Montana Cyclocross

OSCR 2012 - Already? Really?

2012-01-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

The 2012 OSCR 50k ski race is this weekend in Seeley Lake. Gun goes off at 10am (literally). Here is the race flier.

The OSCR is always hard, but it's really snuck up on me this year. The Ozone Pursuit race got cancelled and the days just ticked away and now here we are at OSCR week.

This is a Western Montana Classic, and perhaps one of the hardest endurance events in the region.

3 Reasons:

1. PACING - Terminator Jensen and Doug will be mad I'm writing this but finding the right pace is difficult. The climb is too long for most of us to "put the dial past red."
2. WAX - It's a 50k loop, no small loops, you go 25k out. Weather changes at different elevations, temperatures change, and there is no way to see what the weather is like up on Rice Ridge. Not to mention you climb and descend to completely different aspects.
3. SNOW CONDITIONS - The snow and trail conditions can change dramatically day of.

Cheers to all OSCR 50k competitors! See you Saturday.

My favorite race announcers of all time.

Currys

2012-01-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

Are you kidding me? 18th in Elite Nats for Lisa Curry.

Watch more video of USA Cyclocross National Championships 2012 on cyclingdirt.org

New Blog

2011-12-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

I added a new blog. Jeff Cincoski is getting back in race shape this spring. Follow his journey here

UM Cycling Night

2011-12-04T17:31:00.001-08:00

MTCX Bloggers Phil and Matt

2011-11-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

Both athletes are in interesting places. As Phil comes down from a big season with the Sentinel Hill Climb, Matt starts his training again and looks towards nordic. Whenever they post it's a must read.

Tomrobertsonphoto.com picture

2011 Mount Sentinel Hill Climb Results

2011-11-13T08:36:00.001-08:00

Bozeman Cyclocross Photos - Frigid Light

2011-11-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

Mulecross: http://www.frigidlight.com/events/mulecross-2011/

MTCX State Championships: http://www.frigidlight.com/events/mtcx-2/

Curry Rules Bozeman - Takes the title back from Frank

2011-10-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

John Curry is the Montana Cyclocross State Champion. Frank Gonzalez had shown good form on Saturday taking the win from Bob Presta at Mulecross. On a twisty State Champs course Curry jumped out in front with Toby Meierbachtol and Bob Presta in tow. The Missoulians liked the course that favored punchier riders. Meierbachtol busted a derailleur and Presta had a mechanical taking both men out of contention. Gonzalez's consistent riding brought him into second but Curry was gone. Presta fought back through the field and finished 3rd. In his best ever MT weekend the MBW rider had a 2nd and 3rd. However the story of the day is once again the Curry/Frank 1-2 at the state. These guys have dominated cross in MT for the last 4 years.

On the ladies side, Lisa Curry and Lindsy Campbell had great starts and controlled the first part of the race. Anna Dingman rode consistently and within her range to slowly bring back Campbell. Great ladies field with Ingrid Lovitt, Megan Lawson, Amy Frykman, and a Fitzgerald's rider all contesting. Lisa Curry is the State Champ for 2011.

Congrats to other state champs; Erik Horn and Chance Cooke

Pascal Beauvais Montana State Champs Pictures

Sam and Ingrid wrap up Overall Wednesday Titles

2011-10-27T08:08:00.001-07:00

Sam Schultz and Jesse Doll once again battled for the top spot of the podium Schultz won with Doll close behind. Dave Hartman set up a fun, long course, that actually had some taxing technical features. Perhaps the hardest section of the course was riding up the long hill and then running up the same hill. In between technical sections there was 45 seconds of hard packed straightaway. It made for a tactical battle in all categories.

Ingrid Lovitt wrapped up her series title in stylish fashion.

Ian Foster and John Bardsley continued their season long battle in the men's B.

Blair Fisher won the Master's B overall and John Fiore won the Master's A overall.

Mulecross and State Champs this weekend in Bozeman.

Bozeman Cyclocross this Weekend

2011-10-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Last year's costume winners.

E-Mule showing off his skillz

Photos by Frigid Light Photography

The last weekend of Montana Cyclocross is upon us. Perhaps the best weekend of racing is here. It all comes down to this.

Saturday is Mulecross. A fun, festive atmosphere with a great course. Check out the Muleterro Blog for all the hype.

Sunday, the state championship heads to the fairgrounds for an all out battle between Montana's finest. Overall titles are still up for grasp. Check out the State Champs Blog.

Rolling Thunder - The best of tomrobertsonphoto.com

2011-10-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

Rolling Thunder this Weekend

2011-10-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

Online registration and apparel sales close 6pm MST today.

The link for race information and registration is to the right of this post.

Feel free to come out and ride the course today. The course will be in process all day, but come out and get the lines dialed.

Any questions about the race, email me, montanacyclocross@gmail.com or call 406-544-5270.

Schultz and Ingrid Topple the Fields at WCX#5

2011-10-19T20:54:00.001-07:00

photos by Tomrobertsonphoto.com

The axe will go to another rider this year. However, Sam Schultz can still win when he wants. At Wednesday #5 he showed the field who was the top dog. He was in a big pack until riders started disappearing. Some were saving their legs for the big show and others had mechanicals. In the end Jessie Doll was the only man left. He took a strong 2nd on the evening.

Online Registration Closes at 6pm Friday MST

2011-10-19T10:36:00.001-07:00

Have some tomrobertsonphoto.com pics. Also, official Thunder shirts and hats are available online. There is limited supply, so reserve yours now.

Last year the UM drum line came out.

Always an interesting array of fans. Matt Shryock shown here uses his vocal cords for the National Anthem and holding down his #1 fan crown.

Kevin Bradford-Parrish receiving the Thunder treatment after his 2nd place last year. KBP will be attendance for 2011.
Flathead Russ of Team Great Northern Cycles rips the sketchy descent. Great Northern Cycles has been a supporter of Rolling Thunder for 4 years.

Race Registration is always a spot to people watch.

Rolling Thunder Champions

2011-10-17T15:45:00.001-07:00

I never forget the Rolling Thunder Champions and neither should you:

Lisa Curry - 2007, 2009, 2010
Sam Schultz - 2009, 2010
Clint Muhlfeld - 2006, 2007
Chance Cooke - 2007, 2009
Mariah Morgan - 2009, 2010
Bridger Fiore - 2009, 2010
Mike Beltz - 2006
Frank Gonzalez - 2006
Nylene Wicks - 2006
Chris Connelly - 2007
Walt Chauner - 2008
John Weyhrich - 2008
Lucca Scariano - 2008
Tyler Hurst - 2008
Amy Frykman - 2008
Sam Krieg - 2008
Robert Sayler - 2009
Joey Lenaburg - 2009
Zach Guy - 2009
Bruce Johnson - 2010
Mark Knockey - 2010
Anna Dingman - 2010
Justin Cloute - 2010
Travis Monroe - 2010

Chance Cooke 2009 - One of the best two man battles we've seen with Frank and Chance locking horns.

Mike Beltz 2006 - Hopping barriers to victory, Mike was on fire that day and fought from behind to take the win

Lucca Scariano 2008 - The best junior race we've ever had. Scariano and Daniel Sullivan went back and forth all race long.

Amy Frykman 2008 - Epic battle with Krumpleman and Curry. First year we gave away a bike to the ladies. Amy still rides it.

Travis Monroe 2010 - Came out of nowhere to win the category 3 race and was taking lines that the 1,2 men couldn't find.

Besides the Rolling Thunder Champions there's has to be something said for consistency at one of the most un-predictable races in Montana. Toby Meierbachtol and John Curry have the most top tens with 4. Curry was 12th in 2006 and Toby was 15th in 2009.

24 champions, only 6 champions in the elite fields (Curry, Wicks, Frykman, Krieg, Muhlfeld, Schultz)

Add your name to the list.

