Big Bend weekend boasts dirt & road doubleheader

May 5, 2010 by editor

Ryan Trebon (Kona) leads the elite men's field onto the course at last year's Cascade Chainbreaker. This Sunday's race follows Saturday's Bend Don't Brake Road Race. Click on the full report for more photos.

BEND — Cycling City USA has a double-duty weekend planned May 8 and 9 when the brand new Bend Don’t Brake Road Race takes flight for the first time Saturday and the traditional Cascade Chainbreaker MTB race follows Sunday.

BEND DON’T BRAKE
The new road race course is a 9.9 mile circuit through Bend’s east side that incorporates rolling hills, well-paved roads and a fast, sprint finish. It’s ranked on OBRA’s site as a beginner-friendly event.

Bill Warburton of TAI Racing Team will be giving a quick race course review, race tactics, riding un-written rules of the road talk to all Cat 4/5 Men AND Women at Registration starting at 11:30am.

FOR MORE INFORMATION contact Amanda Atwill at benddontbrake@gmail.com or 415-652-1484.

CHAINBREAKER
The Cascade Chainbreaker follows Sunday, May 9, on a course laid out through private timberland west of Bend just past Shevlin Park. The “battle of the locals” is usually frequented by many of the areas top riders, including the pros who call Bend home. The race is also the fifth installment of the Oregon XC Series. Chris Sheppard (Rocky Mountain Bicycles) won last year’s race in front of Carl Decker (Giant). Sue Butler took the wommen’s crown in 2009.

Bill Warburton and Bend Endurance Academy will be leading a juniors only (ages 10-18) pre-ride of the course on Thursday, May 6, at 4 p.m. The course will not be marked but he will show riders the way. Juniors should ride or drive to WebCyclery at 3:45 p.m. They’ll shuttle everybody up to the race course from there, leaving the parking lot at 4 sharp and then driving to Skyline Forest to the start of the race course. Participants do not have to be registered for the race to attend the juniors-only free pre-ride. YOU MUST GET/BRING A SIGNED WAIVER FROM BILL BEFORE THE RIDE – email him at bill@BendEnduranceAcademy.org.

The only time that the course is guaranteed to be open, cleared, fully marked and totally rideable is the day before the race, Saturday, May 8. Racers and their guests can pre-ride the course all day. Signage will be in place at this point to help find the race course.

FOR MORE INFORMATION email henry@webcyclery.com or call Webcyclery at 541-318-6188.

: Chris Sheppard was “king of the locals” at last year’s race.

: Sue Butler won the women’s race.

: Ryan Trebon, pictured here at the 2009 Chainbreaker, won this year’s Pro men’s race Sunday. ©Pat Malach / FILE PHOTO

: Giant’s Carl Decker was also out for last year’s Chainbreaker.

: The course weaves through a pine forest.

: The Cascade Chainbreaker course outside of Bend goes around, over and sometimes under the forest. Chainbreaker is race five of the 10-race Oregon XC Series. ©Pat Malach / FILE PHOTO