Tuesday, September 07, 2010

2010 Cyclocross Racing Schedule

DateRaceCategoryLocationResults
Sept 7Tuesday Night Cross

Cat 2

St. Louis Park, MNPosted
Sept 14Tuesday Night CrossCat 2St. Louis Park, MNPosted
Sept 21Tuesday Night CrossCat 2St. Louis Park, MNPosted
Sept 25Planet Bike Cup #1Cat 2Sun Prairie, WIPosted
Sept 26Planet Bike Cup #2Cat 2Sun Prairie, WIPosted
Oct 2JR Ranch CyclocrossCat 2Hudson, WIPosted
Oct 3Carson Park CyclocrossA RaceEau Claire, WIPosted
Oct 16Baker Orchard CyclocrossCat 2Centuria, WIPosted
Oct 17Big Ring Flyer CyclocrossJuniorHudson, MNPosted
Oct 23Derby City Cup #1Cat 2Louisville, KYPosted
Oct 24Derby City Cup #2Cat 2Louisville, KYPosted
Oct 30Red Barn ClassicCat 2Taylors Falls, MNPosted
Nov 6NSC Velodrome CyclocrossCat 2Blaine, WIPosted
Nov 7Gopher Gallop CyclocrossJuniorBlaine, WIPosted
Nov 13MN State CyclocrossCat 2Crystal, MNPosted
Nov 21WI State CyclocrossCat 2Milwaukee, WIPosted
Nov 26Jingle CrossCat 2Iowa City, IAPosted
Nov 27Jingle CrossCat 2Iowa City, IAPosted
Nov 28Jingle CrossCat 2Iowa City, IAPosted
Dec 4Stanley Portland Cup #1JuniorPortland, ORPosted
Dec 5Stanley Portland Cup #2JuniorPortland, ORPosted
Dec 8US Cyclocross NationalsB 10-29Bend, ORPosted
Dec 10US Cyclocross NationalsJuniorBend, ORPosted

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Farm Dog Time Trial




We all missed Black Dog this year, no question. A huge thanks to Silver Cycling for putting on the Farm Dog TT. It is out there in the boondocks, but well worth the drive.

Carla, Jordan, and I made all 3 of the events, and all 3 of us set personal bests at the last one. Carla took home 3rd for the series in Women's stock, Jordan won the Junior series, and I won the Masters 35+.

Jordan uncorked a huge ride at the finale, catching his 30 second front man, Jens Brabbit, and holding off his 30 second follower, John Shishilla. Both of these guys are all kinds of fast, showing the kind of ride Jordan had. His average speed was 27.5mph, and his time was less than 20 seconds off the likes of Shishilla, Timmer, and Toftoy. Keep it up Jordan!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Hamel Time Trial - Saturday, September 11

Click on the Flyer Below to enlarge.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

WI State TT History and Distances

This was our 3rd year going to Kansasville, WI for the WI State TT. Here is a breakdown of our year to year results:


YearJordan - 20KJimmer - 40K
200829:1354:12
200926:4356:50
201026:0856:04


It's clear who's getting faster, and who's getting slower.

The times are always impressive compared to other courses. Part of this is due to the fact the courses are not a full 20K or 40K.

Based on my Garmin:

Measured 20K (12.4mi) distance = 12.04mi = 19.42K
Measured 40K (24.8mi) distance = 24.26mi = 39.13K

Translating Jordan and my times:

Jordan's Time translated to a full 20K:
26:08 @ 27.6mph = 26:55
Jimmer's Time translated to a full 40K:
56:04 @ 26mph = 57:21

Data from the MN State TT Course:
Measured 20K distance = 12.46mi.
Measured 40K distance = 26.9mi.

Monday, August 09, 2010

My Little Girl is a Senior in High School!

Maren and boyfriend Charlie, Prom 2010.


No question that my daughter, Maren, doesn't get enough press from me. I can't make up for lost time, but I want to share her accomplishments and aspirations for which I am most proud.

Personality:
Maren is very genuine. Her outgoing persona and charisma have led her to make many long lasting friendships. She is a very thoughtful and caring person.

Talent:
Maren is a very talented singer and actress. She is a member of the exclusive Hudson High School Chamber Choir, and has already acted in 3 different plays, "Beauty and the Beast", "Willy Wonka", and "You Can't Take it With You". She is set to audition for 2 upcoming local plays, "Hello Dolly" and "Snow White".

Education:
To say Maren is smart is an understatement. She is modest about her good grades, and excellent study habits. Her tenacity led her to retaking the ACT after she was unhappy with her initial score. Her score improved enough to give her a great chance at getting into the college of her choice. I'm proud to say my alma matter, the University of MN, is her first choice. She is planning on a double major in Biology and Psychology. I am so impressed with her drive and direction!

Work Ethic:
Maren is a whiz at retail clothing sales. Her fashion sense, and outgoing personality make her a delight to work with. She currently works at an upscale fashion store in Woodbury called Elodie. Pay her a visit sometime. You won't be disappointed.

I'm so proud of you Maren! Keep up the hard work.

Just Riding Along...

I've been posting all of my updates to facebook lately, and neglecting my blog.

So, what's been going on?

- Joined 14 of my Flanders teammates on a 185 mile ride from Mtka to Duluth. 185 miles in 9 hours. My longest ride ever! Thanks Shepard!
- Skibby and I rode 104 mi on the hottest day in July. 1st half was in the muggy heat, 2nd half was in the pouring rain.
- I've been officiating regularly at the track.
- Jordan has been racing at the track. He has already upgraded to Cat 3.
- I returned to track racing. It's harder then I remember, but still a ton of fun.
- Lots o' TT's. Synergy, MN & WI State, TNT, Farm Dog, Track Pursuits, ...
- Jordan went to the USA Development Camp in LaCrosse, WI. He loved it.
- Carla is feverishly preparing for the Minneapolis Duathalon and Iron Girl. The chick is gettin fit!
- Maren is preparing for her Senior Year in High School, as well as selecting a college! OMG, where has the time gone?

Three State Championships in One Day

20K in 26:08, 27.6mph!

Jordan captured 3 WI State Championships on Saturday, August 7th:
WI State Time Trial - Juniors 10-18
WI State Track Scratch Race - Junior 15-18
WI State Track Points Race - Junior 15-18

He dominated the 20K at the WI State TT with a PR time of 26:08, winning by almost 2 minutes. That's an average speed of 27.6mph.

WI State Track was our first opportunity to race at the velodrome in Kenosha, WI. The turnout was dismal. Only 5 starters in the juniors scratch race, and only 2 starters in the juniors points race.

A huge thanks to the Huang family for their hospitality in Kenosha!

Both Jordan and I participated in the Cat 1/2/3 WI State Track Keirin and Points Race. That was a decent race with 14 starters. Jordan lapped the field with 2 others, finishing 3rd. I held my own, and finished 4th.

Way to go Jordan!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

I'm Back

Winning by a bikethrow in the Masters 1/2/3 Summit Crit

My training and racing has been taking a back seat this year to allow me to focus more on supporting Jordan. By the time we got back from Junior Nationals, I was feeling pretty unmotivated. Poor performances at the Fairgrounds Crit, and Northfield had me ready to throw in the towel.

Then Carla helped me realize that I need to get back to my normal training volume. It started with riding home from the Northfield Crit to Hudson.

