Cheaha Challenge- Mike Garner

Team CCR sent 10 riders for the teams first ever assault on the Cheaha Challenge, "The toughest ride in the South". The ride boasts cumulative climbing of over 7400 feet for the century riders, but still leaves plenty on the table for the riders who choose the shorter routes. The climb up Cheaha was rated in the top 100 climbs by Bicycling Magazine.



The bad weather that washed our race day out on Saturday, left us clear blue skies and cooler less humid temperatures. Our assault began at 7:30, along with several hundred other riders. The first 22 miles are a dream, pancake flat, with a few rollers. It is very easy to get caught up in the moment and hammer the first 22 miles, but you have to keep reminding yourself that there is a long way to go and a lot of climbing to get there. Read More>>

Attack on Swayback- Justin

The 2008 Attack on Swayback is behind us now! Saturday Josh Powell and I went to pre-ride the course because neither one of us had ever set foot in Wetumpka, AL on the Swayback Bridge Trail.



After the pre-ride we came to the conclusion that it would be absolutely impossible to pass so hole shot was key from the start. The trail was the tightest singletrack I had ever ridden. It consisted of tight turn after tight turn, quick switchbacks into climbs, short steep leg burning hills and the turns were a combination of sand and gravel. The temps Sat were hanging around 73. Bring on the challenge!



Take off Sunday morning was 10:40. This was Josh's first singlespeed race and man there was some serious competition, mad props to him for following through the challenge. I took off with the 19-29 Sport, Larry shot out with the 40-49 Sport and Stacey followed with the Sport Women.



As you can tell from the pics the race was a success (podium spots) for Stacey and Larry. Stacey placed 3rd overall woman and 1st in her age group. Larry placed 3rd in the 40-49 Sport, Josh placed 6th in singlespeed and I placed 7th in 19-29 Sport. It was a tough race but CCR persevered. This was a good start to our mountain bike season. Next stop Sunny King Crit and the Cheaha Challenge all in one weekend.

Photos: CCR, Others1, Others2
Reports: Justin, Larry
Results

Old Howard 100- Brad Fish

Jamie, Don and myself went down to Marion, AL for the Old Howard 100 on an awesome day to be riding a bike. The ride was perfect in all respects. It was very well organized and had great sag stops. The route was slightly hilly with hardly any cars. We rode the 100 mile route and I decided to "be like Mike" and do the pulling. We did the 100 in 5 hours and 22 minutes.

Tour de Tuscaloosa- Justin

TDT 2008 is behind us now and sadly the beginning of a huge lull in road and crit racing for the state of Alabama until the Sunny King Crit in Anniston, AL. The TDT crit on Saturday proved to be "the hardest crit in Alabama" all because of "the climb". The 90 degree right turn into a 10% grade is just not right. You go from gasing it on a flat to hitting the brakes and shifting down all in one motion.



Herring, Garner and Fish were the CCR reps for this year's crit. Herring finished 24th in the 35 masters, Garner finished 27th and Fish brought a strong 10th although the results show him at 17th because of a confusion with a lapped rider. Garner gets the man points for this week, racing both the crit and road race with a pretty bad sinus infection.



Sunday was the TDT road race. This was my first time to enter the road race and the sources that I relied on stated that this course is very similar to the training race course from the start of the season. Needless to say those sources are no longer going to be used. This course was a climbers course vs. the sprinters training course, not even in the same category.



Herring raced 35+ Cat 4 not finishing because of a flat on the 3rd lap. Renfroe's rear derailleur exploded about a mile from the start in the Cat 4 race. Fish, Garner and I raced Men's 5's taking 25th, 41st and 31st. Stacey and Alli raced with a strong womens Cat 4 field finishing 5th and 10th.



Altogether it was a great event, no one crashed and the rain held off.

Crit Report(s): Mike
Road Report(s): Mike, Justin
Photos Crit: CCR, Velo City
Photos Road: Velo City

Kits Are In!- Justin

Chris Storie, Ashley Renfroe, Josh Powell, Mike Garner, Todd Tropeano and Brad Fish

Our new kits came in on Wednesday and are looking some kinda sweet! The guys pictured above couldn't wait to give them a test run so they kicked off our Thursday night training ride at Oak Mountain State Park in"buddery" style and fashion.

We'd like to thank American Safety Tread, Stanley Steamer, Cahaba Cycles, Alabama Neurological Institute and Beljum Budder for making all this possible, you guys are a blessing. Please show our sponsors on the right some L-O-V-E.

Also, Monday started our conditioning for mountain bike season. The Spit-N-Grit Time Trials have been introduced to Oak Mountain via Team CCR. We will log everyone's time and watch to see how much we improve our times throughout the season.

Tour de Tuscaloosa is this coming Sat and Sun. We are sending a few guys and gals to see what we can do with the new kits. I sware it's going to make us faster, I just know it. Stay tuned for some serious TDT race reports!

Ride to Live 2008- by Justin

Pic Courtesy of Ride to Live Race.com

This weekend was the second annual Ride to Live at the Barber Motorsports Park. Most fields were filled with riders from all across the southeast, as well as a couple of guys from Europe. For those that salivate when the word "Criterium" is mentioned, you better grab a napkin.


Pic Courtesy of Ride to Live Race.com

The track was a 2.38 mile road race track, 45' wide, with 16 flowing turns and 80' of elevation change. This tracks primary use is world renowned superbike and sports car racing. So, when a crit rider hangs a turn, traction is optimal.


