2010 ABD Indoor #2 Hilly Course Results

The February installment of the ABD Time Trial Series was another rock'em sock'em fest of man verses computers on a rolling, hilly terrain 10k course. On this day, congratulations goes out to Stacey Appelwick. This was her first overall win in a time trial beating the likes of a very talented Jessie Prinner. Will Novak did what he does best as he took the top spot on the men's podium yet again. Meanwhile, Charles Gerlach continued to solidify himself as a legitimate contender for the men's series overall title, while Mark Swartzendrubber cracked the podium for the first time this season nipping Dan Verner for third by a mere 5 seconds.

The racing got so crazy at times that I heard from race control that some rider dropped a chain in the middle of their battle against the machine. I have no idea how one would drop a chain in the middle of an indoor race, but who am I to say? I also heard the usual complaints about calibration. The bottomline is that we may never get the man verses computer saga fully figured out. This is why in the end, the series is usually settled on the road!

The ABD series has been such a breath of fresh air this winter as we cannot quite get a break from the other machines that reek havoc in our lives called snow blowers. Therefore, it is always nice to see the likes of Pat and Jerry Beam, and a lot of the master's riders that really make the ABD races competitive yet fun, social events.

The next race in the ABD series takes us to Winfield Middle School once again.  On March 20th, racers will be treated to a 9k hill climb challenge. Check out www.abdcycling.com for details. The next MATTS event will be held on 3/6 at Vision Quest in Highland Park. Racers will be racing the 2008 Cholet Tour De France 29k course. Racers have 30 minutes to see how far they fair. See you in Highland Park in two weeks for the second to last episode of "Man Verses Machine" before all heck breaks loose as we cannot take another day of snow...all bets will be off as things get dicey and fueds are settled rock and chip style!
-DP

2010 ABD Indoor TT #2 this Weekend (2/21)

Sparks will be flying and rubber will be burning at this weekend’s second installment of the ABD Indoor Time Trial Series. This time, participants will be challenged by a 10k rolling hills course. The last race saw Will Novak scorch the flat course in a time of 13:57 besting “2009 Indoor Champion,” Dan Verner, by seven seconds. On the ladies side, the competition was fast and furious as well with Kristen Mesberg (16:01) and Jessie Prinner (16:10) leading all women on the flat 10K course.

Will another Compu-trainer malfunction again keep Mark Swartzendrubber from securing another top three overall podium finish? Will Charles Gerlach and Christain Waterstraat show they belong in the class with the indoor behemoths? Will Leigh Thompson or Debbie Dust make cameo appearances? It is anyone’s guess. If you are going raging mad riding your indoor trainer in the doldrums of your basement or the cold has you down, come on out to Winfield this weekend and check out an indoor time trial.

The next race in the series (Race #3) is a 9k hill climb. Here is the breakdown for this race: 1k flat, 1k @ 2% grade, 1k @ -2% grade, 1k flat, 1k @ 1%, 1k @ 2%, 1k @ 3%, 2k @ 4%. For more information visit: http://www.abdcycling.com

Vision Quest 2008 Cholet Tour de France Indoor 29k TT course is the next race on the docket. For more information on this race visit: http://www.visionquestcoaching.com This race is part of MATTS which is giving out $5000 in cash and prizes this year. Check out www.ambikerace.com for full series details.

2010 Vision Quest Indoor Time Trial Tour de France Style 3/6

O.K. all you Tour de France want tow bees....here is your chance to race on a time trial course that the tour pros use right here in Chicago. Well sort of. Riders will be racing on the "infamous 2008 Tour de France Stage 4 time trial course in Cholet" at the Vision Quest Coaching Highland Park Headquarters using a Computrainer setup.

At 29k long, this will be a unique challenge for cyclists and triathletes alike to break up the winter training season. The event is part of the Mid America Time Trial Series (MATTS). Visit the VQ website for registration and event information at: http://www.visionquestcoaching.com/general.php?id=1325

MATTS 2010 IS ON!

Hi everyone. The editor of this blog has been gone a while. Found a new girlfriend at the end of the season, and well this is my excuse. Some may call it lame or otherwise. I think I can handle the abuse! The phrase is "I think." At any rate, I have taken on the Mid America Time Trial Series Coordinator Position.

We have roughly 17 races on the schedule this season which is just plain awesome! Robbie Ventura and his Vision Quest Squad are putting on a 30k simulated Tour de France time trial on March 6th. Bryce Meade, pro racer (Jelly Belly) is putting on a new 23K race near the Iowa /Illinois Border in Coleta, Illinois on June 5th. (This course will most probably be the toughest on the circuit this season with many hill climbs involved.) Mark Swartzendruber, a time trialing legend in these parts, will also be involved in putting on two races. His Verizon Wireless Cycling Team will be putting on a 2-person 39k TT in Garden Prairie on May 8th. Mark will also be involved in putting on a 40K in downstate Champaign the following weekend (May 16th) with Wild Card Cycling. Please visit http://www.ambikerace.com/2010/flyers/2010%20Mid%20America%20Time%20Trial%20Series.pdf for a full copy of the MATTS 2010 racing schedule.

The Midwest Time Trial Series has been going strong for over 25 years. Thanks goes out to the many sponsors, teams, race promoters, and race officals that make the series successful year after year. Our sponsors on board for the 2010 season are Profile Design, Sram, and Park Tool USA. Teams hosting races this year are Athletes by Design, Verizon Wireless, Vision Quest, Rock Valley, Oil, Wild Card Cycling, Tempo Velo, Apache, Midwest Masters, DICE Training, Windy City Wheelmen, and Verdigris Racing.

The series is still actively pursuing a title sponsor for the upcoming 2010 season to help pay for printing costs associated with flyers that go out to bicycle shops and help with either merchandise or money to pool for overall rider awards.

Since I took on this role so late in the season, I want to grow the rider participation in the series over the next few years. I want to do this by adding sponsorships and adding swag like wheelsets, groupos, etc. to our overall end of the year prize lists.

I am open to any and all suggestions to improve the series. Any changes must be made at WIL meetings. Any rider wanting to make a suggestion or change should attend these meetings.

Lastly, I will be doing an upcoming article on the ABD Indoor Time Trial Series. Mark Swartzendruber and Dan Verner are going head to head in this series as usual. However, there is a new Sheriff in town, and his name is Will Nowak (Unattached) who turned in the best time in the first installment of the ABD Series held on January 24th. He turned in a time of 13:57 over the 10K flat course besting series notables Drubber and Verner. The next indoor TT is on February 21st. It is a rolling 10k course. Will an apparent computrainer malfunction ruin Drubber's day again, or will Verner and Drubber square off like Man Verses Food eating a 10 pound Philli Steak with Cheese. May the best man win. That's a wrap -DP