Pittsburgh Racing » News

Race Preview: Wilderness 101 Saturday July 31, 2010

Ben — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:08:48 +0000

This Saturday is the Wilderness 101 mountain bike race. It is part of the National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Race Series. The course (map) is a single 101 mile loop that travels through Bald Eagle and Rothrock Pennsylvania State Forests and includes about 15,000 ft of climbing. Last year the winning geared time (Jeff Schalk) was just under 7 hours and winning singlespeed time was just over 8 hours. For some, finish times could be as long as 14 hours.

Several local racers will be taking part in this year’s edition including defending single-speed champion / man-eater Gerry Pflug and last year’s defending NUE women’s champion Betsy Shogren. Expect other pain-loving locals to try and mix it up as well. Ruth Cunningham, Rob Lochner, Don Powers, Montana Miller, (others I don’t know for sure if they’re going), etc. will all be there to do battle with the forest.

Good luck to all the racers.

[via Cyclingnews, Wikipedia]

Cyclocross Clinic Presented By JBV Coaching and Fulcrum Coaching

Ben — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:36:18 +0000

Local cycling coach Chris Mayhew (JBV Coaching) is helping organize a cyclocross clinic on Saturday August 28th, 2010 in collaboration with Fulcrum Coaching and featuring cyclocross PRO Jeremy Powers. There are already a few from Pittsburgh signed up. Below is the press release:

Fulcrum Coaching and JBV Coaching Present The 2010 Cyclocross Clinic Featuring Jeremy Powers

Fulcrum Coaching and JBV Coaching are stoked to announce that U.S. pro cyclocrosser Jeremy Powers will once again share his years of pro-level racing experience at their annual cyclocross clinic. Building on the overwhelming success of last year’s clinic, this one-day cyclocross boot camp—sponsored by Swiftwick socks, Cannondale bicycles, and the Bike Doctor in Waldorf—is the perfect way to kick off a successful 2010 ‘cross campaign. Ideal for beginner and experienced ‘crossers, Jeremy and a staff of four top-notch instructors will give you the inside scoop on everything you need to know to step up your CX game.

This year’s clinic will be held at Rosaryville State Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. A short drive from Washington, D.C., and the site of last year’s Tacchino Ciclocross, Rosaryville’s varied terrain gives clinic participants the opportunity to learn and hone their skills on several surfaces including ‘cross-friendly single-track mountain-bike trails.

In addition to a full day of learning technique, tactics and skills, attendees will also benefit from hands on instruction from JPow and professional coaches. “Everyone learned something which was my number one goal with this camp,” Powers said after last year’s clinic. “The other coaches and I really made our best effort to get everyone nailing the techniques the correct way,” he added. “We hit on the fundamentals of cyclocross so all the participants had the tools to get a result in their upcoming competitions.”

Where most clinics give you a couple hours or a half-day of instruction, the Fulcrum Coaching and JBV Coaching clinic goes all out. Not only do you receive a full day of instruction on all facets of ‘cross racing, a Chipotle lunch, and an end-of-the-day mock race to put all your new skills into practice, but you also get the opportunity to pick Jeremy’s brain at a Friday night ‘cross talk session at The Bike Doctor in Waldorf, Maryland.

Along with getting the chance to talk up JPow, the ‘cross talk event is a great opportunity to take home great swag from Swiftwick and The Bike Doctor, and a new cyclocross bike frame from Cannondale Bicycles.

This clinic is designed to help the beginner and accomplished cyclocross racer. With four coaches in addition to Jeremy, every attendee will receive one-on-one instruction tailored to improve their technique, tactics and training. Participants will be divided into groups by experience so beginners are not left behind and experienced racers are constantly challenged to improve their skill set. All coaches, including Jeremy, will work with each group several times as the day progresses.

Friday night’s cross talk will take place at The Bike Doctor of Waldorf from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday’s clinic at Rosaryville State Park will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To register for this year’s clinic, please visit bikereg.com. Space is limited to 50 attendees and last year’s clinic sold out fast. Also be sure to follow us on Facebook. For a look at what attendees and coaches, including Jeremy, had to say about last year’s clinic check out cxhairs.com.

If you have any questions about the clinic please do not hesitate to contact Chris Mayhew at chris[at]jbvcoaching.com or 724.413.7441.

