Women Team News

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

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.

Race Update - Natural Grocers Cycling Team Victorious in June

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:43:00 GMT

Beth Fisk, Maegan Daigler and Jon Baker (Natural Grocers pb XP Companies) have accumulated several victories so far in June of 2009. Beth Fisk started the tab in the women’s pro-1-2 race at the June 7 - Denver City Park Criterium. Fisk was delivered to the line via a perfect leadout from teammate Maegan Daigler. Fast forward a week and it was Daigler receiving a full-on team leadout from her Natural Grocers teammates, including Fisk, to win the Glenwood Springs Road Race, part of a three day omnium held from June 13-15. Fisk made another podium visit by taking second place in the Glenwood Springs Criterium, the third day of the Omnium.

In men’s racing, Jon Baker won the Glenwood Springs road race, criterium and the overall omnium. Baker took the road race with a solo move in the final kilometer following a race-long series of attacks by his Natural Grocers teammates. NGXP teammate Christian McCarthy was off the front for much of the race. Once caught by the lead group, Jon Tarkington countered, which set the table for Baker. The road race, which saw several Colorado based pro racers in the field, finished with Baker in first, Tarkington third and Dirk Friel fifth. Baker doubled up on Sunday in the criterium by lapping the entire field in commanding fashion. The NGXP boys swept the podium on Sunday with McCarthy in second and Tarkington in third.

The Glenwood Omnium proved to be a good test for the team’s equipment. Half of the road race took place on dirt roads with numerous potholes and the criterium included a winding descent with four tight ninety-degree turns. The Blue Competition Cycles – RC8’s and Rol Wheels nicely handled everything the courses dished out.

Next up, the men’s team races this weekend on the national stage in the Tour De Nez and Nevada City Classic races. They will have their hands full as Lance Armstrong, Chris Horner and Levi Leipheimer are rumored to be on hand for the Nevada City Classic.

Dirk Friel wins Deer Trail Road Race

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Fri, 01 May 2009 05:53:00 GMT

Dirk Friel left his breakaway companions behind to take a solo pro-1-2 victory at the Deer Trail Road Race on Saturday, April 26. Located on the plains about 45 minutes east of Denver, the Deer Trail course is known for its relentless rolling hills and wide open exposure to the wind. The 2009 course required two laps of an L-shaped route. After a number of attacks and counter attacks a break of six, including Friel, formed after the first turnaround. The break gained about a minute on the field and then hovered there for the balance of the race. The hills and wind took their toll on a few of the riders in the break and thinned out the main field as well. With about 2K to go, Friel made one decisive attack and rode alone to the line.

Ross Berger (Rocky Mountain Elite) and Stefano Barberi took second and third. Finishing 5th and 10th respectively, Joe Pinkerton and Jon Tarkington rounded out a solid day for the Natural Grocers pb XP Companies squad. Renee Eastman finished second in the women's race behind former teammate Sharon Allpress (Value Act Capital).

Beth Fisk wins Air Force Academy Road Race

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:30:00 GMT

Beth Fisk won the women's pro-1-2 Air Force Academy Road Race on Sunday April 19. After another Colorado spring snow storm tooks it toll on the weekend race calendar (4 out of a possible 5 Colorado races were cancelled), Fisk and teammate Renee Eastman emerged from the snowmelt to finish first and second for the Natural Grocers presented by XP Companies squad. The win would actually be Fisk's second of the year after she won an earlier Saturday training race in Highlands Ranch Colorado. In the men's race, Jonathon Baker's (Natural Grocers presented by XP Companies) first lap escape lasted the better part of 5 laps on the demanding 1986 World Championships course. It wasn't to be, however, and Phil Zaijeck (Fly V Australia) took the top honors on the day.

Kirsten Williams wins the Best All Around competition

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:06:00 GMT

Kirsten started racing more consistently in the junior women’s 10-12 category this year. She raced the past two seasons doing tandem races with her dad and the state TT on her own. After her first season of cyclocross she wanted to strike out on her own for road races. She especially wanted to compete in the Cherry Creek TT series. After winning two of those time trials Kirsten was hooked on bike racing. Halfway through the season out of curiosity she checked the BAR results and found herself in fourth place. She set her sights on moving up in the ratings and finished in first place!

Kirsten placed in the top 5 all year and had a long string of races where she was first or second. She won at the Wheels of Thunder, Longmont Criterium, and Rock the River races. The competition came down to the last weekend of racing. Kirsten needed to do well in both races to hold the lead position. She placed fourth in the Federal Center Circuit race and then sixth in the Bannock Criterium.

August 19 update - Baker, McCarthy, Pinkerton and more

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:59:00 GMT

Baker wins Tour of Colorado, Gateway and Boulder Roubaix – Jon Baker continues to have a strong 2008 campaign. This past Saturday, Baker took out one of Colorado’s most prestigious races by winning a wet and muddy edition of Boulder Roubaix. The win was a sweet one due to the teamwork involved. Jon Tarkington went in a very early move with Alan Krughoff (Team Rio Grande) and put pressure on the field. When Tarkington was caught late in the race, Christian McCarthy took off on a solo move. Sheldon Taylor (Team Rio Grande) bridged up to McCarthy with only Baker in tow. Upon Taylor’s arrival at the McCarthy rear wheel, Baker launched a textbook attack and held it to the line for the win. McCarthy would finish third. Derek Strong continued a string of solid performances by finishing 6^th and Dirk Friel took 7^th. Tarkington hung on for 10^th.

Baker finished 5^th the following day at another Colorado Classic – the North Boulder Park Criterium. With that placing, Baker clinched the Tour of Colorado. In taking that title, Baker won a pair of climbing road races the prior weekend in Grand Junction, CO.

In women’s racing, Anne Lannan took 2^nd in the North Boulder Park Criterium with VC teammates Renee Eastman, Lisa Strong and Jenna Allen taking 6^th and 9^th and 10^th, respectively.

McCarthy racks up silvers – in other race news, VC strongman Christian McCarthy notched three-in-row second places in recent weekend races. In all three instances, McCarthy was second to some solid professional riders. McCarthy took second to Heath Blackgrove (Toyota United), Chris Baldwin (Toyota United) and Jason Donald (Garmin-Chipotle) at the Federal Center Circuit Race (Aug 2), Bannock Criterium (Aug 3) and Vic’s Prospect Criterium (Aug 9).

Pinkerton wins Nevada Masters State Championship – VC team manager and long time rider Bob Pinkerton recently took the Northern California/Northern Nevada State Criterium Championship in the 50+ Division at the Carson Valley Classic Criterium.

Kellagher, Barrowclough and Mapes – The Vitamin Cottage pb XP Companies team snagged a few recent victories of note. Bill Kellagher won the 45+ and James Mapes the Category 3 Boulder Roubaix race. Mathew Barrowclough won the Salida Criterium.

Early Season Report - Jon Baker wins Deer Trail Road Race

Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:17:00 GMT

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.