Pic Courtesy of Ride to Live Race.com of Tria Market- Daryl Seelhorst and Brent Marshal
Team CCR had four participants: Larry, Brad, Stacey and Robyn. Larry and Brad toed Cat 5 and Stacey and Robyn toed Cat 4. The Cat 5 men's race was packed with 50+ riders as always and things were definitely interesting. Towards the end of the race the middle had some squirliness and resulted in a pile of carbon bikes and one broken collarbone. Fortunately, Larry was in front of the pile and Brad was behind far enough to avoid the pile. Larry continued on to chase the front runners and Brad backed off because of the flash backs from last week. Larry finished 30th after a hard push on the last climb and Brad finished soon after.


Pic Courtesy of Ride to Live Race.com

The women's Cat 4 race went out hard. Two ladies from the Medplan set the initial pace along with Team BooKoo. Team BooKoo tried to make a break but it didn't stick. One of the ladies broke out but the ladies blowed it off thinking she was a decoy. Well, she won the race. Stacey finished 6th and Robyn experienced her first road race.

All the proceeds from the Ride to Live race benefit UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center and
the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Reports: Stacey, Robyn, Larry

Spokes for Strokes- by Justin Poland

This weekend was a huge beginning to a small idea expressed by one of our own, Josh Powell. You see, Josh's mom suffered a stroke a while back causing her to endure the effects. In preparing for the 2008 season he wanted to participate in an event that contributed to the very thing that he has watched his mother endure but the closest event that he could get information on was in Canada. So, he felt the urge to possibly make something happen here on the local scene not knowing that it would all culminate into what is now known as Spokes for Strokes.



Saturday's Hoover Crit brought rain, tornado warnings, sun, rain again and ended with a blue bird sky. Nerves were on edge to see who would show for our first Spokes for Strokes event because prior to the event only 40-50 riders were pre-registered. Well, to our surprise about 200 riders would show to support the third leading cause of death in the US, now that speaks volumes about the cycling community.



When I say the race was on, the off button was nowhere to be found. The Masters men started things off right with a few heated laps to show us young lads how to "bring it"! Then the ladies toed the line to prove that this is not just a man's sport. After the masters race it was time for the CATs to line-up. Larry, Brad, Mike and Justin entered a field of about 42 hungry CAT 5 riders- this was the first crit experience for Larry, Brad, Mike and Justin. Larry and Brad started in the front while Mike and Justin hung back to see how things would play out. They played out alright. Larry and Brad held on to the lead pack for a while until an over anxious rider took out Brad's front wheel...notice the road rash in the top pic. Larry stayed strong up front, Mike held on as long as possible and Justin was humbled by the intensity of the sport. Larry finished 9th.



Stacey brought a strong effort to the womens CAT 3/4 race while the other Qwik Chix were there for event support. Thanks ladies!

The Spokes for Strokes series ended on Sunday with the F.A.S.T. Century-one hundred miles of the most beautiful countryside one could imagine. One hundred and five zealous riders showed to tweak their early century fitness. That brings this weekends event to a close with a head count of about 300 riders, tell me one man's vision is a small thing. This was for you Mrs. Susan Powell!

To add to this already long post I would like to announce that we are going to attempt posting individual race reports, as they are submitted, for each event that we participate in. The reports and pics will be posted at the end each post. Thanks for reading, Justin.

Reports: Mike
Pics and more pics

Victoire! - by Mike Garner

The French word meaning "Victory". After a snow day canceled practice on Saturday, Team CCR showed in force for Sundays race. It was a picture post card perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky, a little brisk at the start, but just a perfect day for us to show the mettle and determination that brought us all together to start CCR. As the race started it was unlike the other 2, a sign of things to come maybe? There was no full on sprint, maybe everyone was tight because it was cold, and may a little jet lagged because of day light savings. None the less it allowed Team CCR to put it together.



On the first lap we had a little scare when a dog dive bombed the peleton taking out a rider at Mike's 11 o'clock. Josh, maybe it was a blessing, stopped to help, got back on, and promptly blew the side wall out of his rear tire ending his day. Chris starting his first race, and fighting the crud going around, put in 2 solid laps, before getting hung up behind a missed-shift from Chain Reaction guy, lost the peleton and hung it up to fight another day. The rest worked doggedly. We chased down a small two man break. Brad, our field general, stood up looking over the peleton barked the orders to not let it get away. Away we went gobbling up the small break. After we blew by them we made the turn, and our boys, Brad and Larry went off the front, and I mean way off the front. What a beautifull sight it was watching your colors dance away. That splintered the field. Brad and Larry on the break. Chase 1, and Chase 2 containing Stacey, Mike, Justin and 3 other riders. Chase 2 did everything we could to bridge up to Chase 1, but to no avail. Chase 2 hung together till the last mile or two. Mike put in a solid pull to try and set Stacey up to bring home the Chase 2 victory. In the end 5 riders in the top 15 from CCR. Podium finishes went to Larry(Malliot Jaune), and Brad finishing a rock solid 3rd. Stacey ended the day in 8th, Mike in 12th and Justin rocking the new Tourmalet finished 13th. Our first victory. Everyone worked there tails off to bring this home. We can all pat ourselves on the back. Enjoy the moment, because next week it is time to get back to work. Looking foward to a week of recovery, and this weekends first official race of the season, Hoover Crit March 15th.