----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:KennyLabbe@...>KennyLabbe@...
To: <mailto:KLABBE@...>KLABBE@...
Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 9:58 AM
Subject: Ventura (USPS) delivers on Memorial Day!!
Greetings and Hello
In a stunning sprint finish, teammate Robbie Ventura won the 36th annual
Quad Cities Criterium in Illinois on Memorial Day. On this very special US
Holiday, we honor all the men and women of the Armed Services who have gave
the greatest sacrifice to protect our freedom. For this, we are all greatly
indebted.
The four days of bicycle racing begin on Friday in Burlington, IA. The
Burlington Road Race takes us north along the Mississippi River Valley, and
then back in a 85 mile race. The 175 Pro-1-2-3 riders roll out after 4pm,
and on this mostly flat course, are easily moving along at over 30 mph.
This years field's include professionals on Jelly Belly, 7UP/Colorado
Cyclist, Saturn, Mercury, and top amateur teams such as Churchill/Higher
Gear, CBIKE.Com, and Bianchi/Grand Performance. In my 15 years of heading
out to these 4 races, these are the strongest lineups I can recall.
Apparently the fact that there were so many pro's, meant that we could see
some relaxed riding at times in the first hour. I'm pretty sure I saw a
couple riders stop on the side of the road to water the flowers, something
you would never see here in the Midwest! With such calm, that means the
final will be full-on. And sure enough, after the turn around, and with a
steady sidewind, the hammer gets dropped. I'm no Euro-pro.....never claim
to be. However, it always amazes me to see how stupid some really good bike
riders are in the US when the wind is from the side. The simple fact is;
you ride in diagonal lines, not single file in the gutter. When you are
single file in the gutter, everyone is in the wind. Riding diagonal; or
'echelon' as the French say, allows a group to use it's energy together. So
what happens here is NOT a surprise. The lead group of 15 riders pull
ahead. In there are 3 Jelly Belly's, 3 7UP's, both Saturn's, and Robbie.
For two minutes, I have the second group of fifteen all diagonal and
everything, but it would last. And when the pack catches us, we are
resigned to sixteenth place. In the front group, Jason McCartney (Jelly
Belly) slips away with two amateurs in the last few miles, and takes the
Hometown win for the first time. Robbie tries to keep it together, but
takes 10 place, and his third win here will have to wait until next year.
Since I was stuck back with the echelon-challenged, I reduce to the amateur
tactic of rolling through on the chase and slowing things down. Probably
made some riders a little mad with me, guess I'll just have to live with
that. Don't like some of them, anyway.
Moving on to Saturday's 20th annual Snake Alley Criterium in downtown
Burlington. This race is so cool, that I may just not race it next year, so
I can watch it. The fact that we climb up an cobbled alley with six curves
and sixty feet of elevation gain in one block makes this one of the
nation's best bike races. It doesn't suit my style of riding, so the report
will be like my race; short. Started front row. It was my hope to blitz
three laps to sort it out for Robbie. Got swarmed in forty meters, and
never saw the front. Did try for a few laps, but then made a conscious
decision to enjoy the climb and crowd each time up until our group got
pulled. The race is only twenty laps, but leaders are catching the tail end
of the peloton (another French word) in five. I think I rode 8, then became
a spectator. Robbie had some chain issues, and in the end, John
Lieswyn(7UP) beat out Jason McCartney(JB). John's report is far more
interesting at www.cyclingnews.com. He moved to Iowa City last year, so
Iowa riders ride 1-2 in this international field of 111 cyclists. RV
finished 9th. BTW, it looked like less then forty finished. I encourage you
to see Snake Alley Criterium at some point in your life, right after the
Pyramids, Grand Canyon, and Mt Everest. It's that unique!
Sunday is a sleeper called the Melon City Bike Race in get this; Weed Park,
Muscatine, Iowa. It is sandwiched by two of the best races in the country,
so gets a way better field than most $1500 races ever do. We've got 1999
Tour de France participant Jay Sweet(Saturn), US Elite Road Champ and
Criterium Champ Remi McManus(Jelly Belly) and Ben Sharp(Pharmacia), as well
as countless other riders with impressive palmares (another French word).
