April's Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic will be one of six regional qualifiers for the Nature Valley Pro Ride.

THE DALLES — The Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic will be one of six regional qualifiers across the United States for the Nature Valley Pro Ride, which selects top amateur men and women for composite Nature Valley Cycling Teams that will compete against the pros at the 12th annual Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Nature Valley Pro Riders who are invited to compete in the Nature Valley Grand Prix — held in East Central Minnesota and Western Wisconsin June 16-20 — earn free entries to the race, generous travel stipends, team clothing, housing, ground transportation and staff support for their composite teams. They will also receive pro-level recognition before, during and after the events, including pre-race call-ups and participation in promotional and media appearances.

2010 regional qualifiers:

* April 10: Hillsboro-Roubaix – St. Louis, MO
* April 10-11: Rock Hills Spring Bicycle Races – Charlotte, NC
* April 23-25: Cherry Blossom Cycling Classic – The Dalles
* May 1-2: Barrio Logan Grand Prix & Mark Reynolds San Luis Rey Classic – San Diego, CA
* May 15: Bear Mountain Road Race – New York, NY
* May 30-31: Mt. Hamilton Classic Road Race & Memorial Day Criterium – San Jose, CA

Sue Butler bested the Pro women's field at Echo Red to Red Saturday. Photo courtesy of Shane Young/Oregon Velo.

More than 300 riders made their way to this historic burg for the downtown start.

The course was super fun and bumpy, according to Oregon XC Series Director Mike Ripley, and it made the race a great way to kick off the series for all who attended. Riders from Washington and Idaho once again mixed it up with Oregon’s Best as the competition in all fields was fierce.

Endurance specialist Evan Plews of Salem continued his early season hot streak with a win in the Men’s Pro race. Portland’s Sue Butler finished in front of a strong women’s field before traveling to Hagg Lake and racing with the Masters 1/2/3 men in Banana Belt #2.

The Oregon XC Series continues April 11 with the Horning’s Hideout near North Plains.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Echo Red to Red
Saturday, March 6

Pro Men
1. Evan Plews (EvanPlews.com)
2. Ben Thompson (Sunnyside Trek)
3. Nathan Bannerman (Allegro Cycling)
4. James Williams (Trek Mtn Co-op/Sunnyside)
5. Jonathan Myers (Team S&M)

Pro Women
1. Sue Butler
2. Lizzy English (Northstar Taho)
3. Tina Brubaker (Veloforma)
4. Heidi Faller (webcyclery.com)
5. Lorien Lightfield (Wild Rockies Racing)

Check Oregon Velo for photos.

Complete results are HERE (pdf).

The Masters 40+ (1/2/3) field rolls out for its afternoon race at Hagg Lake under Sunday

Sunday’s Banana Belt #2 offered more nice weather for a full schedule of racing. Twelve age- and skill-graded categories took to the roads around Henry Hagg Lake for the second of three series races. The uphill finish of the counterclockwise course provided an extra test (and pain) for riders. And breakaways, solo or otherwise, seemed to have better luck making the efforts pay off. Next Sunday’s battles will decide the series winners and who walks away with some nice Fuji prizes, including complete bikes and frames.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY.

Check for MORE PHOTOS HERE.

Austin Arguello (Team Exergy) holds off his breakaway companions to take the win in the men's Pro/1/2 race at Banana Belt #2 Sunday.

HENRY HAGG LAKE — Fresh off his 6th place overall GC finish last week at the Callville Bay Classic in Nevada, Team Exergy’s Austin Arguello capitalized on his current good form and slipped in front of his breakaway companions to take Banana Belt #2 Sunday.

Racers enjoyed another beautiful day at Hagg Lake Sunday for Banana Belt #2.

Arguello and four others broke away from the group with about three laps to go in the six-lap, 66-mile race. Hutch’s-Eugene rider Rob English and Rubicon-ORBEA’s Quinn Keogh initiated the move after getting a gap on the field following a hot spot sprint through the uphill finish on the counterclockwise course. John Browning (Echelon/ZteaM), Aaron Sander (Cyclepath) and Arguello quickly joined them at the front.

The lead group organized itself and immediately began setting a pace that had the field behind strung out in pursuit for the remainder of the race. But the chasing effort had little effect on the leaders as they continued to power away and add more time to their advantage.

