June 2009 Archives

On May 30^th several members of the New England Team were at the Waterville valley Time trial .  The 33 mile course is an out and back with an 1300 ft elevation gain.  Chris Hillier (Cat 2)  no stranger to hills crushed the course.   Seth Haskell (Cat 4) had a strong race powering it up to the finish line.

Chris Hillier (Cat 2) placed 6^th

Seth Haskell (Cat 4) placed 22^nd

For the women Kristen Gohr (Cat1) placed 2^nd overall for the women.  What is amazing is that Kristen did this race with out a TT bike.  This is a testament of her strength on the bike.  

Great job!!!

On Sunday June 21^st was the Housatonic Hills Road Race.  The course was a 27.5 mile loop with several steep climbs and very fast descents.  The start of the race was on a neutral climb for the first half mile with a little reprieve before several short steep climbs.  These sections were ideal for repeated attacks by the hill climbers off the front.  Near the end of the course was the KOM / QOM climb where many teams launched their main attacks building time gaps and stretching out the fields. 

Justin Henderson (Cat 5) Had an impressive 2^nd place finish in the men's Cat 5. (See his race report below)  Justin is no stranger to climbing as he lives in the heart of the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Jason Moriarty (Cat 3) and Dave Maynard (Cat 3) Put in a solid effort in the Men's 3-4 field.

As we all know this race was held on Father's Day.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Dad for always being there for me and encouraging me to give it my best.

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Race Report: Justin Henderson (Cat 5)

Being my second time at Housatonic Hills I had high hopes for the yellow jersey and confirming that all of my hard training had been for not.  A full field at registration turned to about 39 starters and about half were dropped after the first descent and climb.  At the top of the KOM climb there were 3 left.  We started working together to keep off the shattered field.  2 more latched on to our group and I took the lead into the final turn to the finish and started to hammer uphill.  With the finish in sight I was passed but, had the satisfaction of 2nd and a bit of gas money for the return home. 

June 13^th and 14^th was the Adirondack North Country Race Weekend held in the Whiteface region in upstate New York.  There was a whole lot of climbing to be done so Brian Roberts (Cat 3) and Chris Hillier (Cat 2)  where the men for the job represented the NE Team.  Dan Vaillancourt who specialty is climbing representing the Colavita Pro Men's Team.  Dan, Chris and Brian are very strong climbers and were in the zone on the steep ascents in the Adirondacks. 

On Saturday was the Wilmington-Whiteface Road Race.  The Men's 3-4 raced 55 miles and the Pro 1-2-3 raced 68 miles.  The race ends on a 1.5 mile 8-10% climb up the Whiteface Auto road. 

Dan Vaillancourt finished 3^rd and Chris Hillier (Cat 2) placed 29^th in the Pro-1-2-3 Category.  Brian Roberts (Cat 3) placed 4^th in the Cat 3-4 race. 

On Sunday was the Saranac Lake Downtown Crit.  Brian Roberts (Cat 3) finish strong holding down 2^nd place in the men's 3-4 field.

Great job guys!!!

This past weekend several members of the New England Team were racing it up in Maine.  On Saturday June 6^th was the Lake Auburn Road Race with the Great Falls Criterium on Sunday June 7^th  The men's 4 team put on a great show as Seth Haskell (Cat 4) powering it up for a 3^rd place podium finish.  Brian Roberts (aka BRob) (Cat 3) hammered in a 4^th place finish in the men's Cat 3 race. 

This was the first race for newcomer Chris Jordan (Cat 5) who recently joined the team. Chris joins the ranks of the Maine boys who have been showing off the Colavita Colours at many of the cycling races in Maine.

Chis Hillier (Cat 2) raced the Men's Pro 1-2-3.  Chris attends school in Canada and has been competing in several races in western US and Canada.  Later this month Chris will be competing in the Canadian National's.

At Sunday's Great Falls Criterium Power house Seth Haskell (Cat 4) drove in a 7^th place finish. This dynamo puts out a lot of power and never quits.    

The Team produced outstanding results this past weekend.  Great Job Guys!!!

