Old Pueblo Grand Prix

On Saturday, the TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing team lined up in Tucson’s biggest cycling race of the season, the Old Pueblo Grand Prix. Expectations were high as the team was still enjoying their recent successes in Murrieta, Avondale and Tucson Bicycle Classic. With nearly a full squad including Brian Ellis, Andre McNulty, Justin Orkney, Ben Lair, David Welsh, Shawn Daly and, making his first Cat 2 start, Christian Maldonado, the plan was to stay at the front and ride aggressively.



Justin, Ben and Andre represesenting TriSports at the front!

The pace was fast right from the gun and within the first few laps, gaps in the field opened and riders were shelled off the back. Things settled down about 5 laps in and Brian took the opportunity and flew up the right side to launch an attack. A group of 4 slowly but surely pulled away from the field. The group of 4 grew to 6 with riders from the teams of TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing, Jetset Racing, Green Team, Tachycardia and Tolero (and one unattached rider).


Brian trying to get some separation from the field!

 Content with their representation in the break, the TriSports team sat up and left the chase efforts to the rest of the field. Meanwhile, up in the break, Brian and his companions drove the pace and increased their gap on the peloton. As the lead grew to 30 seconds, Justin Orkney made a valiant attempt to bridge up to the lead group. Just as he was within ~25 meters of making contact with the leaders, he overcooked a turn and went down. Hard. Not to be deterred, he got up, dusted himself off and continued racing.


The aftermath of Justin's crash!

 The lead group continued to push the pace and further increased their gap to the main field. After nearly 45 minutes of riding off-the-front, the leaders had the tail end of the peloton in sight. The field would be lapped!

With 5 laps to go, the field was lapped and things got messy. A handful of the breakaway riders were content to sit on the back and take their top 6 placing but the rider from Green Team quickly made his way to the front of the pack. Brian was in hot pursuit and the rest of the TriSports team did what they could to position him near the front. Amidst the confusion, the Green Team rider sprinted a lap early and thought he had the win but in reality, there was still one lap to go. The final lap was fast and the field was strung out.

David sitting comfortably at the front!

Andre led Brian out of the last turn but a long day in the break had taken the toll on his legs. Brian gave it his best but the finish line was just a tad too far and he was passed by the rider from Jetset Racing who took the win. No one else from the break was able to come around Brian though and he held on to 2nd place overall.


Christian finishing strong!

Justin Orkney gets the Spirit Award for this race. Despite crashing early on, he continued to race and even made a second attempt to bridge up to the leaders! Unfortunately he never made contact with the lead group, but his efforts would net him 7th place on the day! Andre would finish in 9th overall and Ben, David and Christian rounded out the top 15 with 12th, 14th and 15th respectively. All in all, a great day for the TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing team!

-Brian Ellis

TriSports Cycling Crushes the Competition at Tour de Murrieta

The Elite men’s team went to Murrieta, California this weekend to test our legs against the best of Southern California at the Tour of Murrieta and came home with the team victory.

Our team was represented by Brian Ellis, Ben Lair, Andre McNulty, Justin Orkney and two composite riders Michael Dziedzic and Christopher Chase.

Friday’s time trial was like nothing we had done before. It was a 6.5k rolling course that ended on a climb up an unpaved road with several challenging switchbacks. Brian, Justin, Andre and Michael had impressive showings. They scored points by placing 5th, 7th, 10th and 15th respectively. Though we all managed to stay upright and upbeat, we were losing the team competition to the California based Team Revolution.

Saturday’s race was a fast and furious 6 corner criterium in downtown Murrieta that was made especially challenging by strong winds. Multiple attacks were attempted but nothing stuck until the teenage phenom that dominated the time trial got away solo for the win. With 6 laps to go, Andre jumped across to two riders from Team Revolution and Team Clif Bar Cycling. With three riders in the break representing three of the bigger teams, the break was successful. The three riders worked well together and Andre placed second of the breakaway for third overall and a place on the podium. With strong finishing sprints by Michael, Ben and Justin, we were able to take the lead in the team competition.

Our spirits were high going into the final day of racing despite strong winds and a stacked field. The cat 2 men set a blistering pace finishing the 56 mile circuit race as fast as the pro field. Midway into the race, after a flurry of attacks and a crash, the field split in two. Justin and Michael made the split of 16 riders. Realizing, we had numbers in the break, Brian and Andre were able to discourage chase efforts. In the break, Justin took monster pulls to ensure they would stay away, allowing Michael to unleash his killer sprint. Michael won the bunch sprint, placing second to one rider who attacked late in the race.

Knowing we had a 7 hour drive home, it was tough to stand around in our racing kits. We had goosebumps from the chill in the air as the sun was setting. The wait was well worth it when we stood on the podium hoisting the crystal team award above our heads.

Ah, the sweetness of victory!!!!

A special thank you to Danny Munson who provided race photography!

