Ironclad Cycling

Another year has begun, and another team training camp has come and gone, quite successfully we might add. This year’s venue was in Pendleton, Oregon, where the team rented an old whore house and poached all of the Cycle Pendleton routes, or versions thereof. Good times were had by all, and any unwanted pregnancies were taken care of post haste. That’s a tasteless inside joke.

The weather held out for us as we pedaled a bit each day, including a 110 mile ride on Saturday. Of note was everyone’s ability to ride long distances with sustained hangovers. Thanks, Greg, for the 100% agave margaritas. And of course, Pendleton whiskey in it’s chocolately goodness was in full swing. Hamley’s steakhouse presented some nice steak bites and miniature waitresses. We considered bringing one back to the brothel, but thought better of it. Besides, dudes were well outnumbered by chicks on this trip.

On Saturday, we went and spent a little time at ye oulde Cock Hat Dinosaur state park…also known as Hat Rock.

Also on that day, we ran into – and subsequently harvested the organs of – farmer Cliff ….. his dogs sure were kind. His organs were a bit worn, but we took him into the fold just the same. He even said had we let him know we were coming (had we known him, his farm, or our route) he would have made us some baked potatoes. Nothing finer on a ride than baked potatoes…well, except boobs and liquor.

Other than that, we pretty much spent our time on the bikes, or at the bar. We know, surprising. Shocking, actually. Anyhow, if you are so inclined we have a shitload of photos RIGHT HERE for you to look at. But for the most part, things looked like this (note the return of a healthy and immediately on-form Anna Christiansen):

If we wake up in time, and survive the Chainbreaker MTB race, we may or may not make it to Piece of Cake. After all, it is Paris-Roubaix weekend!

Tot ziens!

Another Banana Belt series has come and gone, and for our humble Ironclad squad, a milestone met with two podium placings in two categories. The 3rd of 3 races took place this past Sunday, and saw our Crawfy in the Mst 1/2/3 race with a pack finish (great considering a 10-day cold he’s been battling) an 11th place for Willis Dick Party in the M1/2 race, and a 5th in the W3′s for Steph Croy, alongside Brianna Walle’s 3rd straight win in the W1/2 – which also puts her in a tie for the lead for the first rankings of the Oregon Cup series. Congrats to all who climbed on a bike to take on the series, where the last two races brought some adverse weather, testing the mettle of any rider, be they off the front or off the back.

This scribe was way out east in MA and RI and has nothing, so you’ll have to rely on the estimable Mr. Pat Malach and his Oregon Cycling Action site for the pics and the blow-by-blow action reporting. Good on ya, Pat! Here’s one of Pat’s shot of the ladies peloton, being towed up the hill by eventual winner Brianna Walle.

We’re off next weekend to our annual training camp. Pictures and reports soon to follow some time next week!

photo by Pat Malach, Oregon Cycling Action

Rough and rainy road racing out at the old Henry Hagg Classic today, also known as Banana Belt. In this case, #2 of 3. A pile of us Ironclad sorts loaded up Walter in the pre-dawn darkness and took off westward.

Upon reaching the lake, the rain was pelting us with dime sized raindrops. Some suited up, some decided better of the affair and headed for home. For our little team we put forth for beatings McCoy, Willis, Walle, Momany, Schultz, Sandoval, Davis, and Croy.

Through tough conditions we produced some good racing, highlighted with Brianna’s 2nd win in as many weeks of the 1/2 race. Croy 3rd in the 3′s. Also highlighting were Chelsea and Davis’ first race under the Ironclad banner. Welcome aboard! Both finished admirably. Sharon Sandoval continued her improvement with a solid race sticking with the dwindling group of W4′s until the very final climb. McCoy and Willis saw the futility of 2 men chasing 4 and thought better of the affair, retiring instead to Walter’s cozy, warm confines. Alex swung in the 4′s for a bit before a solo misson. Me and Trevor hung around in the van and did reverse circles.

We took a bunch of sub-par photos and you can see those right here. There’s a sprinkling of everything there of the morning races, and apologies in advance for the shoddy pics. This one turned out alright, of the Women’s 1/2/3 field rolling out of the short neutral start:

W1/2/3 roll out

Tour de Hagg, Cirque du Hagg, that stupid Lake Race, Fruity Classic – it goes by many names but once again the Banana Belt series is upon us! Round the puddle we went yesterday with Crawfy, McCoy, Walle, Croy, Whitley, and Dezellum, under glorious March weather. I suppose this race has seen it all over the years during this wacky weather month – from mid-50′s and sun, to cancellations due to ice.

Pat Malach has all your photo stunningness right here for you to check out.

Crawfy tried a late break but still managed a top half finish after his bid for glory was dashed by the charging field. Look at the sprinter going up hills! Dizzy got some fitness then got wise once dropped and made haste to the bar.

McCoy threw punches and after some bridging ended up in the break in the 1/2 field, and came in for a fine 3rd place finish in a big field. Nice work there Jon! Our first podium finish in the 1/2′s for the year, in only the 2nd road race. Congrats to Mark Blackwelder of Gentle Lovers as well, for his first victory in the elite ranks.

In the ladies affair the racing was on-again off-again, and Steph Croy tried her hand in an adventurous break that was sadly not to be. Having spent her money animating the race Croy went back to the field, and a solo 3 went up the road. Unconcerned with that, Whitley and Walle set about taking the separately scored 1/2 field, which Walle did in the uphill-y sprint finish. Congrats Brianna on nabbing the squad’s first W1/2 win for 2012!

The day before, our Cristina Mihaescu and Sharon Sandoval took to the knobby side of things at the Echo Red to Red MtB race, with Cristina nabbing 4th, and Sharon 9th in their respective fields. Good dirty action!

We have noBB#1 pictures, so go to Pat’s site, as our resident photo idiot was riding along the waterline in Newport, OR. See you next week at BB#2!