Riders One

Regalado Road Race Report

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:07:00 GMT

Regalado Road Race, E4 (Sunday in NorCal) - You all missed one hell of a "road" race. It rained all night, but the cycling gods shined down on us during the day. It was cold (~45deg)but not as cold as Sat's start. The course was 3 laps around some very open (still wet) roads with endless fields on each side. About 3/4 through the loop there was a section of pure dirt and gravel roads for about 1-2miles. Large puddles of mud and water were throughout this section. I honestly thought the officials were joking when they mentioned that there was no center line on the "dirt section." During the first lap we turned a corner and there it was. I went through very slow and was really doubting myself and bike in this race. I let myself fall off the back by ~300m. I hammered, got back in the pack about a half a mile after this section and got my game face back on. A two man attack came from 2 of the 3 Roaring Mouse riders at the beginning of lap 2. We shut it down quickly. They launched the attack again a few miles down the road again leaving their third man with us. The 3 riders from Tri Valley Velo did nothing. They were the only riders with teammates. A Sho-Air rider and myself were each verbally pushing the Tri Valley riders to close the gap. Nothing. Against better judgement I started to close the gap near a downhill (where I shine). The Sho-Air rider, Alfredo, took the next pull. The pack followed but didn't help. Both of us sat back in and watched Tri Valley trio do nothing.

After the next very fast, very fun mud section, Alfredo from Sho-Air, Ben from Tri Valley and another rider from Pacific Velo launched. The rest of us were scrambling to recover and regroup. I was left in the remaining 6 or 7 man pack. The rest had fallen off the back. Skipping ahead... I was in the remaining pack of 5 with 4 out front (Ben from Tri Valley fell off and we passed him. His teammates didn't help him stay in the pack.) I had decided that no matter what happened the Tri Valley guys were not going to beat me. The group was working really well together and communicating. The remaining Roaring Mouse guy was strong but doing a good job at keeping the group from not really trying to catch the leaders.

With a mile and a half to go I was finishing my pull and heading to the back when the Roaring Mouse guy took off in a sprint with the other 3 guys. I knew immediately that they had pegged me as the guy they didn't want to race at the end. They wanted me dropped. It didn't work. I got back on, gave them a look like I could do it all day, and just sat on the back. The 1km line came and the group held the paceline. I sat in back and waited. It was uphill until the 400m line. 500m, the line held. 400m, the line started to zig on the short downhill. False flat for a bit. 250m, it was all uphill. The line broke but I stayed on a wheel. 200m, we had the both lanes for the sprint. I was the only one that took the other lane. I went full throttle at 200meters out. I passed UCSC, Tri Valley Velo, and Roaring Mouse (in that order). I saw Tri Valley pass Roaring Mouse. He wanted it. I wanted it more. I emptied the tanks and had the lead. 15meters to go, right hamstring cramped! Still in the lead. 10meters to go, hamstring #2 cramped. Did you know that you don't need hamstrings to function properly in order to add two bike lengths on the guy chasing you? Tri Valley Velo cracked and I was the hammer. 1st on the sprint. 5th place overall. And no rain.

--daly

San Dimas Stage Race 2012

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:47:00 GMT

Juan Lopez gutting it out in the Road Race. Photo by SpicyGal1

A report from the Cat 4 trenches by Alexander Klein:

When I started racing last fall, cycling felt like it demanded a higher level of dedication than anything I'd given to any sport. I had to train hard, eat well, keep my head about me during races. The hardest part was dragging myself up over obstacles--not hills, but training challenges. Man, I will never forget the pit in my stomach on those first few Rose Bowls as I dropped off the back, spinning furiously in the red, watching the peloton pull away from me, helpless. But I also remember bumping into Esteban on the first Rose Bowl when I could actually hang for the whole ride--what a satisfying feeling, and how great to be able to share it with a friend.

Fast forward through the off-season, when I upgraded to the 4s, hooked up with a coach (Rudy Napolitano--super mensch), and changed the way I train. SDSR was a mountain peak in the distance all winter--I really wanted to do well at this race. After tearing myself apart in January and February to preserve a decent number of hours each week to train and race (this was much harder than anything my legs ever felt), the big weekend finally came.