I sandbagged the Synergy TT, opting for the 20K instead of facing the fasties in the 40K. I won the Men's open division, and finished a mere 7 seconds faster than Jordan. Confidence building...

I had much better legs in the Hopkins Crit, getting in a short lived break with Chris Smith, winning a prime, and helping reel in a late solo break by Brian Koeneman. Feeling even better...

Then came my first Dakota Tech Crit since 2004. In the Masters 1/2/3 race, I stayed up front, to cover moves. After covering a few, I jumped on one initiated by Jason Snider and Charlie Townsend. I was so gassed covering them, that I just sat on for a lap before being able to pull through. Brent Binkowski bridged across the gap to make us 4 strong. Our gap was tenuous, with Charlie and Jason driving the break. Brent was pitching in too, and I pulled through as best I could. I was absolutely on the rivet for the entire time.

I knew my teammates were behind protecting the break, so getting dropped back to the pack was NOT an option. The laps ticked by, and with 2 to go, it looked like we would stay away. Snider attacked half way through the penultimate lap. Townsend was ready, but myself and Binkowski had to work to get back on. As we maneuvered for position on the last lap, the field was quickly closing in.

Eventually, Brent lead us into the 180 on the far side of the course, where Sinde, Townsend, and I jumped around on the outside. A small chase group, just in front of the field, caught us exiting the corner. I looked back to see Scott Flanders on my wheel, so I jumped, figuring he'd be on my wheel for the finish. I dug hard from about 300m out, seeing his shadow just behind. With 150m to go, I look back to see it isn't Scott, but Townsend who has my wheel.

At first I figure I've blown it, but I'm not going to give up when I'm this close. I dig as deep as I can remember to resume my sprint. Charlie draws along side me in the final straight, but I won't give up. I'm always telling Jordan never stop sprinting until you cross that line. I dug all the way to the line, and thought I had it, but it was too close to call. The photo above shows I prevailed by a very narrow margin. My first non TT victory since the 2009 MN State Crit. I was thrilled, and surprised, to say the least.

I was so wasted after the finish, I nearly blacked out. It took me a full cool down lap to catch my breath. I tried starting the Cat 1/2/3 race which immediately followed, but my legs were toast. By the time I finished the first lap, the field was almost done with 2.

I plan to formally celebrate my victory by joining my Flanders teammates in a 200mile ride up to Duluth tomorrow. The furthest I have previously ridden in one day is 140mi. It will be enjoyable and epic...

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Junior 15/16 European Race Camp

One of Jordan's biggest goals for this season was to qualify for the USA Cycling Junior 15/16 European Race Camp. Only 6 riders are selected to go to Belgium for 3 weeks of racing in August. Selection is based on performance at national level events, and testing results from the USA Cycling Development Camps. The competition for this camp is very tough, and Jordan is on the younger side of the group.

Jordan found out yesterday, that he is an alternate for the camp. While he is understandably disappointed, he knows he has another opportunity to go next year. There is also a slim chance he may still go, if a spot opens up. The trip is not cheap, at $4200 all in.

Instead, Jordan will apply to attend the regional USA Cycling Development Camp in Lacrosse, WI, held the 1st week in August.

Congratulations to the 6 riders who were selected for the Camp (4 or which are past or current Junior National Champions):
Michael Dessau - 2009 Junior 13/14 National Road Race & Time Trial Champion
Dean Haas
Colin Joyce - 2010 Junior 15/16 National Time Trial Champion
Jonathon Schilling - 2009 Junior 13/14 National Criterium Champion
Marcus Smith
Erik Volotzky - 2010 Junior 15/16 National Criterium Champion

Nationals Trip Recap

Our trip out west to US Road Nationals was every bit as fun as last year. This year, Dave Hackworthy joined us for the drive. We also flew Carla, Maren, and boyfriend Charlie out to meet us in Bend.

We rented the same house we stayed in for Cross Nationals last December with Planet Bike. We shared the house with Kaitie Antonneau's family and Sarah Huang's family. There were a total of 15 of us! Surprisingly it wasn't that cramped, and we all had a great time sharing in the fun together.

On the way out, Jordan and Dave got to ride in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, SD. The terrain and scenery was incredible!

Both Jordan and Dave did the Elkhorn Classic Stage Race in Baker City, OR. Jordan finished 9th in the RR, and 2nd in the TT for the Cat 3's. Dave finished 12th in the Cat 1/2 TT.

The weather in Bend was amazing! Sunny every day, light winds, a little hot late in the week, but nothing like last year. Bend is such a cool place, Old Mill, Dechutes River, Tumulo Falls, Downtown, etc. The snow capped mountains to the West drew our attention all week.

A huge congrats to all the success of the 5 racers who stayed in our house:

Skylar Schneider (Travelling with the Huang's - Samantha Schneider's (Team Tibco) sister)
National Champion - Junior Women 10-12 Road Race
National Champion - Junior Women 10-12 Criterium
4th Place - Junior Women 10-12 Time Trial

Sarah Huang
5th Place - Junior Women 15-16 Road Race
7th Place - Junior Women 15-16 Criterium
11th Place - Junior Women 15-16 Time Trial

Kaitie Antonneau
2nd Place - Junior Women 17-18 Road Race
5th Place - Junior Women 17-18 Criterium
5th Place - Junior Women 17-18 Time Trial

Jordan Cullen
4th Place - Junior Men 15-16 Time Trial

Dave Hackworthy
19th Place - U23 Men Time Trial

Already looking forward to next year.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Final State Fair Crit


A great shot from last nights State Fair Crit. Jordan off the front solo early in the race.

US Junior Nationals 15-16 Time Trial Podium



Jordan finished 4th in the Junior 15-16 US Nationals Time Trial. He finished only 1 second out of 3rd place. His time was even good enough to place him 10th in the Junior 17-18.

Making the podium, especially considering he is on the younger end of the age group, is a great accomplshment for Jordan. I'm very proud!

This marks Jordan's 4th podium finish at US Nationals.
2008 Cyclocross Nationals Junior 13-14 - 3rd Place
2009 Road Nationals Junior 13-14 Road Race - 2nd Place
2009 Road Nationals Junior 13-14 Time Trial - 2nd Place
2010 Road Nationals Junior 15-16 Time Trial - 4th Place

Results Posted

Monday, June 14, 2010

Final Preparations for Junior Nationals

Jordan and I originally planned on heading to Ripon, WI on Sunday for the WI State Crit. The idea of driving 8 hours round trip for a 20 minute race just didn't make sense, state championship or not. Therefore, we opted out in favor of an easy training ride.

One more River Falls TT on tap for Tuesday. Looks like just Jordan and me this time, with everyone else opting for the State Fair Crit.

We depart this week for our trip to Junior Nationals in Bend, OR. Dave Hackworthy will be joining us this year for our trip out west. We had such a great time with Dylan Knutson last year, we are happy Dave is up for our western adventure.

Similar to last year, we plan on doing a stage race on the way out. Originally, we planned on doing the Uintas High Classic in Utah/Wyoming. However, we reconsidered after learning the base elevation is 7000 feet, which would likely degrade performance for nationals. So instead, we decided to do the Elkhorn Stage Race in Baker City, OR.

