In a total switcharoonie, the Fort Lewis College Cycling Team coaching mess is over. Back on board as head coach is Rick Crawford, team manager Dave Hagen and new hire Michael Engelman as interim director. The Durango community was surprised when the FLC board and staff decided to restructure the program, just days before it’s being named the top collegiate program in the country. The decision to let Crawford go was made without the input of the cycling student body, and after the announcement, they got all fired up. As a club sport, the students are the voice of the program and quickly got together and made things happen. As of now, things are looking good again for the schools most successful program. With Dave, Rick and Mike at the helm, FLC is bound to be stronger than ever.
Results for Dump Run #9
August 6th
B Women; 1. Kaila Hart, 2. Joan Walker, 3. Annie Cheeney
B Holeshot; Kaila Hart
A Women; 1. Alicia Rose Pastore, 2. Kricket Lewis
A Men; 1. Travis Brown, 2. Trevor Downing, 3. Chad Cheeney, 4. Alex Howard, 5. Lars Ellefson, 6. Evan Elliott, 7. Greg Lewis, 8. Gino Pastore, 9. Sepp Kuss, 10. Robin Guillaume, 11. Michael Andres, 12. Brendan Shafer, 13. Erich McAlister
A Holeshot; Trevor Downing
*sweetly epic shortened race due to rain and lightning stormage
DEVO U-14 Dual Slalom Results
8-6-08
Fairgrounds Track Qualifier; 1. Evan 9.77, 2. Gino 10.11, 3. Chad 10.39, 4. Tad 10.40, 5. Stephan 10.69, 6. Collin 10.92, 7. Sepp 11.03, 8. Tucker 11.09, 9. James 11.33 *race was forced to move
DHS Swings Track Qualifier; 1. Tad 9,97, 2. Chad 10.15, 3. Sepp 10.67, 4. Collin 10.73, 5. Gino 10.87, 6. James 11.41, 7. Stephan 11.54, 8. Evan 11.63, 9. Tucker 11.88
Finals 1. Evan, 2. Gino, 3. Tad, 4. Stephan, 5. Collin, 6. Sepp, 7. Tucker, 8. James
DEVO Short Track #9 on Wednesday
Durango DEVO will host its 9th short track race this wednesday night up in the Test Tracks, aka Durango Mountain Park. Registration is at 530 and the B’s go at 6pm, with the A’s to follow at 630. Cost is 5$. To get there, head uphill from the Mana Soup Kitchen, or uphill from the Recycle Center in the Tech Center. The track is at the base of Hogsback in the old city dumpsite. The course is sweet and fast. See ya there.
Tad Elliott World Cup Interview
2008 U-23 national champion and DEVO alumni, Tad Elliott was interviewed by Coach Chad and here is what he had to say on his first two World Cups of his entire career.
Q: Which world cup superstar gave you the chills when you saw them in person? A: Seeing Christoph Sauser in his world champions kit sitting on a folding table waiting to ride his bike. Also Having Julien Absalon say good morning to me in perfect english, without and accent, as he blazed passed me up the climb on a training day.
Q: What is the techiest thing you saw on the start line?
A: Probably Adam Craigs brand new Giant anthem that is a prototype for 2009. Set up as one chain ring in the front and nine gears in the back. Four inches of travel in the rear, and the lightest full suspension Giant has. Also seeing Absalons custom bike, clothes, shoes, helmet and socks. Major Teched out.
Sam Hill rode by me and he had cut an old mountian bike tire and screwed it into the middle, and on top of his seat running length wise. It gives him traction in the mud when he sits down and pedals.
Q: Who did you talk to while you waited to start the race? What did you talk about?
A: I only remember talking to Troy Wells before the start of Bromont and having him ask what gear I was in. We also talked about who had to the goods for that day, and both hopping that Todd would come home with the win.
Q: Do you have a crush on any of the World Cup Women? If so Who?
