EARLY REGISTRATION DEAL- all five events for just $105!
Registration is open and spots are already starting to fill. Early registration is highly recommended in order to reserve your preferred starting time. Go to www.ABDcycling.com for full details and registration info.
LAB-TESTED COMPUTRAINER UNITS JUST $1250!
We also have a few special deal for ABD’s event participants, including six brand new lab-tested Computrainer units that will be used only for this year’s TT series. The manual, software and original cables will be unopened and you can reserve one now for just $1250 The units will be available to take home after the event on March 14th. These six units are first come, first serve.
Contact Mary Lee at 630-690-9749 or shoot us an email at abdcycling at gmail to reserve yours.
ABD CYLING TEAM EQUIPMENT BLOWOUT!
All items are available now. E-mail abdcycling at gmail or call 630-890-6767 for more info.
‘08 LeMond Triomphe Ultimate (850 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost:
49cm: $2299 - Only raced once - almost perfect condition
53cm: $2299 - almost perfect condition!
55cm: $2199
55cm: $2199
55cm: $2199
59cm ‘08 LeMond Triomphe (950 grams) w/ full Dura-Ace and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost (red/black paint with “retro” LeMond decals): $2199
56cm ‘08 Trek 5000 full Carbon frame/fork with lightly used DuraAce gruppo: $1800
60cm ‘08 Trek 5000 full Carbon frame/fork with lightly used DuraAce gruppo: $1800
52cm ‘07 Trek Madone Frameset, red/white (used): $650
56cm ‘07 Trek Madone Frameset, red/white (used): $650
60cm ‘07 Trek Madone Frameset, red/white (used): $650
All bikes/framesets have the following options:
- Bontrager Race X Lite Carbon Bars (new): $99
- Race Lite wheels with tires (used): $100
- Bontrager Race Lite Aero Wheels (new): $250
- Bontrager Race X Lite Wheels (new) $550
DEMO WHEELS:
Bontrager Carbon XXX Lite Clincher Wheelset: $695
Aeolus 5.0 Tubular Carbon Aero Wheelset with brand new rims: $1400
Aeolus 5.0 Tubular Wheelset: $1000
12/13/2008
ABD New Year's Day Ride & Party Details- Please RSVP
The Annual ABD New Year's Day Ride & Chili Fest is on!
Thanks to ABD'er Chuck King and family for offering to host this year's edition at 27W125 Walnut Dr in Winfield, IL.
The highly flexible and completely optional "1 degree=1 mile" ride will depart at Noon, so please arrive by 11:30 to start bundling up and discuss the route. (Variations of the rule involve every degree above zero, above freezing, below freezing... and if it's snowing or raining then it's just all about the food!)
Speaking of food, Vicki will have her famous chili ready around 2pm. The chili, fixings and some sides will be provided, it would be great if others would contribute side dishes, desserts and/or beverages!
Please RSVP to kingwinfield@sbcglobal.net or call Chuck at 630.588.9023 and let us know the following:
- Name and how many are in your party
- If you'll be joining the ride
- If you're planning to bring something (and what)
This event is open to all ABD members and their families!
12/07/2008
ABD Meeting and Bowling Pictures
GREAT !!!!
Mike Ebert will be updating the club on what was said at the meeting
but if you want to view some pictures of the fun just click on this
link:
http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
By the way, the person with the highest score for the night was
Vicki !!!!!!
Ken & Sandy Glinka
No excuses !!!
ABD Cycling Team
http://gallery.mac.com/kglinka#gallery
The greatest day for a kid is the first day you get your bike
It's a day of freedom.
LiveStrong
12/04/2008
Update: New Wisconsin Cycling Series June 18-28
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Lisa Downey
Email: lisadowney@midwestcyclingseries.com
Direct: 1.415.786.2817
Midwest Cycling Series Dates and Executive Director Announced;
Historic Downer Avenue Event Part of Series
MILWAUKEE, WI – December 3, 2008 – Jack Hirt, former executive director of the Bike Federation of Wisconsin (BFW), has been named Midwest Cycling Series Executive Director by founders of the new professional cycling series, which will showcase 10 Wisconsin cities in 11 days, June 18-28, 2009.
Midwest Cycling Series, LLC, organizers of the Midwest Cycling Series, comprises five avid cyclists and successful entrepreneurs including U.S. Cycling Team Olympian and Team Sports, Inc. President Tom Schuler, Olympic Road Race Trials qualifier and former Nova Cycle Sports Foundation President Bill Ochowicz, Milwaukee Junior Cycling Team co-Executive Director Bill Koch, National Senior Olympics competitor Jim Michler, and Paul Weaver, founder of one of Wisconsin's longest running multi-sport teams.
Says Schuler of Hirt's appointment, "Jack brings his competitive cycling experience as well as his business acumen and passion for making a difference in the cycling world and local communities. He is a proven leader who will work with me and my partners as well as local race directors and volunteer crews to catapult what began a couple years back as a successful 2-day series to the professionally-produced 10-day Midwest Cycling Series in 2009 featuring top purses in best-of-class venues."
Hirt recently stepped down from his role as BFW Executive Director to lead and manage a new statewide BFW advocacy initiative aimed at making Wisconsin the most bicycle-friendly state in the U.S. by working with officials at the local, regional and national levels to institute stronger bike-friendly laws and law enforcement.
"Jack has a stellar reputation of tirelessly promoting cycling and cyclist rights in the state," says Ochowicz. "He shares our goal of promoting cycling as a healthy and environmentally-friendly lifestyle, and with the new Midwest Cycling Series, the sport, athletes, host cities, sponsors and spectators all benefit…Jack will see to it; he gets the big picture."
Continues Ochowicz, "We will work with our host cities, athletes and sponsors to create fun, safe, family-friendly race days which will include a well-managed schedule of races across all categories, live entertainment and family activities."
The complete line-up of race cities, along with major sponsors, will be announced in early 2009; however, the historic Downer Avenue bike race in Milwaukee is a confirmed stop on the Midwest Cycling Series as are the Wisconsin cities of Fond du Lac, Manitowoc and Sheboygan.
Endorsed and supported by the Wisconsin Cycling Association and United States Cycling Federation, Midwest Cycling Series updates will be posted on www.midwestcyclingseries.com
- 30 -
12/02/2008
ABD Indoor workouts with the Sarge
Click on the link below to view the fun before we started sweating :-)
http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
Ken & Sandy Glinka
No excuses !!!
ABD Cycling Team
http://gallery.mac.com/kglinka#gallery
The greatest day for a kid is the first day you get your bike
It's a day of freedom.
LiveStrong
11/30/2008
Bontrager XXX Lites and X-Lite Aero Carbon wheels for sale
Bontrager RaceXXXLite Wheelset: 660gram rear and 520gram front!
Tubular Wheels
Brand New Never even had tires mounted
Campy cassette body, but can be changed to Shimano
20 Spoke Front
24 Spoke Rear
$1,500.00
Bontrager RaceXLite Aero Wheels
Campy Cassete body, but can be changed to Shimano
16 spokes Front and Rear
Ridden less than 200 miles
$900.00
Brand New Never even had tires mounted
Campy cassette body, but can be changed to Shimano
20 Spoke Front
24 Spoke Rear
$1,500.00
Bontrager RaceXLite Aero Wheels
Campy Cassete body, but can be changed to Shimano
16 spokes Front and Rear
Ridden less than 200 miles
$900.00
If interested contact Pat Murphy: jpatrick33 at sbcglobal dot net
11/26/2008
ABD End of Year Meeting & Bowling- Saturday, 12/6/08 (Please RSVP)
Hello ABD’ers, Happy Thanksgiving!
2008 was a big year for us with ABD members riding (successfully) in over 150 events and then helping to put on 17 sanctioned races of our own. You all deserve a huge pat on the back and we hope that you join us next Saturday evening so that you can receive it in person!
All ABD members and their families are welcome to attend a meeting at Prairie Path Cycles-Batavia where we’d like to recognize some of the individual achievements in 2008 and talk a little about what’s on deck for 2009. We’ll be discussing what’s in store for ABD club members, the events, the team, our coaching programs and more. There will also be time for an open discussion as we’d love to have your feedback. And remember that you’re always welcome to e-mail anything club-related on your mind to abdcycling@gmail.com
Following the meeting (which should take about an hour), we’re going walk across the street to the Batavia Bowl for some inter-squad match-ups. Call it “Bowlng for Bikers”, if you will.
Below are the full details and if you plan to attend please RSVP to abdcycling@gmail.com with your name and the number in the party.
WHAT: ABD’s End Of Year Meeting & Bowling Extravaganza
WHEN: Saturday, 12/6/08 @ 7pm
WHERE: PPC-Batavia and then moving to the Batavia Bowl around 8
WHO: All ABD’ers and their families.
COST: $5/person if you’d like to join us for bowling
Hosted by the ABD Board (Farrell, Heck, Cerwins, Hildreth, Bielski & Geraghty)
2008 was a big year for us with ABD members riding (successfully) in over 150 events and then helping to put on 17 sanctioned races of our own. You all deserve a huge pat on the back and we hope that you join us next Saturday evening so that you can receive it in person!
All ABD members and their families are welcome to attend a meeting at Prairie Path Cycles-Batavia where we’d like to recognize some of the individual achievements in 2008 and talk a little about what’s on deck for 2009. We’ll be discussing what’s in store for ABD club members, the events, the team, our coaching programs and more. There will also be time for an open discussion as we’d love to have your feedback. And remember that you’re always welcome to e-mail anything club-related on your mind to abdcycling@gmail.com
Following the meeting (which should take about an hour), we’re going walk across the street to the Batavia Bowl for some inter-squad match-ups. Call it “Bowlng for Bikers”, if you will.
Below are the full details and if you plan to attend please RSVP to abdcycling@gmail.com with your name and the number in the party.
WHAT: ABD’s End Of Year Meeting & Bowling Extravaganza
WHEN: Saturday, 12/6/08 @ 7pm
WHERE: PPC-Batavia and then moving to the Batavia Bowl around 8
WHO: All ABD’ers and their families.
COST: $5/person if you’d like to join us for bowling
Hosted by the ABD Board (Farrell, Heck, Cerwins, Hildreth, Bielski & Geraghty)
USA Cycling Officials Class on November 29th
This just in from the Ed Rudolph Velodrome Newsletter for anyone interested in becoming a USAC Cycling official.
Dave Fowkes is holding a USA Cycling Official Class at Highland Park HS on November 29th from 9-2pm.
Anyone interested in getting their Officials License should contact Dave at dfowkes@dist113.org
Dave Fowkes is holding a USA Cycling Official Class at Highland Park HS on November 29th from 9-2pm.
Anyone interested in getting their Officials License should contact Dave at dfowkes@dist113.org
11/24/2008
Registration Now Open for the 2009 TT Series (Updated)
Registration is open for the 2009 ABD Indoor Time Trial Series, the country’s largest indoor TT series!
Sign up now at Active.com or download the race flyer and registration form at www.ABDcycling.com . Preferred start times are assigned on a first come-first serve basis, so early registration is very important if you’d like a specific start time. Save $20 when you pre-register for all 5 events ($105), Juniors race all five events for just $55. How about registering your loved one for an early Christmas present!
We’re proud to announce that 2009 is the 10th anniversary of our TT series and will again be the opening events of the 2009 Mid America Time Trial Series (MATTS), featuring over $6,000 in overall prizes! [UPDATE: the total amount of the 2009 MATTS prizes is not known at this time]
There will be merchandise prizes for overall winners in the indoor TT Series from Prairie Path Cycles, Trek, Bontrager & Serfas. The Fastest Men & Women challenge returns for each event as well with an update: this year the $50, $30 and $20 will go to three fastest men and women each day, not necessarily the three fastest times (sorry, Mark). And all riders at each event are eligible for the Profile and Sigma product raffle!
Overall Standings in the Indoor TT Series are based on: Fastest Flat 10k + Fastest Rolling 10k + John Fraser Memorial Outdoor TT
The 2009 series return to the Winfield Middle School and will be held on:
1.11.09 TT#1, Flat 10k
2.1.09 - TT#2, Rolling 10k
2.22.09 - TT#3, Flat 10k
3.14.09 - TT#4, Rolling 10k
4.5.09 - SERIES FINALE: John Fraser Memorial Outdoor Time Trial in Maple Park, IL
Fees:
$105 for all five races or $25 per race. 2nd (or 3rd) race of the day is $80 for the series or $17 per day.
Juniors: $55 for all five races or $12 per race
Direct link to register online:
http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1658443
Flyer and Mail-In Registration Form:
http://www.abdcycling.com
The 2009 Indoor TT Series is brought to you by:
ABD Cycle Club: www.abdcycling.com
Prairie Path Cycles: www.prairiepathcycles.com
Trek Bikes: www.trekbikes.com
SRAM: www.sram.com
Bontrager: www.bontrager.com
Serfas Components & Eyewear: www.serfas.com
Voler Clothing: www.voler.com
Sign up now at Active.com or download the race flyer and registration form at www.ABDcycling.com . Preferred start times are assigned on a first come-first serve basis, so early registration is very important if you’d like a specific start time. Save $20 when you pre-register for all 5 events ($105), Juniors race all five events for just $55. How about registering your loved one for an early Christmas present!
We’re proud to announce that 2009 is the 10th anniversary of our TT series and will again be the opening events of the 2009 Mid America Time Trial Series (MATTS), featuring over $6,000 in overall prizes! [UPDATE: the total amount of the 2009 MATTS prizes is not known at this time]
There will be merchandise prizes for overall winners in the indoor TT Series from Prairie Path Cycles, Trek, Bontrager & Serfas. The Fastest Men & Women challenge returns for each event as well with an update: this year the $50, $30 and $20 will go to three fastest men and women each day, not necessarily the three fastest times (sorry, Mark). And all riders at each event are eligible for the Profile and Sigma product raffle!