“Once the gap was about a minute and a half or two minutes, we felt pretty confident because we were working well together,” Arguello said.

That’s when thoughts started turning to the finish as the leaders started the last lap with a comfortable lead. English attacked immediately after the leaders started heading uphill just past the lake’s dam. Browning and Arguello hopped on his wheel while Sander and Keogh struggled and fell off the pace. But Sander got a second chance when the lead trio started jockeying for the finish. The Cyclepath rider latched back onto the leaders with about a kilometer to go.

“It reminded me of a track race,” Arguello said of the cat-and-mouse games in the final stretch.

Sander, who had just regained contact, sat at the back of the group and tried to recover from his bridging effort.

“The longer they do that, the better for me,” Sander said, “because I was just completely tapped.”

English made the first move at the bottom of the hill leading to the line, while Sander quickly followed and Arguello and Browning slipped onto the wheels. Arguello waited and jumped when the timing felt right.

“I felt pretty good at about 175 (meters),” Arguello said. “So that’s when I went. I usually like to go long on an uphill sprint. I had a good acceleration and then just tried to hold it and not do anything stupid.”

Arguello avoided trouble and cruised across the line to win by several bike lengths. Browning finished second, with English and Sander going third and fourth, respectively. Keogh trailed in for fifth with the main field minutes behind.

Arguello is now heading to Boise, where Team Exergy is based, to race a local criterium with the entire squad before tackling his first NRC race with the team at Redlands. His OBRA racing should put some quality training miles in his legs. Sander was certainly feeling the day’s breakaway effort.

“We were just a team time trial,” he said of the break group’s cooperation. “It was really hard to be on the front, and it was kinda hard to catch back on. That’s a definite sign that you’re going fast.”

OTHER RACE NOTES

Leia Tyrrell won her second Women’s Cat 3 race in a row after winning the Women’s Cat 3 race last weekend at Banana Belt #1. The CAPA Cycling Team rider easily took the field sprint in front of a closing pack.

For the second week in row, Dave Zimbelman (Echelon/Salmon Cyclery) stamped his authority over the Masters 40+ 1/2/3 race with a dominating solo breakaway and a gap of several minutes by the finish of the 44-mile race. Mark Steger (HP Chiro/Hammer Nutrition) won the field sprint for second.

Trevor Spahr (Ironclad performance Wear) went on a last-lap solo flier to take the win in the Men’s Cat 3 race. Christopher Dubois (Team Oregon) won the field sprint for second. BBC’s Ashton Summer sprinted to the win in the junior race in front of teammate and last week’s winner Joe Prettyman. Lifecycle’s Maire Osborn took the Women’s Cat 4 race. Team Oregon’s Aaron Collins won the Men’s Cat 4 event.

William Zale (Specialized River City) took the top spot in the Masters 50+ race ahead of Kerry Farrell (Wheelsport). John Weathers (Sunset Cycles) took the Masters 40+ (4/5) race. Lance Brigman (Bike Tires Direct) finished first in the Masters 60+ event. Shane Bennett took the Men’s Cat 5 race.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY for this race.

RESULTS
Banana Belt #2
Henry Hagg Lake
Sunday, March 7

Men Pro/1/2
1. Austin Arguello (Team Exergy)
2. John Browning (Echelon Gan Fondo/ZteaM)
3. Rob English (Hutch’s-Eugene)
4. Aaron Sander (Cyclepath)
5. Quinn Keogh (Rubicon ORBEA)

Juniors
1. Summers, Ashton (Beaverton Bicycle Club)
2. Prettyman, Joe (Beaverton Bicycle Club)
3. Sprague, Cole (Bend Bike ‘N Sport)
4. McElroy, Grant (Beaverton Bicycle Club)
5. Rising, Jack (Fred Meyer/Lakeside)

Women Cat 3
1. Tyrrell Leia (CAPA Cycling Team)
2. Campbell Amy (River City Bicycles)
3. Whitley Anona (Ironclad Performance Wear)
4. Simmons, Mindy (Hammer Velo)
5. Huggins, Elise (Veloforma)

Women Cat 4
1. Osborn, Maire (Life Cycle Bike Shop)
2. McDermid, Brooke (bicycleattorney.com)
3. Croy, Stephanie (Ironclad Performance Wear)
4. Woods, Alanna (Sorella Forte)
5. McNair, Abra (Showers Pass)

