The Minuteman Road Club produced laudable results at the 2011 Tour of the Battenkill last Sunday April 10th. Of the 17 team members entered, nearly half garnered top 20 finishes and two placed in the top 10 of their respective fields.

Matt Pierson working his way up Meetinghouse Road - Beth Trinkett photo

In the Cat 4 Grey field, when John Smith flatted about 7 miles in, MRC mates Stefan Wawersik and Rob Follansbee demonstrated how to work as a team to get him back in the race. After Wawersik swapped wheels with Smith, Follansbee heroically bridged Smith all the way back into the race. Very pro.

Later on, Doug Kennedy made his contribution by leading Smith out at the finish resulting in an 11th place finish for Smith and Kennedy in 12th.

The men’s Cat 5 35+ Pink field found three members in the lead group through the halfway point: Jeremy Cratty, Scott Sweeney and Russ Campbell. The moderately warm but very dry day and the unrelenting climbs took their toll on all of the racers as that pack deteriorated into smaller and smaller, more spread out groups. By the end, Cratty fought to a 6th place finish, Sweeney gaining 8th and Campbell in 12th.

Other top 20 finishers were Gary Sclar in the Cat 5 35+ Yellow field outlasting a field that saw 1/3 of the entrants DNF to attain 16th postion and Lynn Thornton, who placed 15th in the Women’s Ca4 35+ field.

Read the exciting race reports and see photos from the race in the MRC forum.

The Minuteman Road Club is sending it’s largest team of riders ever, 17 in all, to “America’s Queen of the Classics”, The Tour of the Battenkill taking place tomorrow, Sunday April 10, 2011.

After a snow-bound winter of indoor training and, until March, few opportunities to get outside and ride on local roads, team members will finally get the chance test their mettle against the challenging 64 mile course that features paved and dirt/gravel sections, killer hills, spectacular views and a reputation for ripping a cyclist’s legs off.

Many have headed up to Cambridge, NY a day early to pre-ride the early portions of the course in order to size up the road conditions and early climbs, in particular the notoriously steep “paved with dirt” Juniper Swamp Road. Many feel this is a major make-or-break point in the race.

Weather for this early season race is looking miraculously good with moderate winds and predicted temperatures at mid-day into the high 50′s. Even for those with earlier starts, they should be riding out in at least 40º temps. With the lack of rain all week, one can expect they will be faced with dusty rather than muddy conditions tomorrow.

Best of luck to our teammates and stay tuned as race reports start to trickle in tomorrow night!

Sunday April 3, 2011 – Plymouth, MA – Getting the early season going well this past weekend, John “Smudger” Smith and Chris Pare navigated rough roads and squirrelly fellow racers to top 10 finishing spots at the Miles Standish State Forest Road Race. Their successful efforts were supported by teammates, Todd Savage and Stefan Wawersik.

A field of fifty-two Cat 4 racers competed on the four lap, 5 mile course on a sunny day that featured 40-50º temperatures and 15 mph winds out of the northwest.

The first three laps consisted of the usual mix of tentative and unsuccessful breakaways. Savage led the race for most of the third lap, then the course, ravaged by a tough winter of plowing and frost heaves, caused a crash on the final lap that put Wawersik out of contention. However, Smith and Pare were still in the chase as they approached the final sweeping left turn before the finish.

Pare found himself on the outside of the turn with the cyclists in front of him drifting further and further outside to the right as they exited the turn, edging him briefly off the course and forcing him to rely on his CX bike handling skills to a) not crash in the pine needles and b) get back on the course. Despite this, he hammered on and finished a very respectable 7th.

Meanwhile, John Smith, who was on the inside of the final turn, put his head down and engaged his powerful sprint. He approached the line with three others, his tire-width lunge for the finish enabled him to capture 4th place.

Way to go guys!