Gue's in charge at Woodland, Curry wins an epic battle at Herron

2011-10-17T08:16:00.001-07:00

John Curry has three Montana wins this year, and a Moose Cross victory. He is one of the favorites heading into Rolling Thunder weekend. John provided a good recap of the Flathead weekend.

Woodland:

Men’s B:

Overnight rains made for slick conditions on the tight and technical Woodland Park course. Muleterro's Erik Horn took an early lead and distaned himself from the group. In fact, his main competition was Lisa Curry from the Women's race and the two swapped leads several times. Erik used his technical skills and punchy power to pull away and take his first Montana series win, despite having to stop to add air to his tire late in the race.

Women’s:

Lisa Curry took to the front of the combined Men's B, Master B, and Women's race on lap one, and built a sizeable gap, taking the win and finishing 2nd overall. Megan Lawson was impressive on her singlespeed and powered over the slick course to take 2nd. Julie and Ingrid battled for the 3rd spot, with Ingrid pulling away after Julie's saddle broke late in the race.

Men’s A:

From the start Frank G and Owen drove a fast pace and after several laps a lead group of 5 was established with Frank G, Owen, Brad, Curry and Pippo (on his 29er). This group stayed together for several laps with Owen and Frank driving the pace. Brad crashed mid-race, and Curry fell off the pace. Owen pulled away to take a convincing win leaving Frank and Pippo to battle for 2nd. Crowd favorite Pippo put his MTB to use on the fast tricky descent and edged out Frank for 2nd.

Heron Park:

Men’s B:

The Heron park course is a Montana classic and is a racer and fan favorite. Erik Horn made it 2 for 2 on the weekend, taking the hole shot and never looking back.

Women’s:

Again it was Lisa Curry chasing Erik Horn for much of the race and pulling away from Megan Lawson who would finish a strong second ahead of Julie Z. Lindsy Campbell was the new addition to Sunday's line up but couldn't quite crack the podium finishing 4th.

Men’s A:

Sunday's 1/2/3 race proved to be one of the most exciting races in years in Montana 'cross. Curry was motivated after missing the podium Saturday and took the hole shot with Owen in tow. The duo went blow for blow on the punchy climbs and built a small lead over the first few laps. In an amazing effort the young Landon Beckner moved from 5th place all the way up to the leaders, only to roll his tubular shortly thereafter. With Landon out of the picture, his teammates Frank G and Scotty Herzig began working together to bring back the leaders, who were suffering a bit from the early race fireworks. With 3 to go there were 4 riders at the front of the race. Curry put in an attack after the double barrier section gapping the others. Herzig jumped in pursuit, leaving Owen and Frank behind. With 1 and a half to go, Herzig made the catch and attacked Curry going up the start/finish climb to the delight of the fans. Curry hung tight and the two swapped leads 4 times on the final lap. Curry made the decisive pass just before the final descent, leading out the sprint and edging Herzig at the line. Close behind, the battle for 3rd was raging. Owen and Frank sprinted for the line with Owen taking 3rd by inches.

I'll post any photos from the weekend. Send them my way.

Owen takes Woodland, Curry fights back at Herron

2011-10-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

Woodland Park

1. Owen Gue

2. Phil Grove

3. Frank Gonzalez

4. John Curry

Herron Park

1. John Curry

2. Scott Herzig

3. Owen Gue

4. Frank Gonzalez

Flathead Cyclocross

2011-10-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

Woodland 'X 2011
cs-social
2011 09 27 Heron Park Poster Small

Sam Schultz takes first win at Equestrian Park

2011-10-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

Photos by tomrobertsonphoto.com

Campbell and Schultz are too tough

Lindsy Campbell and Sam Schultz won the first ever races at the Equestrian Park. Campbell rode to a solo victory on course that combined some nice features and powerful riding. On the guys side, the largest lead group of the year formed early on with Schultz, Owen Gue, Toby Meierbachtol, Doug Shryock, Bob Presta, Alex Gallego, Jesse Doll and Peter Young. The group slowly whittled down until it was Schultz, Gue, and Doll. OG slipped a chain and it took him out of contention. Schultz laid down World Cup Power on the final laps and got rid of Doll who rode and impressive season debut. Bob Presta fought hard to round out the podium.

Woodland and Herron Cross this weekend

Matt Butterfield and Tim Killien have done a fabulous job with this cross weekend. I believe there will be a party at Great Northern Cycles on Saturday evening. The courses, people, and energy are all excellent. It's the last chance to earn Rolling Thunder call up points. There are call ups in all categories.

Cool report on Cyclocross and the Wednesday Night Races by Jen Bardsley

Wednesday Night Cyclocross

2011-10-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's Missoula Wednesday Night Race will be held at the Equestrian Park off of Tower Street. It's across the street from the Rolling Thunder venue.

Thunder Shirt

2011-10-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

Pre-Order your Thunder shirts and hats at online registration

Moose Cross by Claire Vitucci

2011-10-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

Moose Cross this weekend and Wednesday's not at the Fort

2011-10-07T16:22:00.000-07:00

Moose Cross is this weekend in Victor, ID. It is one of the best cross weekends we have in our region. The promoters do it up right and you won't be disappointed.

Missoula Wednesday Night Cross #4, #5, and #6 will be held at a different location. I will get you the location as soon as I hear.

Kiefer adds his name to the Thunder Favorites

2011-10-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

Tomrobertsonphoto Gallery

Photos by tomrobertsonphoto.com

The battle did not disappoint. Toby raced a Cross Crusade last weekend and has shown consistent form, but he seemed to be the forgotten man heading into race #3. The front group formed with Kiefer, Toby, Owen, and Bob. Sam Schultz bridged on the 2nd lap and the leaders pressed on. Mr. Hahn is relatively new to cross compared to his compatriots but his cornering ability has been on full display this season. Legs and skillz and you got a winner.

Moose Cross is Leaving the Lights on for Montana Racers

2011-10-05T14:50:00.001-07:00

Bozeman Cyclocross Videos

2011-10-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

Erik Horn - Muleterro

Lindsy Campbell - Montanacyclocross.com

Frank Gonzalez - Montana Velo

Lisa and John Curry - GAS

Gabe Claimer - Fitzgerald's Bicycles

John Curry makes it 2 for 2

2011-10-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

Kristian Miller and the MSU Cycling Team once again kept the bar high on the first day of the MSU Cyclocross Weekend. The course remained similar to previous editions of the race, but offered more tight and technical corners. The infamous, off-camber "Hipster Christmas" section was ever present and promising to send a lazy racer into the pond, and hot, windy weather gave a notable advantage to racers who could talk their way into a water hand-up.

Elite Women

With home town favorites Anna Dingman (Gallatin Alpine Sports-Intrinsik Architecture) and Lisa Curry (Gallatin Alpine Sports-Intrinsik Architecture) opting not to toe the line this afternoon, the initial selection was made up of Amy Frykman (Gallatin Alpine Sports-Intrinsik Architecture), Julie Zickovich (Muleterro), and Lindsy Campbell (Big Sky Bikes-Montanacyclocross.com). Frykman looked strong early on, but Campbell and Zickovich were able to reel her in and punish her early act of aggression with a well executed counter attack. The two women traded body shots for laps until Campbell's superior acceleration out of the corners and prowess in the multiple sand pits proved too much for the motivated Muleterro rider. Campbell separated herself from the field with two laps to go and crossed the line alone.

Elite Men

A small but stacked field was made of of the who's who of fast Montana cross racers. John Curry (Gallatin Alpine Sports-Intrinsik Architecture), Brad Morgan (Gallatin Alpine Sports-Intrinsik Architecture), and a full complement of Montana Velo riders were in attendance and vying for a podium spot. After the first two laps Curry, Morgan, Geoff Proctor (Montana Velo), Landon Beckner (Montana Velo), Scotty Herzig (Montana Velo), and Frank Gonzales (Montana Velo) had shown why they're at the top of the sport and made a formidable group. The pace eventually proved to be too much for Proctor, Beckner, and Morgan, and the other three stayed together until the final laps. A technical faux pas left Herzig grasping to the podium as Curry used his superior power to distance himself from Gonzales.