Overall Standings in the Indoor TT Series are based on: Fastest Flat 10k + Fastest Rolling 10k + John Fraser Memorial Outdoor TT
The 2009 series return to the Winfield Middle School and will be held on:
1.11.09 TT#1, Flat 10k
2.1.09 - TT#2, Rolling 10k
2.22.09 - TT#3, Flat 10k
3.14.09 - TT#4, Rolling 10k
4.5.09 - SERIES FINALE: John Fraser Memorial Outdoor Time Trial in Maple Park, IL
Fees:
$105 for all five races or $25 per race. 2nd (or 3rd) race of the day is $80 for the series or $17 per day.
Juniors: $55 for all five races or $12 per race
Direct link to register online:
http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1658443
Flyer and Mail-In Registration Form:
http://www.abdcycling.com
The 2009 Indoor TT Series is brought to you by:
ABD Cycle Club: www.abdcycling.com
Prairie Path Cycles: www.prairiepathcycles.com
Trek Bikes: www.trekbikes.com
SRAM: www.sram.com
Bontrager: www.bontrager.com
Serfas Components & Eyewear: www.serfas.com
Voler Clothing: www.voler.com
11/23/2008
ABR Banquet Photos
Congratulations to all of the ABD'ers that took home awards from last
nights Awards Banquet.
Click on this link to view some of the winners: http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
nights Awards Banquet.
Click on this link to view some of the winners: http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
Thanks Mike Redlich for the pictures.
Ken Glinka
11/20/2008
Sarge Mstowski's Tuesday Night Workouts Start 12/2- FREE to all ABD'ers
They’re back, and on an all new night!The Tuesday Night Workouts are held at the Winfield Middle School and are lead by ABD’s own Rich “the Sarge” Mstowski. Rich incorporates spin-style workouts and a driving soundtrack that are guaranteed to get your legs burning and heart pounding.
Riders are required to bring their bike, cycling clothes & shoes, a towel and an indoor trainer (i.e CycleOps, Tacx, Cateye, etc.) The doors open at 6:45pm and the workout, which includes a warm-up, starts a little after 7 PM. (Enter the Middle School from the parking lot in the back)
Dates for the 2008/2009 Tuesday Night Workouts are:
12/2/08
12/9/08
12/16/08
1/6/09
1/13/09
1/20/09
1/27/09
2/3/09
2/10/09
2/17/09
2/24/09
NOTE: The workouts are FREE and open to all ABD members. However, we do have an important update for 2008/2009. The school has raised the price of rental of this year and while ABD is happy to pay the bill, we also need as many club members as possible to take advantage of these workouts. If the attendance averages lower than ten riders per workout for the month of December, then after the first of the year the workouts will move to either the PPC-Winfield or PPC-Batavia location.
ABR Banquet This Saturday: ABD'ers bringing home some hardware!
Don’t forget that this Saturday is the annual WIIL Banquet honoring the top riders in both the 2008 WIIL and MATTS standings.
ABD’ers that will be recognized for their achievements in this year’s Mid America Time Trial Series are:
Rob Jungels, James Sneddon, Joel Molitor, Curtis Bice, Jim Flechsig, Gary Rulo, MJ Redlich, Graham Clark, Rich Mstowski, Bob Marshall, Pat Murphy
All of those riders plus the the following teammates also earn props for coming out on top in the 2008 WIIL Series!
Jessi Prinner, Sue Semasczcuk, Marilyn Powell
The party starts on Saturday with a cocktail hour at 5pm and dinner at 6pm. It will be held at the Old Orchard Country Club, 700 W. Rand Rd., Mt. Prospect. So far we know that Mr. Jungels and his lovely wife Ramona will be in attendance. If anyone else is going please shoot a note out to the YahooGroup.
Below is the official press release from ABR, which includes a link to the flyer.
Race to the WIIL Banquet Open to all from anywhere in the universe.
Hundreds of prizes for the top riders, 399 door prizes - every body gets one, Awards, merchandise, &
MATTS, TOI/W, ROTY, Wednesday Night Masters Track & Central States Masters Track season overall Champion Jersey, Awards, merchandise prizes, etc, etc, etceteras
Event flyer, map of course, directions go here: http://www.ambikerace.com/2008/flyers/WIIL_Banquet_Flyer_2008_3.pdf
When, Where? November 22, 2008, Pre-register by Nov 19 for discount, Midori Banquet Service, Old Orchard Country Club, 700 W. Rand Rd., Mt. Prospect, IL. Info: Jason ljjawagner@comcast.net 630-935-2523
Do not race Banquets? WHAT!! Your team mates will be there cheering you on, the cowbells will be ringing, the crowds will be wondering who?? Riding what?? This is great food!!
"MATTS" the original time trial series SEASON OVERALL $6000 CASH prize presented at the WIIL Banquet (for over 20 years with daily prizes, season overall cash prizes and great original courses)
ABD’ers that will be recognized for their achievements in this year’s Mid America Time Trial Series are:
Rob Jungels, James Sneddon, Joel Molitor, Curtis Bice, Jim Flechsig, Gary Rulo, MJ Redlich, Graham Clark, Rich Mstowski, Bob Marshall, Pat Murphy
All of those riders plus the the following teammates also earn props for coming out on top in the 2008 WIIL Series!
Jessi Prinner, Sue Semasczcuk, Marilyn Powell
The party starts on Saturday with a cocktail hour at 5pm and dinner at 6pm. It will be held at the Old Orchard Country Club, 700 W. Rand Rd., Mt. Prospect. So far we know that Mr. Jungels and his lovely wife Ramona will be in attendance. If anyone else is going please shoot a note out to the YahooGroup.
Below is the official press release from ABR, which includes a link to the flyer.
Race to the WIIL Banquet Open to all from anywhere in the universe.
Hundreds of prizes for the top riders, 399 door prizes - every body gets one, Awards, merchandise, &
MATTS, TOI/W, ROTY, Wednesday Night Masters Track & Central States Masters Track season overall Champion Jersey, Awards, merchandise prizes, etc, etc, etceteras
Event flyer, map of course, directions go here: http://www.ambikerace.com/2008/flyers/WIIL_Banquet_Flyer_2008_3.pdf
When, Where? November 22, 2008, Pre-register by Nov 19 for discount, Midori Banquet Service, Old Orchard Country Club, 700 W. Rand Rd., Mt. Prospect, IL. Info: Jason ljjawagner@comcast.net 630-935-2523
Do not race Banquets? WHAT!! Your team mates will be there cheering you on, the cowbells will be ringing, the crowds will be wondering who?? Riding what?? This is great food!!
"MATTS" the original time trial series SEASON OVERALL $6000 CASH prize presented at the WIIL Banquet (for over 20 years with daily prizes, season overall cash prizes and great original courses)
11/04/2008
The Results Are In!
No, not those results- but regardless of whether McCain is your man or you Baracked the vote today, what we know for certain is that ABD is a big winner!
We've been checking over the annual volunteer hour totals and even without the indentured servitude of Board Members Jenny & Terry Cerwin, Steve Bielski, Mike Farrell, Mary Lee Geraghty, Vicki Heck and Brian Hildreth or several of the Men's 1/2 & 3 team riders, ABD'ers logged over 2000 volunteer hours in 2008! This is an amazing number and once again shows that ABD could never be the club it is without the hard work of its members.
It is a pleasure to offer a 2009 ABD Voler Jersey or Short to those individuals or families that have accumulated at least 18 points after deductions for entry fees (Column C on the spreadsheet). This means for every 18 points collectively within a family you can get one clothing item. For ABD'ers with point balances under 18 we're working to put together sponsorship goodies that you can redeem at our upcoming end-of -the-year shindig.
We also wanted to take this opportunity to recognize the ABD'ers that went that extra step to earn Gold and Silver status this year:
ABD Gold - 30 hours or more:
Kent Billingsley
Todd Busteed
Tom Egan
Steve Gage
The Glinka Family - Ken, Sandy & Joseph
Don Janes
Bill Kallas
Tim Keeley
Gina Kenny
Scott Ligocki
Jim Nowak
Liz Oehmen
Oz Ozguc
Steve Parrish
The Prinners - Jessi & Steve
The Redlich Family - Mike, Valerie & MJ
Gary Rulo
Sue Semaszczuk
James Sneddon
Tim Stewart
Dave Trotter
Maya Tubic
Mike Vail
The Witt Family - Scott, Sue, Konrad & Dani
Paul Zelewsky
ABD Silver - 13 to 29 hours
Jeff Bird
Jeff Bloomfield
Scott Bowden
Jenny Busch
Jim Cannella
Julie Carter
Dave Clark
Jay Corgiat
Ben DeMong
Jim Flechsig
Ken Fry
Bill Heun
James Hibbler
Laura Leaver
Jim Lund
Bob Marshall
Richard Mstowski
Tom Pedrick
Lisa Pena
Marilyn Powell
Theo Quednau
Cathy Richmond
Maureen Sanders
Dan Tillotson
Billy Wacholz
Mark Yurcheshen
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
We've been checking over the annual volunteer hour totals and even without the indentured servitude of Board Members Jenny & Terry Cerwin, Steve Bielski, Mike Farrell, Mary Lee Geraghty, Vicki Heck and Brian Hildreth or several of the Men's 1/2 & 3 team riders, ABD'ers logged over 2000 volunteer hours in 2008! This is an amazing number and once again shows that ABD could never be the club it is without the hard work of its members.
It is a pleasure to offer a 2009 ABD Voler Jersey or Short to those individuals or families that have accumulated at least 18 points after deductions for entry fees (Column C on the spreadsheet). This means for every 18 points collectively within a family you can get one clothing item. For ABD'ers with point balances under 18 we're working to put together sponsorship goodies that you can redeem at our upcoming end-of -the-year shindig.
We also wanted to take this opportunity to recognize the ABD'ers that went that extra step to earn Gold and Silver status this year:
ABD Gold - 30 hours or more:
Kent Billingsley
Todd Busteed
Tom Egan
Steve Gage
The Glinka Family - Ken, Sandy & Joseph
Don Janes
Bill Kallas
Tim Keeley
Gina Kenny
Scott Ligocki
Jim Nowak
Liz Oehmen
Oz Ozguc
Steve Parrish
The Prinners - Jessi & Steve
The Redlich Family - Mike, Valerie & MJ
Gary Rulo
Sue Semaszczuk
James Sneddon
Tim Stewart
Dave Trotter
Maya Tubic
Mike Vail
The Witt Family - Scott, Sue, Konrad & Dani
Paul Zelewsky
ABD Silver - 13 to 29 hours
Jeff Bird
Jeff Bloomfield
Scott Bowden
Jenny Busch
Jim Cannella
Julie Carter
Dave Clark
Jay Corgiat
Ben DeMong
Jim Flechsig
Ken Fry
Bill Heun
James Hibbler
Laura Leaver
Jim Lund
Bob Marshall
Richard Mstowski
Tom Pedrick
Lisa Pena
Marilyn Powell
Theo Quednau
Cathy Richmond
Maureen Sanders
Dan Tillotson
Billy Wacholz
Mark Yurcheshen
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
10/31/2008
Mark Your Calendars: The 2009 ABD Indoor TT Dates!
We’ve just received final approval from the Winfield Middle School and are very excited to announce the dates of our 10th Annual ABD Indoor TT Series! Extra points to any riders who remember racing on the original Nintendo system!
The dates are:
January 11th, 2009 - Flat
February 1st2nd - Rolling
February 22nd - Flat
March 14th (Saturday) - Rolling
April 5th - John Fraser Memorial Outdoor Time Trial
More Details and Registration information coming soon
The dates are:
January 11th, 2009 - Flat
February 1st
February 22nd - Flat
March 14th (Saturday) - Rolling
April 5th - John Fraser Memorial Outdoor Time Trial
More Details and Registration information coming soon
ABD Voler Try-On Party - Orders Due 11/8 and a Quick Review of the new DX Bibs [update]
The ABD 2009 Voler Try-On and Pre-Order party is Saturday, November 1st, 5pm at President Farrell’s house! Larry Lorenz is bringing all his 2009 Voler Clothing samples so that club members can try them on before they order.
At the party we’ll have order forms, beverages and hors d’oeuvres. Feel free to bring an app to pass!
Winter Voler Orders will be due next Saturday, November 8th! Forms will be are now available for download later today from www.ABDcycling.com . Just go to Members/Forms>Clothing Forms in the menu. We are again offering the credit card option via PayPal for anyone who’d prefer it.
Sizing/Fabric/Chamois Updates:
1) After going with a slightly longer jersey design in 2008 Voler has returned to the shorter jersey design for 2009.
2) Voler has developed a new DX high-end short model that we’re hoping they make in blue! More details coming soon and you can read my early take on the DX short below. Larry will also have a few pairs to try on at the party.
3) The default chamois for our clothing order is the ION chamois. The Torino is still available but please make a note of it if you’re prefer this one (and it is $5 cheaper).
(Also, for those who haven’t ordered new bibs in a year or so, the sizes went bigger. Most people have moved down a size, so that people who wore smalls now wear XS, people who wore mediums wear smalls, and so on.)
Style/Color/Design Updates:
None- you all look great!
So speaking of those DX shorts...
I had the pleasure of receiving a pair of “test” DX bibs that I was able to try out during my commutes to work this week. And it’s a pretty simple verdict: these shorts feel awesome. The combination of the new fabric and the 10-panel construction just makes the shorts feel more natural in fit and feel than a lot of the other shorts I’ve tried. I’m not sure when or if they are going to be able to sublimate this fabric like their other shorts, but I sure hope they do!
