Happy Holidays!

From all of us at Moment Cycle Sport!

Just because the 12 Days of Christmas are over, doesn't mean the savings ends there! Rental bikes are on sale until they are gone! 40% OFF the Giant Defy, Trinity and Transcend Rental Fleet!

Giant Defy 1 was $1250  NOW $750

Giant Trinity 1 was $1725  NOW $1035

Giant Transend was $490-540  NOW $294-324

 

2009/2010 Bikes are all on Sale! Up to 30% OFF!

 

Stop in and check out our great selection. Check out our fit studio and see why we are a fit first bike shop. We fit bikes to riders, not riders to bikes!

12 Days of Christmas at Moment Cycle Sport!

12 Days of Christmas at Moment Cycle Sport!

We are hosting a giant sale this holiday season! Each day for the 12 days leading up to Christmas we'll have 1 super deal! We've already had wheels, nutrition and rubber, but stay tuned for much more! If you'd like to receive the deal of the day, you can sign up for our newsletter HERE.  Today's deal is TYR! Wetsuits, swimsuits, goggles, caps and more! Stop by; we are open till 6:30pm

Also, we are hosting our Holiday Party on Saturday, December 18th from Noon - 5:00pm. We'll have hot cider, beer, wine and appetizers! We will play the 2010 Ironman World Championship from 1:00-3:00 on Universal Sports. If you RSVP to our Facebook Event, you'll receive a free prize at the party! Also, Day 6 and Day 7 sales will be entertained! Don't miss this exciting event!

We are located at 2816 Historic Decatur Rd, across the parking lot from Ace Hardware. Our new location has plenty of parking!

We wish you a happy holiday season from all of us at Moment Cycle Sport.

Ironman Customers! - Patty K

Every year, there are those individuals who train hard for the Ironman and then things don't go their way once the race day comes. Those individuals have amazing stories about their journey to become an Ironman. Those who are lucky enough to finish under the 17 hour time cutoff receive that finishers medal just as everyone else...and sometimes with a little pomp and circumstance. One of our clients, Patty, had a race day she'll never forget. Patty rides a Parlee TT from Moment Cycle Sport. Here's her IMAZ story:

"Thanks again for the support, great bike fit and just making your shop comfortable to wander into for a relative newbie to the triathalon world. I really appreciate the patience and willingness to share information/advice that you've shown me.

Yup I finished-it was not the day I planned but it was the day I had. Good swim for me at 1:30; colder than it was the day before during the practice swim. I never got warm, maybe nerves or adrenaline?

The bike started out well but it was WINDY! Yup but it was windy for every one. Got a flat at mile 51- had help at the end to get the last of the tire on from this kid and his dad who helped and had a pump. Lost 17 minutes there. Rainbows mile 77 on the bike, and no, I was not hallulcinating. Safely off the bike in 8:03; I was out there a really reallly long time! I was pretty stupid by that point and when the super sweet volunteer told me to take off my bike shoes because I really couldn't walk/run at that point I just kind of stared at him blankly and he said "Ok, lean on my shoulder I'm going to take your bike shoes off!"

The run was pretty miserable except for miles 3-9. My brother was waiting at mile 18 for me-got a quick hug and a shouted reminder that I was having fun to the amusement of everyone around and off I went.

A little less than a 1/2 mile from the finish one of the guys who works for Ironman started running with me. He told me I couldn't walk any more if I wanted to finish, and he kept up a steady stream of encouragement.  They had people every few yards giving us remaining time.  They thought I was going to be the last one across and I was not thrilled with that information, until he told me that every one behind me would DNF.  They actually got one other person across so I was second to last.  My niece was waiting at the end of the block before the chute and ran that block with me then I was in the chute.  I spotted my fam and friends; it was oh so very LOUD!  Of course I think I was the roadrunner or the guy from Chariots of fire running down the chute towards the finish line; according to family, no not so much!  Never heard Mike Riley call me home but I've since seen it on video.  Don't really remember much about those first few minutes.  They did get me over to Chrissy Wellington for a congratulatory hug, kiss I think it is oh so very cool that she came back. Took about an hour for it all to sink in and I've been flying high ever since.

What a fantastic day! More drama than I wanted and only 1minute 54 seconds to spare. I am an Ironman and will be for the rest of my life.

