Walla-Walla Stage Race

Walla-Walla Stage Race

Stage 1 –Kelogg Hollow Road

Down one rider, but up in spirits the team ventured out to Walla-Walla, Washington, Thursday to take part in a three-day, four stage race. Friday was a challenging stage with 5000 feet of climbing in 64 miles. Most teams fielded teams of 8, Rubicon-ORBEA had four, Aaron Tuckerman, Patrick Bevin, Mike Northey and Quinn Keogh. Riders rode away, but all breaks where brought back and the stage ended in a bunch sprint which saw Mike Northey take 5th. The only set back the team suffered as a puncture by Patrick Bevin, which put him down by 5 minutes.

Stage 2 –Time Trial

The time trial was a 9.3 miles that tilted up and finished with a 5% grade towards the top. As predicted Time Trial expert, Ian McKissick former BMC rider took top honors; Patrick Bevin took 5th, Mike Northey 14th, Quinn Keogh 15th and Aaron Tuckerman 42nd.

Stage 2.5 –The kids race

About 15-20 kids lined up for the downtown criterium kids race –ranging from training wheels to bmx bicycles, these kids where ready for action. They raced down the front straight just like the big kids would later on in the evening –all received LIVESTRONG wristbands and chalk for there efforts –SMILES galore and some great chalk art soon followed the kids race.

Stage 3 – Downtown Twilight Criterium

The course is an 8-corner, 1.1-mile loop. It’s  flat and fast and wet as rain came in at the start of the final event –the Men’s Pro race. The announcer made a few brief announcements of riders who where in the field, including Mike Northey, current NZL U23 National Criterium Champion and Patrick Bevin, U19 cyclist of the year. . . The race was off. There where a number of crashes, including one that took out Aaron Tuckerman, he was able to get a wheel change and get back in the game. The guys where on a mission to see how many primes they could claim in the 50 minute race – Rumor has it, the cash primes where donations from ORBEA, and ORBEA wanted to keep it in the family –so game on for the boys in yellow.

As night fell, Mike Northey found himself in a break with NZL native, Justin Kerr of the H&R Block team –the break’s lead grew to 15 seconds at one point, it was enough that the field could not close the gap in the remaining laps of the race. Mike went on to claim the win, which seems fitting as he is the U23 National Criterium Champion.

Stage 4 –Waitsburg Road Race

Rolling Course on country roads – I was told most of the wheat from the US grows in Walla-Walla and I believe it.

The race featured a short loop followed by to circuits around the large loop that had a longer, steeper feed zone climb. The guys went on a mission to shake up the GC and dared other teams to catch them. Quinn was the first off in a break, followed by Aaron and Mike and Patrick – Ian McIssick, GC leader tried to control what he could and his team tried, but in the end it proved too much and he was dropped. The boys in yellow continued their attacking and punishing of the field, but in the end, their efforts got to them and finished 2 minutes off the race winner’s pace. Patrick took 16th, Northey 26, Keogh 33rd and Tuckerman 59th.

After the race was over and all was said and done, I received complement after complement from the race officials and other racers on how the boys in yellow animated the race with only four riders. -NICE WORK guys.

In the end over all GC completely changed -

1 103 HAMILTON, Nic CAN Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Home 7:42:25 @ 00:00
2 99 SPARLING, Jamie CAN Total Restoration 7:42:41 @ 00:16
3 10 STEVENSON, Russell USA Cucina Fresca Cycling Team 7:43:04 @ 00:39
4 114 CHADDOCK, Ben USA Whitman Cycling 7:43:18 @ 00:53
5 84 ROWE, Kevin USA Team Exergy 7:43:22 @ 00:57
6 96 KANGARLOO, Cyrus CAN Total Restoration 7:43:27 @ 01:02
7 121 KERR, Justin CAN H&R Block 7:43:34 @ 01:09
8 32 BOURSAW, Grant USA Greggs Trek 7:43:38 @ 01:13
9 124 SIDIC, Mike CAN H&R Block " "
10 35 PETERSON, Soren DEN Hagens Berman Cycling 7:43:40 @ 01:15
11 63 RICHARDS, Westley USA Lenovo 7:43:42 @ 01:17
12 90 NORTHERY, Mike USA Team Rubicon-Orbea 7:43:47 @ 01:22
20 89 KEOGH, Quinn USA Team Rubicon-Orbea 7:44:13 @ 01:48
44 87 BEVIN, Patrick USA Team Rubicon-Orbea 7:47:36 @ 05:11
48 91 TUCKERMAN, Aaron USA Team Rubicon-Orbea 7:48:08 @ 05:43