W/AV Madera County Stage Race Report

The Webcor/Alto Velo Elite Team raced the one and only stage race in our district this past weekend out around Madera in the Central Valley. This is usually a low-key 4-stage, 3 day race for the P/1/2. Given the proximity to other stage races on the calendar (San Dimas and Redlands), this year had a bit more competitive field than usual, including a full Bissell Pro squad with Ben Jaques-Maynes (BJM). Candelario and Zwizanski from Kelly Benefits also showed up. Adding in our 10-man team, a lot of Cal Giants and the other usual suspects the P/1/2 race was full at 71 riders.

The race starts off with a hilly 10 mile time trial on Friday. Saturday starts with another 10 mile time trial, albeit flat. Following the TT there is a 70 minute 4-corner flat crit in the afternoon. Sunday is a ~80 mile road race on flat to rolling roads, with a pretty tough finish through some roller coaster-like rollers.

The W/AV team for the race consisted of Ryan Parnes, Ryan Prsha, Neil Harrington, Billy Crane, Rob MacNeill, Peter Cazalet, Brian (BP) Buchholz, Jeff Williams, James Badia, and Fabrice Dubost. Katheryn Mattis from the women's pro team also did the men's race with us, it was great to see her holding her own with the dudes.

Below are detailed reports from the best placed rider for the respective stages.

Full Results

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Stage 1: Ben Hur Hill Climb Time Trial

Result: 11th for Fabrice

The race is a 10.5 mile time trial. The first 6 miles are composed of rolling terrain, then there is a steep climb for 3 miles, then another mile or so of rolling terrain to the finish. A tough course for sure!

In order to maximize my performance in the time trial, which is not really my specialty, my equipment choice was to use a time trial bike with two deep carbon wheels. Most others made similar choices.

I tried to set a high pace for the first part but tried to keep some energy in order to brave the climb to the finish. I need to practice pacing a time trial, which is not very popular in France, because I finished nearly 3 minutes behind the winner of the day, freakishly fast BJM, at 11th place.

Thanks for reading,
Fabrice

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Stage 2: Bee Keeper's Revenge Time Trial

Result: 3rd for BP, 7th for Parnes

Tailwinds are the friend of the TT

Worked into a rhythm

Bees bouncing from my legs.

Hmmmmm. Flat TT on a flat land. Tons of almond trees. Bees on the side of the road. Rode hard. Found a rhythm and got into it during the TT. Headed west and the wind started picking up. Then, the massive 2 percent hill crept up in front of me. Somehow, I managed to go over it and finish the TT. Rolled in at 3rd with Scott Z. (KBS) in 2nd and Ben JM (BISS) in 1st. Parnes did a great ride and managed to only get stung once. He rolled in at 7th place without the benefit of an aero disc. Crazy good, eh?

BP

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Stage 3: Can You Smell That Smell Criterium
Result: 4th for BP, 10th for Parnes

Great Team effort here. This race is a big oval on crummy skin-shearing pavement. One RR track to cross on the back stretch, then 400 M to the finish. The back stretch was next to some industrial factory and it smelled like, well, you know, what you don't want to smell when you are on the rivet and freakin' snotting out every facial orifice.

The race started with a barrage of attacks and the boyz managed to cover them. I think we had 5-6 guys covering stuff in the first 30 minutes of the race. I chilled out in the back thanks to all this hard work!

I think Scott Z. attacked with 13 to go and Keith Miller (Giant Berry), Ben JM, Scott Z, A/J Mendonca (Lombardi) and me all formed a little group off the front. We rotated through nicely (except for one lampre who will remain nameless) at a leisurely 48 kph (holy crap!!!) and I managed to hang in pretty well till the finale. Back in the bunch, Safeway and some other Teams were chasing and they nearly caught us with 2 to go. One Davis BC and one Safeway bridged to our move and then Safeway backed off back in the bunch, no one else chased and we were off to the finish.

I was pretty gassed at the finish but tried to get on Ben's wheel. Keith went long and managed to hold it to the finish. Overall, a great showing for the whole Team. We are knocking on the door for a big(ger) result (like Rob's 7th at Merco RR wasn't awesome enough). The guys are really riding strong and smart right now and I know we're going to kill it this year.

Thanks for all your support!!!

BP

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Stage 4: Daulton RR

Result: 5th for Parnes, 6th for BP, 9th for Fabrice, 13th for Badia

Course: 5 laps of ~16mi with a long downhill to flat highway, turning onto a road where class A truckers must practice driving with chains (in other words: bumpy), followed by 3 good sized rollers into the finish.

With no one contending for a top GC spot we decided to ride for a stage win. People did a great job of covering early attacks and Ryan Prsha rode himself into the break that stuck. The break looked good, with the big teams represented and a healthy gap so Webcor got to sit in and enjoy the ride. Alas, tragedy struck and Prsha took a spill. As soon as we saw him on the side of the road we got to the front and put in what I might describe as the prettiest chase to ever grace NorCal cycling. Every green jersey still in the pack (and that includes Kathryn!) got to the front and drove a textbook chase to cut a two and a half minute gap to nothing inside of a lap. Its hard to convey how proud I felt to be part of Webcor at that moment. I could not ask for better teammates. Big ups to Neil who turned himself inside out during the chase.

With the break dragged back into the folds things heated up again and there was a good deal of attacking during the last two laps. James, who had been gatekeeper during the chase, rode like a demon and covered pretty much every attack by himself for half a lap. Crazy. In the end it all came down to an unlikely field sprint. Rob did a strong turn to bring James up to the front, but no one team took control for a lead out and the result was some sort of slow-motion, cluster sprint of chaos. Our communication just wasn’t there and we ended up going pirate rules: every man for himself. I started my sprint from bad position, but managed to find a window and squeak through for 5^th. BP was right behind me for 6^th, Fabrice 9^th and James 13^th.

In some ways it was a frustrating finish. We clearly had the horsepower to seal the deal, but we weren’t able to organize ourselves. In other ways this was a real confidence boost. To have the team really control the race and then still have the power to pack four riders in the top 15 is a great sign. The fitness and strategy are coming around and as soon as we dial in the tactics of the last few K we’re going to start spending some quality time on the podium.

Just have to say one last time how impressed I am with the team. You guys killed it out there and I’m honored to race with you.

-Parnes