Race Reports
Race Report: 2024 Chicago Grit - Men’s 2
Race: 2024 Chicago Grit, Lake Bluff - Men’s 2
Date: July 27, 2024
AVRT racers: Jon Wells
Top Result: Jon Wells, 20th of 43
Course: 0.76 mile loop through Lake Bluff, IL, a northern Chicago suburb. The 6 corner L shaped lap starts on the towns main street for the longest straight and then winds through some tight neighborhood roads.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/11997821458
Nutrition: a pre race Redbull and 60g flow bottle during the race
Race Recap:
Watch my race recap here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3n0asncIXE
This was the first cat 2 race I had done for the weekend in Chicago so I was really excited to get the chance to pick on someone my own size after getting chewed up and spit out from the pro race the night before. I didn’t know what the race dynamic would be like with an unfamiliar field but my plan was to just chill and feel out the field for the first part of the race and then look for a late race move.
I ended up absolutely chilling in the pack for most of the race. I was looking for smooth lines and trying to save as much energy as possible. This is a challenging course with how tight and technical it is, so its really important to be efficient and in good positions during the race. Nothing very threatening ever went up the road but there was enough aggression to keep the pace fairly high for most of the race. There were a few crashes in corners, but every time it was just someone making a mistake and crashing by themselves without any major pileups.
Around 7 to go I showed my face at the front of the race for the first time when I took advantage of a swarming field to move up to the very front. It definitely took some adjusting to go from looking for smooth lines to being aggressive just to hold my own space, regardless of line. In the end, I just wasn’t aggressive enough to fight for the front of the race and ended up rolling in just as a part of the pack.
Race: 2024 Chicago Grit, Fulton - Men’s 2
Date: July 28, 2024
AVRT racers: Jon Wells
Top Result: Jon Wells, 4th of 50
Course: 0.7 mile loop through Fulton St Market in Chicago. Its a downtown 4 corner crit with a very slight uphill on the start/finish side and downhill on the backside. This race is really the only 4 corner rectangle crit of the entire 10 day event and also the only race in Chicago proper.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12005165918
Nutrition: a pre race Redbull and 60g flow bottle during the race
Race Recap:
Watch my race recap here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDE7kq99U-g
It was the last day of Chicago Grit and I really wanted to come away with some sort of result. The course is really not technical compared to previous days so tailgunning seemed like an acceptable move. The skies were very dark and cloudy so I was mentally preparing for a rain race. Luckily the rain held off until maybe 30 minutes after we finished.
My plan today was to be a lazy sprinter and sit in as much as possible so nothing really notable happened for the entire first half of the race. Moves would try to go but nothing was getting much of a leash. All of the strongest individuals who had spots in the overall standing were watching eachother much closer today than previously.
About 30 minutes into the race, I decided to test the water on moving up and also give my legs a small opener at this point so I picked a lap where I went from back of the field to the front and rolled an attack for a lap to get the legs feeling fast. I ended up almost accidentally swiping a prime too, as they rang the bell at the end of my lap off the front.
At 5 laps to go, the first rider through the first corner overcooked it and slid out. there was a construction barrier right up against the road on the outside of this corner so him and his bike were right in the racing line and a huge pileup occurred. Nearly the entire field crashed, with about 15 people (myself included) sneaking past the carnage on the inside. I sprinted hard to catch up with everyone whole hadn’t crashed since we were inside of free laps and I didn’t want to get dropped from the small group. I caught on through the last 2 corners, shortly before they stopped us at the finish to neutralize the race since there were still people out in the course.
They ended up restarting us on 5 to go once the course was clear. They ultimately let everyone who could still ride back into the race. The few of us who hadn’t crashed did get to line up first though so I got a front row position on the restart. I decided to change my mindset for these last few laps and pretend I was in a cross race. I wanted to start hard to stay at the front and also was willing to eat wind to stay at the front. I never left the first 10 wheels in these last few laps and it ended up working great.
Coming into one lap to go, there were some attacks from the previous lap that were just getting brought back by the now single file field. Right after we went through the first 2 tighter corners, the guy in second position attacked and the few guys immediately behind him just sat up and let it go. I jumped around them to the right but the gap was already there by the time I realized. Simultaneously, a guy on the left side of the field jumped and I ended up on his wheel going into the last 2 corners. I jumped with everything I had left out of the last corner and came around the guy in front of me pretty quickly. The last corner was a little far from the line, especially considering the slight uphill so 2 guys ended up coming past me just before the line plus the one guy who attacked earlier in the lap stayed away so I came in for 4th! I was super excited to at least have one legit result to show from the weekend!!
-Jon
Race Report: 2024 Sand City Crit Men 2-3
Race: 2024 Sand City Criterium Men 2-3
Date: July 7, 2024
AVRT Racers: Jon Wells and George Wehner
Best Result: Jon, 5th of 37
Course: 0.7 mile super technical loop through Sand City. There are 10 corners and a short steep hill that make this race super physical. The entire race area setup was very professionally done from barriers to the podium area, even including a brewery right next to the finish. Despite only being a few years old, this race is a real NorCal gem that should be getting the kind of attention that Cats Hill and Santa Cruz crits both get.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/11834314087
Nutrition: a pre race Redbull and 90g flow bottle during the race. I was also doing the 90 minute pro/1/2 race after so was trying to stay carbed up!
Race Recap:
Watch my race recap here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws3BD4M0UxM
I was super excited coming into the race for this event to have a cat 2/3 race. I’ve been racing super strong in cat 2/3 races all year and am still looking for more upgrade points towards cat 1. Additionally, this course also suits me really well with the technical nature. I don’t usually put pressure on myself pre-race to win, especially with the chaotic nature of crits, but today was different and I really wanted this one. My plan was to ride strong at the front and cover dangerous moves but be planning for a field sprint. George was going to help string it out in the last lap if we were still together.
The race got going pretty quick straight away. Unfortunately George dropped his chain on the start and after getting it on, the officials wouldn’t give him a free lap (as USAC says thats not a mechanical). Dolce Vita was the biggest team and they instigated a lot of attacks throughout the race. They raced quite well as a team throughout and (spoiler alert) put it all together to win at the end too. Following each attack, there were 2 guys from Voler and another 2 from Enjoy plus myself that covered most of the moves throughout. Mikes was the only other large team but they didn’t have any particularly strong riders so it came down to the stronger individuals to chase.
Nothing really established itself with more than a 5 second gap during the race and it became apparent we were going to field sprint. Around 5 to go there was a prime lap that I found myself 2nd wheel out of the last corner for so I took the prime and then settled back in. Dolce sent a move on 2 laps to go that forced all the strong individuals to chase. I found myself maybe 6th wheel going into the last lap. The solo Dolce rider was brought back at the beginning of the lap and both Voler guys hit it hard at the front. A guy quite close to the front decided to sit up on the straight immediately before the hill and we all jumped around him basically in the corner at the bottom of the hill which hurt our momentum a touch. 3 guys were in front of this and got a small gap from it. I was right behind an Enjoy rider who brought us most of the way back to those 3 but then proceeded to clip a pedal in the 3rd to last corner and almost end both of our days. After avoiding the near crash, I was now left on the front with a gap in front of me. I went as hard as I could and one guy came around me on the line, leaving me with 5th place. Not the win I wanted and was initially a little upset but still a good result all things considered now.
-Jon
Race Report: 2024 Davis 4th of July Crit - Men’s Pro/1/2
Race: 2024 Davis 4th of July Crit - Men’s Pro/1/2
Date: July 4, 2024
AVRT racers: Jon Wells
Top Result: Jon Wells, 10th of 29
Course: 0.7 mile loop through downtown Davis. The figure 8 course feels like it's entirely corners with a very short main straight. There were a couple rough spots on the pavement but overall pretty solid! Absolutely pancake flat, making the other main feature of the race the heat
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/11811556363
Nutrition: a pre race Redbull and 60g flow bottle during the race. Also tried eating crushed up ice a la Filippo Ganna pre hour record to help with the heat.