Thank you to California Pools and Spas for putting on an awesome race and to The Bike Shop of Temecula for sponsoring the Jorge Alvarado Team Competition.

A huge thanks to our generous sponsors Orbea, Zipp, SRAM, Pyramid Coaching, Technicians for Sustainability, R&A CPA’s, and TriSports.com!

- Andre McNulty

Avondale Criterium #2

The TriSports.com Cycling/Eclipse racing men’s team had a successful outing this past weekend at the Avondale Criterium.  The course is a quick six-tenths of a mile with only 3 turns, which proved to be a great opportunity for the team to race on their new Orbea team bikes and Zipp Firecrest wheels.  Ben Lair, Andre McNulty and Justin Orkney lined up for the Pro/1/2 race alongside other prominent Arizona teams such as Bicycle Haus, Landis/Trek, Carlos O’Brien and Jet Set.  

From the gun the race was very fast with each team trying to establish a strong break.  The first half of the hour & fifteen minute race included a barrage of attacks, but none were able to establish a clean break away.  With about 35 minutes left in the race, a breakaway of four was away free and clear.  The break included Justin Orkney of TriSports, Brian Forbes of Jet Set, Michael Dziedzic of Landis/Trek and William Westfall from Bicycle Haus.  Since most of the major teams were represented in the break, it looked strong from the beginning.  With Orkney and Forbes riding hard to extend the gap, which grew as large as 40 seconds, the break became just two.

Forbes and Orkney working to extend their gap on the peloton!

McNulty and Lair were happy to discourage any organization in the peloton that would potentially threaten the break away and the two men maintained a healthy lead over the field.  Despite an organized effort by Bicycle Haus and Landis/Trek to reel them in towards the end of the race, it proved too late and the break stayed clear with Forbes winning the final sprint just feet ahead of Orkney.

The final sprint between Forbes and Orkney!

Avondale Criterium #2 Pro/1/2 Podium!

The men’s team is looking forward to carrying this momentum into the Tucson Bicycle Classic, just days away.

-Justin Orkney

Valley of the Sun Stage Race

The first big stage race on the Arizona racing calendar was this past weekend – the 20th Annual John Earley Memorial Valley of the Sun Stage Race. The event consisted of 3 stages spread out across the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, starting with a 14.4 mile time trial, followed by a 94 mile road race and wrapping things up with a 55-minute criterium in downtown Phoenix. It was a huge event with 90 cyclists registered for the Cat 2 field, drawing riders from the surrounding region (California, Colorado, Utah, etc).

Stage 1 – Safeco Insurance, Parrish Agency Time Trial, Buckeye, AZ

The first stage was on the far west end of Phoenix. The course was fairly flat, out-and-back stretch of road with a wide shoulder and chipseal pavement. It’s slightly uphill on the outbound portion but with the unpredictable winds, pacing is always a question mark. With the recent success at the local time trials, the team expected to place several riders in the top 10-15 places and did just that with Justin Orkey and Brian Ellis placing 8^th and 9^th place respectively (the highest placed Arizona cyclists in the field).

Stage 2 – Jorden Bischoff & Hiser Road Race, Casa Grande, AZ

The second stage was a 94 mile road race consisting of 5.8 laps of a 16 mile course south of Phoenix near Casa Grande, AZ. The highlight of the course was a 2-3 mile climb with just under 500’ of elevation gain leading up to the finish. With 6 planned trips up the climb, moderate temperatures and strong winds, the road race was certainly no walk in the park. The TriSports Cycling / Eclipse Racing team rode near the front of the race the entire time was a factor in nearly every break. In the end, no break would stick and it ended up being a sprint finish for the stage. The entire team finished with the lead group and thus there were no changes in the overall General Classification.

Mike Radcliff (L) and Brian Ellis (R) cruising through the feed zone during the Valley of the Sun Road Race

Shawn Daly taking a much needed drink after driving the pace up the hill towards the feed zone.

Stage 3 – Landis Cyclery Centennial - TREK Criterium, Phoenix, AZ

The final stage was a criterium in downtown Phoenix. The course was new for this year, consisting of a flat and fast .9 mile loop with 8 turns. The TriSports Cycling / Eclipse Racing team placed themselves at the front of the race to start and were out in front pushing the pace early.  Despite a handful of attacks and break attempts, the group stayed together for the 55-minute duration and the team maintained their place in the General Classification with Justin finishing 8^th overall and Brian holding onto 9^th place.

Members of the TriSports Cycling / Eclipse Racing team in the staging area prior to the criterium. From L-R: Justin Orkney, Ben Lair, Mike Radcliff and Brian Ellis.

TriSports Cycling / Eclipse Racing racers on the streets of downtown Phoenix. Pictured are Andre McNulty (217), Justin Orkney (236) and Ben Lair (223).

