Owens Healthcare Cycling Team Blog

Rock Hopper Classic Road Race

jfriesen — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:46:37 +0000

Jordan Anderson Race Report – 5/12/2012

I raced the RockHopper Classic XC today down in Vacaville. Cat 1 19-34 men, 3 laps, 9.5 miles each with a total of 4800 feet of climbing. A ton of single track I’d say about 80% of the course with two short fire road sections. There were 4 or 5 steep 100 foot long pops and the rest of the climbs had a decent pitch to them. The best part of the race was all of the switch backs on the last downhill, there were probably seven in a row. So, I had a decent start I was more towards the front, but by the end of lap one I was in the back of the pack. I haven’t ever felt as weak in a race before. I didn’t have any leg strength or cardio for the day , very dissapointing. I still had a blast though it was a good course. I don’t know what place I finished in but it was towards the back. Fun race.

Sea Otter Race

jfriesen — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:54:11 +0000

Jordan Anderson Race Report – 4/22/2012

I raced the sea otter today down in Monterey, really fun coarse. I was cat 2 19-24. It started on the Leguna Seca mazda road coarse for a half lap. My class had a pretty neutral start until we hit the rolling fire road. I was in first going into fire road section and powered the climbs trying create a gap. It went into rolling sandy single track then climbed a little. The rest of the coarse pretty much followed the same pattern. It had dirt, sand, road and fire road. I felt really good, legs were strong. 20 mile coarse and I led the whole race through the finish. Awesome race!

Napa Dirt Classic

jfriesen — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:52:45 +0000

Tom Dillard Race Report – 3/15/2012

I raced the nape dirt classic Sunday which should have been called the mud classic. Fun course but the mud was heavy and slick. My goal was to come in the top 15 so i could go race the Nationals with Brandon. Made my goal I got 6th and kept my bike off the ground felt good to have a good race. Angela took Brandon to his High School race which was at the same time as mine he got called up to start third but he said he had no legs for the day he finished 13th for the day. see every one soon.

Tom

Chico Stage Race Report

jfriesen — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:51:18 +0000

Adam Pressman Race Report – 3/16/2012

Chico Stage Road Race

I thought I learned a lesson in this race last year: stay out of the wind and conserve because nothing will go until the last 15 miles. When I went too hard too early last year, the others used this as an opportunity to spit me out the back when my supernova emolliated my wings and I fell Icarus-ly earthward. I wasn’t going to fall for it this year.

This year they combined the regular 5s with the master 5s, creating a field of 28. There was a strong wind from the north. Oblivious to the fact that younger riders and wind would make for an entirely different race, I put myself along the right edge of the road. I was hoping to “just sit in” while we bunny-hopped road kill and chatted for the first 10 or so miles, until the course makes a right turn and the wind would be at our backs.

This plan was quickly reshaped by the wind, and with all of its clarity. There was no ambling. After a series of “go fast for 10 pedal rotations, slow down, go fast for 10 pedal rotations, slow down (etc.)” a couple young guys launched off the front. The group gave chase like lemmings, and in a few moments we were more strung out than Courtney Love in bad need of a methadone fix. After a few more moments, the fragile string became fragments of despair, as individuals tried to come to terms with the two youngsters charging away, 50 meters up the road, seemingly oblivious to the lashing wind.

There were about 15 guys consolidated just ahead of me, still 50 meters behind the youngsters. I made it my goal, my prayer, my everything to get there. With a herculean effort by Russ, a Chico Masters guy, we got back in, but the wind hadn’t stopped, and the youngsters didn’t slow, and the pace was still at 11. Finally, by a miracle of space and time, we turned right, where the wind was at our backs. Yet, still, the youngsters didn’t slow and the group didn’t slow. Wind at our back or not, the group was not letting up on the gas. I went backwards, yet was almost spinning out the 53×12.

I was joined by one guy, and we worked together until he flatted. Russ came along, and we worked our way over the rollers, towards the pitiful pavement and past some of the scattered remnants of the insane clown posse who had been chasing the youngsters. (I later learned one of the youngsters is from Arcata knows Monster Todd, which explains a lot.) The gravel was fine. The end was in sight, and I finished 14th overall, 8th in the masters. I was satisfied by that.

The Crit

It’s only half an hour. There are 5 lefts and a right. There were no primes, and there were no real long drags where anyone could get away, even the wind-oblivious youngsters. I finished with the pack (albeit at the back of the pack). I might have improved my placing had I paid attention to the lap-counter-downer on the side of the finish line. Lesson learned. I had the same skin, blood and bone structure at the end as I did at the beginning, so I was satisfied by that. I actually enjoyed it.

The Time Trial

It was a 10 mile U-shaped course. Flat, out in the orchards.