UPDATE: I spoke with the rep at Voler and it looks like they only have the DX Material in black right now, but hope to have it in Navy early next year. This means we should probably be able to get DX spec'ed ABD shorts and bibs in our Spring order. The up-charge will only be $15 a pair.
TEST UPDATE: After watching my tan-lines poke out from under these shorts for a couple days I knew these were coming up short compared to Voler's standard bottoms. The rep confirmed that since the DX fabric is a compression fabric it doesn't stretch as much- so although they use the same pattern to cut the fabric for the shorts, the end result is that when you put them on they aren't going to extend as far down the leg. This translates to about 3/4" on my pair of XS bibs.
At the party we’ll have order forms, beverages and hors d’oeuvres. Feel free to bring an app to pass!
Winter Voler Orders will be due next Saturday, November 8th! Forms will be are now available for download later today from www.ABDcycling.com . Just go to Members/Forms>Clothing Forms in the menu. We are again offering the credit card option via PayPal for anyone who’d prefer it.
Sizing/Fabric/Chamois Updates:
1) After going with a slightly longer jersey design in 2008 Voler has returned to the shorter jersey design for 2009.
2) Voler has developed a new DX high-end short model that we’re hoping they make in blue! More details coming soon and you can read my early take on the DX short below. Larry will also have a few pairs to try on at the party.
3) The default chamois for our clothing order is the ION chamois. The Torino is still available but please make a note of it if you’re prefer this one (and it is $5 cheaper).
(Also, for those who haven’t ordered new bibs in a year or so, the sizes went bigger. Most people have moved down a size, so that people who wore smalls now wear XS, people who wore mediums wear smalls, and so on.)
Style/Color/Design Updates:
None- you all look great!
So speaking of those DX shorts...
I had the pleasure of receiving a pair of “test” DX bibs that I was able to try out during my commutes to work this week. And it’s a pretty simple verdict: these shorts feel awesome. The combination of the new fabric and the 10-panel construction just makes the shorts feel more natural in fit and feel than a lot of the other shorts I’ve tried. I’m not sure when or if they are going to be able to sublimate this fabric like their other shorts, but I sure hope they do!
UPDATE: I spoke with the rep at Voler and it looks like they only have the DX Material in black right now, but hope to have it in Navy early next year. This means we should probably be able to get DX spec'ed ABD shorts and bibs in our Spring order. The up-charge will only be $15 a pair.
TEST UPDATE: After watching my tan-lines poke out from under these shorts for a couple days I knew these were coming up short compared to Voler's standard bottoms. The rep confirmed that since the DX fabric is a compression fabric it doesn't stretch as much- so although they use the same pattern to cut the fabric for the shorts, the end result is that when you put them on they aren't going to extend as far down the leg. This translates to about 3/4" on my pair of XS bibs.
10/10/2008
Fall Fling Pictures
As usual, just click on this link: http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
Thanks
Ken Glinka
"The Locomotive"
ABD Cycling Team
http://gallery.mac.com/kglinka#gallery
The greatest day for a kid is the first day you get your bike
It's a day of freedom.
LiveStrong
10/08/2008
"Sundays With The Sarge" Kick off this Weekend!
This Fall ABD'er Rich "The Sarge" Mstowski will be leading a regular
Sunday morning Prairie Path Ride leaving from the Zero Mile Marker in
Wheaton at 8 a.m.
Sunday morning Prairie Path Ride leaving from the Zero Mile Marker in
Wheaton at 8 a.m.
This Sunday marks the first ride and rumor has it the Prez himself
just bought a mountain bike to join in on the fun!
The ride leaves at 8 AM, will be up to 45 miles long using the Elgin
triangle, and will hopefully include a coffee shop, so be sure to
throw a few bucks in your pocket. It will be a moderately paced
fitness ride to log some hours in the nice fall weather.
Mountain bikes are strongly recommended, so anyone on a 'cross bike
must be prepared to take easy with those skinny tires- no hammering
allowed!
10/05/2008
All ABD/GEARGRINDER Team Bikes on Sale! UPDATE: Pictures
All ABD/GEARGRINDER Team Equipment is on sale and will be available the second week of October!
The current inventory includes:
LeMond Triomphe Ultimate (850 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost:
49cm: $2399 - Only raced once (A.Sharon bike)
53cm: $2399 - almost perfect condition! (Jungels')
$2399 - DuraAce components were only ridden one month! (Rob White's)
LeMond Triomphe Ultimate (850 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost: 55cm: $2299 - (Carter's)
55cm: $2299 - (Schroetlin's)
55cm: $2299 - (Stewart's)
LeMond Triomphe (950 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost (both bikes have custom red/black paint scheme)
51cm: $2199 - DuraAce components ridden only two months. (Ryan White's) 59cm: $2199 - (Meyers')
--Add NEW Bontrager Carbon Bars to any of these bikes for just $99! --Add NEW Bontrager Race Lite Aero Wheels to any of these bikes for just $250!
--Add NEW Bontrager Race X Lite Wheels to any of these bikes for just $550!
Aeolus 5.0 Tubular Wheelset with brand new carbon rims (only ridden once!!!): $1400
Aeolus 5.0 Tubular Wheelset: $1000
2007 Trek Madone Framesets, red/white:
52cm: $850
60cm: $850
If interested please contact Mike Ebert at ebert-at-abdcycling-dot-com
Alex Sharon’s 49cm, Rob Jungels 53cm, Bontrager VR carbon bars and optional Bontrager wheelset
The current inventory includes:
LeMond Triomphe Ultimate (850 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost:
49cm: $2399 - Only raced once (A.Sharon bike)
53cm: $2399 - almost perfect condition! (Jungels')
$2399 - DuraAce components were only ridden one month! (Rob White's)
LeMond Triomphe Ultimate (850 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost: 55cm: $2299 - (Carter's)
55cm: $2299 - (Schroetlin's)
55cm: $2299 - (Stewart's)
LeMond Triomphe (950 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost (both bikes have custom red/black paint scheme)
51cm: $2199 - DuraAce components ridden only two months. (Ryan White's) 59cm: $2199 - (Meyers')
--Add NEW Bontrager Carbon Bars to any of these bikes for just $99! --Add NEW Bontrager Race Lite Aero Wheels to any of these bikes for just $250!
--Add NEW Bontrager Race X Lite Wheels to any of these bikes for just $550!
Aeolus 5.0 Tubular Wheelset with brand new carbon rims (only ridden once!!!): $1400
Aeolus 5.0 Tubular Wheelset: $1000
2007 Trek Madone Framesets, red/white:
52cm: $850
60cm: $850
If interested please contact Mike Ebert at ebert-at-abdcycling-dot-com
Alex Sharon’s 49cm, Rob Jungels 53cm, Bontrager VR carbon bars and optional Bontrager wheelset
 |
| From ABD Cycling News |
 |
| From ABD Cycling News |
 |
| From ABD Cycling News |
 |
| From ABD Cycling News |
 |
| From ABD Cycling News |
10/01/2008
Fling Results, TT Start Times, Cross Race and ABD/GG Team Bike Sale!
Results from the first two stages of the ABD/GEARGRINDER Fall Fling have been posted at www.ABDcycling.com!
Just two races remain in the series and in the 2008 Midwest road season!
Next up is Saturday's 10-mile time trial in Maple Park and Sunday's criterium finale in Wood Dale, Illinois. Preliminary Start Times for the TT are posted at www.ABDcycling.com , and online registration is open through Midnight tonight to reserve your spot! Day-of-race registration will also be available and opens at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning in the pavilion near the start/finish line and 8:30 a.m. in Wood Dale.
Note to riders: Sunday's race will be on the North Course.
-------------------------------------------------------
Get your Cowbell's ready! Details on ABD's Cyclocross event at Sunrise Park in Bartlett Park are now posted at www.ABDcycling.com!
-------------------------------------------------------
All ABD/GEARGRINDER Team Equipment is on sale and will be available starting next week!
The current inventory includes:
LeMond Triomphe Ultimate (850 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost:
53cm: $2399 - almost perfect condition! (Jungels')
51cm: $2399 - DuraAce components were only ridden one month! (Rob White's)
LeMond Triomphe Ultimate (850 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost:
55cm: $2299 - (Carter's)
55cm: $2299 - (Schroetlin's)
55cm: $2299 - (Stewart's)
LeMond Triomphe (950 grams) framesets with full Dura-Ace gruppos and Bontrager Stem, Bar, Seat, Seatpost (both bikes have custom red/black paint scheme)
51cm: $2199 - DuraAce components ridden only two months. (Ryan White's)
59cm: $2199 - (Meyers')
--Add NEW Bontrager Carbon Bars to any of these bikes for just $99!
--Add NEW Bontrager Race Lite Aero Wheels to any of these bikes for just $250!
--Add NEW Bontrager Race X Lite Wheels to any of these bikes for just $550!
52cm: $850 60cm: $850
If interested please contact Mike Ebert at ebert-at-abdcycling-dot-com
Details on the October 26th ABD CycloCross Event!
ABD is very excited to announce the return of our Cyclocross event to Bartlett, Illinois on October 26, 2008 and that we're once again a part of the rapidly growing Chicago Cross Cup!
Full details are available at www.chicrosscup.com and you can download our flyer here.
Full details are available at www.chicrosscup.com and you can download our flyer here.
9/17/2008
Paul Z's Prairie Path Update- 9/16/08
Thanks to all who replied about conditions on the paths and roads. I
went out this evening from Mile Marker Zero in Wheaton to Powis and Army
Trail. Despite Saturday's deluge and the remnants of Hurricane Ike, the
path is in pretty decent shape. However, there are a few sections that
were under water and will put you on your butt if you aren't careful.
The washouts left washboard sections that are guaranteed end-O's if you
hit them at speed on a skinny tire bike. The worst parts are near Prince
Crossing Road -- about one-quarter mile to the east and the other is
immediately after the IPP splits from the Great Western. Besides the
ruts and bumps, there's a dangerous mix of sand and loose gravel. Take
it slow and you'll be OK. Or set your front shock for full travel and
don't let go of the bars!
On the pavement, Powis will probably be open tomorrow. I rode north from Army Trail to Stearns (in spite of the barricades and ROAD CLOSED sign), and there's one small section with standing water near the recreation area, just south of the railroad tracks. The water was no more than 2 inches deep on the crown of the road.
Munger is another story. While the water has receded quite a bit since the weekend, it's hub-deep at the low spot, and about 70 meters are submerged just north of the railroad tracks. There are a couple of wet sections between Forest Preserve Drive on the north and Army Trail on the south where you'll have to slow down.
Well, I have to go change the newspaper in my soggy cycling shoes...
Later, .pcz __._,_.___
went out this evening from Mile Marker Zero in Wheaton to Powis and Army
Trail. Despite Saturday's deluge and the remnants of Hurricane Ike, the
path is in pretty decent shape. However, there are a few sections that
were under water and will put you on your butt if you aren't careful.
The washouts left washboard sections that are guaranteed end-O's if you
hit them at speed on a skinny tire bike. The worst parts are near Prince
Crossing Road -- about one-quarter mile to the east and the other is
immediately after the IPP splits from the Great Western. Besides the
ruts and bumps, there's a dangerous mix of sand and loose gravel. Take
it slow and you'll be OK. Or set your front shock for full travel and
don't let go of the bars!
On the pavement, Powis will probably be open tomorrow. I rode north from Army Trail to Stearns (in spite of the barricades and ROAD CLOSED sign), and there's one small section with standing water near the recreation area, just south of the railroad tracks. The water was no more than 2 inches deep on the crown of the road.
Munger is another story. While the water has receded quite a bit since the weekend, it's hub-deep at the low spot, and about 70 meters are submerged just north of the railroad tracks. There are a couple of wet sections between Forest Preserve Drive on the north and Army Trail on the south where you'll have to slow down.
Well, I have to go change the newspaper in my soggy cycling shoes...
Later, .pcz __._,_.___
9/14/2008
Update 2: Wood Dale Courses at the Fall Fling
We're happy to confirm that we'll be using both Wood Dale Courses for this year's ABD/GEARGRINDER Fall Fling.
On Sunday, September 28th we'll be using the Wood Dale North Course that utilizes AEC, Hansen and Gerry Drives.
The Fling finale on Sunday, October 5th will be run on the Wood Dale South Course on Mittel, Wheat and Pond Drives.
A huge thanks to the City of Wood Dale and Redline Racing for their help and support with these courses!
UPDATE 1: Fall Fling Road Race is the Final TOI/W Event!
The ABD/GEARGRINDER Fall Fling Road Race has just been announced as the final ABR Tour of Illinois/Wisconsin event for 2008!
All eligible TOI/W categories will be scored except Juniors. Masters 30+ riders will be scored based on their results in the 1/2/3 race.
Visit the ABR website for more information and the latest Tour of Illinois/Wisconsin standings.
9/13/2008
ABD TTT results
Congratulations to the following ABDer's for their outstanding results in the TTT! Masters 70-Champions-Murphy, Wacholz Juniors-2nd place-Witt, Stehlik, Crane, Redlich Elite Women-2nd place Prinner (On loan to Albertos) Masters 40-3rd place- Hawco, Gage, Zelewsky, Redlich Masters 30-3rd place-Sneddon, Bice, Corgiat, Flechsig Masters 30-11th place-Mstowski, Glinka, Trotter, Witt |
9/12/2008
Allison Moe Report: Wisconsin Triathlon
Race Report- Ironman Wisconsin 2008
What a journey!!! As I reflect on my first Ironman, there are so many thoughts that are going through my head. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to do these types of things. Every starting line is a gift and every finish line is a reward. Doing the Ironman is simply amazing.