A: Absolutely, a mystery girl. In Bromont I crashed and bent my water bottle holder. When I went through the feed zone Jimmy Deaton handed me my water bottle and when I put it in my cage it immediately fell out. I yelled, “OH NO” I was looking for another bottle in the feed zone and at the last minute a drop dead gorgeous blond pro women, that raced earlier in the day, handed me a water bottle. She saved me for that last lap. I said I loved her and kept racing. I don’t know her name, but if you know who she is I need a name and number NOW.
Q: What was the coolest thing about racing a World Cup?
A: There are a few cool things about racing a World Cup. You get to start in the same race as the Olympic and World Champions. The are within arms reach at the start line. Also getting my name called up to the start and getting to hear the announcers say instead of riding out of the United States, that I am riding out of DURANGO COLORADO for the United States. I also had spectators take down some course tape so that I could take a faster line in the woods.
Todd Wells Olympic Send Off Party is Thursday
Todd Wells Olympic Send Off Party.
Todd Wells has been named to the US Olympic Mountain Bike Team for a second time! Todd will be one of only two riders representing the USA in Beijing, China this August. Join Todd Wells and his wife Meg to wish Todd luck and congratulate him on this major accomplishment. Todd will be signing free posters while you enjoy a beer and an appetizer from Steamworks Brewing.
When: Thursday August 7th at 6:00
Where: Steam Works Brewing Patio
Who: Cycling fans and supporters.
DEVO Crowns Three State Champions
Sol Vista was the site for the 2008 Colorado State Championships this past weekend. Not being a DEVO team race, only 5 racers and 3 coaches took the long drive on and competed for the title. Of the 8, DEVO brought home 3 titles. Alicia Rose Pastore took the junior expert womens by storm and put three minutes on second place to win the championship race. The stacked field included two ladies who competed in the World Championships in Italy earlier this spring. U-14er Sepp Kuss took the holeshot and never looked back, winning the junior sport title by over a minute. Using his natural climbing ability to outclimb his competitors up the gradual 30 min climb and then holding them off on the downhill with his newfound descending skills, Sepp smiled his way across the finish line. Coach Chad Cheeney took the top time of the day winning the Super D championship for a second year in a row. Flatting on his only practice run 20 minutes before the race, former FLC Cycling coach Keith Darner loaned him a fine Yeti steed and he won.
Other DEVO results from the weekend; Chase Orrick 8th jr ex men, Gino Pastore 9th jr ex men, Evan Elliott 11th semi pro dh, Kyle Horn 15th jr ex dh, Annie Cheeney 2nd sport women, and Chad 3rd singlespeed.
Colorado Trail Classic Was Sucsess
Travis Brown won the inaugural Colorado Trail Classic this past weekend with a time of 8hours and 55min. Miles Venzara, Greg Lewis, Cale Redpath and Jon Bailey rounded out the top 5. The trail was in great conditions thanks to all of the enthusiastic high country hikers and bikers this amazing trail season. Trails 2000 was responsible for cleaning up the Blackhawk section and giving the riders a rideable track. Rumor has the top six riders staying together until the midway point, before they split up and eventual winner Brown getting a gap.
Tad Elliott Finishes 46th in Bromont World Cup
DEVO alumni Tad Elliott just set the record for highest placing world cup result for a DEVO athlete. Sounded like a burly muddy race. Stay tuned for the Tad interview. American Adam Craig was amazing and finished 3rd after a 4th last weekend. That sound good to ears. It has been happening more and more, Americans, both male and female, doing well at World Cups. Exciting times for our sport! Local Hero Todd Wells placed 10th after flatting for the second straight World Cup. Nice work fellas!
Jr. DEVO News 8-4-08
Wow, its August. July jr DEVO went well. Coaches Deb Hall and Brian Peterson wrapped up another +20 strong 6&7 year old group which met every monday in July. It amazing how fast kids that age learn skills. Annie had about 10 jr DEVO 20 inch shredders and Chad shredded with the 24/26 inch jrs. The summer July Sesh will definitely happen next year as it was good for the kids.