Stage 1: tt up gmr. Holy shit! There are 75 Cat 4s in southern CA who can do that climb faster than me! How is that possible?! Stage 2: it's f-ing *pouring* cats and frogs for the road race. Again, can't believe how fast these 4s go! The course has two short hills, and one 2 minute effort. I could always use the hills to gain a few positions in the pack, but for me the tough part was the windy, open straights around the airport. I've had this experience all season--when the winds blow and the pack surges, I get ejected off the back. Man, there's that old Rose Bowl feeling again--the pit in the stomach, the sweaty panic. I actually managed to bridge back onto the pack by the time we were climbing again, but when we hit the airport for the second time, I was OTR for good. (Off The Rear. Zing! Aw, I still love those guys. Actually great to see them out at SDSR in force.) After awhile, a grupetto of about 8 formed, and I finished with those dudes. We picked up Juan around lap 5, who hung on way longer than me with the pack, then fought hard by himself, in the crazy wind all day. Interestingly, while I seem to be good at hills/bad at flats compared to the peloton, my relative strengths compared to this grupetto were reversed--it was hard to hang with them on the hills, hard to get anybody to work with me on the flats. At one point, me and two other guys got a good gap around the airport, but we damn near got knocked over by a motorcycle who apparently didn't see us. Breaks were jammed, but thankfully everybody stayed rubber side down.

There was one memorable moment when the rain and hail and wind started dumping so hard I thought we would get blown off the road. I found myself shrieking with ecstasy--"Bring it on!" "Yaaaaaa!" This started other guys screaming out as well, and by the time we got shelter I think we were all weirdly revived by the catharsis. I have to say, at the end of the stage I have never seen so many smiling faces on my fellow racers--maybe not what you would expect if you watched from the sidelines, but *exactly* what you would expect if you were actually out there getting swamped and bombarded with hail and blown all over the road.

That was hands down the most fun I've had on a bike all year--soaking, exhausted, challenged, invigorated. Still, when I woke up Sunday, believe me when I tell you I *needed* no rain. Luckily, showed up for the crit in San Dimas to clear, cold skies. Juan helped me through a morning of absent-minded professor-ness--I forgot tights (not a great move when it's 35 degrees), had left my wet, full fingered gloves in Juan's car overnight (he let me borrow an extra pair--good looking out!), etc..

But then calamity really struck--literally four minutes before the Cat 4s were set to race, I discovered that my rear shifting was totally shot. I run over to the FSA tent, where I happen to find my man Rudy and a mechanic. Mechanic throws my bike on the stand--dude, your rear derailleur cable is snapped. Your race is done. Rudy takes one look and says, you can do this. He grabs me by the scruff of my neck and shuttles me over to the SRAM tent. SRAM has neutral bikes, it turns out (or bikes they give out to Rudy's friends? I still don't know.) By this time, the Cat 4s are on the line, hearing the ref tell them the rules. The SRAM guys grab a 52 Specialized Tarmac from the rack and start taking off the Shimano pedals. I'm hyperventilating because they haven't even changed the seat height yet, and clearly the race is going to start any second. Rudy keeps saying, "Don't worry, you've got time"--which for Rudy, apparently means a good 20 or 30 seconds. They finish swapping the pedals, the whistle blows, and the 4s are off. We haven't touched the seat height, but Rudy damn near grabs me, throws me onto the bike and shoves me off--"these things happen--stay relaxed, you can do this. This is bike racing!" he tells me, as he shoves me onto the back of the peloton.

At this point, I'm giddy with nerves and excitement--I feel like a pro indy driver who just went through the slickest pit stop ever. I make it onto the back of the pack, and the bike actually feels great. The crit is zippy--with 6 turns, I realize it's imperative for me to move up. But ... I just couldn't get a good spot! It was hard to find room to pass, and I think my heart was already beating in my throat from the pre-race drama. At the back of the pack, 6 turns means 6 sprints each lap. I held on for awhile, but finally got dropped, then pulled with 4 to go. My first time being pulled from a race, but they gave me a time, and you know what? I am proud to have finished this race, to have made the time cut on Saturday, to have made it through torrential downpours and an Alp D'Huez style time trial and a t minus 10 bike switch. The day ended with a beer and a burger with Juan and Rob and I could not have felt more satisfied.

I f-ing love cycling.

Riders One Malibu Training Camp

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:45:00 GMT

The squad was treated to crisp, clean and sunny riding conditions for our inaugural Riders One Malibu Weekend Training Camp. The camp was hosted by seasoned and successful local pro Rudy Napolitano of RudyFit.com and he provided the squad invaluable insights on training, climbing, racing and provided plenty of individual on the bike attention combined with skills and drills galore. Special guests Masters World Champion and hour record holder Keith Ketter, National Masters Champ Malcom Hill of the Breakaway from Cancer Masters team and Wheelbuilder.com owner and Cat 1 mtb biker Rich Sawiris joined the team for our Saturday ride and added even more valuable mentoring opportunities.