Ben Horan Reporting

Kiefer and Lisa take Round 2

2011-09-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

Photo by John Sieber (his gallery will be up this evening http://www.jpsphotos.net/gallery/bicycleracing.cfm?m=3)Photo by Pat Scharfe
Pat Scharfe Photo Gallery

Kiefer all alone

Kiefer Hahn rode solo for almost the whole race, to win his first Wednesday Night Cross Race. Sam Schultz patrolled affairs from behind to finish second on his single speed. Rounding out the podium was Bob Presta who's form is improving week to week. Toby Meierbachtol flatted out, but was the only rider to match Kiefer's initial move. Hahn moves into the ever important series lead with 4 races to go. His teammate Presta slots into second.

Curry likes the scene

Lisa Curry was in town for the evening and decided to race. The course suited her abilities and she flourished at the fort. Ingrid Lovitt continues her consistent riding to finish 2nd. In third was Sarah Halvorson who is going to just keep getting faster each week.

Sayler conquers tough masters field, Mo collects two in a row

Rob Sayler has a nice hold on the masters A series. He won his second race in row. What a great Master A field; Travis Howard, Troy Kindred, John Fiore, and Jeff Brooks. Mo Mislivets also collected her second win of the series in the women's B category. Also, of note was first time cross racer Kellie Carim getting 2nd place on the evening.

Bozeman double weekend on the horizon

Scott Herzig, Anna Dingman, Aubrey Curtis, John Fiore, and Blair Fischer will have their hands full as they try to defend their series leads. With the exception of Curtis all current leaders have just one win. Currys, Brooks, Howard, and Randy Beckner are all riding strong and will challenge our current leaders.

Dingman and Curry Mine for Wins in Butte

2011-09-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

John Curry - Gallatin Alpine Sports/Instrinsik Architecture

Scott Herzig - Montana Velo

Landen Beckner - Montana Velo

Lisa Curry and Lindsay Campbell round out the podium, UCI Women grace us with their presence

The ladies of Montana Cyclocross are bananas. We had four UCI racers at the 2nd stop of the Montana Series. Also lining up were series leader Ingrid Lovitt, Iron Woman Julie Zickovich, and Pro Mountain Biker Megan Lawson. What a field! Dingman was all over the grass with a perfect tire selection and top notch power. 2nd-7th was actually really close, with lots of ladies reporting they had riders within sight. What a delight for Montana to have such strong women. I can't wait for Rolling Thunder

Herzig scares Curry, "The Future" is now

It took some sand and techy riding from John Curry to dis-lodge Scott Herzig. The two battled until 3 laps to go, where John made is move out of the grass barriers. Third place was Landen "The Future" Beckner. He beat his teammate Frank Gonzalez to make an MT Velo 2nd, 3rd, 4th. Clearly with Beckner on board the boys in orange and white are the team to beat. After 4th it was a pure suffer fest. In Montana, when the races are full gas who do you expect to race well? Duh, Bob Presta and Alex Lussier. The two hard-men rode through riders who were in various states of hallucination, to finish 5th and 6th.

Fiore, Beckner, Brooke, and Curtis take wins

In the largest field of the day Aubrey Curtis held off the GAS challenge from Hoffman and Crutcher to increase is lead in the Montana Standings. Wendy Brooke took a nice win in the ladie's 4 race and Randy Beckner beat out series leader Blair Fischer in the master's B. The masters A had good racing throughout. Travis Howard, Mike Longmire, Jeff Brooks, and John Fiore formed the front group. The heady Fiore noticed that Curry had come by and that meant they would finish on that lap. He attacked and stole the show.

Bozeman is next

Scott Herzig takes the series lead from Toby Meierbachtol, but now has to worry about John Curry creeping up on his home turf. Aubrey Curtis seems very secure at the top spot. We'll see what the GAS crew can throw at him next weekend. On the ladies side Dingman, Curry, and Campbell will continue their battle which seems to be coming down to equipment and course. Bozeman has great courses, and Kristian Miller/MSU will put on a good show.

Coulthard's rock

Coulthards and Russells again rocked the Copper Mountain Sports Complex. One of the best courses on the Montana Circuit. Excellent work. RACE RESULTS

Butte Tomorrow & Kat Franchino Photo

2011-09-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

Butte Flier

A Single Speeder coming down the "M"

katfranchino.com

myotherbackyard.wordpress.com

Wednesday Night #1 - Ellen Brooks Photos

2011-09-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

Album Link

Toby Makes it Two in a Row

2011-09-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

Kiefer, Shryock round out the podium

Doug Shryock rode his Epic and it proved to be the right tool for the job. He was able to easily hit technical features and create the advantage at the start. Bob Presta also made the front group, and the four riders continued to set the pace at the front. Eventually it whittled to three and Toby attacked coming out of the pit of despair. Kiefer came in a strong second and Doug was an impressive third after being bounced around in Helena. New team on the block MBW Racing had 2nd (Kiefer) and 4th (Presta).

Campbell races with men, Ingrid continues strong riding

Lindsy Campbell, hot off her UCI debut in Washington State decided to ride with the Men A group. Ingrid again looked strong and is poised for another top notch season. The Hellgate rider beat a strong ladies field that included some new faces.

Howard, Bad Blair, Sayler, and Mo take home first week wins

Travis Howard won a large B race and Blair Fischer goes two for two. Rob Sayler had to battle for the Master A win, but got clear with some good technical riding. Mo Mislivets delivered a nice victory in the women's B. It looks like all that single track riding on her cross bike is paying off.

Butte or bust

This Sunday seems to be on everyone's minds. It will be the first showdown of the season. Montana Velo is very strong and sent Landon Beckner down to the race last night. Also, John Curry will line up for his Montana season debut. For more information on the race, click here. Help out and Register Early

Photos needed

If you have photos from last night's race email me, montanacyclocross@gmail.com. I'll post your best shot, or a link to your gallery.

Toby Climbs the Ladder at the Capitol

2011-09-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

Herzig fights a mechanical and Morgan rounds out the podium.

Toby Meierbachtol is one of the best cross racers to have never won a Montana Series Event. Sunday in Helena that all changed. Meierbachtol gave himself and his sponsor, Hellgate Cyclery their first victory. Scott Herzig rode through the field and into second position after a mechanical. Brad Nails Morgan held on for 3rd. Jamul Hahn, Landon Beckner, and Geoff Proctor all showed good early season fitness and placed high in Helena.

Mark Brooke and Great Divide impress with first year event.

The course didn't allow for much pack riding, which is good for the early season. It was nice to suffer like a dog and try to find your pace. Another cool component of the course was the urban nature. It was basically in a housing development right outside of downtown Helena. Neighbors and volunteers seemed to be enjoying the action. The race organization and officials were excellent. I hope to see this event as a permanent fixture on the Montana Calendar.

Curtis and Blair take on large fields.

Aubree Curtis and Blair Fisher took wins in the cat 4's and masters B's. The fields were relatively large and both riders had to push their limits for the victory. Mechanicals plagued some of the favorites in this category. Jason Delmue and Byron DeFord both had un-timely issues that took them out of contention. That battle between Byron and Blair was shaping up nicely.

Toby and Ingrid take their leads to Butte.

Hellgate Cylery Riders both control the series' after one race. With Currys, Frank, Flathead, and more Msla riders; Toby and Ingrid will have stiff competition. Scott Herzig showed strong early season form and has a proven track record at the Copper Mountain Sports Complex. Also, Landon Beckner was in 2nd place for a portion of the race on Sunday and should only get better throughout the season. Register early to help out John C and the Butte crew.