Victoria Circuit Race Recap

Once again, despite the threat of rain, we opted in for the Victoria Circuit Race. Jordan raced Cat 3's, Cat 1/2's for myself.

Jordan's race was uneventful, coming down to a field sprint won by Tyler Olson, Jordan 2nd, Merrill Lutsky 3rd. Bianca Bergman finished an impressive 4th!

Originally, I wasn't planning on racing at all, in favor of volunteering for Jordan's free race entry. After watching a corner for the 1st wave, I was no longer needed. With 20 minutes until race start, I opted in.

I covered a couple moved early in the first lap, then the rain started shortly after completing the 1st of 5 laps. Woell and Sedgewick attacked in the tailwind section, and, sadly, I was gapped. I chased hard, catching back on at the bottom of the course, only to be dropped for good on the next surge. Sucks to be me I guess.

Ed Alpasa caught up to me, and we joined forces determined to finish all 5 laps, despite the rain. We did just that. No DNF for me this time.

Up front, Sedgewick and Woell held onto their advantage, finishing 30 seconds clear of the field. The elder Sedgewick won, Woell 2nd. The field sprint was won by Roeser, Zimmermann 4th, Hackworthy 5th.

Results Posted

Jordan's First Thursday Night Lights Experience

Jordan's first experience at the track was perfect. Even with the threat of rain, 16 Cat 4/5's showed up to race. First up was a 10 lap scratch race. Jordan sat on the front for several laps, and found out first hand what getting swarmed is like. He finished 4th. Next was the chariot race. This is a 2 lap race, standing start, with qualifying heats. Jordan came from behind to win his heat, and make the final. He got boxed in a bit in the final, but didn't give up, found a hole, and finished 3rd.

Last was a 40 lap points race, points for the top 4 riders every 10 laps. Jordan knew this was a race in which he could do well. He rode patiently, winning the first sprint. After taking 2nd in the second sprint, he continued his effort, and got away solo. He rode a steady tempo, eventually lapping the entire field, and winning the final 2 sprints. Well done Jordan!

The best part was Carla and I were officiating the race, and got a birds eye view of his performance.

Results Posted

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Ready for Track Racing


Jordan went up to the track Wednesday night for practice. Thanks to Bob Williams for offering the class, and John Baker for the loaner bike. Jordan's ready for Thursday Night Lights!

State Fair Crit #1


Despite the rain, Jordan and I opted for the State Fair Crit Tuesday evening. By the time we raced, the rain had quit, and the roads were drying out. 30 starters in the 1/2/3's. Jordan's goal was positioning.

15 minutes in, I got gapped off the back. I sat-up, regrouped, and rejoined the field 1 lap down, and rode tailgun for the rest of the race. I had a catbird seat to watch Jordan do a good job of positioning himself. He was even able to move forward in the final lap to finish 7th. Nice finish Jordan!

The field sprint was dominated by recent Cat 1 upgrade, Colton Barrett and Timmer. DanO 3rd, Woell 4th.

MBRC/Flanders managed to get in several moves off the front, but nothing stuck. However, we were rewarded with 3 ninja primes! Well done guys!

Donimator outsprinted Adam Gorski to win the Cat 3/4 race on his 14th wedding anniversary. Nice way to celebrate? What do you think Brenda?

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Wisconsin Junior State Road Race Champion

(L-R) Patrick Diamond - 3rd, Jordan Cullen - 1st, Lionel Rocheleau - 2nd

Jordan won the overall Wisconsin Junior State Road Race Championship on Sunday. He raced up in age last year and was 3rd. Top step this year. Very proud!

The course is southeast of Madison, WI in Spring Prairie. A 6.5 mile circuit with several short steep climbs, that wear on your legs, and a NW wind to add to the challenge. The juniors did 4 laps.

Around 20 riders lined up, and the action started right away. Halfway through the 1st lap, a group of 7, including Jordan, had a gap. However, they sat up in the tailwind, and everything came back together prior to the finish climb.

Jordan pushed it over the top of the climb, and drew out some riders. Eventually, it was just Jordan and Lionel Rocheleau from Gear Grinder in a 2 man break, with 3 chasers: Patrick Diamond (Geargrinder), Kaitie Antonneau (Kenda), and Kevin Lindau (IScorp).

Jordan and Lionel worked together for a lap, then Jordan made a move on one of the climbs and got away for the solo win. Lionel held on for an easy second place. Diamond got away from Kaitie and Kevin, but the 2 kept him in sight and working hard to stay away. Diamond finished 3rd. Kaitie gapped Kevin on the hill for 4th, Kevin 5th. What a great race!

Results Posted

Thursday, June 03, 2010

River Falls TT #3

Had some company this go round in Dan Casper and Jonathan Toftoy. Conditions were ideal with calm sunny skies. I went first, followed by Jordan a minute later. Once we were finished, Casper started in front of Toftoy by 1 minute.

I rolled good, but still expected Jordan to pass me like last time. At the turn around point, Jordan was much further back than I expected, and out of this aero position. I had a feeling he was having issues with his right leg again. I finished, and had to wait quite a while before Jordan came in. My suspicions were correct that his leg was slowing him down again. Bummer.

I figured Toftoy and Casper to beat my time by around 2 minutes. I was off by a minute. They really flew over the course. Casper stayed away from Toftoy on the challenging course. Toftoy drew back 20 seconds on Dan, but not close to catching him. Incredible rides by both.

Results (12.78mi, 600ft elevation gain):
1. Toftoy: 28:14
2. Casper: 28:34
3. Jimmer: 31:21 (PR by 19 seconds)
4. Jordan: 33:25

Jordan has been stretching, but it obviously isn't enough. Last week, prior to the TNT, he got a Sports Massage at the Fix Studio, and that seemed to make a world of difference. Looks like sports massages will become a more routine thing for Jordan from now on.

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Jordan wins the Cat 3's at Snake Alley


Jordan had one of his best races ever, winning the Category 3 race at the Snake Alley Criterium in Burlington, IA.

The race consisted of 15 laps, each with a steep climb up the "crookedest alley in the world" (as seen in the photo below).



Jordan made the initial selection of 12 riders, from over 60 starters. Jordan raced the Juniors 15-18 earlier in the day, and had a disappointing 5th place finish. He knew he could do better.

With 5 laps to go, Jordan attacked his group on the Snake. He established a small gap, which slowly grew. By the finish he was 30 seconds clear, taking an impressive solo victory.

The funny thing was that after Jordan's disappointment in the Juniors race at Snake Alley, he stated "I'm not racing the Cat 3's Dad." I convinced him to shake it off, regroup, and focus. Clearly, he did just that. Well done Jordan!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

TNT - Much, Much, Better

Better conditions, better legs = better day.

89degs and moderate SW winds made for some fast times last night at TNT. Toftoy ripped a new course record in 22:36, for an average speed of 29.2mph. Casper and Mulrooney both rode fixies to fast times of 23:12 and 23:43, respectively. I had a great ride, in 24:24, improving by 2mins25secs, over 2 weeks ago. Jordan improved as well with a 24:41 (1min18sec improvement). Dad wins the father/son battle this week by 17 secs. I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. All of these times match the self-timed results for each rider.

We dodged a weather bullet, as a thunderstorm rolled in after everyone had finished.

