b.i.k.e./ River City Bicycles, by Cyclisme (WORD-RCB)

Taking the time.

2012-01-18T22:40:00.000-08:00

When Boys and Girls Club Director,
Tim Sicocan first listened to b.i.k.e.'s proposal for programming collaboration, he said
"you got to keep em movin'!"
Tonight the little girl in the yellow shirt and red galoshes, never stopped moving.

Only last week
she
walked on her bike.

She
didn't
like
pedals.

Other kids zip around with reckless abandon. Keegan can avoid anything, with no room and still stay up.

The big girls rode stationary bikes with Danni.

Danni timed for the Five Minute Club.

They pretended they were riding to Lloyd Center for the Hollister sale.

Some kids were beside themselves, they were having such a good time. Our b.i.k.e. mentors rode beside them.
Noah got some time in on the stationary bike
with his elbows
bent.

Nothing was very hard work, as it was more like having fun.

The little girl in the yellow shirt rode like 60 miles. Finally she fell off in a horrible high speed crash and said calmly "both my legs are broken."

A veritable obelisk of true grit, she recovered in time to do yoga.

Curious about everything, and strong as can be, she did everything in our class full tilt.

Next thing you know Tim Sicocan sent for us to come to his office.

He wanted us to fill out paperwork so that our mentors could take on a more official role at Boys and Girls Club.
Mr. Sicocan want's to quantify the outcomes of our peer mentoring activities.
He was telling us we are important to their Club.

Though now becoming bleery eyed with fatigue, but starving for pizza, the b.i.k.e. mentors went across the street to find their own mentor waiting.

Greg Miranda was a Junior Elite cyclist himself and has worked with a major Pro Development program sponsored by the national company Waste Management.
He talked to the junior's about race day nutrition and about the world of corporate sponsorship.

With books, printouts and actual pro team proposals, he shotgun blasted the teen age minds. But to get things started, Greg volunteered for the first two chapters and their ensuing book reports.

They can because they think they can. Virgil

SNOW DAY

2012-01-17T21:39:00.000-08:00

Get up and go to school!

Professor Hansen has returned to give a lesson.

Dressed to kill in his new Hagens Berman kit, Jake was swarmed like a moviestar by the paprazzi
when he arrived for the ride.

Heads full of steam and with good momentum toward the new year's strategy for 2012, we celebrated with a big before-practice-breakfast at Kornblatt's Deli in NW.

Pete Kirby brought his nice family, and shared some brilliant ideas he has about development.
It was a unifying force to know so many were working behind the scenes.

All with radios, anxious junior racers finished their breakfast and waited outside like mafia to announce Jake's arrival before he was two blocks away.

After a long luxurious breakfast,
folks were charged up to barrel out into the snow. When Jake arrived it was just one more exciting reason to ride.

Once on the road, the Radio-Juniors took control of the pack.

With a 500 foot freezing level, there was not a lot of Stumptown left to work with.

Two columns in downtown right up Broadway Blvd. made sense. The warmth and familiarity gave some solace in the face of the radical weather.

Once past the freeway though, the muzzle came off and the white fangs of winter were revealed.

Jean Dey Shaun and Kent attacked immediately, but the patient hand of Cyclisme stayed in two columns.

Terwilliger was engulfed in a blizzard.
Huge wet snowflakes blew parallel to the ground, biting any skin they found.
The back road climb to Hillsdale was covered in snow. Hillsdale proved to be about as high as we could go, so the team dropped right back down to Barbur.

Once on Barbur a full speed paceline carried the team all the way to Naito Parkway, then lights threatened to split us up.

The break was a welcome reprieve for some.

Soon more snow would come just from the climb over the steel bridge.

Williams was desolate as the threat of snow was enough to keep the famous NoPo commuters on the sofa.

Swan Island saw the first major attack of the day as the radio controlled mod squad launched in perfect unison going down the long strait descent down Going.

Many laps and monsterous motor pacing made cutter's circle poignant but not decisive. Waiting for Csaba to rejoin our ranks after a post breakfast parking debacle, most rode in the protection of the pack.

Climbing out from the lowest point in the city rain and wind blew the climbers sideways.

Rolling out the Overlook Bluff the columns flew with the help of a tail wind. Right past UofP and up onto the St. John Bridge.

While up there riders could see the snow line as a jet pilot can see the cloud line.

Back down on HWY 30 it was a gritty gross mess.
Jake got a flat. Folks were really starting to crack.
It was hard.

But next came the climbs through the top of NW up on 25th, then Vista - straight up, no chaser.

By this time though, the day had warmed and the freezing level had gone up.
The team climbed Montgomery and went by the Mojo Tree.
Jake Keegan and Kent climbed "Paris-Roibaix."

The rest went around to meet them on Patton.
With 7 minutes left in our three hour goal, everyone agreed to go around Fairmount.

The sprint from under the bridge saw Kent challenging Jake, and Jake was very kind to let Kent lose by only a little.

Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best.
Theodore I. Rubin

Paceline School!

2012-01-08T21:45:00.000-08:00

El Ninja Winter Sunday
Everyone was out,
from Fairmont Loop to Sauvies Island,
Oregon Cycling was booming.
Photos by
Dey Shaun "Daddy" Lee

Teams were everywhere. Rapha, Team O, Ironclad, Gentle Lovers and Crank were just some of the Saturday shoppers we saw attempting to add ammunition to their arsenal.

Piecing together a lot of pacelines, sprints and hills, the Cyclisme made Rocky 60 miles!

Up on Fairmont and Talbot Meghan and Peter Smith joined Mr. First to Arrive, himself - Kent "Tupac" Ross, soon to be joined by Keegan "The Badger" O'Neil, and Dey Shaun "Daddy" Lee. Tim Bergmann, Noah, and Noah's pal Greg Miranda descended into our ranks and we were away.

Around Fairmont Loop Meghan nailed her first big time breakaway paceline like a euro pro, then fashionably retired to photography. Her shot of Mt. Hood is featured on Facebook and right after this I am going to go SHARE.

Young and old shared in their co misery to hold each other up, while strong men did their damage. Noah Beggs was brave as he faced this new brand of suffering for the first time in his young life. Dying on the big rolling sections, he danced right to the front when the road turned up hill.

Bergmann was tired from tandem towing the day before, but was resolved to his familiar fate. Renewing his bicycle racing career is something he has done time and time again for Cyclisme. Whether it was to lead out and train Paul Laak - the great sprinter of PSU, to glue together team pursuit teams for the original Bazzooka - Jeferson Vowell, Chris Deardorf, and Micheal "Frost" Risner - or to round out the Family Sprint Team Bergmann on the Track - Tim knows what it is to start again.

After more than a few sprint laps of Fairmont, Humphery Hewett was a welcome descent to Sylvan. Climbing the steep hills in Arizona gears, Greg Miranda must of thought The Cemetery a telling site. But you wouldn't have known it looking at him as he pedals with the class of a real Elite cyclist.

Keegan Kent and Peter all came to the table ready to play. Wow. Their strength is going to make us all fast. Turning down Newberry and being game for a loop around Sauvies was a Godsend.
Bravo Cyclisme!

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." - Lena Horne, Singer

Height of the Off-Season

2012-01-07T16:32:00.000-08:00

Wired for Sound
by
Keegan O'Neill

It just kept getting better.
Today I was the Ride Leader of the "Saturday Kids' Practice"
leaving from East Moreland Grocery at Noon and Featuring two Rendezvous -River City and Old Town Pizza. John had me on one of our new two-way radios.

Practice started out okay and then got pretty rough, but then it got great. Rolling out this morning Noah, Kent and I sprinted with joyous expectation. It was scheduled to be a long day of riding with the team.

East Moreland Grocery has a great fruit selection, so we got 3,3,&3, (apples, oranges, and bananas) At EMG we also met Danni, Lori ,the Campbells.
We rolled out on Reed College Parkway to RCB where we found Santo, Luca, and Michelle.
We took the waterfront "Esplanade bike path north.
I kept the group rolling as a unit on the popular path until I came back into radio contact with John when we passed through Rose Quarter, and called for "two Columns" as we hit the Williams bike path.

Under radio Direction from the Directeur Sportif, I sent my two trusty Domestiques Luca Mallon, and Noah Noah Beggs down the road, off the front, up Williams. I was amazed to see their blistering pace light up the lane ahead. Noah set the big roll and Luca tucked in his draft.
Both of them low in their drops, elbows bent, knees in-they were flying.

I guess John needed them to come up and get cash from him to pay for the garlic, onions, olive and mushrooms pizza made by Old Town Pizza where Earl Cooper was waiting in his Cadilac to put his kids on bikes. Olivia and Edward were game for a bike ride.

We put them on tandems powered by Kent Ross, and Tim Bergmann. Olivia with Tim, and Edward with Kent.

In the beginning we had the wrong kid on the wrong bike.

We switched them and it made all the difference. Still, things seemed to go wrong every few minutes.
Kent rode a tandem with Olivia and Tim Bergman Captained her brother Edward.

They seemed to be having the time of their lives. They seemed so happy and that feeling is contagious. We delivered the kids back safely in the care of their father at the Interstate Bowling Alley.

Next to a leisurely walk I enjoy a spin on my tandem bicycle. It is splendid to feel the wind blowing in my face and the springy motion of my iron steed. The rapid rush through the air gives me a delicious sense of strength and buoyancy, and the exercise makes my pulse dance and my heart sing. ~ Helen Keller deaf and blind political activist

After a veritable tour of the Overlook Bluff, we rode with the Bergmans back to their car out front of Old Town.

From Old Town on Sumner Street we rode super fast down N. Vancouver to the Mallons' car parked at RCB. We took a left on Tillamook and a right on KLK!

"Where are we going?!" Michelle Mallon yelled out.

Going down MLK boulevard we rode in the right order to go fast enough to stay safe but not too fast and drop anyone. Cindy and Michelle led the way.

I was so impressed with how fast Willie, Cindy, Michelle and Santo could ride.
I did not think they could go that fast, especially for that long, and I don't think they did either.

After they made it back they were thrilled by that last high speed adventure.
We said our good byes and I rode the Cambells back to Eastmoreland Grocers. We worked a three up paceline back south fast.
At the end of the day it was a great ride. We showed how resilient we were and many of us rode faster than we ever had before. Rides like this are the reason we were the number one team in the state last season for most of the year.

We are making people fast.

Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live.
-Mark Twain Taming the Bicycle. 1884

New b.i.k.e. team coming!

2012-01-05T18:58:00.000-08:00

Happening in many sectors of Cyclisme as the new year opens,
our TEAM DEVELOPMENT is lively!

Professor Gerwing and his lovely wife Lilliane called from INDIA today !

MASTERS members make all sorts of plans, while the Fairmont Loop feels their renaissance.

Rocky Rabbit is on the tip of everyone's tounge.

But nowhere is there a more heated development happening than the flammable nexus of junior peer mentors teaching the subject of cycling to kids in the common room of an after school community center. All while the savvy adult Boys and Girls Club mentors keep a watchful eye on the perimeter.

Safe and exciting is it's phenomena.

Everyone is getting into the groove. Kids wanna race. Class veterans track stand and bunny hop in the group circle while they wait to race on the stationary bikes. Youth mentors announce races, direct kids, and keep it fun.

Our teen b.i.k.e. mentors are sought after to make celebrity appearances on the racing bikes to satisfy their fans.

Children are laughing and cheering and talking about who put their foot down. (you have to give your BMX bike up if you put your foot down.) Others just stand in the way, becoming obstacles to make the course interesting.

It's grand!

All the Boys and Girls Club kids get excited to see the bikes and the people who come with them. Elder b.i.k.e. mentors honored to be so idolized by their young friends who after so many months, they know by first name.
Writing in journals their appraisals of the situation, the kids of b.i.k.e are on a mission.
They are trying to build a whole program.
Building a cycling team means paying for it too. Understanding why they are doing some good, and being able to communicate the reason to others is part of their goal.

People in the community see what is happening too, like Russel Cree of Upper Echelon who just donated stationary bike stands to our Boys and Girls Club racing project.

Now veterans of the 5 Minute Club sprint their hearts out!

Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia. ~ H.G. Wells

Lurkin on The Loop!