Race Recap:
Watch my race recap here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGRf5T2E488
It was HOT for the 4th of July crit in Davis, especially starting at 5pm. Temperature at race start was ~110F so I pulled out all the stops for trying to stay cool. About 10 minutes before the race, I absolutely doused myself in ice water and then put an enormous ice sock down the back of my jersey with a smaller one in the front. I also tried eating crushed up ice like Filippo Ganna did before the hour record. I was really uncomfortably cold before the race started, but that didn’t last long. Additionally, I froze a water bottle and a drink mix bottle through entirely for the start of the race.
Field was around 30 people on a very technical course so my plan was to be up front and try to get in dangerous moves. Since it was just me from AV, I had to be a bit selective so I decided to only chase moves with a Voler, Terun, and Enjoy rider since they were the only teams with 4 plus riders. I also didn’t want to go too deep in the first half of the race and not be able to come back from it with the heat.
Race got off to an animated start with plenty of moves trying to go. There were two moves that had everyone represented that I wanted to follow, both of which I made big bridges up to, only for them to be caught a few laps later. Finally, just after the halfway point, there was a move with all 3 teams including Ryan Gorman that I knew was gone if I didn’t react. I put in a big bridge and made it up alone. It was a group of 6 by the time I got there and then another group bridged up a lap later, making 10 guys in the breakaway.
The group did not work very well together but the constant attacking kept the pace high enough for us to stay away from the main group, who sat up so much that we almost lapped up late in the race. Folks in the break kept attacking and Ryan would cover but nothing really stuck.
With 3 laps to go, as we brought a break back, I was sitting second on Ryans wheel coming up with momentum so I took a flyer. I was hoping to have company but no one came with so I put my head down and committed to taking it all the way to the line by myself. The group all looked at each other just long enough to give me a gap. I rode solo until 1 to go when Ryan bridged up solo and flew past me. I still had a chance at holding off the field for second at this point so I kept pouring it on. Eventually, they caught me with 2 corners to go and I was totally gassed so the whole group came past.
Ended up finishing in 10th place. Pretty happy with how I raced, in particular being selective about chasing and making it in the break of the day. Also proud that I took a chance to win the race late even if it meant sacrificing a safe top 5 finish. Think I dealt with the heat fairly well with all of the ice. I was definitely uncomfortable but my body seemed to perform pretty well in the heat!
-Jon
Race Report: 2024 University Road Race - Men's Cat 3
Race: University Road Race - Men's Cat 3
Date: August 18, 2024
AVRT racers: George Wehner, Henry Mallon
Top Result: Henry 5th
Course: 15 laps of a circuit through UC Santa Cruz featuring a 1.2-mile climb followed by a 1.4-mile descent. The climb averaged 5.5% with a steep kicker at the top.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12182345047
Nutrition: One bottle of high-carb drink mix, a few partial water bottles, and a couple of gels.
Race Recap:
University was one of my first-ever road races last year as a Cat 5, so I was excited to return this year with the goal of securing one more point for my Cat 2 upgrade. With 130 feet of elevation gain per mile, this course promised to be attritional—essentially 15 rounds of five-minute intervals at threshold or above.
Right from the gun, Logan attacked and immediately opened a gap. Two others joined him, and within a few laps, the race had already started to splinter. Logan ultimately dropped his berakaway companions and went on to win solo with a commanding two-minute lead. Meanwhile, the second group continued to shrink with attacks every few laps.
Going into the final lap, I found myself in a group of four, with Logan and two others still ahead. One rider escaped off the front without a definitive attack, and I hesitated to chase. A few surges near the top of the climb reduced our group to just two, but it was too late to reel in the rider who had slipped away.
On the final lap, I was alone with Tyler sprinting for fifth place. Knowing Tyler had out-sprinted me at Baker City Cycling Classic and Patterson Pass, I forced him to take the lead and managed to come around at the finish.
In hindsight, I wish I had raced more aggressively. There were several moments when I could have bridged gaps or followed key moves but chose to hold back—largely because I blew up last year in the Cat 4/5 field after riding the majority of the race in a small breakaway.
This remains one of my favorite races. It’s phenomenal to spectate and absolutely brutal to race—in the best way possible. I’m already looking forward to next year!
Thanks for reading,
Henry
Race Report: 2024 San Ardo Road Race - Men's Cat 3
Race: San Ardo Road Race - Men's Cat 3
Date: August 17, 2024
AVRT racers: George Wehner, Henry Mallon
Top Result: Henry 5th
Course: Three laps of a 22-mile loop with a few small rollers in the first half, a pothole-ridden bridge in the middle, and a 3-5% uphill drag before the finish.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12173365532
Nutrition: Two bottles of high-carb drink mix, one water bottle, and a few gels.
Race Recap:
Before every flat race this year, my goal has been to join a breakaway and hopefully stay away until the finish line. However, I’ve learned that the team dynamics in Category 3 races often make this strategy very challenging, and this race was no different.
There were a few solid attempts to form a break on the second lap, which resulted in a very hard 10-minute period. Unfortunately, George dropped his chain just before this action kicked off and couldn’t get back to the group on his own. The course features a short bridge with particularly rough pavement—especially on the right side—and a section with long cracks across the road that could easily cause flats or mechanical issues.
The finish was tricky, with a half-mile "climb" at an average gradient of about 3.5%, followed by a sharp, gravelly 90-degree turn and about 300 meters to the line. Knowing it would be a long sprint finish, I stayed patient at the base of the climb while others launched their sprints early. I was moving up to the front by the top of the hill, but a sizeable gap had already opened up to four riders ahead. I managed to break away from the rest of the field and started gaining on the leaders, but there wasn’t enough distance left to close the gap entirely.
Reflecting on the race, I realize I could have been in contention for a podium finish with better positioning and commitment in the final stretch. Every race is a learning experience, and this one reinforced the importance of quick decision-making and positioning in a chaotic sprint finish. Next time, I’ll aim for the breakaway just as hard, but I’ll also be better prepared if it comes down to a sprint.
Thanks for reading,
Henry Mallon
Race Report: 2024 Patterson Pass Road Race - Men's Cat 3
Race: Patterson Pass Road Race - Men's Cat 3
Date: August 4, 2024
AVRT racers: Bradley Lovegren, George Wehner, Henry Mallon, and Jeremy Besmer
Top Result: Henry 4/20
Course: Three laps of this. Each lap is is 22 miles with 2,200 ft of elevation gain. The Patterson Pass climb is about 3 miles at 6% average gradient, with ramps near the top above 10% and typically a strong headwind. The Flynn Road climb is 2.2 miles at an undulating 4.3% and is usually a cross/tailwind. The remainder of the course is mostly flat with a tailwind. This course is very exposed, and temps this year were in the mid-90s.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12063344286/overview
Nutrition: Three bottles with 60g of drink mix, a few gels, and some partial bottles of neutral feed water.
Race Recap:
Our plan for this race was to let others animate and follow the decisive moves. Most of the strong riders were racing solo, so having multiple AV teammates in a reduced group would be a big advantage in the finish.
On the first lap, we got some insights into how the conditions would influence the race. There was a strong headwind on the Patterson Pass climb, which more-or-less neutralized the main 20-minute climb of the race. Even though Flynn Road is less than 10 minutes at only 4.3% average gradient, the cross-tailwind made it the perfect place to launch an attack.
On the second lap, solo rider Logan attacked near the base of Flynn Road. I was boxed in and couldn’t respond. Fortunately, space opened on the left and George called out from behind that Tyler was moving up. I jumped on his wheel and together we closed the gap to Logan. This was a massive effort, but I knew it was important to have team representation in this move. I took a few soft pulls but mostly sat on Logan’s wheel until a group of five bridged up to us including Jeremy.
