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Greetings Northwest cyclists:
All right, since the season has started, I?m going to jump right into it.
I was at the Seattle Bike Expo this weekend so I didn?t see too much racing,
but the reports are trickling in. I?ll have a separate column about the Expo
later this week, but to give a quick preview, here are some of the products
and manufacturers that stood out:
Ti Cycles and their Carbon-Ti frame set
Abici making some insane deals on 2003 frame sets and bike kits
Curtlo?s super light and finely detailed road and mountain frames
ROI?s 12-pound bike
Full Speed Ahead?s (FSA) new carbon stem and bars (two pieces)
Co-Motion?s super smooth Ristretto frame set
Hampsten?s new Grand Paradiso ? carbon and aluminum frame set
Power Cranks ? these could possibly change the way people train
Strong?s gravel-road bike
Rolf?s new 1,300-gram carbon wheels
And of course the Northwest Race Guide ? a detailed look at the races,
racers and how to race them ? produced by Northwest Race Report.com and the
Bicycle Paper.
Okay, to the races.
First, there?s a new guy on the Northwest circuit turning a few heads. His
name is Sam Schartz, he?s from Eugene and he?s in his second year of bicycle
racing. The Hutch?s rider won the first two races in Oregon this year in
convincing fashion. The first was a solo win at the Cherry Pie Road Race
near Corvallis, Ore. two weekends ago. The second was Sunday at the Banana
Belt Road Race Series opener near Forest Grove, Ore., where he won the
sprint from an 11-man break beating former Prime Alliance professional John
Walrod in the process.
I haven?t seen this guy ride but according to first-hand accounts, Schartz
is a pretty determined rider and difficult to contain when he wants to go.
He?s a big fella at 6 feet 3 inches, 195 pounds, so he?s got power to spare
? beating Walrod in a sprint proves that.
I like his athletic background prior to cycling: High school football and
basketball. Now, I?ve said this many times. The second-string defensive back
or point guard on most high school teams could beat 95 percent of the pro
1-2?s in the United States if they ever got a chance. Seems like Schartz is
getting his chance.
But it?s a long season and last year Schartz found out first hand how long
it can be. He won the fifth race he ever entered last year after upgrading
to cat 3, but Schartz began a slow burn and we really didn?t hear much from
him after that. He did race the full year, though.
I talked with him on the phone after his win Sunday and asked if he thought
he could keep up the pace until the end of the year.
"I?m a little worried I came out too strong, but I?ve put in a lot of base
miles and I haven?t had a lot of intensity," he said. "I?ve also been in the
gym a couple times a week and that?s where my strength comes from."
Whether he?ll make it all the way through the season at this clip remains to
be seen. But before anyone shoots him down, remember Svein Tuft from
Langley, B.C.? He started his professional career with Prime Alliance in his
third year of racing after having a full and consistent year of racing the
year prior with Broadmark Capital, so it can be done.
Other acts of inanity: Scott Springer from NoMad cycling out of Portland won
the Jack Frost Time Trial twice Feb. 23 near Vancouver, Wash. He entered
twice and posted the two fastest times turned in by a UCI regulation
bicycle. Joe Kochanowski had the fastest time by a long shot on recumbent.
I haven?t talked with Springer but when I do I?ll surely ask him what drives
a man to enter a time trial twice.
From the training road: On one of my few training rides this year I spent
several hours with the Seattle Super Squadra (S3) team. Here?s a team that?s
been riding in the shadows of Broadmark Capital and Saturn of Bellevue (now
Saturn for Seattle) for what might be too long.
They?ve lost two top riders in the form of Michael Emde and Andrew McDermid
(both will ride for Spoke & Spocket in 2003). But they picked up former
Armondo?s rider Jay Hilwig, who won the pro 1-2 Ice Breaker Time Trial near
Auburn, Wash., on Saturday in a time of 21 minutes 50 seconds for 10 miles
(digression: the fastest time was posted by Saturn for Seattle?s Brian Lewis
(21:39) in the masters 35+ age group).
Last year S3?s early man was Matt Hill. After a very solid cyclocross
season, he?s much stronger this year. Remember his two solo runs during the
road stage at the 2002 Tour of Walla Walla totaling 45 miles? He?ll be doing
that again this year. Okay, few took him seriously at Walla Walla in 2002,
but if he partners with Hilwig on that move, suddenly things become very
serious. That sets the table nicely for the team?s remaining speedsters: Ian
Tubbs and Steve Higgins.
Okay, that?s all I have for now. Full race coverage should start in earnest
at the Banana Belt Road Race on Sunday. The focus will be the women?s and
master?s races.
