Registration is now live for the 2016 Minuteman CX on Oct 10, 2016 p/b MRC, Wachusett Brewing, Landry’s Bicycles, and Yasso Yogurt!

(photo: Katie Busick Photography)

You know the CX season is in full swing when you get to the Bolton Fairgrounds in Lancaster, breathe in the crisp fall air, marvel at the terrific fall foliage, and shred the woodchipped turns as you pass through the stables!

Equal cash payout to the men’s and women’s elite fields! Landry’s Bicycles has stepped up to the plate and is providing GENEROUS gift cards to the podium toppers in the non-elite races.

EVERY winner in each category will also get a fresh baked apple pie from Bolton Orchards!

More about payouts and other details of the race in our race flyer.

MRC CX is also part of the NEBRA CX BAR (Best All-Around Rider) Series, tracking points for multiple categories over 14 races.

Single speed racers: Harpoon Brewery is the beer sponsor for the Zanconato SSCX Series. Podium finishers will receive some of Harpoon’s delicious brew and winners of the SS races will also receive an apple pie!

You’ll be competing on grass, pavement, with the addition of some hoppable logs!

Don’t hesitate, get to BikeReg now – https://www.bikereg.com/2016-minuteman-road-club-cyclocross

It’s back! Wednesday night cyclocross training in September!!

When:
September 7, 2016 @ 5:15 P.M.
September 14, 2016 @ 5:15 P.M.
September 21, 2016 @ 5:15 P.M.
September 28, 2016 @ 5:15 P.M.

Where: SKI WARD, 1000 Main Street Shrewsbury, MA 01545

The course will be challenging, allowing you to hone your skills before the real racing begins! Features in- clude barriers, downhill off- camber 180’s, fast S-turns, and lots of twisties.

From Boston and Points East
Mass Tpk. to route 495 north to route 20 west. Follow route 20 through Northborough center one mile. Just past St. Rose of Lima church bear right at light on to West Main Street. Travel 1.5 miles to Ski Ward on left.

From Points West
Route I-290 east to exit 23 south onto route 140 south. At first light turn left onto Main Street. Travel 1.5 miles to Ski Ward on right.

From Points South
Route 495 north to route 20 west. Follow route 20 through Northborough center one mile. Just past St. Rose of Lima church bear right at light on to West Main Street. Travel 1.5 miles to Ski Ward on left.

How Much: $15 entry fee. Must have a valid USAC license though one-day licenses will be available. Held under USA Cycling event permit. All USAC rules apply.

RACE FORMAT
There will be at least 3 – 20 minute races with about 10-15 minutes in between and will run until dark so if you can’t make the first one don’t stress you can hop in the next one. We’ll have barriers, run ups, tight turns, and race scenarios. Starts – Clipping in your pedals straight to sprinting for the hole shot!

If you are new to cyclocross this will be a good way to get use to racing in a relaxed training atmosphere be jumping in to your first race.

If you already have expierence in racing cross this will be a good way to brush up on skills and have a mid-week training race.

The Ski Ward lodge will be open afterwards with fine offerings such as burgers, fries, and beer – so bring more $ than just your entry fee with you!

The Minuteman Road Club in partnership with Wachusett Brewing Company and Fast Splits are excited to announce the creation of an Elite Cyclocross Racing team for the 2016/17 season.

The team will consist of Patrick Collins, Mark Miller, Chris Pare, and Brian Hughes who will focus on the Regional Elite and UCI level races culminating in the National championships. You’ll be able to see them race in their newly designed Minuteman-inspired race kits by Mr. White Design this weekend at the KMC Cross Fest in Thompson CT. We are looking forward to cheering them on at the races. Good luck guys!!

http://www.wachusettbrew.com/

http://www.fastsplits.com/

http://www.mrwhitesdesign.com/

MRC member Patrick Collins will join Team CCB International for the 2017 racing season. This move will allow Patrick the opportunity to progress to the next level in our sport whilst continuing his college education.

photo: Katie Busick Photography

Team CCB International is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charity funded by donations that focuses exclusively on developing U23 talent for individuals who are pursuing a full time college or graduate-level education. Patrick will have the opportunity to race at major one-day events and stage races on the East Coast, such as the Philadelphia International Classic, the Winston-Salem Classic, and the Reading 120. The team will also compete in events in Europe and Asia.

The Minuteman Road Club extends our congratulations and well wishes to Patrick for the season ahead, we can’t wait to see what he can do as part of this team in 2017!

Read more about the full Team CCB International roster on VeloNews: http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/11/news/nonprofit-ccb-team-releases-roster_424479

Now that we are a well over a month into the season it seems a fitting time to bring back the Directur’s Chair. To be honest it has taken Jeremy Cratty nearly a month to get back to my initial interview request after I missed a few days of riding. For the most part the format will remain the same this year unless creativity strikes in club approved manner. Keep an eye toward the homepage for weekly updates as the racing continues to heat up.

MRC: Before we get into the racing let’s take a minute to examine your halfhearted attempt at retirement. Basically you raced until Longsjo, took some time off to play golf and drink beer, and came back for a limited CX season. In addition you are racing on the roads earlier than you ever have in your career.

What gives?

Cratty: Let’s just say I mentally retired from caring about road race results. Now I’m just a super domestique for people who can realistically win races. And if the race goes uphill, I’ll be the guy in my underwear running after you.

