SDSR Weekend: Here It Comes...

If you missed it, start times for Friday's time trial (stage one of the 2012 San Dimas Stage Race) up Glendora Mountain Road have been posted. The first Cat 5 riders takes off at 8:00 am sharp. The pro men will be the last group to leave the start house, beginning at 3:15, and the pro women take off somewhere in the middle, with the first rider heading uphill at 12:40. Looking through the start list I see strong fields through all the categories. That pro men's field has some names you may be familiar with including, Ivan Dominguez, Fred Rodriguez, Andy Jacques-Maynes, Ben Jacques-Maynes, and Francisco Mancebo, defending champion of the Redlands Bicycle Classic which takes place the following week. In addition, many of the guys who power around the southern California races each weekend are in the line up, people like Eric Marcotte, Shawn Milne, David Santos, Michael Creed, etc. 


The women's field is no less lacking in talented riders: Anne Samplonius, Kendall Ryan, Ina Yoko Teutenberg, Clara Hughes, Kristin Armstrong, Jenny Rios, and more. Competitors from Southern California's most dominant teams and others from further afield, including SC Velo/Empower Coaching, Vanderkitten, Team Specialized Lululemon, Team TIBCO, Now and Novartis for MS, Exergy Twenty12, Optimum Pro Cycling, Velo Club La Grange, Helens, PAA, etc will be battling for more than just honors. The masters fields will be highly competitive as usual: Roger Worthington, Thurlow Rogers, Alan Flores, Roy Knickman, Steve Klasna, and plenty of others who normally put the hurt on guys like me are all in the 45+ field. In the 35+ group, guys like Eddy Gragus, Adam Livingston, Jamie Paolinetti, Chris Demarchi, Tomo Hamasaki, and many others will be ensuring a fast three days of racing.


Rain or shine, there is going to be a lot of action and some very good racing. Come out for a day, or two. Or three.