Butte Registration

Butte 2010 Results

Photo by Ingrid Lovitt

Helena Cyclocross - Sunday

2011-09-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

Photo by tomroberstonphoto.com

Cross Vegas is the start of the North American Cyclocross Season. Check it out tonight, live on cxmagazine.com.

Some Montanans will be participating. Phil Grove and Alan Adams are both on the start list. Actually I just heard Alan was going riding in Missoula this afternoon so I don't think he is down there.

Other Montana Racers will start their seasons at Star Crossed and Rad Racing. Ben Horan, Bob Presta, Peter Young, Brian Williams, Sean Jones and Anna Dingman. However, for the majority of Montana Racers, the season begins in Helena with Great Divide's "Last Chance Cyclocross." I for one am excited for the start of cross season. It's always fun to see old friends and watch the battles shape up.

This year in Montana the racing is condensed and should be highly competitive. The MT season ends with The Rolling Thunder Weekend and then the State Championship in Bozeman. As riders try to accumulate points in Helena, Butte, Bozeman, and the Flathead we'll be watching all categories taking notes for Thunder and State Champs. Who's the new kid on the block? Who's been putting in the time amongst Montana's Elite?

For Helena this weekend Frank is hot off a win at Werks, but 24 hour racers Toby and Doug should provide a nice challenge. Also, we'll see if Herzig can pick up from his late season run. Bozeman Crossers have been hitting the training, and I've heard of some new names. I look forward to seeing GAS and company ripping cross bikes. Dingman and Curry take their talents elsewhere so it's a good chance for Campbell, Dowd, Frykman, Rose, and company to snatch a win.

Bohart Bash Saturday

2011-08-25T11:01:00.001-07:00

Are you ready for the Bohart Bash Mountain Bike Race?

Saturday August 27, 2011

http://www.montanacycling.net/documents/flyers/2011/BohartBash.pdf

Montana Off Road Series SPONSOR: Hample & Peck Financial Planning and Investments. Locally owned, independent securities and investment advisory firm. A broker dealer for KMS Financial Services. www.hampleandpeck.com

Thank you to Steve Hample and Lauren Peck for their generous support.

Cross Kick Off Week

2011-08-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

Tuesday - 5:30pm HELL RIDE COUP
UM footbridge. Hell Ride on cyclocross bikes with dirt. Ride leader is Horan

Saturday - 8:30am HELL's KITCHEN
Doug's house. Southside Road to Petty Creek to Hwy 12. Ride leader is Elliot

Saturday - 7:00pm PIG ROAST

Sunday - 10:00am HOLLOMAN/POTOMAC SADDLE
Doug's house. Ride leader is BWilliams

Sandblaster and Red Danger 2 will be there.
This guy might be there?

These dudes will be there.

Jeffro will be there. There's no way John Curry is coming?!These guys will be there.Mariano Besseti.

Moose Cross

2011-08-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Registration is now open. For more information visit their website, http://www.moosecross.com/. Moose Cross is an excellent race with a regional field and top notch amenities.Doug and Alex ripping the berms. Photo by Lisa Curry

Rolling Thunder

2011-08-10T08:25:00.001-07:00

Registration and Race Flier are up.

Sunday race is back.

Are you going to move up the this year?

1/2 Results from 2010

Schultz Sam
Bradford-Parish Kevin
Krumpelman Douglas
Meierbachtal Toby
Gonzalez Frank
Doll Jesse
Curry John
Schultz Andy
Williams Brian
Hahn Kiefer
Herzig Scott
Grove Phil
Gaertner Michael
Lussier Alexandre
Proctor Geoff
Parsons Ben
Muhlfeld Clint
Presta Robert
Cooke Chance
Shryock Douglas
Tack Joshua
Seaton Jeff
Morgan Brad

photo by tomrobertsonphoto.com

Run for Tanner and a BMX Park

2011-08-08T14:32:00.001-07:00

The Lung

2011-08-04T14:10:00.001-07:00

Watch more video of High Cascades 100 NUE 2011 on cyclingdirt.org

Missoula Wednesday Night Cyclocross

2011-07-30T06:48:00.001-07:00

Permit #2011-2912

6 weeks (new expanded format!)

Sept 21 through October 26.

5:45 start time

Ft Missoula

$6 per race or $35 for the series

for juniors, $6 per race or $15 for the series

on-site registration only

come one, come all

beer, bread, and trinkets prizes

get ready

-Timothy M. Bechtold

Rolling Thunder

2011-07-28T08:39:00.001-07:00

Rolling Thunder will be October 22nd and 23rd.

Missoula XC ONLINE REGISTRATION ONLY

2011-07-11T14:35:00.001-07:00

The Missoula XC only has online registration. The deadline is next Wednesday.

Tour de Bozeman

2011-06-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

Tour de Bozeman: Type 2 Fun

When I started road racing in 2008, I was struck by the schedule mismatch, with race after race in the spring when it was still snowing and cold, and not a single race in July when it finally got nice. Are these Montana cyclists masochists, I wondered? Do they really enjoy riding in the worst Montana springs have to offer?

Well yes, it turns out that Montana cyclists are masochists. But it also turns out that it is fun to race in nice weather, as we’ve proved with Tour de Bozeman, which this year will take place over the weekend of July 8-10.

Don’t get me wrong: Tour de Bozeman is a true masochist’s event, and many of you will want to slug me (if you had the energy) when you cross the finish line after the Sunday road race. No matter your cycling strengths and weaknesses, we’ll reveal them at Tour de Bozeman. Are you a sprinter who never quite seems to make it to the finish in the lead group? We’ve got the Main Street sprints to make you laugh, and the road race to make you weep. Are you a bean pole climber but can’t TT to save your life? You’ll curse the time trial and love the road race.

The good news is you’ll suffer in relatively good weather. It’s very unlikely to snow (though don’t quote me on that), and I don’t think we’ll have any forest fire smoke. Instead, it’ll be green and lush, with plenty of wildflowers and snow-capped peaks as a backdrop.

And, this is one race where it’s worth sticking around for the awards. Not only will the GC winners get a SWEET custom trophy, but the cash purse is pretty much out of this world. Given that most Montana races have a cash purse of $499 or less, you’ll happy to know that the payouts for each individual field is well beyond that. A GC win in the women’s 1-2-3 or men’s 1-2 fields could mean hundreds of bucks in winnings. All in all we’ll be handing out $8 Gs worth of twenty and fifty dollar bills. Not bad for three days’ work.

And, the best part is that you’ll look back on the experience fondly, and count it among your best
summer adventures. Hence the Type 2 Fun title for this post (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, Google it).

So here are the nuts and bolts:

Online registration is open until 10:00 p.m. MDT on Wednesday, July 6. Now I know Montana
racers don’t “do” online registration, but in this case I hope you’ll make an exception because if
you do you’ll have a pretty good chance of winning a race T-shirt (we’re giving away 30 to online
registrants), and because it makes life far easier for the hard-working race organizers.
The first event starts Friday afternoon, with the first crit field starting at 3:00 p.m. So, make
sure to put in for some vacation time on Friday the 8th. Plan on hanging out for awards. We won’t mail trophies, though we will mail cash. We do our best to get results done ASAP after the road race so you can pose for photos and then hit the
road.

You can register and get more information at www.tourdebozeman.com. We’ll look forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks!

Thanks,

Amy Frykman
Race Director
Tour de Bozeman

RACE FLIER

Helena Dynamos

2011-06-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to go to Helena to photograph and ride a little trail with Geoff Proctor and the Helena Dynamos. The Dynamos are the largest youth cycling program in the state, and hosts weekly training rides every Friday after school from April through September. Below is a note from Geoff talking a bit about the program and how the day went.

