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Jun 13, 2013 News, Race Reports, Road Racing
Minuteman Road Club’s Rob DiBattista raced to the top spot in the Mens 35+ Cat 4 heat of Green Line Velo’s 2013 Purgatory Road Race on a hot and sunny June 9th Sunday in Sutton, MA.
DiBattista powering up Lackey for the final push to victory.
Rob’s plan was to sit in the field and reserve everything for the final run up Lackey Road but his competitors kept pushing the pace and stringing out the pack. Teammate Jacob Lipcon buried himself several times in support, chasing down the breaks that tried to get away after each of these surges began to subside.
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Jun 13, 2013 News, Race Reports
The Sterling Classic Road Race returned for it’s 19th year on a day that early forecasts hinted at a return of the biblical weather of 2010 yet it turned out to be merely cloudy, a little damp and the perfect temperature for racing.
MRC Members PJ McQuade, Chris Pare and Doug Kennedy lead the Mens Cat 3 field up Meetinghouse to start their first lap.
Nine fields of racers made their way around the hilly 8 mile course throughout the day with marshaling and pace car support from volunteers who were not only members of the Minuteman Road Club but other clubs, residents of the Town of Sterling and Boy Scout Troop 189. Also on hand was the team of SRAM Neutral Race Support vehicles and their drivers, ready to supply racers in need of a wheel or a bike.
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May 8, 2013 Uncategorized
Using cagey race tactics to recover from chasing an early break by eventual winner Sean Pelletier (Team Stampede), Minuteman Road Club’s Doug Kennedy gains his second podium of the season in the Mens Cat 4 race at the Blue Hills Classic held in Milton, MA on May 5th, 2013.
Busick putting the hurt on the Cat 4 field on the final lap on way up Unquity.
Pelletier attacked at the end of the first lap and was chased by Kennedy and one other rider but when it quickly became apparent that Sean was gone for good, Doug settled into the peloton to regroup and recover. Nothing much happened until the last lap (as is often the case) when team mate Chris Busick drilled it on the steepest part of the climb towards the finish.
Busick’s effort did a good job of thinning the pack enough for Kennedy to find himself in 4th place as Unquity eased into the false flat to the finish. A handy wheel came speeding by him at just the right time and he latched on for the 100 meters through the false flat and then unleashed his spring for the last 200 meters to finish in second place.
Doug Kennedy outpacing the field to finish 2nd in the Mens Cat 4 at Blue Hills.
Read all the race reports in the racers own words on our forum.
Apr 23, 2013 News, Race Reports, Road Racing
Doug Kennedy finishes first in the Men’s 40+/4′s 2013 Tour of Battenkill
A solid contingent of Minuteman Road Club racers was able to produce not just one but TWO podium finishes in the 2013 Tour of Battenkill on a chilly April 13 in Cambridge, NY.
The Mens 40+ Cat 4 field started off with an early crash, which Doug Kennedy deftly avoided (no doubt calling upon his CX skill set) then settled into a frustratingly sleepy pace for the next 40 or so miles. Nevertheless, the continual grind of climb after climb did manage to have riders being shed from the main field along the way.
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Mar 15, 2013 Announcements, Equipment
(click for larger view)The late spring kit order has opened as promised, here’s a look at both the light/white and the dark/black designs (shown in Verge Elite):
We are also offering in this round of orders women’s non-bib shorts, and the option to get the jersey (light or dark) in the Verge Primo grade. Look for more details in the forum!
This order will close on April 5, 2013 and we expect about a six week turnaround from there.
Mar 9, 2013 News, Road Racing
The Tour de Murietta, the first qualifier race in the Nature Valley Pro Chase is now under way about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, CA.
Yesterday’s heat saw competitors navigating a 4.1 miles time trial course that started off on flat-to-rolling terrain then onto a 2.9% one mile climb to the finish on a section of groomed, unpaved road. And from the terrific photos by Pink Shorts Photography and Rod Baine, it looks like they also faced a little rain along the way.