What’s with all the funny bikes? And the funny helmets? It was torture. In the race of truth, I lost. But, with a funny bike, and a funny helmet? I probably would have still lost …

U.S Cup Series Race

jfriesen — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:52:33 +0000

Brandon Dillard Race Report - 3/10/2012

Raced yesterday at the 2nd round of the u.s cup series in San Dimas. Raced with the top 25 in the country and a couple that were from Quebec who are racing in the world cup.The course was much like a world cup style course, short and steep climbs with technical descents. The start was really tight and even though I was on the front row I got hit from the rider next to me and then ended up putting me on the very tail end of the race. I had to sprint to get back on the tail end. Not much room for passing but I worked my way up to finishing 14th. Even though it’s really early in the season I feel great compared to this time last year! See everyone Wednesday…

Cyclocross Race: Kid’s Kingdom

jfriesen — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:14:31 +0000

Jonz Norine Race Report – 2/26/12

I was the sole representative of the Team Owens’ “Blue Man Group” at Jarret’s final cyclocross race at Kid’s Kingdom. (See here for the actual Blue Man Group and the best cover of the Who’s Baba O’Riley you’ve ever heard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN-MUx6dg6w It’ll make you wanna hit a piano with a sledgehammer).

Anyway, back to the race. Much of the course was similar to what I remember when I last raced here 4 years ago except there was no part of the course down below near the creek where you could get in the big ring and hammer which of course was a bummer for me.

The course took off as usual on past the jungle gym, around some trees then up next to the street and over past the hockey rink. We plummeted down a rocky section back towards the start line then into the woods for some twisty, rocky, rooted sections, then more twists, in and out of ditches, up and over a 6 foot stack of wood chips, and essentially back to the start. There was no place to get up to speed. It was all turns and rocks. I showed up early to ride the course and meet my teammates. I waited a long time. None of y’all came.

I test rode it on the cross bike and I test rode it on the niner. Game time decision. I took the niner.

Good choice because it was all about control over speed today.

There were only 10 or so guys in the A’s incl. Fast Freddie and Scott from Chico. I didn’t know who else was fast so I stuck with them when the gun went off. Fred took off like he was shot out of a freakin cannon. Scott and a couple other dudes and I caught him on the first little hill. I managed to stick with the first 4 guys on the twisty rocky crap in the first half of a lap which made me feel confident. The first time into the woods there was another little rise. I guess the other guys were tired already so I went to the front and that’s the last I saw of anyone. From there, it was just a matter of pride to make sure I gained time every lap and upheld the Owens standard of excellence. I thanked Jarret from us all for putting on these races.

Oh and I got this cool bottle opener.

Jonz

Lake Folsom Race

jfriesen — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:09:49 +0000

Brandon Dillard Race Report – 2/26/12

I went to lake Folsom for the 1st high school race there were 46 riders in my race and some how they made me start in the 2nd to last row! They have so many lame rules now.So rite off the start i went all out, and by the 1 mile mark i worked my way up to the lead group. The start of the second lap my cranks were almost falling off so there was more trouble.( nor cal said if i got any help it would be 5 min time addition) so i left them as they were and that made it so hard to ride. But i finished with a 6th place. I feel really good and will do better next time. see everyone soon. Brandon!

CX Race Anderson River Park

jfriesen — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:10:14 +0000

Brandon Dillard Race Report – 2/19/2012

Just finished the cx race at Anderson river park. We had a field of 11 guys took off with Scott from Chico followed by Fred . Scott and i were able to put a small gap on Fred so we worked together as the race went on the gap got bigger so i just stayed in second until i felt like making a move with about ten minutes to go Fred made a small mistake so i jumped on the chance to go for it and, it worked. I finished first had a good time.

CX Race Report

jfriesen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:12:55 +0000

Paul Lennon Race Report – 1/15/2012

Bill, Jordan, Brandon and myself raced the ride on race at Boomtown today. Due to the fact that Brandon has been so fast lately, Jarret had him start at the back. On the second corner, Brandon crashed somehow (not sure how it happened because we haven’t talked to him). His parents took him to get an X-ray on his arm and we saw on Facebook that his wrist is broken. Big bummer. We are sorry this happened to you Brandon. Get well soon.

The race went as follows:

I stopped at the start of the second lap to check on Brandon and then started to chase the lead guys. Jordan was out in front, followed by Fast Fred then Bill. Bill and I were having a nice little race with Jordan out in front and Fred right behind him. But then about 4 or so laps into it Jordan started to fade and Fred got a pretty good gap on him. Then Bill and I figured we cant let a non Owens guy win this race so we ramped it up. We caught Jordan, then I was slowly able to bridge up to Fred. It wasn’t easy though. I did get passed him and I ended up winning. Fred was second, Bill was third and Jordan was fourth. Jed also raced after being sick the last couple days and ended up 6th. Good job everyone.

Santa Rosa Cross Race

jfriesen — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:47:55 +0000

Brandon Dillard’s Race Report – 12/17/2011

I went to Santa Rosa over the weekend to do a cross race. It was the last race of a series they had. I raced the open A”s. There were 21 guy”s and i was on the last row for the start but by the first corner I was in 5th. I just sat there for a few laps but and fell back to 7th. Thats where I finished, and also that was the best I felt all year so I was really happy with my finish! see you all soon! – Brandon