MRC: Did you really want a cake that bad in downtown Fitchburg?

Cratty: Oh yeah, I freakinggggg love cake. Ok now you reminded me why I really retired. I may retire a few more times…

On to the racing…

MRC: Last year was the first year of the restructured MRC race program and it proved wildly successful. At one point there was fear that it would bankrupt the club because guys were riding out of their minds. What is your quick take on year one? Were there lessons learned that will be rectified in the second year?

Cratty: My first take on year 1, people love money and free stuff, even in very small quantities. I also noticed that people lose interest as the New England season gets out of May. To take advantage of the early season focus, we’ll be putting an emphasis on the CCB Velotooler Series which should be exciting.

MRC: Following up on that point what are your goals as the DS heading into 2017?

Cratty: Obviously we want to continue to win, but also I’d like to recruit some new talent to round out the ranks as our guys upgrade to 2s and 3s. Based on some early season group rides we have a few new diamonds in the rough that should shine brightly (sorry, overuse of clichés).

Tom Coleman first Men’s 3/4  in  the 2017 Coastal Classic.

MRC: During your “retirement” you picked up Tom Colman and I as athletes. Cross proved wildly successful for me and Tom is dropping bombs at early season races. What’s the secret? Do you actually know what you’re talking about when it comes to this stuff?

Cratty: Yes. I learned how to read at a very young age (7 or 8yrs old). I stopped during college but then picked it up again. It’s amazing what you can learn from books. I’m basically a walking Cliff-notes of bike training.

MRC: Last weekend at the Coastal Classic (This is how long ago this was written) MRC had a big day with Tom taking the win in the 3/4 and a top ten in the 1/2/3. As director what goals do you have coming into the next month of the season?

Cratty: I predict Tom will also come in 2nd at Marblehead in the P123 then upgrade to Cat 2. Just a hunch!

MRC: At the Coastal Classic tempers were raging in the 3/4 with MRC stopping up the chase and generally being pests throughout Tom’s mammoth break. You were involved in a small dustup with one of the Race CF riders. What is your take on blocking and disrupting the chase? Where is the line in the sand that should’t be crossed by a team with a guy off the front?

Cratty: In all seriousness, we don’t “block”, that’s a bush-league tactic. But there’s nothing wrong with riding on the front, pulling through, soft-pedaling, and making people work for it. Just don’t head butt me because I’m 3rd wheel and won’t let you ride me off the wheel.

MRC: Any parting words for the team to get guys out the door to the races?

Cratty: Bring some Wachusett beer of course. And wear your shoe covers and aero shell #saveawatt

…We’re back with another edition of Directeur’s Chair and insights from MRC’s DS Jeremy Cratty

Minuteman Road Club: It has been a busy last three weeks for the MRC race team with the two hilly races in Monson, Quabbin, and the sprinters revenge at Myles Standish. Tom Coleman continued to absolutely crush it at Monson and Quabbin with two top fifteen results in stacked pro fields. Have we seen the best of Tom this year or is there more in the tank?

Jeremy: I don’t like the word tank. It reminds me of when the Celtics were the worst team in the league and ended up with Ron Mercer (Sorry basketball joke, cyclists won’t understand). But back to the question, we may have in fact seen the best of Tom, word on the street is he had to make some major concessions with his better half to do the Velotooler series. We have a better chance of seeing him dominate the Turkey trot 5k before his next bike race.

MRC: Last year the Cat 3 team was on fire and seemed to pick up a win or a podium every weekend. Jacob Lipcon nabbed a solid 3rd place last weekend at Myles Standish but that proved to be the biggest result of the late spring season got MRC Cat 3’s. First tell us a little about working to set up Jacob at Myles Standish and then expand a little on the difficulty of the Cat 3 team this year opposed to last.

Photo courtesy Mike McCabe

J: There’s a number of factors involved here: 1) Two of our fastest Cat 3’s are now 2’s so we’re running low on what I like to call “closers.” 2) We capped how much free stuff we can give out for podium bonuses, all part of the “BAS” protocol (Bankrupt Avoidance System). Apparently people are motivated by free stuff. 3) I retired and gained weight so I can no longer yell at my teammates in hilly races. Luckily there are no hills in Myles Standish so I can sit in and yell at people to work and then I lead out our sprinter. Maybe Jacob is our new closer?

MRC: Jacob gives a pretty accurate account of the chaotic finish at the Myles Standish race in his race report in terms of discussing how many variables are at play in addition to the fast dangerous finish chute. How do you describe the finish ? It is a crap shoot or is there a legit strategy?

J: First of all, the Myles Standish finish has a name; the FoD (Funnel of Death). Add to that the torrential downpour and it’s probably the sketchiest finish in Cycling, even ahead of Stage 1 at the Killington Stage Race. So yes there is a strategy, pucker up, expect to die, and hope for the best. Also it helps to have a teammate that can’t climb and makes up for this by attacking every descent with reckless abandon hoping that will make him more of a man.

MRC: Fintan Duffy and Christopher Gibson also walked away with podium places at Myles Standish. Fintan made a two up move from a long way out with cycling legend Paul Curley and Chris played sprinters roulette. Given the rainy conditions and what sounds like a mess of logistical errors could Saturday be described as an “anything goes” day where you need to be ready for just about anything?