We were honored to have Missoula dignitaries Jed Dennison, Tom Roberston, and Troy Kindred here last Friday for Dynamos training. The thinking behind our invitation was to share what we do here in Helena to perhaps ignite something similar in Missoula (and, ultimately, other Montana cities and towns).

We had a ton of fun with Jed riding along with Scott Herzig's beginner group, Troy shredding with one of the intermediate groups, and Tom accompanying me with the advanced group. Despite it being the Friday of a three-day Memorial Day weekend, we still had 43 riders and some 12 ride leaders/parents. The skill of the day was review of switch-back technique and, as is the custom, there were Jelly Belly Sport Beans for all participants (compliments of pro friend Jeremy Powers).

At several points, we shared some of the challenges to getting kids on bikes--from forms we have the kids fill out to how we instruct them when riding through town, from scheduling trail work days to outlining goals of the program. Two principles include working directly through the schools via ride leaders who share an interest in cycling and the objective of creating a broad-based pyramid to establish a pool of riders from which to encourage racing. At this point, we have several Dynamos qualified for Sun Valley MTB Nationals and hope to bring a bunch to Missoula XC as well.

Thank you Jed, Tom, and Troy for making the effort to come over. I know your presence was a treat for the kids too. Geoff Proctor Co-Director Helena Dynamos Youth Cycling Team

I will say that it is quite impressive to see that many kids on mountain bikes on the trail. And especially to see so many decked out in a Helena Dynamos jersey. In the next few weeks a group of the Dynamos will make the trip over to Missoula to ride the race course at Marshall. There are a number of them that plan on racing in July.

Here is a link to more images from the day.

photos by: tomrobertsonphoto.com

Herron Hammer next weekend

2011-05-16T07:51:00.001-07:00

UM Cycling by Kevin Radley

2011-05-10T19:09:00.001-07:00

Campbell 3rd Wheel - more then halfway done

2011-05-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

Collegiate Nationals Road Races are Today

2011-05-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

Best of luck to Bryce Daviess, Nate Keck, James Bird, and Lindsy Campbell. 8:40am and 1:40pm are the respective start times. There is a Twitter Feed on the race's website. I will update the blog with race results this evening.

Go Griz!

Grizzly Triathlon Missoulian Article

2011-04-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

http://missoulian.com/sports/catch-all/article_d18a4d5a-6e33-11e0-b78a-001cc4c03286.html

Corbin and Jensen claim the Grizzly Triathlon

2011-04-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

Grizzly Talk

2011-04-22T19:45:00.001-07:00

Grizzly Triathlon Talk from Montanacyclocross.com on Vimeo.

TTTT - Finale

2011-04-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

39 degrees greeted the hardiest of TTTTers. The Grizzly Triathlon is this weekend and we got a little more insight from tonight's race.

First place was Adam Jensen, who broke his PR by one second with an 11:23. 2nd place was series champion Wes Furlong with a 12:06. Rounding out the podium was Bryce Daviess with a 12:50. The series overall went to Wes, then Bryce, and third place Josh Martell.

Lindsy Campbell continued some fast time trialing. She recorded a 13:44. Kellie wrapped up her second consecutive overall title with a 14:43. UM Cycling newbie of the year Mara rounded out the podium with a 15:16.

See you at the Griz

TTTT - Finale Today - 5:30

2011-04-21T06:59:00.000-07:00

It always snows on the TTTT finale.

UM Cycling

2011-04-20T12:29:00.001-07:00

UM Night at Cafe Dolce - Tonight 7pm

Hey Geoff Proctor, do you recognize this Cannondale? Another Helena/Proctor talent is shining for UM Cycling. Watch out for Mara Menahan.

Be There

2011-04-19T19:36:00.001-07:00

TTTT - Round 4

2011-04-15T08:37:00.001-07:00

Not as windy as last week, but very chilly. We had a nice turnout and some historic times. Graham Meng showed up and impressed. In his first ever TTTT he pulled the third ever fastest time with an 11:45. Mr. Meng has been a sleeper pick for the Grizzly Triathlon, and with that performance he's for sure put himself in the favorites category. 2nd was overall leader Wes with an 11:59. He improved his time by 1 second and moved into at tie for 6th all time with Brendan Halpin. Third place, making his annual TTTT appearance was Alan Adams with a 12:08. Good luck to Alan in Walla Walla.

On the ladies side Lindsy Campbell showed up big time. She recorded a 13:35. That's her best time by 8 seconds. 2nd place and overall leader was Kellie with a 14:30. UM Cycling phenom Mara rounded out the podium with a 14:50.

Bryce Daviess broke his PR with a 12:44. Josh Martel and Joe Oldenburg both broke their PR's with a 12:59 and 14:26.

Next Thursday is the finale. Series prizes and finale prizes will be given out. Also, it's a great bike preview for the Grizzly Triathlon.

Graham 11:45:00 Lindsy 13:35:00
Wes 11:59:00 Kellie 14:30:00
Alan 12:08:00 Mara 14:50:00
Bryce 12:44:00
Josh M. 12:59:00
Chris C. 14:10:00
Joe 14:26:00
Andrew 14:40:00

TTTT - Round 4 Today

2011-04-14T08:58:00.001-07:00

First rider off at 5:30.

One last check in from UM Triathlon

2011-04-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

Myke Hermsmeyer checks in one last time before the big race tomorrow.

The team has finally been assembled in Alabama for the USAT Collegiate National Championships. Three cars and 14 people have traveled over 2,000 miles and made it through horrendous crosswinds and dreary Kansas and Missouri to approach UMTri's biggest race of the year. Tuscaloosa has currently been overrun by 1000 triathletes from universities across the country.

Johnny Montana looks to lead the men. He's been suffering from a bad cold the last week or so but is getting over it and is looking to turn himself inside out the whole race. Aaron "Shake n' Bake" Little looks fitter than you've ever seen him. After taking it easy last year he's improved big time on the bike and swim while remaining deadly on the run. BLove (Ben Lovelace) will be right there with Aaron with strong bikes and runs. This past year he finished Lake Stevens 70.3 right behind John. The fourth and final scoring spot will be up for grabs. Ed Hirsh is crazy smooth in the water and runs well off the bike. Mike has been biking crazy good this year and will be riding a road bike instead his Jake the snake so we expect good things. Matt Handwerk (as of now expected to be the 3rd fastest Matt at Grizzly) is a powerhouse on the bike and is predicting himself to be the "National Champ of T1." Travis Miller stands ready to surprise everyone. Having not ever done a race he decided to go big at start off at Collegiate Nationals and has been training hard all year.

For the girls it's anyones game. Consisting of mostly new, inexperienced members (many without open water experience) it's unknown how people will throw down. The girls are likely to be led by veteran Katherine Ketterine, who is returning to Alabama after racing in Nationals here in 2008. She always is solid and has the experience to power her through the race. Hannah Reidl has come out of the woodwork and improved faster than anyone we've ever seen. She has a strong running background and has really laid it down and improved on the swim and bike this winter. Cara Lehman is bringing her tennis conditioning and strength to the team in a big way. She's a strong runner, has been getting out on the bike a lot and has been a staple at swimming, just don't ever ask her to play "would you rather." Megan Oberweiser is going to surprise everyone. Most of us only know her from swimming, but she has torn it up training rides/runs this past week. Expect big things in the coming years. Kaitlin Kominsky is looking to avenge her pre-race crash at Wildflower last year that got her helivaced to the hospital. She's the fastest swimmer for the girls and will come out of the water near the front. She's posed and ready for anything the race has to throw at her. Ashley Block has gone all out for the team this year, showing up to most trainer rides and even going so far as to dye her hair maroon for the race. Hellen Magart is going to bring some military toughness to the course. She has been at nearly every practice and like Travis will be racing in her first triathlon ever.

