General Team News

Natural Grocers junior rider wins National TT Championships

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 05:04:00 GMT

Kirsten Williams competed in the 2010 Junior National Road Championships in Bend, OR. Her first event was the road race on June 22^nd. The race took the riders out to a 5km loop with rolling hills and then back to the start/finish area. On the second lap Kirsten followed an attack by Laurel Rathbun on the first climb. They worked well together and quickly built a lead of over 1 minute on the rest of the group. What they didn’t realize was that Katrina Howard blasted out of the group and chased them down on lap four. All three riders finished in front with Kirsten in third.

For the TT on June 24^th Kirsten attacked the course with confidence and posted the best time. She finished in 19:40 which just happened to be her best time on a similar course she had practiced on in Parker. Her friend Laurel Rathbun finished second 25 seconds later.

Fisk wins Air Force Academy Road Race, Peltonen takes CSU Crit

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:45:00 GMT

For the second year in a row Beth Fisk won the women's pro-1-2 Air Force Academy Road Race on Sunday April 18 in Colorado Springs. After a cold, foggy and late start the race was underway. A break formed on the second lap when Fisk attacked on the start/finish hill. In the break was Fisk with Colavita Baci team member Susannah Gordon. Behind the break NGXP teammates Sharon Allpress and Renee Eastman were coving attacks and policing the chase group. Fisk and teammate Eastman emerged from the cold and fog of the spring morning to finish first and fourth for the Natural Grocers presented by XP Companies squad.

In other early season race news, new recruit Garrett Peltonen took out the win at the CSU oval criterium. Peltonen joined an early breakaway that stayed away the entire race. With the field closing in late in the race, Peltonen was able to hold on for the win.

Garrett Peltonen

2010 Natural Grocers Cycling Team presented by XP Companies

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 07:12:00 GMT

(Photo Copyright Pelotonphoto.com)

The Natural Grocers Cycling Team pb XP Companies announces its 2010 rider and sponsor lineup. The men’s and women’s elite teams both return to action in 2010 with the men defending Colorado’s Best All Around Road Title.

The Men’s Elite Team consists of returning veteran riders Alan McCormack, Christian McCarthy, Dirk Friel, Joe Taddeucci, Joey Pinkerton, Michael Schilling, Sean Bragstad, Jon Tarkington, Derek Strong, Randy Reichardt, and Steve Forbes and welcomes new team member and all-around strongman Garrett Peltonen formerly of the Bissell Pro Cycling Team.

The Women’s Elite Team will consist of Renee Eastman, Beth Fisk, Sharon Allpress (returning from the Value Act Capital Pro Cycling Team), Carol Lucking and Jenna Allen and Maegan Daigler.

In 2010, the team will continue its focus on being the top Elite Amateur Team in the Colorado Region and will expand its focus on travel races with the addition of XP Companies as a sponsor. The team will look to continue its numerous wins in the Masters and Category 3 and 4 fields.

Keep up with the team at naturalgrocerscycling.com.

The team is pleased to announce its 2010 sponsors:

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage continues its dedication to cycling and healthy living as the team’s title sponsor. Natural Grocers is a multi-store chain with over 500 employees in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah, and naturalgrocers.com brings high quality products at every day affordable prices to people everywhere.

XP Companies is a privately-held company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. XP is a leading and rapidly-growing provider of authentic branded merchandise for major sports and entertainment events including the Olympics, Little League Baseball, MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises, and a manager of venue retail outlets. The Company has organized its business operations under three subsidiaries, which are: (i) XP Apparel, LLC; (ii) XP Retail, LLC; and (iii) XP Entertainment, LLC..

Industry Partners:

Blue Competition Cycles – Frames and Forks

Giordana – Clothing

Rudy Project – Glasses and Helmets

Rol Wheels – high-performance wheelsets

Clif Bar – Energy bars, drinks, and gels

Pelotonphoto.com - Photography

Specialized – Shoes and Saddles

Trainingpeaks.com – Internet training software and training plans

Vecchio’s Bicicletteria – bicycle shop specializing in service and repair

Supporting Partners

NOW Foods – Manufacturer of vitamins, minerals, and supplements

The Boulder Center for Sports Medicine – World class sports medicine

For more information about the team, contact Bob at vitamincottagecyclingteam@yahoo.com.