Photos courtesy of Katie Busick Photography

J: 4 laps or 5 laps, minor details people. Not knowing when a race is going to end makes it more exciting, right? Seriously though, Fintan “Scruffy” Duffy has been on a tear so it was no surprise he took down a great result in the Masters 55 race. Gibo (ok not sure if anyone calls him that) also got 2nd in the Cat 4’s with a quality sprint through the FoD. Thank god for that, after the Moto-person neutralized newcomer Robbie Raymond, who by all accounts was solo-ing to a sure victory, Chris was there in the end. Gibo better be careful, he won last year, so he’s lining up for a solid “Sandbagger of the Year” nomination.

MRC: Looking back at last year and the experience of the road race team this is where we started to see guys drop off and race less. Looking at the calendar what races do you see MRC targeting between now and the end of June?

J: I’m contemplating starting an Office Park Crit series, cause you know, who doesn’t love an office park crit? But seriously let’s not forget about the Ken Harrod Memorial Road Race!

MRC: Right! We’re just under a month away from the Ken Harrod Memorial Road Race in Harvard. With the recent decline of road racing in New England, KHRR is one of the last bright spots on the calendar. MRC is fortunate enough to have the support of a beautiful classic New England town of Harvard and a great sponsor in Wachusett Brewing Company that sets up an incredible beer garden on the town common. What is the best way to keep great events like this growing and heading in the right direction?

J: Beer gardens, obviously. Who doesn’t love a good beer garden? First there is delicious beer, and plus its healthy ‘cause of the garden part. I’m willing to bet that if every race had a beer garden then Cycling would be the most popular sport in the country. Even NFL fans would probably agree. It would also slow down the average speed of the climbers which would be good. It would be like reverse doping. Lastly, it also helps to partner with the Fire Department of an awesome town and do something that benefits the community. We’re good people too, despite our predilection to beer gardens.

MRC: Close on the heels of the Ken Harrod Memorial Road Race will be the Wachusett Brewing Longsjo Legends Ride. This is a follow up to last years wildly successful Wachusett Brewing Co. Gran Fondo. With Minuteman Road Club once again a title sponsor what will change with the association to the Longsjo Crits?

J: Don’t get me started on Beer Gardens again. Seriously, the Longsjo name is synonymous with New England bike racing. The race began in 1960 as the Longsjo Memorial Race, in memory of long-time Fitchburg resident Art Longsjo, who competed in both the Winter Olympics as a speed skater and at the Summer Olympics as a cyclist. Past champions include Chris Horner, Evelyn Stevens, Tyler Hamilton, local legends The McCormack brothers, Davis Phinney, Wayne Stetina and Lance Armstrong. I cannot confirm or deny that they will all be at the Legends ride, but I suggest joining us to find out.

MRC: Thanks for your time Jeremy, anything you’d like to add that we’ve not gone over?

J: Yes! All the women racers out there should be afraid of Sharon Benedict’s results lately. She’s super strong and will continue to crush their souls!

MRC: Thanks!! Looks like I know who I’ll be tracking down soon for an interview!

J: Good Luck with that… she rides more than everyone on the team!!

John “Smudger” Smith turned 50yrs auld so he and his mates fancied a mountain biking trip to ye olde Scotland and the Western Highlands. The weather was a wee bit claggy but we had a crackin’ good time. Day 1 we were a bit scunnered by 12 hours of trains planes and automobiles but had a brilliant “hike” up the Devils Staircase in Glencoe and a belter of a descent. I was properly buggered after slammin’ ma heid, nothin’ a bit o’ Haggis couldn’t fix.

Day 2 was an all-day affair in Skye. We rode from Boreraig to Kilbride and we were sorted at the Camasunary Bothy for the night, Ben was out his face after 3 bottles of whisky.

Day 3 took a wee bit of a “swim” along the Glen to Sligachan. We were a bit clatty so we took a walk-about in Skye for some sight seein’ and a tour of the Talisker Distillery. Brilliant accommodations in Plockton as the night was a fair drawin in.

Day 4 was seriously mingin’. We took the Coffin road up a dodgey ascent from Applecross across the glen to Shieldaig. It was a beltin’ ride despite the dreich. After a wee bit of skoosh we took a chancer at the Torridon Hotel whiskey bar but were told “Awa’ an bile yer heid.”

Day 5 and the sun come out for a bit. It was a wee climb to Bealach na Lice through to Coire Grannda and descent to Achnashellach. All sorted for our 2nd bothy night until we were swarmed by midges which was a bit of a barnie. The breenge to Coire Fionnaraich was a bog but we were greeted with Smudgers mates and another 3 bottles of fine single malt. Bill Turner got properly blootered and was a bampot on the descent to Coulags the next day.

Day 6 was our last day of riding as we headed to Laggan Wolftrax trail park. These trails were less than 1000 yrs auld and the baws, Pare would have gaun dinger. We were a bit jiggered so we headed to Smudger’s sisters in the lowlands in Earls Ferry for a night in the scratcher.

Day 7 was a tourists affair. Some of us hit the links while Smudger and Greg Jackson went riding along the beach and Smudger got scuddered not once but twice like a slecher. Then we went out for a swally along the streets of Edinburgh and some tatties and neeps and bit of vino collapso with Smudgers other mates.

Ma heid was nippin’ in the mornin and I had the whirlypits on the way to the airport. Aye it was a crackin’ trip that I won’t soon forget.