Saturday's ride consisted of a 77 mile, 7300+ feet mile tour of the Santa Monicas and included the historic climbs of Latigo, Decker and Yerba Buena and provided some solid overload training miles for everybody. Sunday included an 80 mile "recovery" ride along the crest and down the coast and included a full day of bike handling drills, mentoring and strategy. Looking forward to doing it again next year.

Breaking Down the Group Ride - The Montrose Ride

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:07:00 GMT

The classic Montrose Ride is our first installment in new series about different group training rides across So. Cal.

The Montrose ride starts at Descanso Gardens in La Canada and covers about 45 miles through various neighborhoods through the San Gabriel Valley and ends in Sierra Madre.

The tempo can be quick depending on the time of the year, but the size of the group and the traffic lights tends to keep things all together.

Montrose is a great training ride that has been going on since the 70's and there are plenty of sections that will allow you to optimize your workout if you choose to stick your nose in the wind or lead up some of the short and moderate rises on the route.

Details

Day Every Saturday (all year)
Start Time: 8:00am
Main Start: Desconso Gardens in La Canada, CA (1/2 mile south of Verdugo on Desconso)
Start # 2: 8:20 at Trader Joe's Market in S. Pasadena (corner of Mission and Grand)
Start # 3: 9:15 at Arrow Hwy and Cerritos in Azusa (the "long" ride splits off here)
Distance: 45-50 miles
Duration: 2.5-3 hours

Note: There is also a shorter loop which cuts about 10 miles off the ride. Both routes finish near the corner of Baldwin and Sierra Madre, in Sierra Madre.

Pacifica Crossfest in Camarillo

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 01:05:00 GMT

Riders One racers Jordan Haggard, Johnny Deagon, Daniel Royster and Jason Chiodo all represented well at the Pacifica Crossfest on September 25th. Congrats to Jordan for getting on the podium in the very competitive elite Men's B category. Great work!

Mentionable Results:
Elite Men B
3rd Jordan Haggard

Riders One is on Strava

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 06:31:00 GMT

Have smart phone/cyclo computer? Then join Riders One on STRAVA!

http://app.strava.com/clubs/riders-one

Brentwood Grand Prix 2011

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:24:00 GMT

The elusive bear jersey was up for grabs in a hot shop of a criterium at Brentwood. The pace was fast from the get go and riders were getting shelled from lap one. Riders One rouleur Jorge Luis Palamara has been staying focused and working on fine tuning the form during workouts and rode a great race. He managed to avoid any carnage and slide in across the line at the top end of the field. Friends and new riders including Ryan Wei, Frank Velasquez, Matt Mangum, Michael James and Ryan White rode a commanding and brave race by attacking, dictating the pace, and chasing down breaks. Props to you all.

End of Season Kit Order

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:31:00 GMT

The OG black Riders One jersey is back by popular demand. Your order must be placed 8/17.

UPDATE: 8/23 ORDER IS CLOSED

Click here to view the products.

Redlands

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:40:00 GMT

We had a small showing at the infamous Redlands Classic Criterium this year with Esteban racing 3's and 35+ and placing just in the top twenty in both and Jordan hangin tough in the Pro field. It was a TREAT to race the long course and I hope the organizers continue to allow the masters and perhaps other categories to race it. The above is a photo set from the Pro non stage race crit.

POLA Time Trial

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:15:00 GMT

When: March 27th & April 24th

Where: At the intersection of Navy Way, Reeves Ave. & Terminal Way, Terminal Island.
500 Reeves Ave., San Pedro Ca is the approximate start address but there are no buildings and there is no parking allowed at the start. You may do drop off though. Legal parking is locatd near 850 Eeale St. near the Customs Building, and is a short bike ride to the start line.

Click here for the race flyer and complete details.

For more information and results please visit Back On Track Productions

Riders One Interview On Bike Sport Radio

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:40:00 GMT

A big thank you goes to Brad House, the curator of Bike Sport Radio for interviewing me and giving us the opportunity to talk about Riders One.

Brad and I had just ridden a hard 80 miles and I was definitely a little "depleted" to say the least. Enjoy.

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Roger Millikan Memorial Criterium

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:58:00 GMT

Photos by Matt Hawkesworth

Photo by Danny Munson

Cat 4 Race Report by Jorge Palamara
Racers: Jorge Palamara, Juan Lopez
Field: 100, 75 finished

This was my first time on this course. It has a very short but pronounced up/down hill sections, unlike other crits courses, and the finish line is on a slight uphill with a narrow section.

The race was in the afternoon, the weather was sunny (a little hot for my taste) but at least I got to sleep late.

