Fontana’s “Night Train” coming up August 9th.

The Night Train 12-Hour MTB Race will run on August 9^th from 10AM to 10PM. Come enjoy the Blue Ridge Outdoors “Best Post-Race Party” featuring live music, pasta supper, and French Broad Brewing beer courtesy of BioWheels in Asheville. Prizes run three-deep in all categories and will include products from Industry-Nine, Hayes Disc Brakes, and many others. Rusty Sprocket Productions will donate $5 to Pisgah Area SORBA for every IMBA/SORBA member that enters the race. For info, visit http://ridethenighttrain.com.

“An excellent event with tons of history.”- racer girl #7

Asheville Grand Prix coming up on Sept 13th!

The Asheville Gran Prix is new high profile road cycling event for WNC. BioWheels Deltec Racing will be there, as will hundreds of other serious cyclists. Based in the Biltmore Park Town Square, it will be great spectating!

Here is the 2008 Asheville Gran Prix Flier

FBCC City of Asheville Criterium Masters 35+, 7-20-08

Buddy, it was HOT. High Noon, 85+ degrees and climbing w 100% humidity and a hair dryer breeze in your face on the home stretch. 55 minutes of anaerobic heatstroke interval repeats!

The course was a giant triangle. Turn one brought you to a plateau for 200m, turn two led to a bumpy industrial district road down hill for 350m to turn three… which was a 140 degree rutted and fresh pavement mess! Slow motion free for all to a sprint uphill. Then to home stretch was all uphill for 350m. (I am not Pythagoras, so if my measurements don’t add up, kudos to those who are smarter than me

After two or three laps, I joined in what would turn out to be the move of the day. Bob Wright (Smith Barney), Myself and two other gentlemen made about 10 seconds or so on the field. Then we got word that our friend, Charlie Brown (Carolina Masters) was coming up. Once he joined us, I knew that a major engine was with us and not the field. In other words, I knew we were not going to get caught now!

In the ensuing laps, Bob attacked the break, we dropped two of our companions and it was down to CB, BW and myself. As we laped the main field, or what was left of it, the pace then slowed enough to enable the two that were dropped from the break to rejoin us. I was unaware that they were there with us now… 

The heat was taking its toll on me. That familiar prickly heat sensation. Out of fluids. Can’t stop now, I’ve got at least third place locked up! Or so I thought…10 laps to go…

Wth three laps remaining, Bob and Charlie take off from the group and I am on the wrong side of the road with a lapped rider between, so I can’t make the move. I mistakenly decide that it is up to me to bridge, as I thought all the other riders were lapped so I take up the chase. Bob and Charlie were too far out of reach. I thought I was going to be all right with third place when going into the last turn, last lap, two riders from the original move appear to my inside and the sprint for third through 5th is on! Crap. I felt like I was played, and I was. My mistake.

I roll across in 5th place, not much juice for the sprint. Frustrated, but that is racing!

I will say that this race was the best in terms of personal support from my fan club: My Wife Casey, her Parents, two Sisiters and Casey’s best friend Dow all cheered me on like a bunch of maniacs during the race! Thank you all so very very much!

Considering all things, I had a great weekend and was able to actually race my bike, and for that, I am grateful.

Thanks for reading,

Chad Schoenauer, Bio-Wheels Racing Team

FBCC Poppies Brevard Criterium Masters 35+, 7-19-08

Clear skies and a slightly up/down course made for challenging day of racing. Thanks to my old friend Randy, owner of Poppies Gourmet Farmers Market for sponsoring this race!

A little about the corse: Start on a slight uphill then dive down turn one to a 100m straight, turn 2 went from two 1/2 lanes to a narrow two lane residential street. Turn two, if not taken with the “late apex” would slow you down or force you into a neighborhood yard. Slight downhill for 600m. Turn three was a 110 degree bowling ball special. A real nail biter! Stright for 50m. Turn four was a shot uphill to the S/F straight steady uphill all the way to the line. About 1k around, we averaged a little over a minute a lap for a good part of our ride.

We started with about 50 men. A fast start was followed up with a little cat and mouse on the second lap. Seeing an opportunity to try and draw out the real players of the day, I attacked on the back stretch and went solo for four laps. I was sure that Charlie Brown of Carolina Masters, would bridge up for sure. This was his signature move all season and I knew he would come up. Well, he didn’t. I guess the field wouldn’t let him go. I earned a priem while I was away getting cross eyed then the field came up to me on the fourth lap of my effort.  The move reduced the field down to 25-30 guys. This made for much safer racing. Stuffing a large group of different ablities on a tight course can be hairy. I went with a few moves and the was left out of the main attack by Bob Wright of Smith Barney which rolled with 8 guys and half the race left. I fought the urge to drop out and stuck it out with the few left in this second group. Then I was delighted to see that the break lost all of its momentum! All back together and the field was down to about 20. Bonus! 12 laps to go and I was in for the final! My old buddy, Bill Short of Juice Plus, had played his cards just right. I don’t think I ever saw him a the nose of the race ever and delivered a commanding sprint for the win. I mustered a very tired and awkward sprint passing a few riders for a fine 9th place finish. Great race. 

Thank you ABRC, Poppies and the City of Brevard for a grand day of racing!

Stay tuned for a report from the FBCC City of Asheville Crit.

Thanks for reading,

Chad Schoenauer