— Jeremy Cratty, MRC DS

Landry’s Bicycles and The Minuteman Road Club are putting on training races at Ski Ward in Shrewsbury for all abilities.  Weather you are a seasoned pro or a newbie, this course will help you tune up your cyclocross skills!  Next practice races will be September 6th, 13th and the 20th.

On Wednesday 11/1 at our monthly all club meeting the Minuteman Road Club held elections for officer positions to be held for the 2017/18 season.

Incoming MRC President, Jeremy Cratty (L) and Vice President, Bill Turner (R)

Returning Officers were re-elected to their positions by a show of hands from the members present at the meeting:

Treasurer – Ken Chadwick
Secretary – Fintan Duffy
Membership – Mark Bernard

For non-returning officers President John Smith and Vice President PJ McQuade the following nominees were elected by a show of hands from the members present at the meeting:

President – Jeremy Cratty
Vice President – Bill Turner

From John Smith:
As outgoing President I would like to thank all the club members for your support over the last 4 years. We have experienced significant transformation in the club over these years whilst continuing to focus on our goal of developing and promoting the sport of bike racing in New England. We have seen the level of active race participating members increase substantially over this period and have also seen our uniforms on the podiums in every category and discipline ( Road, Cross, MTB ) with incredible regularity. We have been able to create a racing team program that is without equal and we have had the honour of helping some new and younger member of the team realize their full potential and move on to professional racing. I am especially happy to be passing over the presidency to Jeremy Cratty. His creativity and drive for excellence in everything we do has been at the heart of most of these developments and I know he will continue to push MRC to be the absolute best. Thanks again to everyone for 4 great years. – J.S.

From Jeremy Cratty:
It’s an honor and a privilege to be the next President of the Minuteman Road Club. I’ve been a member for about 10 years and the club seems to get better every year.

On behalf of the club, let me send a huge THANK YOU to John “Smudger” Smith for a job well done over the last 4 years. During his term we accomplished some unprecedented things. We stepped up our membership and sponsorship efforts which has allowed us to fund the success of our Road Racing and Elite CX teams. We’ve also been able to maintain our stable of cycling events while donating money to fine charitable causes like The Ken Harrod Memorial Fund, NEHSCA, and the Boys and Girls Club.

I look forward to working with the rest of the BOD and all MRC club members to keep building on all the successes we’ve had over the last number of years. – J.C.

We’re back for 2018 with a whole new look and new leadership for our club and race team. Jeremy Cratty who was our previous race team directeur has stepped it up a notch and is now our club president, congrats Jeremy! Now that Jeremy is navigating the ever changing political scene we had an opening as Race Team Directeur and one of our top racers has decided to give back to the club a little by playing team boss. Congrats and welcome to our new Directeur Sportif, Thomas Coleman! To kick things off we’re going to try a new segment called “Tuesdays with Tom” were we try to have a regular chat with DS Tome Coleman.

MRC: Hi Tom, welcome and congrats on the new role.

Tom Coleman: Thanks.

MRC: I see you’re a man of few words…

New MRC Directeur Sportif, Tom Coleman

TC: …

MRC: Being the new DS of MRC, you have some big shoes to fill. What are you bringing to the table now that Mr. Cratty has moved up a rung on the MRC hierarchy?

TC: Jeremy Cratty came to me and said “Hey, you’d be good at this!” And I thought what the heck, I’ll give it a shot! What do I got to do……lol. Honestly it’s a bigger job than I once thought, we have a very large and impressive group of racers that span all categories. That’s why I’ve really like having the team captains! I can work with them to do all the dirty work! But seriously I’m happy to be giving back to the club.

MRC: Tell me a little about your cycling background.

TC: My cycling background actually started in BMX and MTB. I was trying out some mountain bike racing and needed more legs under me, road riding is a great way to find them. But then I got sucked into the never ending vortex of Road Racing. (And there’s a hundred stories in between all that).

MRC: HA! We’ll save those for next time… I know your a busy guy, so I’ll keep this short. Any closing thoughts for the folks on the interwebs?

TC: In this early 2018 season I’m excited to see all these cat 4s and 3s coming out hard and getting results. But that may be a bit selfish because I’m hopeful that this guys will eventually upgrade to Cat 2’s and give me a team to work with in races. Personally I’m also excited to work on my own Cat 1 upgrade this year. Last year was a good year for me to learn the ropes of the P/1/2’s and this year I’m ready to apply it.

Continuing with our “Tuesday’s with Tom” lets do a little race recap from March 10th…

While a number of the MRC race team members were off in California at the spring training camp our own Directeur Sportif, Tom Coleman, made the short trip down to NYC for the CRCA Grant’s Tomb Criterium.

MRC: Hi Tom, congrats on the win a few weeks back!

Tom Coleman: Thanks

MRC: OK… So… How was the race? You made the solo trek down to NYC and it seems like it paid off. You opened the young season with a win in the Men’s 2-3 race and then jumped into the P/1/2/3 race. Tell me about that.

TC: Grant’s Tomb, for anyone that’s done it before, is a different type of race. It’s really out side of the reaches of the “normal” New England racing scene but just close enough to make it work. It’s also unlike any race I’ve done before cause it’s in Manhattan. It was a long drive 7-8hrs both ways and I was not looking forward to turning and burning for two crits. And I was flying solo as compared to the last year where a large group of us made the trip with a 2am McDonalds stop. But my wife encouraged me to do it anyway. It was “warmer “ than the previous year, 35° compared to 20° with a 15mph wind. The race was a race and I was pumped to Win the 2/3 and get my first win as a Cat 2, then going on to the p123 race and finishing despite freezing was another win. Oh, I avoided McDonalds this year so that’s a win, win, win!!