Saturday, May 7th, 2011 in beautiful Sterling, MA

Continuing a long New England bike racing tradition, the Minuteman Road Club is pleased to announce the 17th Annual Sterling Classic Road Race. Join us for competitive racing with a hilltop start/finish, rolling hills, a long straightway on a 2-lane highway and new pavement along North Row Road. In cooperation with the Town of Sterling, the race is held under a USA Cycling race permit with all rules applying. Register online at BikeReg.com or by mail. Online registration closes May 6^th, 2011, 5 pm; and does not include BikeReg fees. Add $5 for race day registration. All entry fees include applicable insurance surcharges of $3. No refunds. 1-Day licenses will be available for Cat 5 Men and Cat 4 Women. The Sterling Classic is part of the NEBRA ranking series for 2011 and is now also a Nature Valley Pro Ride event (details at www.naturevalleyproride.com) This event is also part of the New England Cycling Made Real Women’s 3/4 Race Series. Registration opens at 7 AM and closes 30 minutes before each start. By mail, send a 2011 USA Cycling Standard Release Form and a check payable to “Minuteman Road Club”, c/o Bill Turner, 191 West St., Northborough, MA 01532. Junior roll-outs take place immediately following each race finish on Olde Parish Lane (first right after the Finish Line). Please do not cross the finish line in reverse. Follow Meetinghouse Hill Rd (second right after Finish Line) back to Rt 12. Follow Rt 12 back to Boutelle Rd. Results will be posted at the school.

*Plus BikeReg fees and $5 day of fee. y.o. = years old COURSE DETAILS Neutral start from Boutelle Rd to Rt 12 to start/finish on Meetinghouse Hill Rd (which becomes Rowley Hill Rd, right on Heywood Rd, right on N. Row Rd, right on Rt 12, back to Start/Finish. 40 Boutelle Rd, Sterling, MA 01564 View Larger Map IMPORTANT PARKING INFO There should be no parking downtown to competitors or spectators. No one should be parking at the Town Library. You may be towed. The library is open on race day. Parking for spectators is available in the dirt area at 62/12 and also in the breakdown lane on 62, but not near the Post Office or business. REGISTRATION AND START Registration and roll-out will be at the Chocksett Middle School, 40 Boutelle Rd Sterling, MA. There will be a 2 mile neutral start to the start/finish line on Meetinghouse Hill Rd. (same as prior years.) FIELD LIMITS 100 maximum, 20 minimum; except for Men 5 and Women 4 to 50 max. Promoter reserves the right to combine or cancel any fields that do not meet minimum number. COURSE Approximately 8 mile rolling loop with a hill top finish. TIMING Pioneer Event Promotions RACE SUPPORT SRAM Neutral Support COMMUNICATIONS Central Massachusetts Public Safety Association, Inc. LODGING Discounted rooms at $89/night available at the Chocksett Inn (978) 422-3355 LOCAL BUSINESS Please patronize the local businesses in downtown Sterling. Please respect their parking for customers. QUESTIONS sterling@minutemanroadclub.com Download the official flyer here.

When: Sunday October 17th, 2010

For more information, download our race flyer.

Register on BikeReg.

Where: Lancaster Fairgrounds, Lancaster, MA.
View Larger Map

It’s back, Wednesday night cyclocross training in September.  Download the official flyer or read on for the details.

When:

• September 1, 2010 @ 5:30 P.M.
• September 8, 2010 @ 5:30 P.M.
• September 15, 2010 @ 5:30 P.M.
• September 22, 2010 @ 5:30 P.M.
• September 29, 2010 @ 5:30 P.M.

Where: WRENTHAM DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER
From I-495, exit 15.  Follow Route 1A/South St. (Dedham St.) north through Wrentham Center for 2.5mi. Left on to North St. Continue on North St. for 0.5mi. Parking will be at the sport fields on Emerald Street.

How Much: $10 ENTRY
Juniors $3. 5:30pm starts. 100 rider max. Onsite registration only. Must have a valid USAC license though one-day licenses will be available. Held under USA Cycling event permit. All USAC rules apply. Visit minutemanroadclub.com for more details and up to date race info.