Today’s stage brings the racers to a flat counter-clockwise, L-shaped crit course and on Sunday, they will face a 3.76 miles circuit over rolling terrain. See more photos and get updates during the day at the Tour de Murietta’s Facebook page. Results of the TT and future stages are available on CA Pools Racing’s website.
On May 11th, the Minuteman Road Club’s Sterling Classic Road Race comprises another one of the qualifying races. The Nature Valley Pro Chase gives amateur racers the opportunity to participate in the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Riders will be selected at six regional qualifying events. Team members will receive free entries, a generous travel subsidy, housing and team support. They will also receive pro-level recognition before, during and after the events, including pre-race call ups and participation in promotional and media appearances.
Register for the Sterling Classic now!
Photos courtesy Pink Shorts Photography
Feb 25, 2013 Uncategorized
Feb 18, 2013 Announcements, Road Racing
Overview:
2013 marks the 19th running of the Sterling Classic Road Race, a longtime highlight of the New England road racing calendar. Many competitors tag this as their first “A” race of the season and look forward to its combination of short punchy climbs, serpentine rollers and the notorious uphill finish.
Drawing competition from through out New England and beyond, the Sterling Classic Road Race offers a challenge for both beginners and Pro alike. Cat 5 men and Cat 4 women compete in 3 lap heats that provide great experience in pack racing without the high intensity and close quarters of a crit. Mid-morning brings distances of 40 and 48 miles for Mens Cat 4 and Masters racers, respectively.
More info on our race flyer!
For more experienced racers, whose fields race for longer distances (80 miles/10 laps for the Men Pro 1/2 and 48 miles/6 laps for the Women Pro 1/2/3), the challenge expands to managing endurance, team tactics as well as the recurring climbing efforts will come into play as they compete for a spot on the Nature Valley Cycling Team. The Sterling Classic is also part of the NEBRA ranking series.
Course Description:
The Sterling Classic Road Race is held in downtown Sterling, MA. The course consists of an 8-mile course through rolling quintessential New England roads. With a two-mile neutral start from the Chocksett Middle School, racers will roll into downtown Sterling and up to the Start/Finish line on Meetinghouse Hill Rd.
Meetinghouse Hill Rd. will turn into Rowley Hill Rd. and continue to climb to the highest point on the circuit. At this point racers will position themselves for several miles of descent on Heywood Rd and then North Row Rd. At the Bottom of North Row Rd. racers will take a right onto Rt. 12.
On Rt. 12 just before coming back into downtown Sterling, racers will once again begin jockeying for position prior to the steepest climb on the course. Once racers take a right onto Meeting House Hill Rd. the fight to keep contact will begin right up through the Start/Finish line and onto Rowley Hill Rd.
Feb 17, 2013 Announcements, Equipment
Brand new for 2013, in both Adult and Child sizes, the black, short sleeve shirts are made with Dri-Balance fabric (“structured to create air pockets to move moisture away from your body, allows air to pass through, keeping you cool, dry and comfortable”)
In stock now, cost: only $10!
Visit the MRC member area of the forum for purchasing details!
Oct 22, 2012 Announcements, Fund Raisers
Twenty MRC members met this past Saturday morning in support of our friend, Tom Ball. Despite wet roads, the morning brought out riders that we have not seen in a while which goes to show you how our club supports a fellow member in need. The riders donated over $1,100 to The Tom Ball Support Fund and another $650 has been donated online. Tom and his family send thanks to all of you for the support.
We are planning to hold another ride (hopefully Tom will be able to be there and maybe turn the pedals!) on Friday November 23rd – stay tuned for more information.
If you have not donated and would like to, send checks made to: The Tom Ball Support Fund – mail to:
Middlesex Bank
Attn Brian Sullivan
278 Washington St
Wellesley MA 02481
or you can donate online via Everribbon at: https://www.everribbon.com/ribbon/view/8715.
You can read about Tom’s accident in our forum.
Any questions direct them to John Steiger jbsteiger13@gmail.com or 617-312-0502
