Race Report byTom Simpson |
12 November 2002, Aptos, CA
Torrential Surf City Showdown at Aptos High
For much of the Northern California 2002 season, the main protagonists have been racing on opposite coasts with Clif Bar’s Red Train chasing UCI points (and start positions for Nationals) on the East Coast at the Verge New England series, and the homeboys of the Spokesman/Santa Cruz/Bullion elite men’s team competing in home waters in Northern California. Sunday’s third round of the Surf City series at Aptos High School was one of the biggest showdowns of the season as top riders from Northern California’s elite men’s field squared off. Northern California received its first rain of the season as three inches dumped on the Monterey Bay area thursday night, though the course was in prime condition at the start - the sandy soil drained quickly and few quagmires remained. Additionally, teams of Surf City “weedeaters” spent much of saturday clearing away the dead brush and grass that covers California hillsides in November to provide relatively clear paths for the race.An unexpected one and a half inches fell as 325 riders signed on for the event on Sunday. The 60 man field in the Elite Men’s race bogged down in the first turn, creating gaps for many of the region's contenders. The entire Clif Bar team was caught behind the scrum but Justin Robinson (Spokesman/Santa Cruz/Bullion) somehow squeezed through from his 2nd row start position to take the first lap lead. Clif Bar’s David Wyandt, Jackson Stewart and Andy Jacques-Maynes were all behind the 8-ball when bikes and bodies were cleared up from the slow-speed tangle and were no closer than 10th. Robinson had the lead only to have the mechanical gods heave a thunderbolt. In what was to become 6 laps of continuous bike changes, Robinson’s brake shoes failed first, then his spare bike developed headset problems and every half lap his mechanic was racing through a curtain of water to get the latest problem solved. Clif Bar’s Wyandt and Stewart continued to pursue the leaders but Andy was the only member of the Red Brigade to mount a serious challenge.
By the 3rd lap a dangerous chase had emerged with Robinson’s teammate Ben Jacques-Maynes riding shotgun on his twin brother Andy. Identifying the twins became more difficult than usual as the two were plastered with mud by the end of the race. By lap 4 Robinson’s gremlin-plagued ride at the front was over, and Ben assumed the lead with Robinson playing defense to protect the team's chance at the end. Their positions held with Ben Jacques-Maynes (Spokesman/Santa Cruz/Bullion) earning his 3rd victory without a defeat in the 2002 Surf City series, and Robinson dropping Andy on the last lap to finish almost a minute up in second. Northern California’s 2002 season revelation Chris Pietrzak (Team Cannibal) impressed the field as he settled into a solid rhythm and claimed 4th. Top U-23 rider Matt Dubberly (Sierra Nevada) maintained his chase over the sloppy circuit to round out the top 5 of this epic event.
Each of the Jacques-Maynes twins had tremendous road success during 2002 season with Andy scoring in the money at the Saturn Classic in August and Ben making headlines in the San Francisco Grand Prix in September. The pair will probably compete against each other next at the Salt Lake City Redline Cup race, the big tune-up weekend in December at Coyote Point, and the RedlineCup finals in Napa before Nationals.
Clif Bar’s elite Women’s team has been traveling non-stop, and Bay Area stars Carmen D’Alusio and Gina Hall have dominated the Verge series. Staying home to regain the form that took her to the Poprad World Championships in 2001, Rachel Lloyd (Team Spine) has won the first two Surf City rounds as well as split victories with Gina Hall at the Portland and Seattle’s UCI contests. The three women have represented the US at previous World Championships events and are looking forward to the Nationals showdown with that “once-a-year cross racer” Allison Dunlap eyeing her sixth consecutive US title.
At Aptos Lloyd took the fight directly to the Red guard and established an early lead that would have Hall and D’Alusio chasing for three laps. Constant pressure from the Clif Bar tag team tooks toll, and the muck and mire finally blocked Lloyd’s vision to the point where, by lap four she came to a virtual stop to clean her glasses. Obscured vision plagued her till the finish where D’Alusio led her crimson teammate across the line by 4 seconds to take her first NorCal victory of the season.
Though a huge puddle conveniently developed near the finish line to serve as a bike wash for heaps of racers, more than 300 washing machines were likely called upon that evening for extraordinary duty as riders attempted to erase the impact of the day's storm.
Round four of Surf City returns to the Watsonville Fairgrounds for the season finale on the 24th of November.
