Tuesday, May 4, 2010

April Racing News

The mountain bike racing season kicked off on the weekend of April 25th and 26th with the Rabbit Vally Rally Time Trial and XC races held in Fruita. These races were the opener for the Mountain states cup series, which runs through September. Congratulations Marjie Tokarski on her 2nd place finish in the XC race on Sunday. See Marjie's race report above.

There also was the Groove Subaru road criterium this weekend, which three Green Mountain Sports Racing team members took part in. Click here to take a look at lots of really good photos from the race, courtesy of Annette. Craig Hofer, below, in the field at the Groove Subaru criterium, being led by former Motorola and 7 Eleven pro Michael Carter.


Saturday April 17th saw two Green Mountain Sports racing team members taking part in the second installment of the Front Range MTB race series. The short track race was held in Golden on what looked to be an undulating hardpack mountain bike course. To take a look at race photos from Annette, click here. For other photos from the race, click here.

On Sunday the 18th, a contingent of four Green Mountain Sports racing team members were out there at the Louisville Criterium. Some were testing their racing legs for the first time since last year. The GMS racing team finished the day with a solid showing in both the 35+ and 45+ races.

Five members of the GMS Racing team took part in the recent Boulder Roubaix road race on Sunday the 11th of April. The racing action was fast and furious over an 18.7 mile loop, with more than 50 percent of the circuit being over unpaved dirt road. Racers completed anywhere from two to four laps. Tough!

The first ACA road race of the season was held on April 3rd, and it was a classic. The Koppenberg Circuit race. More than 400 racers were out there giving it a go in sunny but windy conditions. The course was dry but challenging as ever, with 2.5 miles of dirt road and 15+ percent gradient climbs. Somewhere around 300 racers finished, including 4 from the GMS racing team.

Ben Frost took 2nd in the Koppenberg 35+ Cat 4 race! Ben on the podium, in the photo below (in first place was Jeff Hall from Green Mountain Sports Velo).

Here is a video clip of the first lap of the 45+ race taken by former Green Mountain Sports racer, Rod Yoder: Video Clip of the Koppenberg Race.

Also happening was a Mountain Bike training race, held at Bear Creek Lake Park. It is quite a rarity to have mountain bike racing in early April in Colorado, but mother nature cooperated with dry trails and clear skies. Super high winds were a major factor in the race though. Although no Green Mountain Sports racing team members took part, there were about 170 racers out there mixing it up, including a handful of top national and international level pros.