Joe Zauner
Editor-and-chief
Northwest Race Report.com
http://nwracereport.com/
Owner
Macro Sun Graphics
http://www.nwracereport.com/Macro/
(206) 362-2690
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Greetings Northwest cyclists:<BR>
<BR>
<FONT SIZE="2">All right, since the season has started, I?m going to jump right into it.<BR>
<BR>
I was at the Seattle Bike Expo this weekend so I didn?t see too much racing, but the reports are trickling in. I?ll have a separate column about the Expo later this week, but to give a quick preview, here are some of the products and manufacturers that stood out:<BR>
<BR>
</FONT><UL><LI><FONT SIZE="2">Ti Cycles and their Carbon-Ti frame set
<LI>Abici making some insane deals on 2003 frame sets and bike kits
<LI>Curtlo?s super light and finely detailed road and mountain frames
<LI>ROI?s 12-pound bike
<LI>Full Speed Ahead?s (FSA) new carbon stem and bars (two pieces)
<LI>Co-Motion?s super smooth Ristretto frame set
<LI>Hampsten?s new Grand Paradiso ? carbon and aluminum frame set
<LI>Power Cranks ? these could possibly change the way people train
<LI>Strong?s gravel-road bike
<LI>Rolf?s new 1,300-gram carbon wheels
<LI>And of course the Northwest Race Guide ? a detailed look at the races, racers and how to race them ? produced by <I>Northwest Race Report.com and the Bicycle Paper</I>. <BR>
</FONT></UL><FONT SIZE="2"><BR>
Okay, to the races.<BR>
<BR>
First, there?s a new guy on the Northwest circuit turning a few heads. His name is Sam Schartz, he?s from Eugene and he?s in his second year of bicycle racing. The Hutch?s rider won the first two races in Oregon this year in convincing fashion. The first was a solo win at the Cherry Pie Road Race near Corvallis, Ore. two weekends ago. The second was Sunday at the Banana Belt Road Race Series opener near Forest Grove, Ore., where he won the sprint from an 11-man break beating former Prime Alliance professional John Walrod in the process.<BR>
<BR>
I haven?t seen this guy ride but according to first-hand accounts, Schartz is a pretty determined rider and difficult to contain when he wants to go. He?s a big fella at 6 feet 3 inches, 195 pounds, so he?s got power to spare ? beating Walrod in a sprint proves that.<BR>
<BR>
I like his athletic background prior to cycling: High school football and basketball. Now, I?ve said this many times. The second-string defensive back or point guard on most high school teams could beat 95 percent of the pro 1-2?s in the United States if they ever got a chance. Seems like Schartz is getting his chance.<BR>
<BR>
But it?s a long season and last year Schartz found out first hand how long it can be. He won the fifth race he ever entered last year after upgrading to cat 3, but Schartz began a slow burn and we really didn?t hear much from him after that. He did race the full year, though.<BR>
<BR>
I talked with him on the phone after his win Sunday and asked if he thought he could keep up the pace until the end of the year.<BR>
<BR>
"I?m a little worried I came out too strong, but I?ve put in a lot of base miles and I haven?t had a lot of intensity," he said. "I?ve also been in the gym a couple times a week and that?s where my strength comes from."<BR>
<BR>
Whether he?ll make it all the way through the season at this clip remains to be seen. But before anyone shoots him down, remember Svein Tuft from Langley, B.C.? He started his professional career with Prime Alliance in his third year of racing after having a full and consistent year of racing the year prior with Broadmark Capital, so it can be done.<BR>
<BR>
<B>Other acts of inanity: </B>Scott Springer from NoMad cycling out of Portland won the Jack Frost Time Trial twice Feb. 23 near Vancouver, Wash. He entered twice and posted the two fastest times turned in by a UCI regulation bicycle. Joe Kochanowski had the fastest time by a long shot on recumbent.<BR>
<BR>
I haven?t talked with Springer but when I do I?ll surely ask him what drives a man to enter a time trial twice.<BR>
<BR>
<B>From the training road: </B>On one of my few training rides this year I spent several hours with the Seattle Super Squadra (S3) team. Here?s a team that?s been riding in the shadows of Broadmark Capital and Saturn of Bellevue (now Saturn for Seattle) for what might be too long.<BR>
<BR>
They?ve lost two top riders in the form of Michael Emde and Andrew McDermid (both will ride for Spoke & Spocket in 2003). But they picked up former Armondo?s rider Jay Hilwig, who won the pro 1-2 Ice Breaker Time Trial near Auburn, Wash., on Saturday in a time of 21 minutes 50 seconds for 10 miles (digression: the fastest time was posted by Saturn for Seattle?s Brian Lewis (21:39) in the masters 35+ age group).<BR>
<BR>
Last year S3?s early man was Matt Hill. After a very solid cyclocross season, he?s much stronger this year. Remember his two solo runs during the road stage at the 2002 Tour of Walla Walla totaling 45 miles? He?ll be doing that again this year. Okay, few took him seriously at Walla Walla in 2002, but if he partners with Hilwig on that move, suddenly things become very serious. That sets the table nicely for the team?s remaining speedsters: Ian Tubbs and Steve Higgins.<BR>
<BR>
Okay, that?s all I have for now. Full race coverage should start in earnest at the Banana Belt Road Race on Sunday. The focus will be the women?s and master?s races. <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Joe Zauner<BR>
Editor-and-chief<BR>
Northwest Race Report.com<BR>
http://nwracereport.com/<BR>
Owner<BR>
Macro Sun Graphics<BR>
http://www.nwracereport.com/Macro/<BR>
(206) 362-2690<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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