Say what you will about WTC-you buy an experience. The volunteers were great!


By the way, got lots of nice comments about the bike."
 

 
Congrats Patty! We are so proud of you!

Ironman Customers! - Mark S.

We'd like to congratulate all the recent Ironman Finishers! We've had many customers who had amazing years. In our next series of blogs we'll have a featured participant. First off, Congrats to Mark S. who qualified for Kona at Ironman Arizona. Mark is a longtime triathlete who came to Moment Cycle Sport for our experience in professional fitting. Here's his story:

Looking for the ideal bike fit? I think I found it with JT of Moment Cycle Sport in San Diego. Before Moment, I had been fitted no less than 3 times, including the much-ballyhooed ReTul. JT spent over 2 hours with me cranking and sweating on the new Guru Fit bike.

But let me tell you a little about myself. First of all, I am a true amateur, racing triathlon for over 25 years just for the love of the sport and for the fitness it provides me. So you have an idea of my age, my first Ironman was in 1991. I got back into racing 3 years ago at the urging of my son, and we have raced together quite a bit. In fact, my son won a lottery spot for Kona in 2010, so I trained and raced until I too qualified at Buffalo Springs. But my racing was painful and I never felt quite right on my P2. I even raced in Kona but had a lackluster bike split. I knew I could do better and my son and I were already registered for IM Arizona as well. Long story short, I spent the time with JT, who basically re-invented my position on my bike. I felt like I was on a whole new bike.

IM Arizona this year was cold. I froze in the water, got rained on on the bike, hit lots of head winds coming down Bee Line Hwy, and ran in intermittent rain. Of course, the day after the race was beautiful. The locals say it never rains in Tempe. Ha, ha. The 3 loop bike was tough because of the ran and the headwinds, but I figure we all had to suffer, so we just kept our heads down and pedaled away. Despite the weather, my bike split was over 1 mph faster, and for me, that translates to probably 45 minutes ahead starting on the run. To my surprise, I even got my Kona slot for 2011.

JT made me a believer in the Guru Fit. I will have my son see JT before he purchases his next bike and again after he gets it to fine tune his position.

Who knows, I may even get faster this coming year. So if you are not pleased with your bike splits, or just not feeling as comfortable as you think you should on your bike, make an appointment with JT and you will happy you did.

Congrats Mark! Best of luck in 2011!

If you would like to schedule a fit, please call 619-523-2453 or email bikefit@momentcyclesport.com

70% off Holiday Sale!

Stop by Moment Cycle Sport now through the holidays for big savings on most everything in the store!

Welcome to Black Friday and Beyond at Moment Cycle Sport! We have extended our Black Friday Sale; bargains on everything in the store through the holidays!

ALL BIKES are 5% - 30% OFF!

2010 Rental Fleet - Deep Discounts!

Accessories up to 70% OFF!

Moment Cycle Sport Cycling Kits are now 30% off!

$125 San Diego Triathlon Classic Entries until Nov 30th! with code: moment2011

40% off 2009 Shoes including Sidi!

We have great holiday gifts for the cyclist or triathlete in your family. Stocking stuffers, gift cards and bike fit certificates; give the gift of the outdoors this season from Moment Cycle Sport.

Like to tinker? We have a whole table and bin full of used parts that are available for that half finished project. Lots of handlebars, wheels, saddles, and random parts. Certain rules apply; see store for details. Items starting at $1.00!

Best of Competitor 2010 voting us up! Thank you for your business in 2010! If you think we earned it, we'd love your votes for Best Bike Shop / Tri Shop (Moment Cycle Sport!) and Best Triathlon (San Diego Triathlon Classic) categories for the Southern California Region. Voting ends December 15th. Thank you for voting us "best of" in 2008 and 2009!

 

San Diego Triathlon Classic pricing increases after TOMORROW, November 30th! Last chance to get in at the lowest pricing that you'll see for this race! Register now and use the discount code: moment2011 for $10 off!  

Happy Holidays from your friends at Moment Cycle Sport!

Gifts and Things

What do you want under the tree this year?

Let the friendly staff at Moment Cycle Sport help create your wish list...or the wish list of the cyclist in your family this holiday season. We have great stocking stuffers, presents, and big ticket items; sure to bring a smile to your cyclist's face. Not sure what to get for that picky person? We have gift cards available for any denomination! We can also do Gift Certificates for our Professional Bike Fitting. Give your athlete the gift of comfort, power and aerodynamics!

