2010 MATTS Standings (7/7)

Turn the heat up! With only five time trials left this season, point’s battles are tightening up, and series titles are on the line. It will be a drag race down the stretch with many categories being decided at the MATTS finale in Garden Prairie at the end of the 2010 season.

The 2010 season has seen some new riders rise to the top of the heap. Specifically, Charles Gerlach (Lamb Little Racing) and Bob Burke (Pact Dish Network) come to mind. These two desperados have been tearing up the pavement and the field all year long with Charles winning most of the races and Bob finishing consistently on men's overall podium each week. Heads up young whipper snappers, these two gentlemen are Master's and Grand Master's riders. If you think you can beat these two cats in a strength contest at your local fair, be my guest. 2-1 odds says these guys ring the bell first.

On the ladies side of things, Debbie Dust (Pact Dish Network) has been the gold standard of the women's division turning anything she touches into gold this season. Her offseason diet of serious training has paid her huge dividends this season being crowned the women's overall winner in all but one race she has entered this season. The most improved rider in the woman's division is Stacey Appelwick (Bouledogue Tout Noir). Stacey's times have improved exponentially this season, and she will be a force to reckon with for seasons to come.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Mike Jones (Pact Dish Network) and Brian Harris (Scarletfire / Verizon Racing), who are two of the very finest and fastest riders in our series. Both riders were injured badly in separate incidents over the spring. Brain was hurt in a criterium crash, while Mike was involved in a traffic incident involving a car while riding his bicycle. The rumor from rummormill.com is that Brian is back on his bike, and Mike is slowly healing up. As a true testament to one of the classiest and fastest guys on the circuit, Mike is still in contention to win both the Cat 1/2 and 50+ categories even after missing four races! We are not dealing with some sort of mamby, pampy personality here. This dude is tough, and I would not be at all surprised if Mike is not back on his bike racing this season!

As we look on to the last 5 time trials of the year, Reed Oliff (Lamb Little Racing) has a good chance of winning the overall Cat 1/2 men's title, with his teammate Doug Peterson (Lamb Little Racing) looking to win his third and final men's Cat 3 title before moving out of the category next season. "The Polish Jet" aka Mark Serafin (Pact Dish Network), coming off of two years of back injuries, is having a spectacular outdoor season. If Peterson misses a race down the stretch, the Cat 3 title could go down to the last race in mid-September. Stay tuned for further details. James Flechsig (Athletes by Design) looks to be in total control of the men's Cat 4 category, while Debbie Dust (Pact Dish Network) has all but wrapped up the women’s open division. If Stacey Appelwick ( Bouledogue Tout Noir) does not miss a race, she will have the women’s cat 4 title in her grasp.

On the Men’s Master's side, Charles "Gerlacher" Gerlach (Lamb Little Racing) has taken total control of the men's 30+ and 40+ categories, while Bob Marshall (Athletes by Design) is closing in on his first 50+ title. The men's 55+ category is a barn burner with Richard Kreutzfeldt (Pact Dish Network) winning the category by a mere three points with Dan "Danimal" Madsen (Athletes by Design) in high speed pursuit. If Dan were to win again this year, this would be his third MATTS title in four years! Bob Burke (Pact Dish Network) has the men’s 60+ category wired, and he is in the running with Charles Gerlach for the most improved rider of the year. Rich Vichotka (Midwest Masters) is leading the men’s 65+ charge while Peter Alexander (Midwest Masters) and Edward Wang (Unattached) are leading the men's 70+ and 75+ categories respectively. Ray Putman (Midwest Masters) is in a league of his own winning the men's 80+ category. On the recumbent side of things, former National Cyclocross Champ, Tyger Johnson (Cars R Us) is leading this division.

On the Women’s Master's side of things, Connie Inks (Unattached) has a firm hold on the women's 40+ division while Marilyn Powell (Athletes by Design) is dominating the master's 50+ division. Nancy Beck (Midwest Masters) is on her way to another 60+ title while Pat Beam (Athletes by Design) has the women's 70+ title locked up. Pat was elected into the Senior Olympics Hall of Fame this past June! This is an awesome accomplishment for one of the finest and kindest athletes in our series. Way to go Pat! Until next time.... That's a wrap. See you in Herscher, Illinois for the Wolfgang Fietag Memorial 2-Person Time Trial on July 11th . Check out www.ambikerace.com under the calendar section for further details.