Times for the later starters look off to me. I got self-timed results from several of the later starters that were slower by as much a 1min30sec from the ones listed in the results (all in increments of 30 seconds). May have been some mistakes in start order?
Results Posted

Monday, May 24, 2010

Square Lake Road Race - Grav Racin' in the rain.

Square Lake Road Race was advertised at 30% gravel, 70% pavement. Anyone who raced will attest this seemed a bit of an embellishment. It was also not as hard packed as advertised. Lots of pinch flats. I will say that Birchwood did an excellent job of marshaling the corners, and controlling traffic. Just to make it interesting, an unpredicted thunderstorm rolled in for the last half of the morning wave of racing.

I raced Cat 1/2's. It was short lived. I flatted on the first lap, buried myself to chase back on, almost made it, then called it a day. When the rain started coming down, most of my guilt from quiting washed away.

After I quit, I got in my truck, grabbed some wheels, and drove support behind the Cat 3's. Only 11 starters, with 8 left when I started following. Jordan was pushing the pace on the gravel sections, and in the feedzone hill. On lap 4, an attack in the feedzone gapped Shaw and Krueger. At 2 laps to go, only 6 riders were left: Jordan, Kermisch, Byrnes, Ribbens, Olson, and Weisgram. Kermish and Jordan made a bid to get away on the paved section, but were chased down. Due to lightning, the officials notified the group they would be finishing on this lap.

Unfortunately, Byrnes got a flat on the last gravel section. I gave him a fresh wheel, allowing him to at least finish 6th. The remaining 5 came onto the pavement with about 600m up a gradual rise to the finish. Jordan jumped first, but Kermisch was ready, and was able to get around him for the win. Jordan didn't give up, and held on for second. Weisgram 3rd, Olson 4th, and Ribbens 5th.

Carla was officiating, so we also stuck around for the afternoon wave. It was pouring rain, and officials were considering cancelling the afternoon races, but it cleared up, allowing a delayed start, albeit, with many racers opting out.

As it cleared up, it up came the temps and the wind. This decimated virtually every field. Riders were coming through the finish 1 or 2 at a time all afternoon. This made updating the lap counter and scoring a difficult task. Carla did a great job given the circumstances. We capped the day off with dinner out at the Freighthouse in Stillwater.

Results Posted

Friday, May 21, 2010

Fast, But Not Fast Enough

Finally found my legs last night at the County Cycles Time Trial. To say I've been struggling this year with my form is an understatement. Last night was the first time this year I felt like my old self. However, I was still humbled by an unbelievable performance by Jon Toftoy.

Perfect conditions last night. 80 degrees, light wind, and dry. Turn out was very light compared to the Ride and Glide TT's. Not sure why, publicity?

Start order (30 sec between riders):
Andy Tetmeyer
Eric Oftedahl
Jimmer
Missing Rider
Jordan
Timmer
Toftoy

I figured Andy and Eric would be perfect carrots for me, and I was right. I also figured Jordan would catch me for a minute. Thought I had a chance of holding off Timmer and Toftoy.

Part of my struggle this year has been getting my HR up. Not a problem last night. I was running 10bpm higher than previous efforts. I knew I was on a good ride, and caught Eric at the halfway point, and Andy at the turn onto Manning.

I struggled a bit in the stair step rises on Manning, and someone comes blazing by me. I expected it to be Jordan, but no, it's Toftoy! He's already caught me for 2 minutes?

I check over my shoulder, and can see Timmer closing too. By now, I'm on the faster section of Manning, and dig deeper. My mind and legs were working together, and I pulled back a little time on Timmer all the way to the finish.

I rolled back to the parking lot with the guys, and start wondering what happened to Jordan. Turns out he had a bad night, having some cramping issues in his right leg and glute. Despite this, he still averaged over 26mph. Jon and Timmer helped Jordan out post race showing him some stretching exercises to loosen the affected areas. Thanks guys!

Toftoy smoked a new course record, averaging over 29mph! Dave and Holly Ludwigson rode a great time on their Tandem.

Toftoy: 27:48
Timmer: 29:10
Jimmer: 29:54
Ludwigsons: 30:54
Jordan: 31:10
Oftedahl: 31:27
Tetmeyer: 31:42

Results Posted

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Looking Pro

Jordan in the Cat 1/2/3 race at Wheels on Willy

The Picture Says it All


Jordan wins the field sprint against a stacked juniors field at Wheels on Willy.

Photo courtesy of Dan Barrett

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

River Falls TT #2

What a difference 2 weeks make. Tonight was perfect bike racing weather. 80 degrees and light winds. Nothing like the chilly blustery conditions last time. We did our 2nd practice TT in River Falls, on a course designed to match the Junior Nationals TT course.

Like last time, I started 1 minute in front of Jordan. Once again, he made up most of his deficit by the top of the first climb. I held him off to the turnaround, where a farm tractor and a couple cars made for an interesting turnaround. No traffic on the entire course until that point. Go figure.

Up the return climb, Jordan made the inevitable pass. However, I was able to hold him in sight all the way to the final descent. Near the bottom, I was able to re-pass him. This motivated him, and he re-passed me. This happened a couple more times until he passed me for good. Great ride.

Both of us improved our times over from 2 weeks ago.

Last week:
Jordan 31:40
Jimmer: 31:55

This week:
Jordan: 30:36 (1 min, 4 sec improvement)
Jimmer: 31:39 (16 second improvement)

Monday, May 17, 2010

Wheels on Willy 2010 Recap

Jordan amongst the over 100 starters in the Pro/1/2/3 Men Race

Jordan and Dan Casper on the last lap of the Pro/1/2/3 Race

Jordan on the attack in the Junior 15-18 Race

Finally made it down to the legendary Wheels on Willy Criterium in Madison, WI. We've been intending to make the trek the past few years, but always opted for racing in MN. Another beautiful day in Madison. Partly sunny with light winds. The 4-corner rectangular course is in a cool residential neighborhood, with a couple bike shops and small cafes. The finish stretch is a light uphill grade, and the course is relatively narrow, with some tough to avoid potholes.

Junior 15-18 Recap:
A nice big and strong group of 20+ older juniors towed the line for Jordan's first race. He played it cool in the beginning of the race, and got more aggressive as the race wore on. Lots of attacks, but nothing stuck, until Spenser Oswald (Baraboo Sharks) made a strong move with no reaction from the field. IScorp and Geargrinder had the biggest numbers in the race, but didn't seem intent on chasing. This gave Spencer the gap he needed for the easy win. Jordan rode a smart race, and won the field sprint, taking a strong 2nd place, in front of Thompson Remo and Darrell Kohli. Well done Jordan! Average speed 25.5mph.

Masters 1/2/3 Recap:
I started in the back, and was stuck in the back for the entire race. My legs were flat, and every time I moved up, I drifted to the back again. I resigned my self to tail gunner, and watched to make sure I didn't get gapped off the back by tired riders. I finished at the back of the field, which came down to a field sprint of over 60 riders. Average speed 27mph.

Pro/1/2/3 Recap:
Jordan was excited to race with the big boys, so he opted for the this race instead of the Cat 3's. He started near the front of the 100+ rider field, with the intention of staying out of trouble. He did just that. He came up with a strategy of marking a couple riders, and making sure he never went too far forward or back in the field. His plan worked to perfection, and he made it all the way to the end, which was a field sprint of over 60 riders. He finished a respectable 39th. Adam Bergman and Texas Roadhouse gave Colton Barrett the perfect lead out for the win. Average speed 28.5mph.

