100+ riders rolled out for the long loop of the Ca BikeFest ride. Beautiful clear morning with just enough crisp to remind us that it's Winter in Southern California. The Amgen/Giant Masters set a spirited pace along PCH up to Rincon, and then they picked it up a notch on the Casitas climbs. By the top we had a ~15 rider front group, ten of whom were Amgen/Giant, including a few of their recent recruits (KB, Chris DeMarchi, and Antony Galvan). They are unquestionably the team to beat in 2009. Also in the bunch was Fast Freddie Rodriquez, who I think was Sherpa'ing for Mike Gourley (as if he needed a Sherpa!) Garmin/Chipotle rider Peter Stetina also joined us, and didn't appear the least bit homesick for his Boulder, CO weather. Other than a blistering sprint into Santa Paula, the group rode a nice tempo all the way back to Ventura. A perfect winter group ride!
4 comments:
Thank you for your coverage and your support of our event. I'm glad you had such a good ride.
If you have suggestions on ways we can improve the California Bikefest for 2009 (or things we need to keep), please let us know by contacting me at:
colbya@amgen.com or colby@cabikefest.com
Thanks again...colby
Amgen looks tough but don't count out Sho-Air with return of the old Net Zero guys, Paolonetti, Bausch and Johnson.
Colby-
Will do. I really enjoyed the ride and would do it again in 2009, especially if you arrange the incredible weather we had Saturday! My main suggestion would be to mark the turns a little better and perhaps earlier and/or with multiple markers (we missed a couple). Also, I was surprised to hear that some riders in SB didn't know about the event, so perhaps a bit more advertising would pay off in 2009.
Anony-
Yep, those guys will be tough if they go to the races. Seems I've heard a few years now about come-backs from those guys, but it hasn't happened yet (other than sporadic, but successful, appearances by MJ and JB). Anyway, perhaps "The Hard Road" should be required viewing for all SoCal masters in prep for 2009! Oh, speaking of that movie, I remember a scene from the crit in Ventura around the City Hall... well, I hear on good authority that course will be used again as stage #2 of the Ventura Stage Race! Right on!!
The team that put together the California Bikefest, is also the team putting on the Ventura Stage Race on May 16 and 17th. Three stage Omnium; Saturday morning prologue to Grant Park and back, afternoon crit downtown, Sunday road race.
Everyone is starting to come on board. The City Hall will be prominently featured, as well as Main Street.
More to come...
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