SDSR 2012, Stage 1: Attacking the Mountain...

Stage One of the San Dimas Stage Race is an individual time trial, officially the Chaffey Auto Body Mountain Time Trail. They throw that word mountain in there because, technically, it is a hill climb t.t., ascending Glendora Mountain Road for 3.8 miles.

Veronique Fortin (Team TIBCO) races around up and around the bend

Time trials, sometimes referred to as the race of truth, just the racer against the clock, test of pure strength, are interesting creations, especially when they are a part of a stage race. Depending on who you are, what your goals are (or the goals of your team), there are any number of strategies for how to race. In virtually any other sport I can think of, the competitor has a single goal for any daily contest - to win. In a cycling time trial, and individual racer may have any one of a number of goals at the start of the race. Those goals and the strategies to achieve them revolve around stage victory, overall race victory, or helping a team mate to victory. Depending on which of these goals an individual racer is pursuing he, or she, may give maximum effort or withhold effort for a later stage. With this in mind, it is interesting to watch racers attack the hill - some are charging out of the saddle, game face on, others seem more relaxed, keeping a reserve of energy. 


Glendora Mountain Road is a fantastic venue for a time trail with grade variations, tight turns, and changes in direction, affecting a racers ability to maintain rythym and momentum. I didn't make it to the course for the Cat 5 or Cat 4 starts, and needed to leave before the Cat 2 and the Pro/Cat 1 races got underway; before the weekend is out, and come hell or pouring rain (as is forecast for the next two days) I will make it up to you all with photos at the road race and criterium. Until then, here is what I did get on the day:

Women Pro/1/2/3, with more here:

Kate Wilson (NOW and Novartis for MS)

Kate Chilcott (Vanderkitten-Focus)

Pascale Schnider (Exergy Twenty12) 2011 Swiss Elite Time Trial and Road National Champion

Monika Sattler

When I saw this racer speed by, I thought wow that's a lot of red.

And I thought I saw maple leaves. Well of course. Clara Hughes.

Kristin Armstrong set the fastest time up the mountain with a pace of 15:01:00, Clara Hughes was second at 31.69 seconds back, and Kathryn Donovan third at 52.48 seconds back.

Masters 45+, with more here

John Hawkins

Alan Flores

the Roy Knickman

Greg Liebert. With war paint.

For the Masters 45+ men it was Cale Reeder with the fastest time, 14:47:21. Greg Leibert finished second at 13.10 seconds back, and Jeff Konsmo third at 26:38.

Jrs. 15/16 and 17/18, with more here

Jack Maddux, 2011 Jr 13/14 National Time Trial Champion

Matthew Chuml (SC Velo) and Tommy Lucas

For the Jrs 15/16 Efren Flores set the fastest time at 15:23.33, Jack Maddux was second at 00:00.10 seconds behind, and Nathan Rico third at 38.99 back. In the 17/18 category Ian Moore was fastest in 15:16.87, Nicholas Tarrant second at 0:00.74 seconds back, and Gerardo Medina third at 0:06.73


Master's 55+, with more here.

Malcolm Hill

Wayne Stetina

For the Masters 55+ guys it was Kevin Susco with the fastest time at 17:00.07. In with a time 0:03.86 seconds behind was Wayne Stetina in second, and Owen Thomas third at 0:08.66.


Masters 35+, with more here.

James Paolinetti

Chris Demarchi

Charon Smith

John Slover

Christopher McDonald ripped up the road for the Masters 35+ in a time of 14:59.14 for first. Rudolph Napolitano claimed second at 0:19.40 seconds slower, and Gustavo Corona third, 0:20.68 back.


The Cat 3s, with more here.
I staked out a piece of road where the grade makes a sudden jump up in steepness. It seemed to be a spot where many riders caught and passed their thirty second (or more) men.

Stathis Sakellariadis (l) and Dan Cobley

John Schmidt (TRU Cycling) and John Echeveste

Jeffrey Tutttle (l) and Augusto Peraza