During the race, Pat Lemieux (Texas Roadhouse, Nick Vetter (SPBRC), and an IScorp rider got in a break which looked pretty good. The IScorp rider flatted, resulting in Pat and Nick almost being caught, but he returned after a free lap, and the gap grew again. Unfortunately, the IScorp rider rolled his front tubular and crashed out of the break. This resulted in the ultimate capture of the break and resulting field sprint.

Results Posted

LaRue Denzer LaRue Road Race

Back to Baraboo, WI for another hilly road race. The LaRue Denzer LaRue course is one of the toughest, if not the toughest road race course I've ever done. 2 long climbs per lap = 3800ft of climbing over 50 miles. However, since the finish is at the bottom of a long downhill, it's not necessarily a "climbers" race. It is a race of attrition, but there is generally a survivor regrouping on the downhills after each climb.

The weather was a welcome relief. A beautiful sunny, calm day.

Masters 1/2/3 Recap:
I raced the Masters 1/2/3, with very low expectations. I had some gear skipping issues just after the start of the race, and ended up pulling over on the first climb to make a barrel adjustment. I was dropped already anyway.

I regrouped after the steeper sections, and got rolling pretty good. To my surprise, I caught back up to the group in the flats on the top. I knew the downhill was coming, and wanted to be on the front, so I held my pace, and went around the entire field. I drilled the downhill and didn't even look back. By the time I got to the finish of the 1st (half) lap, I found myself alone, just ahead of the group.

Gordy Paulson bridged across and we worked together all the way to the climb. The field sat up, and we had the intention of making it to the top of the next climb before we were caught. Gordy made it, I didn't. I hooked up with Dave Eckel at the top, and we worked together to almost catch the field before the next long climb.

My legs, lower back, and mind gave out on the climb. I struggled to keep going in my 39-27. As I labored, the Cat 3 lead group of 15 riders, Jordan included, passed me. I made my way over the top, down the hill to the finish line, and called it a day. Another DNF, but no regrets. It was a beautiful day.

Cat 3 Recap:

Jordan raced the Cat 3's. He found the climbs to his liking, but held back from attacking until the last lap. He attacked the first climb of the last lap, and got a good gap with fellow junior racer, Darrell Kohli. However, they were caught by a small group of chasers on the long downhill. Jordan attacked near the top of the last climb, and got a solo gap, but was caught again on the downhill. This left it to a high speed sprint finish at the bottom of the downhill, not one favorable to riders with junior gears. Jordan finished 6th in the sprint. Well done, considering he was dropped 2 weeks ago at Circuit of Sauk.

Cat 1/2 Recap:
I volunteered to drive behind the Cat 1/2's as wheel support. Its a great way to watch the race, plus help the riders out with any problems. Kyle Jacobson got a flat on the 1st lap, grabbed a wheel, and made it back. That was the only issue on the day.

The winning break formed on the first climb, when 7 riders got away. Alex Wiesler and Kip Spaude from IScorp, Colton Barret and Bryce Mead from Texas Roadhouse, Robert White of Kenda Gear Grinder, Ben Anderson of Team Wisconsin, and Dave Hackworthy from Bianchi/Grand Performance. They worked together well, and quickly established a 4 minute gap. Gone for the day.

Bryce was the first casualty of the lead group, shortly followed by Barrett. They lost touch on the first climb of the last lap. Robert White lost touch on the final climb, leaving it to a 4-up sprint. Wiesler got the win ahead of Hackworthy, Spaude, and Anderson. White 5th, Mead 6th, Barrett 7th. Jordan Roessingh of IScorp won the sprint for 8th.

Results Posted

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

TNT - A Chilly Evening in Medina

40 degrees and rain are never a good combination for bike racing. Add in a moderate ENE wind, and longer than normal course, and you get some slower than expected times.

Jordan and I got there early and setup our tent for warm-up. Casper and Timmer joined us. Participants were noticeably down as expected. I started 30 seconds in front of Jordan, to provide him a rabbit. I also told him to hold back a bit for the first minute or so, to let his perceived exertion match his actual exertion.

I could tell right after my start, it was going to be a tough night. I struggled to get my HR above 160bpm, where in years past, that hasn't been a problem. About half way to the turn around, I expected Jordan to come blazing by me. The turnaround was placed further out than normal, and by the time I got there, Jordan was still 15-20secs behind me.

The tailwind on the way back was a relief, and I spun away at 90+ rpm. All of a sudden, Jordan rockets past me! I couldn't even come close to matching his pace. By the finish, he put another 20 secs into me. Nice effort!

Turns out Jordan misinterpreted my advice, and held back all the way to the turn around, rather than just the first half mile or so. Nonetheless, he set a good benchmark for himself.

Toftoy, back from his huge win at the Tour or Gila, smoked everyone. Casper was the bridesmaid, and Tyler Olson rode to an impressive 3rd. Timmer had a less than spectacular night thanks to his bike skipping gears for most of his ride. Shishilla was sporting his brand new Cervelo P4, and Merrill Lutsky put up a fast time, besting me by 10 secs. Kostik got a flat during warm-up, resulting in a DNS.

Toftoy: 24:02
Casper: 24:44
Olson: 25:33
Jordan: 25:59
Mulrooney: 26:07
Shishilla: 26:17
Lutsky: 26:40
Jimmer: 26:49

Results Posted

Looking forward to better weather...

Saturday, May 08, 2010

Jordan's First Win of 2010

Jordan wins the Cat 3's
Casper wins the Cat 1/2's
The Cat 1/2/3 Ladies



Results Posted

Jordan rode smart today, in a relatively tame Cat 3 race, where most had a shot at the win. After 72 miles, and 5 times up the gradual climb to the finish, it was still group compacto, with 13 racers remaining. Jordan was patient, and outsprinted the rest for his first win of the 2010 season. Well done Jordan. Smart riding!

In the Cat 1/2 race, lots of action, with Dan Casper, Doug Swanson, and Adam Hansen establishing the winning break. Dan and Doug dispatched Adam on the last lap, and Casper took his first ever Cat 1 Road Race win, with Doug following him in, smiling with congratulations. Nice teamwork, and a well deserved win for Casper!

I raced the Master 35+. I raced aggressive, and got in a couple breaks. I ended up tailing off the back of the group at the end of the 2nd lap on the hill, and decided to call it a day. My legs will get there, and my mind will soon follow. It came down to a field sprint, with Koeneman edging out Hanna for the win. Nice work guys!

Team Flanders came up spades in the Masters 50+ with Pletcher taking his first win, and Skarpohl and Scott Flanders taking 2nd and 3rd for a podium sweep.

It was a day for the youngsters in the Cat 4's with junior Merrill Lutsky taking the win in front of runner-up 19 year old Jack Hinkens. Keep it up guys!

Carla was working as on official, so we joined her in the follow car for the Women's 1/2/3 race. The field shrunk to 5 racers after the first lap, but late in the last lap, Anne Grabowski and Jackie Carlson caught back up! Well Done. Melissa Dahlman won the sprint with Teresa and Leah Prudhome a close 2nd and 3rd.

