The cherry has once again been popped, as the Cherry Pie road race signaled the beginning of the 2011 road cycling season for OBRA. Another excellent edition of the race brought to us by the fine folks at Pacific Power Blue Sky saw sunny, dry roads, and stiff winds. Taking to the fray were big fields testing the early season fitness.
For Ironclad it was men 3′s, women 3′s, and the lone Travis Bickle in the 1/2′s.
Our menfolk all fought the good fight, but tasted a little bad luck in missing big breaks from big fields….however they all looked really good, stayed upright, factored a bit, and had a good time. Did I mention they looked good?
none the worse for wear
For the ladies, it was a good strategy, good legs, and numbers helped carry the day delivering Brianna Walle to the foot of the finishing climb in perfect position to fire her engines and win the day. Complete, total, and selfless riding by the team set up Walle as best as possible. The first lap stayed under the watch of Pressey, Levo, Cuhna, and Croy, while Brianna and Ace waited for the hill to throw the decisive haymakers on both ascents of the finishing climb. A great way to start the season, especially against such a stacked field of 3′s. It is truly great to see so many talented Cat 3 women get their own field for such a beautiful race. Rough start line count saw just shy of 30 women. That, my friends, is awesome.
six pack ftw
Pat Malach of Oregon Cycling Action has a write up of the affair, soon to be packed with pics right here. And we have a pretty good assortment of photos from our day here as well.
We did have one good fright though, as our dear Jenn Levo – in a cross-eyed haze from her early race work – missed a turn and went off course. Race over, all other riders in, we began to wonder if she had found a ditch to hunker down in and some roadkill to feast off of Bear Grylls style, as we organized a search party. Luckily, just then, a local in a beat up Ford pick up pulled up, with Jenn in the passenger seat, and her bike atop a pile of freshly cut firewood in the bed. It was a close one.
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