Shootout Bike Ride Tucson, AZ 7/13/2008 – Gord Fraser takes Yellow!

This morning Shootout started with a little photo shoot with Jason Karew of Eclipse Racing. Jason Karew lost a bet to Paul Thomas and the loser had to wear a Tri suit during the Shootout. If you ask me I would have liked to have seen Jason in a Speedo and a singlet top. Paul let Jason off easy.  Pictured above Jason Karew and Paul Thomas and pictured below Jason Karew.

There was a good group of 100+ to start off this mornings ride. Ralph Phillips started the ride with his famous shout of “Its Bike Time!”

The pace was steady and fast. There was a rotation of about 10 riders up front driving the train. There were a few attacks but for the most part the group stayed together today. Pro racer Gord Fraser took Yellow and the sprint finish at the top of the climb.

Coming back into town Waste Management had the lead out train going leading up to the sprint keeping the pace high. Kyle Akin of Team Rhino was able to capitalize on Waste Managements efforts and took the sprint finish.

I have to brag a little about my wife Mimi Ford of Eclipse Racing. She made it all the way around the Shootout. On occasion a female rider will make it all the way around. It happens during the winter training months when the pro females are in town. It is rare that an amateur age grouper female makes it around. Scott Blanchard of Pyramid Coaching has been training Mimi for the last 6 months and it has been paying off. GREAT JOB MIMI!

For details on the Shootout click on the link below.

www.roadbikerides.com/ride/view/shootout_/77

Popularity: 3% [?]

Shootout Bike Ride Tucson, AZ 7/5/2008 – Paul Thomas takes Yellow!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!

Hopefully you got a little time off from work and you were able to get on your bike and do some good riding over the holiday weekend.

Well this mornings Shootout in Tucson, AZ was a good turnout being the morning after the 4th of July. I just say coming back into town was fast. We were averaging over 32 mph from Green Valley, AZ to the sprint finish sign on Old Nogales Highway in Tucson.

There were a few big guns on the ride this morning like Gord Fraser ex-pro cyclist and now running the Carmichael Training Center in Tucson, Paul Thomas 2-time US national duathlete champion, and Scott Blanchard cat 1 cyclist who runs Pyramid Coaching.

Paul Thomas flatted as the ride was rolling out so Marty Mares of Genuine Innovations the maker of CO2 inflators give Paul his rear wheel. Marty fixed Paul’s flat and then put Paul’s rear wheel on his bike to catch up with the group on the way back into town. Marty gets the team player award of the day.

The ironic thing is that Paul Thomas won the sprint finish at the top of the climb. I guess he felt obligated to make sure Marty’s rear wheel went to good use.

Up to the sprint finish at the top of the hill there was a group of about 5 to 7 cyclist that were off the front. Gord Fraser made a few attacks to set up the break. Paul bridge up to the pack and the rest is history.

Coming back into town I do not know who took the sprint. A friend of mine flatted and I stopped to help. If you know comment on the post and give us the update.

For details of the Shootout visit RoadBikeRides.com at the link below.

www.roadbikerides.com/ride/view/shootout_/77 

Popularity: 2% [?]