Men Cat 3
1. Spahr, Trevor (Ironclad Performance Wear)
2. DuBois, Christopher (Team Oregon)
3. Roman, Angelo (Hammer/CMG Racing)
4. Bedford, Stephen (Word-RCB)
5. Scales, Tom

Men Cat 4
1. Collins, Aaron (Team Oregon)
2 . Ward, Chris (CAPA Cycling Team)
3. Ordonez, Lee (Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life)
4. Peterson, galen (OSU Cycling Club)
5. Bowden, Zach (Fred Meyer/Lakeside)

Men Master 40+ (1/2/3)
1. Zimbelman, David (Echelon/Salmon Cyclery)
2. Steger, Mark (HPChiro/Hammer Nutrition)
3. Ghilarducci, Thomas (Presto Velo)
4. Otto, Jeffery (Portland Velo)
5. Goldstein, Scott (EWEB Windpower)

Men Master 40+ (4/5)
1. Weathers, John (Sunset Cycles)
2. Spillman Erik (Portland Velo)
3. Pope, Jason (Team Nebo Ridge)
4. Sines, Ron (Pacific Power Blue Sky)
5. Blacklock, Nick (Team Bike Tires Direct)

Men Master 50+
1. Zale, William (Specialized River City Bicycles)
2. Farrell, Kerry (Wheelsport)
3. Meadors, Ivan (United Finance)
4. Coffel, Lance (HPChiro/Hammer Nutrition)
5 . Beavers, Craig (Capitol Velo/Lifesource)

Men Master 60+
1. Brigman, Lance (Team Bike Tires Direct)
2. Magnus, Ron (NoMad Sports Club)
3. Litchfield, Philip (Capitol Velo/Lifesource)
4. Nicolai, Bill (HeadHunters)
5. Forbes, John (Bri-Hop)

Men 5
1. Shane, Bennett
2. Turpin, Alex (Willamette University)
3. Rogers, Ian
4. Richardson, Bryan (Portland State)
5. Kelley, Graham (Life Cycle Bike Shop)

William O'Donnell (Westwood Velo) won his second time trial of the season Saturday. Photo Courtesy of Matthew Haughey.

O’Donnell’s time of 26:23.97 over the 12 mile out-and-back course was good enough for the top spot in the Pro/1/2/3 men’s race and the fastest overall time of the day. Hutch’s-Eugene rider Rob English was next fastest at 26:31.09. Ironclad Performance Wear’s Trevor Spahr was third fastest on the day at 26:37.49.

Thereapeutic Associates/GENR8 rider Karey Miles set the fastest time for the women at 31:52.99. Miles finished ahead of teammates Jill Howe (32:17.91) and Pamela Archer (33:40.30).

For more photos check Matthew Haughey’s Flicker set.

RESULTS
As The Raven Flies Time Trial #1
McMinnville
Saturday, March 6

Men 1/2/3
1. William O’Donnell (Westwood Velo)
2. Rob English (Hutch’s-Eugene)
3. Trevor Spahr (Ironclad Performance Wear)

Senior Women
1. Karey Miles (Therapeutic Associates/GENR8)
2. Jill Howe (Therapeutic Associates/GENR8)
3. Pamela Archer (Therapeutic Associates/GENR8)

Women Cat 4
1. Brenda Spinney (Pacific Power Blue Sky)
2. Grace McCabe (Pacific Power Blue Sky)
3. Melanie Pratt (Portland Velo)

Men 4/5
1. Colby Wait-Molyneux (Specialized River City Bicycles)
2. Ron Sines (Pacific Power Blue Sky)
3. Andrew Hayes (Mountain View Cycles)

Masters 50+
1. John O’Brien (ZteaM)
2. Peter Gierga
3. Jeff Tedder (Hammer Velo)

Masters 40+
1. Rob Annen (United Finance)
2. Ron babcock (Portland Velo)
3. Doug Palmer (Half Fast Velo)

Complete OBRA results are HERE.

But Wednesday’s ruling changes Beardsley’s sanction from a relegation to a warning, leaving his win intact. OBRA Executive Director Kenji Sugahara announced the decision on OBRA’s monthly e-mail newsletter.