2011-12-21T22:03:00.000-08:00

LOOP LURKIN
is an activity best left to the summer sun,
unless you are one of those rare breed,
RACER.

Riding at 1000 feet in the Winter months can lead to cold fingers,
and tingling toes.

Sunday saw scenarios similar certainly, but some saw old friends and new competition.

Sprinting
for the "Stop Sign Ahead" sign from under the bridge, Bergmann looked like he knew what he was doing and Peter seemed to be finding 0ut what he could really do.

Kent and Noah were always lurking.

Everyone was steaming by the time we came back to Fairmont and Talbot.

Master of hospitality of course once again had a winning idea with tacos from the taquiera on HWY 10.

Kent and Noah blazed the descent off the west slope. Bergmann and Petey hearded the youngins to the feed zone.

Sunny Saturday

2011-12-17T20:37:00.000-08:00

Surprise!

Winter Cold Warmed Up for an Elite Junior opener in December.

Investment in the young ones is paying off now that they are not so young.
Strong and skilled they got down the road pretty good.

Climbing Cornell to Skyline and descending McNamee, Noah and Luca led us out while Pete Smith mentored. Tupac, The Badger and Daddy pushed with one hand , then switched.

Regulating tempo with easy gears, the team made good time out. And when they turned in on HWY 30, they caught everyone on the road.

Along the way we met friends who had preceded in The Lore. One was Kyle McTeague, a premiere climber who raced for PSU with Norrene Valente, Tim Bergmann, and myself.

He was tickled to meet the Junior boys and asked them questions about their cycling.

Our next rendevous was a pit stop to flip a stem, and at Westend we laughed with three guys who had raced with Cyclisme when it was "River City Montage," "GB Cyclisme" and recently with "RCB Cyclisme."

Mark Ontiverous, Justin Serna, and Chris Corno had all raced for Cyclisme at one time or another.
Just Serna even returned and coached on Cyclisme and helped discover Alex Lightman and Trevor Spahr.

Mark let our guys do abs in his store, then bought everyone hot coffees or cocoas.
Getting out of the envelope was the order of the day, and whether our guys were racing scary or socializing sweet, it all came full circle to Cyclisme.

BUUURRRRR ito!

2011-12-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

Cold is not the word...
Electric Bite-Ya Cold is closer to the point.

Team rides keep it close to the start. Hot loops of climbing help regulate the system, but still there is little defense against the cold except big effort.

In situations like these, kids like their cocoa HOT.

Eastmoreland Market is our place of choice for meeting, snacking and libation. Their Meditereano exotic faire is still a thrill 5 rides into the winter.

Their store seems like a miracle after one loses all feeling in their face.

While some teams are challenging gigantic truck convoys and car traffic blowing like frozen leaves out into the hours of Long Slow Distance, Cyclisme is sweating and laughing through raucious games of bicycle tag on the Reed College Campus.

Tim Bergmann has been holding down the fort as Juniors are showing great promise for 2012.

Juniors are learning about all things wild and Italian and edible. Santo is making friends. Kent is eating lots and lots of bread.
Cycling and eating go hand in hand.

Cyclisme is a good concept...

2011-11-27T17:37:00.000-08:00

Rolling Saturday from an avante guard grocery tucked in a south most corner of Portland, Cyclisme cyclists set out on a circuit to Reed that finishes with them sprinting an uphill sprint to the East Moreland Park sign.

Lollygagging loafers laugh while energetic erstwhile leaders yell "clear!"

Daddy and The Badger reigned supreme in every contest.

Maya Bergmann has risen to a place of prominence with her pedaling prowess, and found fast friendship sprinting back up with Haley Guettler, and myself off the back of the pack.

Leg Speed and Prizes!

2011-11-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

Trail Blazers of a Cycling path,
the winter Boys and Girls Club kids ride b.i.k.e.
to College or the World Champs,
whichever comes first
in a Wednesday Afterschool "ROLLERS 101" programming piece presented by Bicycles and Ideas for Kid's Empowerment.

It's taught by High School age mentors,
who are led by a crack team of professional
Boys and Girls Clubs of America Staff,
who are led by their boss and ours...
Tiiiiim Siiicoocaannn!!!

(say "Tim Sicocan" in a deep amplified voice like an announcer at a Blazer's game)

Tim is the big guy in the top two photos wearing a checkered shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

B&G kids love to choose cycling class as one of their afterschool activities.
One big reason is the Club Manager gets his kids, and he gets b.i.k.e. and the value of cycling in their lives.

Some kids are very loyal to our cycling curriculum and have attended every class since the beginning almost a year ago. Everyone at the club is kind and welcoming!
Much of the club stops in one time or another.

Many understand what we are offering ( like Lauren, performing the splits in a matching backpack and puffy coat en same by Benjamin Bixby designs) Some kids take their cycling development program very seriously.

Many of them are great athletes already and make some of our yoga stretching or calisthetic strengthening drill seem like well... child's play.

Kids try hard, when in the rain they practice cyclocross on small bikes and slippery sidewalks, or when in the sun we practice full speed criteriums on home made off camber parking lot race tracks.

Indoors they are quizzed about products they see in magazines, places they see in videos, and people from stories they are told. With their hands they use tools to remove parts from old bikes, and with their feet they spin pedals fast as they can.

Kids ride on stationary trainers provided by UPPER ECHELON FITNESS to gain aerobic fitness or anaerobic power! Kids ride to make "The Five Minute Club" or to win their place in the fifteen second "Leg Speed Club."

Some how, some way, they are guaranteed to move, in cycling class.

The youngest kids are not necessarily those learning the most either. In fact, the b.i.k.e. Youth Mentors seem to be going through the greatest transition.

Dey Shaun is a natural at doing this sort of elder peer, teaching work, and Danni though shy, lights up the eyes and hearts of all the little girls the moment she walks into the room.
Danni and Dey Shaun (see photo top) made the announcement at assembly, enticing all the bicycle loving kids, to choose our class.

Keegan and Kent of course are models of focus and self discipline.

It is unanimous, Blazer's Boys and Girls Club is fun, and a good way to learn how to deliver "Benevolence, Good Form, Simplicity and Team."

What's up Cyclisme!

Not the Four Horsemmen...

2011-10-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

but "G's!"
G's rollin!

Rolling with the big dogs,
I learned slang, and saw sights.
We came together in a natural way at PastaWorks, by accident as

Sandwich Shoppers found Bergmanns by the baguettes.

Keegan stood front and center with Noah in the middle of the sidewalk in their new Waste Management outfits, while Jake, Deyshaun and Marquel scooped hummus from a plastic cup. I said hello to babies in carriages who looked at me eye to eye with a wide wondering stare.

Hawthorne Boulevard is a show on sunny days.

After a long period of preparation, we rolled out carefully like a ship out of it's slip. We put teenage blockers at the front, Maya in the middle then me then Jake. Pedestrians, musicians, cars and potholes rushed up in such a cacophonous spirit, I didn't think we would make a draft.

Yet with two new Junior candidates on the ride, and a return effort from a lost member of The Lore, new captains showed their resiliency.

Maya rode plenty strong all day.

Keegan and Dey Shaun did the lions share of the work pulling me, while we used Noah up. He cracked only late on the way home.
Maya and Marquel just tend to their own momentum individually.

Pulling me made the pace low for Marquel's single speed and the 3 hours Jake already put in on Skyline.
Pulling me made the pace so slow, Maya could always sprint.
Pulling me made a race out of our passing of the 1997 Olympic Gold Medalist of Jogging.

Over the years, I have never understood why more adults don't attend these kids rides.
They are wonderful. They are silly. Even slow, with intermittent bouts of sheer intensity, they tire everyone out.

We stood in the sun amidst a crowd, ran slippery slopes in Laurelhurst, then bareled down stark.
After coffee at Crank, it was coffee at River City, then more sun on Grand in front of Nicholas's.

Over pizza and veggy mezzas youth writing for "yes, I can write" plied their new trade.
All sorts of journals were on display. Writing skills were also beginning to show more muscle as the paragraphs poured out.

Lined out pushing back up Pine, we were a site to see on the road.

You can see our team being something different next year.
Possibly a smaller team with even more alacrity.

Wouldn't that be a hoot?!

Loreful Moments

2011-10-18T22:47:00.001-07:00

Hansen and Holt Lap the field in the Points Race National Championship 2011.

People who made it happen!

2011-10-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

To get one to the Glory-Drome it took a village of caring, talent sharing, and check writing souls.

All of you did so much! And some of you really carried the weight of the task.

A special gift from the Cadonau family could not have been realized without the incredible work of Marilee Tilstrom at the fundraiser dinner. You all backing her up made the event sing.

Large gifts from Robert Burney and Stephen Gomez combined with the critical major loan and gifts of David Guettler did what really few others could do, but what was so essential.

All throughout the effort to c ommunicate our need, Board Chair Tim Bergmann and his pal Pete Kirby made things happen. Then furthermore, while we were down there Bergmann watched over my house and deposited checks, while Pete literally followed us down there and made sure we were fed and funded.
Pete introduced us to his sister Holly who sat us down with the DEW foundation.

Once down in Carson blessings abounded as David Pulliam, Raja Black and the Major Motion crew kept us on a magic carpet of knowledge and logistical support.

No complement for a cycling program more elates than one from an elite athlete who "get's it" and despite a raging head cold, and still winning medals, Lana Atchley donated to the girls of b.i.k.e. a veritable cornicopia of expensive race clothing. I mean a duffle back of top end women's cycle wear.

Only one of the many smaller bags is pictured here.

This kind of support made Jake go. This kind of support pulled us together and encouraged success in our future.

Let's get to work on 2012, eh!

With big love, THANK YOU!

Rumbling Lumber

2011-10-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

Play by Play in L.A.
by
J.Fritzgerald B.
Photos
by
Pat Benson,
Erika Fulk,
and
VeloImages

Arriving on the 24th Jake could sharpen his teeth on the wooden track in the "NATIONALS PREP RACE" featuring more than a few National Medalists. Racing on the steep wooden banks of the Home
Depot, ADT Sports Center was key.

Aclimating in an omnium consisting of a Points Race, a Miss and Out, and a Scratch, Jake took it to 'em from the start.
Lapping the field, in the points race, Jake said "Hello!" Then in the Miss and Out, he held until the final 3 but then was the first to go. Finally in the scratch race, he sat in until a heroic flight. With three to go he made a quick solo dash to catch a previous break that he all but caught just as the field caught both of them. Four guys rolled by him in those last 10 meters and Jake got 6th.

The night added up to 2nd place overall at "The Prep" and Jake won $60!
We were encouraged!

The following two days were mainly about rest, but transporting items one bike load at a time to the infield or practicing with his Team Pursuit Team for an hour kept him loose on the track. Our hotel was a few thousand yards around the corner in a warm climate. It was mellow.

The first day of the ELITE NATIONAL TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP Omnium began with the Flying Lap. With the flying lap began the bad news. We just didn't seem very fast at this year's event. All the work seemed to be not paying off.

As the Omnium events passed, so did one opportunity after another to do well in the multi event part of NATIONALS. Finally, "Double D" the mechanic showed up, having just driven down from Portland, he laid hands on the bike and discovered the problem: a cone bearing had cinched down and become too tight to even be made turn by hand.

We were all shocked. We looked around at each other aghast.

After fixing it, Double D carried Jake's bike up to the start of the Team Pursuit with Austin Carroll, Al Urbanski, and Zak Kavolchek. They rolled a 4:32 in the qualifier and a 4:29 in the Final, and won a Bronze Medal. They rolled about 53kph.

53 Kilometres per hours
is equivalent to
32.9 miles per hour.

This bit of success combined with the "cone discovery" was just enough good news to send Jake proudly into the Points Race Qualifier/Final progression. And in both races he finished 2nd! But in the Final he finished 2nd by lapping the field with defending Point Race National Champ, Dan Holt.

When they caught the back of the pack, Jake crossed the line first for 5 points, and threw his fists in the air.

"I actually thought I had won," Jake said after.

Sunday Afternoon, the next day, the Madison with Al Urbanski as partner was the order. Both guys fairly green, but skilled, they held on to the leaders while most of the teams were pulled for being lapped.
Finally they were the last place team left, holding on to the leaders while one lap down, they finished 9th.

