The first elite team win of the year came this past Saturday at the Deer Trail Road Race, where Jon Baker powered his new Merkx carbon LXM frame and Rol Carbon Wheels to a repeat win. The 70 mile race took place among snow flurries, 40 degree temperatures, and 20 to 40 mph winds. Most of the first 50 or 60 miles ended up being either a direct head or tail wind.
With the race winding down to its final 15 miles, Jon Tarkington attacked on the last tailwind section drawing out a small group as the race headed for the final out and back section where - strong cross winds awaited. With perfect team tactics, Jon Baker marked a bridge attempt and got a free ride up to the brake. VC was now in pefect position with 2 strong riders in the break and 3 sitting behind in a dwindling field.
In the last ten miles, the riders in the break traded blows and it was finally Jon Baker who snapped the elastic and soloed in for the victory with Tarkington arriving in third.
Unfortunately at the following day's Primus Mootry Criterium the team did not enjoy the same luck as at Deer Trail. In the final lap with VC congregated at the front of the race, a massive chain-reaction crash (reportedly started by a rider from behind trying to fit through a hole that wasn't there) took down Christian McCarthy, Joe Pinkerton, Brent Ertz and Randy Reichardt. Fortunately the outcome of the crash was limited to lost skin and broken equipment for the VC boys.
It's otherwise been a fairly quite early season in Colorado. A handful of collegiate races have dominated the calendar so far with the majority of the spoils going to Toyota United and a handful of other pros. However, if you look closely at the results from those races you'll most often find the first amateur rider listed wears the familiar orange and purple, such as was the case in the Denver City Park Criterium, with Dirk Friel finishing 5th behind a crowd of Toyota United's, and the Air Force Academy Road Race and Koppenburg Circuit Race where Jon Baker finished 5th.
The women's elite team has been knocking on the door all season with a number of strong finishes. Renee Eastman took a hard fought second place at the Koppenburg Circuit Race and a third at the Primus Mootry Criterium.
Keep an eye on cat 3 rider Will Campell who won the Koppenburg Circuit race. Congratulations to Will - that's a nice win.