Logan rode ahead to use the bathroom but kept the pace high afterward, eventually creating a substantial gap. Tyler then bridged across to Logan, forming a dangerous breakaway. As a newer racer, it can be challenging to navigate the unwritten rules of bike racing. In this case, many of us would have preferred if Logan had rejoined the group after his bathroom stop rather than using the gap to his advantage. That said, Logan was undoubtedly the strongest rider that day and could have won using a variety of tactics.
Jeremy and I entered the last lap about one minute behind Logan and Tyler in a group of four. There was a touch of wheels through the feed zone and, unfortunately, someone crashed and had to abandon the race. By the top of the Patterson Pass climb, we caught Tyler who was dropped by Logan.
Once again, our group split up on the Flynn climb and I ended up with Tyler racing for third place. By the sprint finish, I was completely spent and had no response for Tyler’s attack. Jeremy held onto a strong 6th place just behind.
In retrospect, I went too deep following Logan on the second Flynn Road climb. This left me unable to follow the attack one lap later for second place or contest the sprint against Tyler for third. Still, it was a fun day of racing, and I’m happy to have managed the heat much better than last year.
Thanks for reading,
Henry
Race Report: 2024 Pescadero Coastal Classic Road Race - Men's Cat 3
Race: Pescadero Coastal Classic Road Race - Men's Cat 3
Date: June 16, 2024
AVRT racers: Bradley Lovegren, Drew Mathews, George Wehner, Henry Mallon, Jeremy Besmer, and Maxime Cauchois
Top Result: Henry 2/29
Course: 2.7 laps of this. After a neutral rollout from Pescadero High School, the race begins on Stage Road with two short climbs (1 mile at 4.5% and 0.9 miles at 7%) separated by a quick 1-mile descent. After the second Stage Road descent, the course turns right onto 84 for 7.5 miles of gradual 1% uphill with a few punchy rollers. Next is a right turn onto Pescadero Road with a short feed zone climb followed by 0.5 miles of flat before turning right onto Pescadero Creek Road for the final Haskins climb (1.6 miles at 7%). On the final lap, the race finishes at the top of Haskins. Otherwise, it continues down the backside of Haskins through Pescadero back to Stage.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/11660851421
Nutrition: Three bottles with 80g of drink mix and two gels.
Race Recap:
On the first lap, Drew and George jumped into a three-man breakaway on 84. This was perfect, as George was likely the best climber to win from the break if it survived to the finish. And, the remaining four of us could rest in the group behind and force other teams to spend energy controlling the gap. A Terun rider bridged to the breakaway on Stage on the next lap to make the breakaway four.
The breakaway was eventually caught over the top of Haskins going into the final lap. We were expecting an attritional race, but the pace had been relatively mellow (in part due to a headwind on Stage Road). Since the group was still large, we anticipated fireworks from the non-climbers on Stage Road trying to get ahead before a pure watt-per-kilogram battle on Haskins.
This is exactly what happened, as attacks started flying as soon as we turned onto Stage Road. Since four of us were fresh from sitting in the pack while George and Drew rode the breakaway, we had the strength to keep the field together. In particular, Brad patrolled the front and singlehandedly covered multiple attacks on the Stage Road climbs.
Once we turned onto 84, there was another flurry of attacks with Brad again sewing together any gaps. Eventually, George went to the front to set a hard tempo and discourage attacks. As we turned onto Pescadero Road, Maxime attacked through the feed zone climb. Just as Maxime was getting caught over the top, Terun came by with a full loadout storming towards the base of Haskins.
I jumped onto the Terun train but immediately cramped in my hamstring. I watched a sizeable group ride away with the Terun train as I gently stretched my hamstring. When I could pedal again, I was behind a split and back in the second group.
With support from teammates all race, I was especially motivated to give my best effort and make up as many positions as possible on the climb. Starting conservatively, I ramped up my effort to ride a steady pace just below the limit where my hamstring would seize. I crossed the line a few times and had to ease off until the cramps subsided.
I was surprised to be making progress and with about 1k remaining, I made it to a group of four that I initially thought was the front of the race. But, I soon noticed another TMB guy about 20 seconds ahead. So, I continued just below my cramp threshold and managed to bridge to him solo with about 200m remaining. The TMB guy didn’t look back once while I was gaining, so I tried to attack as I caught him. He followed my attack immediately and came around at the finish to win by about half a wheel-length.
Lastly, I want to extend a huge thank you to all the incredible volunteers and race director Bernardo for creating such an amazing race experience. I’m already looking forward to next year!
Thanks for reading,
Henry
Race Report Women’s P123 Giro di SF
Race: Women’s P123
Date: September 2, 2024
AVRT racers: Rachel Hwang, Ari Fischer, Niky Taylor
Top Result: Niky 4/22, Rachel 9/22
Route: First you start and it’s straight then you turn left then you turn right over some train tracks then you turn right and go up a little hill and then you turn right and then you go straight for like forever and then you turn right and right and big open straight to the line. Pavement in places is kind of rough and you have to watch for some potholes.
Recap: Ok well once again I wasn't sure how I was going to feel on the day because health is variable but I was feeling pretty good so I decided to register and join Ari and Rachel. We came up with a Plan. The Plan was basically to cover attacks, get Rachel in a break or get to the finish in a bunch and lead her out.
We got to the start and so did the other 22 women racing in our field. Ilan (Terun) rolled up next to me and we shared a moment of joy that the field was so large. Then they blew the whistle and she became my sworn enemy for the next 60 minutes.
Things got going pretty quickly. I saw Ari and Rachel staying in the top few wheels. Around lap 2 or 3 Terun started attacking and we helped shut them down.
Another Terun attack went. Alex Obrand aka The Main Threat went up the road and her teammates got on the front to block. Jamie Chapman (Monarch) went with Alex. This was bad because they are both very strong. So I was like ah well that needs to get shut down ok gulp this is gonna be hard.
I got on the front and got to work trying to bring it back. The gap was closing, but after a lap and a half of chasing they still probably had 3-5 seconds on the field. I felt my body want to shut down and internally screamed NO I am doing this shut up. I desperately looked around for help but saw Terun riders on my wheel blocking anyone from helping me. The gap started going out, probably to about 10 seconds.
Then, like an angel sent from heaven, Rachel went flying past me. Thank god. Gwen from Revolution racing went with her, and then the field swarmed around me as I sat up and tried to recover.
Luckily, Terun had decided to chase Rachel and Gwen back, so I sat in and took stock. I saw that Rachel was dangling between the break and the field, and I couldn’t find Ari in the pack. I tried to think. I could bridge to Rachel and try to help her get to the break, but I was still fairly gassed and I was sure she was too. I took my free pass and drafted Terun as they chased down my teammate.
We caught Rachel and Gwen right at the hill, and I looked for the counter. I saw it immediately– Kate (Terun) was standing up and coming up the right. I went left and got on her wheel, then catapulted off her to try and bridge to Alex and Jaime.
I went pretty hard, but tried to pace myself. I went for half a lap and then looked back to check where the field was and saw Kate glued to my wheel. I was like oh guess my searing attack wasn’t all that searing, also bummer I’ve been doing all this work and I’m dragging her to her teammate. But also I need to get AV represented in that break. Torn. I flicked her through and she finished off the gap closing. Honestly probably wouldn’t have made it on my own.
So then ok I am here. In the break. Hoping that Denver Disrupters, PAS Normal, Revolution, Super Sprinkles, and the handful of strong solo riders get together to chase us down so Rachel can sprint.
After that my race honestly became pretty boring. I had no obligation to work, I wanted the break to fail, and I was extremely confident that I had the worst sprint in the break. Alex is the best sprinter in NorCal. Jaime is probably the best time trialist and for sure a stronger sprinter than me. Kate is a punchy ex-pro. I am a climby sometimes all-rounder who now sometimes shuts down the same way a computer crashes. So I sat on and pulled exactly zero times. Kate briefly tried to get me to work and I was like ah no. Sorry.