2010 Champ Pain 40k Flicker Photos

If you competed in the Cham Pain 40K over the weekend, check out your photo!  Four hundred and fifty three (453) photos were taken in all. Click on  the link below to see your pictures.  Photo left: Peter Allen, XXx Athletico competing in men's 30+

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ragfield/4612809818/in/set-72157624072940738/

2010 Cham Pain 40K Recap

Welcome to Tolono, Illinois, a slice of life in the middle of nowhere with one gas station, a café, flat, nicely paved roads, and non-existent traffic. One would think this would be an ideal place to hold the first 40k time trial of the season. “Hold up on that carwash gentleman!,” Jackie Gleason a.k.a. Sherriff Buford T. Justice exclaimed to the young hoodlums stripping his son Junior’s car on the side of the road in the 1977 epic Smokey and the Bandit. In other words, everything was perfect except for the weather. There were a handful of riders who rode excellent times, but I suspect that these times would have been much faster had the spring weather cooperated just a tenny bit more.

The weather at the start of the race was in the low 60’s with winds out of the West. During the race, the winds picked up, riders experienced a steady, soaking rain, and the temperatures dropped into the low 50's.  Are we cookie cutting, or are we time trialing, I heard one say?  For the third week in a row, racers faced inclimate weather with a strong tailwind going out to the turnaround followed by a coarse headwind to the finishline.

Also, for the second time in just a few short weeks, Charles “Gerlacher” Gerlach, racing for upstart Lamb Little Racing, posted the fastest time of the day ripping the Tolono pavement in a whopping 54:09. PACT-Dish Network racers took the second and third spots respectively. Mike Jones smoked the course in 54:44 followed by Bob Burke (showing more than a few, young whipper snappers how its done) rolling a 55:59. Brian Harris (Scarletfire / Verizon Racing), slowly showing his form of a year ago, posted the fourth fastest time of the day riding a 56:25. Peter Allen (XXx Athletico), showcasing a new aero rig this season, made it a race finishing fifth and in the money riding a 57:25.

On the ladies side, Debbie Dust (PACT-Dish Network) was easy money as she yet again posted the fastest women’s time of the day with a 1:01:11. Tara Flaig (Unattached) rode a stellar 1:12:05 for second place honors. MATTS tour regular, the ageless Marilyn Powell (ABD) rounded out the women’s overall podium hammering the course in a 1:18:01 for third place honors.

Other riders who produced fast times on this day were former U.S. Cyclocross Champion, Tyger Johnson,  (Cars R Us) 56:24*; Michael Redlich (ABD) 34:43**, Graham Clark (ABD) 39:13**, David Orion (Endure-IT) 57:35, Mark “the Polish Jet” Serafin (PACT-Dish Network)59:24, Richard Adamczyk (Midwest Masters) 59:34, Scott Dahman (Wild Card Racing) 101:04, David Goetzinger (Rock River Oil) 1:01:55, Richard Vichotka (Midwest Masters) 1:14:05,  Edward Wang (Unattached) 1:12:09, and Patricia Beam (ABD)1:25:54.

Next Sunday takes us to Barstow, Illinois for the fastest and flattest 20k TT in the Midwest put on by DICE /QCBC. This is a ROTY point’s race. MATTS points will not be awarded for this race. On-line registration is available. Check the ABR website for race results for the current race. Links to the ABR website as well as the flyer for the Barstow 20k, and online registration are listed below.

http://ambikerace.com/
http://www.ambikerace.com/2010/flyers/2010_Barstow_TT_Flyer_-_Rev_2%5B1%5D.pdf
https://secure.getmeregistered.com/get_information.php?event_id=3298

Picture is of Charles Gerlach (Lamb Little Racing) overall winner of the Cham Pain 40k.  Other pictures show the Wild Card Racing logo and the crazy weather Tolono experienced on 5/16.  Look at the flag for reference.
*   Fairing Vehicle
** Junior 20K

2010 Scarlet Fire Verizon 2-Person Recap

I did a little checking on the internet today to find out just exactly what the term "Scarletfire" means. There were phrases like “bright colored flame” and “rich iridescent tones.” I like the last one: “Stir it up.” Stir it up was exactly what the weather did at the inaugural Scarletfire / Verizon Racing 2-person time trial in Garden Prairie, Illinois this past Saturday. The conditions at the Bong 20k time trial two weeks prior were baby food alongside of what GP had in store for the MATTS faithful on this day. The weather was in the crisp, low 50’s with patchy rain, cloudy skies, and did I mention wind? There was plenty of it!