Check out our NEW Jerseys from Danny Shane!

Our newest clothing line Danny Shane brings a new element to cycling...style! Cycling enthusiasts will enjoy hitting performance levels in DannyShane's Retrospective Race Series Cycling Jerseys. DannyShane knows first hand the importance of quality road and race cycling gear. The design team has gone above and beyond in designing performance cycling men's wear with all the features and benefits. You will love the professional Retrospective Race Series Cycling Jersey at any level of your game! The fabric is a blend of Bamboo White Ash & Textured Microfiber Poly Ripstop. The Fit Technology of the DannyShane Eco-Performance Jerseys allow for varying body types within the ranges to experience a low turbulence highly aero-dynamic comfortable fit. You will immediately notice enhanced speed due to the anti drag of the garment.

Lezyne Products

We have got some amazing new pumps, CO2 kits, patch kits, tool kits and more from Lezyne. Their quality products are engineered and the sleek styling really make for a great product. Stop by the shop to check out our great selection!

TYR Swim Suits!

Starting November 30th we will be carrying some great new swim suits by TYR! Women's and men's versions include a poly-blend to help your suit last longer and not sacrifice comfort. They also make the suit more affordable! If you are looking to hit the pool more during the off season, why not do it in style? (plus it's a great motivator to get out of bed in the morning!)

We have some great 1 piece, 2 piece and men's jammer and shorty style suits at great prices!

Awesome swim suits for under $50!

Nutrition!

We have brought on some new venders and we still have our same oldies but goodies. Check out our selection from:

GU Energy (Gels/Chomps) - Clif (Bars, Bloks, and Drink Mix) - CytoMax - Hammer (Gels, Heed, Recovery)- PowerBar (Official drink on the Ironman courses) - Bonk Breakers - SaltStick - Crank (Gels and Drink) - Gatorade - Fluid (Recovery) - Jay Robb (Protein Products) - Nuun - Sport Beans - ZYM - And More!

Whatever you are looking for in the cycling/multisport world, we can help you find it! Happy Holidays from Moment Cycle Sport!

New at Moment Cycle Sport!

As construction continues we are continuing to bring in new product and we are adding items based on YOUR input! If you'd like to see MCS carry your favorite bike/tri/run accessory or nutrition product, let us know!

Cytomax

We carry the 1.5lb containers in these great flavors:

CitrusGrapePomegranate BerryTropical FruitNatural CitrusNatural Orange

We brought in Lezyne pumps and air products to MCS! We are excited about the quality and design of these great pumps and accessories. Check out our website for the products we carry and have in stock now!

Moment Cycle Sport Gloves!

Back in stock direct from Italy, we have our CapoForma custom MCS gloves designed by our own Matt Callahan and modeled by Cory. These comfy gloves flew off the shelves when we brought them in during the spring. It's a great way to give your Moment kit a complete look.

We also have a full size run of the 2010 kits back in stock as well. Have your Moment shorts become your favorite? Why not have 2 pairs!

All kit items are 20% off until Christmas!

Capo Forma in-line arm and knee warmers!

Stay warm and stylish this winter with Capo's great arm and knee warmers. We have many different colors, styles and sizes in stock now. Check the website or stop by the shop! Thanks to Cory for being my arm/hand model today. :)

A New Door!

Yes, we have a new front entrance, right off our parking lot. The build out has been ongoing, so please pardon our dust!

We have a couple other items filling our shelves that we think you'll love. Stop by and check it out! Get your Cycling Christmas list out to your family and friends!

Hint Hint--A new 2011 Felt B10, with Dura-Ace Electronic (Di2) Shifting!! at $5295 you can't beat that pricing!

2011 MCS Race Team Meeting

The planning for the 2011 Moment Cycle Sport Racing season has begun! Interested in road cycling? Thoughts about competing in a fun, fast, team atmosphere? We are having the season kickoff meeting on Thursday, November 11th at 6:30pm. This informational meeting is for new and current members. We will be discussing team options, benefits, requirements, team kit, the racing season and much more!

