The second annual Monroe County Hill Climb took place with an increased field, increased interest but decreased temperatures. On the coolest day of the year since late April a group of 23 riders tackled the climb on Pinegrove road up from Lake Monroe to SR446. First to attempt the grade that has some steep pitches and yet some areas where the riders could but shouldn’t relax was Jon Palak (Team Tortuga). Palak showed that his summer racing has improved his form as he finished with a solid 5m49s good enough for 5th place on the day. The favourites arrived after another 10 minutes with Ryan Knapp (Alderfer Bergen) besting Palaks time with 5m47s. Knapp clearly didn’t lay it all on the road given his quick recovery and the fact that he admitted to creating a playlist on his iPod during the climb! In contrast Mike Sherer (Alderfer Bergen) laid it all on the road to take top spot with 5m45. Sherer clearly has the hill climb gene as he was struggling for breath for a good five minutes after his effort showing the form that took him to victory in the inaugural event ( http://www.teamtortuga.org/blog/?p=70 ).
However it was not to be Sherers day as Renjay Shei (Tortuga) crushed the fastest time with a scorching 5m25s. Shei had the dual benefit of a strenuous warm-up after racing out of class to reach the event and also having Tom Cox as a significant rabbit to catch as his minute-man. Next man up Ryan Shanahan snuck into 2nd place with a 5m43 in an event that is a lot shorter than those that are his forte. Shanahan had the consolation of taking the Over25 trophy whilst the other awards were won by Randi Cox (1st Female) and Greg Moves (1st Frat). Thanks to everyone who came out to ride. The start-finish lines are out on the road so anyone can go out and see what they can do whenever they want! Get out and ride!

Renjay Shei (Tortuga)            5m25
Ryan Shanahan            5m43
Mike Sherer (Alderfer Bergen)    5m45
Ryan Knapp (Alderfer Bergen)    5m47
Jon Palak (Tortuga)            5m49
Zach Trogdon                6m00
Chris Beck (Tortuga)            6m01
Greg Moves (DTD)            6m02
Kameron Gray (CCC)            6m13
Tomasz Golas                6m16
Tom Cox (Alderfer Bergen)        6m17
Valentin Todorow (BKB)        6m17
Brent Powell                6m27
Scott Mueller (BKB)            6m33
Brent Nowinski            6m41
Tim Davis (Tortuga)            6m50
Kirk Weesner (Pike)            6m55
Chris Stoker                 7m07
Randi Cox (Morris Trucking)        7m11
Neil Bansal (Kappa Sigma)        7m19
Evelyn Ewing (Morris Trucking)    7m47
Evan Wolf (Kappa Sigma)        8m10
Liz Nash                8m11
Larry Stropes    (Kappa Sigma)    8m48

The final MMSF TT was the fastest of the year with two scorching times from John Meyers and Ryan Shanahan. The last time these two TT titans clashed it was Meyers who set the course record but this time out even though he set another course record (21.03) it wasn’t good enough to win the day as Shanahan rode a remarkable 21min dead for the ten miles (28.5+mph)! Myron Lewis came in with a strong 3rd place (22.33) and the fact Ryan had to chase the Tortugan could be the real reason he set a new course record. RJs good form also continued with an excellent 23.10. Now all remains is for everyone to train up
until next year when surely the times will dip into the 20s!

MMSF 10 mile TT 8/26/08

Place   Name             Time       Time back    mph   kph
1    Ryan Shanahan    21.00.0   0.00.0    28.57    45.98
2    John Meyers    21.03.0        0.03.0    28.50    45.87
3    Myron Lewis    22.33.0        1.33.0    26.61    42.82
4    Ren-Jay Shei    23.10.0       2.10.0    25.90    41.68
5    Valentin Todorow    25.11.0 4.11.0    23.83    38.34
6    Sarah Sanders    25.58.0     4.58.0    23.11    37.19
7    Scott Mueller    27.47.0       6.47.0    21.60    34.75
8    Evelyn Ewing    28.37.0       7.37.0    20.97    33.74
9    Frank                  29.06.0    8.06.0    20.62    33.18

Contributed by Joe Gaines:

National Criterium Championships, Downers Grove, Illinois

Taylor Gaines, Bloomington, Indiana won the Junior (15-18) category Criterium Bicycle Race at the National Criterium Championships in Downers Grove, Illinois August 16, 2008. He won in convincing fashion with a solo breakaway with 5 laps to go on the 1.2 mile course through downtown Downers Grove holding off a charging field of riders representing some of the best junior riders in the Mid-west. His win came on his 16th birthday, August 16, 2008. The National Championship race capped a good race season for Gaines, who rides for Team Tortuga, a Bloomington based bicycle racing club. His season results included several 1st place finishes in the Junior (15-16) category including the Indiana Road Race Championships and the Pur Tour in Ohio. Taylor also had impressive finishes in the men’s category 4 races throughout the season with 3rd place in the Marion Classic and a top ten finish at the Norton Commons Criterium in Louisville, Kentucky. Taylor was also a member of the Bloomington South Solar Bike national championship team.

The Downers Grove National Championship Criterium has been held for the past 22 years and crowns the national professional criterium champion. This year’s professional field included Christian Vandevelde, Garmin/Chipotle Team, the top US rider in the 2008 Tour de France having finishing 5th overall in the Tour. Interestingly, Vandevelde employed a breakaway late in the race similar Taylor’s strategy, but was eventually swallowed up by the field of more than 100 riders. Rashaan Bahati, of Rock Racing, won the professional race in a final field sprint and earned the right to wear the stars and stripes for the next year.