Photos below of the Cat 1/2, Cat 3, and Women Cat 1/2/3

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

River Falls TT


The cancellation of the Black Dog TT series, has left a big hole in our schedule. No Charity TT and Synergy TT in May doesn't help. Jordan and I had planned on doing the Ride and Glide TT last night, but it filled, and we missed out.

No worries, I created a course to attempt to duplicate the one for Jr Nationals in Bend this year. It's just south of River Falls, WI. 12.77mi, out and back. 2 long gradual climbs, and 2 long gradual descents. The course at Nationals is 1 long climb to the turnaround, and then back down. Carla even joined us to help sweep the corner!

Last night was our first try at the course. I started 1 minute ahead of Jordan, and we both rode our full TT setups, complete with rear disc, and deep dish front. At the top of the first climb, I looked back to see Jordan had already made up around 45 seconds of his deficit. However, the winds picked up during our race to as strong as I've ever ridden in a TT. Miles 3-7 were all exposed crosswind. I stayed in my TT position, and struggled to keep my bike straight. Jordan got blown all over the place, and lost big time because of it. His front tire even skipped out from under him a couple times, forcing him to clip out! In hind sight, the deep dish front was a bad choice.

By the turnaround, Jordan had lost most of his gain on me. The climbing started again right after the turn around, but the tailwind made it much easier. The last half of the TT flew by. In the end, Jordan got me by 15 seconds. The results:

Jordan: 31:40
Jimmer: 31:55

Can't wait to do it again in 2 weeks!

Monday, May 03, 2010

Sconni Weekend

Photo by Frye

Skibby, Jordan, and I hit the road this weekend for the Circuit of Sauk Road Race near Baraboo, WI on Saturday, and the LaCrosse Crit on Sunday.

Winds were brutal on Saturday, making the hilly circuit even tougher. Skibby and I raced Masters 1/2/3, while Jordan raced Cat 3. There is a steep climb right after the start, and I suffered. I chased back up to the field, as they hesitated in the crosswind. An ISCorp rider attacked solo, and no one reacted. We sat there for a while, and I decided to jump around the group in the dirt, and went for the bridge. Again, no one reacted. Eventually, Gordy Paulson bridged up to me, and the 2 of us worked together to catch Bryan from IScorp.

We drilled it down the hill with the tailwind, with the group close behind. I suffered again on the climb, as Chris Halvorson bridged across to Gordy and Bryan. The rest of the field rode by me, and I had nothing. Dang! I joined forces with a couple other stragglers on Lap2, with the Cat 3 group bearing down on us.

The Cat 3 field passed us on the tailwind climb, but to my surprise, no Jordan? Turns out he was having a bad day too. While I soft pedalled wondering what happened to Jordan, Skibby caught up, and motivated me to do a 3rd lap. I struggled, and eventually dropped back to wait for Jordan. He caught up to me on the far side of the course, and we rode in together.

I was proud of him for finishing on a day when most dropped riders, including myself, hung it up early (my race was 4 laps, and I only did 3. Jordan's race was 3 laps, which he finished).

Chris Halvorson eventually shed his breakaway partners, and soloed to victory. Skibby toughed it out, and finished all 4 laps too. Nice work!

We stayed in LaCrosse Saturday night, and woke up early for Jordan to race in the Juniors. 15 racers, 10 of them being from ISCorp. Jordan had the classic "marked man" race. He attacked multiple times, and caused splits, but no one else would help him sustain an effort. He did a good job of setting up for the sprint, and was able to get 2nd, behind 18 year old Thompson Remo, of ISCorp. Well done Jordan!

The Masters 1/2/3 race was my first crit of the year. I was able to move to the front and lead the chase 3-4 times during the race, so I was happy. It came down to a field sprint, which Chris Halvorson won. Scott Flanders scored a well earned 3rd place.

After a brief rest, I jumped in the Cat 1/2/3 race. I clung to the back of the field for 30 minutes, then called it a day. Timmer and Patty Cakes got in a split of 12 riders, then attacked them and got away. Later, and ISCorp rider joined them. Timmer jumped them before the last turn, and took the win easily, with Patty Cakes runner-up for the 2nd year in a row. Well done guys!

Speeds were high in both my races. 27.2mph ave in the masters, 28.5 in the 1/2/3's (at least for the portion I was in).

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Opus Crit #3 - Line Painting Episode

Results Posted.

I officiated again at Opus. Beautiful day, calm, sunny, a slight chill in the air.

During the Cat 5 race, the craziest thing happened. A city truck painting lines came onto the course, painting the center lines, and dropping cones to block people from driving on the fresh paint. The truck came and went, in the middle of the race.

As you can imagine, the Cat 5's came upon the cones and fresh paint, and a little chaos ensued. Unfortunately, one rider got bumped and went down hard enough to warrant an ambulance ride. Bummer.

Junior Merrill Lutsky, of Silver Cycling, scored his first Cat 4 win! Lots of juniors in the Cat 5 race this week. Great to see!

Linda Sone, of Flanders, won the Women's 1/2/3, repeating her performance from last week. It is really great to see these large women's fields racing!

As usual, the Cat 1/2/3 men's race came down to the final sprint. Doug won the final sprint, with Colton Barrett just edging Derek Goerke for 2nd. Typically, if you win the final sprint, you win the race, but not this week. 19 year old Barrett scored enough points in the previous sprints to take the top podium step with 17 points. Swanson 2nd with 15 points, Goerke 3rd.

Jordan had a great day in the 1/2/3's. He scored a close 4th in one of the sprints, and made some strong efforts leading the field. Well done Jordan!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Ken Woods Road Race Recap

Jordan leading the Cat 3's.
Photo credit: SkinnySki.com

Jimmer leading the 35+
Photo credit: SkinnySki.com

Results Posted

The weather usually plays a crucial role at Ken Woods, and this year was no exception. Heavy morning rain left and strong ESE winds, certainly not the worst conditions ever for the race. But, bad enough for many to opt out, making for small fields, and few places to hide.

I raced the Masters 35+ with MBRC teammates Bill Morice, Bruce MacGibbon, Jay Woller, and Skibby. Morice rolled off the front similar to Durand, but this time taking Mark Dykes (GSCA), Dan Schuller (GW), and Matt Muyers (Synergy) with him. They pulled away slowly, with GSCA and Flanders guarding the front of the group.

Brian Koeneman (W&S) pressed in the tailwind, but no one was willing to help. Eventually, Brett Whyte (RVCC) pitched in in the cross wind. The headwind on the climb kept things subdued there. By the time we reached the finish line, the break of 4 was well out of sight.

Koeneman went back on the offensive in the crosswind, with a couple attacks that guttered out the field, and blew it to pieces. Eventually, a group of 8 formed including Koeneman, Whyte, Binkowski (GSCA), MacGibbon, Woller, and myself (MBRC), Mlinar (GP), and Charlie Schad (Revolution).

Koeneman still did the lion's share of the work, but now had help. We dropped into a relatively smooth rotation, with most guys taking consistent pulls for the rest of the 2nd lap. We came upon Dykes, dropped from the break, at the end of the tailwind section on lap 2. Sadly, it wasn't his day.

With 3 MBRC teammate is the chase group, and 1 in the break, we could afford to keep at least one of us in reserve. Woller was our guy, and we kept him out of the rotation as much as possible. Being a stand-up guy, he still pulled through as necessary.