The Swim 1:20
Heading out to the swim was one of the coolest things that I have ever done. You have all these bobbing heads out there and you look back on shore and see thousands of spectators lining the Monona Terrace. There was so much energy coming from all the athletes, and at that point, it hit me that I was actually here doing this thing! I truly enjoyed the swim. It was what I expected. The "human washing machine" that everyone talks about was an experience. You expect to get kicked and hit, and the first turn around the buoy was pretty rough. But there was
an excitement to it that made the swim so much fun. I thought the swim was so great, but then it got better. I loved having
the volunteers strip the wetsuit off. Every triathlon needs to offer that service. And the run up the helix, again, that was just another really cool aspect of IMW. I loved seeing the MSM crowd about halfway up.
The Bike 7:01
I love to bike, and I was so happy to get to the bike. I was anxious to
head out to the hills as I knew that there would be roads lined with people. The entire bike felt good. The crowds were awesome. There were so many people from MSM out on the "second bitch." And I wasn't expecting to see a band with a trombone and tuba player, but then again,
there are a lot of crazy things happening out there. The ride into Verona was another high point with about a mile of roads line with spectators. And my mom was waiting at the end of the road. I was able to
wave so she knew I was coming, and she got some pictures. The second loop was much of the same, just with a little more wind in my face. But
the last 14 miles back into Madison had a tail wind so that was helpful.
At that point, I was really ready to get off the bike and looking forward to the marathon. The ride up the helix was great, and I pulled into transition to a loud reception from my cheering section. They were
all there waiting for me and as I headed into the building, they followed me in and surprised me again! That was a great feeling.
The Run 6:16
I had no idea how this was going to go. I was excited to run and my legs felt pretty good coming off the bike. Heading into downtown Madison
was a terrific feeling. The roads were packed, the atmosphere was loud.
I saw my coach Mike at the start and he gave me a few tips and sent me on my way. Around the corner, my cheering section was waiting for me again. I had forgotten that our race bibs had our names on it so at first, I was waving to everyone that yelled "Go Moe!" Pretty soon I
realized that they all really didn't know me, they just looked at my bib. It was great to hear people yell "Go Madness." It was so nice to have the jersey on and hear shouts of encouragement from the club members (athletes, volunteers, and margarita drinking spectators)! The first 13 miles felt pretty good, and the start of the second loop went well. After leaving Camp Randall Stadium for the second time, I started
to hit a major wall. I ended up walking most of miles 18-22. It was dark, there were many hills (how come no one seemed to warn me about Observatory Rd???), and my body was just tired. Luckily I met up with Donna who seemed to be in the same mode as me. So we walked and talked.
At one point, we even tried mental math. We were trying to figure out if
we maintained a 15 minute/mile walking pace, what time we would finish.
But mental math at that point in the day wasn't a good idea. So we just kept moving forward and celebrated every time we passed a mile marker. At about 9:00, it started to rain. Nothing bad, but it was just
enough to get us moving. We started to shuffle our way back in (there wasn't much running at this point, just shuffling). Coming into the last mile, I saw Coach Mike, and I knew that this was going to happen. I
couldn't muster up much speed at that point, but when I hit State St.
for the final time, the crowds were still loud and full of people (many
who had spent a good chunk of time at the bars all day). At that point,
I started to get a little choked up but realized I wouldn't be able to
breathe if I kept that up. So I pulled it together and enjoyed rounding
the Capitol one last time. Making that final turn was the greatest feeling in the world. The lights were bright, the crowds were pumped, and the music was blaring. There was a party going on on that street! And then I entered the final stretch, and I let out a huge yell. As I began the run in, I heard Mike Reilly speak those precious words, "Allison Moe, you are an Ironman." And that was what I had waited to hear all day. It was the moment that I had imagined in my head every
day for the past year. It will be a moment that I will always remember and replay in my head for the rest of my life. I was able to yell a little more, pump my arms, and do a little jump and moved on through the finisher's chute. And thank goodness Jaime was there to meet me right after I finished because all the energy just left my body. After a
few slices of pizza though, the energy was back.
The End 14:58:21
After finishing, I was able to make my way back into the hotel lounge, and I thought I was still mentally a little shaky as I saw that the Bears were going to bet the Colts. But no, that was actually happening.
I showered and was going to head into bed, but there was still a party going on outside of the hotel and all I could hear was Mike Reilly's voice. So at about 11:15, my mom and I went down to watch the final finishers. That was the best part of the day. To walk down there and see
others finish, it made me so happy to be able to cheer for the others and see their excitement as they finished. The final woman came in at 16:59:56, and I imagine that she felt just as good as the first place finisher.
Thanks
There are so many people that were a part of the Ironman journey.
Bethann- we made it a point to do this with smiles and that we did!! Thank you for doing this entire thing with me from start to finish.
Coach Mike- you are a man of your word. You told me you would get me to
the starting line healthy. And when I got injured back in March and had
those 6 weeks on crutches, you brought me back slowly, and you got me stronger that I had been pre-injury. On that note, my doctor and PT were
awesome and understood that my recovery needed to involve training for the Ironman.
My family and friends- anytime you asked about training or about triathlons, you allowed me to talk about what I love to do. Thanks to everyone who supported me throughout the training, came to watch, tracked online, or simply wished me luck. Boot Campers rock!
Mom- you were a trooper getting up at 4:30, taking pictures and running
around all day, and even watched the last racers! You are an Ironfan!
September 13, 2009- Ironman Wisconsin, I can't wait to do this again!
Allison Moe
Assistant Principal and Athletic Director moea@ccsd93.com
Jay Stream Middle School
283 El Paso Ln.
Carol Stream, IL 60188
P-(630)462-8949
Fax (630)462-9224
What a journey!!! As I reflect on my first Ironman, there are so many thoughts that are going through my head. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to do these types of things. Every starting line is a gift and every finish line is a reward. Doing the Ironman is simply amazing.
The Swim 1:20
Heading out to the swim was one of the coolest things that I have ever done. You have all these bobbing heads out there and you look back on shore and see thousands of spectators lining the Monona Terrace. There was so much energy coming from all the athletes, and at that point, it hit me that I was actually here doing this thing! I truly enjoyed the swim. It was what I expected. The "human washing machine" that everyone talks about was an experience. You expect to get kicked and hit, and the first turn around the buoy was pretty rough. But there was
an excitement to it that made the swim so much fun. I thought the swim was so great, but then it got better. I loved having
the volunteers strip the wetsuit off. Every triathlon needs to offer that service. And the run up the helix, again, that was just another really cool aspect of IMW. I loved seeing the MSM crowd about halfway up.
The Bike 7:01
I love to bike, and I was so happy to get to the bike. I was anxious to
head out to the hills as I knew that there would be roads lined with people. The entire bike felt good. The crowds were awesome. There were so many people from MSM out on the "second bitch." And I wasn't expecting to see a band with a trombone and tuba player, but then again,
there are a lot of crazy things happening out there. The ride into Verona was another high point with about a mile of roads line with spectators. And my mom was waiting at the end of the road. I was able to
wave so she knew I was coming, and she got some pictures. The second loop was much of the same, just with a little more wind in my face. But
the last 14 miles back into Madison had a tail wind so that was helpful.
At that point, I was really ready to get off the bike and looking forward to the marathon. The ride up the helix was great, and I pulled into transition to a loud reception from my cheering section. They were
all there waiting for me and as I headed into the building, they followed me in and surprised me again! That was a great feeling.
The Run 6:16
I had no idea how this was going to go. I was excited to run and my legs felt pretty good coming off the bike. Heading into downtown Madison
was a terrific feeling. The roads were packed, the atmosphere was loud.
I saw my coach Mike at the start and he gave me a few tips and sent me on my way. Around the corner, my cheering section was waiting for me again. I had forgotten that our race bibs had our names on it so at first, I was waving to everyone that yelled "Go Moe!" Pretty soon I
realized that they all really didn't know me, they just looked at my bib. It was great to hear people yell "Go Madness." It was so nice to have the jersey on and hear shouts of encouragement from the club members (athletes, volunteers, and margarita drinking spectators)! The first 13 miles felt pretty good, and the start of the second loop went well. After leaving Camp Randall Stadium for the second time, I started
to hit a major wall. I ended up walking most of miles 18-22. It was dark, there were many hills (how come no one seemed to warn me about Observatory Rd???), and my body was just tired. Luckily I met up with Donna who seemed to be in the same mode as me. So we walked and talked.
At one point, we even tried mental math. We were trying to figure out if
we maintained a 15 minute/mile walking pace, what time we would finish.
But mental math at that point in the day wasn't a good idea. So we just kept moving forward and celebrated every time we passed a mile marker. At about 9:00, it started to rain. Nothing bad, but it was just
enough to get us moving. We started to shuffle our way back in (there wasn't much running at this point, just shuffling). Coming into the last mile, I saw Coach Mike, and I knew that this was going to happen. I
couldn't muster up much speed at that point, but when I hit State St.
for the final time, the crowds were still loud and full of people (many
who had spent a good chunk of time at the bars all day). At that point,
I started to get a little choked up but realized I wouldn't be able to
breathe if I kept that up. So I pulled it together and enjoyed rounding
the Capitol one last time. Making that final turn was the greatest feeling in the world. The lights were bright, the crowds were pumped, and the music was blaring. There was a party going on on that street! And then I entered the final stretch, and I let out a huge yell. As I began the run in, I heard Mike Reilly speak those precious words, "Allison Moe, you are an Ironman." And that was what I had waited to hear all day. It was the moment that I had imagined in my head every
day for the past year. It will be a moment that I will always remember and replay in my head for the rest of my life. I was able to yell a little more, pump my arms, and do a little jump and moved on through the finisher's chute. And thank goodness Jaime was there to meet me right after I finished because all the energy just left my body. After a
few slices of pizza though, the energy was back.
The End 14:58:21
After finishing, I was able to make my way back into the hotel lounge, and I thought I was still mentally a little shaky as I saw that the Bears were going to bet the Colts. But no, that was actually happening.
I showered and was going to head into bed, but there was still a party going on outside of the hotel and all I could hear was Mike Reilly's voice. So at about 11:15, my mom and I went down to watch the final finishers. That was the best part of the day. To walk down there and see
others finish, it made me so happy to be able to cheer for the others and see their excitement as they finished. The final woman came in at 16:59:56, and I imagine that she felt just as good as the first place finisher.
Thanks
There are so many people that were a part of the Ironman journey.
Bethann- we made it a point to do this with smiles and that we did!! Thank you for doing this entire thing with me from start to finish.
Coach Mike- you are a man of your word. You told me you would get me to
the starting line healthy. And when I got injured back in March and had
those 6 weeks on crutches, you brought me back slowly, and you got me stronger that I had been pre-injury. On that note, my doctor and PT were
awesome and understood that my recovery needed to involve training for the Ironman.
My family and friends- anytime you asked about training or about triathlons, you allowed me to talk about what I love to do. Thanks to everyone who supported me throughout the training, came to watch, tracked online, or simply wished me luck. Boot Campers rock!
Mom- you were a trooper getting up at 4:30, taking pictures and running
around all day, and even watched the last racers! You are an Ironfan!
September 13, 2009- Ironman Wisconsin, I can't wait to do this again!
Allison Moe
Assistant Principal and Athletic Director moea@ccsd93.com
Jay Stream Middle School
283 El Paso Ln.
Carol Stream, IL 60188
P-(630)462-8949
Fax (630)462-9224
9/09/2008
Prinner's Junior Nationals report (finally!)
Hello ABD,
There is no doubt that this year's Junior National Championships hosted some of the most exciting and challenging races, not to mention being located in sunny California, which tied together a fun vacation and a memorable experience. Nomatter how many pages I cover this story in, it will still never include the entirely of the trip, so I figure I'll just pick out the highlights and not bore my readers with the nitty gritty facts.
Never before had I ridden a bicycle in California, or been to Los Angeles, so that in itself proved to be an adventure. Road Nationals were first on the agenda, so we stayed in a leaky hotel in Anaheim, within walking distance from Disneyland, where our podium presentations were to be held. From the outside, our hotel looked like the face of luxury, but after just two days there, we realized it was literally falling apart from within. It was everything from beaten in drawers, to broken toilets, to leaking air conditioners that made us wonder what bigger problems the place might be hiding. Luckily, though, with my honed survival skills, I was able to make do with what we had (bed pans aren't out of style yet, are they? Just kidding.)
My first event was to be the individual time trial, which, luckily, I had my "super tripped out TT bike" for. If there was a TV show called "Pimp my bicycle", my TT bike would definitely not be on it. In fact, my TT bike was really an imposter, because it was, in fact, just my road bike with a cheap pair of TT bars clamped on it. Fortunately, I happen to be a top-notch bike expert, and that imposter TT bike didn't fool me for a second, because as soon as I lifted my bike up I realized it weighed about 70 pounds extra due to the cheap TT bars. If I ever buy my own boat, I will use those TT bars as my anchor (when I'm not using them for my "TT bike" of course).
The course itself consisted of long, gradual hills that made it feel as though my wheel was super-glued to the pavement, and the blazing hot sun did nothing to improve the scene. After a hard effort I rode into 3rd place, just day one of a long two weeks of racing.