Sinead Miller Wins U23 National Road Race Title

Ben — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:16:44 +0000

Photo from velonews.com, credited to Pat Malach

Sinead Miller is the new US women’s under-23 road race champion. She finished 6th in the women’s elite national championship road race today in Bend, Oregon, the highest among all other U23 riders (full results). Her teammate, Mara Abbott, on the Peanut Butter & Co Twenty12 professional women’s cycling team won the race. This is Sinead’s 2nd championship jersey of the weekend after she won the U23 time trial on Thursday.

[via cyclingnews]

Ohio wrap up.

xsteevox — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:46:16 +0000

I went into the final day 4th on GC, down by 2 minutes, but still holding the KOH jersey. The yellow jersey was obviously trying to hold it, as well as gain the sprinters jersey and KOM jersey for his team.

Our plan was to hope that they burnt a lot of matches early in the day and to attack late on the final hills. Small breakaways rolled and the yellow team chased. They also kept it together to try and take the green sprint jersey from Pittsburgher Steve Schott.

The race came unraveled on the first KOM. A group got up the road and the yellow team chased. The Second KOM was just 4 miles later and I put in a dig, checked the situation, and put in a second dig. I bridged up to the guys up the road, saw a pair behind us coming across, and built up a group of five.

From the bottom of the hill, it was a rolling 20 miles to the finish. I needed 37 seconds for 3rd and 2:10 for 2nd. Unfortunately Brian Batke, was with our group and was in front of us. We rolled HARD for 10 miles, as we could look back on a long flat 4 lane highway and see a small group chasing. Time splits went up and we knew it was over.

In my mind, I knew I just needed 20 seconds plus the win to beat Batke for the overall, but the course wasnt selective enough in the final miles for me to launch a real attack. If only it was a hilltop finish.

2nd overall
KOH jersey.

Steve Schott from Pittsburgh held his green sprint jersey and defended it well.

“Bad” Andy Wulfkuhle, who lives in Lancaster but is from Washington PA moved himself up to 3rd GC.

The race itself was amazing. The courses were honestly some of the best courses that I have done. The roads had rolling enclosures with several state troopers and a caravan with wheels and water. The towns were more welcoming than most. The hotels and dorms gave race discounts. It has been happening for 22 years, and is very well done.

A photo of Pat Raines who held the yellow jersey for a lot of the race.

View from the Mound Cemetery – Gallipolis, Ohio, Finish of Stage 5.

Starting Now, Ending… ?

Ben — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:00:41 +0000

http://www.abraracing.com/Live%20Hilly%20Billy.html

Hilly Billy Roubaix Live Coverage

Ohio Day 5

xsteevox — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:12:55 +0000

5 down, 1 to go.
Today was a 60 mile road race with 1 KOM. It started and finished in the town of Gallipolis Oh. The course was amazing, the town was totally behind it, and the town had the racers in for dinner afterward. We are all pretty amazed at how well done this race is, apparently it is in its 20th year or so.

Anyway, I started the day with the Polka Dot KOH jersey.(king of hills, as all the climbs are 1 or 2k). Any ambition I had for the day quickly faded when my right shifter broke. I tried upshifting and my sram shift lever just fell off. Awesome.

I spent about 20 miles trying to get my cable tension tight enough that I could be in the 15 tooth cog instead of the 12. This involved dropping through the caravan and pacing back on, and adjusting my rear derailer tension while riding downhill.

A break rolled away with 6 dudes in it. I was happy with the move as long as it didnt get more than 2 minutes, as was the guy who took the yellow jersey from me yesterday. His teammate was in it and had potential to take the jersey, and bump me to 3rd.

I rode tempo a ton trying to minimize the time that the break had and managed to win the group sprint at the uphill finish in my 36×15 for 5th place. The finish climbed up from the Ohio river to a cemetery. It was pretty scenic at the top.

So after the race, I was trying to figure out what to do about a shifter. (Go buy one? Have a teammate driving down to Cincinnati tomorrow stop by with one?) When one of the dudes on the team that I am racing against came over and said “hey dude, do you want to borrow this?” and handed me a sram red shifter. We have been staying in the same hotels as them and have made friends. Its pretty cool to be friendly with your nemesis. Good guys. So props to Happy Tooth Elite Cycling Team who just came back from the Tour of Ireland.

Sinead Miller Wins U23 Elite National Time Trial Championship

Ben — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:31:53 +0000

Photo from usacycling.org

Sinead Miller, who just turned 20 years old, won the Under-23 Elite National Time Trial Championship today in Bend, Oregon. Sinead grew up racing in Pittsburgh and is currently racing for the Peanut Butter & Co Twenty12 professional women’s cycling team. She is a former collegiate criterium national champion and multiple junior national champion.