Bring a chair and some excitement for the season! 2011 Membership Package is now on the website along with more information! Please take a moment to review the document. We will have team signups on Thursday at the meeting.

We have sponsorship options available as well! If you or a company you know is interested, please email us at mcsracing@momentcyclesport.com

Thank you to our 2010 Team Sponsors:

MCS Race Team

A couple months ago, The MCS Race Team had their end of year banquet at the lovely house of Brian (Team rider) and Amel (Team sponsor). Some of the guys did the San Clemente Crit in the morning, while others had a nice ride in east county San Diego. Thanks so much to Brian and Amel for hosting a great party!

The 2011 Race Team meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 6:30pm at Moment Cycle Sport. Come join us next Thursday for an informational meeting for returning members and new prospective members! We'll be going over team guidelines, member benefits and expectations, the team kit, race schedule and more! Please RSVP to mcsracing@momentcyclesport.com and bring a chair on Thursday! If you are unable to make the meeting you can stop by the shop or email us at the address above after the meeting and we'll send you some info.

FYI the MCS race kits are fully restocked with all sizes and the gloves are back in stock as well! If you missed out the first time, or need new ones, stop in and pick up yours today!

Congrats Macca!

Congragulations to the 2010 Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack! He chose the San Diego Triathlon Classic as his warm-up race before the big dance. Here are a couple of videos courtsey of Competitor TV and Chris McCormack. Thank you to Chris for coming out; we'd love to have you back in 2011!

Registration is Now Open for the September 17, 2011 race! Register before November 30 for the best pricing. Use code:
moment2011
for $10 off the entry!
That's $125 for Full Olympic Distance Racing!

Come out and race with the best in 2011.

Check out the videos below from Macca and competitor.com

MP3.11? The Importance of a Bike Tuneup

We have a guest blogger today. Dave Baril, mechanic and good looking dude from Moment Cycle Sport.

At the risk of violating all the rules regarding essay composition, I'm going to lead with my topic sentence: doing a small amount of bike maintenance on your own will save you a lot of time and money over the long run. It will also greatly improve your riding experience.

As a bike mechanic, I am frequently asked what maintenance customers can do on their own bikes that doesn't require a lot of technical skill or a wall full of tools. Here are three recommendations that will help you ride more and pay less.

1) Keep your tires inflated to the proper air pressure.

All tires will lose a small amount of air over time. Left unchecked, you'll find yourself with underinflated tires that will wear out sooner and leave you vulnerable for the dreaded "pinch flat" - when the tube fails due to not being full enough to resist popping under load. Bikes with underinflated tires also handle poorly - they are slower and turn more sluggishly. Tire manufacturers print their recommended air pressure on the sidewall of the tire. It's probably somewhere between 110-125 pounds per square inch (psi). Follow their recommendation and you should be fine. Frequency: before every ride. Cost: initial cost of pump ($20-80), then free.

2) Lube your chain.

A clean, lubed chain is a happy chain. If it sounds like you're smuggling a flock of birds in your drivetrain, your chain is probably dry and gritty. Left too long, the chain and gears will wear more quickly and cost money to replace. Lubricant will help your chain run through the cogs and shift between the gears much more efficiently, plus delaying component wear. Apply lube to the inside run of the chain - just a bit over every link - then wipe it off. That's it! Don't do this on the carpet - it will be a little messy. Frequency: every two weeks or so unless you're a daily rider (then more often), and after rain or washing your bike. Cost: $7-10 for a bottle that will last for months.


3) Keep your bike clean.

Besides looking nasty, a dirty bike has secrets - secrets like hidden rust, cracks in the frame, and broken components. If you keep your bike clean, you'll notice these issues before they become an expensive problem. Soap, water, and elbow grease (you supply the elbow grease) is all that's required. No high-pressure water, please! If you can't set up a bike-washing station like we show in our link (I'm looking at you, apartment dwellers), a few paper towels and a kitchen cleanser/degreaser like Formula 409 go a long way. While you're wiping away the grime, inspect your bike for frayed cables, cracks, loose bolts, etc. You can then fix these problems (or have them fixed) before they leave you stranded on the side of the road.

Refer back to our previous post RE: Clean Bikes are Happy Bikes.

Remember: preventative maintenance beats corrective maintenance any day of the week. Do the easy, inexpensive stuff on your own schedule rather than having serious problems put a halt to your ride and cost you money at an inconvenient time.