The next day I arrived at the criterium course, which was literally located in the Angels Stadium parking lot. The course wasn't much better than any other National crit course I've ever experienced, which means that it was pretty pitiful. It pretty much looked like a giant blob with a loop at one end, and was fenced off with the usual iron gates used for a crit. The day was about as hot as the previous day, and my wheels were practically melted to the pavement by the time the ref blew the whistle, where Coryn (the girl who won the TT) literally attacked as soon as she clipped in. After looking around and decidin g that nobody else was going to chase (it was the first lap for Christ's sake!) I took the lead and quickly closed the gap before the end of the first lap. The race continued as attack after attack was launched, and despite all my crafty sly moves, I didn't succeed in making a break for the larger part of the race. Then, just about the time the sun and attacks were starting to wear everyone down, a solo move got away, and gained a quick lead as nobody attempted to chase right away. As soon as everyone realized that the gap was 30 seconds and getting larger, it was too late, and scattered attacks and failed attempts to work together only added to our demise. I did virtually no work in the chase, and made a flyer on the final lap of the race, managing to slide into second place.
The next day hosted the junior women's RR, which, was dishearteningly flat considering we were in California. This race would soon turn out to be perhaps one of the most disappointing races of my young cycling career. That very day happened to be one of those rare days where a rider hops on their bicycle only to feel like they're lugging a 20 ton load of potatoes. This tends not to bode well in a National Event. The combination of national event stress (which was pretty high at the time) and empty legs only furthered my discouragement, and just several laps into the race (personally I think road races should not be allowed to have laps), I made possibly the worst choice I have ever made in a bike race. Despite my constant efforts at a chase, my legs were just not up to par and I could not make any moves that occurred early on in the race. I soon ended up in the third chase group, and barely hanging on at that. When it got to the point that my frustration and disappointment became overwhelming, I dejectedly slammed on the brakes and pulled out of the race. Now, looking back on my impulsive choice, I only feel regret and remorse, and quickly learned that nomatter what plays out in a bike race, to never just throw in the towel when it seems as though all hope is lost, because giving up is the greatest form of failure. Sometimes, as I have learned, you have to experience things the hard way to truly learn from them, and now that I see the mistake in my choice, I'm determine d to never let negativity or frustration get in the way of a race, or any other aspect of my life for that matter, again.
Just a week passed after road nationals before track nationals began, and we packed up all 80 tons of equiptment into our rental mini van and headed for long beach, where the events were to be held on the ADT event center track in Carson. This track was a unique sort in the fact that it was a wooden track composed of Siberian Pine, is one of the only indoor tracks in the U.S., and being just 250 meters in length, it had roughly 46 degrees in banking. All I can say is that it's definitely quite a bit steeper than Northbrook, my native track. In fact, the straightaways on the ADT velodrome are indeed steeper than the steepest turn on the Northbrook velodrome.
I was just a slight bit apprehensive about racing on this track because it was very much unlike any track I had ever ridden before. It is certainly at a rider's advantage to ride on their home track because a true track racer knows all the kit and caboodle about their own track from the scantiest bumps to the feel of the surface and the pull of the banking. I virtually knew nothing of these properties at the ADT velodrome. To prove this statement, one must simply know of my very first experience on this track.
Before being allowed to just ride the velodrome, a rider has to first get certified to make sure they know how to stay upright on this scary-looking structure. I began by riding around on the apron, which, in track jargon, is the innermost surface of the track and is completely flat. After several laps I gained enough courage to leap up onto the real track itself and begin my adventure in track riding. All was great, and I felt exhilarated at the exotic feel of the smooth wood under my tire as I chugged along on the first straightaway of the loop. Everything so far was going wonderfully, and for about 50 feet I got to feel the satisfaction of staying up right on the daunting ADT velodrome. Then, unfortunately, I hit the first turn and realized that it was very, very steep, and even worse, that I really wasn't going all that fast. It didn't take long for Gravity to put two in two together and come to the conclusion that me staying upright around that turn at that velocity would pretty much defy all the laws of physics. And so my 50 feet of exhilarating ADT experience came to a quick and jarring halt as my tires slid out from under me, sending me sprawling down the track. Perhaps the only good thing about falling off a 46 degree angle is that by the time you hit the bottom you literally off the track, and therefore can no longer get in anyone's way, like, say a paceline of 20 riders flying thr ough at 30 mph.
So with several days of practice under my belt, I felt a bit more confident for my first event: the sprint competition. This event tends to be pretty complex with more rules than any one person can handle, but the basic idea is that riders are matched in pairs and have just three laps to figure out how to outsprint the other one. The winner moves on to the next round where they go head to head with another qualifier, and so on and so forth until the final round where the two final contestants race for the gold.
Well, I happened to be matched with a newbie in the first round who was really quite as lost in as I was about how to race a match sprint. Now you may think that this is a good thing, but let me assure you, it's not. There's nothing scarier than having two novices out on the track trying to race a world class event. Exactly how those world class people do it, I don't know, because as soon as we hit turn one after just one lap on the track, I realized for the second time that week that gravity was not so forgiving. It didn't help much, either, that we were at the very top of the track. My competitor was the first to go, and as soon as she hit the track I made the mistake of looking down, because when I did, I realized it was a long, long way down. So what did I do? I went down after her. Is anyone actually surprised?
Just a little bit of rug burn on my arm and leg and I was livid. We started the round over (both of us kept a pretty good pace through turn one I must say) and I outsprinted her in the final stretch to move on to the next round.
My victories were short lived, though, because I lost the second round to take 7th place.
The next day wasn't much better either. I've never had a very good history of 500 meter TTs, and that day proved it because I took 14th place after a shaky start and slow run.
After that came the scratch race, the first mass start race and my best opportunity for a good place. The race was splintered with a series of attacks, none of which got away, and the race was neutralized by a crash with just 6 laps to go. The field became desperate as the laps counted down, but every move never made it far, and it was sure to be a field sprint. I learned quite a harsh lesson on the ADT about field sprints on a 250 meter velodrome: everyone pretty much finishes in whatever place they're in on the last lap of the race. It really isn't much of a field sprint at all. Seeing as though I was in roughly 5th position on the final lap, that's exactly where I ended up finishin g. 5th place wasn't so bad considering it was my first mass start on the track, but still just a tiny bit disappointing considering my past results.
Finally, the last day in my track competition arrived, and I was ready to take on the points race seeing as though it was probably my best of all the races. The race started out calm for the first 9 laps, just a pack of cyclists riding in circles, until the first bell rang to signify a points sprint. From then on the field was just a shattered remnant of a peloton, because four girls made it off the front to eventually lap the field, and I happened to be one of them. In a points race, when a rider laps the field, they achieve 20 points, so by doing so the four of us pretty much secured out top four places in the race. Sadly, though, I was unable to make podium because I missed out on third by one point, taking fourth place.
In an accumulation of points I took 7th overall, no doubt so low because of my low placings in the sprint and TT competitions, but still decent for such a tough week of racing.
Overall I'm pretty satisfied with my Nationals results, but most importantly, I learned a lot about my strengths and weaknesses, and know what to improve for next year. Going to California and racing on such an extreme track as the ADT was a great experience, not to mention I really enjoyed riding and racing on it, and sometimes struggling on a difficult new discipline is better than breezing through something you know really well. The quick, harsh lessons I learned on the Carson velodrome will certainly aid me in years to come, because next time I race a 250 meter track I'll at least have some experience it won't take me by surprise like it did this year.
And that concludes California.
Till next year…
-Jessi
__,_._,___
There is no doubt that this year's Junior National Championships hosted some of the most exciting and challenging races, not to mention being located in sunny California, which tied together a fun vacation and a memorable experience. Nomatter how many pages I cover this story in, it will still never include the entirely of the trip, so I figure I'll just pick out the highlights and not bore my readers with the nitty gritty facts.
Never before had I ridden a bicycle in California, or been to Los Angeles, so that in itself proved to be an adventure. Road Nationals were first on the agenda, so we stayed in a leaky hotel in Anaheim, within walking distance from Disneyland, where our podium presentations were to be held. From the outside, our hotel looked like the face of luxury, but after just two days there, we realized it was literally falling apart from within. It was everything from beaten in drawers, to broken toilets, to leaking air conditioners that made us wonder what bigger problems the place might be hiding. Luckily, though, with my honed survival skills, I was able to make do with what we had (bed pans aren't out of style yet, are they? Just kidding.)
My first event was to be the individual time trial, which, luckily, I had my "super tripped out TT bike" for. If there was a TV show called "Pimp my bicycle", my TT bike would definitely not be on it. In fact, my TT bike was really an imposter, because it was, in fact, just my road bike with a cheap pair of TT bars clamped on it. Fortunately, I happen to be a top-notch bike expert, and that imposter TT bike didn't fool me for a second, because as soon as I lifted my bike up I realized it weighed about 70 pounds extra due to the cheap TT bars. If I ever buy my own boat, I will use those TT bars as my anchor (when I'm not using them for my "TT bike" of course).
The course itself consisted of long, gradual hills that made it feel as though my wheel was super-glued to the pavement, and the blazing hot sun did nothing to improve the scene. After a hard effort I rode into 3rd place, just day one of a long two weeks of racing.
The next day I arrived at the criterium course, which was literally located in the Angels Stadium parking lot. The course wasn't much better than any other National crit course I've ever experienced, which means that it was pretty pitiful. It pretty much looked like a giant blob with a loop at one end, and was fenced off with the usual iron gates used for a crit. The day was about as hot as the previous day, and my wheels were practically melted to the pavement by the time the ref blew the whistle, where Coryn (the girl who won the TT) literally attacked as soon as she clipped in. After looking around and decidin g that nobody else was going to chase (it was the first lap for Christ's sake!) I took the lead and quickly closed the gap before the end of the first lap. The race continued as attack after attack was launched, and despite all my crafty sly moves, I didn't succeed in making a break for the larger part of the race. Then, just about the time the sun and attacks were starting to wear everyone down, a solo move got away, and gained a quick lead as nobody attempted to chase right away. As soon as everyone realized that the gap was 30 seconds and getting larger, it was too late, and scattered attacks and failed attempts to work together only added to our demise. I did virtually no work in the chase, and made a flyer on the final lap of the race, managing to slide into second place.
The next day hosted the junior women's RR, which, was dishearteningly flat considering we were in California. This race would soon turn out to be perhaps one of the most disappointing races of my young cycling career. That very day happened to be one of those rare days where a rider hops on their bicycle only to feel like they're lugging a 20 ton load of potatoes. This tends not to bode well in a National Event. The combination of national event stress (which was pretty high at the time) and empty legs only furthered my discouragement, and just several laps into the race (personally I think road races should not be allowed to have laps), I made possibly the worst choice I have ever made in a bike race. Despite my constant efforts at a chase, my legs were just not up to par and I could not make any moves that occurred early on in the race. I soon ended up in the third chase group, and barely hanging on at that. When it got to the point that my frustration and disappointment became overwhelming, I dejectedly slammed on the brakes and pulled out of the race. Now, looking back on my impulsive choice, I only feel regret and remorse, and quickly learned that nomatter what plays out in a bike race, to never just throw in the towel when it seems as though all hope is lost, because giving up is the greatest form of failure. Sometimes, as I have learned, you have to experience things the hard way to truly learn from them, and now that I see the mistake in my choice, I'm determine d to never let negativity or frustration get in the way of a race, or any other aspect of my life for that matter, again.
Just a week passed after road nationals before track nationals began, and we packed up all 80 tons of equiptment into our rental mini van and headed for long beach, where the events were to be held on the ADT event center track in Carson. This track was a unique sort in the fact that it was a wooden track composed of Siberian Pine, is one of the only indoor tracks in the U.S., and being just 250 meters in length, it had roughly 46 degrees in banking. All I can say is that it's definitely quite a bit steeper than Northbrook, my native track. In fact, the straightaways on the ADT velodrome are indeed steeper than the steepest turn on the Northbrook velodrome.
I was just a slight bit apprehensive about racing on this track because it was very much unlike any track I had ever ridden before. It is certainly at a rider's advantage to ride on their home track because a true track racer knows all the kit and caboodle about their own track from the scantiest bumps to the feel of the surface and the pull of the banking. I virtually knew nothing of these properties at the ADT velodrome. To prove this statement, one must simply know of my very first experience on this track.
Before being allowed to just ride the velodrome, a rider has to first get certified to make sure they know how to stay upright on this scary-looking structure. I began by riding around on the apron, which, in track jargon, is the innermost surface of the track and is completely flat. After several laps I gained enough courage to leap up onto the real track itself and begin my adventure in track riding. All was great, and I felt exhilarated at the exotic feel of the smooth wood under my tire as I chugged along on the first straightaway of the loop. Everything so far was going wonderfully, and for about 50 feet I got to feel the satisfaction of staying up right on the daunting ADT velodrome. Then, unfortunately, I hit the first turn and realized that it was very, very steep, and even worse, that I really wasn't going all that fast. It didn't take long for Gravity to put two in two together and come to the conclusion that me staying upright around that turn at that velocity would pretty much defy all the laws of physics. And so my 50 feet of exhilarating ADT experience came to a quick and jarring halt as my tires slid out from under me, sending me sprawling down the track. Perhaps the only good thing about falling off a 46 degree angle is that by the time you hit the bottom you literally off the track, and therefore can no longer get in anyone's way, like, say a paceline of 20 riders flying thr ough at 30 mph.
So with several days of practice under my belt, I felt a bit more confident for my first event: the sprint competition. This event tends to be pretty complex with more rules than any one person can handle, but the basic idea is that riders are matched in pairs and have just three laps to figure out how to outsprint the other one. The winner moves on to the next round where they go head to head with another qualifier, and so on and so forth until the final round where the two final contestants race for the gold.