Our gap went from 30 seconds to a minute and I stopped hoping we’d be brought back. I saw Ari standing on the sidelines and my worries about her being out of the race were confirmed. Turns out she’d gotten a flat just a few laps in.
I kept puzzling over how to beat 3 people with better sprints than me and came up with nothing. For lack of any better ideas I attacked into the last two corners since I had some momentum. This predictably failed spectacularly and the other three outsprinted me to the line.
But hey, I got fourth! That is cool. It’s nice to feel like I remember how to race. Rachel rolled in 9th in the field sprint.
Overall this was fun if mildly frustrating. I think my caution about my health prevented me from racing as aggressively as I like to race. Maybe I could have bridged Rachel up, maybe I could have played the break better, maybe I shouldn’t have worked with Kate to bridge. But hey we did what we could and we got on the podium. So that is neat.
I would also like to thank Louise and Ari for taking care of my dog.
Nutrition: Speednut Spring Energy gel a half hour before race start, half a bottle of water during the race
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12310283538#kudos
Race Report: 2024 San Ardo Road Race Women’s P123
Race: San Ardo Road Race Women’s P123
Date: August 17, 2024
AVRT racers: Kristin Hepworth, Chris Davis
Top Result: Kristin 5/7
Course: 3 laps around a 23 mile, slightly hilly, rectangular loop on terrible roads.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12173677327
Nutrition: Oatmeal for breakfast. Gel at the start. 2 Gels and 4 bottles of water.
Recap: Not only was this the longest race I’ve ever done (70 miles), but this was my first P123 race since upgrading to cat 3 a couple months ago. I signed up because there weren’t any women registered in the shorter 3/4/5 race and I wanted to race again with NIky.
The day of the race I arrived in San Ardo and saw a message from Niky that she wasn't going to make it. I decided to give it a try anyway. I was racing against 3 really good Terun Elite racers and I was intimidated.
Alex Obrand (Terun) didn’t waste any time and launched an attack right away. It was tough chasing her uphill. I managed to stay on, but not everyone did. Our small group of 7 turned into 5. The Terun team took turns attacking. Gwen (Revolution) bridged a lot of these attacks. The pace was much harder than I’m used to without any time to recover – it was brutal. I tried to save my energy as much as possible. I did not bring enough food to sustain the effort for 3 hours of intensity, so I tried to ration it. I started to slip back at one point and Alex offered to pull me back to the group. Super nice. I guess It was obvious to everyone I wasn’t a threat by that point. :)
I managed to stay with the group for the first 1.5 laps, but the second time through the bridge from hell (like seriously, the road on the bridge is unrelentingly jarring), Terun attacked. Gwen bridged up to them, but I couldn’t jump fast enough. Slowly, I watched them slip away and found myself as a chase group of one.
Based on who was in the group, and it being my first P123 race, this didn’t come as a surprise and I realized I was now training my mental game to continue the chase. I had 11ish miles to go before I passed the start line (and my car) and was tempted to just pull off and not complete the 3rd lap. The mental intervals continued and I reminded myself about my cycling goals and hoped that sticking it out and still pushing myself hard would help me in a future race.
I was out of fuel, but hoped to grab a AV bottle with mix from the feed zone before beginning the 3rd lap. Unfortunately, I never found the nice guy passing them out. I grabbed neutral water instead and made a note to know exactly where the AV bottles will be handed out next time. The first half of the third lap had a nasty headwind. I could see the ladies up ahead and tried to stay optimistic. I passed a few solo racers from other groups and got passed by the men’s race on their 4th and final lap. I heard a “go Kristin!” as they passed. I don’t know who said it, but it gave me the mental juice to keep pushing. I saw two different guys with flats get picked up by a big van. I’ll be honest that there was a moment where I thought it would be easier if I just got a flat so I could get a ride too.
Thankfully the 2nd half of the last lap had a nice tail wind and I finished in 5th place, a few minutes behind the lead group. I ended up on the podium on my first P123 race with some very strong racers.
I was reminded how teamwork and nutrition are so crucial to success. When things don’t go as hoped these kinds of races can be humbling and discouraging, but I don’t regret doing it. It was a good racing experience and it was great to race with this faster group who I know will continue to push me and make me better.
Race Report: 2024 University RR Men’s M35+ Cat 3/4
Race: University Road Race - Men’s M35+ Cat 3/4
Date: August 18th, 2024
AVRT Racers: Shai Traister
Top Result: Shai Traister - 7th
Course: 12 short (3 mile) loops, with a 5-ish minute climb and fast descent. Good paving. Uphill finish midway through the climb.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12182375579
Nutrition: 4 energy gels, 1 bottle of skratch drink mix and 1 bottle of water from the feed zone
Event Recap: The race started with an attack right from the gun. 2 riders got a gap and everybody started chasing. I stayed with the group and we closed the gap on the descent.
2nd climb started at a high pace which picked up shortly after the feed zone. Gaps opened up and I hesitated jumping across. Realizing my mistake a few seconds too late, I started chasing hoping to catch the group before they crest the top. I didn’t, so I continued chasing with a couple of others on the descent doing damage control.
3rd climb - I went to the front and started with a high pace. flicked my below a couple of times to no avail. I even shouted to the rider behind me to take a pull, but got “I have a teammate in the front group” and no help. I realized it was up to me, so continued pushing up the hill and then on the descent. At least I was able to keep the front group in sight. To my surprise he did take a pull on the descent which allowed me to catch my breath and slightly lower my HR.
4th climb - I realized that my only chance would be to close the gap on that climb. I started the climb with a 30s high effort and was able to close it. Sat in the group trying to recover as much as possible for the rest of the climb and through the descent.
5th climb - More accelerations, and I couldn’t stay with the group. Gaps opened and I didn’t have the legs to close them.
Laps 6-10 - solo effort. On lap 10 I passed the same rider who wouldn’t give me a pull on lap 3. He latched on to me. I also caught a dropped rider from the cat3 field and we traded pulls through the next lap.
Last climb - I didn’t want to leave it to the finishing sprint, so I gave it one last big effort from the beginning of the climb. I was able to get away from both riders. As the road started to flatten I noticed a Dolce Vita rider from my field just ahead of me - he was unaware of me coming from behind and wasn’t pushing the pace - I down shifted and sprinted to the line while passing the Dolce Vita rider.
Overall - super fun and hard race. In hindsight - I should have jumped when the gap opened on the 2nd lap rather than trying to pace it back to the group. Next time… :-)
Race Report: 2024 University RR Men’s Cat 4/5
Race: University Road Race - Men’s Cat 4/5
Date: August 18th, 2024
AVRT Racers: Clark Penado
AV Club Guests: Jack Lund, Allan Feldman
Top Result: Jack Lund - 13/35
Report Author: Clark Penado
Course: 15 short (3 mile) one lane loops, with an uphill finish, and a long overall climb and fast descent. Good paving.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12182978092
Nutrition: 4 energy gels, 1 bottle of high carb drink mix and 1 bottle of gatorade/malto mix (plus several plain water bottles from neutral support to cool off)
Event Recap: This race was run just after high noon, and standing at the start line it was definitely possible to feel the UV index. The directors opted to give us a warm up lap to feel out the course, before giving us the go ahead into the second time around to really pick up the pace. From the get go it was clear everyone was benefitting from their summer training, especially over a steeper bump at the end of the climb of the course. Going over the hill into the descent, there were definitely some solid fights for wheels and for position, which cooled off around the one turn on the downhill. Unfortunately my front derailleur wasn’t shifting into the big ring, so I had to really surf some wheels to stay in the bunch.
On the next climb I ended up maxing out my heart rate trying to stay in the lead pack, and lost contact just after the feed zone. From here I ended up working with someone from Team California for one more time around before Jack was able to bridge to us on the descent with an additional unattached rider.