Remember, we're here to help with any problem you might have. Please ask for any recommendations or tricks we use. Regardless of your effort, you will eventually need to replace chains, tires, and other components - better later than sooner, though!

Yours in Bike Maintenance,
Dave Baril

San Diego Triathlon Classic

We are very happy about the success of the San Diego Triathlon Classic this past weekend! Somehow we pulled it all together (after a monster overnighter on Friday) and the race went off! We always have things to work on and improve, but after our 2nd year as race directors, event organizers, trash collectors, bar tenders, swim starters and the many other jobs that go along with putting on an event (and sponsoring it), we feel this years event was something to celebrate about.

First off congrats to the overall male winner Chris McCormack in 1:54:42 and the women's overall winner, Karen Tulloch in 2:13:04. Special congratulations to Erin Hunter who had the fastest swim time of the day, but was unable to finish due to an unfortunate accident on the bike course. Best of luck to her and her recovery.

Results HERE

The rest of the race was fun! Plenty of people cheering along the course, a finish line ribbon, great post race food and hot pizza from Pizza Nova. Not to mention the Stone Brewery and Barefoot Wine garden that was hopping at the end of the race! The awards were designed by shop owner JT Lyons and made locally. We really think the little things make a difference. - Tall transition racks, a fair for all participants transition layout, bike mount/dismount stickers, transition racks organized by wave with clear lables, course design, The Marine Band playing the National Anthem (not "little" by any means) and so much more! What about that raffle? We gave away a set of ZIPP WHEELS! Also, a BBQ from Ace Hardware, a fit on the new Guru Dynamic Fit Unit, a Capo Forma Cycling Kit, as well as a box of Barefoot Wine!

We put a lot of work into making this race one of the premiere local races in San Diego. We hope to host USAT Nationals in the future. Thinking about traveling to San Diego? What a great excuse to race and enjoy the amazing weather of Southern California. Look for information soon on the 2011 event.

Thank you to our AMAZING Volunteers and Sponsors for making this event possible!

We're Moving!

It's finally here! We are moving to Liberty Station starting this Friday, September 10th! Our new address is:

2816 Historic Decatur Rd

San Diego, CA 92106

And the best news of all...we have parking! Over 868 spaces. :)

We WILL BE OPEN during the move and build out. Please excuse our dust during this time. We are excited about what's happening with Moment Cycle Sport and where we are headed! Look for further updates in regards to the new space, DEALS, SALES and more!

SWEET!!

Moment Racers

One of our MCS team members made the North County Times. Here he is participanting in the uphill time trial at San Elijo. Stephen Akridge placed 10th out of 61 riders. Check out the article HERE.

The MCS Race team has been in action as the season winds down. Evan Warren, Matt Walthner and Jesse Johnson all raced hard in the San Marcos crit at the end of July. The rest of the team has one major race left, this Sunday at the San Clemente Crit. Cat 5 starting at 7:00am, Cat 4 at 7:35 and the ladies rolling out at 10:20am.

To check out more information about the Moment Cycle Sport Road Racing Team check out our website. Look for information in the coming months about joining next years team, kit orders and more!

USAT Junior Nationals

This past weekend, San Diego hosted the USAT Junior National Triathlon at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, just a mile from the shop. We were the official bike shop of the event and helped with the receiving of the bikes. Families from all over the United States flew into San Diego and had their bikes shipped to the shop. Our mechanics were busy all week, unpacking and tuning the junior's bikes to get them ready for race day.

We attended the Race Expo on Friday.

Race day came on Saturday and Sunday. The Junior Elites were off and running with Cory and Dave providing mechanical support along the bike course. They were out there all day helping before and during the different races. Dave even sustained a cow bell injury, cheering on the racers. We were impressed with the professionalism of the elite athletes and how polite the youngsters were. They were pretty relaxed considering the high profile event.

Check out our little mascott! Our MCS kits even fit the young guys! :) We love his five spoke aero wheels and aero tubing on the bike. Stop in and check out something more in your size. (Ahem...Guru CR901 with H3 HED. wheels)

Congrats to all the racers. We hope to see you back next year! We plan to be the official bike shop sponsor again as well. Look out for more information regarding packing/shipping/receiving bikes for the 2011 race!