Well, I happened to be matched with a newbie in the first round who was really quite as lost in as I was about how to race a match sprint. Now you may think that this is a good thing, but let me assure you, it's not. There's nothing scarier than having two novices out on the track trying to race a world class event. Exactly how those world class people do it, I don't know, because as soon as we hit turn one after just one lap on the track, I realized for the second time that week that gravity was not so forgiving. It didn't help much, either, that we were at the very top of the track. My competitor was the first to go, and as soon as she hit the track I made the mistake of looking down, because when I did, I realized it was a long, long way down. So what did I do? I went down after her. Is anyone actually surprised?
Just a little bit of rug burn on my arm and leg and I was livid. We started the round over (both of us kept a pretty good pace through turn one I must say) and I outsprinted her in the final stretch to move on to the next round.
My victories were short lived, though, because I lost the second round to take 7th place.
The next day wasn't much better either. I've never had a very good history of 500 meter TTs, and that day proved it because I took 14th place after a shaky start and slow run.
After that came the scratch race, the first mass start race and my best opportunity for a good place. The race was splintered with a series of attacks, none of which got away, and the race was neutralized by a crash with just 6 laps to go. The field became desperate as the laps counted down, but every move never made it far, and it was sure to be a field sprint. I learned quite a harsh lesson on the ADT about field sprints on a 250 meter velodrome: everyone pretty much finishes in whatever place they're in on the last lap of the race. It really isn't much of a field sprint at all. Seeing as though I was in roughly 5th position on the final lap, that's exactly where I ended up finishin g. 5th place wasn't so bad considering it was my first mass start on the track, but still just a tiny bit disappointing considering my past results.
Finally, the last day in my track competition arrived, and I was ready to take on the points race seeing as though it was probably my best of all the races. The race started out calm for the first 9 laps, just a pack of cyclists riding in circles, until the first bell rang to signify a points sprint. From then on the field was just a shattered remnant of a peloton, because four girls made it off the front to eventually lap the field, and I happened to be one of them. In a points race, when a rider laps the field, they achieve 20 points, so by doing so the four of us pretty much secured out top four places in the race. Sadly, though, I was unable to make podium because I missed out on third by one point, taking fourth place.
In an accumulation of points I took 7th overall, no doubt so low because of my low placings in the sprint and TT competitions, but still decent for such a tough week of racing.
Overall I'm pretty satisfied with my Nationals results, but most importantly, I learned a lot about my strengths and weaknesses, and know what to improve for next year. Going to California and racing on such an extreme track as the ADT was a great experience, not to mention I really enjoyed riding and racing on it, and sometimes struggling on a difficult new discipline is better than breezing through something you know really well. The quick, harsh lessons I learned on the Carson velodrome will certainly aid me in years to come, because next time I race a 250 meter track I'll at least have some experience it won't take me by surprise like it did this year.
And that concludes California.
Till next year…
-Jessi
__,_._,___
9/07/2008
FIAC National Championship TTT pictures
Click on the link below for some GREAT pictures.
http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
Thanks Valerie Redlich for taking the pictures and another big thanks
to Jenny Cerwin for the ABD support van !!!!
Ken Glinka
9/05/2008
ABD/GEARGRINDER Fall Fling Registration is Open!
The ABD Cycle Club and GEARGRINDER clothing are proud to announce the final details on Illinois final Road event of the 2008 season: the 6th annual Fall Fling! The Fling is a four-race series based on points and features over $9,000 in cash and prizes with $4,000 exclusively for Masters Men and Women over 40!
Riders who register by Sunday, September 21st can race all four races for $80, just $20 each! Registration is available online at Active.com or by mailing in the official Fall Fling waiver.
A change of note for 2008, the series kicks off on Saturday, September 27 with the Westlake Village Road Race rather than the traditional time trial. The Road Race is worth double points in the series and is held on a challenging 8-mile loop west of Rockford, Illinois. Stage two on Sunday, September 28 is Criterium #1 on the Wood Dale North Course. The 10-mile Maple Park Time Trial has now moved to stage three on Saturday, October 4 and gives many riders the opportunity to compare their fitness to their spring results. It all wraps up with the Criterium Finale on Sunday, October 5 and held on the classic Wood Dale South Course.
A special thanks to the Redline Racing Club for their support of ABD and cooperation in helping us to utilize the Wood Dale race courses!
The ABD Cycle Club is one of the Chicago area’s largest cycling clubs. Originally focusing on the development of young and talented riders, the ABD has grown to include riders of all ages and at all ability levels. Today, the ABD works to attract riders to the sport of competitive cycling by offering a variety of grassroots racing events designed to be fun, challenging and easily accessible.
Born out of the cycling culture, GEARGRINDER was launched with a purpose of creating a distinctive line of products for the part of life spent off the bike. Their designs utilize many of the features, technologies and styles found in cycling gear and adapts them in its unique line of casual, lifestyle clothing and accessories. Their mission is to enhance the lives of their customers, fellow riders and the cycling community at large through selling relevant, high quality, ethically-made products, and use the proceeds to support the sport of cycling and organizations that use the bicycle to improve the quality of life for all.
Riders who register by Sunday, September 21st can race all four races for $80, just $20 each! Registration is available online at Active.com or by mailing in the official Fall Fling waiver.
A change of note for 2008, the series kicks off on Saturday, September 27 with the Westlake Village Road Race rather than the traditional time trial. The Road Race is worth double points in the series and is held on a challenging 8-mile loop west of Rockford, Illinois. Stage two on Sunday, September 28 is Criterium #1 on the Wood Dale North Course. The 10-mile Maple Park Time Trial has now moved to stage three on Saturday, October 4 and gives many riders the opportunity to compare their fitness to their spring results. It all wraps up with the Criterium Finale on Sunday, October 5 and held on the classic Wood Dale South Course.
A special thanks to the Redline Racing Club for their support of ABD and cooperation in helping us to utilize the Wood Dale race courses!
The ABD Cycle Club is one of the Chicago area’s largest cycling clubs. Originally focusing on the development of young and talented riders, the ABD has grown to include riders of all ages and at all ability levels. Today, the ABD works to attract riders to the sport of competitive cycling by offering a variety of grassroots racing events designed to be fun, challenging and easily accessible.
Born out of the cycling culture, GEARGRINDER was launched with a purpose of creating a distinctive line of products for the part of life spent off the bike. Their designs utilize many of the features, technologies and styles found in cycling gear and adapts them in its unique line of casual, lifestyle clothing and accessories. Their mission is to enhance the lives of their customers, fellow riders and the cycling community at large through selling relevant, high quality, ethically-made products, and use the proceeds to support the sport of cycling and organizations that use the bicycle to improve the quality of life for all.
8/25/2008
2008 ABD/GEARGRINDER Fall Fling Details Coming Soon!
We are wrapping up the details on the 6th Annual Fall Fling, and are
very excited to announce the addition of GEARGRINDER as a sponsor to
this year's series!
very excited to announce the addition of GEARGRINDER as a sponsor to
this year's series!
The 2008 edition of the series will feature four challenging stages,
but instead of starting out with the Time Trial as in years past, the
series kicks off on Saturday, September 27th with the DOUBLE POINTS
Road Race! The following races include a criterium on Sunday the 28th,
the Time Trial on Saturday, October 4th, and the Criterium Finale on
Sunday, October 5th.
The 2008 Fall Fling will feature over $9,000 in Cash & Prizes, with a
dedicated $4,000 for Masters Men & Women riders!
Full details and registration info is coming soon!
8/13/2008
Wolfgang Frietag TTT Pictures Posted
Go to this link: http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
We had GREAT weather and a GREAT place to beat our selfs up :)
Thanks Mike Redlich for the pictures !!
Ken Glinka
8/07/2008
Schroetlin Takes Overall Win at Tour of Elk Grove
After winning the first stage out of a breakaway and taking the 20
second time bonus, ABD/GEARGRINDER rider Jeff Schroetlin went into the
final day with a cushion of 22 seconds over second place.
second time bonus, ABD/GEARGRINDER rider Jeff Schroetlin went into the
final day with a cushion of 22 seconds over second place.
The team did an excellent job of keeping it all together and Jeff safely
tucked in the field, but time bonus sprints and a last lap dig by ISCorp
rider Steve Scholzen almost unseated him. Schroetlin himself drove the
front of the field to keep Steve within two seconds at the finish line,
and two seconds was also all the the margin Jeff ultimately needed to
hold on to the jersey and one of the team's biggest wins of the season.
8/03/2008
Schroetlin Wins the First Stage of Elk Grove!
ABD/GEARGRINDER’s Jeff Schroetlin took home the first stage of the 2008 Tour of Elk Grove, jumping away from his three breakaway companions with 600 meters remaining and holding off the rest of the field by 10 seconds.
There were several breakaway attempts on the long, L-shaped course, with the entire ABD/GEARGRINDER team getting in on the action. There was only one move that the team didn’t make, but ABD/GG’s Steve Spencer quickly organized the chase with teammates Brett Stewart and Andy Skeen and the three pulled it all back together. With two and a half laps remaining Schroetlin and five other riders formed the break that would stick. The group of six gave it their all and two riders fell off the pace, leaving just four leaders with one lap remaining.
As they neared the final left turn before the long, winding, finishing stretch, Schroetlin give it one final attack that proved too much for the other three. Pat Lemieux of Bianchi/Grand Performance finished two seconds back and the other two riders were six seconds back, just 4 seconds ahead of the field.
There were several breakaway attempts on the long, L-shaped course, with the entire ABD/GEARGRINDER team getting in on the action. There was only one move that the team didn’t make, but ABD/GG’s Steve Spencer quickly organized the chase with teammates Brett Stewart and Andy Skeen and the three pulled it all back together. With two and a half laps remaining Schroetlin and five other riders formed the break that would stick. The group of six gave it their all and two riders fell off the pace, leaving just four leaders with one lap remaining.
As they neared the final left turn before the long, winding, finishing stretch, Schroetlin give it one final attack that proved too much for the other three. Pat Lemieux of Bianchi/Grand Performance finished two seconds back and the other two riders were six seconds back, just 4 seconds ahead of the field.
8/01/2008
Prinner Report: Superweek
After obtaining 4 state championship jerseys in just two weeks (two USCF at Proctor and two ABR at Wooddale) I looked on to Junior Nationals as being my last opportunity at donning a championship jersey for this year. But before I knew it, I had my eye fixed unwaveringly on another jersey, one that would take a weeks worth of strategical brains and a heck of a lot of pain to achieve. Superweek, by no doubt, is the mother of all criterium races, where cyclists race until theyre permanently attached to their bicycles. The womens 3/4 series this year was the longest its ever been before, with seven stages in eight days. Seeing as though this would probably be my last year as a cat. 3, I decided to go out with a bang and prove that I deser ved an upgrade by claiming the overall jersey.
I began my series by entering a few womens Pro 1,2,3 races, and quickly decided that these women really meant business when it came to racing. I was nothing but a piece of lint that clung to the Great Granddaddy Shirt of the womens Pro peloton. I was still a proud piece of lint, though, because out of the four times the Great Grandaddy Shirt went through the washing machine (for thats what the races felt like) Little Jessi Lint was only swept away once; I actually managed to cling on and finish respectably in each of the other three races. One time I even attacked and gained a considerable margin on the field, out by myself on a solo breakaway for two laps, and I probably could have held it to the finish line if there hadnt been 48 laps left in the race.
Finally, my first day of racing as a cat. 3/4 came, and I felt empowered as I rolled up to the line at Evenston, surrounded by over 40 ladies. I, Jessi Prinner, was a survivor, someone who had seen and experienced a higher and greater power than the womens 3/4. Comparing the Pro women to the women 3/4 is like comparing an ostrich and a hummingbird; the only similarity they have is that theyre birds. I had become accustomed to super long races lasting 50 laps, and now with only 15 laps in the race I felt like the Duracell bunny as I attacked just about every other lap for the first 8 laps (after the race a French rider compared my racing style to that of a rifle; reload, cock the gun, fire! Reload, cock the gun, fire!). At long last one o f my attacks stuck, and better yet a team Revolution lady had come along on my wheel. Lets work together!, I screamed as elated as can be. With a strong partner, I knew this break could stick to the finish. All was well and great as we worked well for about 20 seconds, and then I pulled through and that was the end of team Revolution lady.
Okay, I thought to myself, I didnt need her anyway! I can solo it to the finish! Then I looked up and saw I had 7 laps to go.
Lets look on the positive side, says Jessi, At least its not 48 laps to go!
Somehow I managed to power through 5 laps with just a 30 second gap before the officials neutralized the race for a crash and declared me the automatic winner in the end.
Yeah, so the next 6 races really arent as interesting as the first one, so Im just going to recount some of the more memorable moments of each race.
Cedarburg:
On this hilly course I made a four-woman breakaway and lapped the field twice. Im convinced it was all a conspiracy, though. The field planned it that way so that they wouldnt have to ride the two extra laps. Little did they know that I was the last one laughing, though, because all those suckers were the ones racing for fifth. I ended up taking 3rd with a crummy sprint in the end.
Whitnall Park RR:
Not much really happened on this curvy circuit course. I attacked and attacked and attacked but nothing got away. The race ended in a field sprint where I took 5th.
Racine.org crit:
Today I made secret alliences with two ladies named Jeannie and Andrea. Jeannie is from New Zealand and Andrea is from Canada. Watch out field, I have foreigners on my side. One speaks British and the other speaks French. Unfortunately it came down to a field sprint and with bad positioning I got 13th. So much for foreign aid.