From here on it was fairly uneventful, just taking laps with a push on the ascent, and cruising the descent with some pulls here and there. During the final lap there was an increase in pace, particularly on the last steep bit just before the descent part of the course. Just before the final turn into the uphill finish there was a bit of a cat and mouse for positioning, before everyone really started pushing the pedals for the finish. Jack went after the line with the other two riders, and I didn’t have the legs to go with it.
This was definitely a climbers course, and in the end felt like a day of V02 max intervals on those uphill sections.
Race Report: 2024 SBT Gravel - Black Course
Race: SBT Gravel Black Course
Date: August, 18th 2024
AVRT racers: Kelly Brennan
Top Result: 33/88 women, 1/10 20-29F
Course: https://www.strava.com/activities/12182560400/overview
Nutrition: 2L pack with 200g of superfuel; 1 large bottle with 80g super fuel; 1 bottle of pure water (to cool myself down with and drink if I got sick of mix – I highly recommend); 13 NeverSecond Gels (~1/3 caffeine).
Equipment: Specialized Crux. Continental Terra Speed TR 45s
The 6:15 AM mass start was nothing short of chaotic. Positioned about five rows from the front, I quickly found myself struggling to hold my place and gradually drifted backward. Thankfully, I latched onto my friend’s wheel, and he pulled me up the small road knoll and onto the gravel, allowing me to merge into a group of about 30-40 riders.
The way this group moved through the fast, flowy, and punchy gravel section reminded me of rides like Spectrum or the Noon Ride. My goal was to stick with them until the base of Wahooligan Pass, the main climb in the new route at around 23 miles in. To stay with them, I had to throw down my best 1-5 minute efforts of the day, and I wondered if I’d regret it later with over a hundred miles still ahead.
When we finally reached Wahooligan Pass (miles 23-37), I chose to climb at my own pace. Having pre-ridden this climb, I knew it was easy to burn out too soon, especially with the steepest and toughest part at the end. Most of the women in my group passed me early on in the climb, leaving me to wonder if I’d see them again.
Descending Wahooligan Pass solo was a dream – the technical off-camber corners and chunky rock were a blast. Many riders flatted here, but I managed to get through unscathed. From there, the course felt a bit like a mix of Huffmaster and cyclocross, with long, straight gravel sections where you were either lucky to be in a group or left on your own. Then came a stretch of sand, where my cyclocross experience came in handy, and I passed all women who passed me on Wahooligan pass..
Rolling into Hayden at mile 66, I had drained my 2L Superfuel Pack and debated whether to stop at the aid station. But after being pulled at a solid tempo pace by a friendly rider for about 15 minutes, I didn’t want to lose the momentum, so I opted to rely on my gels and keep pushing.
Around this time, I encountered a large group of riders from the Blue 100-mile course. Initially, I was excited to have more people to draft with, but soon realized they were moving much slower than I was. I drafted where I could, using steady fast wheels to recover from my recent effort and continue progressing.
At mile 86, I made my one and only aid stop to refill my bottles and grab some pickle juice, Coke, and a backup gel. I had planned to refill my pack with carb mix, but the station had run out. I decided to press on with just water and the remaining gels, resolving to stop again only if absolutely necessary, knowing the back half of the course had more frequent aid stations.
With 40 miles to go, I was getting stoked to finish! A strong woman passed me on the climb out of the aid station, and I decided to stick with her. As we descended into a section marked with “Caution!” signs, the danger became immediately apparent when her front wheel hit a loose, deep rut, sending her over the bars. I stopped to check if she was okay, and thankfully, she was, and I told her she was so strong.
The next section featured a gentle 2% descent on smooth gravel roads – fun if you're skilled at it, but tricky this late in the race if you’re not a super powerful rider on the flats, like me. Another strong woman flew by, and I worked hard to grab her wheel. I asked if she wanted to work together, and she agreed! We flew through this relatively flat section until, unfortunately, she dropped off on the next little climb to the second-to-last aid station at mile 101.
On the next 2% descending gravel road, I was thrilled to spot my friend Sarah, who was riding the Blue Course. I motioned for her to get on my wheel, and we worked together until we reached the second-to-last climb, known as the “Corkscrew.”
The final aid station was at the top of the last climb at mile 113, but I flew by, feeling surprisingly strong – no cramps, and my legs were still solid! As I approached the finish line, I pushed hard to beat the 8-hour mark and finished at 7:55! I’m really proud of my effort, managing to stick with a strong group at the beginning, pacing myself on the climbs, and finding others to ride with throughout the race.
Overall, the Steamboat Gravel event is a blast, with a fun vibe and excellent organization in a stunning setting! There's something for everyone. I also noticed a significantly larger portion of women and more diversity than at any other race I’ve been to – I highly recommend it!
Key Learnings & Notes (If You Do This Event):
Gear: I ran a 40T with a 10-44T SRAM XPLR, but I found myself spinning out frequently on the 2% descents. Next time, I’d opt for a 42T or maybe a 44T chainring.
Support: There’s no outside support allowed, so be self-sufficient. Bring all the flat repair supplies (including a tube), enough food for the entire race, and extra drink mix – the aid station I stopped at had run out.
Start: The mass start is incredibly fast. It’s tough to take in calories from gels early on, so next time, I’d mix more calories into my bottles.
Tires: If the course remains the same, consider running MTB tires like the 2.25 Aspen ST; many of the fastest riders used them and loved it. I would run larger, fast tires. The blue course is significantly less technical.
Race Report: 2024 University Road Race Womens P1234
Race: University Road Race Womens P1234
Date: August 18, 2024
AVRT racers: Niky Taylor
Top Result: Niky 3/4
Route: Literally it goes up and then it goes down.
Recap: Hello. I did a race. Here is my report.
I have not raced very much this year because I have been dealing with Long COVID and some psychiatric problems. One of the main symptoms I have is pretty severe fatigue. So we can just say I wasn’t in the best form going into this race.
Day of the race I wavered on whether I would register. But I decided I wanted to race because while feeding the P12 guys I overheard some masters riders saying “you know, I’m dropped, but I’m so glad I can still be out here.” And I liked that sentiment.
I rolled up to the start after having warmed up with some friends. There were a whopping 4 people in our field so we combined with the 3/4/5’s to get to a field of about 15. They blew the whistle and I started my first race in months.
The first few laps were pretty uneventful but fast. I marked Ilan (Terun) and Jackie (Roxo racing) who I figured were the two main threats. I kept an eye on Hannah (Terun) too. The rest of the riders were 3/4/5’s. One Sprinkles girl kept attacking on the descent, but she kept getting brought back on the climb.
After a few laps, I felt pretty bad. But we turned onto the climb and I noticed Hannah fading back from Ilan and Jackie a bit. I figured now was a good time to weaken Terun, so I surged up to Ilan and Jackie and hit the gas. I set a PR on the climb and dropped everyone except Ilan and Jackie. On the descent the sendy Sprinkles rider bridged up to us.
I was pretty gassed. My heart rate had been maxed out for a while and my recovery is not very good right now. I kept with our group of 4 for another lap and then broke. I tried to fight through it. The Sprinkles girl towed me back on the descent and I was able to bridge up to Ilan and Jackie, but again halfway through the climb I couldn’t hold on. I accepted that this was probably my race, I know my form isn’t where it used to be, and I’m trying to be ok with it. The world was spinning.
Sprinkles girl caught up to me and tried to get me hyped. I was like I am sorry but I cannot hype right now. She tried to help me be more aero on the descent which was nice, I was like yeah sorry I know how this works I’m just so dizzy I think I might fall off my bike. But she was really nice so I tried to pace her on the climb, and then my legs really gave out for good.
I cheered her on and then started trying to recover. I was about an hour into the race and hadn’t eaten or drank much, so I hoped this fatigue spell was at least half bonk and I started *consuming.*
At the feed zone, I saw Hannah had pulled out of the race. I thought hm, I should pull out of the race. I am done. I could be really done. But Cam was there and he was so committed to giving me water and Louise had come out to cheer me on. And I wanted to finish the stupid thing I started. And there were only three of us, so what the heck, so long as I finished I could get some velo promo money and a wacky Tshirt.