MRC: Wow, that’s quite the accomplishment. You did it solo too. Why didn’t you have any of the usual Cat 2’s or 3’s with you in the race?

TC: Well, I went solo because everyone else was else was busy getting sick in California from the now infamous Cratt-flu at the Reverse Training Camp.

MRC: I guess you can totally consider that a win, win, win, win situation! OK, I know you like to keep it short so we’ll cut this portion off here. Thanks Tom!

TC: …

This past weekend officially opened the New England Road Racing Calendar with the 16th Annual Chris Hinds Memorial Criterium and our Cat 4 squad hit it hard! Rees Madsen and Tucker Wetmore finished 1st and 2nd in the Men’s Cat 4 race. Then Tucker went on to finish 3rd in the Men’s Cat 3/4 race immediately after.

First a few words from our Directeur Sportif Tom Coleman

MRC: Tom, the boys came out swinging early this past weekend with two riders getting three podium spots in the first two races of the day. Madsen and Wetmore going 1st and 2nd in the Cat 4 race. Then Wetmore taking the 3rd step in the Cat 3/4 race. Nice to see it opening up so well. Not to be outdone by the Cat 4’s, Josh Burgel had a monster race finishing 4th in a stacked Mens 40+ race.

Tom Coleman: I’m super thrilled to see this weekends results! Rees and Tucker in the 4’s, and then Robbie Raymond taking the 4th in the field sprint in the Cat 3/4 race was great! These guys need to keep killing it so I’ll have some teammates in the 2’s! Burgel is a beast, it was great hearing him get in the mix and finishing just behind guys like Miles Billings and Dean Phillips. Looking forward to our “Master’s” squad to have a great season.

MRC: Ahhh I see now, you’re just excited about having future teammates in your races.

TC: …

MRC: Moving on, another of the new additions to the race team this year was having Mike Westbery be your Cat 4 team captain. Looks like he did a good job calling the shots in the 4’s and lending a hand in the 3/4 race.

TC: This weekends races looked like a success! I was happy to see the chatter of Mike with his team mates in the days leading up to the race. They must have all payed attention in tactics class.

MRC: Speaking of hitting it hard this weekend. One of your racers hit the deck fairly hard.

TC: Yeah, Antony Haivanis unfortunately got to prove the safety of the new Lazer Bullet helmet, walking away from a rough crash with nothing but bumps and bruises.

MRC: See kids, wear your helmets… it’ll save your life one day! One last question for you Tom. I noticed your name was missing from the results list this weekend.

TC: I unfortunately wasn’t able to do one my favorite races due to it falling on my oldest daughter’s 9th birthday. She couldn’t have been more happy that I stayed home, and there always be more bike races.

MRC: Priorities, well done Tom.

Let’s meet our Cat 4 race team Captain Mike Westberry.

MRC: Hi Mike and welcome to Directeur’s Chair. Looks like you guys had a heck of a weekend! Can you take credit for the success of Rees and Tucker?

Mike Westberry: Thanks, but none of this was possible without guys willing to buy in to the tactics of teamwork. I think we proved, once again, that it works! We try to set a plan and execute it to the best of our abilities. This past weekend it worked!

MRC: How does it feel to have your first race under your belt for the 2018 season as racer and captain?

MW: This must be what it feels like to be a sport director at Quick-Step Floors. I mean, I remember telling someone to ‘get up there and make an attack’, and 5 seconds later, it was happening. But you do have to trust everyone, including your protected guys, not to chase the wind for no reason.

MRC: Must have been a relief to know that 20+% of the field were MRC racers

MW: That’s perhaps putting it mildly, seeing the squad in action this weekend was great. We knew we had our work cut out for us be being the largest team in the field. We planned for that and put it in play.

MRC: Is there anything you’d like to close out with?

MW: Just to thank the squad for putting their work in helping our guys get on the podium and thanks to our President Jeremy Cratty and DS Tom Coleman for their guidance in the planning portion.

One last little interview for our weekend wrap up with Rees Madson who had a great run this weekend winning the Cat 4 race and earning his Cat 3 upgrade.

MRC: Contrats on the great weekend. A win and an upgrade! Well done!

Rees Madsen: Thanks! It was great to see so many MRC guys out there today. I knew my role and could ride the race knowing others did as well.

MRC: Did you have a feeling going into the race that you had this one?

RM: No, not at all. I spend most of last week feeling sick, which meant I came into the race with well rested legs. I knew my job was to attack late so it gave me time to get warmed up.

MRC: How did it work out that you and Tucker went 1-2 on the group.

RM: Like I said, we all had our roles so Tucker and I saved it for the end. I found myself on the front and attacked with 3 laps to go. I was able to ride myself away from the one guy who followed and drilled it for the remaining laps. Lucky for me, the solo attack stuck and I got my first win in my final race as a Cat 4. Tucker was surfing the front of the chase group making sure nothing got away. I guess his momentum and enormous engine carried him to the front of the chase group and in position for 2nd place.

MRC: Fantastic! Can’t wait to see what you guys are going to do in the 3’s in the next few races!!