“In consultation with the chief ref and Board of Directors, the relegation has been changed to a warning,” Sugahara wrote to members.

He went on to clarify the rules regarding race celebrations:

“There is no specific rule against saluting — but depending on circumstances you could be sanctioned for dangerous riding if you choose to do so. Here’s what’s important to us. Don’t do anything that could put other riders at risk. Use your head. Hands on the bars is always preferred, and if someone crashes because of you or you create a disturbance behind you, you will be sanctioned. Don’t salute before the line.”

Beardsely was obviously pleased with the ruling and said he believed OBRA needed to come up with some guidelines to keep things safe but also allow riders to still celebrate in the spirit of the sport.

Team Radio Shack's Chris Horner will lead the gran fondo.

Horner, a resident of Bend, will serve as an event ambassador and aid in creating greater awareness of the organization’s commitment to community focused cycling events that raise money for local and national cancer institutions. The majority of entry fees and additional donations contributed by participating individuals and teams will support the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and LIVESTRONG.

Horner has been a dominant figure for more than 15 years in international pro cycling and is a member of the newly formed Team RadioShack with Americans Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and Jason McCartney. He said he’s excited to partner with Echelon and the community of Portland.

“When I was approached by Echelon and learned about their event goals, a unique opportunity was created for me to support the beneficiary organizations and participate on my home turf,” Horner said.

The primary local beneficiary of the Echelon event is the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, considered one of the nation’s top cancer centers. With the latest treatments, technologies, hundreds of research studies and approximately 400 clinical trials, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is the only cancer center between Sacramento and Seattle designated by the National Cancer Institute — an honor earned only by the nation’s top cancer centers.

The event’s national beneficiary is the globally recognized Lance Armstrong Foundation, which leverages funding and resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive social change. Additionally, a portion of funds will also support the Friends of the Historic Columbia River Highway, an Oregon nonprofit corporation whose mission is to support the restoration of the historic highway through the Columbia River.

“Having Chris as part of this event is quite a thrill,” said Hunter Ziesing, founder of Echelon. “His spirited personality and his commitment to generating awareness for our event are exciting. We look forward to our Portland participants having the opportunity to meet and ride with Chris.”

Echelon, whose 2010 events are planned in Napa, CA, and Portland, OR, has created 30-, 60-, and 100-mile rides to emulate the pageantry of the Tour de France. All abilities of riders are welcome, and all participants will encounter a uniquely crafted and festive event.

About PlanetZ/Echelon: PlanetZ is a non-profit global member organization that promotes human affairs including health, environment, and community, and is greatly committed to the cycling community at large by creating events and fitness challenges that are designed to raise money for local and national cancer focused institutions.

(Submitted by PlanetZ/Echelon).

In the pack at the Banana Belt #1 Sunday at Hagg Lake.

The opening round of the Banana Belt series went off under perfect spring conditions, with clouds burning off and temperatures warming throughout the day. The race was also the first event of the Oregon Cup.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY

The online SALES GALLERY for this race is HERE.

Steven Beardsley and Jacob Rathe battled neck-and-neck to the line, while eventual winner Brad Gebhard slipped up on their right just out of frame.

Brad Gebhard (left) bided his time on Steven Beardsley's wheel and nearly came around him.

Steven Beardsley (Gentle Lovers) won a bunch sprint in the Pro/1/2 men’s race but was relegated for dangerous riding when he took his hands off the bars for a victory salute in tight quarters. Officials awarded the win to Bike Gallery’s Brad Gebhard, who finished ahead of Jacob Rathe (Jelly Belly) and David Oliphant (Therapeutic Associates/GENR8).

The men’s field finished intact after repeated failed attacks from small groups of riders over the five-lap, 55-mile race. In a furious sprint for the line, Beardsley was neck and neck with Rathe on his left. Gebhard was sitting on his wheel and came up fast on his right. Beardlsey fought past the Jelly Belly U23 rider with a late surge in the final meters, but the he immediately let loose the bars for a traditional two-handed salute. Judges determined the move endangered other riders and relegated Beardsley, giving the win to Gebhard, who had just nipped Rathe to the line in a photo finish.