Note – the road race stage was shortened by one lap due to a significant crash in the Men Pro/1 race. A car was let onto the course and as the group came around the car, the driver panicked and hit the brakes, causing the field to crash into the back of the car. The entire race was suspended while the injured riders were being treated.

Note 2 – At the end of the Men’s Cat 3 road race, TriSports cyclist Eric Preiss crashed in the final kilometers, resulting in a concussion and a broken hip.  Eric had surgery on Sunday night to place a pin in his hip and we would like to wish him (and all the other cyclists injured this weekend) a speedy recovery!

-Brian Ellis

Team Colleen - Race Against Time TT

Research shows that several traumatic side effects can be observed on an Elite rider after accomplishing a time of 27:27 on a 20k TT. These effects include but are not limited to: sudden downgrading of bike handling skills, improper removal of cleats from pedal, sudden drop in elevation and finding comfort in gravel parking lots. Attached is a picture of one of the case studies found in our research this morning. This specimen experienced all the effects listed above:
 

-Christian Maldonado

Avondale Criterium #1

A handful of members from the Trisports.com/Eclipse Racing team decided to double-up on the racing action this weekend and headed up to the Phoenix area for the Avondale Criterium #1.  These early season races are a good test of fitness and for the opportunistic, a chance to snag some crucial upgrade points.  The Avondale course is fairly simple with 3 turns and a wide sweeping bend before coming back to the start/finish. The smooth pavement and non-technical aspect of the course typically makes for some fast racing.

Up first was the Men’s Cat 2/3 which involved Andre McNulty, Justin Orkney, Christian Maldonado and Brian Ellis. There was a lot of strategy discussion prior to the race but the main focus was to keep Christian out of trouble and get him a good finish (and hopefully some of those sweet upgrade points). The pace was fast from the start and despite hard efforts from TriSports, Bike Haus, and Carlos O’Brien’s, no break was able to stick. With the group all together the finish would come down to a field sprint. On the final lap Andre was sitting in 6th position with Justin on his wheel and Christian close behind. Through the final sweep, Andre gave his last kick with Justin soon to follow. Thanks to their efforts, Christian was able to sprint his way to 5th place and Justin took 7th!

Next on the agenda was Andre racing in the Men’s 40+ division. Andre rode smart and stayed near the front for the entire 40 minutes of the race. As such, he managed to keep the rubber-side down and finish strong.

Unfortunately, Andre had to head back to Tucson early for work which left Justin and Brian to contend with the Pro/1/2 field. Based on the UA Crit the day before, the large field size and the fast course, there was one thought going into this race…

Despite being 75 minutes long, most of this race was a blur. There were plenty of attacks and Justin and Brian tried to cover most of them (or at least the ones that seemed like they were worthwhile). After about 45 minutes, a break of about 8 riders got up the road containing a few notables such as Eric Marcotte (ELBOWZ racing), Jon Parrish (Bike Haus Elite), Tanner Putt (BMC Hincapie Sportswear) and a handful of other riders from Bike Haus, Carlos O’Brien’s, Landis-Trek, etc. With just about every team represented and content with their riders up ahead, the field sat up and rode tempo the rest of the race before getting pulled a few laps early to let the lead group finish unimpeded. The final podium was Eric Marcotte (1^st), Tanner Putt (2^nd) and Jon Parrish (3^rd).

Wrapping things up for the day was Christian in the Cat 3/4 race. The field size was enormous so Christian wisely stayed near the front and marked the wheels of a few select riders. As with the previous races, the pace was fast for the entire 45 minutes and a handful of futile attacks never went anywhere. The race came down to a field sprint at the end and Christian was able to finish in 3^rd place!

-Brian Ellis

University of Arizona Pro/1/2 Criterium

The 2012 University of Arizona Pro/1/2 Criterium was the last race of the day starting at 4:30 on Saturday, so I had a long time to think about it.  This was going to be my first time lining up with a pro field and they did not disappoint.

The field of approximately 40 jumped off the line and besides someone trying to take out my teammate Andre McNulty just after the first turn, it was honestly the safest Crit I have ever taken part in.   This makes sense, as these are the best cyclists in the state and some of the best in the country.  A break of 6 or 7 formed after one lap and they were not too be brought back.

Justin Orkney with the chase group

The chase group became a fierce game for position.  If you were towards the back it was not going to work out well as you were constantly breaking going into the corners and sprinting out of them to get back into the groove.   Unfortunately, this is exactly where I found myself.  After roughly 5 laps, I could not keep the pace and was dropped from the field.  I joined up with 2 other teammates (Shawn Daly and David Welsh) and we formed a second chase group trying to regain contact with the field.  I specifically remember David saying that we needed to keep our pace as the main field might slow.  After about 5 more laps, we were waived off the course and were done for the day.  Little did I know, the break that had formed after the first lap was just about to catch us.

Congratulations must go out to my teammate Justin Orkney who was able to stay with the main field and complete the race.

Andre McNulty post-race (with child)

-Mike Radcliff