On the road, on a track, or a TT course - you’ll find CCRT members in action

It seems like wherever you go this season you’re bound to run into one of CCRT’s 24 members. Below are some recent highlights:

May 7 & 8: Kissena Velodrome/Track

Donna Davis attended opening weekend at the Kissena Velodrome and placed 5^th overall in the Womens 4. Nice job Donna!

May 22: Ninigret Criterium
We knew it was coming – it was simply a matter of time. Congratulations to Karen Williams on her very first win! Karen noted after the race “It felt fantastic to be the first over that white line. It’s all mental.” Veteran racer, Daria Vander Veer, made a great day better with yet another first-place win of the day in her field. Nice job ladies!!!

May 22: Shamrock Duathlon (2^nd photo)
The lucky Leprechauns were with us this day also as several CCRT members took home medals including Nicole Drier, 1st and Diana Cohen 2nd in their respective categories. Jeff Scala placed an amazing 30th overall out of 342 finishers and Fritz Pameijer 35th overall - both placing 5th in their categories. Nice job guys! Cycling Concepts was the sponsor partner for the event.

Back row, left to right; Andy Wayner, Jeff Scala, Fritz Pameijer, Keith Sherman (Owner, Cycling Concepts, Team Sponsor). Front row: L-R Julia Wayner, Nicole Dreier, MaryLynn Hadix, Diana Cohen, Carmen Carlton.

May 25/Expowheelmen Time Trial (first photo)
Although the weekend was over, the action didn't stop. This past Wednesday’s ExpoWheelMen TT was well attended by CCRT members. Pictured below are: Andrew Wayner, Donna Davis, Amanda Bedard, Lynn Cochrane, Julia Wayner, Frank Davis (Karen Franzen not). Special thanks to Steve Yau for the photo!

The next Expo Wheelmen TT is set for June 8th/Gay City State Park/Bolton. Bring your lungs and come out and join the fun.

"Race with your head, not your legs."

This was the gist of the message expressed by elite racers Stephanie Chase and MaryAnn Martinez during the women’s racing clinic which took place at Rentchaler field/East Hartford this past Saturday. Beginner and intermediate racers had the opportunity to race and practice tactics the same one-mile course where many criterium enthusiasts meet to test the limits of their fitness. This event – as well as a junior’s racing clinic - was organized by Karen Franzen, team captain for CCRT, and other members of CVC racing team. The event was made possible by a grant from NEBRA (New England Bike Racing Assoc.) hoping to attract more women to racing events. Stephanie and MaryAnn shared a wealth of racing knowledge with a group of 20 women, and educated riders on various tactics such as cornering, bridging, sprinting, and blocking. There was a big emphasis on team strategy and awareness of what’s going on around you the course. And also lots of advice you typically don’t get reading books on racing such as “check your ego at the door” and “respect the officials”. It would be impossible to share all the knowledge these two masters riders know in one session, but they gave it their best shot – and all of us who attended appreciate the effort! Both coaches also attended the Woman’s 3/4 race at Ninigrit Park in RI on Sunday. The officials allowed Stephanie to ride in with the field to observe and provide “in race” coaching which proved to be very beneficial to the racers as well as allow Steph to assess the womens' skills first hand. The day concluded with a post race recap (pictured above).

Winsted woods mtb race repot.

Not so quick - that isn't one of our crew. This is Mo Bruno, cyclocross champion & MTB elite who finished first in the womens pro field at Winsted Woods today. Too bad I missed Donna's race! but I can attest to the conditions...they were deplorable - and yes, many DNFs - but our Donna hung in there! Way to go Donna!

Below is Donna's write up of the race today -

Well, that was 'knarly dude'. I pre-rode 1 lap yesterday and I was whiped out the rest of the day, so I new it was going to be interesting doing 2 laps today in wet conditions. That course is pretty technical......or shall I say, "the hardest thing I've ridden so far".

We are at the start line and the official groups all the women together (7 of us) and then it started raining, but she said "it's suppose to be heavy rain at 11", she asked us if we wanted to do 1 lap, of course no one admitted it, so 2 it was! We didn't even make it up the 1st climb, people were falling, walking and it was pretty much a downpour, then torrential rain, then the glasses wouldn't stop fogging up so I couldn't see going down hill so I had to walk alot of it. I was wondering how I'd finish in one piece. I came up on one section where there were cow bells and a guy in a grass skirt with a camp fire going :) That made me laugh.

So some of the crazy sections from yesterday were under water by then, so I didn't remember where they were, so I guess I just rolled over them, hence the saying "what you can't see, won't hurt ya", something like that. Imagine the big puddles at Winding Trails x 5, they were everywhere and I couldn't avoid stepping in them, some where 6 inches deep. And Imagine that steep climb at Winding Trails, but with logs, big rocks mud and roots and down hills designed to endo if you didn't do them correctly. The open grassy single track section was a muddy mess where dirt was coming off your tires....which was great, but going into your eyes....not so great..and if you went too fast you couldn't stop at the end, woe betsy, alot of slipping and sliding. Before the end of the lap there was a steep muddy slippery downhill that was forcing your front tire to go where you didn't want it to go, therefore 2 endos and 1 face plant, I decided to walk some of that downhill.



The 2nd lap seemed to be easier for some reason, seemed as though I was able to roll over more stuff or shall I say slide over it, maybe that was the section I couldn't see in. Some of the hills you couldn't make up because there was NO traction. There were some guys on the course with us checking out the conditions, I was told the later races would be shortened from 4 miles to 3.2 miles and maybe reduce the laps also. There is a first for everything and today I had alot of 1st's. It was crazy, trecherous, dangerous, insane, but it was still fun. I was doing the math in my head about what place I was in, and I was convinced I was in 5th place.........so another 1st is "never give up", because your math may be off. I came in 3rd for my age group. Some cat 3's were getting pulled for taking too long in the 1st lap and quite a few DNF'd. Crazy race. Go legs go :)

Karen W gets top ten at Sterling

Karen Williams rocked the course Saturday at the 17th annual Sterling RR placing 7th out of 37 finishers in Womens Cat 4. The race was a brisk 24 mi, rolling terrain with a finish climb. It was great seeing CCRT women in action! On the first lap Daria passed the entire field and moved up front (I would presume to get Karen in good position before the hill). At the start of the 2nd lap there was a two rider break and Karen and I found ourselves in the chase group where we stayed for the remainder of the race. At several times the pace got "pokey" and Karen was there to liven things up - sprinting ahead while everyone chased. 1 mile from the finish I passed the field and got in front thinking I might be able to give Karen more protection before the rocket boosters launched. At that time some CycleLoft gal screamed up the right side and the small group of 12 chasers split apart. Karen got out of the saddle on the finish climb and flew by a few women. Yeah Karen!

http://www.bikereg.com/Results/2011/05/07-Sterling-Road-Race.asp