The race is a loop in a park, gentle uphill to the finish, sweeping
downhill on the backstretch. The speed bump is at the bottom, and we hit it
at over 40 miles per hour. The 36 lap affair was a chance for everyone to
ride their bicycles really fast. After numerous attacks, and different
combinations, four riders went clear. The two pro's dropped the two
amateurs, and then Victor Repinski(Saturn) who was a 1999 Junior World
Champion; Points Race, launched after them. He closed the thirty-second gap
in six laps. These three just had to pedal their bikes for the win. They
forgot to do that. In the last 2 minute lap, they lost the 30 second
advantage in the last 200 meters. Never seen anything like it before.
Robbie was 40th with one to go, I was 50th. We both bombed the descent, and
each passed thirty-five riders by the hill. I took the speed bump at 74
KPH! 12 K's faster than any previous time. Didn't know for sure if it would
stick, but it did. In the sprint, RV almost won, closing in on Hayden
Godfrey? (7UP) taking an amazing second place! My fifteenth at the hill was
all I had, probably coasted across the line in 27th or so. Two out of the
money. My little protest over the small prize list......I'm kidding.
Memorial Day Rock Island, Illinois. The 36th annual Quad Cities
Criterium. Used to be in Moline, the last six years in 'The District'. One
of those rehabbed and renovated inner cities that we see everywhere now.
There are cool shops, cafes, bars (pubs or taverns for the non-Midwest of
you), and even a casino boat on the River. The crowd is always huge at this
Holiday Event, and this year was no different. 150 riders are allowed,
there is even a waiting list for those trying to get in when race numbers
aren't picked up in the last hour. Next year, they should have a Pro-1 race
and a separate Category 2 amateur event, but for now it remains Pro-1-2,
all mixed in. Tour de France guys, World Champion guys, and bike shop
mechanics, college students, and bike bums, all rolled together. Hey, wait
a minute, I used to be the mechanic/bike bum, maybe I shouldn't be so hard
on them. But they sure add to the thrills and spills, if you know what I
mean. This race has eight wide turns in 1.2 kilometers (three quarters of a
mile for the US of us). Haven't seen eight crashes in one lap, but if we
get rain next year, bet on it. The cross walks are cobble. They are near
the corners, both as you go in them, and come out of them. So in this 48
lap game of Russian Roulette, the 21 year old from the former USSR, Victor
Repinski(Saturn) had to feel at home. Actually, I know he's from Belarus,
not Russia. This race was three-time champ Robbie Ventura versus everyone,
except maybe me, and Tommy Matush, who I see is back. (He's an old 7-11
junior teammate of Rob's. All eight Jelly Bellys were firing, and so was
7UP. It looked real bad when four went clear, two from each. In my best
performance as a second year pro, I brought them back in ONE LAP, with
credit to Paul Martin(Go Mart) for closing the last thirty meters. As long
as I was in there, no one was going to ride away from USPS. You see, I
figure if all these skinny bike racers can out climb me any day of the
week, they will answer to a different set of rules on these flat courses. I
don't get too frightened from US based riders under 150#'s. So only when a
slow leak, waiting a lap too long to figure it out, and getting put back in
to the second group that had formed after a crash, did I find myself out of
the front 7 riders. By then, it was too late for everyone else, also. The
final sprint was exciting to watch, as we got pulled with 5 to go. Robbie
fought of two Saturn riders, one on each side, for his fourth career QC
win. Victor Repinski and Jay Sweet(both Saturn) placed 2nd and 3rd, and a
equally amazing 4th place by my former teammate John
Puffer(Churchill/Higher Gear) with Aussie Brent Dawson(Jelly Belly)
rounding out the top five.
Congrats go to former USPS Teammate Tyler Hamilton(CSC/Tiscoli) who won a
thirty kilometer(18 mile) time trial in 41.21, stage 14 of the Giro de
Italia (Tour of Italy), moving him into third spot, about a minute back. Go
Tyler! And also to Lance Armstrong, who on Sunday won the 54th Grand
Prix du Midi-Libre in France, a 620 mile; five day race, in a time of about
19 hours. With about six weeks until the Tour de France, the win confirms
that the team's preparations for the July race are on schedule. Great job
to the whole team, and to Lance!
Next up is the Clarendon Cup on Sunday in Arlington, VA, and then I'm a
reserve for the First Union Races, including the USPRO Championship in
Philadelphia on June 9th. May the summer 2002 be the best one yet. Thanks
for taking time to read all of this.
Sincerely,
Kenny
www.uspsprocycling.com Official Site US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team
www.cyclingphotonews.com My Race Diaries; thanks to Steve Daggs
www.memorialdayweekendbikeraces.com All the hard numbers
KLABBE@...
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