Female racers to watch....

Who to watch.....

Shelley Olds - one of the greatest female endurance track racers in Bay Area. Consistently one of the fastest track racers on the World Cup scene. Races for the best woman's team in the country, Proman racing. Defeated World Champion Jennie Reed in the AVC Scratch race last year.

Jenn Triplett - one of the fastest racers out of Washington. Recently raced in Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic and placed 3rd in the overall honors. A former boxer and now battles with adrenaline on the track only.

Becky Lang - a fast racer out of Los Angeles. Is consistently in Top 5 in Elite Female races.

Beth Newell - The second coming of Mike Hernandez on the Nor Cal cycling blogging scene. Is the master at the art of measuring quads, has the whole cycling community measuring their quads.

Pseudo-Interview with Adam Duvendeck

Robin Horwitz sat down with Adam Duvendeck during his Olympic Trials at ADT to talk about the upcoming American Velodrome Challenge.

Robin: Welcome to the American Velodrome Challenge blog, our readers are excited in having you here for the AVC and we're excited about this year's party as well.

Adam: Oh yeah, I can't wait for the AVC. I mean, Olympics is good and all but nothing beats the American Velodrome Challenge. I've got it marked on my calendar and I just think about it all the time.

Robin: Wow! I didn't realize it was that important to you. So what do you think of the competition you are going to face?

Adam: Truthfully, I'll tell you this - this Italian guy from Bay Area pisses me off. He's got a cool name, Giovanni Rey. I'm stuck with this name. He's been racing for years and is a legend in Japan. Nothing would make me happier than beating him. He's just got it all. I'm just hopeful Jason from Montano Velo is going to talk with me after the race in doing some races for him. He's got the best jerseys in the country!

Robin: Yikes! I didn't realize you felt this way. What about the party?

Adam: You know, one day I got this Testarossa wine and I thought it'd something good. Oh my god, I can't believe the quality of the wine. It's awesome. So I'm hoping to win the sprints real quickly on Saturday night so I can head over to the Beer Garden and enjoy some wine.

Robin: Sweet. What about the flying lap and 200tt records? How do you feel about them?

Adam: You know, it bothers me a lot those guys (Stephen Alfred and Jeff Solt) did them without any aero gear. I'm going all out for this one. Josiah who tried to break them last year, took it hard after AVC. I can't let that happen to me this year. I'll break them!

Robin: Wow - you're definitely taking this seriously.

Adam: Listen, This is the AVC!

Robin: Ok ok... Let's move on. Anything else you would like to add to this interview?

Adam: Bay Area's got the best fans and group of people who know how to put on the best races out there! You all need to do this more often! I just love it at San Jose! Maybe you all could get Milroy Construction to build something that'll cover this awesome track, Hellyer.

All the humor aside, Adam would like to thank his team Momentum Cycling and the owner, Howard Marans for providing him the opportunity to race year around in the World Cup races and the Olympics plus the American Velodrome Challenge. He also appreciates all the fans' support in trying to make the track racing grow.

Keirin - the most exciting cycling race ever

Montano Velo Keirin
This Japanese version of the Motorpace, which is subject to parimutuel betting over there, has become very popular in the US, although, so far, without the betting. Keirin races, in which all the riders on the track jockey for position behind a single motorbike, sometimes most closely resemble the "Roller Derby" of old, with riders jostling and jabbing each other with elbows to get into the "sweet spot" behind the motorcycle. Then, just before the last lap, the motorbike pulls off the track, and the riders sprint madly to the line.



Our longtime Hellyer faithful Peter Bohl on the motorbike usually takes them from about 18-20 mph and up to nearly 30-33 mph before taking off. As a result, the sprinters end the race at 40+ mph with huge gears.



Keirin is not only fun but extremely dangerous with a lot of jostling and battling for position. Travis Smith, a Canadian of Momentum Cycling team, one of the world's best keirin racers before his crash suffered a near career ending injury (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUXYn9K4FdY&feature=related). Since then Travis has had 2 surgeries and will be attending American Velodrome Challenge as a spectator. Be sure to introduce yourself to him at the Beer Garden with Mike's Hard Lemonade or Testarossa wine, He loves them and will talk up a storm with you!


Another crash of a keirin race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jbq7UxupeA


















This also causes tempers to flare - check this keirin carnage at T-town. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGnLDr6jRSI&feature=related




It's explosive, fun and exciting. All of this happens on Friday the June 20th.




Who to watch......

Adam Duvendeck - Former US National Keirin Champion who ran away from a team of Spike racers to win the highly coveted US jersey. Put him in any keirin, he's always a threat for the overall victory with his long term power.