Natural Grocers riders Lisa Strong and Bill Kellagher take State CX Championship

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 07:24:00 GMT

Dec. 5 , 2009 - Lisa Strong won the women’s elite cyclocross Championship held at the North Area Athletic complex in Arvada, CO. On a challenging technical course that featured many slippery off-camber sections, Strong led the race pretty much from start to finish as no one else could come up with the right combination of technical skills and horsepower to mount a challenge. Strong’s state championship victory caps a stellar cyclocross season with her results summarized as follows:

DATE	RACE	PL	CAT
2009	Best All-Around Cyclocross Rider (BCR)	2nd	SW Open
12/05/2009	Colorado Veldrijden Crusade Colorado CX Championships	1st	SW Open
11/29/2009	RRV Cross Series	2nd	SW Open
11/28/2009	Alpha Cross #2	3rd	SW Open
11/22/2009	Green Mountain Sports Cross	1st	SW Open
11/01/2009	NACT – UCI Boulder Cup	8th	SW Open
10/31/2009	NACT – UCI Blue Sky Velo Cup	10th	SW Open
10/25/2009	USGP – UCI Kentucky day 2	16th	SW Open
10/18/2009	RRV Cross Series	2nd	SW Open
10/17/2009	Valmont Bike Park Ground Breaking Cross	3rd	SW Open
10/11/2009	Boulder CX Series #2	1st	SW Open
10/04/2009	Frisco Cyclocross	1st	SW Open
09/26/2009	Boulder CX Series #1	1st	SW Open
09/13/2009	VeloCross	3rd	SW Open

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/blue-sky-velo-cup-c2/elite-women/photos/94042

Other State Cyclocross Championship news: Kirsten Williams took second in the junior Women’s 13-14 category and Bill Kellagher won the Senior Men 55+ state championship. Great job to Kirsten, Bill and Lisa.

RENEE EASTMAN NATIONAL CHAMPION ON THE TRACK

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 05:26:00 GMT

The masters national track cycling championships were held during the week of August 17 in Colorado Springs, CO. Renee Eastman (Natural Grocers pb XP Companies) won the 2 kilometer individual pursuit and the 3k team pursuit. She was also third in the points race capping a solid week on the track. The individual pursuit was a bit of a surprise to Eastman as she hadn’t been training specifically for the highly technical event. In winning the individual pursuit, she set the fastest time for all the women in all age groups. Her time was 2:39:5, and she won by two tenths of a second.

The team pursuit is a three-woman event, three-kilometers in length. Eastman teamed up with Kate Gracheck (Team Kenda), who was second to Eastman in the individual pursuit, and Ingrid Alongi. Their winning time was 4:00:5 which set a national record.

Renee Eastman stands on the individual pursuit podium in her new Nat'l Champ jersey

Eastman atop the team pursuit podium

Renee Eastman (top right) - Masters National Pursuit Race

Tarkington takes Primal/Hart Criterium

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:42:00 GMT

8.23.09 - For the second time in his racing career, Natural Grocers rider Jon Tarkington won the pro-1-2 Primal/Hart Criterium located in the suburban office park district south of Denver. Tarkington last won the race back in 2005. The 1.4-mile course features a stiff little climb and about 100 feet of elevation gain per lap. The repeated efforts required by the climb coupled with close to 100-degree temperatures made for a lethargic race. Breaks went away and slowly came back throughout the race. Eventually, the collective will of the field ran out of gas for the chase and Tarkington went away in a group that included teammate Joe Taddeucci. With two men in the break, Tarkington struck first with two laps to go. The move drew out Dan Porter (Rio Grande Racing) who also had teammate Logan Garey in the break. The race came down to a three-man sprint with Tarkington taking the win ahead of Porter and Eric Jones (unattached).