Well folks that concludes this edition of new segment called Weekend Wrap Up on the Directeur’s Chair! Hope you enjoyed reading! Catch up with you next week after the upcoming Brumble Bikes Kermesse on the 7th and the Mystic Velo Criterium on the 8th.

Welcome back to Directeur’s Chair with this edition of Weekend Recap with our Directeur Sportif Tom Coleman. We catch up with Tom after a busy weekend of racing in Connecticut at the Brumble Bikes Kermesse on Saturday, April 7th and the Pete Rotella – Mystic Velo Criterium on Sunday, April 8th. Both days MRC found podium spots in a few different categories.

MRC: Hi Tom, welcome back to the Directeur’s Chair. Another weekend of races and another weekend of good results.

Tom Coleman: This weekend’s races went really well. Saturday was a hard course at the Brumble Bikes Kermesse. Sunday was the always exciting Mystic Crit back at Ninigret. We had guys all over the front of every race we were in. I was really happy to see our guys out there giving a great effort.

MRC: At the Kermesse you were in the P/1/2/3 field featuring the usual heavy hitters but with the addition of Ben Wolf to the mix.

TC: I didn’t personally have high expectations for a 80 mile race with 7k of punchy climbing lap after lap. I met up with Robbie Raymond and Rees Madsen before things set out. Luckily for us the race got cut a lap so it was only 66 miles or so. On the second lap, I went all out following Ben Wolf and Brendan Mccormack over the climbs. My legs didn’t want to keep going, but every lap, the group got a little smaller and smaller.

On about the 4 lap, I finally popped. Luckily, I was in good company because Robbie was with me. I was feeling a bit ragged and Robbie was a champ doing a ton of work in the small group that had formed. On the final climb, we caught up to former MRC standout, current CCB Foundation – Sicleri racer, Patrick Collins, and all rode to the finish together. Due to Robbie’s hard work he finished 17th overall and was the top Cat 3 racer. It was a hard day.

MRC: Sounds like Robbie will be a Cat 2 before we know it! Earlier that morning, Cat 4 racer Tucker Wetmore took the top step on what was described by Tucker as “a brutal course”.

TC: Yes, Captain Mike Westberry must be putting together one heck of a plan because that’s two weekends in a row that he’s had some great results from the squad.

MRC: Lets have a quick chat with Tucker Wetmore about last weekend’s race. Tucker, welcome to DC and congrats. Two weekends and three podiums! You must be pretty happy with those results.

Tucker Wetmore: Thanks, I’m really pleased at how this early season is going.

MRC: Last weekend, you hit the top step after getting 2nd and 3rd the previous weekend.

TW: It was a great day on a brutal course. Fortunately, the weather turned out so much better than expected. Just like last weekend, our squad worked really well together all race. There were three moments leading into the end that stand out.

On the last lap, there was a solo rider off the front with about a 45 second gap. AJ Camelio went to the front and brought him back. Then, going into the first of three climbs on the last lap, the group slowed down and riders started swarming up at the front. AJ did what I’d describe as a soft attack to string out the group, allowing me to stay about 6th wheel without needing to fight for position. Finally, Mike Westberry took up the pace, doing his best Kwiatkowski impression and kept the group single file delivering me to the second climb (when I had told him I was planning on attacking) in perfect position. It was so awesome!

MRC: Wow, that’s great. You’ve gotta love it when a plan comes together. Speaking of plan, what’s the plan for your Cat 3 upgrade? You’ve made quick work getting points for your upgrade.

TW: The upgrade points are coming a lot faster than expected, that’s for certain! It helps when you’ve got a strong team, and both weekends would have been very different without such incredible support. You can’t do it alone.

MRC: Going it alone, don’t you have a background in Triathlons?

TW: I swam in college and took up triathlon two years after graduation. I was absolutely horrendous on the bike (in my first race I held 17.5 mph on an 11 mile course)! I hate being bad at things, so the bike became my new obsession. Fast forward 5 years and I earned my pro card in tri. I’ve spent the past 5 years turning myself from a sprinter into a time trialist, so I’m hoping I can get some top end back!

MRC: Note to self, MRC has a PRO in the ranks! Thanks Tucker, and good luck on the upcoming races!

TW: Thanks, looking forward to mixing it up with the Cat 3’s soon!

MRC: Tom, back to you. Sunday, the squads were back at Ninigret for the Pete Rotella -Mystic Velo Criterium.

TC: Yup, I was able to catch end of the cat 3/4 race seeing Rees in a 3 man break with a decent gap and Robbie sitting on the front of the pack doing his best to monitor any would be attacks. In a hotly contested sprint Rees Madsen ended up getting 2nd with Robbie in 5th and junior racer Jason Tinkov finishing 7th. Again, it was amazing to see our guys working like a well oiled machine. Attacking, covering attacks, knowing what they need to do to get the job done.

MRC: Looks like Reese wants to join Robbie in potentially jumping further up the ranks to Cat 2’s right??

TC: I sure do hope so. After their race both Rees and Robbie jumped in with me in the P/1/2/3 race for a taste of a much longer race.

MRC: And how did that go??

TC: Well, about lap 2 of a 90min Ninigret race (read, “lots of head wind”) a group of the typical strong men attacked and I followed. Soon a breakaway of 8 formed with all the top teams represented, CCB, GLV, and Bucher Box. The hammer dropped again and a large gap formed looking like we could possibly lap the field. One critical mistake was made when the break let Tim Mitchell attack with Chris Goguen in tow. I hesitated and that was it they were gone. They were the ones who lapped the field and once back in the pack their teams shot them through to the point we never saw them again.