Tour of Ohio Diary Day 4.

xsteevox — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:24:02 +0000

So I started the day in the yellow jersey, which was awesome. The stage was a “flat” stage, with only 1 KOM. The temperature was 97 degrees when we started, and it felt like riding in a hair dryer. This was the first race I have ever started with four bottles and eight gels.

The race started with sick attacks from the gun. Finally a group of 3 rolled off the front and we set tempo at the front for literally 55 miles. It was totally miserable. I never went further back than fourth wheel and nobody aided in the chase. Miserable.

There was a pretty hard climb about 10 miles from the finish. The team that previously had the yellow jersey just attacked and attacked, along with a few others who sat on for the previous 3 hours. A group of four got away. My friends were gone and everybody just sat on me as I set tempo. The field was maybe at 15 at this point.

I just went as fast as I could to keep my group together and got last in the group. I fell back to second by 30 seconds or so.

Long hot day. Thanks go out to my friends who worked for me, including Bad Andy, who is actually from Washington PA.

Tour of Ohio stage 3.

xsteevox — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 02:15:13 +0000

Today was the Queen stage. The single loop, which was a nationals course at some point, is 63 miles with 5 KOM’s.

The race started slow. Literally the exact opposite of yesterday, no attacks, no jumps. I rolled off the front early, just to see what would happen and it went. Two guys bridged up and I had my companions for the day.

I was actually joined by Pittsburgher Steve Schott, who rides for RGF solutions developmental team. We rolled steadily for 3 hours, only accelerating at the KOMs and the Green Jersey sprints.

The 3 of us blew up on the last KOM, which was 3 miles from the finish. Steve fell off the pace, and I sat on the other guy. The guy I was left with is was the teammate of the current yellow jersey. Steve bridge back up and attacked quickly on the finishing climb. It was a good move. This forced the other guy to chase, or he was going to give away the yellow jersey. (or so he thought, but steve was not a threat). I out sprinted them both for the win and probably the jersey (results are posted in the morning).

The race has been awesome and well put on, despite its turnout. In years past there have been 100-120 people. It is currently less than half of this now.

I have to try and defend a jersey tomorrow against a really really strong dude.

Tour of Ohio Diary. Days 1 and 2.

xsteevox — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:21:45 +0000

So the Tour of Ohio is on. It is a 6 day stage race consisting of 1 criterium and 5 hilly road races.

Day 1 was the crit.
The turnout was lower than in years past, possibly 50 starters for the event. The crit is in Worthington Ohio, and the town loves it. They shut down a neighborhood, everybody has graduation parties and whatnot while the race goes on. Good times.
A group of 5 went up the road, I missed the move and didnt chase. I managed 3rd in the field sprint for 8th.

Day 2 was today.
50 mile road race with 3 KOM’s. Attacks flew from the gun, but I just watched the yellow jersey and made sure his team kept things in check. I went for the 2nd and 3rd KOM, got 3rd on one and 1st on the other. We will see if I have the jersey tomorrow morning.
The race started at 2pm, and it was 87 degrees. The finish was on top of a hill, but I had a bad position in the group when we turned on it it, and it kind of finished in the order that we made the turn. Luckily for me there were only 7 guys left of the group, and I managed 5th.

Tomorrow is the queen stage, with 6 KOM’s and a hilltop finish. It is going to be tough. I moved up to 5th on GC today. See what happens.

Awesome.

Sorry so sloppy, battery is dying and I am roaching a sketchy wifi signal.
I flatted a tubular BEFORE the race today, so I have to run my power crap.
For the watt weenies: I am weighing 62 or 63kg.
Day 2:
Duration: 2:14:41
Work: 1512 kJ
TSS: 212.4 (intensity factor 0.973)
Norm Power: 272
VI: 1.46

Distance: 49.645 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1186 187 watts
Cadence: 34 196 93 rpm
Speed: 2.2 47.2 22.1 mph
Pace 1:16 26:49 2:43 min/mi
Hub Torque: 0 445 64 lb-in
Crank Torque: 0 1308 164 lb-in

Peak 5s (1101 watts):
Duration: 0:05
Work: 5 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 187 ft
Min Max Avg
Power: 965 1160 1101 watts
Cadence: 72 104 91 rpm
Speed: 21.6 28.3 25.3 mph
Pace 2:07 2:46 2:22 min/mi
Hub Torque: 225 341 291 lb-in
Crank Torque: 784 1308 1039 lb-in