We'd like to thank all of you in Missoula that have supported us throughout the year. Without all of you we wouldn't be where we are as athletes. Special thanks to coaches Jeff Cincowski, Ryan Payne, Elliot Bassett and Josh Goldberg, and team supporters Steve Dahlberg and Giles Thelen. We can't thank you enough for the time and effort you have so generously given us this season.

Roubaix Photos 4/7/11

2011-04-08T08:22:00.001-07:00

Final pitch on the dirt climb on the loop.
The beginning of the dirt climb on the loop.
The left hand turn entering the loop.
A look back at the descent right before the left turn entering the loop (also a the climb on the way home).
The first dirt climb of the day.

My thoughts: The road is smooth. It's in better shape then Rattlesnake Drive. There are potholes but not much loose gravel. The sketchiest corner is the pavement corner by the Steakhouse. The crew is headed out to sweep today, but be weary. My biggest concern is the potholes located on key descents. There is a big batch right after the steep dirt descent on the loop. If you don't avoid it, I think it's a for sure pinch flat. The other pothole section I noticed was on the first dirt section of the day. There is a roller coaster dirt section and on one of the slight left hand bends there's a patch of potholes. The weather looks good for Sunday. If it rains and your not sure of conditions feel free to email or call (544-5270).

TTTT - Round 3

2011-04-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

A stiff head wind greeted the riders as they headed up the Snake. It didn't stop Adam Jensen from recording the 2nd fastest ever time of 11:24. 2nd was Tyler Smith with a 12:59, and 3rd was Joshua Phillips with a 13:46. On the ladies side LC was first with a 14:27 followed by Kellie with a 12:52. Tyler takes over the overall.

Adam 11:24:00 Lindsy 14:27:00

Tyler 12:59:00 Kellie 14:52:00

Joshua 13:46:00

Joe 14:30:00

TTTT - Today

2011-04-07T08:35:00.001-07:00

5:30pm first rider off.

Collegiate Catch-Up

2011-04-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

UM Triathlon
The UM Triathlon juggernaut is on a collision course with Alabama and Collegiate Triathlon Nationals. Get the latest information from their twitter feed. It's been added to the mtcx updater. UM Tri doesn't re-build they re-load. Johnny MT leads the squad but is joined by some solid performers that you might not know about. Ben Lovelace is a strong biker and an experienced triathlete. Also, Aaron Little has been coming on strong and filling in the 2/3 spot for the squad. Rounding out the 4th scoring spot you've got multiple experienced vets. Ed Hirsch who is a top notch swimmer and an improving cyclist, and Myke Hermsmeyer who's ridden more this year then ever. On the ladies side Kaitlin Kominsky (sp) has trained hard and looks to surprise at Nationals. Katherine Kettering brings experience to the plate and should anchor down a group of vets and newbies. Chris Cordingley.com and Travis should increase the group's morale and I expect nothing less then a top 3 team finish.

UM Cycling
Phil said it best "If I won the lottery I'd donate 3% to UM Cycling." The gang has been quietly gathering results. James Bird and Nate Keck in the A's, Peter Young in the B's, TTTT star Wes and Anthony in the C's, Campbell in the A's and Mara in the B's (just to name a few). There are a couple business items to note before we get into the team. 1. UM Cycling Circuit Race is April 17th on the Goodan Kiel Loop (come out and cheer them on) 2. Cafe Dolce Fundraiser night is April 20th. This is the best UM Cycling Team since.....well maybe ever. Whoa now mtcx...what about Mark Legg National Champ, Josh Tack back to back conference champ, Women's TT champs last year? First and foremost this is the best organized team in UM Cycling history. Team time trial practice? Potlucks? Carpools? New Kits? Women's Rides? Second, the talent is there. The results aren't flooding in, but look at it this way. Nate and James are solid cat 2 cyclists, and Nate has the experience of bringing Mesa State to the promise land last year. Peter is on the brink. He's an A/B and I'm not talking blood type. He'll be an A sooner rather then later. So you've got a team trial with Bird, Nate, Peter, and TTTT champ Wes. What if Johnny MT shows up? Or Lovelace? On the ladies side you have one of the top 5 returners nationally in Campbell and probably the rookie of the year for the NWCCC in Mara. They won the Walla Walla team trial just the two of them. It gets better....TTTT champ Kellie hasn't even raced yet?! You get her out for a couple races and you have 3 A ladies and a team trial that not even the UM guys want to face.

See you at the Hell Ride. 5:30 footbridge. Goodan and Kiel Loop, dedicated to UM Cycling and Spring Break! Man, I miss Spring Break.

Williams 2nd at the Cherry Blossom Crit

2011-04-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

Oregon Cycling Action Article

TTTT - Round 2 Results

2011-04-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

A super windy day greeted a small group of tough riders. Wes won the day and set a new PR by 4 seconds. On the ladies side consistent Kellie won the day. Other PR's went to Josh Martell, who shaved it by 30 seconds, Tyler who pushed his best 9 seconds faster, and Matt H. who beat his best by 12 seconds. Wes's 4 second jumped proved significant historically. He jumped one spot up into 6th all time replacing Alan Adams.

3/31/2011
1 Wes 12:00:00 Kellie 14:26:00
2 Tyler 12:52:00 Mara 15:10:00
3 Bryce 12:55:00 Emily K. 15:15:00
4 Matt H. 13:01:00
5 Josh M. 13:24:00
6 Peter Y. 13:45:00
7 Andrew G. 15:11:00

Overall
Wes 38 Kellie 38
Bryce 28 Mara 30
Tyler 28 Emily K. 30
Brian W. 20 Lindsy 20
Peter Y. 18 Megan R. 16
Matt H. 18
Ben L. 16
Nate K. 14
Josh M. 13
Andrew G. 9
Chris C. 6
Anthony P. 2
Greg L. 1

Speedwagon Classic

2011-03-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday in Polson.

photo by: tomrobertsonphoto.com

UM Triathlon Weekend Update

2011-03-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

This time of year is important in the world of collegiate and Montana Triathlon. Collegiate Triathlon Nationals is next weekend and the Grizzly Triathlon is April 23rd. Local Pros; Brendan Halpin, Linsey Corbin, Matt Shryock, and Adam Jensen will be competing next weekend in the Oceanside 70.3. We need someone on the inside. For collegiate that man is Myke Hermsmeyer. Not only is Myke a scholar athlete he's good at picking brackets. He's going heads up with Mtcx for the win in our pool.

Johnny Montana reclaims his title at the 2011 Lewiston Duathlon. Improving on his time from last year his finished at 51:59. He looks fit and poised for Nationals after a solid winter training schedule. Competition was fiercer than last year and he had several others right on his tail, but fortunate for UM Triathlon they came from members Aaron Little and Ben Lovelace. Aaron finished a close second behind John and Ben finished fourth at 56:59. Filling in the top four, in third place, was UM Tri alumni Michael "Dean of Discipline" Gordon coming off the couch from Walla Walla. The other attending UM Tri members looked impressive in the early season. Newcomer and team baker Hannah Riedl killed it for the woman, finishing second, and Kaitlin Kominsky looked impressive finishing first for woman 20-24. Rounding out the team was Myke Hermsmeyer in 11th, Ed Hirsh in 12th, and Ryan Graebe, showing some mental fortitude and man strength, completing the race after crashing his steelframe, riding out bloody with a bent wheel and no brakes and coming in 21st. The UM Triathlon team is looking solid heading into this years season.

-Myke

TTTT - Where do you stack up all time?

2011-03-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

After last night's record breaking, I went threw the archives to see where everyone stacked up. Click to enlarge.

TTTT - Round 1 Results

2011-03-25T07:09:00.000-07:00

On the warmest day of the spring thus far Brian Williams shattered the course record. He put up an 11:04, which is 41 seconds faster then Adam Jensen's course record last year. Rounding out the podium was Wes Furlong with a 12:04 and Ben Lovelace with a 12:21.