MRC: Looks like even though those two had lapped the field you managed to get second in the field sprint for 4th overall.

TC: With 5 to go, I followed John Harris and Roman Seliversotiv who attacked looking to make it a small group for 3rd. John was on the front a lot leaving Roman and I a little fresher for the final sprint. As we came to the line I was too smoked to try to beat the Ukrainian National Champion in a sprint and got 4th and Robbie 11th.

MRC: Speaking of lapping the field, the Men’s 40+ race also had one of our guys in the break where they too lapped the field.

TC: That’s right! That race ended before I got there, but after talking with Chris Busick who was in the race he said it was a good one. Busick helped get Chris Pare in the break that lapped the field and finish 4th.

MRC: Great to see those results coming in all race categories.

TC: Yeah, I’ve said it before. But it’s great to see the guys out there working like a team. Set a plan and execute.

The Wachusett Fondo p/b Minuteman Road Club is back this year (reg now!) with the addition of Tim Johnson of cyclocross fame! Tim Johnson is a 6 time Cyclocross National Champion and has a multitude of other palmares in cyclocross as well as on the road, including multiple podium finishes in the CXGP, a 1st place in the Herald Sun Tour as well as wins at our very own Sterling and Harvard road races. Join Tim and get ready for some adventure as we ride through beautiful central Mass.

Gran Fondo:
A challenging route with 3-4 gravel parts heading north & west thru beautiful town commons. Complete the loop with more gravel to tackle Wachusett Mountain from the less commonly taken North Road.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27111755

Medio Fondo:
A shorter loop that is all paved but with wonderful scenery and includes an optional ascent of Wachusett Mountain via the auto road.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26925964

*Routes subject to change

The ride will start and end at Wachusett Brewing Co. Kick back after the ride and enjoy some food and beverages with your friends in the outdoor beer garden or the recently opened indoor brew yard. You can reg NOW at https://www.bikereg.com/tim-johnsons-wachusett-fondo

Proceeds from the event will benefit MassBike. The Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) promotes a bicycle-friendly environment and encourages bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation. MassBike works with lawmakers to create laws that make sense for the safety of all bike riders and works with state, city and town officials to enforce existing laws. They work through education and outreach to better the knowledge, awareness and skills of both bicyclists and drivers. A 501c3 non-profit, MassBike relies support from members, donors, and sponsors.

Social Media links:

Follow Minuteman Road Club on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
https://www.facebook.com/MinutemanRoadClub/
Instagram: @minutemanrdclub
Twitter: @minutemanrdclub

Follow MassBike on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
https://www.facebook.com/MassBike/
Instagram: @massbikeorg
Twitter: @massbike

Follow Tim Johnson on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
https://www.facebook.com/timjohnsoncx/
Instagram: @timjohnsoncx
Twitter: @timjohnsoncx

Photo: ©Katie Busick Photography

August 29th – September 26th will be a five week training series held at Ski Ward in Shrewsbury to help bust that rust off your CX skills and to introduce new CX racers to some of the techniques.

Starting at 5:15pm there will be at least 3 – 20 minute practice races with about 10-15 minutes in between and will run until dark.  So if you can’t make the first one don’t stress, you can hop in the next one. Winners of each heat wins a $10 ski ward gift card, good for a Wednesday night burger and beer special after the racing is done.  Limit one gift card per night per person

There will be barriers, run ups, tight turns and race scenarios – Starts – Clipping in your pedals straight to sprinting for the holeshot.

If you are new to cyclocross this will be a good way to get use to racing in a relaxed training atmosphere before jumping in to your first race.

If you already have experience in racing cross this will be a good way to brush up on skills and have a mid week training race.

After the races stay for french fries, burgers, and beers ( 21+) at the Ski Ward lodge.

Photo: ©Katie Busick Photography

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Registration – $10 per rider at BikeReg.com

https://www.bikereg.com/ski-ward-cyclocross-practice-pb-minuteman-road-club0

Onsite registration will be available for $10 per rider.

Join New England cycling legend Tim Johnson and a few hundred friends for a fully supported ride on a route Tim describes as ‘The Perfect New England Ride.’ Anchored at the Wachusett Brewery in Westminster, Mass., the event features bucolic rolling roadways, a few gravel sectors, and a fantastic dirt road that connects to the summit road to the top of Wachusett Mountain. From there we descend back to the brewery for a perfect mid-summer post ride meal and beer at the brewery. As the perfect tune up for the state’s largest charity event, this event has been dubbed the “Pre-MC.” And all of the proceeds of the event benefit MassBike, your statewide coalition working to improve conditions for all Bay State bike riders, from Boston to the Berkshires. The event features three distances, including a kid-friendly expedition to a nearby swimming hole! Visit MassBike.org for more information.

Register NOW: https://www.bikereg.com/tim-johnsons-wachusett-fondo-2019

Gran Fondo (10am start time):

A fun, challenging route with 5 well-maintained gravel sections heading north & west through beautiful town commons. Complete the loop with more gravel to tackle Wachusett Mountain from the less commonly taken North Road.

Medio Fondo (11:30am start time):
A shorter but beautiful and picturesque that is 100% pavement and allows to choose an additional climb of Mt. Wachusett… to join friends or family who are riding the Gran Fondo route.