Moment Cycle Sport Fiesta Island Time Trial Series

We were out in full force at the May event of the Fiesta Island Series. As the title sponsor and exclusive bike shop, we were at Fiesta Island bright and early preping bikes for the morning's event. We featured our Zipp Demo Wheels during the event. Thanks to Sonja at Zipp for helping us out. Here's JT looking excited about the weather. :) Old man Cory hopped on the Ridley Dean with a Zipp 808/1080 combo, but somehow managed to miss his start time by 4.5 minutes. Oops! At least he looks fast. Just kidding, Cory. We love you.We do rent race wheels. We carry Zipp and Reynolds. Please inquire within the shop or give us a call (619) 523-2453 to reserve a pair of fast race wheels!

New (Mountain) Bikes!

Moment Cycle Sport has had some recent bike sales...this time the mountain version. We aren't known for being a mountain bike shop, but we are a Felt and Giant dealer, thus we can sell mountain bikes. So, some of our sponsored athletes have had interest in other types of cycling lately. Maybe it's the off season. Maybe they want to get a little dirty. :)
Here is Paul Todd with his new ride. A Giant Trance X1. The Daubners (Pat on his ride below) held out for the 2010 Giant Trance X Advanced SL1. A full carbon frame mountain bike. I'm sure Pat and Elizabeth will be tearing it up around San Diego county and beyond in no time.
Thank you! We hope you enjoy your new bikes!

Team Excel Kickoff

Join us tonight at Rehab United for the Team Excel kickoff party. We are the offical bike/tri shop sponsor for the team and will have a table at the expo. Feel free to stop by and ask questions. We have team bike fit, new bike, and merchandise deals!

Guru Photon!

747 Grams!

Imagine a carbon frame that delivers off-the-chart power transfer yet is more comfortable than any road bike you've ever ridden. A bicycle that corners like a Formula 1 car, yet is silky smooth and reliable over the long haul. Now, consider this same bike happens to be the lighest production frame in the industry and has withstood the most rigorous durability tests we could throw at it. Too good to be true? Not anymore. - Guru

We now have the Guru Photon in-stock. Stop by and lift the lightest frame in the industry. Then get fit for yours today.

Tucson Race Report

The team was back at it again last weekend in Tucson, AZ for the stage race. Thanks to team rider, Tim Barr for the report.

The high deserts of Tucson provided an amazing weekend of racing for the MCS crew this weekend. Starting off with a 3.8 mile mostly uphill time trial on Friday, BW, Matt W., Willie, Jim, Richard and myself gave it all we had to get good placement in the overall GC. It was a moderately difficult hill with an 8% kicker at the end.

Results after Day 1 (Stage 1 TT):
-BW (Cat 3) : 6th
-Richard (Cat 3) : 39th
-Willie (Cat 4) : 34th
-Tim B (Cat 5A) : 5th
-Matt W (Cat 5B) : 9th
-Jim C (Cat 5B) : 25th
--------------------------------------------------
Saturday was a looped road race with a little bit of climbing to keep it interesting. The field played it conservatively but there were still a few breaks out there. Chased down by our crew of course! No big surprise, BW killed it out there. Already a sandbagger in the 3’s!
Road Race Results (Stage 2 Road Race)
-BW (Cat 3) : 2nd
-Richard (Cat 3) : 51st (flatted out and couldn’t catch back on)
-Willie (Cat 4) : 21st (front pack finish)
-Tim B (Cat 5A) : 14th (font pack finish)
-Matt W (Cat 5B) : 7th (font pack finish)
-Jim C (Cat 5B) : 21st (font pack finish)
---------------------------------------------------------------

The Sunday stage was a 6 mile circuit race with over 400 feet of climbing per lap. Some longer sustained climbing into a huge headwind was a real pleasure. Our team did really well dictating pace and protecting our lead. BW won his race and showed the 3’s that they are no match for Pedal Power talent. Willie took 6th, and Tim is still kicking himself for only finishing 10th despite being in the top 3 the majority race. Matt broke a spoke two laps in and never got back on.

