Beth Mason on the Podium in Maryland!
9 May 2006

Beth Mason placed third in Maryland and Mlujeak, Ganoung, Olin and Gross also saw weekend action for U.S. Armed Forces.

Beth Mason takes third at the Bunny Hop Criterium in Suitland, MD - Waking up on Saturday morning with chest congestion and a cough, Beth probably should not have even started the Poolesville Road Race. After one lap through the 1.5 mile dirt road section of the course, she knew that continuing was a bad idea and pulled out of the race. She couldn't stay off the bike, though, and returned on Sunday for the Bunny Hop Criterium in Suitland, MD. According to Beth "My cold migrated over night on Saturday and into Sunday from my chest into my head. I knew that no matter how bad I felt, I could probably do a 1 hour crit. When they sent us off the line I decided to test my legs and attacked hard, stringing out the field early. Surprise, my legs felt GREAT - and my lungs felt okay too! The biggest deal with this crit is the final corner is barely 200m from the finish line. I knew if I could go into the corner first nobody could come around me. With three laps to go, found myself on the inside of the pack - I had to be on the outside to launch the way I wanted. I drifted to the back of the pack to get myself to the outside - and a leadout train formed on the inside. I had a choice to make, jump on the train and go around the corner in about 8th or 9th wheel, or launch solo on the outside and make it a 400m sprint solo. I chose option B. It turned out to be a good decision as I ended up 3rd. I was very pleasantly surprised with how my legs felt, and I am really looking forward to the upcoming NRC stuff to really put myself to the test."

Steve Mlujeak started the week with track racing at Bloomer Park in Rochester, MI, capturing 1st in the points race and 2nd in the scratch race. Steve says "First time on the track this year and it felt great to get back out on the boards. The track at Bloomer Park is a 200 meters @ 44 degrees in the turns, so not too many track stands on this track - if you go too slow you will fall (see www.velodromeatbloomerpark.com)." Then, Steve tackled the Cone-Azalia Spring Classic in Milan, MI and placed 11th on the day after three flats kept him chasing the group for most of the race. This course, known as the "Paris Roubaix of Michigan" features 4-miles of dirt road on the 10-mile circuit. Mlujeak's first flat came in the opening lap of seven and then again on laps three and five. While he was chasing the group the second time, the decisive break of five went away. Steve ended the day taking 6th in the field for 11th place overall.

George Ganoung placed 15th at the Poolesville Road Race on Saturday, racing for NCVC/US Armed Forces. From George, "This race is one of the regional "classics" a 15k loop with 2.5k of dirt each lap and each year avoiding a mechanical is a key part to success. A small break with all of the local teams represented (including ours) got away on the first lap and everyone was content to let it go. About 3 laps later the group had 3 minutes and we saw our guy on his own and the responsibility for dealing with the break was left up to us with no one who was willing to help. I hit the race hard for about a lap trying to break a counter move off, but nothing doing. Our 3 remaining team mates then altered between trying to chase (hard to get organized on this course) and attack to get a counter move going but we didn't make much head way. In hind site we did way too much work which blew up the remaining guys on our team and left me with out much left in the tank by the last lap. I didn't really know how many guys were up the road, (there were only 4 left by the last 2 laps) and should have been more patient and focused on racing for 5th instead of just kind of recklessly riding as hard as I could in what turned out to be a fruitless effort. My impatience left me missing a big counter move on the last lap and ending up 15th on the day."

Shawn Olin finished in 24th at the Barrio Logan Grand Prix, in San Diego, racing as a guest with DeWalt. This race was the Southern California/Nevada State Elite Championships. Shawn recounted, "There were more than 80 guys in the field and the course was a .8 mile "figure 8" course with a headwind for most of it except for the climb. SOCAL stompers Kyle Gritters (HealthNet U-23 Nat Crit Champ), Thurlow Rogers (former National Champ), the DARE, Helens/RPM and Labor Power (Karl Bordine) squads were there in full force. The race had numerous attacks and 20 minutes in, a break of six got up the road with Gritters, Rogers and Bordine in it and they ended up lapping the field. With the leading riders setting the pace up front, we got the one to go. I was positioned in the top 10 and was stuffed into the curb going into the first corner. With shelled lead-out riders creating gaps after their pulls, I worked my way back up as best I could and finished in the top 25. My teammate, Dave Howell, was 20th after he and I pulled most of the last half of the race. Kyle Gritters ending up taking the victory and the title."

Rebecca Gross contested the first race of the National Mountain Bike Series in Fontana, CA this weekend placing 45th among the pro women in the cross country event.

The Next Week at the Races:
12-14 May:
Rebecca Gross - Joe Martin Stage Race, Fayetteville, AR
13 May:
Holly Borowski - Cat's Hill Criterium, Los Gatos, CA
Shawn Olin - Houston Grand Criterium, Houston, TX
Michael Gallagher - Washington State Time Trial and Criterium Championships, Wenatchee, WA
Ian Holt - Wheels of Thunder Classic Criterium, Golden, CO
14 May:
Holly Borowski - Berkeley Hills Road Race, Orinda, CA
Michael Gallagher - Washington State Road Race Championship, Wenatchee, WA