Nobody felt too bad about that.

Two medals, a full schedule of racing, and a few technical mistakes later, Jake was sure he was a stronger, smarter bicycle racer than the year before. Now with some key connections and a bigger resume, Jake is looking for a shot with the pros.

Infield Pass

2011-10-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

2011 Elite Track Nationals

on the Infield of the wooden Velodrome
at ADT in Carson LAX!

Many soldiers fought for the victory of one, in America's annual grand finale for Track Racers - USA Cycling's Elite Track Championships!

To propel "Bicycles and Ideas for Kids' Empowerment"'s college intern and children's coach Jake Hansen into a professional bike-racing future, many hands and nearly two decades of history made light work.

Women and Men from the Major Motion like Raja Black, and b.i.k.e. Board Member David Pulliam, brought strength and power to our movements. Behind the scenes logistics were handled, with their Cali - Savvy "good-lookin- out" while key USCF Officials, like Lynn Ingram kept our Cyclisme Racing party safe and comfortable on the infield floor.

Loreful players who were once unified in the cause of the young Cobb sisters, Jen Brinkman and David Pulliam, shared a joyous reunion on the Home Depot Infield Floor, as all celebrated the Olympic Ascent of Ms. Nissy Cobb.

New wisdom came into our circle as great coaches and agents expressed their interests, concerns, and praise for our Jake Hansen.

Always Thrilled to be privy to such circles, Kit Karzen's dad Marc Karzen came up and said he was one who loved Jake's heroic lapping of the field, while the Karzen's pal and coach Tim Roach is always colorful in garb and spirit said good stuff about Jake. A wealth of insight Coach Roach has coached many great racers.

Also, low and behold appearing as a natural friend and huge connection, European Six Day Booking Agent, Pat Lyons liked my shirt.
I can't get enough of this guy. He is a mover and a shaker of the first order. Great stories of the Six Day abound from Pat.

Flying with color and panache as we spoke, Jake's Point Race embodied what Pat Lyons said a great 6 Day Racer is in the mind of the European Track Fan. "A risk taker."

As Pat and I sat over coffee, coaches and agents approached Mr. Lyons about their racers. His UIV League in Europe is looking for racers under 23 years old.
Jake is unfortunately 24 years old, and that is always mentioned. but in Europe they are very considerate of talent till 25.

After Jake met Jah-Rome filming video at Jake's Podiums, we crossed the path of Jah-Rome again at Venice Beach in a seemingly prophetic series.
Venice was our grand last minute California Tourist trip as Max, a real weight lifter, always wanted to lift at Muscle Beach.

During the Natz, Double D and Jake's brother Max, catered to Jake. Double D had a glass water for Jake after every race. Max would hop on the bike in a flash and find the needed thing.

Holly and Peter sister and brother were two like minded community may flys buzzing around making magic everywhere.

Everywhere they appeared, magic happened.
Building blocks for helping our new racers get up o the next level of cycling were falling into place like quarks.

If we can understand the how and who we work with in Europe, we will place Word-RCB' s Four Horsemen in Ghent or Berlin.

Pulliam knows the road side, and Lyons knows the tracks. Even club racing has it's pipeline of development. DEW and Holly bring writing support to our academic offering.

Simple beginnings for strong growth, make a promising.

On the phone and text, Ken Nowakowski in Indianapolis, Indiana always brings b.i.k.e. electric wit and three decades of experience to our coaching circle. He knows the infield better than it knows itself.

Our 2011 Elite Track strategy was a silver lined prow with bronze guilding, as the prowess of many people came together to support and guide young Jake Hansen up and out.

Thank you everyone!

Coming Home!

2011-10-03T13:07:00.003-07:00

Jake won Bronze in the Team Pursuit
and
Silver in the Points Race after lapping the field.

A Study in Focus

2011-09-26T06:27:00.001-07:00

NATZ OMNIUM NOTES
by
Jake Hansen

Photo Credit:
Max Hansen
Pat Benson

Flying Lap 3 to go I start working my way up high. I see two to go and really ramp up in to turn 1 and come spinning fast out of 2 into 3 really rolling then out of turn 4 I attack down harder than I ever have in my life. I spiral down turn 1 still gaining some speed. Sticking the black line while my legs turn faster and faster. Pushing for more into turn 3 and accelerating even more out of turn 4. throw the bike at the line and bam. 13.95 seconds. 41 mph.

Points race

I stay up front and get a few early points but not blowing myself to do so. Then 30 laps in a small break goes. I'm there, immediately. I work. Not to hard. Scoop up some more points from 1^st or 2^nd. Then we get caught and Bobby Lea goes solo, HARD. Jame follows him and I am right no Jame's wheel. We roll for a while and I take short pulls that don't slow us down but keep me fresh. We lap the field. Coming into the last sprint I go to the front and wait, watch for attacks. Jame starts to go. On his wheel. I stand up and sprint out of turn 2 and take the lane. A new level of tenacity I fly thru the turn and come out flying off the front. I've won the points race.

Miss and Out

This will be the hardest race in the omnium. At the gun I get to the front. I ride tempo hard and stay up at the front. I accelearte into every single lap. I never for one second lose my position at the front. I know that this will screw me for the sprint but I will get down to the last 3 in this race that I have struggled with all year. If there is a moment that someone tries to come over the top of me hard I give my self room before they come down so that I can come over the top of them before anyone else behind me does. If I get far back I will make an all out attack to get to the front and reestablish my position. It will hurt but I must succeed in this race.

Pursuit

I have to race someone from the omnium who is close to me. Ideally it will be Bobby Lea or Jame or someone else fast. I get out good and quick but not suicidal. In my easier gear I am going to work it and spin fast the whole time, with my head up and put the pressure on my opponent. First kilo is about 1:15. Then I get rolling. Really focusing on the black line I nail 1:10 for my next kilo. (2:25 or 4:50 pace). Now I keep it on. 120, 1.2.3. 1.2.3. each 3^rd pedal stroke is a little more. Like David Auker taught me. 3^rd kilo 3:35. It starting to hurt now but I am just a titch behind Jame. I pour it on for my fastest kilo yet a 1:08 and stop the clock at 4:43. Fast enough to get me into the finals of the pursuit.

Scratch Race

Due to the timing and lateness of this race in the Omnium it will prove to be quite tactical and thus the fear of a high speed. This means a well timed late race attack like last years will most likely be the victor. This time I will be on it when it goes. I will work but softly. Towards the end, 3 laps or so to go, I will make an attack and go solo all the way to the line with perfect form. Elbows bent. Chest low

Flight to Nationals!

2011-09-25T02:58:00.000-07:00

There go the Hansen Brothers, taking off to Carson "L.A." California.

A plane, then a bus to a train, and an elevator to a bus, and three dead lifts later, we arrived.

L.A. traffic is polite when they see

a grocery fetching bicyclist towing a wheelchair.

So Jake can be...

READY TO RUMBLE LUMBER.

ADT Center's VELODROME
is
WELL EQUIPPED.

South Central L.A.'s David Pulliam is the Team Director of MAJOR MOTION CYCLING.

Cycling Coach extraordinaire.

Friend to you and me.

b.i.k.e. Board Member.

Guardian Angel of The People.

Tender of Accomplishment.

It's illegal to sit on the floor in a gambling casino.

Ab-lab is the Hansen brothers' domain.

Salad with cold cabbage, red leaf lettuce, orange pepper slices, cilantro, tomato, avocado, and cashews, while jalapeno and garlic slices were cooked in parmesian and pinto-bean broth with ground black pepper was added just before serving, as hot boiled shrimp topped the sauce layer over the cold salad.

Served up special for your Cyclisme.

Get Ready for CX!

2011-09-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

On Your Marks,

Get Ready,

GO!

It's cyclocross season 2011 and Cyclisme is practicing for skill.

Oregon is a hotbed of winter Cyclocross.

We had a little practice on the ghetto grass to work on starts mounts and dismounts. The "TRANSITION" was our focus.

What is so exciting is that our people, even the first time beginners are Good!

Our little Saturday practice featuring a twenty minute Crit, saw real talent from Danni Bernardi, Lori Bernardini, Cindy Campbell and newcomer, soccer phenom Michelle Mallon.

Our veteran racers led by "Master A" racer, Eric Lanners all bring a ton of skill to the Word-RCB kit.

Up in Hood River, the next day afer practice, Keegan O'Neill got 10th in his age division while Naiqwan Pellman won in his age division!

Naiqwan is getting a chance at the end of the this week to go train for CX at the Bend Endurance Academy. Watch for very big things from Mr. Pellman this Season.

BGOD rollers, Aloha LeVon and and Ramon Artola brought tenacious speed to the practice.

Santo Mallon, Luca Mallon and Noah Beggs are just a few of the young kids to watch for, as they are coming up.

Led by Cyclocross Stars like Lanners and Pellman with Lee, and O'Neil coming up, our program has some fast CX leadership developing great new CX TALENT!

Canby Cross-Word CX Challenge

2011-09-18T15:34:00.001-07:00

2011 Flyer - Click to view larger image

Fundraiser and Silent Auction!

2011-09-12T08:36:00.001-07:00

Under

the

big

tent!

The Kids of b.i.k.e. made eloquent statements, and told telling tales.

Cyclisme friends and families made the food, and it was DEE-lish! Suzi Dala'i made 100 legs of Persian chicken. A plethora of deserts sweetened the tasty spread.

We were blessed to be able to thank the Cadonau Family who owns and operates Alpenrose Dairy for their gift of land that serves our community.

Mike Murray and other heads of OBRA State were on hand, including Brad Ross, and Rick Potestio.

Tim Bergmann did a great job designing awards and silent auction gems from the Lore.
Sara Auker made amazing pies that were emphatically bid on in the silent auction.

Marilee Tillstrom was the Heroine on High as she created wonderful ambiance at the table.

Billy Miller filmed for the "Legacy of Major Taylor" while Mike Cooper and Ben Barber worked on film projects for "Filmed by Bike."

Everyone seemed to have a sublime time, as the juniors gave speeches and quoted inspiring words.

Community supporters like Rex Burkholder and his beautiful wife Lydia Rich, the Grummels, Flo Liebowitz, the Girards, and the Beatties were just a few of the delightful guests who congregated under the big tent with the kids of b.i.k.e.

Jake Hansen's whole family was on hand, and Dey Shaun's mom, Dana, was ebullient with pride.
It was grand night filled with love and support for our important group.

Little Faith Cadonau went on stage to offer an impromptu dance performance before her momma gave her the hook, and now Faith is fired up to be a bike racer!

Mile Night Concludes

2011-09-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

Fireworks fly
at
Mile Night
Scratch Race FINALE'.

An all-out assault on the Alpenrose Velodrome Walls in the Junior race were dominated by Word-RCB's seven-strong Jr. squad.

In a race of a pure guts (and a handicapped start) Santo Mallon almost held on for the win. In classic Kent Ross style, a late attack from the back of the pack surprised his competitors and left them puzzled when he crossed the line 50 meters off the front.

The Mile Night Scratch Race's have proven a great arena for the talented racers of Pursuit of Glory to showcase their skills. With five races over twice as many weeks, the children have become some of the most sophisticated Junior scratch racers the State of Oregon has ever seen.

Mile Night is Just Right!

2011-08-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

Celeb Racers continue
to grace
Tuesday Scratch Races!
by
J.F.B.

Sue Butler was interviewed at race side by young Gillian Bergmann who is the spitting image of Sue.

Racing had the sort of family air of the earlier events kicked off and choreographed by the great Jame Carney eight weeks ago.

Mixed and diverse packs gave Juniors a chance to rub shoulders with more experienced adult and Master's racers.
Diversity also gave Gillian a great spectrum of interviewees for her budding radio/TV career.

Young Juniors fielded a four kid pack and raced two three lap scratches and one six lapper.

Everyone else raced a 2 Mile, 3 Mile, and finally a 7 Mile Scratch race.

Daryl Hemenway of Diamond Law and Derek Newel of Goon Squad brought elite competition to the race event.
In the 7 mile scratch junior Kent Ross worked to block up the field while Jake tried to get gone.
Hemingway and Newell worked together to make a powerful chase.