Fall Junior DEVO will begin the week of September 15th. We will post all group schedules asap, so please stay tuned. Feel free to contact chad or annie @durangodevo.com with questions or comments.
Trails 2000 News
Trails 2000 hosts a Trailwork Party Wednesday, August 6 on Crites Connect in the Telegraph Trail System from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Projects include drainages, lopping and additional trail maintenance.
Directions: Take College Drive East, Head South on 8th Avenue. Go 2 miles on Hwy 3 and the trailhead is on your left. Limited parking spots. The hike in is approximately 40 minutes from the trailhead.
Please sign in, grab a tool and meet us on the trail–all are welcome to attend. If you bike over, we’ll carry extra tools to the work site. Feel free to stop by after work to help out. Please wear long pants, long sleeved shirt and sturdy boots.
Thanks to everyone who camped out and worked on the Colorado Trail at Blackhawk. We appreciate the support from Pete and Lisa Turner; Nature’s Oasis; Hermosa Tours; Ernie Norris, Ted La May and especially from the hard working volunteer crew!
OTHER NEWS:
The point of the temporary closure of Junction Creek Road (Forest Road #171) to facilitate repair of retaining walls damaged by landslides has been moved from five miles above to 2.2 miles above the Forest boundary, due to vandalism of heavy equipment at the construction site. Forest engineers discovered the windows of an excavator smashed at the job site. To guard against further vandalism, the road is now gated shut just past the Log Chutes Trailhead.
Although Junction Creek Road is blocked to vehicular traffic at the gate closure, other forest users can travel the road until reaching the construction site. At the construction site, a one-mile section of the road will be impassable to all use until the project is completed.
The temporary closure blocks access to the Animas Overlook, Clear Creek Trailhead, South Fork Trailhead, and Champion Ventures Mine Road until August 8, 2008.
Access to the Logchutes Trail System, lower Colorado Trailhead, and Junction Creek Campground are not affected.
www.trails2000.org – 970-259-4682 – info@trails2000.org
State Championships in Sol Vista This Weekend
Sol Vista Resort will be the host to the Colrado State Championships from August 1st through the 3rd. Championships events include cross country, singlespeed, downhill, mountain cross and super downhill.
Colorado Trail Jamboree Ride and Race This Weekend
Two events will be taking place this weekend on one of the nations best stretches of tasty high counrtry singletrack. The CT Jamboree is a two day ride to benefit multiple sclerosis taking the riders from Molas Pass to Durango, with a sweet camp out in the middle. There are no openings available for this event as it sold out months ago, however the CT Race still has spots available. To be capped at 50 riders, the race is a one day, first to town, self supported marathon event. Dang. Check out ctjamboree.com to register and check stuff out.
Fort Lewis College Cycling Number 1 in Nation
FLC Cycling is back on top. The team earned the most points of any collegiate cycling team for the 2008 season. Scoring is based on points from mountain bike, road, cyclocross and track national overall placing. The news comes just days after the college “staff” let go superstar coach Rick Crawford, in the name of restructuring the program. The result of the reshuffling has the student cyclists in an uproar and the community is confused by the decision.
Results for Dump Run #8
July 30
Open B; 1. Kaila Hart 18:45, 2. Annie Cheeney 19:06, 3. Hannah Madden 19:23, 4. Collin Francom 19:34, 5. Summer Ellefson 19:38, 6. Joan Walker 20:03, 7. James Shahan 20:41
B Holeshot: Collin Francom
A Women; 1. Teal Stetson-Lee, 2. Alicia Rose Pastore, 3. Kricket Lewis
A Men; 1. Chad Wells, 2. Dustin Wanstrath, 3. Erich McAlister, 4. Nate Whitman, 5. Chad Cheeney, 6. Howard Grotts, 7. Robin Guillaume, 8. Lars Ellefson, 9. Ben Kraushaar, 10. Alex Howard, 11. Sepp Kuss, 12. Jack Ellefson, 13. Matt Phillips, 14. Gino Pastore
A Holeshot: Dustin Wanstrath