Road Race Results (Stage 3 Circuit Race)
-BW (Cat 3) : 1st
-Richard (Cat 3) : 40th (don’t let the place fool you, he busted his ass to get BW to the line)
-Willie (Cat 4) : 6th (front pack finish)
-Tim B (Cat 5A) : 10th (font pack finish)
-Matt W (Cat 5B) : 25th (broken spoke)
-Jim C (Cat 5B) : 4th

------------

Overall GC placement after 3 days is as follows:

-BW (Cat 3) : 2nd
-Richard (Cat 3) : 43rd
-Willie (Cat 4) : 16th
-Tim B (Cat 5A) : 5th
-Matt W (Cat 5B) : 22nd
-Jim C (Cat 5B) : 15th

We had some great support out there with Jessica and Alicia snapping photos and cheering loudly! Thanks to the shop for loaning us the tent. It came in handy!
Until next time- DOMINATE,

~~Tim

Valley of the Sun Race Report

A couple of the MCS racers headed to Phoenix last weekend for the Valley of the Sun Stage Race. Here is the race report written by one of our new Team 1 members, Dean.

It was a good time in Phoenix, tempered by just a bit of drama. Here is the play-by-play:

Friday 14.2 mile time trial

Lorenzo 9th in 5b
Matt 5th in 5a
BW 15th in 4
Dean 70th in 4 (need to drop back to Cat 5 - would have been 14th - Tough Cat 4!)

Great course, good organization, and great AAA service - I learned first-hand after locking my keys in the car after the race.

Saturday 41 mile road race

It should have been an uneventful desert course with a moderate climb in each of the 3 laps. Unfortunately, my front wheel flatted after the first climb, and the very nice "old" couple in the neutral support car caused me to lose 4 minutes while I negotiated with them for a new front wheel. "What type of wheel do you need?", they asked. "A front wheel," I answered. "We have a lot of different kinds - Shimano, Campagnolo, 9 speed, 10 speed. What kind does your bike use?" "ANY FRONT WHEEL!!", I answered, trying to keep my "be kind to volunteers mantra" while also realizing I was now about to embark on a 90 minute time trial to chase the pack for the rest of the race. I finally got my new front wheel and got a Tour de France style push off - Unfortunately I was not yet clipped in (I was helping him change my front wheel - another story that I won't bore you with), so he almost pushed me but left my bike behind...

Matt was in contention in his race, when unfortunately a guy suffered an apparent heart attack in front of him, went down hard, and Matt buckled right into him, bending his front wheel and causing some elbow and knee road rash. They took the guy away in an ambulance and helicopter - I haven't heard how he is doing. Matt tried to get a new wheel from the support vehicle, but they wouldn't give him one (they took the "wheels in, wheels out" thing very seriously in Cat 5). He then asked for a ride (he was 7 miles from the start), but they wouldn't give him a ride either! Luckily our MCS support crew had already taken to their vehicles and were able to pick him up.

The Cat 4 race was neutralized at the finish because the ambulance was still blocking the road, so BW finished in the pack. Lorenzo had a strong 5th place finish in his Cat 5b race without incident, keeping him in 9th in the GC.

Sunday Crit

A good race for all. Matt was channeling some anger from the days before which led him to some prolonged "media time" out in the front of the pack mid-race, followed by a strong 3rd place finish at the end of the race. You can see his podium shots on my Shutterfly page (see link below). Lorenzo and BW also had some time at the front of their races, with BW scoring a $50 prime. I told him that my MCS contract stipulated a 25% share of all primes, but I still haven't seen my $12.50.
Off the bike

A good time was had off the bike as well. The team was treated to a catered dinner at the Leisure World retirement community in Mesa, AZ on Saturday (that is a story in itself which I don't have time for here). And then there was the search-and rescue operation across the streets of Tempe for Lorenzo's dog, Koa. Throw in the fact that we had WAY more people and stuff than our two cars could hold, and it made for some more adventures along the way.

Pictures are uploaded HERE.

-Dean

Thanks Dean for the colorful race report! The MCS Team has been busy this season with the team participating in races all over the SoCal/Arizona area. We had a great representation at Boulevard Road Race on Feb 6, even with horrible weather. The following day the men raced the Red Trolly Criterium (No women's race available) in much better conditions. This past Sunday the MCS team represented well at the Roger Milikan Memorial Crit. Up next is the Simple Green crit this Sunday. Best of luck to all riders!

Look for us on Flickr! Our account is mcsraceteam.