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Cherry Pie Criterium - Feb 8, 2009 Napa, CA see HOT SHOTS

Joe vs. Pros: 34th Annual Race for Cherry Pie (Yummy)

The race for food (cherry pie) will be 34 years old in 2009 – what a tradition! This race is older than many of the racers. Cherry Pie Criterium is one of Northern California’s classic and in recent years, it has attracted many of the top American professionals training in the area for the premier Tour of California. This year appears to be no exception. Many of the grand tour bound riders from Garmin-Slipstream are signed up such as Steven Cozza, Tom Danielson, Danny Pate, Svein Tuft, Christian Vande Velde, and David Zabriski. Other frequent professionals in the past included Fast Freddie Rodriguez who has rolled in from a training ride with fenders on his bike. Did we mention that Greg Lemond has won this race several time in the early years?

Eat my Pie!
Dean LaBerge #4
Photo: Veronika Lenzi
No less significant are the local racers who line up and not afraid to red line for fun and glory of the pie. Northern California racers training hard all winter come out to play hard here. Take for example 39 years young Mr. Dean LaBerge of Specialized Racing Masters Team. He has won the super competitive masters 35+ 123 category race in 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2005. Not to mention impressive Pro 1, 2 results (2nd in 2005 and 5th in 2003). Maybe they should rename this race "Come Eat LaBerge Pie Criterium".

Another local story is that of Sean Rhea of Metro Mint racing team who upgraded to Category 2 in the summer of 2007 and was getting schooled by the new cats. Then Sean lines up with 100 other star studded field in 2008 Cherry Pie Criterium. What started as uncertain effort for a prime initiated a winning break away and eventually finished 8th overall. Reward? $40, cherry pie, most aggressive rider award and a story he will probably never forget.

There are many fun stories from this race and 2009 will sure be another exciting one.

Event Links
Register
Eagle Cycling Club
Contact
Kevin (707) 363-3023
cherrypie@eaglecyclingclub.org
 
Points of Notice    larger map
 
Start/Finish
 Fast downhill. Take a good look at the break or the pack and smile as you pass by on the other side of median.
 Flat. Due to slight change in course, riders will race inside part of the road until the final finish stretch.
 Uphill - not steep but will slow you down. Makes for long sprint finish.
Length: 1 mile per lap
 
Races
 
Juniors 10-1420 min8:00 am
Juniors 15-1830 min8:30 am
Cat 440 min9:10 am
Cat 340 min10:00 am
Cat 530 min10:50 am
Mast 45/55 1-440 min11:30 am
Women 4, 35+40 min12:20 pm
M 35+ 123445 min1:10 pm
Women Pro 12345 min2:05 pm
Pro 1260 min3:00 pm
Race Analysis

This course is set up perfectly for photographer with long straight gradual uphill finish followed by a sharp 180 degree turn that slows everyone down for a close up shot. After the synchronized slow motion turn, the fast downhill quickly strings out the pack swishing through the fast right hand turn. The bottom section can be decisive if windy. The long straight finish section starts flat then begins the gradual uphill to the finish line. The uphill is not steep and invites the racers to smash up the hill with the crowds cheering and primes on the line. However, this little “hill” can wear you out lap after lap and leave you redlined as winning move flies away on the downhill section. The uphill sprint to finish is long and wide. In a pack sprint, you can easily get boxed in as the "wall of sprinters" fan out and only 1 will punch through. Note that for 2009, there is a slight course change to allow car traffic in the corporate park which will make the course tighter on the flat portion. See larger map.

So, how hard is this race? In 2008 Cherry Pie, the Masters 35+ 123 racers did 19 laps in 45 minutes at an average speed of 26 mph. One racer who finished in the pack but very active averaged 324 watts. The Pro 1,2 racers went 26 laps in one hour at an average speed 26.7 mph. The same racer averaged 281 watts in the pro race but totally sat in the whole time. The beauty of drafting. Here is what others had to say.

Eric Easterling "Our team was working well together covering breaks, and I managed to be in the break that succeeded in staying away. Luck of the draw. At this course you need to ride hard, but watch out for the hill. You cannot be too careless with your efforts on this course because the hill will make you pay. This years race looks tough with the Garmin-Slipstream using Cherry Pie as a warm up for the Tour of California."

Eric Easterling - Sierra Pacific Racing. 4th Place Pro/1/2 - 2008

Race Report

This section will be filled after the event. If you have stories, images or videos to share, please send to Editor@stuzio.com or leave a comment. Thank you.