So I kept telling myself one more lap. I will do one more lap and then I will see how I feel. And every lap at the feed zone I saw Cam and Louise and told them “I feel so great” while moving at about 2 miles per hour and Louise would laugh and Cam would say “you look great” or something like that and dump water on my head and I’d keep going.
I was so relieved to be lapped, because when Ilan and Jackie finally came around with 4 laps to go I automatically got to go down to 3. Ilan told me to hop back on with them and I did on the descent, but then immediately felt something cold on my leg and looked down to see sealant shooting out my back tire. I slowed down in case it totally blew out, but it held. I caught back on with them but was too gassed again to hang on the climb. I was really limping my way to the finish.
But I did it. Every lap I thought I’d stop and every lap I kept going, so I was proud of myself for that. I got to stand on the box and Ilan gave me her Bariani bag since apparently 3rd place P1234 didn’t get one, which was really sweet of her.
Overall I’m glad I did this because it was great to get out and see people, even if I was the absolute dead last person to finish racing, down one lap with my heart rate at 190, course marshals cleaning up the course as I passed. I miss being in top form and I wish I could get back there, but at least I’m able to get out and do things again. And I’m proud of myself for getting out there even when I knew it was going to be rough and ultimately finishing a really tough course.
Nutrition: Speednut spring energy at the start line, 1.5 sleeves of clif bloks and 3-4 bottles of water + skratch during the race
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12183485194
Race Report: 2024 Patterson Pass - Women’s 3/4/N
Race: 2024 Patterson Pass - Women’s 3/4/N
Date: Aug 4, 2024
AVRT racers: Hannah Chen, Claire MacDougall
Top Result: Hannah (6/11 overall)
Course: Two laps of a 23 mile loop with 2 major climbs. The second half of the course is mostly downhill with a 1mi uphill finish. It was cooler than previous years with a max of 95 deg in the afternoon and quite windy in certain areas, like by the highway overpass. See Jeremy’s course notes I found from last year.
Nutrition: Oatmeal for breakfast. 2 gu and pack of chews during the race, 3 bottles of water and 1 feed bottle with mix.
Race Summary:
I wanted to try something crazy, since if it came down to the last uphill climb one of the stronger cat 3 riders would win. I chatted with Claire and asked if we wanted to try attacks/counterattacks, and she was game. This turned out to be A Total Mistake.
Having never ridden the course I underestimated how defeating the first climb would be (hint: it goes from 8-14%). We set the pace too fast and burnt matches too early in the race, and that’s when I looked up and realized we weren’t even at the legit climb yet…lol.
The group was separated at the end of the first climb, with a group of 3 breaking away and the rest of us each on our own. During the Flynn climb switchback I saw Claire below me and wasn’t sure if I should wait (2nd mistake). With another woman between us chasing, I kept going but didn’t push. I should’ve waited for Claire so we could ride together.
Feed Zone: My first time using a feed zone. I got a neutral bottle from the feed but it was half empty. Then I got a mixed bottle from the AV feed and it was the perfect slushie temp - YUM YUM YUM sugar (thanks guys!!!!) And to top it off, they had pantyhose ice packets made for us <3 I had to stop my bike to shove it down my back and switch to a full water bottle. The woman chasing passed me here. Oops.
The rest of the race was pretty sucky. Second time on the climb was equally not fun. I’m actually really embarrassed to admit this: I got off my bike and walked the steepest section. I thought I was gonna fall over. During this time, another woman passed me. I spent the rest of the race in survival mode, got cramps in each leg, mentally was not feeling it, and was so relieved for it to finally be over.
I read previous reports about how hard this race would be, but we had “favorable” weather and it was only “a little” windy compared to previous years. At the end of the day, both Claire and I showed up and finished so I’ll take that as a personal win.
Thanks for reading!
Claire and me, happy at the start, ignorant of the suffering to come
Race Report: 2024 Patterson Pass RR Men’s Cat 4
Race: Patterson Pass Road Race - Men’s Cat 4
Date: August 4th, 2024
AVRT Racers: Clark Penado
Top Result: Clark Penado - DNF
Report Author: Clark Penado
Course: Three hilly 22 mile loops with two major climbs and an uphill finish per loop
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/12063460208
Nutrition: 2 energy gels, 1 bottle of high carb drink mix and 1 bottle of plain water
Event Recap: The race started fairly gently into the first major climb on Patterson Pass Road, which felt like everyone was waiting for someone to jump. After a little while, a VeloKings rider started to move up the road to the left of the group, and I opted to hop on their wheel. After a bit they peeled off, and I opted to move to the front and settle into a pace a little less than threshold. The wind was blowing from our right, so I also moved over to the right side of the road in front of the larger group. I was able to stay on this effort for the bulk of the climb, and coming over the top some of the group passed me going into the subsequent descent.
I had to stay on the power a bit to stay with the group through this section, which was followed by a right turn into the second climb. For this one, I ended up putting in a high end V02 effort, but wasn’t able to stay with it. I ended up losing contact, but was able to continue on with another rider for the rest of the lap. We did some rotations through the rest of the first leg and through the final uphill before pushing on to the second time around the course.
We could still see the main group farther up the first climb at the start of lap two, but the other rider I was with ended up peeling off part way through the climb. For the rest of this lap I continued on solo, but by the end of it I decided to call it a day since I couldn’t see the group and the heat was starting to settle in.
Definitely a tough race, and in hindsight I probably should have held off from pushing the pace initially. That said, there were some fast bits on the back side of the course that added a bit of fun too.
Race Report: 2024 Baker City Cycling Classic, Stage Race - Men's Cat 3
Race: Baker City Cycling Classic, Stage Race - Men's Cat 3
Date: June 21-23, 2024
AVRT racers: George Wehner, Henry Mallon
Top Result: George 5th (Stage 2), Henry 2nd (Stage 4), Henry 6th (GC)
Strava:
Stage 1 (Henry): https://www.strava.com/activities/11707420028
Stage 2 (George): https://www.strava.com/activities/11714149902
Stage 3 (George): https://www.strava.com/activities/11716078452
Stage 4 (Henry): https://www.strava.com/activities/11723535947
Nutrition: Team feed bottles with roughly 80g of carbs each and additional plain water from neutral feed.
Race Recap:
Stage 1 - Catherine Creek Road Race
Written by Henry. The first 50 miles were mostly flat, followed by a 3-mile climb with an average gradient of 5%. This was succeeded by 25 miles of descending with a few short rollers. After an easy 40 miles, the pace picked up during a 10-mile section of false flat leading into the main climb. During this period, two strong solo riders broke away. I tried to bridge the gap and encourage other teams to form a paceline, but there wasn’t much cooperation, and we started the climb at least two minutes behind.
George surged at the base of the climb, and then I attacked, hoping to split the field and reduce the gap to the breakaway. At this point, George was dropped and shifted his focus to pursuing stage results in the remaining days.
In hindsight, I expended too much energy in the second half of the race—attempting to bridge to the breakaway on the false flat, pacing the shallow 5% climb, and taking more pulls than anyone else on the rolling terrain to the finish.
By the final five-minute roller, I was really struggling and nearly got dropped from the group. There were a series of attacks on the fast run-in to the finish, and I was caught behind a split, finishing 19 seconds behind the solo winner who managed to stay away from the original breakaway. With bonus seconds at the finish, I ended up 29 seconds down on GC, closely grouped with about 15 others.
Stage 2 - Baker City Time Trial
Written by George. I cracked hard on the first stage, so I was a bit nervous going into the TT as I didn’t know if I had the legs to really be competitive. Unlike Henry, I was already out of GC contention, but I still decided to ride all-out for the TT as practice for future stage races. My strategy was to pace the uphill really hard, so my legs would feel dead at the top.