Giovanni Rey - Registering 164 RPM (75 kph - 47 mph) behind a motorcycle in a training session, He's a clear threat to the overall victory and hoping to take back the top honors back to Bay Area. The only threat to his overall speed is his mother who's extremely uncomfortable with him going fast. He brings his top 2 riders from Montano Velo Track Team to try and defeat Adam Duvendeck. They will be..........





Mario Sandoval - Member of the strong Montano Velo Track Team. Loves Keirin and has an explosive jump. Likes to arrive at the Velodrome in his pants only to switch to his all white skinsuit just to stand out in the crowd.















Matias Elgart - Another member of the Montano Velo Track Team who's seen behind Jeff Solt's motorcycle for the past 3 weeks building up his speed for the American Velodrome Challenge. Looks very calm and collected but gets into a huge rage in the Keirin races.





Jimmy Watkins - super fast racer from Los Angeles who recently upset Adam Duvendeck in a race down in Los Angeles. A newcomer to the sport but brings tremendous amount of power. Could surprise Duvendeck once again.









Giddeon Massie - A member of the 2008 Olympic Team Sprint for USA. Current U.S. National Keirin Champion















Others to watch:


Kevin Schiller - Comes from San Diego and is poised to get into the finals.


Nicholas Harter - Local sprinter racing for the Pensinula Velo. Has always given other sprinters hard time.


Kelyn Akuna - Figures to be in finals and will battle for the top honors.


Probables:
Eugene Chacherie, Steve Palaez, Kenny Williams.

All about Endurance races and who to watch....

John Peckham Memorial Points Race
A variation of the Mass Start race, in which points are awarded to the top placing riders in a series of sprints contested at various intervals during the race. The winner of a Points Race is not necessarily the first to cross the finish line, but rather the rider who has accumulated the most points during the race.

The winner gets $1000, making it richest Points Race in the country.

John Peckham was a member of the Webcor/Alto Velo Elite cycling team. More important than his racing, John was a great teammate who had an easy going manner and was enthusiastic about everything he did. John had a strong presence, and a clear confidence despite being very soft spoken. John's incredible talent, infectious smile, easy demeanor, and positive attitude were impossible to miss on or off the bike. Words cannot express the loss we all feel and what John meant to those he came in contact with. John will be missed greatly by family, friends, teammates, and the cycling community.

Miss-and-Out
Another variation of the Mass Start race that''s sometimes called "Devil Take The Hindmost," because the last rider to cross the line after each (or every other) lap is taken out of the race. The field diminishes rapidly, until there are only a few riders left to contest the final sprint.

Scratch Race
Not surprisingly, all the riders in a Mass Start race start at the same time. The riders all cover the same distance, with the winner being the first rider to cross the finish line at the end of that distance. Although speed is important, tactics and teamwork are equally vital. Groups of riders often take an early lead, and then work together to increase it while their teammates try to block and slow down the "field." On a small track, the leaders may gain an entire lap on the other riders and then join in with the main group again.

Who to watch.....

Daniel Holloway - One of the fastest and best juniors ever to come out of Bay Area. Is now affiliated with the powerful Slipstream Team's U-23 team. Routinely attacks the fields whenever he feels like it. Clearly the favorite to win the John Peckham Memorial Points Race.

Ben Jacques-Maynes - Last year's Points Race winner, thought about John Peckham who was a friend of his during the race and ran away from the field. Will return to battle for the $1000 first prize. One of the best Endurance track racers in the country.

Mike Hernandez - Mr. Blogmeister of http://www.norcalcyclingnews.com/. A champion of women's racing. A champion of track racing. A champion of everything in Bay Area. Loves to spin his 53x15 gear with a flower in his helmet just for the fun of it.

Larry "His Holy Thighness" Nolan - Rumor has it when someone asks his kids how many masters championships he's won, they call him first to get the latest count. A huge promoter of juniors and racing program in Bay Area. Is promoting a USAC west coast regional camp in Somona during the week of American Velodrome Challenge, only to make some time for races down in San Jose.

Shaun Wallace - The only rider Nolan fears. A British rider who currently resides in San Diego. Is part of the strong Guiness squad.

Brian Peterson - Kilo Masters State champion and current 35-39 Points Race and Madison champion. Is bringing his big Alto Velo/Webcor Squad for the highly coveted John Peckham Memorial Points Race victory. John Peckham used to be part of the Alto Velo/Webcor squad. You can be sure Brian and those guys show up on the track for this race, there's extra speed in their legs.

Others to watch:

Dirk Copeland - part of the Cal Giant Strawberries Team. Hails from San Luis Obispo. Former National Track Team Olympian.

Mike Garrett - an extremely fast racer from Los Angeles area.

Andrew Kruse - A fast racer from Minnesota who races at the Blaine Velodrome.

Probables:

Kenny Williams, Steve Palaez.