Teams took advantage of the tailwinds on the way out to the turnaround. However, the trek back to the finish was a whole other story. I heard so many stories of good riders saying they could not wait to get to the finish line with three miles to go. The winds were so strong on the finishing stretch that teams where riding sideways to keep their aero rigs upright. Many riders compared this race to Leland-Kermesse minus the gravel.

Dave Polin and Jeff Otto (WDT/ Allvoi) rode the fastest time of the day annihilating the course and the competition in a stellar 52:07, followed by Jason Smith and Kurt Spoerle (Zipp Factory Team) 54:11. Kyle Mindick and Nick Lauterbach (XXx Athletico) rode a 55:00 even for third place honors. On the ladies side, Kristin Wrede and Christine Anderson (Unattached) lit up the course riding a 105:00,  narrowly nipping Francine Haas and Wendy Gaddey (Alberto's) who rode a stellar 105:08 for second place honors. Third place belonged to Pascale Petro and Ginger Sides who rode a 1:10:03 respectively.

Other Teams having good rides on this day were Gary Painter and Frances Manfred (Fort Wayne Outfitters), Brian Harris and Chris Mosora (Scarletfire / Verizon Racing), Heidi Sarna and Eileen Neville (XXx Athletico), Wayne Simon and Bob Karlow (Verdigris), Michael Jones and James Host (PACT Dish Network), Richard Kreutzfelt and Dan Madsen (PACT/ABD), Clara Smart and Ann Luckow (Northwestern University Cycling Team), Robert Burke and Ziggy Demel (PACT Dish Network), Curtis Bice and James Snedden (ABD), Angela Rochester and Nancy Heyman (Alberto's), Reed Oliff and Charles Gerlach (Lamb Little Racing), Gerald Beam and Ray Putman (Turin), Marilyn Powell and Mimi Fagen (ABD), Sal Troia and Dave Thomson (Mad City Velo), Al Stern and Vitor Alcazar (Velo Club Roubaix / Colavita Chicagoland), Pat Beam and Nancy Iglinski (ABD), Brian Karlow and Vince Boyer (Redline Racing), and Robert Herbert and Edward Wang (Midwest Masters).

The race was not without it’s interesting moments. An irate driver upset with racers riding on both sides of the road decided to take it upon himself to run over the turnaround cone, drag it under his car onto U.S. Route 20, and shred it into a thousand tiny pieces. This indiscretion made it hard for both the turnaround marshal and on the riders who saw no bright orange cone at the turnaround portion of the course. On another occasion, a lady driving a blue Chevy Cavalier told the finishing officials that she had a CDL license and she could not legally by law pass other vehicles in no passing zones and neither should riders (I guess she did not know this race was permitted, and I never knew that one needed a CDL license to drive a compact Chevy). Finally, it appears that some farm equipment or a scofflaw took or took out some of the turning arrows in the middle of the course. These are things that no promoter could foresee, and as a new promoter to the series  Scarletfire Racing gets a "10" for doing an excellent job putting on a great event in inclimate weather. Thanks to Mark Swartzendruber, Mike Zellmann, Brian Harris, Chris Mosora, and the rest of the Verizon Team for putting on this great event!

Next week takes us to Champaign country for the Cham Pain 40k in Tolono, Illinois put on by Wild Card Racing.  The results for the 2-person time trial are posted on the ABR website located in the "News" section.  A copy of the link to the Cham Pain 40k along with a link to the ABR website are listed below.  On-line registration for Cham Pain ends 5/14.

http://www.ambikerace.com/2010/flyers/40KttRGB2champaignMATTS2010.pd

http://www.ambikerace.com/

2010 Single Bong 20K Recap

Sometimes you have to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em… well at least those were the words I heard in a country song while heading up to the Bong 20K TT this past weekend. Some riders decided to gamble with me and make the trip to Kanasville to tempt fate and weather the storm. Other riders took a more laxidasical approach in favor of a  hot cup of coco in front of a picturesque fire in the comfort of their own homes.

As time trialists, we are a bit of an odd bunch in that to excel in this cycling discipline we must have a good relationship with Pain. We cannot just go on the Dr. Phil Show and obtain the latest and greatest psychological remedy because we have a dysfunctional relationship with Pain. Staying home because of adverse weather is not in our nature, and the Bong 20k brought plenty of it. The race featured damp, cold 50 degree weather with a nice tailwind going out to the second turn. Following the second turn, riders met a slight crosswind that slowly turned into a swirling headwind on the finishing stretch. This monstrosity of a wind brought some riders to the brink on the finishing stretch.