I used the first two miles of the course, before the road started pitching up, to see how my legs were feeling. I felt good, so I increased the power by about 10W once I started going uphill. This increase in power meant I slowly started to feel worse, but I was flying and I knew I just had to make it to the top of the hill at that power, so I pushed through.
I was right at my limit when I crested the hill, so I knew I paced it right. I recovered a bit on the downhill, then gave everything I had left (which wasn’t much) to get to the finish. I felt completely miserable crossing the line, but a better kind of miserable than how I felt on stage 1.
After I finished, I was happy with the effort, but I didn’t think I was that fast compared to everyone else – I guessed I was in the top half but not much faster. I was quite surprised to see that I got 5th place, and less than 10 seconds behind 2nd. The winner, Jordan, was absolutely flying that day, finishing 45 seconds ahead of 2nd and almost a minute ahead of me, and he ended up going into the GC lead after this. Henry finished about a minute behind me and was 1:55 behind the lead on GC after the stage.
Stage 3 - Baker City Downtown Criterium
Written by George. The plan going into the crit was for Henry to sit in because he was close enough to contest GC, and for me to race for the stage. I felt good after my 5th place result in the TT earlier that day, but I still didn’t want to do much work in the crit because I was a bit tired from the TT and had a 50-minute climb waiting for me the next day. AV also didn’t have any obligation to take control of the race, as there were 12 people ahead of Henry on GC. Therefore, I decided to just try to get the best finish possible without really forcing a move. The course was a 1km L-shaped lap, with the start-finish straight being only 300m, but the roads were wide so it still would be a fast race.
It was really hot for this race – temperatures were in the mid-90s – so Henry and I used ice socks, and I had a full bottle with fairly dilute drink mix. I was a bit worried about how the heat would affect me after the day before, but the ice sock was helping, and after the race started I felt better than I expected. I still didn’t do much for the first 30 minutes of the race – I was mainly sitting in and learning where to move up, which was actually quite challenging with the straights being so short. The most notable thing that happened during this first half-hour was that my ice sock completely melted.
With about 10 laps to go in the race, a break of 2 went up the road, and a chase group of 2 followed shortly after. GC leader Jordan was in the first break, so I thought the group would want to chase it back, but they didn’t, and with about 3 laps to go I realized that break was going to win the race. With 2 to go, I attempted to bridge, but my legs were way more cooked than I expected – I think that after the ice sock had finished melting, my body started feeling the heat a bit more, and I didn’t realize how much it was affecting me until this bridge attempt. Therefore, this bridge attempt only lasted around half a lap, and I ended up just finishing in the middle of the main group. Jordan ended up winning the stage and extending his GC lead a few seconds, but he isn’t a climber so Henry and I figured he wouldn’t hold this lead on the final stage.
Stage 4 - Anthony Lakes Road Race
Written by Henry. The route was the reverse of the first stage, followed by a massive 12-mile climb finishing at over 7,000 feet of elevation. Given our GC placement, the main goal for the day was to conserve energy until the final climb and go for the stage win.
The group kept a moderate pace all day, a few minutes behind a breakaway of about five riders. At the base of the final climb, a hard initial surge reduced the group to about six. Niko from PenVelo paced the first 25 minutes of the climb before exploding and eventually losing about 10 minutes.
Since everyone else in the front group was in contention for GC, I thought they would mark each other for the overall rather than ride aggressively for the stage win. This wasn’t the case, as every time I attacked, they immediately glued to my wheel. So, I quickly shifted strategies and decided to back my sprint for the finish.
We caught all the original breakaway riders and crested the top of the climb in a front group of four. Going into the descent, one rider launched an attack, and I crawled back to his wheel along with everyone else in the lead group.
After that attempt, we soft-pedaled down the descent to the final 200m slight uphill finish. The virtual GC leader, Tyler, was the first to launch his sprint. I quickly got into his draft, coming around in the final 50 meters and throwing my bike at the line. It was a super close finish, but after a few minutes we got confirmation that Tyler won the stage and I was second—so close!
George had a great ride, finishing 7th on the stage, and I moved from 13th to 6th on GC. Despite missing the stage win by a couple of inches, I’m still proud of my effort on the last climb and glad to finish off a long weekend of racing feeling stronger than at the start.
This was a super fun introduction to stage racing, and I really appreciate the support of the whole team. In particular, Roger (Nathan’s dad) was incredibly helpful in managing logistics and supporting us in the feed zones with cold bottles and ice.
Race Report: 2024 Pescadero Coastal Classic - Men’s P/1/2
Race: Pescadero Coastal Classic - Men’s P/1/2
Date: 6/15/24
AVRT Racers: Grant Miller, Nathan Martin, Andrew Ernst, Greg McCullough, Cam O’Reilly, David Domonoske, PA Laforcade
Top Result: 2nd - Nathan
Course: 4 laps of this. Some short climbs on Stage Rd, a false flat up towards Haskins which is about a 7-8 minute climb, then a ripping descent before a false flat downhill to the start, finishing the last lap on the climb.
Nutrition: 3 bottles of mix, 4 gels
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/11661218210
Race Recep (written by Nathan):
The race started strong, with Grant getting in a break with Erik from Dolce Vita on lap 1. This was a really strong move, both had the engine to make it to the end. For the rest of us, we just had to stay in the group and try to mark any dangerous bridge attempts, so that people trying to bridge would pull one of us up to Grant. A small chase group did end up going before the first climb that we were represented in.
The first time up the climb was pretty fast for first lap, I think because of the early break and second group behind it, but any part of the group that broke up on the climb was able to stitch back easily on the descent.
The chase group got caught as we hit Stage Rd for the second time, and we also saw Erik, who was with Grant, pulled over by the side of the road fixing a flat tire. We now had Grant up the road solo for potentially another 3 laps, which he could definitely do, but would be much harder than with another person.
The second time up Haskins would also be the second hardest of the whole race. Gavin would attack early on the climb trying to create some distance, but the gap was closed and then we basically just did hard above threshold the rest of the climb.
On Stage Rd the third time, some attacks went from Marcis and Gavin, again trying to make the race hard and create some separation, I went with either of them each time and the group stayed together. At this point, Grant had about 2 minutes on us before Stage, but the attacks on Stage cut his advantage down to about 50s.
The third time up Haskins was more of the same, us basically following whoever was setting a hard pace on the front, with the fatigue definitely catching up to the group as fewer people were with us at the top, but again most of the field caught back on during the descent. This hard pace would have us catch Grant on the climb. Right after the descent, Cam would get in a move that went off the front.
Cam’s move would get caught on Stage, and again some attacks would go near the end of the first Stage climb and on the second one, but at the bottom of the last Stage descent we were together, and here David put in a huge dig and built a decent solo gap on the group.
Marcis and Gavin would do most of the work on the front to bring David back. The gap would keep going out slightly, hitting about 40-50s, never quite out of sight but on some of the turns he would be temporarily out of view. Meanwhile, we were just sitting in behind and making sure we weren’t eating wind.
As we got closer to the climb, we could still see David up the road, but it looked like not quite a big enough gap, so we knew it would come down to the final climb. Grant took a big pull into the bottom of the hill, then I made sure to keep an eye on the stronger riders to go with any moves.
Right after the first turn where it kicks up, attacks started going from Miles from Voler. Quickly, the group became Miles, me, Marcis, and Gavin. My goal was to hang on as long as I could and try to give it a good kick at the end for the win, so no early attacking for me.
As we kept going up the climb, attacks going still, Miles would drop out, then Gavin, and it was me and Marcis for the end. There was a moment where he tried to put in a dig, then sat up, about 500m from the finish where I probably should have attacked, but I trusted in my sprint and sat on his wheel.
As we hit about 200m and rounded the last corner, we were both alongside each other and started our sprint. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have the legs that he did, and rolled in second.
It was a great tactical race from us, basically gave me the best shot possible and made lots of other super strong riders do a lot of work. It hurts to get so close to winning and come up short, especially with the effort the team made, but I’m proud of how we all rode regardless.