Cat4 was scheduled for 1:20pm, but there were so many accidents on previous cats, that we started 20 min late and they cut the time to 35 min.

Juan and I started somewhere in the middle of the pack, but after a lap we moved to the first 1/3 of the group and stay there for most of the race. The pace was fast on average, but too much braking on the downhill, before the s-shape section. This caused a lot of close calls, but gladly nothing happened there.

The paces picked up 3 laps to go, and all brake always were caught by then. On the last lap, Juan and I moved to the front, within the first 20 riders and as soon as we enter the last hill, Juan took the inside and I took the outside, gaining a few extra spots. With only 20 meters to go, a crash among the first guys took at least 5 people out (one of them was taken to the hospital). I was right there, but I managed to clear the crash and sprint for 10th place (and grabbing 3 point towards the SCNCA Cup). Juan was not that lucky, the crash slowed him down and he finished 17th.

The good: This a great and challenging race, different from any other crit I have done.

The Bad: It's a crash fest

Photos by Matt Hawkesworth

CicLAvia Fundraiser by GOOD

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:43:00 GMT

CicLAvia is a fun, free, family-friendly festival that closed 7.5 miles of Los Angeles streets. This year, CicLAvia is planning three more days of open streets for Los Angeles—April 10, July 10, and October 9. Mark your calendars! GOOD Magazine is throwing a fundraiser to help the continued sucess of CicLAvia.

Join GOOD LA, CicLAvia, and Atwater Crossing (ATX) for an afternoon of street-inspired eating, drinking, and playing to help raise funds for their upcoming events. We'll be partying at Atwater Crossing, an exciting new creative and event space located in Atwater Village, and we'll have plenty of our friends on hand supplying food, drink, and fun. Bring your bikes, bring your donations, bring your friends!

Saturday, March 5, 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Atwater Crossing
3229 Casitas Avenue
Los Angeles, California, 90039

Purchase tickets here.
Tickets start at $20 per person.

Visit for more info

Enzo at the first CicLAvia.

Penninsula Cliff Climb - Hill Climb Time Trial Series

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:20:00 GMT

CLICK HERE FOR JAN 30 RESULTS.

Riders One has teamed up with Back On Track productions to help promote the Peninsula Cliff Climb Time Trial Series

Bring in the new year by challenging yourself! We find the symbolism between a steep uphill climb and the challenges our society faces to live more sustainably quite poignant and invite you to use this event to help establish your own fitness and personal sustainability project goals.

DETAILS
January 30 & February 27th, 2011
Located in the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA

The Peninsula Cliff Climb Time Trial is a popular and challenging event put on by Back on Track Productions - one of the top cycling event production companies in Southern California. The Peninsula Cliff Climb Time Trial takes place in both January and February and counts to the SoCal Cup Points Series. Riders start at Palos Verdes Drive North and climb to the top of San Pedro Hill, a total of 1,200 feet elevation over 6 miles. You will need a USAC racing license. Annual and one day licenses available on race day.

Starts at the Nature Center at 27305 Palos Verdes Drive East (corner of Palos Verdes Drive North and East).
The course follows Palos Verdes Drive East to Crest Road. Right on Crest. There is a slight downhill about half way.
The total climb is 1,200 feet over 6 miles and ends at San Pedro Hill on the corner of Crest and Paseo de Pino.

START LOCATION
Palos Verdes Drive North and Palos Verdes Drive East at the Nature Center.
27305 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rolling Hills Estates CA 90274 Please park on Hitching Post Drive, not in the small Nature Preserve lot.

END LOCATION
San Pedro Hill corner of Crest and Paseo De Pino

COURSE Follows Palos Veders Drive East to Crest Road. Right on Crest. There is a slight downhill about half way. Know the course. Awards at start location.

CATEGORIES
All Southern California Cup Categories (scnca.org)
Cat 1&2, 3, 4, Women1-3, Women 3&4, Junior Men 10-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18, Junior Women 10-14, 15-18, Mast 35=, 45+, 55+, 60+ Under USAC permit 2011-110

REGISTRATION
OPENS AT 8:00AM FOR 9:00AM START
Pre-register at IMAthlete for $18 or register on race day for $25. You will need a USAC racing license. Annual and one day licenses available on race day. Encouraging sustainable practices. Visit ridersone.com Promoted by Back On Track Productions, PO Box 10111, Torrance, CA 90505. Event hotline, 310-328-3823 www.imathlete.com

Click here for registration and more info.

So Cal Cross Mania

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:16:00 GMT

SoCalCross.org has done an insanely good job at promoting the sport of cyclocross this year. Join them the for finale race of the season ... Dam Cross. Click here for more info.