Towards the end of the 2nd lap, the break was 1min 45sec ahead. It was predictable that Koeneman would gutter us out again in the crosswind again on the last lap, and that he did. I got caught gapped on the initial attack, but caught back up after he sat up. I was not so fortunate on his second attack, gapped and dropped for good. Eventually, the MacGibbon was dropped too.

To my surprise, the chase group caught the break of 3 right at the base of the hill. Again, the wind neutralized the hill, and Koeneman was able to finish the day with a fine sprint to an impressive win. Binkowski 2nd, Muyers 3rd, Woller 4th, and Mlinar 5th. I rolled in 10th a couple minutes back.

Jordan raced Cat 3, and rode aggressive. He made the winning breakaway, and pulled his own with strongmen Jonathan Toftoy (Synergy), Taylor Olson (Synergy), and Garrett Ping (RVCC). Unfortunately, a couple guys in the final selection chose to sit on, and were able to capitalize on the others work. Toftoy attacked the group nearing the finish, and went on to win solo. The 2 sitter's-on went 2-3, and Jordan rolled in a disappointed 6th. However, another valuable learning experience for Jordan. He's got some ideas now on what to do differently next time.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

DA 7800 Crank Arm Fail


Broke off during my Opus Crit warm-up. Just standing up, pedaling after a stop sign. Barely kept it upright, thinking I had simply pulled out of my pedal. Jordan yells, "You busted your crank arm off!".

I've broke a lot of stuff, but this definitely tops it all.

Junior Road Nationals Registration is Open

Click here for the link.

Registration this year is through USA Cycling, which requires you to hold a valid USAC license with the category required to qualify for racing (minimum Cat 3 for Jr Men 15-18).

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Maren's Junior Prom



Maren went with her boyfriend Charlie to Prom this year. Such a beautiful girl!

First Race of 2010 - Durand Road Race


I opted for the Masters 35+ this year. I've never finished with the main pack in the 1/2/3's in Durand in 6 tries, so it was an easy call. Good thing too, that race disintegrated on lap 2 of 5.

My intention was to take it easy, and conserve my matches. My Flanders teammate Bill Morice took off solo right away. Knowing 4 laps in that wind is an awfully tall order by yourself, the move was ignored. In fact, our 1st lap was more like an easy training ride. Jim Bell and myself took light pulls in the wind, an everyone seemed content. Pmax got GSCA motivated on the front for a few miles, but then they shut it down. We doddled enough where the entire 45+ field, split into 3 groups, each passed us.

On lap 2, Binkowski of GSCA put in a couple good digs, the second resulting in a small gap with Hanna, Snider, and Jim Bell. I missed the move, and dug deep in the tailwind leg to bring them back. That narrowed the group considerably, with Morice still up the road, and out of sight.

Snide and Dave Peterson attacked heading into the climbs on the westward stretch, and it took a bit of work by Jim Bell and myself to bring them back.

Entering Lap3, Mark Mlinar turned on the afterburners, and guttered the group. It was mayhem! I got caught back a bit, and had to battle my way all the way up to Jim Bell's wheel. I'm at my limit, and when I look back, no one is left. I yell up to Mark to move over so we can rotate, and thankfully he obliges. Unfortunately for me, it was too little too late. Even after sitting out a rotation, I pop. Damn. Missing the move sucks, but making the move and then popping sucks much worse!

I dropped back to what was left of our field, and started rotating with them. To make matters even more interesting, we were mixing with the 45+ group again. They were on their last lap, and we had 2 to go. Eventually, our group finds a rhythm, and we work to stay together. None of us had any delusions of catching the lead group.

Up front, the lead group gathered up Morice, and impressively, he stayed with them. Well done! In the end, MacGibbon attacked a couple times on the last lap, and Hanna was forced to go after him in the finish stretch with Mlinar in tow. The caught MacGibbon, with Mlinar coming around for the win. Hanna 2nd, MacGibbon 3rd. Jim Bell also made the front group, but his skipping gears kept him off the podium.

I expected our group to just roll in, but Mike Phillips had other ideas. He jumped away on the turn to the finish, and no one reacted. I waited patiently, now inspired to sprint it out. I sat 3rd wheel about 400m out when I jumped. Snide was on my wheel, and we easily caught Mike. I was able to hold on for the best of the rest prize. Small consolation after getting dropped from the winning break.

Jordan raced the 1/2/3's and found it as tough as I knew from first hand experience. Like most of the field, he got caught out by the gutterball on lap 2, and found himself looking for friends. He hooked up with other riders through the end of lap 4, and then did the last lap solo. The kid will not quit a race. Well done Jordan!

Results posted

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Tuesday Night Worlds #1

Carla and I officiated at the first MCF race of the season last night. Tuesday night racing on Yellow Circle Drive (OPUS complex in Mtka) has been a staple in the spring diet of MCF racers since well before I started racing in 1996. This was my first time officiating the race.

The beautiful weather brought out healthy numbers of racers and spectators. The Cat 4 and 5 men's fields were smaller than I expected. The Women's and Cat 1/2/3 Men fields were larger than I expected. We were able to keep the racing on schedule and give the first 3 races 9 laps each, and the final race was 18 laps.

There were several minor crashes during the races, as expected at the first race of the year, but everyone was able to ride away.

Since I'm usually racing in the 1/2/3's, this was my first opportunity in years, to watch the race. I can tell you the difference in speed between the 1/2/3 Men and other fields is very noticeable as a spectator.

Grandstay, Flanders, and GP all fielded good numbers in the 1/2/3 men. Jens Brabbit was the benefactor of the work of Grandstay, winning 3 sprints for a commanding win. Recent Cat 3 upgrade, Jonathan Toftoy, of Synergy, made an impressive move late in the race, staying away solo for several laps only to be caught on the last lap. His effort was still good enough for 2nd place. Dave Zimmermann of Flanders was able to take 2nd in the final sprint, which was good enough for 3rd place. Well done guys!

This was also Jordan's first Cat 1/2/3 race at Opus. He easily met his goal of staying up in the front of the race. He got in the sprint train several times, and did a good job of keying off his Flanders teammates. Very proud!

Next week, I'm racing!

Results Posted

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Hilly Hundy


Saturday was a beautiful day for a long ride in the scenic St. Croix River Valley. 9 MBRC/Flanders team members opted in for a hilly century. (from L-R) Sample-Moore, Sone, Skibby, Myself, Pletcher, Jordan, Dahl, Froemming, and Gray. Parenteau joined us for a short bit too.


Over 6000 feet of climbing. The hills seemed endless...

Friday, April 02, 2010

A Good Friday


130 miles, 7.5 hours ride time. Now that is Good Friday!

Timmer hosted a 95 mile ride out of Spring Valley. I wanted more, so we drove to Spring Valley Thursday night, left a car there, and rode home. That gave us 35 bonus miles prior to the start of the ride to reach 130.

Great route by Timmer. I need to get over in that area more. The climbs are great. The crew was Timmer, Tainter, Hollywood, Toftoy, ScottyRob, Snide, Teresa, BrandonK, Jordan, and I.

The skies were clear until we got over to the Durand road race course. Right at the crest of the big climb, mother nature threw down one heck of a scary storm. Only lasted about 15 minutes, but left us all wet and chilled to the bone, with 40 miles to go. Lets just say the last 40 miles were all about mental fortitude.

