July Brings Us The Most Important Stage Race in the World
Yes dear members, July does indeed bring us the most important stage race in the world - the stakes are high and we are looking forward to some explosive racing!
We are of course referring to the 2018 La Grange Cup! Stage 2, the PCH Trancas to (Almost) The Rock 20K Time Trial will be Saturday, July 28. Dust off your TT bike! Ride your road bike! Ride a unicycle! If you can ride 20K (12.4 miles for you Imperialists), then you can come out and race! FREE to all members and this will represent your second opportunity this year to score FREE custom LG Cup socks courtesy of sponsor Seth Davidson Bike Injury Lawyer.
Sign-up details will be coming soon from LG Cup Directeur Sportif Marco Fantone after his adjustment to civilized life after his recent remote wilderness walkabout, but remember to save the date - July 28!
The La Grange Cup is as fast or as fun as you want it to be, and if you don't believe me, just check out this great video from Leo Rusaitis covering last month's 500M at the Encino Velodrome. You can see this video and lots of other good ones on the Videos page of our website.
Track Talk
Track Championship Subsidies sponsored by Gerry Agnew
This year, Velo Club La Grange is subsidizing competition by active club members in the Junior, Elite, or Masters National Championships and Junior or Masters World Championships. Competitors will be eligible for up to a $100 reimbursement on reistration at any one (or combination of) these events.
* Junior National Championships: July 7-15, Trexlertown, PA
* Masters National Championships: July 7-15, Trexlertown, PA
* Elite National Championships: August 4-7, Los Angeles
* Junior World Championships: August 15-19, Aigle, Switzerland
* Masters World Championships: October 6-13, Los Angeles
To claim a reimbursement for this subsidy, you will need to contact Zach LaBry (zach.labry@gmail.com) and provide proof of registration for eligible events by December 1, 2018. This subsidy is made possible by support from Agnew Brusavich Serious Injury Lawyers.
Track Nationals Happy Hour, August 4th at 4pm
Come hang out with your fellow La Granger's at Phantom Carriage (known for tasty brews and it's fantastic horror film theme) for happy hour starting at 4pm. At 5:30pm, we'll head a few blocks over to watch some of the most exciting racing of the 2018 US National Track Cycling Championships, including the match sprint and keirin finals, as well as elimination and points races from the US's fastest men and women.
This happy hour is not being paid for by La Grange. Tickets for spectating are $10/person, and racing starts at 6pm.
Fall La Grange Track Certification sponsored by Gerry Agnew
We've moved the fall track certification at Carson to avoid conflict with the All Clubs BBQ / South Bay Cycling Awards. We're working on securing a new date for the event in August or September, and we'll be running the certification a single-day event with morning and afternoon session and lunch provided for all attendees.
Gerry Agnew, a partner at Agnew Brusavich Serious Injury Lawyers, is a personal injury attorney based in the South Bay. Gerry is a cyclist, ardent supporter of the track, and co-founder of CalBikeLaw. Through CalBikeLaw, Gerry advocates forand educates victims of bicycle families and their families.
More Drills to Increase and Release Your Inner Skills
If Michelangelo was right - that within every block of marble there exists a perfect sculpture and the job of the sculptor is to reveal that inner perfection - then Marc Thomas is our Michelangelo and he can help reveal the competent, confident, safer and speedier rider that lurks within you.
If Michelangelo was wrong - well get your ass to a drills for skills clinic anyways, because Marc can help you ride your bike better, no matter how skilled you think you are.
Our next Drills for Skills clinic will be Saturday, August 4 at 7:45am, meeting at Coral Tree Cafe at 11645 San Vicente Blvd. Check the Facebook event page for further details. See you there!
Masters Track State Championships
2018 Masters Track State Championship Report: Kilo, Team Sprint and Match Sprints
by Joey Santa Cruz
Rider ready? Timers ready? Go!
OOOOOOOF!! Dig, dig, harder, harder, up, up, UP! Faster, Faster, Faster… Go aero, here’s turn 3. Push! Keep going, spin, spin… c’mon legs, MOVE!!! SPIN!!! MORE!! Only two more laps, keep going, don’t stop… ugghh... this wind. Don’t think, don’t slow down, you can do this. PUSH!! [ding ding ding ding] One more lap, you got this. Oh god… this WIND. Don’t think about the wind… please legs… don’t stop. PLEASE… FFS how long is this lap… just. keep. spinning. WHY are you slowing..??? Pain… ignore it. Just a little bit further…. Jeezus, I’m going backwards…. Don’t look over, just keep going... almost there… just a little more… yessss…. OWWWW!!! Don’t fall down.... Stop hurting legs… ow ow ow ow ow ow…. Everything hurts… it’s OK, it’s over. WHY WON’T THE PAIN STOP???
Wait… I won? You’re kidding right? But I was going so slow at the end… No, let me see the sheet. Post the damn sheet already. YESSSS!!!!!!
I could not believe it until I saw the results posted but I did win the Kilo (45-49 age group). Not only that, but I’d beat second place (and my time from last year) by 1.75 seconds which is a lifetime in a kilo. Now on to the Team Sprint!
Todd Schoenbaum and Marc Lewis were my teammates again for Team Sprint this year. Unlike last year however, there were more teams and so we would not have an easy path to Bear. We ran a very clean heat and ended up with Silver, no small accomplishment considering the amount of talent in the 40-49 combined age group.
Sunday’s Match Sprints were also a success: I had the 2nd fastest 200M qualifying time, second only to Lee Povey. Considering Lee was using States as a tune up for British Nationals (which he just won this week), I am very happy to have beat the six others in my age bracket. I went 3-1 in my match sprints and ended up on the podium with a Bronze medal.
This year’s Track Masters State Champs was a great success! Track Masters Worlds prep starts… NOW.
Race or Volunteer at the 805 Thousand Oaks Grand Prix
Our own Tom FitzGibbon is working to bring us a great weekend of racing July 7 and July 8 at the 805 Thousand Oaks Grand Prix. Check out the race flyer and register here.
Not a racer? Want to help? Tom is looking for volunteers to assist, and has a nifty online sign-up page where you can volunteer to help out. Tom promises to reward all volunteers! Will that be a free tshirt? lunch? complete bike? bottle of water? Volunteer and find out!
A Brand New TriFit is Coming!
Right across the street from Helen's Cycles Santa Monica, another great La Grange sponsor, Trifit, is undergoing a complete remodeling. If you thought the "old" TriFit was high-end and awesome, wait until you see V2.0! The grand opening is Jul 9, and next week we will have a special announcement and amazing offer for La Grange members. So be on the lookout for that!