Tarkington pictured here with Janez Brakovic (Astana) and teammates Baker and Friel

Eastman wins Vic's Espresso Criterium

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 09:09:00 GMT

August 8, 2009 - Renee Eastman (Natural Grocers pb XP Companies) won the women’s pro-1-2 Vic’s Espresso Criterium in Prospect, Colorado. Eastman won the race out of a two-rider break that formed out of a larger group about halfway through the race. Eastman attacked the original break on a prime lap and got away alone. Soon after, Meggan Hottman (DFT p/b TREADS) bridged up and between the two of them, they had enough teammates behind to control the chase. The finish was tight with a solo rider bridging up from the field in the closing laps, but the two stayed away until the end with Eastman winning the sprint.

NATURAL GROCERS RIDERS TAKE SALIDA OMNIUM

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:32:00 GMT

Natural Grocers riders Beth Fisk and Jonathon Baker won their respective titles in the Salida Omnium held over the July 31- August 2, 2009 weekend. The race was held in Salida, CO - elevation 7,100 ft. It consisted of an 8-mile out-and-back individual time trial, a demanding road race held on a 12-mile circuit that included 1,300 ft of climbing per lap, and finished with a technical figure-eight criterium in downtown Salida.

Fisk won the opening time trial 10 seconds ahead of second place finisher Ambre Levy (DFT p/b TREADS). Fisk’s teammate Maegan Daigler slotted in fifth 25 seconds back. Jonathon Baker took second in the men’s time trial aboard a new Blue Triad carbon time trial bike.

Fisk and Baker both finished third in the demanding road race stage. Baker benefitted from teammate Jon Tarkington getting in an early break with Seth Rubin (Subaru – Vista Auto). Tarkington and time trial extraordinaire Rubin took out a quick two minute lead on the field putting pressure on most of the other teams. The break eventually came back under the pressure of the race and Baker and a few other select riders moved forward to contest the win. In the end Darren Lill (Team Type 1) took the win ahead of Brad White (Ouch Maxxis) and Baker.

In the women’s criterium, Beth Fisk finished in eleventh with enough points for the overall Omnium title. Fisk’s high placing going into the stage provided an opportunity for her teammates to go for the breakaways and take points away from the other overall contenders. Maegan Daigler and Renee Eastman did a nice job of doing just that by taking 2nd and 5th respectively.

Similar tactics played out in the men’s race with Natural Grocers hoping to put numerous riders in the breaks to minimize the points available for Baker’s closest threats. The team came through putting three riders in two different breakaway groups ahead of a shattered main field. Despite a last corner crash, Baker retained enough points for the overall Omium title for a well deserved victory.

With the victory, Baker has virtually locked up the Tour of Colorado (see related velonews.com article). With an overall omnium victory, Natural Grocers rider Jason Anderson clinched the the men's category 3 Tour of Colorado.

Beth Fisk wins Bannock Criterium

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:23:00 GMT

The Bannock Criterium, one of Colorado’s longest running criteriums, was held on July 26, 2009. Beth Fisk took the victory in the women’s pro-1-2 race; her third time winning the event in the last four years. Fisk and her Natural Grocers teammate Jenna Allen were in a break of 7 for much of the race. With one lap to go it looked like it would all come back together as the field closed in on the break. But a few of the breakaway riders had other ideas and gave it one last surge. Fisk latched on eventually jumping ahead and handily outsprinting her breakaway partners by a sizeable margin.

Kirsten Williams wins Colorado Hill Climb Championship

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:09:00 GMT

Kirsten Williams raced up the lower slopes of Mt. Evans this past Saturday to claim her second hill climb victory in two weeks. Her time was 50:58 for the junior race distance. While all the senior categories go to the top of Mt. Evans, the junior race climbs the first 10 miles up the mountain. She did well against the junior men her age and finished first among all of the junior women.