Kenosha:
Today was a very invigorating day. First, as I was riding back from registration, I cut my finger on the metal ladder leading to the officials stand. Normally, Im not a baby when it comes to cuts and bruises, but I definitely started to freak out when I looked down and saw it squirting blood. By the time I got back to the van, it looked like an extreme massacre had occurred. My finger was completely red and blood dripped down my leg and bike. I was convinced my finger was going to fall off. Luckily we managed to save it by applying a butterfly stitch (my mother was so excited her eyes were practically popping out of her head. Now remember, this is the same mother that ran over my head with her bike two years ago. These things excite her).
And not only did I almost get my finger cut off, but I also saw spider-man! I am pretty suspicious, though, that it might have been an imposter because last time I saw him, spider-man didnt have a beer belly. My lycra was definitely tighter than his, too.
Oh, and my race came down to a field sprint and I took 3rd.
The Great Downer Avenue Bike Race:
My warm up consisted of watching a puppet show and then shopping at some of the many great stores along Downer Avenue. The race itself was divided quickly as a break of about six formed up the road. Not wanting to miss out on any of the fun, I bridged the gap and we ended up staying away the entire race. The sprint was a drag race to the line between me and a Dairyland Girl named Anna, but I took the win by just a margin of inches.
Whitefish Bay:
Since Lake Michegan wasnt far from the racecourse, my mom, a French racer (the same one that compared me to a rifle), and I decided to ride down to the beach and dip our legs in the water. Sure, our spandex outfits seemed like an unconventional bathing suits, but by now I was used to all the weird stares I got from all the conventional-bathing-suit people. Even though my tired legs pleaded with me not to leave, in the end Jessis rational brain won out and we left our spot of luxery on the beach to greet the hot, unwelcoming slab of pavement also known as our race course. The field was smaller than usual due to the enticing purse of the Chicago crit, and I could tell all the ladies were feeling tire d and lazy from all the racing, but I pulled myself together for a final day in Superweek and sprinted for a final place of 3rd.
After a long and vigorous week of racing, I was glad when I could finally get on stage and claim my yellow leaders jersey that I worked so hard for. Despite what anyone might say, riding in circles for 11 days straight is more exhausting than it seems, and Im proud to be able to say that my yellow jersey is living proof that I rode in circles the fastest.
I bet not many people can say that.
Till next race…
-Jessi
I began my series by entering a few womens Pro 1,2,3 races, and quickly decided that these women really meant business when it came to racing. I was nothing but a piece of lint that clung to the Great Granddaddy Shirt of the womens Pro peloton. I was still a proud piece of lint, though, because out of the four times the Great Grandaddy Shirt went through the washing machine (for thats what the races felt like) Little Jessi Lint was only swept away once; I actually managed to cling on and finish respectably in each of the other three races. One time I even attacked and gained a considerable margin on the field, out by myself on a solo breakaway for two laps, and I probably could have held it to the finish line if there hadnt been 48 laps left in the race.
Finally, my first day of racing as a cat. 3/4 came, and I felt empowered as I rolled up to the line at Evenston, surrounded by over 40 ladies. I, Jessi Prinner, was a survivor, someone who had seen and experienced a higher and greater power than the womens 3/4. Comparing the Pro women to the women 3/4 is like comparing an ostrich and a hummingbird; the only similarity they have is that theyre birds. I had become accustomed to super long races lasting 50 laps, and now with only 15 laps in the race I felt like the Duracell bunny as I attacked just about every other lap for the first 8 laps (after the race a French rider compared my racing style to that of a rifle; reload, cock the gun, fire! Reload, cock the gun, fire!). At long last one o f my attacks stuck, and better yet a team Revolution lady had come along on my wheel. Lets work together!, I screamed as elated as can be. With a strong partner, I knew this break could stick to the finish. All was well and great as we worked well for about 20 seconds, and then I pulled through and that was the end of team Revolution lady.
Okay, I thought to myself, I didnt need her anyway! I can solo it to the finish! Then I looked up and saw I had 7 laps to go.
Lets look on the positive side, says Jessi, At least its not 48 laps to go!
Somehow I managed to power through 5 laps with just a 30 second gap before the officials neutralized the race for a crash and declared me the automatic winner in the end.
Yeah, so the next 6 races really arent as interesting as the first one, so Im just going to recount some of the more memorable moments of each race.
Cedarburg:
On this hilly course I made a four-woman breakaway and lapped the field twice. Im convinced it was all a conspiracy, though. The field planned it that way so that they wouldnt have to ride the two extra laps. Little did they know that I was the last one laughing, though, because all those suckers were the ones racing for fifth. I ended up taking 3rd with a crummy sprint in the end.
Whitnall Park RR:
Not much really happened on this curvy circuit course. I attacked and attacked and attacked but nothing got away. The race ended in a field sprint where I took 5th.
Racine.org crit:
Today I made secret alliences with two ladies named Jeannie and Andrea. Jeannie is from New Zealand and Andrea is from Canada. Watch out field, I have foreigners on my side. One speaks British and the other speaks French. Unfortunately it came down to a field sprint and with bad positioning I got 13th. So much for foreign aid.
Kenosha:
Today was a very invigorating day. First, as I was riding back from registration, I cut my finger on the metal ladder leading to the officials stand. Normally, Im not a baby when it comes to cuts and bruises, but I definitely started to freak out when I looked down and saw it squirting blood. By the time I got back to the van, it looked like an extreme massacre had occurred. My finger was completely red and blood dripped down my leg and bike. I was convinced my finger was going to fall off. Luckily we managed to save it by applying a butterfly stitch (my mother was so excited her eyes were practically popping out of her head. Now remember, this is the same mother that ran over my head with her bike two years ago. These things excite her).
And not only did I almost get my finger cut off, but I also saw spider-man! I am pretty suspicious, though, that it might have been an imposter because last time I saw him, spider-man didnt have a beer belly. My lycra was definitely tighter than his, too.
Oh, and my race came down to a field sprint and I took 3rd.
The Great Downer Avenue Bike Race:
My warm up consisted of watching a puppet show and then shopping at some of the many great stores along Downer Avenue. The race itself was divided quickly as a break of about six formed up the road. Not wanting to miss out on any of the fun, I bridged the gap and we ended up staying away the entire race. The sprint was a drag race to the line between me and a Dairyland Girl named Anna, but I took the win by just a margin of inches.
Whitefish Bay:
Since Lake Michegan wasnt far from the racecourse, my mom, a French racer (the same one that compared me to a rifle), and I decided to ride down to the beach and dip our legs in the water. Sure, our spandex outfits seemed like an unconventional bathing suits, but by now I was used to all the weird stares I got from all the conventional-bathing-suit people. Even though my tired legs pleaded with me not to leave, in the end Jessis rational brain won out and we left our spot of luxery on the beach to greet the hot, unwelcoming slab of pavement also known as our race course. The field was smaller than usual due to the enticing purse of the Chicago crit, and I could tell all the ladies were feeling tire d and lazy from all the racing, but I pulled myself together for a final day in Superweek and sprinted for a final place of 3rd.
After a long and vigorous week of racing, I was glad when I could finally get on stage and claim my yellow leaders jersey that I worked so hard for. Despite what anyone might say, riding in circles for 11 days straight is more exhausting than it seems, and Im proud to be able to say that my yellow jersey is living proof that I rode in circles the fastest.
I bet not many people can say that.
Till next race…
-Jessi
7/31/2008
Ride for Jon pictures posted
What a fun event !!
Click on this link: http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
Click on this link: http://www.abdcycling.com/gallery.htm
Thank to everyone who showed up and especially to MaryLee, Mike F and
Joe for hosting.
Ken Glinka
7/26/2008
Prinner Takes Her Second Stage- Holds Overall Lead by 4 Points!
Saturday marked the return of the Lakefront Course to the Superweek
Series, and ABD's Jessi Prinner celebrated it's return by taking the
victory. It was her second victory after last Sunday's solo win in
Evanston.
Series, and ABD's Jessi Prinner celebrated it's return by taking the
victory. It was her second victory after last Sunday's solo win in
Evanston.
Jessi now holds the overall lead by just 4 points over Kaitlin Antonneau
of IS Corp with the final day remaining in Whitefish Bay.
Go, Jessi, Go!
7/24/2008
Donate to the Flick Fund Via PayPal
There have been some inquires about donating to the Jon Flick's fund
via PayPal (including credit cards) and we are happy to offer this
option. We'll cover the fees too so 100% of your donation goes to the
fund.
Here are the steps:
1) Login to PayPal (if no account create one first)
2) Click on the "Send Money" tab
3) Enter ABD's payment ID: abdcycling@gmail.com & enter Amount
4) Click on payment type "Services/Other" option
5) Click to continue
6) Enter Jon Flick Donation in subject line
7) Enter message "Optional"
8) Click "Send Money"
Thank you!
via PayPal (including credit cards) and we are happy to offer this
option. We'll cover the fees too so 100% of your donation goes to the
fund.
Here are the steps:
1) Login to PayPal (if no account create one first)
2) Click on the "Send Money" tab
3) Enter ABD's payment ID: abdcycling@gmail.
4) Click on payment type "Services/Other" option
5) Click to continue
6) Enter Jon Flick Donation in subject line
7) Enter message "Optional"
8) Click "Send Money"
Thank you!
7/23/2008
Jon Flick Fundraiser Ride
The Jon Flick 25K & 50K Fundraiser Rides
Wednesday, July 30th
Prairie Path Cycles - Batavia
50k Road Ride: 6PM, 25k Family Ride: 6:30PM
Jon Flick is an ABD Cycle club member and former Prairie Path Cycles employee who started working there at the age of 16 and went on to be a manager at Performance Bicycles (although he still stops back at PPC to help out when they need it).
Jon was involved in a car accident in mid-July and placed in a drug-induced coma. His parents, Rochelle & Ted Quednau, and brother, Theo Quednau, have long been a part of the ABD family.
The ABD Cycle Club is organizing both 25 & 50 kilometer charity rides to help raise money to help Jon and his family with medical costs and lost wages. Please use the form below to pledge your support.
These non-competitive group ride is open to all ABD Club Members who raise a minimum donation of either $.50/km for the 50k ride or $1.00/km for the 25k ride (Total=$25), but we encourage you to please raise more! ABD president Mike Farrell will lead the 50k ride, and Prairie Path Cycles’ employee Erin Silk is leading the 25k ride. Food and beverages will be provided after the ride courtesy of PPC.
Other riders who would like to participate can be an "ABD Member for a day" and their discounted $10 dues go directly towards Jon's fund. (Insurance reasons require that this be an “ABD only” ride)
Individuals who would like to donate but aren't able to make the ride can send checks to either bike shop payable to "ABD". Please write "Jon Flick" in the memo line.
All interested parties, please RSVP to Steve Parrish at abdcycling@gmail.com so we can be sure to have enough food.
All interested parties, please RSVP to Steve Parrish at abdcycling@gmail.com so we can be sure to have enough food.
7/22/2008
GEARGRINDER Site Open for Business!
The website for GEARGRINDER Cycling Inspired Apparel for Your Active Lifestyle is up and cruising in high gear!
Throw on some GEARGRINDER apparel, and get that sun on your face, wind at your back feeling even when you're off the bike...so come on, let's SHOP NOW!
See you on the road...and hopefully in your closet!
GEARGRINDER Cycling Inspired Apparel for Your Active Lifestyle www.gear-grinder.com
Throw on some GEARGRINDER apparel, and get that sun on your face, wind at your back feeling even when you're off the bike...so come on, let's SHOP NOW!
See you on the road...and hopefully in your closet!
GEARGRINDER Cycling Inspired Apparel for Your Active Lifestyle www.gear-grinder.com
7/20/2008
Superweek Day 10: Evanston Criterium
The series returned for south for another round in Illinois, and as Luke's reported over at Chicago Bike Racing, crashes were the order of the day. The Pro 1/2 race was neutralized not once, but twice, and the second neutralization couldn't have come at a more inopportune time for the ABD/GEARGRINDER squad.
With less than 10 laps remaining Josh Carter and Jeff Schroetlin were in a group with a small advantage over the field, and Schroetlin had just attacked off the front of it. And at that point in the race, most of the riders who were still feeling strong and were legitimate contenders for the race had made their way towards the front of the field.
However, after the unfortunate crash and ensuing 20 minute delay, riders cooled off and all those from the back made their way up front. The officials restarted Schroetlin with a small gap but didn't give one to the other riders. With a fresh field behind him, his solo move lasted approximately two blocks.
All in all, a frustrating day at the office for the team, but it could have been worse. We hope the best for the riders who crashed, and that they are back in action soon.
With less than 10 laps remaining Josh Carter and Jeff Schroetlin were in a group with a small advantage over the field, and Schroetlin had just attacked off the front of it. And at that point in the race, most of the riders who were still feeling strong and were legitimate contenders for the race had made their way towards the front of the field.
However, after the unfortunate crash and ensuing 20 minute delay, riders cooled off and all those from the back made their way up front. The officials restarted Schroetlin with a small gap but didn't give one to the other riders. With a fresh field behind him, his solo move lasted approximately two blocks.
All in all, a frustrating day at the office for the team, but it could have been worse. We hope the best for the riders who crashed, and that they are back in action soon.
Superweek Days 7 & 8: Rain, Pain & Return to the top 10
The last two days the tired legs and minds have started to show at Superweek with eight of racing remaining! Fortunately, the forced off-days due to school and work has helped the ABD/GEARGRINDER riders and in Saturday’s eighth stage in Waukesha Rob White made the break of 13 riders to ultimately finish 8th and return the team to a top ten in the results. Jeff Schroetlin’s strong riding continues as well, as he escaped the field with four laps remaining in the race and held them off as he solo’ed to 14th place.