It was exciting!

Big thanks to these strong local racin-speedsters as their prowess sparring helps
Jake get ready for Scratch racing at NATZ!

Raced a Champ from Idaho and Won!

2011-07-31T21:36:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Courthouse Crit
with my Team.
by
Keegan O'Neil
Photos
by
J. Fritzgerald b.

Downtown in "Old Town" Vancouver, this Criterium was a great time for Cyclisme. We were able to hang out with one another under some trees, and watch some of the best cycling Oregon offers, as Jake defended his Oregon Cup lead. We even had a pop up tent on the high vantage point corner at the top of the course.

We looked like such fun to everyone, that a journalist from the Columbian Newspaper came over and interviewed everyone about their race and our lives cycling. She wrote down what we said and I would not be surprised to see an article about us in the near future.(see here)

Oregon Cup Leader's Jersey wearer, in the morning, Jake held off Andrew Boone of Team Oregon and increased his lead.
We all congratulated Jake on his Oregon Cup Win! Jake showed throughout The Cup competition that he was the best racer in Oregon, he was in First the entire series, and he clearly deserved winning it.

Note Stephen Bedford of Team Oregon got 3rd, and
Brad Gephard of Skyline lurking lore, won the Elite Men's event in the Couv.

John's friend Bob Grummel came by and I talked to him about my race.
He seemed very interested in how I did and also the rest of the team.
We liked the attention.
Everyone had a great time at the race!

Piecing Together Championship!

2011-07-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

When
one
makes
a
goal

by
J. Fritzgerald B.
Photos
Catherine Cooper
Wheels in Focus
to be something big, they have to be brave enough to face the challenge honestly. When one is trying to be a National Champion, it is good to race with the best to get ready. To figure out where you stand and what you have to work on.

Jake Hansen
attended his first
National Championship
in Carson California last year, and got second place to
Kit Karzen in an epic battle in the Omnium Scratch Race.

It was then that he understood his first forte was "rollin." Jake's a roluer, a big roller, no matter what you call it, the biggest rolling without break is Jake's favorite, and it happens in a Scratch Race.

To be ready, this year Jake not only worked on big intervals, but he invested in the kids that look up to him and used them as training partners (see here). Kids like Keegan O'Neil are better for it.

A man for the community like Jake, deserves victory. But he knows his good character is not enough. He trains early in the morning up on Skyline like he knows it's not enough.

So this summer, Jake signed up and went to some big races. Track races with the biggest prize lists.
Races with big money attract big stars like the National Scratch Champ, Jame Carney.
Jake attended the big three, big money Track Omniums on the West Coast to see where he stood. Testerossa at the Hellyer Velodrome in San Jose, the Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge, and the Marymoor Grand Prix in Seattle gave Jake a chance to see where he stood.

Thanks to mentors like Stephen Beardsley in the Madison and Mr. Carney himself in the Scratch Race, Jake will bring a whole new set of tools to his second National Championship this September.

Now after due diligence we have a better idea on where Jakes stands. When Elite Track Nationals comes around we think it will be on the Winner's podium.

#1 Team in Oregon!

2011-07-10T13:07:00.001-07:00

Word RCB!

Check your OBRA rank at: http://obra.org/bar

Carney, Allar, and Hayduk kick off

2011-07-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

Mile Night!!

Mile Night Scratch Races were chrisened by the National Champion of Scratch Racing, Jame Carney, his girlfriend Erica Allar, and their pal Colleen Hayduk. Ms. Allar is the defending National Criterium Series Champion and Colleen Hayduk is a multi time National Champion and World Caliber competitor.

Because of the "Small Pond" setting of a typical, if not good turn-out of scratch racers, fields were combined and some young racers got to race with the champs.

Kent Ross was one, and he had the time of his life.

Photos by:

San Jose California!

2011-07-06T00:16:00.000-07:00

Hellyer Park Velodrome, the Testerossa Classic
offered top flight competition and $13,000. Jake Hansen kept up with the the competition and
brought home the
gas money.

Riding with Scratch Champ Jame Carney, Jake was served another lesson in Scratch racing by the Great.
But in the Points race, Jake gave a sign of things to come.

Jake got 5th in the Scratch and 4th in the Points.

Zak Kavolchik rode great and finished 2nd in both Scratch and Points.

Gentle Lovers, Stephen Beardsley and Andrea Fisk did the driving and made the connections so everything was plush for Jake.

Kent Wins Tabor!

2011-06-23T13:23:00.001-07:00

Sprinting up the urban volcano Kent Ross showed Portland
what Cyclisme already knew...

KENT ROSS CAN CLIMB!

Aggressive on the details - like starting at the front, and measured in his movements amongst a big pack of bruisers, Kent raced with cool calculation.

Kent has also been working on his sprint at the Pursuit of Glory Track Class, so watch out! When he flatten's that back and launches into 500m of pure speed, he's serious.

Summer Time Fast Class is here!

2011-06-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

New Pro Crit Savvy Shows!

2011-06-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

JAKE WINS CIRQUE!
by
J.Fritzgerald B.
Photos by
C. Cooper
Pat Malach
Oregon Cycling Action
Hardend by the steep slopes and talented pelotons of Mount Hood Cycling Classic, Jake brought new prowess to Portland's Toughest Criterium Course, Cirque de Cycling!

On a gray drizzly night, slippery corners and screaming crowds convened for North Portland's signature criterium.

Lining up on the line, hard focus was the new feature on Hansen's face. A bad start in Hood River, all but took him out of the big pro/am crit a week before. Surviving those corners at the back for almost an hour changed the way he looked at crits.

After an early display of speed and failed bike handling, Jake held onto the Oregon peloton until he could counterattack himself. Away alone, all the top players reacted and bridged up. Jake drove the pace at the front until a break was away.

Once the well represented break was good and away, Jake stopped working. For ten minutes he stopped working. It was a sight to see.

When he did finally attack, it was big. Beardsley crashed and Bedford got gapped.
In the Pursuit Jake gained ground on a hot pursuing Team-Oregon Stephen Bedford.

Jake was left contemplating Victory while rolling no hands down Albina Street, wondering if he had been greedy.

"No!" the drunken people outside the Bars yelled, "Take it all while you can!"

See Oregon Cycling Action report (here)

Dey Shaun Lee!

2011-06-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

Winning in the Heartbreaker
Cat. 5s and Silver in the Heartbreaker Madison,
Dey Shaun Lee has arrived!
by
j. Fritzgerald b.
photos by
Jose Sandoval
Care of his Coach
Two weeks ago his coach, Jake Hansen changed Dey Shaun's front chain ring from a 47 to a 49, and things started to happen.
At last Friday's Night Sprints Novice Omnium, Mr. Lee threw down a burst of speed that made crowd gasp in surprise, then cheer with the thrill of what they just saw!

Meanwhile, Cyclisme Racing Programs was developing a stable of Madison partners for Elite Jake Hansen under the direction of Cyclisme Madison Coach Nils Tilstrom. Dey Shaun was practicing in that project.

At the Heartbreaker Track Race Saturday, the plan was just to have Dey Shaun throw Jake into the Madison and have Jake chase by himself. But as Jake became tired and lost a lap, we called Dey Shaun in for Jake to recover.
To everyone's surprise, Dey Shaun lost no ground. In fact he helped the team broaden their gap on the 3rd place team.
Following a telephone pep talk straight from Los Angeles, by David Pulliam, the Madison success was surpassed by a team performance with his teammate Naiqwan Pellman in the Cat 5s. (results here) The two teenagers worked together to dissect the adult competition. Naiqwan, himself a Cat 5 Match Sprint Medalist would lead the field out into a panicked thin line,
then Dey Shaun would come flying around for the victory.

When Dey Shaun heard the announcement of the victory, he smiled shyly and said "No way! I won? That's the first time I have won, one of these!"

Scratch Word River City!

2011-06-08T22:53:00.000-07:00

See the NEW Dates!

Trial by Fire!

2011-06-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Mount Hood Cycling Classic
left a mark!
by
j.Fritzgerald b.
Photos
by
Ryan Wilcoxson

Taking it to the next level is a shock when in the hunt for National glory. MHCC featured amateurs and Pros so large even our Oregon Cup leader could not upset the balance of power.

This time!

This time survival amongst the fittest was "Job 1" in a race that started with 155 people and ended with 105.

"I couldn't make it to the front, but the one time I did, I couldn't go down hill that fast!" Jake Hansen lamented after the first road race.

"These guys are crazy! They attack in the gutter!" Hansen said.

Thanks to River City's David Guettler and his Time Trial man Mark Gefalia,
Jake arrived at the time trials in a lower position on the bars and $1,000 Zipp wheels on the bike, and hope glimmered in the in the haze of the malaise.
Only in the TTs did Jake pass 70th place twice.

Everything was hard.

In the crit he lined up so bad, he never saw the front, and was pulled, luckily after the time minimum that gave him a pro rated time penalty, but the ability to continue the next day.

Despite his personal struggle, Jake's weakness brought strength and leadership to the whole Cyclisme program. To pay for Jake's race fee, Father Word drove his son in support of the totally pro women's field. Mother Cambell drove her mini van to the limit at the head of the Pro/Elite MENS CARAVAN as the chariot to the Lead USCF OFFICIAL!

Tim Miller and Mary Pattiani were at wit's end for two hours of wild and wooly cat 4 men's action. They learned a TON about bike racing.

I got to see The Columbia Gorge completely from my campsite at Memoloose State Park. Then with Greg and Willy C. I was able to thrill and mourn at the amazing Discovery Center in The Dalles.

Also big for me- Perhaps in response to the race pressure, Jake and I motor paced on the way home from Trout Lake, Washinton. With cyclist-filled cars lined out in both lanes behind, watching in praise, Jake motorpaced spun-out at 63mph for about fifteen minutes like a bullet flying South toward Hood River.

It was a site to see!

Sun's First Summer Showing!

2011-06-08T01:28:00.000-07:00

In a whirlwind of weekend racing
Cyclisme Stars
Shine!
by
J. Fritzgerald B

Photos
by
Cindy C.
D. McColm
&
Catherine Cooper

Racing for the low lying fruit in the swamp lands of Swan Island, and Vanport, to aspirations of respiration high in Hood River "Cyclisme" was the Word.

Jake Hansen was in his first big stage race
The Mount Hood Cycling Classic and the competition was daunting, but Time Trials kept him in the game. Camping at the Memaloose Camp site on Thursday evening, the Gorge left a lasting impression on the whole team.

Four drivers from Word-RCB by Cyclisme drove in racing events to trade volunteer time for Jake's race fee. Mary Pattiani of b.i.k.e.-Serratto days, Cindy Cambell and her boys, Tim Miller, and Randy Word all drove in the Mount Hood Cycling Classic. On the way home, drivers stopped off at the team campsite for some grub.

Victory reigns bright in the life of the Lees,
as Dey Shaun Lee took his first big victory.
Hammer time happened at the Hammer Crit Saturday.
Protected by a blocking team captained by Naiqwan Pellman.
Word-RCB won all the primes and the race.

Saturday was also a day of "Firsts" for first time racers Greg and Willy Cambell. Willy finished Tenth with the big Juniors, while Greg gave a lesson to the little kids older than him in the "Kiddie" race.

On the same day, Jake turned in a great Time Trial Time in Trout Lake Washington, and met Joe Holmes, the Directeur Sportif of one of the NW's biggest amateur racing teams, Hagen's Berman. Joe Holmes is the former director for the LeMond Fitness/Captain Cra-Z Soap Professional Cycling Team. He was very kind and asked Jake all sorts of questions.

It would be a great opportunity for Jake to be picked up by this Pro/AM Squad.
There might be a place for Jake there too when you consider some of the TT times at MHCC, like:

59. HANSEN Jake Team WORD-RCB .23'48" ...
60. REYNOLDS Lang Hagens Berman Domestic Elite .23'49" 1'57" down from the day's leader.

(of course Lang Reynolds trounced Mr. Hansen in the overall GC, but there is light for hope here in this "race of truth")

Sunday Jake would get hammered in the hardest road race of his life, but Naiqwan Pellman would grab Silver and thirty bucks cash in the Vanport Kermesse.

