dav-@bikecafe.net
http://www.bikecafe.net/NW/news/PR.05.13.05Enumclaw.asp
2005 marks the ten year anniversary of the Mutual of Enumclaw stage race. It has become a favorite of many northwest cyclists over the years and will be into the future.
How did it all get started? Back in 1995 Officer Dale Bradbury of the Enumclaw police force and Pat Carroll of the Ti Cycles Racing team, college roommates, developed the race out of the needs to fulfill initiatives. Officer Bradbury wanted to create an event to benefit the Washington State Special Olympics and Pat needed a race venue. With their involvement in cycling, they developed the stage race with half of the race proceeds going towards the Special Olympics. Over the past ten years, the race has raised well over $30,000.
The event is comprised of three stages. Starting with a time trial and criterium Saturday and finishing with a road race on Sunday. The winners will be the cyclists who can do all three stages in the least amount of time, establishing the best all around cyclist.
Saturday Morning Stage 1: Time Trial - What is a time trial? A time trial is an individual race from point to point. Each cyclist is timed on how fast they can complete the distance. The stage is organized with each rider being given a start time. The riders will be started in 30 second intervals. Versus other events of which all the cyclists start together. Time trials are referred to as the ?Race of Truth?. The clock is the enemy, every second counts.
The Enumclaw time trial is a 10 kilometer, mostly flat course with some small rolling hills. It will be important for riders to use aerodynamic equipment to shave even a few seconds off of their time, which could be the difference in top finish. Some riders go all the way with the use of special bicycles equipped with disc wheels which help reduce wind resistance, helmets, shoe covers and handlebars. Everything is fine tuned to help cut the wind and those precious seconds.
Saturday Afternoon Stage 2: Criterium The criterium is a closed course race where riders will do laps of the course for a set time limit. The criterium at Enumclaw will vary from a maximum of 70 minutes for the elite Pro 1/2 Men down to 20 minutes for the junior cyclists which are under 18 years of age.
If you are looking for an event to watch cycling, this is it! The criterium for Enumclaw is a figure eight course which demands the riders to remain in tack with the lead cyclists. Going through the corners with large groups of riders put a rider near the end of the group out of the race quickly. With speeds up to 30-40 mph, this will be an exciting, competitive event!
Sunday Stage 3: Road Race The road race is a 14.5 mile loop with one big climb up Mud Mountain Road and one long downhill on highway 410. Flat everywhere else. Sunday will be the deciding factor on who will win the race. Climbers will have an advantage with the climb up Mud Mountain is about two miles which has gradients up to 11 percent. With the rest of the course being flat, unless a rider gets away on the climb, it will take a team effort to break a rider away from the main pack. Race distances vary from 20 to 82 miles based on rider categories.
Is there a key to winning the race? Russell Stevenson, who has won the Enumclaw stage race, provided his insight to the race. ?Have a good time trial and finish in the front or win the road race. Mud Mountain always makes the race. A good climber can win there, but also a strong team is needed to control a usually very sparky peloton.?
The Future: What does the next ten years hold for the Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race? The race has been a great success in the Northwest. Questions have been brought to the Trish Lawrence, race director, asking if there are any intentions of the race being on the national race calendar. Trish said ?The problem being in doing so we would have to expand it somehow and manpower is our biggest hurdle. I am not saying it won't happen in the future just some logistics will have to be worked out... For now staying with a formula that works seems the best way to go. Though we are constantly throwing ideas out there to improve upon what we have.?
The popularity of the Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race is an indication of the success of the race, which the race management and the city of Enumclaw should take pride in bringing to the racing community! As the say, if it isn?t broken don?t fix it.