Doug Evans
Apparantly my home town in California ran a newspaper story about cx racing in Portland.
-----Original Message-----
From: cmur-@obra.org [mailto:cmur-@obra.org]
Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2004 7:48 AM
To: obra
Subject: [OBRA Chat] Ccx story on the Front of the sports page of the
Oregonian
Story below
While it is nice that we get our first mention of the ccx races in the
paper. The real story was the series and the tremendous job the Crusaders
did on bringing the masses of riders out to the sport. Too bad that wasn't
the focus of the story.
Candi Murray
Junior achievers
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
ABBY HAIGHT
T hey live hundreds of miles apart and probably wouldn't meet except for a
shared passion for bicycle racing.
But because they love speed, because they are talented and determined and
show promise, four teenagers -- from Canby, Bend, Hood River and Klamath
Falls -- will race as teammates this weekend at the USA Cycling National
Cyclocross Championships at Portland International Raceway.
The four make up the Fred Meyer/ICS Redzaw junior cycling team, one of the
few junior squads with corporate sponsorship. The junior squad formed at the
beginning of the fall cyclocross season, and is aiming toward spring when
racing begins on the roads, track and mountain trails.
"The kids have really grabbed hold of it," said team director Kent Johnston,
a former pro racer who was a national cyclocross champion. "We want to take
it as far as we can in racing."
About 1,000 riders will compete Friday through Sunday for 23 championships.
Winners in divisions from juniors to collegiate to masters to elite earn a
stars-and-stripes jersey and the chance to be nominated to the U.S. national
team that will compete at the World Cyclocross Championships in February in
St. Wendel, Germany.
For most of the Fred Meyer/ICS Redzaw juniors, the championships will be the
biggest race of their young careers.
All four cyclists have been successful in junior racing in the state.
Carson Miller, a 15-year-old from Bend, was the top mountain bike rider in
the expert division -- for riders up to age 18 -- in Oregon last summer.
Terry Wedam, a 16-year-old from Klamath Falls, won the state road race
championship. Zach Frater, a 16-year-old from Hood River, was the state time
trial champion. Ian Megale, a 16-year-old from Canby, led the winning team
in the state team time trial championship.
The four, who raced for different clubs, swept the state criterium
championship -- Miller first, Frater second, Megale third and Wedam fourth.
Fred Meyer has sponsored an adult racing team for several years. In addition
to racing in team colors, riders also participate in the "Think First"
national program that encourages children to wear helmets to prevent head
and spinal cord injuries.
Part of Johnston's pitch to his sponsors was to promote young racers.
Wedam joined the team in the early fall -- just before his first cyclocross
season. He already had been successful racing on the roads, but never had
raced the discipline that challenges riders to negotiate mud, barriers and
steep slopes.
"The first race in Hood River, my eyes started opening up," said Wedam, a
junior at Henley High School. "My first take was one of shock. . . . It's 40
minutes of just hammering on a crazy course, going all out."
Frater, a junior at Hood River High School, only began serious riding last
year -- as cross-training for hockey -- and raced for the first time last
summer. He also raced cyclocross for the first time at the Hood River event.
"It's almost a different culture out there," Frater said. "And cyclocross is
hard. Cyclocross, you're going 90 percent the whole time. Where in road
racing, you're going 90 percent just some of the time."
Megale raced cyclocross for the first time last year, and competed at the
2003 U.S. championships on a different course at PIR.
"It was really fast," Megale said of his first national championship race.
"I didn't really know what I was doing. It was my eighth cyclocross."
Megale convinced Miller to join the team.
Miller, a sophomore at Summit High School, had raced on the road and
mountain bikes for about three years. He started cyclocross racing last year
and finished eighth at the national championships.
"It's just another form of suffering on the bike that some of us enjoy doing
-- and others can't believe that we enjoy it," Miller said.
The four have learned from Johnston and from each other.
The former pro has devised training plans for the riders. He guides them
through warmups and points out the best line to take through turns. Mostly,
Johnston imparts the knowledge of years of racing.
"His 'been there, done that' has helped just in races," said Megale, a
sophomore at Canby High School.
Added Miller: "Kent has been the greatest advantage to me with his knowledge
and his training plans. He's had enormous experience. You have a question,
he has the answer. And plenty to back it up."
Johnston said the young riders will have an impact -- especially in the
community promoting helmets and safe riding among youngsters.
"If a 16-year-old says, 'Hey, wearing a helmet is cool. I wear one,' a
6-year-old is more likely to wear one," he said.
Of the four, Miller probably has the best chance of reaching the podium this
weekend.
Because of international rules, the 16-year-olds will be bumped up an age
group to race against 17- and 18-year-olds. They will compete against more
experienced riders in a race that favors technique, as well as strength.
"I had hoped for a top-five finish," Wedam said. "But I know these guys.
They're real big guns, national champions. Now my goal is to go out and try
to be the dark horse, stay with the lead group as long as we can."
Miller will race in the 15-16 division. He said he is better prepared this
year.
"Half the race is luck and half is what you put into it," Miller said. "I'm
sure that the best rider will cross the line first."
Abby Haight: 503-221-8198; abha-@aol.com
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