Defending the LORE!

2011-05-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

Defending his lead in the Oregon Cup Jake Hansen is seen in this video on his way to a fifth place finish on the Red Hot Volcano of Fun, Mt. Tabor, behind the win of the great John Leonard. Jake's fifth kept the Oregon Cup Leader's Jersey on his back - where it has been all season.

Funny reparte' at the beginning of the video features Pat Malach who once won an Oregon Cat. 4 Road Race Championship in his Cyclisme Jersey. Video Credit: Kenji Sugahara

Mt Tabor 2011 from Oregon Bicycle Racing Assoc on Vimeo.

Mentorship and Championship!

2011-05-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

A recipe for success,
In a bowl!
photos by
Dave Roth

Word-RCB thrilled all in attendance at the Thursday Night track races at Alpenrose. Jake Hansen and the Juniors he coaches are an understood reason for the attention.

The whole story of course, is in the family of racing mentors who surround Jake and the Juniors, and the underlying Ken Nowakowski school of Pursuit.

While our juniors still stand lower on the podium than the kids from the venerable Beaverton Bicycle Club, they are pursuing them with a hungry zeal. And people see it.

Certainly Charlie Warner, the race promoter sees whats going on. Charlie is Mike Murray's right hand man at the velodrome and he appreciates the new class on the infield of the concrete maintenance nightmare they work so hard on.

Charlie holds up new young starters like Kent Ross and sends them into a career of success - and he remembers why he works so hard!

Kent and Keegan are so fired up, and Dey Shaun and Naiqwan are just good at it. Naiqwan is the Cat 5 2010 Bronze medalist in the Match Sprint.

With food and familiar faces, their spot on the infield is a welcoming place to play and talk. Big props to the Ross Bernardinis for their fresh baked ways.
Other team's racers
gather around to dig the cool part.

Mom supports the kids. Dietician supports mom. Coach supports the dietician. Domestiques support the Coach. Everyone supports the Star. The Star informs and leads everyone.

It's a good system.

By the end of the evening's schedule
Jake Hansen steps up and gives a demonstration that puts all on the edge of their seats.

Anything but idle...

2011-05-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

Pursuits!

To the trained eye searching, a barren empty concrete bowl fills with meaning. People surround and enter the bowl in a sacred display of all life in miniature. Social nature finds symbolic reflection in the simplicity of banked walls, an easy rolling flat "apron," and a soft grassy yard called "the infield." Simply riding hard alone in one direction becomes a Pursuit.

One may pursue another racer on the other side of the track who pursues them equally. One may pursue glory in the perfection of their form, or the swiftness of their catch. One may pursue enlightenment in their dance with the temporary. It's Hilarious, and it's exciting.

Cyclisme racers gather at a bar where only we hang out. Jake placed the bars location near the back straightaway, and it was suddenly everybody's bag around the plywood roller foundations folks warmed up on.

Our beloved Tillstrom Family presented a member of the original Mojo Squad of GB Cyclisme that came up to build the Kids of b.i.k.e back in '95, Nils Tillstrom and his father Keith. Nils back home after years of working on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, he finally has a moment in Life to race his bike again. Thursday Night Pursuits was a smart place to start.

We can judge by the company we keep there. One luminary face that thrills me is Oliver "Butch" Martin. A young Black Italian in 1967 knew cycling and red sauce, and he knew racism. When he brought that soul of Harlem (see here), to the USCF as National Team Coach in the 1970s, he brought a style to the top unparalleled in in American Cycling history.

Tonight he stands on the infield speaking Italian to me. Interrupted by Colby Wait Moleneux (fasted TT new kid in Oregon)he suddenly pours all of his attention to the possibility of adjusting a bolt, then turns to me and resumes, "allora, questo giorno e'..." as if he had just cut the line to a fish too small to keep. Smiling, he told me about what time it really was in the Seventies. Working with Muhamed Ali in the Cycling Tennis Camp of late Seventies Harlem, Butch Martin is SOLID.

He brings all power to his people and they beat all people in tonight's 3K Pursuit, but Jake. At Cherry Blossom in the biggest wind yet, Colby destroyed the Northwest's whole peloton with shock and awe.

Those Ali sponsored camps in the 1970's are where Ronnie Vails introduced his little brother Nelson Vails. Ronnie's son Emerson raced with Cyclisme in the 90s. Ronnie hosted a brunch put on by Cyclisme in 1999. Nelson came to camp by Cyclisme in 2002.

Butch's older (now pro) protege, Jacob Rathe mentors Jake Hansen.

Life! And the interconnectedness the Lore provides. Our team's Lore connects to other team's lore and we have history.

Suddenly Dey Shaun Lee is getting a huge advantage on Kent Ross. Kent the new phenom, had only ridden a track bike maybe forty five minutes ago. Dey Shaun's new found sprint ability is founded on years of experience. Looking back concerned, Kent squeezes a little more speed out of his legs. Kent's months of training this winter slowly pulled back the advantage. Boys becoming young men tried as hard as they could, then flopped down on the infield in complete exhaustion.

Captain Hansen awarded all the Juniors "Road I.D." socks for their hard work. Jake earned them earlier in the day acting in Bob Mionskie's new film short coming out soon.

Fresh from teaching kids how easy gardening is out in Parkrose, Sandra Clark used an easy gear to pluck Victory like a rose. She was seemingly caught by the BBC Pursuer, then her easy gear spinning like a sewing machine reeled in the win.

Alpenrose Velodrome is amazing. There, after a long day of life, people come to perform a Play where life is condensed into the bottom of a bowl.

Velodrome Clean Up!

2011-04-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

Scrape, scrape, scraping everything, was the order of the day.

Chris King was flipping pancakes!

Our Juniors were commandos of clean as they rappelled from ropes down the face of the 43 degree cambered turn walls.

Whole families represented Cyclisme as the nicest "clean up crew" on the track during the 2011 Velodrome Clean Up Day.

Mike Murray was like...

"Your crew did pretty good out there today John."

Thanks Mike!

It's about the bike!

2011-04-25T03:31:00.000-07:00

Shopping Jenn
Leonard was, for a new bicycle.
To do it she lived at River City for a day.

She rode on the road, all the brands,
for at least 20 minutes each.
She contemplated measurement and feel.
She contemplated gruppos, pedals, cleats, shoes and saddle. She had them change the handlebars, saddle, and pedals.

She signed up for a year of fitting privileges with the River City Women's Fitting Specialists.

Ryan Weaver was at his best. People came close to watch his procedures, and scurried back out of his way, as he moved near them to adjust the next thing on her bike.

It was magic.

She looks very fast. Look for her out on the road.

Estacada Time Trial

2011-04-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

It's a Family Affair,
Story by
J.Fritzgerald B.
photos by
Greg O'Brien
when the Bossen family puts on a race.

Race Promoter Geri Bossen is a family woman. She builds cycling teams with a spirit of families first. Speeding by bicycle on the back logger's roads of the very neighborhood she lives in, is her idea of hospitality. Furthermore, her beautiful family provides all the concessions at race side.
She has fostered some of the fastest kids in Oregon Race herstory!

As a promoter,
She likes a family environment, and that is what she got from Cyclisme Racing Programs today.

Featuring some of the fastest cycling Cycisme families in recent memory, Word-RCB Time Trialed to the podium by riding out East ten to twenty miles and that many back West again. It was a good day to bend one's elbows.

For starters, respendent in the blue and white colors of the shop team he is employed by, our brother in the Lore, Estaban Vazequez showed up ready to race in David Guettler's River City Bicycle Shop's kit. Dave participated in a partnership with Bicycles and Ideas for Kids' Empowerment's "Retail Training Course." Esteban was the class's star, and now enjoy's working and racing at the famous River City.
He also rolled out a 58.45!

Debuting their Swan Island legs, father and son Dallas and Clay Ry-Dick donned the black and white jersey of green and black lore, and tore the road up with 1:02 and 1:08 respectively.

Dey Shaun Lee has been showing huge improvement both on the bike, and at the school room desk. He has been paying his dues too, with time at the Gregory Heights library and some scary time on the pavement at the Swan Island Tuesday Night practice.

Always there quick, to pick Dey Shaun up, is Dey Shaun's Father Herman Lee. Herman drove Dey Shaun out this morning, where Dey Shaun threw down a very respectable 1:05.

Herman Lee drove Dey Shaun and Keegan O'Neil to the Icebreaker Criterium just the day before.before.
Keegan O'Neil and Kent Ross have been scaling Portland's Tualitan hills like mountain goats.
Keegan rode half the distance in 30 minutes, but Kent Ross turned in a very fast 58.25 for the whole 20mile course.
Cat 4 Senior Man, Greg O'Brien turned in the fastest Cyclisme Team Word-RCB Time today with a sub hour, 55:36 scoring him a 7th in the Cat 4 TT BAR.

Lone Cherry Blossom

2011-04-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Despite
the
pomp and circumstance
of a
big stage race
by
J. Fritzgerald B.
Photo
by
Pat Malach
of
Oregon Cycling Action

Isaac Potoczny-Jones narrowed and kept his focus to not only ride the best race of his career, but to finish the whole four stage event - representing Word-RCB in the General Compilation.

Eating, cleaning and tending to other teammates is more difficult than it sounds at these events especially when RESTING is all you want to do.
Every single calorie is needed. After the Time Trial -before the Crit, if you can sleep even an hour, you recover so much you can feel it. But when you wake up, you need to turn all the systems back on, all the way on! Because you are about to race faster than you ever have in your life.
So you drink and stretch. Eat and do push - ups. Use the restroom and ride rollers. Hurry! it's time to head over there!
Held at night under the lights, the Cherry City Criterium in Old Town The Dalles was a dangerously fast tight criterium. Knowing the shape of things to come, Isaac shot from the start right up into 3rd position. From there he fought for his life. Speeds in the 30s mph, Isaac dove through bumpy tight corners, elbow to elbow with other racers. Slowly slipping as he fought, Isaac finished mid-pack and was elated to be alive.
And you ask about the Road Races? The Road Races. The road races were harder than anything on the standard OBRA schedule. Typically featuring over six thousand feet of climbing, hairy descents overlooking no guard rail and vast valleys below, even dirt roads on the climbs. The only thing tougher was the short Individual Time Trial held outside of Dufur in a wind field favored by alternative power vendors.
It changes a new racer.
We raised Isaac's saddle and flipped his stem. Take a look at him next time you see him and see if he doesn't look a little different, perhaps hardened by the Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic.

The Dalles

2011-04-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

East of the rain line.

Featuring the Columbia Gorge, the Cherry Blossom Stage Race is a four race event promoted by Chad Sperry and his crew of famous promoters, including Cross Crusade's Brad Ross.

With thousands of feet of climbing and descending, and a peloton filled with teams from San Francisco to Seattle, and Idaho to Mexico, this event is the next step up in caliber from standard Portland area racing.

Our racers, across the board were new to the competitive level they were racing in, including our Cat 4's Sandra Clark, and Isaac Potoczny-Jones, and Jake Hansen in his first Cat 2 race at this event.

Winds blew in a permanent bluster carrying an underlying chill while the sun shined back an innocent warmth.

Travelling to another world of weather and another level of

competition helped Cyclisme Racers practice an intense focus on

everything in their racing. Rest, food, and warm up, all became

more important.

One day included two races - monstrously
windy ITT,
and a
super fast tight Criterium.

To warm up for the big race of the moment,
all the muscles
were activated
with yoga,
abs, and rollers.

While focus brought success, such as Jake's early 3rd place in the first road race, and Isaac's final lone overall finish for Cyclisme in the G.C. We mostly used the event to learn and get tougher.

Sandra and I volunteered and were part of the event's promotion.
Around our job we brought quality.
Sandra was key to making sure an under marked corner kept racers turning the right way safe. I heard radios squawk appreciation for her effort.
I was kind of asleep when key events transpired, but when I awoke, I got to work! - like feeding a bonked Stephen Beardsley or plucking an exhausted Jake Hansen off a climb.