Pennington Powers Away From Women’s Field
In the Cat 1/2/3 women’s race, Veloforma showed up with a full squad of nine riders and had plenty of ammunition to wear down the competition over the race’s 44 miles. But it was Pennington, the team’s most experienced rider, who eventually snapped the elastic with a solo move and quickly started piling up time on the field.

There was very little to see when Alice Pennington looked back at the finish.

The mountain bike specialist from Hood River time trialed nearly 20 miles to the finish, gaining more than three minutes over the field on her way to the line.

“It’s easy to stay out of sight on this course,” she said. “So you really have to be motivated and organized even to catch someone off by themselves.”

Cherry Pie winner Leia Tyrrell, a Cat 3 who rides for Oregon State U., said the large Veloforma team put its numbers to use early and often on the rolling lakeside roads, and once Pennington broke free there was no bringing her back.

“There was attack after attack after attack. I was like, ‘uh, oh,’ ” Tyrrell said. “I’m not sure where I was when (Pennington) got away, but she was off the front, and then she was a mile away.”

With Pennington riding out of sight even on the longest straightaways, the field was left to scrap for second place and a long list of valuable Oregon Cup points. Tyrrell jumped off the front of the field just before the finish to take the field sprint for second. Bend Bike ‘N Sport’s Brenna Lopez-Otero held off Sorella Forte’s Jen Akeroyd for third in the combined Cat 1/2/3 race.

The Women's Cat 1/2/3 field crosses the dam at Hagg Lake Sunday during Banana Belt #1, the first race of the Oregon Cup.

RACE NOTES
The Women’s Cat 1/2/3 race Sunday was the only chance the Cat 1 and 2 women have to race as a group at this year’s series. Races #2 and #3 will have a separate races for Cat 3 women. The Pro/1/2 women have the option of riding with the Cat 3 men or Pro/1/2 men during those weeks.

Banana Belt #1 is also the first race of OBRA’s Oregon Cup, a seven-race series for Senior Cat 1/2 men and Senior Cat 1/2/3 women. The next race in the Oregon Cup is the Kings Valley Road Race April 10. The series culminates July 11 at the High Desert Omnium.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
Banana Belt #1
Henry Hagg Lake
Sunday, Feb. 28

Men Pro/1/2
1. Brad Gebhard (Bike Gallery)
2. Jacob Rathe (Jelly Belly)
3. David Oliphant (Therapeutic Associates/GENR8)

Women Cat 1/2/3 (combined)
1. Alice Pennington (Veloforma)
2. Leia Tyrrell (Oregon State U.)
3. Brenna Lopez-Otero (Bend Bike ‘N Sport)

CHECK BACK LATER FOR THE BANANA BELT #1 PHOTO GALLERY

2009 Mt. Hood Cycling Classic winner Paul Mach passes along one strategy for breaking away when facing a vigilant peloton.

Have you been winning a few too many races in your category and suddenly find you’re a marked rider? When the course isn’t difficult enough to make a selection, crafty racers get creative.

Bissell Pro Cycling Team’s Paul Mach, winner of last year’s Mt. Hood and Cherry Blossom cycling classics, explains how he and another well-known NorCal rider escaped the peloton during the Paskenta Century, a Chico, Calif., Super Bowl Sunday ride “that is taken very, very seriously by the locals.”

Pay attention marked riders:

“The first part was dramatic but not climactic. Ian (Boswell) spent it getting a flat and chasing back on. I spent it learning that there wasn’t any wind to break things up. Thus, forcing more creative racing.
This creative racing resulted in a 60 mile break that started with 5 riders but dwindled down to just me and Jesse (Moore) for the last 25 miles.

“So how did it happen that two well-marked riders got off the front on an almost totally flat course? Well, I’m going to tell you, because it’s my blog and I’m really proud of it. First, Jesse lit up a wicked counter attack to get off the front. Perfect, because he wasn’t coming back by himself, so I just needed to find a way to get up there with just a few others.

“It took a while, but the perfect situation finally formed; 2 small chase groups just within reach. I attacked and bridged up to the first one. The peloton responded, as always, and caught us. As the tired guys were sitting up and blocking the fresh guys, I countered and bridged to the next group. “We worked well together for a few minutes until we caught Jesse, and that was the start of 2+ hours of hard riding.”

Moore and Mach went on to finish first and second. Read the entire post on Paul Mach’s blog.