On the ladies side, Lindsy Campbell rolled a nice first round time of 13:58. She was followed by last year's overall champ Kellie Carim with a 14:16, and Megan Ravenscraft with a 14:42.

3/24/2011

1 Brian 11:04:00 Lindsy 13:58:00

2 Wes 12:03:00 Kellie 14:16:00

3 Ben L. 12:21:00 Megan R. 14:42:00

4 Nate K. 12:29:00 Emily K. 14:57:00

5 Bryce 12:52:00 Mara 15:01:00

6 Tyler 13:01:00

7 Peter 13:05:00

8 Chris C. 13:31:00

9 Matt H. 13:36:00

10 Anthony P. 13:52:00

11 Josh M. 13:54:00

12 Greg L. 14:03:00

13 Andrew 15:23:00

TTTT online results

TTTT - Today

2011-03-24T07:17:00.001-07:00

TTTT is today. 5:30 first rider goes off.

See you there.

At the races

2011-03-18T14:26:00.001-07:00

I've once again secured the keys to the blog to give a quick report from the first mountain bike race of the Pro XCT series. I traveled down to San Dimas, CA last weekend to do the team photos for Andy Schultz and the Kenda Mountain Bike Team. For some bonus shooting, I went down a bit early to catch the first round of the race series held at Bonelli Park. Shaun asked me to do a little scouting and see how the course and venue held up against the course at Marshall Mountain.

First off, it was great being in Cali this time of year to get a little taste of summer. 75 degrees and sunny is pretty hard to beat.

Venue: the race was held at Bonelli park in San Dimas. A small park with some nice terrain in the middle of all of that urban-ness. There was nice, cool grass to and varied terrain in the park. A nice playground and a building with restrooms. Big Bear Productions handled the logistics of the course set up, and it seemed solid. The one thing lacking from the venue for me was food options...or rather, any food options.

Course: it was a 4.7k loop with punchy climbs and descents. From the racer aspect the course was a bit bland. Not very technical. But from a spectators perspective it was pretty sweet. There were a couple of points on the course where you could see a lot of the race. From a photographer's aspect it felt a little like a cross course. I could shoot the leaders 3 or 4 times per lap. The climbs were steep, as well as the descents. There was room for passing, and a nice paved section for just a bit of recovery and drafting.

The women did 6 laps and the men did 7. There was one 1k loop that they did at the start. The laps were taking the women 15 to 16 minutes, while the men could cover it in 3 minutes quicker generally. Both fields finished in the 1:35 - 1:40 range.

From my couple of times out at Marshall, the course at Bonelli seemed really similar.

One thing that did surprise me about the weekend were the small crowds. I figured with the race being so close to millions of people, that the crowds would be thick and boisterous. Not so...it was a little sparse. This is where I think that Missoula could really make a huge impression on the racers and cycling scene in general. If there was a Rolling Thunder -esqu crowd at the races (and it'd be great if it were bigger than that) it would certainly be recognized by everyone involved. Having services (food, beer, etc.) and somewhat easy access to the venue could help in drawing a crowd. But if everyone who reads this blog, or races, or rides, would encourage folks to show up to support the racers, and the people putting it on, great fun would be had by all.

Have some pics.

All photos by: tomrobertsonphoto.com

Milan-San Remo

2011-03-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Monte Paschi didn't bode well for the prediction table. Gilbert won and we had him at #16. Ballan is having a great year and finished 2nd. We had him at #15. A classics dedicated Cunego was third and we had him at #18. +44 was the final score. That added to Het Nieuwsblad (+33) and we are +77 on the year. Not the best start but Milan-San Remo is this weekend and that should provide some fun finishes.

Our top 3 are Oscar Freire, Fabian Cancellara, and Phillipe Gilbert. We are giving Freire 15-1 odds.

Sleepers: Peter Sagan (young, but very fast), Cunego/Scarponi (working well together, will light up the Poggio), Heinrich Haussler (crazy motivated)

TTTT - Cancelled for today

2011-03-17T07:13:00.001-07:00

The TTTT is cancelled today. There is still snow at the top of the course.

Montana Riders go top 10 at Boneli Park

2011-03-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

Bozeman residents Stephen Ettinger and Lydia Tanner placed 10th in the cross country. Ettinger didn't stop there and finished 6th in the short track. Sam Schultz finished 8th in the cross country and 4th in the short track.

TTTT - Cancelled

2011-03-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

The TTTT is cancelled for this evening.

There are still five snow patches on the course that I assumed would melt before today.

We are on for next Thursday until you hear different.

This would have been the latest ever TTTT round 1 and now we will push the record back another week. If you ever have questions about he TTTT just shoot me an email, montanacyclocross@gmail.com.

Good luck to UM and MSU Cycling this weekend as they open up their account.

TTTT - it's coming, it's coming, it's coming

2011-03-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

The early spring tradition is back for it's 6th Season.

Let's get the facts out for this week's TTTT before I get sentimental:

Where: Lutheran Church parking lot in the Upper Rattlesnake

What: 5.1 mile un-official time trial

When: Thursday, first rider off at 5:15pm, email if you need a later start time

Who: Anyone with two wheels no race experience necessary

Course Records:

Men: 2010 Adam Jensen 11:45

Women: 2010 Tamara Bessette 13:05

Overall Champs:

2010: John Fitzgerald, Kellie Carim

2009: Matt Shryock, Lindsy Campbell

2007: Shaun Radley, Anna Clark

2006: Phil Grove, Sophia Kircos

2005: Phil Grove, Sophia Kircos

Last year's personal bests.

All updates will be posted on the blog. We've only canceled once because of weather. Ask those who were part of the finale last year....you know who you are. Currently the course is not clear, so we are gambling. I will post something Thursday during the day if the road is not clear.

Montepaschi Strade Bianche Odds

2011-03-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

We had an average start at last week's Het Nieuwsblad. We had Flecha at #3 and Langeveld at #10, but Matt Hayman wasn't even on the predictions. That gives us a score of +33. Let's see how we do with Montepaschi and the famous white sand roads. Visconti tops our list. He was 6th last year at this race and had a win last week. If I was a betting man.......how about 16-1 on Cancellara, take it and run.

Sleepers: Daniel Oss (Liquigas), Damiano Cunego (Lampre), Jure Kocjan (TT1)

Sam Schultz Checks in on Cyclingnews

2011-03-01T12:25:00.001-08:00

New Post

Bozeman Triathlon

2011-03-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

Bozeman is stepping up their triathlon game. The Bozeman Tritons Triathlon Club is not only a bunch of good racers, but a promoting machine. The Treasure State Triathlon and Headwaters Half Ironman are both based out of the Bozeman area.

The club's website has all the race information.

Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne - Likes/Dislikes

2011-02-27T18:44:00.000-08:00

Likes

Team Sky's winning tactics

Chris Sutton is a good sprinter, but he's mostly been known for his solid Tour Down Under's and Australian Criterium skills. Sport Director Steven de Jongh supposedly switched tactics with 10k to go and told the team to work for Sutton instead of Boasson Hagen. Sutton had a well timed sprint and was very confident, but the work of Juan Antonio Flecha and Boasson Hagen in the final 7k was impressive. Flecha pinned back Boonen's suicide break and Boasson Hagen provided a phenomenal lead out. Kudos to a solid team effort, good management from the car, and wonderful sprinting.

Tom Boonen tries to hold to his word

With 7k to go Boonen flew from a group of 60 to go it alone. Earlier in the week Tom had told the press he no longer considers himself a sprinter. Three years ago, the 60 person group in a spring classic was basically Justin Bieber at a sweet 16 party........a sure hit. I like that he's trying new things, but I hope he doesn't forget that he still has a nasty kick. It was entertaining.