Two Jakes and a Piece of Cake

2011-03-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Wind,
rain,
sleet
and sun
by J. F. Benenate
Photos
by
Luke Pingel

tende rized the souls of cyclists silly enough to slap down their cash for a 70 mile ride in this 2011 rendition of a March Saturday's "Piece of Cake Road Race" - Stage 2 of the Oregon Cup. A flat farmland circuit considered by most to be Oregon's version of a Spring Classic.

Featuring a controversial three mile gravel section this year, anxiety seemed high.

Jacob Rathe local boy gone Garmin - Chipotle Development Team Pro, was fresh back from his big win in the Rutas de Americas in South America, and maybe the only person who didn't seem nervous at all.

Jake Hansen moved to the front early hoping to choose some good road in the early gravel. He even did some big rolling that turned into an all out attack. Team Oregon had similar designs, and got Romer away with Riffle from HPC and both had their teams blocking.

Donald Reeb, Stephen Beardsley, and Butch Martin's red jersey kids of Hammer/CMG chased that early half an hour break down.

Early in the race Jacob Rathe warned his protege Jake Hansen that Rathe would be marked and if he attacked, all would go after him. His advice was, when they go, you wait and counter attack. That advice would reveal itself later on.

For now Hansen was rolling again, and the next selection of seven formed up. The new group included three Team Oregon men, Bucholz of Therapeutic Associates, Zach Winter of Guiness, and Rathe. Cross wind echelons were the order of the day.

After rolling that group into a three minute lead, Hansen attacked with a tail-wind in the gravel. The move stripped off Therapeutic Associate Bucholz and Team O's Edgerton. Team O actually worked together to help shell Edgerton at one point. When they realized their error, the tried to slow up and eat their gu-packs. So Jake attacked them with the packets still hanging from their mouths. After a monster pull, the pursuers had disappeared from sight.

Now down to five, the breakaway endured another wave of rain, sleet, and sun, and the racers ran their echelons accordingly.

Up onto the rise and into the big wind Rathe went to the front for a little dig. Team O stuck to him like a new tattoo.

When they all sat up after the effort to catch Rathe, Jake H. went himself.
Rathe just watched and smiled.
Like an interior designer organizing his livingroom, Rathe had set everything up.
Elijah Romer looked at Rathe. Chris Swan looked down the road at the gap. Their hearts must of sank. Winter of Guiness looked so tired, he must have just been thankful for the moment of slow pedaling.

Rathe sat and smiled for about thirty seconds, then demonstrated why he is a Pro. He set to work pursuing our Jake like a Panther after a rabbit. Our Jake was pedaling squares. He was all over the road. Rathe was smooth, rolling straight like a missile.

Jake looked back terrified. Jacob kept closing the gap.
"I thought Jacob would come flying by any moment and nip me at the line," said Jake Hansen, "keep pedaling all the way! I kept saying to myself."

Both coach and athlete recognized the fundamental tutelage of the pro to the amateur.
Immediately after the line, both heaped thanks onto Rathe for all his benevolence.

"Afterwards, all I could say was thank you," Hansen said of his first moments after he crossed the line and Rathe crossed 3 seconds later.

Old School Amityville Cake!

2011-03-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

Piece of Cake 2011 featured dramatic weather and the gorgeous rolling fields of Amity, Oregon. Put on this year by one of OBRA's most talented old school impresarios, Hugh Givens made his course seem like a work of art.

Following a recipe written by Oregon legendary racer and promoter David Auker, Givens was true to form.

Supported by an army of old school strength, including Bike N Hike Owner Kevin Chudy, and venerable Cyclisme Star of the mid 90s, Danny Knudsen who proudly introduced his delightful daughter.

Kindness and respect seemed to abound in the parking lot as if we were the royal family thanks to the promoters old school vision. Of course we did turn out to be the Heir Apparent thanks to Jake, but you will probably read plenty about that soon.

My "Old School" revelation of the day however, appeared in the form of a photographer shouldering a big camera and wanted to sit at the back of the station wagon "Lead Car" I was driving, to photograph the "Course en Tete" (head of the field) of the Cat 1/2 race...

The photographer was Luke Pingle, (red coat pictured above) a family man and attorney living near Washington D.C. who used to sprint against Brad Gephard (please see here), back in the (my) day.

Well, from race commentary to world politics we had a gas!
Both of us sporting our CRAFT skull caps, we were two race fans just six degrees apart,
as we made our ways down the path of life.

When Jake vs. Jake became the victory pursuit, we cheered and whahoo-ed like crazy frantic kids. I hope you get to see today's way back perspective when his photos come out. Thanks Luke, that was a hoot!

Meanwhile back in the parking lot, our beautiful Cyclisme was waging a culinary Word - RCB and it ROCKED!

Thanks Cindy and Chip for cooking. Congrats to the Cyclisme racers for all their fine and wild rides.

Please stay tuned for more and look to http://oregon.cyclingaction.com for results.

See Sandra Clark at the back of the Cat 4 Women's race winning selection breakaway. (below left)

Capitol Crit!

2011-03-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Cyclisme racers
by
J. Fritzgerald
Photo Credit
Kenji Sugahara,
Allan King,
&
Hotfoot Photos

challenged themselves before the steps up to Oregon's Capitol in the Capitol Criterium held Saturday in Salem.

Everyone of Cyclisme's racers were either in their first crit ever, or their first crit this year.

Lori Bernardini engaged in an epic struggle between two Ironclad Cat 4 vets and a Collegiate co-ed from Willamette U. as Lori took Bronze in her first Cat 4 women's pack.

Jake, still full of snot, was well marked by an admiring peloton, but finished about fifteenth.

The Juniors rolled like a Team with Dey Shawn Lee setting up fast, a two man time trial for Keegan O'Neil and Kent Ross against BBC and it was close the whole time!

Also in the news,
I went swimming
in my new bathing suit given to me by Stephen and Catherine Bedford Cooper.

Down in the Salem YMCA
I organized a very competitive game
of dodge ball
amongst the many 7 and 8 year olds in the pool,
and I was able to reign supreme.

Crushing cartilage with every thunderous swing
of my dodge ball firing arm,
poor innocent Salemites were relieved to acquiesce
to the superiority of an old school dodge baller
with Portland game.

Now their folk songs reflect the memory of a great man who came from Portland in a wheelchair to teach them the ways of Dodge Ball.

Red Bike Diaries

2011-03-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

8:24PM Wednesday March 9th 2011
Nick Wade, a retired b.i.k.e Board member and a major donor to the b.i.k.e. program donates his beloved racing steed, a red Spe ci a lized to the b.i.k.e. program.

4:00PM Thursday March 10th 2011
Gregory Heights Library
Dey Shaun is on time and on point for his regularly scheduled homework session.

3:31PM Friday March 11th, 2011
Jake Hansen, b.i.k.e. Children's Coach get's the phone call from Dey Shaun Lee reporting theft of Caad 8 Cyclocross bike outside of Madison H.S.

6:51PM Friday March 11th, 2011
Decision is made to give Dey Shaun a new bike, despite unfounded concerns of negligence. Mr. Lee has been the focus of a Team push to get his grades up and was just showing improvement in school and on the bike. He had just been running 9th in the Banana Belt Series at Hagg Lake, and was going to be part of a team plan the following Sunday.

9:52PM Friday March 11th, 2011
Specialized is packed into Dey Shaun's family car in driveway of Atomic Ranch. Auspicious location nurtures a cathartic conversation between Dey Shaun's mother Dana and John and this venerable partnership returns to previous strength. Next, the old partnership in youth development hatches a plan.

10:37AM Saturday March 12th, 2011

Dey Shaun wins team sprint to "Stop Sign Ahead Sign" in an unprecedented burst of speed.

1:54PM Saturday March 12th, 2011

Dey Shaun is fit by Chris at Crank and adjustments are being prepared to be made.

3:32PM Saturday March 12th, 2011
After helping the Director Sportif run team errands, Dey Shaun returns to Crank to continue making adjustments in preparation for the big race.

3:47PM Saturday March 12th, 2011

Having been in communication with Dana Spears-Talbert, the Director Sportif intercepts and greets Herman Lee, walking up the street, and proceeds to call Dey Shaun on his cell phone to come out of the bike shop.

3:53PM Saturday March 12th, 2011
Dey Shaun comes walking out of Crank and is struck warm to see the face of his father from North Carolina who he hasn't seen in years.

4:08PM Saturday March 12th, 2011
After greeting conversation and good cheer, DeyShaun and his father return to the bike shop to procure the item of the last 2 hour's focus.

4:13PM Saturday March 12th, 2011
The Lee gentlemen reemerge, both in favor of the improvements and one in stone cold awe of the sheer quality of such a machine. "I don't think I've ever seen such a bike in all my life," said Herman Lee.

7:11AM Sunday March 13th, 2011
Sandra Clark and her Mark arrive in the dark to take Dey Shaun Lee to Hagg Lake for Banana Belt #2.

11:47AM Sunday March 13th, 2011
Juniors clamber into the car and get out of the rain where we have a meeting about a simple strategy to lull the peloton into waiting to attack. The plan works well enough to get past first lap, as they worked together.

1:41AM Sunday March 13th, 2011
Over a quarter way around Hagg Lake on the second lap, the Juniors of Word-RCB are working together in the pack.

2:29PM Sunday March 13th, 2011
Following some epic driving of their bicycles past the Master's field on the shoulder of the road, the Juniors sprinted against a pack of their peers. It was a sight to see! Dey Shaun was in his very first official road racin pack sprint - certainly the first one I have ever seen where he threw down like this, Racing all the way to the line, you can see he even torques the bike out of alignment for a nano-second. Wow!

That is quite a difference a red bike makes in one kid's life!

Hard Work at Hagg Lake!

2011-03-13T19:51:00.000-07:00

"Banana Belt One and Two"
by j. Fritzgerald B.
Photo Credit
Mark Armstrong

feature Jake finishing 1and 2 in the "one-twos"
and a lot more!

Early and hard, this eleven mile road race around
Hagg Lake in March always brings out the true color of Oregon's peloton.

Speaking of color the three smiling faces pictured to the right are all icons of speed in the lore of Oregon Bicycle Racing (l to r) Bob Grummal, Steve Marcy, and Brad Gebhard have about a hundred years racing and a cornucopia of wins between them. Fathers all, don't let their elder good looks fool you. They are still faster than greased lightning, and crafty as foxes in a hen house. (and they are three of my favorites!)

They are part and parcel of what makes Banana Belt such an exciting place to be at the start of a new bicycle racing season.

Cyclisme was proud to field our phenom Women, our Junior Boys, and a Master's Man, but it was the Cat. 1/2 clash of titans between Jake and his brother in The Lore, Pro racer Taylor Kneuvan that headlined the first two events.

Both Taylor and Jake seem to be head and shoulders above the rest, at this early part of the season, but against each other, the jury is out as to who is the fastest.

Both roll long on a high schedule.

Both men have cracked the other and won a race each. Only race 3 in the BB Series will sort it out.
Stay tuned and watch for them in breakaway groups going off the front throughout the season.

Real Frauen Trinken Bier!

2011-03-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

Cyclisme Social!

The ever pulchritudinous Jenn Leonard had her Team over for dinner at her sublime Cyan.

A Cyclisme Pot luck dinner was delicious in her deluxe dining room.

Mielle brought a video called "Women of Dirt" that entertained laid back loungers, while loquacious minglers meandered.

Windy words wound around in a
voluble volume of verbosity, while I personally remained
quiet, silent and uncommunicative.

It was swank.

It was urban bliss.

My dinner was dynamite!

Thank you for having us over Ms. Leonard!
Our hostess with the mostess!

OBRA Awards Dinner 2010!

2011-02-21T13:33:00.000-08:00

Lore of Leadership
borne from Cyclisme, again graces the banquet halls of glory!
Leonard, Blomberg and Brubaker.

Two years in a row, Cyclisme Racing programs have presented two new champions for the peloton's review. Each year two more fine Cyclisme cyclists went up on stage to take an award before the stars of the OBRA peloton.

Last year it was 13 year old Naiqwan Pellman who won the "Overall BAR" for 14-15year old juniors, and a rookie Cat. 3 named Jake Hansen who won the Cat 3 Overall.