Past Champions
2008
Pro 1/2Jackson StewartBMC Pro Racing Team
Cat 3Joshua LitwackWhole Athlete
Cat 4Nathaniel EnglishZ-Team
Cat 5John HansenWells Fargo
Master 35+Dean LaBergeSpecialized Racing Masters
Master 45+Lawrence NolanSpecialized Racing Masters
Master 55+J. GilfordMorgan Stanley Specialized 24hr Fitness
Junior 10-12Stanley GotoTeam Swift
Junior 13-14Alexander FreundDavis Bike Club
Junior 15-16Peter TaylorTieni Duro
Junior 17-18Bryan LarsenRio Strada
Women Pro 123Brooke MillerTeam Tibco
Women Cat 4Kristy Gough3rd Pillar
Women Junior 10-14Katrina HowardCentral Valley Cycling
Women Junior 15-18Alicia HalpernInfoVista Cycling Team
2007
Pro 1/2David VitoriaBMC Pro Racing Team
Cat 3Vincent OwensCentral Valley Cycling
Cat 4Russell WhiteThird Pillar
Cat 5Joe AmonZTeam
Master 1/2/3Dean LaBergeAMD/Discovery Team Masters
Master 35+ 3/4Eric RybaZTeam
Master 45+ 3/4Rick MartynPegasus/VandenBerghe Properties
Master 55+ 3/4Larry Wolff
Junior 15-16Andreas FreundDavis Bike Club
Junior 17-18Ben Barsi-RhyneAMD-Discovery Channel Juniors
Women 1/2/3Broche MillerTeam Tibco
Women Cat 4Leslie CreedEagle Cycling Club
Girls Junior 15-16Alicia HalpernTieni Duro
2006
Pro 1/2Karl MenziesHealthnet
Cat 3Eric NitschkeForm Fitness
Cat 4Kelyn AkunaGarden City Cyclists
Cat 5Christopher GastonUnattached
Master 35+Dean LaBergeSix Fifty Racing
Master 45+Lawrence NolanAMD Masters Cycling Team
Master 55+Larry WolffSacramento Golden Wheelmen
Junior 10-12Dustin BentonWolpak Racing
Junior 13-14Andreas FreundDavis Bike Club
Junior 15-16David VuilleumierDavis Bike Club
Junior 17-18Tyler GoughTieni Duro
Women 1/2/3Sarah BambergerSouth Eastern Cyclismo
Women Cat 4Flavia OliveiraUnattached
Women Master 30+Jessie HickelVelo Bella
Women Junior 10-12Kendra HigginsWolfpak Racing
Women Junior 15-18Kelly LaFleurWebcor/Alto Velo
2005
Pro 1/2Patrick BriggsVillage Peddler
Cat 3Thomas MorrisTeam Spine
Cat 4Jon GrantUnattached
Cat 5AJohn PeckhamAlto Velo Racing Club
Cat 5BWhitney DeBoiceUnattached
Master 35+Dean LaBergeSix Fifty Racing
Master 45+Peter AllenDiscovery Channel AMD Masters Cycling
Master 55+Richard ShieldsTeam Hammer Gel
Junior 13-14Joel ShafferAlto Velo Racing Club
Junior 15-16David VuilleumierSacramento Golden Wheelmen
Junior 17-18Charles HamiltonTieni Duro
Women 1/2/3Cynthia CarrollUnattached
Women Cat 4Chantal HasseCycling-Training.Com/ARPT
Master Women 35+Nancy LewisDelta Velo
Women Junior 13-14Michelle LaFleurAlto Velo Racing Club
Women Junior 15-16Kelly LaFleurAlto Velo Racing Club
Women Junior 17-18Kimberly LaFleurAlto Velo Racing Club
2004
Pro 1/2Todd TerleckiGiant Factory Team
Cat 3Clint Rogers
Cat 4Aaron KenneyTeam Spine
Cat 5Max MillerReno Wheelmen
Master 35+Scott McKinleyTailwind Sports/USPS Masters
Master 45+Lawrence NolanTailwind Sports/USPS Masters
Master 55+Michael FreemanCentral Valley Cycling
Junior 13-14Bryan LarsenSacramento Golden Wheelmen
Junior 15-16Joe IannarelliTeam Swift
Junior 17-18Clint Rogers
Women 1/2/3Katheryn CuriEquipe Cycliste Rona
Women Cat 4Joanna Jones
2003
Pro 1/2Dave Fuentes
Cat 3Daniel Holloway
Cat 4Client Rogers
Cat 5Chad Green
Master 35+Chris Hipp
Master 45+Larry Nolan
Master 55+Richard Shields
Junior 15-16Daniel Holloway
Junior 17-18Client Rogers
Women 1/2/3Katheryn Curi
Women Cat 4Sara Kerlin
Women MasterTracy Lillig
2002
Pro 1/2David FuentesSierra Nevada / Cannondale
Cat 3Brian HawleySierra Nevada/Cannondale
Cat 4Steve ReaneySanta Crutz/ABS
Cat 5James WhitneyMonticello Cycling Club
Master 35+Craig RoemerPacific Coast Cycling Club
Master 45+Glen WinkelUSPS Masters Cycling Team
Junior 13-14Mario WilsonSacramento Golden Wheelmen
Junior 15-16Adam SwittersSacramento Golden Wheelmen
Junior 17-18Brady HarterTeam Swift
Women 1/2/3Sandra KolbLGBRC/Contentlab
Women Cat 4No Official Results Available
Women Master Suzie TignorLGBRC/Contentlab

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