RACE FORMAT
No categories, no prizes, just pure cross. All races take place on a 1.5mi marked course of grass & dirt complete with barriers. Race format may change from week to week, eg. a single 45min. race or 5 rider sprint lap with elimination heats or some other mystery format.

Saturday, May 8th, 2010 in beautiful Sterling, MA

In cooperation with the Town of Sterling, the race is held under a USA Cycling race permit with all rules applying.

Register online at BikeReg.com or by mail. Online registration closes May 7^th, 2010, 5 pm; and does not include BikeReg fees. Add $5 for race day registration. All entry fees include applicable insurance surcharges of $3.

No refunds. 1-Day licenses will be available for Cat 5 Men and Cat 4 Women. This event is part of the New England Cycling Made Real Women’s 3/4 Race Series.

Registration opens at 7 AM and closes 30 minutes before each start. By mail, send a 2010 USA Cycling Standard Release Form and a check payable to “Minuteman Road Club”, c/o Bill Turner, 191 West St., Northborough, MA 01532.

Junior roll-outs take place immediately following each race finish on Olde Parish Lane (first right after the Finish Line). Please do not cross the finish line in reverse. Follow Meetinghouse Hill Rd (second right after Finish Line) back to Rt 12. Follow Rt 12 back to Boutelle Rd. Results will be posted at the school.

*Plus BikeReg fees and $5 day of fee. y.o. = years old

COURSE DETAILS

Neutral start from Boutelle Rd to Rt 12 to start/finish on Meetinghouse Hill Rd (which becomes Rowley Hill Rd, right on Heywood Rd, right on N. Row Rd, right on Rt 12, back to Start/Finish.

40 Boutelle Rd, Sterling, MA 01564
View Larger Map

IMPORTANT PARKING INFO

There should be no parking downtown to competitors or spectators. No one should be parking at the Town Library. You may be towed. The library is open on race day. Parking for spectators is available in the dirt area at 62/12 and also in the breakdown lane on 62, but not near the Post Office or business.

REGISTRATION AND START

Registration and roll-off will be at the Chocksett Middle School, 40 Boutelle Rd Sterling, MA. There will be a 2 mile neutral start to the start/finish line on Meetinghouse Hill Rd. (same as prior years.)

FIELD LIMITS

100 maximum, 20 minimum; except for Men 5 and Women 4 to 50 max. Promoter reserves the right to combine or cancel any fields that do not meet minimum number.

COURSE

Approximately 8 mile rolling loop with a hill top finish.

TIMING

Pioneer Event Promotions

RACE SUPPORT

SRAM Neutral Support

COMMUNICATIONS

Central Massachusetts Public Safety Association, Inc.

LODGING

Chocksett Inn at (978) 422-3355

Sterling Inn at (978) 422-6592

LOCAL BUSINESS

Please patronize the local businesses in downtown Sterling. Please respect their parking for customers.

QUESTIONS

sterling@minutemanroadclub.com

Download the official flyer here.

The MRC weekly cyclocross series starts on Wednesday, September 2nd.  Get your cross bikes dusted off and join us on the following Wednesday evenings in Wrentham, MA:
September 2, 2009
September 9, 2009
September 16, 2009
September 23, 2009
September 30, 2009
For complete details, download the official flyer.

Celebrate the end of the cross season and help one deserving rider continue the adventure in Europe

Sunday, January 11 from 3 to 6pm at John Harvard’s Brewhouse in Cambridge MA

$10 donation per person suggested

100% of funds collected go directly to support Manny’s adventure in Europe. The money will help pay for his airfare and daily camp fee. If we’re lucky enough to cover all his cost, any leftover funds will go to support The Minuteman Road Club junior development program.

Seasonal John Harvard’s beer (or soft drink), appetizers and pizza will be served.

Map to JHBH Cambridge

The premier of Brad Jurga’s New England Cyclocross video will be shown.

Landry’s will be raffling off some swag to boot.

If you cannot attend the event, but would like to donate to Manny’s trip, you can use the donate button below.