Now, representing three categories Cyclisme was especially proud to present two very strong and charming women to be followed by the Oregon Peloton. Jenn Leonard and Mielle Blomberg won the "Overall" in Masters 30-35, Masters 35-39, and Category 4 Women. If you know Mielle, then it does not surprise you she was not satisfied to win just one category.

Symbolically OBRA Legend and Sister in the Lore, Tina Brubaker chose 2010 to dominate the whole pyramid. Always benevolent and ready to give something back to beginners. We are all very proud of muscly Ms. Brubaker.

Like Candy Murray said to Stephen Bedford in his first year on Word-RCB, "Oh Cyclisme, that's a good team to be FROM!"

Yeah thanks Candy, and we think OBRA is a fine peloton to beat.

Vive Cyclisme!

Boys and Girls Club and the Major!

2011-02-04T01:28:00.000-08:00

The Legacy

of

The Major

In an effort to reach out to faces missing from Cycling,
this time at Blazer Boys and Girls Club February 18th,
Graphic Designer Tim Bergmann, did it again.
Drive by The Club and see the posters in the window!

See more about the Major Taylor Education Program (here)

Kent Ross

2011-02-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

Rookie Extraordinaire
by
Jake Hansen

This last Winter Junior Cyclocross Star Keegan O'Neill introduced a new junior to our team by the name of Kent Ross.

With his newly-built-up KHS road bicycle donated by Flo Liebowitz, and built up by Crank, Kent has been training hard.
He trains in the women's ride on Saturday out to Sauvie Island, then on Sunday out to Rocky Rabbit and at the Atomic Ranch with the clean and jerk in the driveway. Kent does it all. He can't get enough.

He has not missed a weekend since joining the team and his athleticism shines on long hills like those leading out of the Rock Creek river Valley.

Kent can sprint too! He has been making the Master's Men work hard for their Fijian Vacations (aka the sprint to the orange cone) at Tuesday night Master's practice.

Junior Team Captain, DeyShaun Lee, has quite a team brewing with the likes of Kent Ross and Keegan O'Neill under his tutelage. They have been doing yoga together at Crank.

Consistent work coupled with Kent's enthusiasm and passion for riding his bicycle have us all seeing big things on the horizon for the young bicycle racer.

A new set of Goals

2011-02-03T16:54:00.000-08:00

LEARNING CURVES
By M.M.Blomberg
Jan.24^th, 2011

I have a new set of goals and a new list of questions for the 2011 race season, but I wanted to share some insights from my very busy first year of racing in 2010. Thanks to my coach JB, Word-RCB Team, Team S&M and the many people that shared their spirit and experience with me in 2010.

Fitness + nutrition + recovery = Performance. A smidge of determination and a smattering of crazy helps too.

You don’t know how good of a hill climber you are until you race Mt. Tabor. It’s harder than it looks.

Base training does not mean riding around the base of a hill.

It doesn’t matter which direction you start at PIR, there will ALWAYS BE A HEADWIND.

Ride with folks that are stronger than you once a week (more if you love to suffer and your ego can take it).

If you get a chance to meet/ride with a pro/cat 1 in your style of racing, ask questions but be respectful of their time.

PRE RIDE, PRE RIDE, PRE RIDE! The suffering you know is better than the suffering you don’t see coming.

Drafting is like a big hug that keeps you safe in its’ loving embrace.

Getting dropped feels like someone loaded your bike with 20 extra pounds of sucking.

Gravel and knees don’t mix but I seem to mix them a lot.

You can never tell how fast someone is by looking at them.

Gu Chomps are both a snack and a meal depending on the ride.

Crashing during a race hurts more three days later, bruises take a week to fully form and it never hurts quite as bad when people are cheering for you.

Leave the wheel that doesn’t serve you, there is usually a better one close by.

We all give up something for racing. Usually it’s yard work.

Happy New Year!

Steep Hill

2011-01-20T21:29:00.000-08:00

Hard Work

Deep Breathing

Winter Weather Riding!

2011-01-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

Out of the dense dark fog, Death emerges!

If they want to make the race season earlier and earlier, well, we'll be ready for them.
No 8am Willamette Valley Road Race is going to surprise Cyclisme this year.
We're rollin!

Hills won't surprise us either, but the toll of fatigue combined with freezing rain makes the ride home a death march.

Recruitment Ride in January!

2011-01-17T12:05:00.000-08:00

Cyclists Unite!
by
J.Fritzgerald B.

Upon arriving at Ristretto Coffee Roasters,
I was treated to a warm welcome from a car window full of friends.

Winter Recruitment is alive and well at Cyclisme.

Pacelines are again being described by pedestrians while walking on the sidewalk, just like last year.

The spirit of cooperation is high this year, fueled by some smart fast cyclists.

Winter however, only barely cooperates, as she doesn't send a full gail, but 37 degrees and raining still
challenges the senses.

Marching along in easy gears for legspeed in the early season,
Cyclisme moves over the land
with a brisk traveling clip.

Everyone is strong and motivated,
divided maybe only by the debate over rain fender length.

Rainfenders are useful and polite, for sure, but mud face pride is compelling.

Pacline Practice in Ladd's!

2011-01-17T11:33:00.000-08:00

Good Paclines take practice. In a group dynamic, racers interact with the wind while turning both left and and right. When they become tired they still have to remember where they are at on the course.

Ladd's Addition is a neighborhood featuring four Rose gardens built off a central Euro-style traffic circle. In our practice, the Team circulates around these block wide gardens then sets up on the central circle for a 150yard sprint down a yet unused element of the neighborhood.

It takes a lot of thinkin'.

Go Snow Rocky!

2011-01-11T10:57:00.000-08:00

Dedicated were the souls who descended into the snow laden Rock Creek Valley Sunday.
Snow and cold were real factors, but pace and tempo, set by strong men of the day, Isaac and Jake were factors as well.

From a starting pack of nine, it was the smallest, Kent Ross who emerged as the real star.
His little body seemed to be thrilled about his new bicycle and with every pedal stoke he celebrated.

Dave Wingard rode great, and Mielle was as brave and tenacious as ever.

We can do this!

2011-01-10T12:35:00.000-08:00

Cycling Women Unite!
by
John Benenate

Empowering leadership!

Under a looming gray sky and the auspices of unity, Cyclisme women led us into the 2011 racing season Saturday.

Featuring the recovered return of Jenn Leonard, the introduction of Lori Bernardini, the Rockstar power of Mielle Blomberg, and the rock steady hand of leadership from Ms. Sandra Clark, Saturday's Women's Led Ride was perfect.

All dedicated to the gentle handling of Leonards recovering calf, the tempo out was slow. But three snacks into the wind later, the turn home was raging.

Blomberg pulled out the stops and this young team started to fly. Arguably the cycling sportswriters' prediction for biggest "out of nowhere" OBRA women's team in 2011, they are still going to have to conquer some big miles in the preseason to get there.

Certainly for the coaching staff at Cyclisme Saturday's result was edifying, because Women's Development is the cornerstone their elite training strategy for '11.

Calling out the plan, soothing the politics, and fortifying the personnel has been two months in the making. Meeting people and working with them in Pursuit of Glory, then after hours developing and posting recruitment flyers all over town has made for full time work.

Fortunate is the artisan who can make a plan reality!

Tough Racers Conquer Wet Winter!

2011-01-01T21:17:00.000-08:00

Pursuit Class Report Week Two
by
Jake Hansen

In the Pursuit of Glory Winter Training Class, all systems are go! As the calender turns over, we are launching into a new racing year.

Always ready to ride Junior Cyclocross Star, Keegan O'Neill and his trusty new teammate Kent Ross have been practicing their team time trialing around Fairmont Loop and up Terwilliger Blvd with occasional additions to their paceline like Sarah Hunter and Kent's Mom, Lori Bernadini.

Timing our intervals has been aided by a brand new stopwatch from El Presidente Greg O'Brien and support from UofO's b.i.k.e. Graduate Aaron Boothby on the road.
Sandra Clark, Sarah Hunter, and Lori Bernadini have been consistent in their efforts and are a great foundation for our new Women's team.

While the rain has been constant and the air chilly we have seen our classy riders flow around Ladd's Addition with grace in a tight pack.

DeyShaun Lee gave his cousin, Ahmad, from San Jose, a ride he will not soon forget as he got to stoke the tandem across town.

After class, Ahmad showed us all some of his kickboxing skills that have won him five of five MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fights. This 16 year old may be one to watch for, all you UFC fans out there.

Crank bicycle owners, Justin and Chris, have been selfless with their shop providing OUTSTANDING service, space and comfort for our brave crew of Pursuiters. Yoga, ab dominals and handstand pushups against the wall are just 3 of our many secrets that we teach at the Pursuit of Glory Class.

Directuer Sportife John Benenate has provided us with a quality training environment and a class that will make you fast.

Come test yourself against the clock over the next three weeks!

Aching for Mud

2010-12-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

WITHDRAWALS
By M.M.Blomberg
12/28/10

Veins are missing something,
That kept me rolling on.
For months OBRA
Kept me high
Now it’s all dried up and gone.

A NEED that I paid for,
in blood, sweat and knees.
To play in the rain,
and the dirt,
and the trees.
Every week had a plan, of what, when and where.
Now my schedule is empty,
Left with nothing but air.

My craving, not satisfied,
the heaviness grows.
I’ve got no one to cheer for,
and no races of my own.
Shaking and vibrating,
Anxiety builds.
Wishing Cross Crusade came
in an off season pill.

Desperately I search the web,
I ache for muddy action,
But I’ve seen all the videos
At least three times,
Denied my satisfaction.

Don’t try an intervention,
It’s the grit and speed I love.
The ringing of the cowbell
And the bleeding and the mud.
It’s what I eat
And live and breathe,
Four months out of the year,
It’s the only fix I know of,
That comes in spinning gears.

So go load up
my weekly dose,
Inject that vitamin “C”,
Cause if you raced cyclocross
You’d be and addict.

Just like me.

Baseline Pursuits

2010-12-27T09:31:00.000-08:00

Week One of The Pursuit of Glory Winter Training Class has been a hoot. Why? Because folks went fast!

Even in the cold air amidst Christmas car chaos, stress was light and recovery easy in the high intensity, but low volume program.

Time Trials on Terwilliger, Fairmont Loop and Willamette Blvd. gave racers an opportunity to open up the engines - test them at speed, and evaluate data.

Cruising around town strong and fresh, big tempo changes people's perspective about themselves on the bike. Micheal Palmer of Veloce is one fast guy to watch for next season. These intervals reveal his form only improves as the riding hours pass.

Mike Girard of Portland Velo is another "up and comer" who is fired up and focused on championship in OBRA-land next year. Always giving hard effort both on the road in these TTs, and back in the yoga studio.

If you Cat 4/5s see him go long next year, you better jump cause he is going to stay away!

Legspeed, long intervals, yoga... it all adds up!

After meeting up at River City Bicycles, the bike shop Crank is where the class retires, and the real work begins.

Jake Hansen has been learning Bikram Yoga and he shows others the way. Whether they like it or not is another story.
As you can see, we had to stick OBRA Track Champ Maya Bergmann to the ceiling.

Yoga, abs, pushups, plyos, and handstands are just some of the agonizing details in the Pursuit of Glory Winter Training.

Afterwards Non-Profit Executives and new b.i.k.e. CEO Sandra Clark led a discussion with Uof O student and b.i.k.e grad Aaron Boothby about a protocol for quantifying improvement in health and resilience in youth who ride bikes. OHSU Nurse Sarah Hunter,
PSU Intern/Interim Director Jake Hansen, and Bike Board Chair Tim Bergmann added game to the name.

Bortolami's Awards Dinner

2010-12-26T20:18:00.000-08:00

Gianluca Bortolami (see his Palmare's here) would have been proud to see the amature bicycle racers gathered in the American Pizzeria named after him, one Belgium-wet/cold Saturday in December.

Word-RCB and the Kids of b.i.k.e. by Cyclisme Racing Programs were in the house once again to celebrate The Lore.

"El Presidente," Greg O'Brien called for the end of season event, and with home made medals fashioned by Masters Racer and dedicated volunteer, Dave Wingard, Randy Word used team funds to buy Pizza for all.

