Harlan continued his winning ways last weekend at the Off-Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell, completing the 63 mile course in 4:54 and setting an unofficial course record in the process. I say "unofficial" because the course changed slightly from last year when the "official" record was set, so the promoter didn't recognize it.

On the domestique front, I finished 7th overall and won the 40+ division, and Patrick finished 21st overall.

Harlan's race report is up on his blog. Mine is here.

Next up is the Wilderness 101. We'll see you there!

IF Racing announces today that it has signed a major new rider. Team Manager, Jon Bruno stated at a early morning press conference, "We are really excited about this new rider. So excited that we couldn't hold our excitement until September and today would like to announce that our newest rider and most exciting prospect is Parker Russell. After nearly a year of negotiation we have finally been able to meet Russell's demands. We even had to bring on a new sponsor to accommodate his needs, and this will only contribute to the growth of the entire team." The new sponsor was not announced at the press conference, but it is strongly rumored to be SippyCup.

Russell adds a new dimension to IF Racings already strong team and will help their drive for the future. "We will be adding more riders and announcing them soon. All are geared at our commitment to developing strong, well rounded cyclist. We will prepare them for the next step, the Pros."


Russell Parker is pictured below in his new IF Racing Team kit, and possible new sponsors product.




Parker Russell prepares to head out on a training ride.

See this picture on the Michaux Endurance series homepage?
michaux

Well that's how it was. IF rider, Harlan Price won, beating Chris Eatough by 7 minutes.

WAY TO GO, HARLAN

Sunday, Fast/IF powered by Lionette's sent 4 manly men to the Naugatuck Crit in CT (John Hanson, Luke Krisch, Greg Montello, and Jon Bruno.) It is a 50 mile , fast, hot, criterium. Over 70 riders lined up the race in the humid 85 degree afternoon. We were racing for $1500 and were told there would be a $200 midway prime. This was surely going to cause the race to be fast and hard. The first ten laps were fairly easy and gave us time to stretch our legs. Fast/IF pb Lionette's put riders in multiple break attempts but nothing stayed away. The pace was kept very high and the field soon split with about 30 riders in the front group with two Fast/IF riders, Luke and I. With the midway prime approaching, riders began to jostle for position at the front. Alec from Nerac went off the front with another rider with one lap to go and at the back stretch the field slowed, allowing the two to dangle well off the front. I saw the move and shot out of the field, up the hill and onto the finish straight with a good gap over the field, caught and passes the two leaders to rob them of the $200 prime. YAY!!! That will help pay for future races. Three laps later the skies opened up, throwing lighting and rain down. The race was stopped for a half hour.

At the re-start there were 20 riders in the front group with about a minute on the rest of the field. It was from this group that we knew the winner would emerge. The racing resumed, just as fast and furious as before. Riders continuously jumped off the front trying to stay away for the remaining 15 laps. Luke and I both covered every move, until I bridged up to a strong duo of Kurt Davis and Adam Myerson. The three were soon four, joined by Tim Unkert, and remained away for the final 8 laps. Two more riders joined up and on the last lap, on the hill I attempted a jump but all break compatriots were right on my wheel. Damn. Now I was on the front in the finish straight. Nothing left to do but keep it up and lead out for the sprint. I felt pretty good but faded in the last fifty meters to finish fourth. A good result and some good money for the team.

Thanks to Hanson, Greg and especially Luke's hard work and diligence, we had a super strong presence and a good result for the team. More success soon, I am sure.

Thanks

The Merida 100km series takes place across Britain throughout the year and time and time again they serve up some of the most classic mountain racing one could ask for. Builth Wells is one of the key events and 2 weeks after my disappointing 24 and one week before the next, the trip was made to mid Wales and old rivalries renewed. Britain has had a lousy summer with endless rain, yet despite this and the fact the race clashed with the Tour de France in London, around 1000 riders lined up to take on 62 miles with 9,000 feet of climbing.

A nice easy lead out sees you wind through the town cheered on by the locals and then as you head up a 30 minute climb the lead car winds up the pace, at this point you have eager racers swarming for position. I hadn't come into the race with expectation and was just chuffed to be out in the mountains. Over the top of the first climb I found myself right in the mix, Nick Craig the UK Marathon Champion and the other Scott International Full time pros leading out as ever with me redlining the heart rate in the 190's. Then a slip in the mud caused me to lose touch with the lead group and I worked my way into a nice rhythm. The course's downhills were savage affairs, rock strewn and carved in places just for the event, I had opted for a set of 1.8 tyres which were somewhat out of their depth. Through rivers, down rock slabs and across desolate moor, I spent the whole race alone in no man's land, now and again catching s0meone who had gone off too quick. I never felt sharp but I did feel strong and the final section was just sensational, sything through racers from the 50km course I was locked in battle for 10th. It ended up side by side at 30mph on a Rock strewn descent with a river down the middle before I buried myself up a final climb and dodging town centre traffic to edge it. I came in on 4hour 46 minutes and as I was being driven home by the mighty Will Jones got to drink local ales on completion and enjoy a hazy head.

Simply have not had a smile like that from a race in some time.. a single 100km loop in fantastic terrain ... next race in the series is the legendary Selkirk round in Scotland, the UK's most technical marathon..... and to get me in the mood the Bontrager 24 hour solo, a course where they've decided to build an entire mogul field at the end of each lap.. big air after 1 hour likely, 6 hours: possible, 24 hours: I dont think so.

Ian

I (Harvey) hadn't raced in a month and the itch had to be scratched. I raced Pro/Senior Expert and was having a great race, sitting in 2nd place and successfully fending off repeated surges from the guy in 3rd. He'd bridge up to me in the flats. I'd pull away on the next climb. And so it went until I flatted about a mile before the finish. I decided not to change it, rode when I could, ran when i couldn't ride and still hung onto 4th. Patrick was there too and finished 5th in 30+ Expert. I'll have a more detailed report up on my blog soon.