Thanks for the awesome ride Timmer!

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

2010 Road Racing Schedule

DateDayRaceLocationResults
April 13TuesdayOpus CritMinnetonka, MNPosted
April 17SaturdayDurand Road RaceDurand, WIPosted
April 20TuesdayOpus CritMinnetonka, MNPosted
April 24SaturdayKen Woods Road RaceSogn Valley, MNPosted
April 27TuesdayOpus CritMinnetonka, MNPosted
May 1SaturdayCircuit of Sauk Road RaceReedsburg, WIPosted
May 2SundayLaCrosse CritLaCrosse, WIPosted
May 4TuesdayRiver Falls TTRiver Falls, WIPosted
May 8SaturdaySibley County Road RaceHenderson, MNPosted
May 11TuesdayTNT TTMedina, MNPosted
May 14SaturdayLaRue-Denzer-LaRue Road RaceLaRue, WIPosted
May 15SundayWheels on Willy CritMadison, WIPosted
May 18TuesdayRiver Falls TTRiver Falls, WIPosted
May 20ThursdayCounty Cycles TTWithrow, MNPosted
May 22SaturdaySquare Lake Road RaceStillwater, MNPosted
May 25TuesdayTNT TTMedina, MNPosted
May 29SaturdaySnake Alley CritBurlington, IAPosted
May 30SundayMelon City CritMuscatine, IAPosted
May 31MondayQuad Cities CritRock Island, ILPosted
June 2WednesdayRiver Falls TTRiver Falls, WIPosted
June 6SundayWI State Road RaceSpring Prairie, WIPosted
June 8TuesdayState Fair CritSt. Paul, MNPosted
June 10ThursdayNSC Thursday Night LightsBlaine, MNPosted
June 12SaturdayVictoria Circuit RaceVictoria, MNPosted
June 15TuesdayRiver Falls TTRiver Falls, WI
June 18FridayOregon Trail Road RaceBaker City, ORPosted
June 19SaturdayPleasant Valley Time TrialBaker City, ORPosted
June 24ThursdayUS Junior National Time-TrialBend, ORPosted
June 26SaturdayUS Junior National Road RaceBend, ORPosted
June 29TuesdayState Fair CritSt Paul, MNPosted
July 4SundayNorthfield CritNorthfield, MNPosted
July 6TuesdayTNT Time TrialMedina, MNPosted
July 8ThursdayNSC Thursday Night LightsBlaine, MNPosted
July 10SaturdaySynergy TTWithrow, MNPosted
July 11SundayHopkins Raspberry CritHopkins, MNPosted
July 13TuesdaySummit CritRosemount, MNPosted
July 20TuesdayTNT Time TrialMedina, MNPosted
July 22ThursdayNSC Thursday Night LightsBlaine, MNPosted
July 24SaturdayMN State TTScandia, MNPosted
July 28WednesdayFarm Dog TTFarmington, MNPosted
July 29ThursdayNSC Thursday Night LightsBlaine, MNPosted
July 31SaturdayMN State Track OmniumBlaine, MN
August 3TuesdayTNT Time TrialMedina, MNPosted
August 7SaturdayWI State Time TrialBurlington, WIPosted
August 8SaturdayWI State Track ChampionshipsKenosha, WIPosted
August 11WednesdayFarm Dog TTFarmington, MNPosted
August 12ThursdayNSC Thursday Night LightsBlaine, MNPosted
August 14SaturdayMN State Pursuit ChampionshipsBlaine, MNPosted
August 17TuesdayTNT Time TrialMedina, MNPosted
August 21SaturdayToren Heuval KermesseBlaine, MNPosted
August 25WednesdayFarm Dog TTFarmington, MNPosted
August 26ThursdayNSC Thursday Night LightsBlaine, MNPosted
August 28SaturdayMN State Road RaceBlaine, MNPosted

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Guess the Mystery Rider?


My first 100+ mile ride of 2010. Guess who I talked into joining me at the end of the ride?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Horner and Demong


Back in 2008, Horner gives future Olympic Nordic Combined Gold Medalist Bill Demong a buck to the finish of the Cascade Classic, after Bill crashed.

Friday, March 12, 2010

17.2lbs of Fast

Build complete. Bring on the Dog!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

TT Bike Fitting


I hired Larry Foss of the Fix Studio with assistance from Tim Mulrooney of HED to fit Jordan to his new Ridley Dean TT bike. These guys both know their stuff, and Larry has all the tools to provide the perfect fit. Above is the result of his first fitting. His position will be refined over the next few weeks as he adapts to the bike.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Planet Bike National Elite Team Sponsorship Ending


Press Release

Jordan and I truly loved being a part of the Planet Bike family. Bob Downs is an inspiration! We wish all our team members, Bob, and Planet Bike the best. Thanks for the memories.

Monday, February 08, 2010

2008 Time Cross Pro Team Bike - $3000










Selling my Large (58cm) 2008 Time Cross Pro Team Full Carbon Cross Bike. The module (frame, fork, stem, headset) alone sells for $3800. Very compliant ride, perfect condition, everything is perfect working order.

Complete Bike (Shimano 10 speed): $3000/obo. Make me an offer.

e-mail: j.cullen@sbcglobal.net

The Time CROSS PROTEAM module was developed specifically for Cyclocross racing. Complying with demanding specifications created by our in-house cyclocross experts, the CROSS PROTEAM excels in the extreme conditions that these specialty races demand.

Features:
Sloping geometry
Full Carbon lugs
Full Carbon bottom bracket shell
VX EDGE HM carbon tubes with Vibraser technology
CROSS PROTEAM asymmetrical chainstays
CROSS PROTEAM wishbone
CROSS PROTEAM Full Carbon fork
QUICKSET headset
MONOLINK stem
TRANSLINK
Gloss finish
Frame weight (without Translink and stem): 1280 grams (±5%)
Module weight: 2125 grams (±5%)
Agile and robust, with Vibraser technology ideal for off-road use

Components:
Time Monolink Stem
Ritchey WCS OS Bars 42cm
Fizik Arione Saddle
Integrated Seatpost
Alex DA22 Wheelset (Optional Mavic Helium Tubulars mounted with Vittoria's for $300 more)
Kenda Small Block Eight Tires, 700x35 Folding 120TPI
FSA SL-K Carbon Crankset 175mm 46/36
Shimano Dura Ace 7800 10speed Shifter/Brake Levers
Shimano DuraAce Front Derailleur
Shimano Ultegra Rear Derailleur
Shimano Ultegra 12-25 Cassette
Shimano Dura Ace Chain
Tektro CR-720 Front Cantilever Brake
Avid Shorty 4 Cantilever Rear Brake
Gore RideOn Sealed Shift/Brake Cables
No pedals
Front Brake mount greatly reduces fork shudder during hard braking.

Monday, February 01, 2010

Now Bikes Indoor TT Results

Timmer, Jordan, and I did the Withrow TT Challenge on the Tacx trainer at Now Bikes. Timmer bested Jordan and I on his fixie. Jordan and I finished in virtually the same time, with me just edging him out.

Indoor Withrow TT Results

NSC Bike Night #2 on Vimeo

NSC Bike Night #2 on Vimeo