This week featured some new, regular faces to hit the leader board this season. Charles “Gerlacher” Gerlach (Lamb Little Racing) took top honors on the men’s side of the competition torching the course in 26:55, nipping Kevin Pomasl (Team Wisconsin MC2) for second place with a time of 26:58. Curtis Bice (ABD), finally broke his own “twenty-eight minute curse”, completing the podium with a time of 27:08. On the ladies side, Debbie Dust (PACT-Dish Network) yet again took first place honors, ripping the course in 28:56. Leigh Thompson (Vision Quest) was second, riding a 29:54. Arrietta Clauss (Mad City) completed the women’s overall podium with a time of 30:17.

Other MATTS riders turning in excellent times on this day were: Bob Burke (PACT-Dish Network), Dan Madsen (ABD), Daniel Norbeck (Vision Quest), Brain Harris (Scarletfire/Verizon Racing), Peter Allen (XXX Athletico), Francine Hass (Alberto’s), Reed Oliff (Lamb Little Racing), Mike Jones (PACT-Dish Network), Kevin Stephens (Project 5 Racing), Vitor Alexandre (Coltivita-Chicagoland), James Flechsig (ABD), Richard Adamczyk (Midwest Masters), Tristen Petsch-Horvarth (Team Mack), David Goetzinger (Rock River Oil), Gene Nozicka (Alberto’s), Stephen Miwa (South Chicago Wheelmen), Marilyn Powell (ABD), Pat Beam (ABD), and Peter Alexander (Midwest Masters).

Race results and pictures of this event have been posted on the ABR website.  Thanks goes out to Greg Bond for taking excellent photos of this event.  The next race on the MATTS schedule takes riders to Garden Prairie, Illinois for the Scarletfire / Verizon 2-person 40k on May 8th. On-line registration is available for this event. Links to Bong 20k results, pictures, and Scarletfire / Verizon 2-person TT race information are listed below. Happy Training!

http://www.ambikerace.com/2010/resuts/Single%20Bong%20TT%20results%204-25-10.pdf

http://www.ambikerace.com/2010/resuts/2010singlebong20kttphotos.htm

http://www.ambikerace.com/2010/flyers/Verizon2_person_TTT2010.pdf

http://www.truesport.com/register/events/2010/abrtt01/index.html

Note:  Photo top is of Doug Peterson (Lamb Little Racing) and Vitor Alexandre (Coltivita-Chicagoland) racing back and forth for position.  Photo was taken by Greg Bond. Photo center left is of Bob Marshall (ABD) warming up for his race. 

2010 Cherry Valley 30k TT Recap

Get out the shock therapy pads. No, we aren't talking about Sigmund Freud here.  We are talking about the Cherry Valley 30K TT that took place this past weekend! Why shock therapy, you ask? Well, riders in the MATTS series went from fighting a 10 pound monkey a week prior to fighting an 18 pound gorilla this past weekend.

Cherry Valley is a fairly challenging, early season course with a choice mix of hills, flats, winds, and rough terrain. Riders put it into supersonic cruise in the tailwind on the way out to the turn around and met the wall of pain on the way back to the finish line.

On this day, the usual suspects ripped the course. However, the real story of this season has been the entire PACT-Dish Network Team. Debbie Dust has come out of the box completely on fire this year mixing it up with some of the best time trialists in the area. Her off-season diet of serious winter training has paid her huge dividends in the power band department. She rode an impressive 45:48 over 30K this past weekend besting the second fastest woman by over three minutes.  Then, there is the formidable Bob Burke. We knew this cat could ride fast last year, but wow, this dude has found some serious inspiration this season rocking Cherry Valley in 43:13.  Betting on Mike Jones was easy money at any horse racing track.  He turned in a finishing time of 42:43 for the second fastest men's time of the day. Former 2009 Man vs. Machine Champ, Dan Verner, showed he could whip the indoor machine and race on the outdoor machine with the best of them, riding a 44:25. Mark Serafin aka “The Polish Jet”, coming off of two years of setbacks due to back surgery, rode an impressive 44:32, placing third in the Cat 3 ranks. Other notable PACT-Dish Network riders who turned in excellent times at Cherry Valley were James Host (44:32), Mariusz Klus, and (46:31), Richard Kreutzfeldt (46:32).