The course for Friday’s stage in Ripon features tight turns and two challenging hills, so when the skies opened up it wreaked total havoc on the field. Several riders were dropped or crashed out every single lap, including overall leader Sterling Magnell, who fortunately returned to action on Satruday. ABD/GEARGRINDER rider Brett Stewart was the only finisher from the team, and although he rolled across the line last in the field, he still finished in 29th place!
The course for Friday’s stage in Ripon features tight turns and two challenging hills, so when the skies opened up it wreaked total havoc on the field. Several riders were dropped or crashed out every single lap, including overall leader Sterling Magnell, who fortunately returned to action on Satruday. ABD/GEARGRINDER rider Brett Stewart was the only finisher from the team, and although he rolled across the line last in the field, he still finished in 29th place!
Superweek Days 8 & 9: Rain, Pain & Return to the top 10
The last two days the tired legs and minds have started to show at Superweek with eight of racing remaining! Fortunately, the forced off-days due to school and work has helped the ABD/GEARGRINDER riders and in Saturday’s eighth stage in Waukesha Rob White made the break of 13 riders to ultimately finish 8th and return the team to a top ten in the results. Jeff Schroetlin’s strong riding continues as well, as he escaped the field with four laps remaining in the race and held them off as he solo’ed to 14th place.
The course for Friday’s stage in Ripon features tight turns and two challenging hills, so when the skies opened up it wreaked total havoc on the field. Several riders were dropped or crashed out every single lap, including overall leader Sterling Magnell, who fortunately returned to action on Satruday. ABD/GEARGRINDER rider Brett Stewart was the only finisher from the team, and although he rolled across the line last in the field, he still finished in 29th place!
The course for Friday’s stage in Ripon features tight turns and two challenging hills, so when the skies opened up it wreaked total havoc on the field. Several riders were dropped or crashed out every single lap, including overall leader Sterling Magnell, who fortunately returned to action on Satruday. ABD/GEARGRINDER rider Brett Stewart was the only finisher from the team, and although he rolled across the line last in the field, he still finished in 29th place!
7/18/2008
Superweek Day 7: the Columbian Caused Carnage Continues
Superweek headed north yesterday for it's first stage "home" in Shorewood, Wisconsin. The course features long straightaways that favor the powerful riders. Mike Farrell referred to the pack sprint in Shorewood in 2006 as looking like a "charging herd of Clydesdales" as the sprints wound up their huge gears. Well, there was no bunch sprint this year- but pure power prevailed.
A break containing a Columbian National Team Rider (we'll have names soon) and Rock Racing's Pete Dawson stayed away from a KBS/Medifast lead peloton. ABD/GEARGRINDER's Jeff Schroetlin and Ryan White both raced, but once the break was established Schroetlin said the day was pretty much over for everyone else. "The last couple of days the Columbian guys are really making the domestic teams look bad. Their riders are powering these breaks that big teams can't chase down, and then the other Columbian guys are taking quite a few primes."
The ABD/GG pair are looking forward to this weekend, when the rest of the team rejoins them.
Sent from handheld.
A break containing a Columbian National Team Rider (we'll have names soon) and Rock Racing's Pete Dawson stayed away from a KBS/Medifast lead peloton. ABD/GEARGRINDER's Jeff Schroetlin and Ryan White both raced, but once the break was established Schroetlin said the day was pretty much over for everyone else. "The last couple of days the Columbian guys are really making the domestic teams look bad. Their riders are powering these breaks that big teams can't chase down, and then the other Columbian guys are taking quite a few primes."
The ABD/GG pair are looking forward to this weekend, when the rest of the team rejoins them.
Sent from handheld.
7/17/2008
Superweek Day 6: Schroetlin Goes for the Late Flyer
Superweek returned to Bensenville for it’s sixth stage and for the first time this year a solo rider take the win - but unfortunately wasn’t one of our guys and the ABD/GG Top 10 streak counter will be reset going into Day 7. A Columbian National Team Rider escaped the field before the final point sprint and held on to a 25 to 45 second margin for the entire race, despite the chase of the entire Rock Racing team.
In a late bid for glory, Jeff Schroetlin was part of a six man chase group that formed with just four laps to go. When they group stopped working cohesively, he set out on a solo mission for second place with a lap and a half remaining. He held on to the slimmest of margins as he came through the start/finish on the bell lap, but the sprinters’ teams swallowed him up on the back side of the course.
Joining Jeff in the race were ABD/GEARGRINDER teammates Andy Skeen and Josh Carter, but after six straight days of racing Carter admitted it was time for a rest, “I probably should have taken today and Thursday off to be ready for the weekend, but now I’ll take off Thursday-Friday and get back in to it on Saturday” Fortunately, Schroetlin will be joined by the White brothers as the race heads North - the pair should be fresh after a few days off from racing. With 11 stages remaining, there is still plenty of time for the team to grab more stage wins.
In a late bid for glory, Jeff Schroetlin was part of a six man chase group that formed with just four laps to go. When they group stopped working cohesively, he set out on a solo mission for second place with a lap and a half remaining. He held on to the slimmest of margins as he came through the start/finish on the bell lap, but the sprinters’ teams swallowed him up on the back side of the course.
Joining Jeff in the race were ABD/GEARGRINDER teammates Andy Skeen and Josh Carter, but after six straight days of racing Carter admitted it was time for a rest, “I probably should have taken today and Thursday off to be ready for the weekend, but now I’ll take off Thursday-Friday and get back in to it on Saturday” Fortunately, Schroetlin will be joined by the White brothers as the race heads North - the pair should be fresh after a few days off from racing. With 11 stages remaining, there is still plenty of time for the team to grab more stage wins.
7/16/2008
Superweek Day 5: Schroetlin Keeps the Top 10 Streak Alive
Today Superweek moved to the Chicago suburb of Bensenville, which was the site of the ABD team's first ever Superweek win- by none other than Josh Carter last year. This year Bensenville is hosting two consecutive days of racing, but on an all new course. It was similar to Sunday's course in that there was a tight technical section that teams could use to slow the field down significantly.
Although this was the fifth day in a now of racing for many riders, the attacks started once again from the gun. The ABD/GEARGRINDER squad of Josh Carter, John Meyers, Jeff Schroetlin (back from spending a whole day in the office) and Zach WAtson all went with as many moves as they could, but eventually a group of 8 riders escaped up the road that included Rock Racing's Rahsaan Bahati, two KBS/Medifast riders and team San Jose's Carlos Vargas. With those riders having solid teammates back in the field it didn't take long before the eight leaders made their way around for the lap. But just before they caught the field, Reid Mumford (KBS/Medifast) put in an attack and was joined by ABD/GG riders Schroetlin and Watson, along with his teammate Johny Sundt and Jitter Joe's Chad Hartley.
Eventually the group grew to 15 and were the leaders on the course after the initial group of eight had lapped. It appeared that it would be a group sprint for 9th place, but with two laps to go a Columbian National Team rider slipped off the front for 9th, and with just over a lap to go Jeff Schroetlin followed suit to nab another ABD/GEARGRINDER top 10. Watson continued his strong "re-debut" with 17th and Carter came across in the money as well in 22nd.
7/15/2008
Superweek Day 4: Watson's at it Again
The fourth stage of Superweek took place at another new venue in the Chicagoland area, and again it was ABD’s Zach Watson that made the break and ultimately lapped the field en route to a 6th place finish.
The team was down to just three riders today as the majority of the squad needed to head back to put in a few hours at their weekday gigs, but lining up for another round in Richton Park were Watson, Josh Carter and John Meyers. With only three riders it was difficult to cover every move and a couple of times it looked like the team would only have stories about the one that got away, but then Watson bridged across to a large group and was joined shortly thereafter by Carter. The group swelled to 16 but continued to attack one another until only a group of seven remained, including former ABD’er/now-KBS rider Reid Mumford.
The group lapped the field with 11 to go and although Meyers and Carter worked to set Zach up for the sprint, the earlier effort (and no doubt yesterday’s breakaway effort as well!) had taken a bit of a toll. Regardless, his 6th place finish has added to what has certainly been one of the team’s strongest starts ever at Superweek.
The team was down to just three riders today as the majority of the squad needed to head back to put in a few hours at their weekday gigs, but lining up for another round in Richton Park were Watson, Josh Carter and John Meyers. With only three riders it was difficult to cover every move and a couple of times it looked like the team would only have stories about the one that got away, but then Watson bridged across to a large group and was joined shortly thereafter by Carter. The group swelled to 16 but continued to attack one another until only a group of seven remained, including former ABD’er/now-KBS rider Reid Mumford.
The group lapped the field with 11 to go and although Meyers and Carter worked to set Zach up for the sprint, the earlier effort (and no doubt yesterday’s breakaway effort as well!) had taken a bit of a toll. Regardless, his 6th place finish has added to what has certainly been one of the team’s strongest starts ever at Superweek.
7/14/2008
Superweek Day 3: Carter Wins at Olympia Fields!
Josh Carter scored ABD/GEARGRINDER’s first win of Superweek, winning out of a break of four that had also been powered along by pseudo-teammate Zach Watson. The four riders escaped with 30 laps remaining, and in the finale Watson set Carter up to handily take the sprint.
Superweek’s third stage was held on a tight, technical course that was just under a half-mile in length. Early on in the race a Columbian National team rider broke away solo and maintained a steady gap over the field. Rock Racing took the front in order to set up Rahsaan Bahati for the intermediate sprint points and at that point ABD/GG rider Jeff Schroetlin joined in the chase effort. The rider was caught just before the final point sprint, which Bahati won, and that’s when Carter immediately attacked with Watson glued to his wheel. A lap and a half later a chase group of six riders formed, and soon after Bissel rider Richard England and a Kahala-LaGrange rider jumped from that group to get across to Carter and Watson.
Back in the field, and on such a tight course, John Meyers and the White brothers just had to stay near the front and follow wheels to protect the gap. Not the easiest of jobs, but they handled it well.
[An update on who Zach Watson is and why he’s wearing traditional ABD clothing. The real question should be coming from Zach and is “who they heck are all these new ABD people?”. Zach was actually one of the original members of the ABD team back in the mid 1990’s that included Lucas Wall, Dalton Koprek, Brian Miles, and current US National Crit Champion Kirk O’bee. He took a hiatus from racing for a few years, married fellow racer and Iowan Erin Anderson, and the couple settled in Boulder, Colorado. He got back into racing a few years ago and when he asked us if he could fly the ABD colors again we were ecstatic. He wasn’t sure how much racing he could do with the team being so far away, so he’s signed up under the USAC registered “ABD Cycling Team” instead of the USAC registered “ABD/GEARGRINDER Team”. Either way, we’re happy to have him back in the fold and that he’s on our side! -Ebert]
Superweek’s third stage was held on a tight, technical course that was just under a half-mile in length. Early on in the race a Columbian National team rider broke away solo and maintained a steady gap over the field. Rock Racing took the front in order to set up Rahsaan Bahati for the intermediate sprint points and at that point ABD/GG rider Jeff Schroetlin joined in the chase effort. The rider was caught just before the final point sprint, which Bahati won, and that’s when Carter immediately attacked with Watson glued to his wheel. A lap and a half later a chase group of six riders formed, and soon after Bissel rider Richard England and a Kahala-LaGrange rider jumped from that group to get across to Carter and Watson.
Back in the field, and on such a tight course, John Meyers and the White brothers just had to stay near the front and follow wheels to protect the gap. Not the easiest of jobs, but they handled it well.
[An update on who Zach Watson is and why he’s wearing traditional ABD clothing. The real question should be coming from Zach and is “who they heck are all these new ABD people?”. Zach was actually one of the original members of the ABD team back in the mid 1990’s that included Lucas Wall, Dalton Koprek, Brian Miles, and current US National Crit Champion Kirk O’bee. He took a hiatus from racing for a few years, married fellow racer and Iowan Erin Anderson, and the couple settled in Boulder, Colorado. He got back into racing a few years ago and when he asked us if he could fly the ABD colors again we were ecstatic. He wasn’t sure how much racing he could do with the team being so far away, so he’s signed up under the USAC registered “ABD Cycling Team” instead of the USAC registered “ABD/GEARGRINDER Team”. Either way, we’re happy to have him back in the fold and that he’s on our side! -Ebert]
7/12/2008
Superweek Day 2: Carter takes 7th, White Tied for the Sprint Lead
Day two of the International Cycling Classic found the ABD/GEARGRINDER squad in the Chicago neighborhood of Blue Island. Josh Carter managed finished seventh in a chaotic field sprint that was won by Rock Racing’s Rahsaan Bahati. “I was right on Bahati’s wheel with only two turns to go because he was definitely a guy to watch”, said Carter. “Then in that second to last turn one of the Canadian guys totally chopped me in the turn [for Bahati’s wheel], and then what really killed me was that he couldn’t even hold Rahsaan’s wheel!”
The racing was aggressive all day as riders attempted to establish the breakaways typical to Superweek. At one point ABD/GEARGRINDER riders Jeff Schroetlin and Zach Watson both made it into a promising break of 14 riders, but after a few laps it too was swallowed up by the field.
At the end of the day Rob White managed to maintain first place in the points competition, but now he shares that lead with both Bahati and formerABD’er Chad Hartley, who now rides for Jittery Joe’s.
The racing was aggressive all day as riders attempted to establish the breakaways typical to Superweek. At one point ABD/GEARGRINDER riders Jeff Schroetlin and Zach Watson both made it into a promising break of 14 riders, but after a few laps it too was swallowed up by the field.
At the end of the day Rob White managed to maintain first place in the points competition, but now he shares that lead with both Bahati and formerABD’er Chad Hartley, who now rides for Jittery Joe’s.
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