workload (OK, actually because it was 35 degrees and sleeting), I headed to Statesville on Sunday to get my first real ride in after 7 days of working my tail off! The morning greeted me with my annoying phone alarm, a hot pot of coffee, grey skies, and snow flurries. Fortunately my heated leather seats, tights, wool socks, Mad Alchemy embrocation and a little Beastie Boys helped to warm the body, mind, and soul!

After greeting some friends I kitted up, warmed up on the trainer, then hit the course. It was grassy, soft, windy, and pretty smooth, but "torquey". I put on my extra tights, thermal jacket, and fleece-lined gloves to warm up in the sunny 35 degree weather. After about 45 minutes I was ready to go and actually starting to sweat - perfect! We lined up and abruptly started, which saw me in the second row and about 10 back in the field. As we looped through the first turns, one of the local Raleigh riders went down hard and a few riders plowed into him as I veered off course to narrowly miss poor Lucas' head! Little did I know this would foreshadow my own fate on the day. I bided my time and smoothly worked my way up to 5th position by halfway through the 10-lap, 60 minute race.

I was feeling good, but on the limit when I caught a stake through a turn, broke it off on my knee, and promptly proceeded to endo onto my head! I lay on the ground stunned and admiring the Carolina-blue sky for what seemed to by about 5 minutes (really 30s), before I finally got up. I straightened my handlebars, spun my wheels and slowly got back on the bike. Amazingly after a full minute, no one had passed me. After walking over the barriers due to the pain in my left knee I was caught by a Cannondale Factory rider (Alex) and decided to try to proceed, cautiously, on his wheel. After a lap I settled back into a rythym, and maintained my 7th place until the finish.

While I probably could've been top 5 without the crash, this is a reality of 'cross racing, especially when you're pushing your own physical limits. Fortunately, I didn't break anything and even got a few bucks for my placing - just enough to cover my entry and a coffee for the trip home.

I'll probably do one more cyclocross race in 2010, and then call it a season. And what a great one it's been! A few wins for me, a lot more for the team (including overall in our local biweekly series, another National Championship jersey, and not only on the road, but mountain bike, cyclocross, and track as well!

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to our sponsors this year : Highland Brewing, Trek & Bontrager, Liberty Bikes, Rudy Project, PML Pathology, Mosaic Realty, Honey Stinger, Swiftwick, Carmichael Training Systems, Dr. Steve Miller DDS, Crossfit Brevard, Joe Lilly Photography, and Affordable Home Inspections.