May 30/98 8:53 am - Critical Mass ride in Hamilton, Matt Anand 2nd at Enchanted Mtn, NB MTB series

Posted by Editor on 05/30/98
 

Is that Critical Mass... or Car-Tickle Mash ?1??
(courtesy Dave Seto)

Either way, it was a boatload of fun. A huge gaggle of Hamilton area cyclists gathered in trendy Westdale village and made their mark on Hamilton's roadways for about 45 minutes. Reliable sources place the number of riders about 60 strong, but it sure felt like more than that when we took over Main St. West! The group proceeded at a stately pace along Main St. heading eastwards until we turned at John St. in the downtown core, and looped back westwards along King St. The number of friendly waves was about equal to the number of angry horns, so it was a perfect balance. The objective of raising public awareness was achieved. Hamilton is a notoriously bicycle-unfriendly city, and desperately needs more planning to encourage cyclists as commuters. To date the planning emphasis has been placed on recreational trails. There is an excellent paved rail-bed which carries one from the downtown, up the mountain at a liesurely grade and offers some spectacular views of the city and Lake Ontario beyond. The city planners are to be congratulated on their efforts. Nevertheless, the fact remains that commuting by bicycle is still a hazardous proposition at best. More bicycle lanes are needed along east-west routes. One of the goals of this ride was to raise awareness of this issue and obtain some public exposure for cyclists.

Kudos to the ride shepherds who kept the group together and well behaved. A big thankyou goes to John Freeman, proprietor of Clean-Air Couriers, who skillfully defused a potentially nasty situation with an angry pick-up driver who bitterly resented the presence of cyclists on "his" road. Apparently motorists are the only ones who pay taxes! This goon had been charging the rear of the group, and threatening little-biddy bike riders with his large, manly pick-me-up truck until John rode in and talked him down. Our Hero!

A bigger, better, wackier, and way more fun Critical Mass ride is planned for the last Friday in June. Stay tuned!

Zabriskie, Emery Win Enchanted Mountain Time Trial
Report by Alan Cote for USA Cycling

OLEAN, N.Y. -- The opening day of the Enchanted Mountain stage race shows this year's edition should be the best in the event's 10-year history. The powerhouse team among the 110 starters in the men's field is the highly successful Mercury squad, with four riders starting. Looking to challenge the spring season's top squad are more regional teams such as Snow Valley, One Plus, Jeep and Nutra Fig. Among the and healthy size field of 58 cat. 1-3 women are virtually all the top U.S. teams, including Saturn, Saeco-Timex, Ralph's-Klein and Shaklee.

The event began with an 8.6 mile time trial, held on a relatively flat out- and back course in Ellicottville, N.Y. Three sharp turns in the first mile - and therefore also in the last mile - allowed for good technical riders to shave seconds, while a gusty wind made the ride out fast, and the return ride slow.

In the men's event, David Zabriskie (Team Jeep) scored the win by two seconds over Mercury's Rhode scholar, Matt Anand, with New Englander Curt Davis (Wheelworks) taking third. Only 19 years old, Zabriskie was fourth in the individual time trial at the Junior World Championships last year. Among the women, Manhattanite Elizabeth Emery (Saturn) took the win by 16 seconds over teammate Dede Demet, with Saeco-Timex's Pam Schuster in third, four seconds behind Demet. Emery, the national individual time trial champion, stands a good chance of defending her lead through tomorrow's hilly 48-mile road race.

ENCHANTED MOUNTAIN STAGE RACE, U.S. 2.6, May 29-31, Olean, N.Y
Austin Walsh Memorial Time Trial, May 29, 8.6 miles
Men
1. DAVID ZABRISKIE (TEAM JEEP), Salt Lake City, Utah, 17 mins, 59 secs; 2
Matt Anand (Mercury), Quebec, Canada, @:02; 3.
3. Curt Davis (Wheelworks), Branford, Conn., @: 10;
4. Adam Sbeih (Nutra Fig), Sacramento, Calif., @:23;
5. Tom Davis (Team Jeep), Mashpee, Mass., @:23.

Women
1. ELIZABETH EMERY (SATURN), New York, N.Y., 18 mins, 57 secs;
2. Dede Demet
(Saturn), Boulder, Colo., @:16;
3. Pam Schuster (Saeco-Timex), Northridge, Calif., @:20; 4. Giana Roberge (Saeco-Timex), Saratoga Springs, N.Y., @:27;
5. Tina Mayolo (PowerBar), Athens, Ga., @1:08.

New Brunswich Cup MTB Series schedule 1998
(courtesy Ken Macfarlane

Following is the schedule for this year's NB Cup Series. ( Double checked on the calendar ;) .
1 Edmundston May 31 Sunday
2 Fredericton June 7 Sunday
3 Saint John June 21 Sunday
4 Campbellton July 4 & 5 Saturday & Sunday
5 Hillsborough July 26 Sunday
6 Grand Falls August 2 Sunday
7 Sussex August 16 Sunday
8 Brookvale, P.E.I. August 29 & 30 Saturday & Sunday
9 Moncton to be confirmed SeptemberAnnual General Meeting (Non series Event)

Fredericton September 26 & 27 Saturday & Sunday MTB race & Road Tour