Race Report: Calaveras Time Trial
Race: 2024 Calaveras Time Trial
Date: July 13, 2024
AVRT racers: Robin Betz (writing this report), Emily Selman, Hannah Chen
Top Result: Robin 1st Merckx Women, 3rd Open Women, Hannah 2nd Merckx, Emily 1st Cat 4, 3rd Merckx
Course: 10 mile out and back with rolling hills and a 1 mile, 300 ft climb before the turnaround.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/segments/611015
Nutrition: A TT is too short for eating but I had oatmeal for breakfast, a latte, and a 200kcal bottle in between races.
Race Summary:
The day started with the womens’ Merckx category and I was the first rider. After a short warmup, I headed to the start with the intention of leaving my water bottle there, but of course I forgot to take it off my bike. At least I’d taken my front bottle cage off so the aero penalty wasn’t too bad.
I didn’t have my best legs today, so I aimed to really nail my aero position and pacing to get the most speed with what I had available. I was able to punch it up each roller and over the top, and focus on getting super aero on the downhills. [pic]
I rode the climb as hard as I could knowing that the downhill would offer a small rest opportunity, and managed to not overcook the single tricky corner on the way back. Then I counted down the miles on my bike computer and did my usual time trial thinking tricks of trying to do mental math, which I find a good distraction from the effort: “I’m 2 miles out. At 30 mph, that’s 4 min. At 20 mph, that’s 6 min. I’m going about 25mph, so only 5 min remaining! Oh, now it’s 1.5 miles remaining. How long will that take?” At Z4 heart rate that train of thought takes about 3 minutes to formulate and the finish line tent was soon in sight.
I know I’ve done a good time trial when I have to just stand over the bike, put my forearms on handlebars, and gasp and pant and try not to throw up for a few minutes. My efforts were rewarded with a win in the category!
Up next was the open category, which I’d brought my time trial bike for with a 90mm front and a rear disc wheel. I knew I should be faster than my previous run, but was also pretty tired, so again focused on making the most of what I had and keeping the best aero position possible: shoulders shrugged, chin up, and hands not death gripping the skis.
This run was a bit harder - I definitely felt the previous one in my legs and mentally was also pretty fatigued and not able to dig as deep. My power meter also was negging me the whole time since I’d forgotten to adjust it for the shorter cranks on this bike, but I ride to feel during TTs and didn’t let it get in my head.
The aero position on the TT bike is worth a lot of time, even on the hill– with 10 fewer watts I managed the same time on the climb, but since I don’t descend on this bike a lot I was actually slower on the descent due to wanting to be on the brakes to corner. Some blustery wind on the way back was a bit stressful but at least distracted me from the effort.
I ended up with the 3rd fastest time overall and was happy with it. You can’t always control how your legs are or who else shows up, but races are always an opportunity to do your very best and TTs even more so. I hope they run this course again next year because I’ll certainly be back!
Race pics by Greg Beliera
Race Report: 2024 Baker City Cycling Classic, Stage Race
Race: Baker City Cycling Classic - Men’s P/1/2
Date: June 21st-23rd, 2024
AVRT racers: Andrea Cloarec, Nathan Martin, PA Laforcade, Cam O’Reilly
Top Results: Andrea 7th Overvall GC / 75. Nathan 8th
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/11723508387/overview
Nutrition: Safeway Deli bar for lunch and dinner, cookies for breakfast!
A lot of Malto and gels during the race.
We went to baker city with Cam, PA and Nathan. With Nathan being the winner from last year. Lots of big teams with many riders, so we had to be very attentive on everyday.
Stage 1 - Road race:
First part was pretty flat, then the last 30 miles with 3 climbs of around 10 minutes and 2 times 5 minutes.A small break went early but never too dangerous. Once the peloton pushed the pace on a small ramp and catching the break, I moved up as I was seeing strong teams also moving up.Quickly after 2 guys went, I followed. After a few minutes I looked around me. We were a break of 8, with all the good teams, a good gap on the peloton already, and rotating well.We kept working well until the first climb, and we heard we had a 3min40 gap.On the first climb, 2 guys went as I couldn't follow (450w for 10 minutes was too ambitious to try to stick!). These two guys finished the overall GC 1-2.
I found myself with a Team California guy, and Matt from TMB.
We finished the stage together, Matt taking the sprint for 3rd. I finished 4th.
Stage 2 - TT, 13 miles:
I road it the day before, I knew it would be fast and I expected it to be 25min.
So I set my power at 400w, trying to be as aero as possible. I managed to pace it well, quickly catching the Team California boy who left 30 seconds before me. So I knew I was moving correctly.
I finished in 4th position on the day, 11 seconds behind the winner. Who also won the day 1, and did this tt on a road bike. I was 3rd on GC after this. And Nathan 7th.
Stage 3 - Crit :
Job was for PA to chase a result. Cam, Nathan and me just chilling and finishing in the pack, saving energy.
So PA was alone facing organized teams with many riders. He stayed in good position during the hour, but unfortunately couldn't catch the good train on the last lap and finished 16th/74. TMB controlled the full race with Eamon winning this.
Stage 4 - Queen stage:
The reverse of stage 1 with a long 12 miles climb to finish the day.
So it was a rolling start with some small climbs. We were expecting a break to go to try to attack the GC. So PA stayed ahead, following several attacks. Good thing he kept following as a very good break got formed with 2 tmb, Jackson and Chris, and with Kent Ross from Expeditors, certainly the main favorite for the climb. POA, the team of the leader, had to chase the full day using their 8 guys, as the break with PA did an amazing job setting a hard pace.We stayed in the peloton with Cam and Nathan trying to ride effectively, fueling well to arrive fresh for the final climb.
As we started it, we were just 40 seconds behind the break. Thanks to POA who worked crazy hard the full day.
From the first percentage of the climb, Nathan sent it. Tim from TMB quickly followed. As I was feeling good, I went with them. So we were 3, we quickly caught all the guys from the break. With PA giving us a very nice pull when we passed him, with his last resources, Thank you PA! 😂
Only Kent Ross was ahead.
A group of 6 guys, with the main GC contenders caught us. So we were 9 climbing, trying to chase Kent Ross.
Unfortunately the pace was quite hard, Tim from Tmb dropped, another guy did too. Then it was Nathan and me to have to drop and pace it correctly.
Finally we finished 9th and 10th on the day, 2 minutes behind the main group.
Overall GC:
Nathan finished 8th overall, and I finished 7th, just seconds separating us.
Considering the depth and the level of this year's field, it was still an ok result, the 6 guys ahead of us being all renown bike racers, pro of semi pro.
Very nice weekend here in Baker City, Oregon.
And huge thanks to Roger, Nathan’s dad, for helping us one more time!
Race Report: 2024 Calaveras TT - Men's P12
Race: 2024 Calaveras TT - Men's P12
Date: July 13th, 2024
AVRT racers: Andrea Cloarec, Grant Miller
Top Results: Andrea (1/6)
Course: 10 miles out and back with a small 3’ climb, and twisty and fast descent. Quite windy on the day.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/11879860425/overview
Nutrition: One caffeine gel 15min before
Race: I estimated TT would be around 20’ so I planned to go for 400W avg.
As on every TT, I started faster to get to speed with a first minute at 490W. So I could settle down for the nex 5-6’ on the flat and save energy.
After the climb and the turn around, I saw Miles Hubbard, who started just 1’ behind me and was certainly the guy to beat, more than a minute behind, so it gave me an extra motivation to keep pushing and take risks.
I did… and almost missed a turn on the descent. Lucky I saved the crash, I put back my head down and kept pushing. As I never put the time on my bike computer during TT, I just was focus to keep the power high as long as it would take until I cross the finish line.
Averaging 402W for 21’04”, I got the win with a good 33 seconds lead on the second, Miles.
Very happy with the result, and the work I’ve done on the TT recently.