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Race Report Provided by: Liam Somers (Cat 4)

Auburn Road Race.

This was a 35 mile race set on a 12 mile loop that featured some serious hills at the end (5-10% grades) and a nasty 14% leg burner just 1.2 miles into the course. The Mens 4 field was stacked with some strong riders from all over New England ready to put the hammer down. On yet another hot day the 50 deep field set out and quickly the pace ramped up as the pack hit the first Monster downhill where speeds topped out at +/- 50 mph. Round and round we'd go slowly whittling down the main group to just 27 riders. Seth was riding smart, staying out of trouble and moving around the pack very well. Coming into the last 2 mile section (which is basically all up hill) the pack ground it out together and set it up for a mass sprint finish. Into the last 600 meters the pack was still together en masse until a small group managed to shake free on the outside. Seth was one of the flyers and he set out in fast pursuit of the other 2 guys taking a very nice 3rd place finish at the line. Stuck back in the pack with no room to get out I ended up coming in with the pack at :ST and a 19th placing (all the while kicking myself for getting locked down before I could make a sprint of it).

Our newest addition, Chris Jordan raced in the Cat 5 group, which had 50 racers lining up at the start. He showed real grit on a course that doesn't suit his riding style just yet and hung tough through the hills, just losing touch with the front group on the last part of the 3rd lap to come across the line a mere 5:29 back (and after towing the other 2 riders who were with him) to a GREAT 29th place in his first try at the Auburn race.

Race Report Provide by Seth Haskell (Cat 4)

Saturday I found myself at the Lake Auburn Road race preparing for 35 miles of great Maine Circuit racing. The previous year it poured rain, but to everyone's delight, the sun was out this year, providing beautiful 70 degree weather for the field to work on their rankings while simultaneously working on their tans. Colavita showed up representing in 4 fields, Chris Hillier in the Pro 123 field, Brian Roberts in the 3's,  Liam Somers and Myself in the 4's and newcomer Chris Jordan in the 5's.

The course had something for everyone, and kept things even throughout. There was a fast downhill to start us off, with a short steep climb at the bottom with a 90 degree right hand turn. After another quick right hander, there was a fast gradual downhill that kept speeds in the mid to upper twenties for a good stretch. After few more fast flats and right hand turns, we found ourselves hitting a two step climb that provided a perfect stage for a slight uphill sprint finish.

The field in the 4' stayed together throughout, with a few unsuccessful breakaways quickly being chased down. Conservation was the key, and as we climbed the hills on the final lap, this strategy would pay off. I found a clean line on the outside right of the group and shot up to take a 3rd place finish, while the main group kept Liam boxed in for a 19th place finish.

Chris Jordan finished 29th in the 5's, Brian Roberts came in 4th in the 3 field, Chris Hillier had a pack finish (23rd) in with the Pro field.

 Sunday was the follow up Great Falls Criterium in down town Auburn. Again, good fortune gave us great weather for this fast ¾ mile, 20 lap race. The course contained a short steep wall, and a group of eight successfully made a break from the group after the first 5 laps. We stayed away from the reminder of the race with a 30 - 45 second gap. The sprint finish was a test of pure wattage, as you came around a 90 degree left hand turn you had about 100 meters to get to top speed. It was a fast photo finish, and I ended up with a 7th place spot for the day.

On May 30 - 31^st several members of the men's team competed in the CT Stage race.  The three event race started on Saturday morning with an 8 mile TT followed by a 25 mile circuit race in the afternoon.  The 91 mile road race on Sunday had a combination of fast flats with several steep climbs and technical descents.  The course winded it way through the Berkshires of western Massachusetts and Connecticut. The racers were cheered on by spectators in many of the small towns providing added encouragement for a tough day on the bike.   

Brian Quigely won top honours in the men's Cat 4 race.  Brian crushed the TT  establishing a 55 second lead over the rest of the field.  Brian defended his top spot for the remainder of the race. The competition did not stand a chance going up against Brian, who is training for the International Iron Man that will take place in Switzerland later this summer. 

Great Job Brian!!! The Team is very proud of you!!