The next race in the Mid America Time Trial Series is the” half baked”, Bong 20k which will be held on Sunday April 25 in Kanasville, Wisconsin. Riders can pre-register for this race on-line. Registration and race information are contained in the links listed below:

http://www.truesport.com/register/events/2010/abrtt03/index.html

http://www.ambikerace.com/2010/flyers/Bong_Flyer_2010v2.pdf

Please note that if you are looking for a partner for the 2-person Scarletfire Racing / Verizon Time Trial held on May 8th, please contact Bob Lundberg at abrlund@aol.com    Cherry Valley 30k results will be posted on http://www.ambikerace.com when they are made available.

Note:  Picture (top) Debbie Dust (PACT-Dish Network) winner of the Cherry Valley 30K Women's Open Division.  Picture (middle right) Ziggy Demel (PACT-Dish Network). 

2010 John Fraser Memorial Recap

This past Sunday, racers flocked to the 9th annual John Fraser Memorial Time Trial. As the wind blows, so John Fraser goes. This race very well could be the best mini Paris Roubaix time trial in the Midwest. The weather is always a factor, and after a winter freeze, the roads have their fair share of obstacles as well. On this day, 13-15 mph headwinds punished riders on their outward excursion. Tailwinds on the home stretch made for drag strip like conditions as riders pushed their way to the finishline.

This Wild West affair featured some the most feared and revered gunslingers in these parts. There was Bryce Mead (Texas Roadhouse) and Charles Gerlach (Lamb Little Racing), Jeff Otto (RVCC), and Mark Swartzendrubber (Scarletfire Racing), Debbie Dust (PACT) and Leigh Thompson (Vision Quest), Jim Host (PACT) and Dan Madsen (ABD), Chris Misora (Scarletfire Racing) and Dave Polin (WDT), Pat Beam (ABD) and Robert Beck (Midwest Masters), and the list goes on.

In the end, the last men standing were Jeff Otto (20:10), Bryce Mead (20:14), and Mark Swartzendrubber (20:33). On the ladies side, Debbie Dust (22:40), had the best hand, followed by Leigh Thompson (22:42), and Connie Inks (23:38), who made it a heck of a gun fight.

The JFM rock and chip affair also decided the 2010 ABD Time Trial Series overall champions. Winners in each category received a Cyclops Trainer. Wow, not too shabby for first prize. Congratulations goes out to all the riders who participated in the series. The best of the best are as follows: Cat 1/2 Tomaz Boba (WDT); Cat 3 Curtis Bice (ABD); Cat 4 Joe Bernyi (PSI Net); AM30+ Mark Swartzendrubber (Scarletfire Racing); AM40+ Charles Gerlach (Lamb Little Racing); AM50+ Michael Jones (PACT); AM55+ Dan Madsen (ABD); AM60+ Richard Adamczyk (Midwest Masters); AM65+ Lawrence Huey (Unattached); AM70+ Peter Alexander (Midwest Masters); AM75+ Gerald Beam (Turin); AWO Jessie Prinner (ABD); AW4 Stacey Appelwick (Bouledogue Tout Nior); AW40+ Connie Inks (Unattached); AW50+ Ann Matteson (Freeport Bicycle Co.); AW60+ Nancy Beck (Midwest Masters); AW70+ Pat Beam (ABD).

This 2010 JFM also marked the first time the Mid America Time Trial Series ran a live race feed via the internet from the results table. Athletes at the event and family and friends logged onto the internet could access finish times in real time. This also allowed for any timing disputes to be handled and corrected at the race event exponentially. A big thanks goes out to Gina Wilkins for designing the timing program and to Mike Ebert (ABD) for providing the live internet feed via Verizon Wireless.

The next (MATTS) race on the docket is the Cherry Valley 30k presented by Rock River Oil and the Freeport Bicycling Company on 4/18. Last year, it rained cats and dogs at this event. This year, we are praying for great weather! On-line registration is now open for this event. For further race and on-line registration details, please follow the links below:
http://www.ambikerace.com/2010/flyers/Cherry_Valley_Flyer_2010v2.pdf
https://secure.getmeregistered.com/index.php

Lastly, if anyone needs a partner for the  Scarletfire / Verizon 2-person TT coming up May 8th, please let me know.  MATTS regular Rich Kryszak, a member of the South ChicagoWheelmen, is looking for a partner in the 50+ category for this race. 

Note: Picture is of Charles Gerlach of Lamb Little Racing who won the overall 40+ title in the 2010 ABD Time Trial Series. Photo was taken by Bill Cassidy, ABR Official