Dislikes

Greipel frowning on the podium

The Gorilla gets his first shot to be the #1 sprinter and he takes 3rd. I don't think that's a bad result. There were fast guys in the sprint. He beat Farrar and Ravard (who's been on fire this year). Winning is winning and I understand that, but I don't want to see people who are pissed on the podium.

Sunny Classics

It doesn't seem right to see the sun at one of these races. Especially, when I look out my window and see 5 feet of snow. I want inspiration......these races are supposed to make Montana racing look tame.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - Winners and Losers

2011-02-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

Winners

Rabobank - Yes, they're a winner because Sebastian Langeveld won the race, but also because of a solid team performance. Boom bridged up to group #2 on the road and was in good position if Langeveld's solo mission hadn't worked.

Sky - Juan Antonio Flecha was the only 5 star favorite that seemed interested. His heroic effort to bridge to Langeveld showed his class and gained a couple more fans for Sky. Matt Hayman was third on the day after sitting on Yoann Offredo, but that's racing. The cameras caught a great shot of Offredo flicking his elbow and Hayman shaking his head. Rumor on the street is that Sky going to try and be more fan friendly. Today was a start....

FDJ - The signing of Dominique Rolling was a good one. He made the group with the leaders and looked strong. The highlight for FDJ was Yoann Offredo's riding. He was aggressive and really earned his 4th place. On some of the climbs Offredo would lead and Boonen gave him a couple glances....."like who is this dude"

Losers

Quickstep - Terpstra bridged up to the move that had Flecha and Boom. It surprised me that they played this card. With strong riders in the group you need to counter with your strong riders. Terpstra is magnificent but he was clearly a domestique in this race.

Garmin-Cervelo - Same tactic as Quickstep. They put Maaskant in the move. Maaskant is plenty strong just like Terpstra, but that move was meant for team leaders like Hushovd. At times Andreas Klier and Hushovd were chatting alot during the race. I think the lack of race radios might have come into play here, but the "Super Classics Team" looked awkward in the first classic.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - Odds

2011-02-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

Classics season starts tomorrow. At the bottom of this post is a full spreadsheet of favorites to hold in your lap while you grip your laptop. (click it to make it bigger). Here are some highlights if you don't like stats:

#1) 11-1, 8.55 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky), Mini Eddie has been gaining form. He made all the selections in Qatar, and sprinted well at Oman, including a 5th in the hilly tt (Gesink won). Also he was top ten last year, and I feel like the course change this year actually helps him the most. His motivation is high, as he's still young and wants to put some notches in his belt.

#2) 11-1, 8.33 Philippe Gilbert (Omega), Impressive victory in Stage 1 of the Tour of Algarve. Looks a bit heavier then his 2o10 late season blitz, but the other favorites are naming him as the one to beat. Also on his side are two victories at this race in 06' and 08'. His perceived lack of motivation for this "semi classic" puts him behind EBH.

#3) 11-1, 8.1 Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky), He made all the selections at Qatar and is always hungry for a big win, as his lack of kick has hurt his career win total. He's the defending champ and comes with a stacked group of domestiques in Stannard, Barry, Hunt, and Arvesen. Also with EBH's sprinting a group might be more lax about letting him go.

#4) 12-1, 7.6 Tom Boonen (Quickstep), Tom says he's not a "pure sprinter" anymore. That doesn't mean he can't win from a group of 30. He looked good in Qatar but then again he always does. He's never won Omloop (Het Volk), but he says if the tactics are right he'll go for it. Chavanel is dedicated to Boonen, he's proved that over two seasons. If he's in the move expect the crazy eye from Tornado Tom, he needs a win after a disappointing year.

#5) 12-1, 7.35 Lars Boom (Rabobank), The squad is putting faith in Lars. They came out in the press and said he was a co-leader for the weekend. Boom has been sprinting well and won the prologue at Qatar. He's a trendy pick, but the stats back it up. He doesn't have a whole lot of history with this race, but he's highly motivated for Rabo and himself and is carrying tremendous form.

My Fav Sleepers: Marcus Burghardt, Greg Van Avermaet, Sebastian Langeveld, Bernard Eisel, Yoann Offredo

Inspirational

2011-02-23T14:56:00.000-08:00

During my daily readings I came across this comment on the Z-Blog. Inspirational words from one of Montana's best riders. The author was listed as Micheal Moore but signed Mully. Whoever wrote it.....I like it. Photo by John Sieber.

Willy, loving the blog. Good stuff. I noted your reference to Merced being the first big race. And I know that some races are bigger than others, but another way to think about it is that every race is big. Every race is important, because each time out gives you the chance to improve. Even if the external stakes aren't high, part of the fight is inside. Go hard -- the opposition is sometimes you yourself. I know this is going to be a great season for you, but take nothing from granted. Every race is a chance to prove something, even if it's only to yourself.

-Mully

You gotta love it.

Poaching Pics

2011-02-22T10:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of Matt Shryock training at The Cycling House this past week. He's been posting pictures on his blog from his training trip.

Matt is back at it for another season. MTcx.com is once again supporting him in his athletic expeditions. Cyclocross season only lasts so long and I get bored. Matty gives me something to follow during the winter and spring. I wish him the best of luck in his 2011 racing. Follow him all season long on his blog www.mtxcmattshryock.blogspot.com. Check out Matt's special MTcx suit at this year's Griz Tri.......

New Blog Added - Z-Blog - "Willy Z persuing his dream"

2011-02-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

Willy has graduated high school and packed off to warmer temps. He'll be living in Cali with some buddies from his new squad, Team Specialized. Currently WZ is in Phoenix with NRO riders Tamara Bessette and Ivy Audrain competing in the Valley of the Sun stage race.

Keep track of Willy on his new Z-Blog.

Go Zman!!!

UM Triathlon Fundraiser - North Hole 5-8pm

2011-02-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

My relationship with UM Triathlon can be compared to my relationship with aero bars. Slowly I've built a tolerance and respect that have gone up in the last 7 years.

All kidding aside I love the guys and gals at UM Triathlon. This generation is a good group of fun, fast athletes that deserve our support. Johnny MT, Myke, Cordingley, Goldberg, Kettering, Beerman, The Beast, and many others.

Come to the Northside Kettlehouse and share a beer. A percentage of the proceeds will go to the team. 5pm - 8pm.

Guest Blog Post - Dale'

2011-02-07T09:37:00.000-08:00

The Looney Bin:

Have you ever tried to stay up with Dr. Adam “terminator” Jensen on a long MTB climb? It’s so hard and painful and awful we have coined a term for it: The Looney Bin.

Here is a typical Snowbowl Overlook Looney Bin experience: The ride starts out fairly easy and then we reach the first hill and start hammering. First your heart rate redlines for a few minutes, and then you start to cramp. The cramping gets exponentially worse until it feels like your entire body is getting beat with a shovel. At this point all you want to do is quit but the Doctor looks back at you and asks why you’re riding so slow. Now you’re exhausted and pissed. You take your body to the next level and your brain shuts off; all you can think about is staying on Adam’s wheel and maybe he will crack (which is never the case). The top of the climb is now in sight and the Doctor picks up the pace. You feel your lunch regurgitating and everything goes into slow motion. 100 yards from the top your body waves the white flag and Jensen pulls away. At the top you’re disoriented and have uncontrollable shakes. The terminator is calmly eating a sandwich and asking when you got so out of shape. This scene is repeated again and again throughout the summer and the outcome is always the same.

Sam Schultz Checks in on Cyclingnews

2011-02-04T12:26:00.001-08:00

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/sam-schultz/the-three-bs

Grizzly Triathlon Signup NOW

2011-01-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/73475/SMUCalendar

Boulder Roubaix

2011-01-07T10:19:00.001-08:00