Peak 10s (884 watts):
Duration: 0:10
Work: 8 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 394 ft
Min Max Avg
Power: 344 1160 884 watts
Cadence: 67 114 95 rpm
Speed: 18.8 30.3 26.5 mph
Pace 1:59 3:12 2:16 min/mi
Hub Torque: 75 341 230 lb-in
Crank Torque: 350 1308 818 lb-in

Peak 20s (694 watts):
Duration: 0:20
Work: 13 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 453 ft
Min Max Avg
Power: 543 822 694 watts
Cadence: 75 82 78 rpm
Speed: 13.9 17 15.4 mph
Pace 3:31 4:20 3:54 min/mi
Hub Torque: 243 376 299 lb-in
Crank Torque: 612 920 752 lb-in

Peak 30s (682 watts):
Duration: 0:30
Work: 20 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 722 ft
Min Max Avg
Power: 508 821 682 watts
Cadence: 75 96 82 rpm
Speed: 13.9 18.5 16.4 mph
Pace 3:14 4:20 3:40 min/mi
Hub Torque: 194 378 278 lb-in
Crank Torque: 504 920 703 lb-in

Peak 1min (533 watts):
Duration: 1:00
Work: 31 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 0.261 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 151 822 533 watts
Cadence: 65 96 80 rpm
Speed: 13.9 18.5 15.6 mph
Pace 3:14 4:20 3:51 min/mi
Hub Torque: 70 378 225 lb-in
Crank Torque: 166 920 560 lb-in

Peak 2min (465 watts):
Duration: 2:00
Work: 55 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 0.49 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 122 776 465 watts
Cadence: 56 95 79 rpm
Speed: 8.8 19.4 14.6 mph
Pace 3:06 6:48 4:06 min/mi
Hub Torque: 48 423 223 lb-in
Crank Torque: 0 884 504 lb-in

Peak 5min (331 watts):
Duration: 5:00
Work: 99 kJ
TSS: 16.9 (intensity factor 1.426)
Norm Power: 399
VI: 1.2
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 1.686 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 863 331 watts
Cadence: 56 121 83 rpm
Speed: 8.8 38 20.2 mph
Pace 1:35 6:48 2:58 min/mi
Hub Torque: 0 423 140 lb-in
Crank Torque: 0 921 338 lb-in

Peak 10min (273 watts):
Duration: 10:01
Work: 163 kJ
TSS: 28.6 (intensity factor 1.31)
Norm Power: 367
VI: 1.35
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 3.342 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 888 273 watts
Cadence: 59 141 85 rpm
Speed: 11.1 47.2 20.0 mph
Pace 1:16 5:25 3:00 min/mi
Hub Torque: 0 378 108 lb-in
Crank Torque: 0 920 268 lb-in

Peak 20min (249 watts):
Duration: 20:01
Work: 299 kJ
TSS: 46.4 (intensity factor 1.179)
Norm Power: 330
VI: 1.33
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 7.561 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1107 249 watts
Cadence: 55 141 89 rpm
Speed: 11.1 47.2 22.6 mph
Pace 1:16 5:25 2:39 min/mi
Hub Torque: 0 378 87 lb-in
Crank Torque: 0 944 233 lb-in

Peak 30min (235 watts):
Duration: 30:01
Work: 423 kJ
TSS: 62.4 (intensity factor 1.117)
Norm Power: 313
VI: 1.33
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 12.527 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1186 235 watts
Cadence: 44 156 92 rpm
Speed: 11.1 47.2 25.0 mph
Pace 1:16 5:25 2:24 min/mi
Hub Torque: 0 378 72 lb-in
Crank Torque: 0 1138 209 lb-in

Peak 60min (226 watts):
Duration: 1:00:01
Work: 812 kJ
TSS: 111.4 (intensity factor 1.055)
Norm Power: 295
VI: 1.31

Distance: 24.274 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1186 226 watts
Cadence: 44 191 95 rpm
Speed: 9.8 47.2 24.2 mph
Pace 1:16 6:07 2:29 min/mi
Hub Torque: 0 378 68 lb-in
Crank Torque: 0 1308 194 lb-in

KOM #3 where I really wanted it:
New Range #1:
Duration: 2:15
Work: 63 kJ
Distance: 0.547 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 122 776 467 watts
Cadence: 56 99 79 rpm
Speed: 8.8 19.4 14.6 mph
Pace 3:06 6:48 4:07 min/mi
Hub Torque: 48 423 224 lb-in
Crank Torque: 132 884 508 lb-in