What's next:

Friday - Keirin and who to watch....

Sunday - Women's races and who to watch....

Monday - The madison!! Which teams to watch....

Sprints 101 and Who to watch.......

Match Sprints


Like the Kilometer, the Match Sprint is run over a distance of 1000 meters, but in a Match Sprint, two to four riders start at the same time, and they race against each other rather than against the clock. Although they are timed over the last 200 meters of the race, the winner of the race is the rider who crosses the finish line first, regardless of how long it takes. Match sprints work by a process of elimination, so that the riders must work their way up through several rounds of sprints, called "heats." Only two riders compete in the finals, which consist of three races. By scoring two wins in the finals, a rider becomes the winner of the event. It''s in the Match Sprint that you may witness a "trackstand," wherein a rider will bring his/her bike to a complete stop and remain upright, balancing precariously. The reason for this peculiar behaviour is that the rider in front is trying to control the race and wants to force the rider in the rear to come around, so that she can "draft" off of the front rider, following her rear wheel very closely, to decrease wind resistance and therefore conserve energy. By following in the slipstream of the other rider, a rider can not only keep a watchful eye on her opponent, but can also save enough energy to put on an extra burst of speed at the finish.

Dean Haraguchi and Bobby "The Bullet" Walthour battling it out at Hellyer Velodrome. Photo by Garrett Lau

Who to watch for:

Adam Duvendeck - The silent assassin from Long Beach is the fastest USA sprinter and has been battling with the world's best sprinters during the winter. Declared himself ready to break the 200 meters record of 10.88 (41 mph average) and Flying Lap record of 18.88 (40 mph average)



Giddeon Massie - 2004 Olympian who was once on the Bicycling Magazine cover is also a member of the 2008 Olympics Team Sprint. Have always been close to the top of all sprint events.



















Matias Elgart - Exploded into the scene this year posting several 39+ mph average 200 meters runs. Is a member of the Montano Velo Track Tream which is considered the New York Yankees of Bay Area velodrome racing. Matias is also well known for his pink bicycle frame which catches attention.


















Giovanni Rey - A local hero who's been an ambassdor of Hellyer Velodrome for many years. You just can't beat that kind of combination, pure speed, italian name and passion for racing. Is expected to challenge Duvendeck and Massie for the top honors in sprints. Also a member of the Montano Velo Track Team.














Kelyn Akuna - A full time Track Racer from Bay Area who has traveled all over the world to race. Came back to Bay Area last spring only to destroy the competition. Is returning specifically for the AVC again. Considered a darkhorse for the victory.



















Other Riders:

Jimmy Watkins - A newcomber who has posted extremely fast times at Los Angeles Velodrome.

Pete Bilington - One sprinter was comparing Pete's single thigh to his waist. That's how big it is......an extremely fast rookie.

Tim Montagne - a very fast masters who has consistently challenged young kids every time he's out there.

Karl Erickson - a member of an extremely fast group of sprinters from Colorado. A first time visitor to Hellyer.

Probables:

Jeff Solt (Former National Champion), Bobby "The Bullet" Walthour, Eugene Cacherine (Collegiate National Sprint champion)

Up Next:

Thursday: Endurance Races and who to watch......

Friday: Keirin (the motorcycle race) and who to watch....

18.88 and 10.88

Those 2 numbers represent something very important.

For years, they've been up there for a long time, not yet broken.

18.88 represents Stephen Alfred's Flying Lap timed by Kevin Worley. He averaged 40 mph for one lap.

10.88 represents Former National Champion Jeff Solt's 200tt with an average of 41 mph for 200 meters.

2007 American Velodrome Challenge - Josiah Ng proclaimed himself ready to break those records with all of the aero gear.

He came very close - 10.89 (40 mph) and 18.89 (39.5 mph).

Now Adam "Silent Assassin" Duvendeck has proclaimed himself ready to break those records. He's been consistently the fastest American in this country. A lot of people are predicting him to be the first American to go under 10 seconds in few years before 2012 London Olympics.

To read more about Adam Duvendeck and see photos of him in action:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=18/bio/index.html

http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=18/photos/galleryid=104700.html

Saturday and Testarossa Winery

With so much of hype being given to Friday night, Saturday night is just as equally as exciting with this:

1. Testarossa winery - one of the best wines I've ever had. My friends who enjoy wine rave a lot about this wine. We'll be giving out Testarossa's fine wine all night long on Saturday night.

2. Elite Sprints - During that evening, you'll be seeing world's best sprinters go up against each other all night long. They're the same ones who will be racing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

3. Kiddie races - During the evening, we'll have races for the kids. Bring your kids to race and bring the whole family for a nice evening out with some good wine!

To register for the races (kiddie races are free)

https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?id=2461



Rob and Diana Jensen