Highlights of the 2010 season were recalled as many received special accolades for their accomplishments.

Bortolami was a Euro Star who exemplified class and finished in Paris Roubaix most notably in a "1,2,3 Victory" with his Mapei Teamates Museaw and Taffi. The class of the "Team Pursuits" we acknowledged ourselves with The Women's Team, the Junior Boys, and the "Family Pursuiters" the Bergmann's were all recognized for their Team prowess.

Keegan O'Niell and Sunny Chiago were recognized for their great improvement, and Naiqwan was recognized for being the Fastest.

Others were recognized for kindness and leadership.

The Introduction of the Cyclisme Awards for Service was a hit as recycled things made glorious awards. Recipients included Cooper, Blomberg, Bergmann, Word, Lanners, Bedford and Hansen.

SEVEN MINUTES

2010-12-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

Cyclocross Nationals 12/9/2010
By M.M.Blomberg

Folks around P-Town avoid driving in the snow let alone riding their bikes in it, especially during a workday commute. But racing in the snow? You mean people really do that? Until this week, I’d only seen bike races in the snow on youtube. How are you supposed to stay warm in a lycra? Go fast till you can feel your toes again? Nope. I’ve tried that one. Suitcase crammed full cold weather gear and a tub of embrocation, the goal was to finish my race at Nationals hypothermia and frost bite free.

Leaving my hotel for the race venue early Thursday morning, it’s very cold (35 degrees) and smells like Christmas. Think fir trees and the comforting smell of a wood burning fire in the air. Unfortunately, no Bing Crosby song and fuzzy Snuggie to cuddle up with. Just the cold, harsh reality of cyclocross racing lay ahead that I paid good money to suffer in. Upon arrival, I wandered the grounds, hoping to find a familiar face in the team tent area. Like a beacon in the gloomy morning rain, I found the Portland Velo tent with my friend Malcolm Johnson tucked inside. Complete with propane heater (so nice), trainers and completely sheltered from the low 30’s wind, I am offered a spot in the tent and use of a trainer. Sweeeeeet.

Snow still covered parts of the race course, and the lake we were to paddle through looked like an arctic thaw with huge shards of ice floating on top. I did not pre ride so I had to study the lines of the morning racers in preparation. Malcolm gave me his report and suggestions since he had already raced. With a smirk, he lays his golden nugget of wisdom on me. “Don’t Crash.” Super. With that gem I’m ready to conquer the world. The start is a long pavement stretch to a 90 degree left turn slightly uphill into muck and deep grooves carved by wheels and weather. No barriers in my race but they did add two barriers on Friday. Short steep punchy hills, small sections of pavement, rugged loops through trees and one big set of wood stairs. One large hill was rideable for some depending on traffic and course conditions. Lots of off spectator friendly off camber sections ready to throw riders into the stakes & tape against their will to the chagrin of fans. Having run into my friend and neighbor Johnny Vergis (CyclePath) before my race, he volunteered to pit for me.

My dumb toes were still cold even though I was in a heated tent warming up on my trainer for 45 minutes before my race. Conveniently located next to the start, it was a short trip to the line up. 46 women in the 40-44 age group. And, two time National Champion Wendy Williams (River City) was in the front row. Nobody said this would be a fair fight. To my surprise, I received a nice talk up from my hometown race announcer Splinter as we waited for the whistle. Malcolm took control of my camera and accepted the role of jacket collector at the line. In front and behind me are Ann Kennedy (unattached) and Jill Hardiman (Existential Velo). Brain chatter says, “Keep Wendy in your sites. Stay with Wendy”. Oh silly pipe dreams.

Whistle blows and we jump into action on the long pavement start. The whole field almost slows to a halt when we bottleneck at the first left turn onto dirt. Rounding the corner, Jill gets tangled up with Stephanie Utrecht (WebCyclery) in the tape and they both hit the ground. As I pass the carnage, I see Wendy and the lead group have already turned the next corner past the pit and are sailing through the frozen lake ahead of us. That was the last time I saw her until the end of the race when she gave me a smile of acknowledgement. My own trip through the frozen water was shocking to the system, like watery daggers on my legs and worse on the toes as the water filled my shoes. Trying to find a pace and catch up with the leaders (ha,ha catch up), it’s through the soggy grass, 90 degree turn in more soggy grass and mud, then briefly onto pavement. A high muddy berm looked rideable but the ladies in front of me got stuck and I ended up pushing my bike. Elise Huggins (Veloforma) and Ann are ahead of me so my plan is to pass them. Through the rocky muddy sections in the trees and through the first run up, all is well as I chase Ann. Just before the next run up, my rear wheel hits a rut and I go down hard in big mud puddle, covering my face in dirty water (Malcolm got a photo seconds before this happened). Riding the small hills I am still pursuing. Too much traffic on the big hill so I opt to run it every time and avoid a time sucking crash.

Lap 2, I manage to pass Elise when she gets tangled up in the tape before the run up. Unfortunately, Stephanie and Jill both got around me and I am not able to stay on their wheels. Losing bits of time on the muddy berm because I am to stubborn to run it, I end up getting stuck, almost falling down hill in the ankle deep mud. Elise is chasing me and I know she is a strong rider having raced with her during Cross Crusade. She passes me once but I am able to come around her again on a flat muddy straight section. She says “good job” when I pass her and looks like she is suffering. Lap three and Elise is behind me again at the stairs but in an attempt to pass me, slips on the outside edge of the steps and crashes knees first into and off of the side of the stairway. Yowza, that’s gonna leave a mark. Only slightly better for me as poor line selections sends me into the tape in two different off camber sections, one leaving me under my bike in the fabric barrier. Get up, Get up! Both allow me to be passed by other riders only making me more determined to pass them back.

Final lap and Virginie Calme (CyclePath) comes around me. This action is not lost on our local race announcer. Splinter’s microphone echoes as he announces this new battle between the “Portland Locals” to the crowd. “Who will it be with final bragging rites?!” booms over the loud speaker. At this point, Wendy Williams had long since won the race and in the process, lapped the back 10 of the pack (you get pulled if you get lapped). Glad it wasn’t me. Making my final push on the off camber section before the pavement finish, trying to keep solid lines in slippery mess of grass and mud. Virginie is farther ahead of me than I wanted so with everything I had, I pushed my legs into a final big chain ring sprint to the end. She beat me by 1 second with Ann Kennedy 5 seconds ahead of her and Splinter verbally documenting Virginie earning P-Town bragging rites. Wendy however, beat me by 7 MINUTES for her third National Championship win. I think she needs to Cat up.

Post race, Malcolm made my day by offering to take my Kona to the bike wash and pick up Pinky in the pit while I got dry and warm at Camp Portland Velo. Thank you Malcolm! I owe you a beer or three.

Special Thanks to Eric Tonkin at Sellwood for making my stay in Bend possible. Big thanks to the Chris Snyder (Bicycle Attorney) and Jill Hardiman for inviting me to continue my stay through the weekend in Bend with the team at the Bicycle Attorney team house. You guys Rock!
Lastly, thanks to Kevin O'connell for use of his fancy wheels.

Mielle

My Vacation of Pain

2010-12-17T11:34:00.000-08:00

HIGH DESERT SNOW CONE
Cyclocross Nationals Prologue 12/7-8/2010
By M.M.Blomberg

It’s Tuesday afternoon and I am driving through the Mt. Hood National forest on my way to Bend. My vacation of pain and I’ve been looking forward to this all year. Fresh powder leaves a sparkling glow on our northwest wonderland. Can’t remember the last time I was in the mountains but I am soaking up the beauty before me. Dropping into Warm Springs, the entire desert is also covered in white. Strange to see a normally dusty red barren landscape like this covered in snow. I actually considered pulling over to go for a ride but the miles of fences made me think better of it.

Pulling into town, Bend has plenty of snow on the ground but the weather is supposed to bring warmer temperatures and rain. I don’t know that 38 degrees is warmer but it’s better than 25 degrees back in Warm Springs. After picking up my race packet at the Old Mill and scoring a sweet discount on dinner, I settled into my hotel for a nice evening of bike cleaning and cable TV. My sweetie Shane has been left behind at home to tackle his own challenge of finals for school.

Arriving too late in the day on Tuesday to pre ride the time trial course, I set out early Wednesday morning to walk it before my 11:30 am race time. Low 30’s with wind and rain off and on made for an icy, snowy course and the early riders spend more time on foot. Sorta missing the point of a cycling time trial. Walking the course, I found much of it to be just a treacherous. In many sections the snow had melted and refroze leaving a hard shiny coating of ice on top, making it very difficult to walk on. A dangerous turn at the bottom of a steep snowy hill was shoveled down to the red dirt by race officials, as it had been too sketchy to ride. Officials went back and forth about possibly canceling the time trial but in the end, our race was back on, an hour later than scheduled.

After a trainer warm up at the Showers Pass tent (thanks Dave & Vern), I started behind Ann Kennedy (unattached), one of my fellow Blind Date and Cross Crusaders from Portland. Pavement start to a 90-degree turn into a snowy curving downhill and some ladies chose to run it to avoid an “endo”. I rode it and tried to think of the snow as really slick mud. It reminded me of racing the Battle at Barlow in the pouring rain with wheels spinning in the mud. Speed was difficult until I hit flatter sun covered sections with just dirt and sand but those were few and far between. Icy puddles dumped water through the holes of my shoes leaving my already cold toes frozen. I am heeding the warning of others to avoid high speeds in the shady snow as that leads to crashing in the ice. Rounding a left turn in the frustrating snow, it’s time for a dismount. The run up is very steep, covered in snow and ice with few line options. I take the right side with more snow and dig my toes in like I’m ice climbing with crampons. At the top, it’s a remount and back into the slush leading to a steep down hill. I don’t fight my steed as it skips and lurches back and forth underneath me across the cold crunchy surface. Can’t help thinking the ground looks like a big snow cone. I’ll have cherry and high desert flavor on mine! Easy on the brakes, cutting my line in almost an S pattern down the hill, rolling over deep lines from previous races. Successfully maneuvering to the bottom, it’s a right turn and a low climb in more snow. Staying low and to the rear, I try to be consistent with my pedal strokes but the snow is playing catch with my tires, throwing me side to side and preventing any serious speed. The sun has come out (weather changes every 20 minutes around here), leaving my decent mostly melted with a clean line to the bottom. More S turns and it’s the final run up (no barriers in the time trial) before the cement. With a lap time of 10:30, I came in 1 second behind Ann, leaving me 15^th out of 33 for the 40-44 master ladies (time trial was optional) and possible 3^rd row position for call-ups on Thursday. Points were also awarded for this race giving me my first national standing. I spent the afternoon in my tiny hotel gym doing weights and cardio, and had a super sexy evening eating take-out, watching cable and cleaning my bike. Bike racers have all the fun.

Mielle

Winter Pursuits!

2010-12-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

Getting ready at the Ranch!

2010-12-13T17:32:00.000-08:00

ATOMIC CLEEN

Cleen and Jerk is an all around power developing lift that racers use to get fast. No pretentious environment is needed when you just want to get strong. What the lifter lifts is irrelevant too, as the old Highlander would just lift a rock.

So at the end of a driveway and on a livingroom floor, we have created a "bicycle studio."

Show up and unpack your stuff, but dress warm because we are training where we race - OUTSIDE.

We go inside once in a while to eat, to talk, and once at the end of a work out, we pull it all together with yoga.
Yoga is a stalwart of elite athletes the world over.

After all that pushing it up, sometimes we also pull it down.

Training on the rusty weights at the Ranch is how some folks are getting ready for the new race season.

Riding rollers is the best way to develop leg speed. Riders train with intervals on the rollers to get fast fastest.

For some folks getting ready to race is something to put off.

For others, it is something to dive into.

Ghetto 500!

2010-12-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

500 meters is an important distance in the Velodrome. Used as monster interval before the big 2.5 K scheduled interval in the infamous "Mass Start Test" issued by the United Cycliste Internationale, 500 meters is also an Olympic event on it's own.

Winter closes Alpenrose Velodrome in Portland, Oregon, so we have to improvise. Recently Peter Smith marked off 500m on SE 62nd. In the rain Sarah Hunter and Jake Hansen put it to the test.