Kinder winters: From Vail Lake to Southridge, right now Southern
California is the only place in the world racing mountain bikes. Almost
everywhere else it's cold and wet.
Snow distraction: Mike Lee, Waylon Smith (GBr/SoCal Specialized), Miguel Valdez, Eric Bierman, Bear Valley Bikes' Michael Hansen (right) and Romolo Forcino, Steve Kinney and Lyle Warner lead the pro start.
Pro podium: Miguel Valadez (Mex), Robert Herber (Vail Lake Racing-Ellsworth), Michael Lee (Trek-VW), Eric Bierman (Steven K) and Lyle Warner (Helen's/Subaru-GF) placed 1st-5th.
Entrepreneur: Steven K boss Steve Kinney is a longtime SoCal pro. In his spare time he builds bikes, produces his own tubeless system, shovels snow and sponsors a race team.
No water puddles: MBA's Eddie Arnet spent the weekend as an honorary member of the Sho-Air/RockNRoad team. Can you believe that it rained 5 days leading up to this event?
Roost: Chad Walton sets his Scott up for the busy carousal circuit winding through the old bird sanctuary and into the start/finish. He placed 2nd 27-34 Expert.
Young gun: Southridge 2 was Platinum Performance's official 2008 debut. Ian Mcfarlane accelerates towards Southridge Park's picnic area. Ian was 1st 18-and-under Expert.
From Basotho Ponies to bikes: Although she is on call all night, horse "EMT" Elizabeth Schilling always makes the program at Southridge. Elizabeth was 2nd 35+ Sport Women.
Fast swap meet: Where else but Southridge can you buy old race bikes and new and used parts from downhill legends Kyle Strait, Colin Bailey and Tyler Sage? It's on at every race.
Preflight: "From the right side it's easy to clear the double," explains SRC's Don Jackson to Shimano kid's race competitors. Tanner (right) has the course so dialed he completely ignores grandpa Don...
SOUTHRIDGE WINTER SERIES XC #2
For almost 2 decades Fontana, CA's Southridge Park has hosted the official kickoff to the 2008 mountain bike race season. Their 5 race Winter Series leads right into the NORBA National opener in late March. The weather for race 2 was perfect with 70 degree temperatures; with sunny skies and no wind. With the abundant rain leading into the weekend, the sandy course packed down and gave perfect traction. Many felt the conditions were "the best they have seen."
The current Southridge Racing Club Winter Series circuit takes racers on a 7 mile loop with lots of windy singletrack. Four riders from the Platinum Performance Team showed up to test their early season conditioning. Ian Mcfarlane took a 1st in the 18-and-Under class. Amanda Schaper raced to her first ever 1st place finish in the 34-and-Under Beginner Women class. Bobby Langin has shown he has lost no conditioning from his championship-winning cyclocross season. Bobby proved that his fasted expert time at Southridge 1 was no fluke. Today he again blasted out another 1st place 45-54 Expert finish and fastest expert time. Platinum Team Captain Todd Booth raced 34-44 Expert and pulled out a tough 2nd place. Tim Zandbergen from Sho-Air/RockNRoad and Scott Marcoe from Trek-VW had Todd on the rivet. Tim pulled away on the descents while Todd worked hard to reel him back on the climbs. As Marcoe began to drop back blazing Bobby Langin moved up from his later start row and caught on to Todd. The Platinum teammates worked together in an effort to launch Todd closer to Tim. It was of no use, as Tim stayed strong and maintained a 1 minute gap into the finish.
TOP TEN 3 LAP RIDERS
1. Miguel Valadez...Pro...1:41:21.66
2. Robert Herber...Pro...1:41:27.95
3. Michael Lee...Pro...1:42:22.21
4. Eric Bierman...Pro...1:43:37.94
5. Lyle Warner...Pro...1:45:50.10
6. Michael Hansen...Pro...1:46:46.05
7. Bobby Langin...Exp 45-54...1:48:02.87
8. Tim Zandbergen...Exp 35-44...1:48:57.89
9. Romozo Farcino...Pro...1:49:19.35
10. Todd Booth...Exp 35-44...1:50:01.44
NEXT TEN EXPERT & SEMI'S
1. Rod Leveque...Exp 27-34...1:53:21.65
2. Scott Marcoe...Exp 35-44...1:53:36.93
3. Chad Walton...Exp 27-34...1:54:24.02
4. Ken Gioeli...Exp 35-44...1:55:53.91
5. Chuck Hamm...Exp 27-34...1:57:38.23
6. Greg Buhl...Semi...1:58:21.84
7. David Reid...Exp 35-44...1:59:09.92
8. Eddie Arnet...Exp 45-54...1:59:13.41
9. Greg Hammond...Exp 27-34...1:59:57.17
10. Paul Adamson...Exp 35-44...2:00:43.30
Top Exp 18-: Ian Mcfarlane...2:00:53.63
Top Exp 19-26: John Parson...2:05:08.86
TOP TEN 2 LAP RIDERS
1. Dan Cohee...Spt 35-44...1:16:56.95
2. Jeff Dotterweich Sng Spd 35+...1:18:45.30
3. Jesse Scarantino...Spt 19-26...1:19:17.92
4. Stephen Smith...Spt 35-44...1:19:17.93
5. Dan Lehnberg...Spt 45-54...1:19:52.55
6. Nicholas Jacobs...Spt 19-26...1:20:21.04
7 Andy Lightle...Sng Spd 35+...1:21:02.86
8. Carl Mckown...Spt 35-44...1:21:17.77
9. Doug Mann...Spt 35-44...1:22:06.74
10. Scott Palmer...Spt 35-44...1:22:22.80
Top Exp 55+: Gregory Rosdahl...1:22:48.07
Top Spt 27-34: Justin Mann...1:23:21.12
Top Spt 18-: Kevin Alvarez...1:45:47.14
Top Spt 55+: Bob Stockton...1:33:38.45
TOP SPORT WOMEN
1. Beate Schickerling...35+...1:34:11.85
2. Allison Mann...34-...1:35:05.75
3. Stephanie Gaudreau...34-...1:35:45.04
4. Elizabeth Schilling...35+...1:49:55.11
5. Nancy Harris...35+...1:53:27.27
TOP TEN 1 LAP BEGINNERS
1. Sean Mccoy...35-44...0:39:04.41
2. Clint Campbell...35-44...0:41:10.72
3. Andrew Hart...200+...0:42:38.68
4. Chris Kasey...27-34...0:43:06.22
5. Terry Watkins...27-34...0:43:50.18
6. Scott Lundgren...45-54...0:45:32.53
7. Jason Markley...35-44...0:45:47.53
8. Harry Burr...200+...0:46:21.59
9. Mike Rauls...45-54...0:47:45.18
10. John Gillen...19-26...0:48:33.77
TOP JUNIORS (1 lap)
1. Alex Macmiller...11-12...0:56:14.66
2. Jacob Blumenthal...13-15...1:02:47.86
3. Sean Gates...11-12...1:06:24.74
4. Nathan Pherigo...13-15...1:06:50.70
5. Ethan Shuler...9-10...1:41:33.24
TOP BEGINNER WOMEN (1 lap)
1. Amanda Schaper...34-...0:58:04.45
2. Melissa Palacios...34-...1:17:08.88
3. Kim Finch...35+...1:07:11.77