*Routes subject to change

The ride will start and end at Wachusett Brewing Co. Kick back after the ride and enjoy some food and beverages with your friends in the outdoor beer garden or the recently opened indoor brew yard. Each registration includes a t-shirt or a beer glass (selected when you check in the day of the event) and a post-ride meal from Farmacy Cafe with a Wachusett beer!

Proceeds from the event will benefit MassBike. The Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) promotes a bicycle-friendly environment and encourages bicycling for fun, fitness, and transportation. MassBike works with lawmakers to create laws that make sense for the safety of all bike riders and works with state, city and town officials to enforce existing laws. They work through education and outreach to better the knowledge, awareness and skills of both bicyclists and drivers. A 501c3 non-profit, MassBike relies support from members, donors, and sponsors. 

Registration will be available onsite, an additional $15 fee will be added to event cost of $85 ($100 total cost).

Register NOW: https://www.bikereg.com/tim-johnsons-wachusett-fondo-2019

Social Media links:

Follow Minuteman Road Club on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
https://www.facebook.com/MinutemanRoadClub/
https://www.instagram.com/minutemanrdclub/
https://twitter.com/MinutemanRdClub

Follow MassBike on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
https://www.facebook.com/MassBike/
https://www.instagram.com/massbikeorg/
https://twitter.com/Massbike

Follow Tim Johnson on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
https://www.facebook.com/timjohnsoncx/
https://www.instagram.com/timjohnsoncx/
https://twitter.com/timjohnsoncx

Minuteman Road Club, MassBike, and Tim Johnson would like to take a moment to thank all of the riders that braved the heat and humidity on Saturday. While the excessive heat warning led to some riders deciding to stay home, those of you that came out made the day incredibly special. Thankfully both routes provided ample shade from the direct sun and everyone made it back safely.

The Tim Johnson Wachusett Fondo would not be possible without the support of our partners. The continued support that Wachusett Brewery provides Minuteman Road Club is immeasurable. As our organization has continued to grow and evolve so has Wachusett Brewing. This years addition of the new Brew Woods was a true game changer for the event. Following the incredible effort of the day riders had plenty of space and shade while being treated to amazing beer, food, and live music. It will be exciting so see Wachusett’s next expansions in the coming months. Please visit Wachusett Brewing’s website for more details about upcoming events and performances. https://www.wachusettbrewingcompany.com/

Once again we got rave reviews for the post ride meal provided by The Farmacy Cafe. Often times following a hot and steamy ride the last thing we want is a heavy meal. The organic rice bowls with an array of pickled vegetables and flavors not only refueled but also satisfied many depleted bodies. Please consider stopping by The Farmacy Cafe at their shipping container in the Seaport district of Boston and make sure to check out their upcoming expansion on High Street Place in the Financial District. https://farmacyboston.com/

Also new for this year was live music provided by InClover out of Keene, New Hampshire. Their upbeat energy and fun lively covers made the post ride party in the Brew Woods that much more exciting and relaxing. Many of you were asking about booking InClover for gigs and private parties. Please visit their Facebook page for booking information and upcoming dates. https://www.facebook.com/InClover-73967517792/

Kenny Ambach and that sweet Volvo from NRS and Events for mid ride mechanical support www.nrsandevents.com/

Once again Katie Busick Photography made all of us look good even when we were all cracking in the heat. In the Mount Rushmore of New England cycling Katie definitely has a space on that wall. Her contributions to the sport alone are impressive. It isn’t until you get a chance to speak with Katie that you discover her true passion for supporting cyclists. Please visit Katie’s SmugMug page to view all of her pictures from Saturday. Please consider buying a print to commemorate the good times and sweaty memories from the Fondo. https://katiebusick.smugmug.com/

Obviously this event would not be possible without a tremendous amount of volunteer support. Whether it was marking the course Friday, helping at registration, manning rest stations, working as parking marshals, or acting as ride leaders and sweepers, this ride would not happen without a small army of help. The riders and families of Minuteman Road Club riders in addition to our friends and family at MassBike made this into such an incredibly special day. It is also important to thank the towns that allowed us to access their roads and infrastructure to put on this event. A particular shout out needs to go to Brian Tanguay at the Templeton Historic Society. Not only did the Historic Society provide us with a shady spot but the antique bikes brought the stop to the next level.

Finally we need to thank YOU the riders! Saturday was not an easy day to get out for a ride. Days like Saturday galvanize our community and make us stronger as a whole. Moving forward please remember those positive messages throughout the day of community and togetherness. The roads can be a daunting and at times scary place for riders. Look after one and other and continue to work for bicycle advocacy with community leaders. Please consider getting involved with our partners at MassBike to help make the roads not only safer for us, but for future generations. https://www.massbike.org/

Thank you! We look forward to seeing all of you, and hopefully a couple of hundred new friends next July at the third annual Tim Johnson Wachusett Fondo.

In what is probably not that surprising, we will be cancelling the Ken Harrod Memorial Bike Race for 2020. Discussions about a 2021 date will begin later in the fall. There were a number of factors, but uncertainty was really the greatest. The safety of racers and volunteers was of utmost importance and combining changes needed in that regard with the uncertainty over Massachusetts reopening phases (will we be in Phase 4?) really left us with no choice. And yes, financially we had to balance what we would realistically have for numbers of registrants.

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