SDBC Junior Racers Tearing Up the Spring!

It is hard to believe but May is just around the corner. Can you say Barrio Logan Gran Prix!  Not only is it a fast and exciting racecourse, it will also host the Junior State Championships.  

The SDBC Junior Team has already participated in over 14 separate events since the end of January. One of these junior riders stands out. He has already competed in three stage races since February. Congratulations to our very own Kyle Kirby for taking 3rd place at the Valley of the Sun Stage Race. Kyle told me at the end of last year that he really wanted to focus on the Valley of the Sun Stage Race. He had taken 5th in 2013 and wanted to be on the podium.

Kyle planned out his own off-season base training and with focus and discipline; he was riding at 730 miles in December and 766 miles in January. This type of focus and discipline is what we are trying to teach our juniors at The San Diego Bicycle Club. Riders should set achievable yet challenging goals, and then practice discipline and balance to reach those goals. Kyle is an exemplary athletic role model and a good ambassador for cycling in general whether it is on the road, in his training, and/or racing. He receives instruction, is open to feedback, and is always looking to learn new things.  Kyle represents the club and team and well.

If you see him on the road please make sure to congratulate him and encourage him to keep up the good work.

Below is Kyle’s race report for the Valley of the Sun Stage Race (VOS). He is also a pretty good writer, enjoy.


A few weeks ago I competed in the Valley of the Sun stage race over in Arizona. I got into Arizona late Thursday night and was able to get in some descent rest.

Stage 1:
On Friday morning before the time trial, I was able to get my legs opened up and got in a good warm-up. As I warmed up, the wind picked up and the directions changed to a tailwind on the way out and a headwind on the way back. The time trial went as I had hoped it would. I was able to cross the line in third, ten seconds off of the winner, Ian Schwartz of Rokform, and four seconds off of second place, Sean Quinn also of Rokform.

Stage 2:
The next morning was my road race. As it was such a close top 3, I knew that the overall would come down to time bonuses. We rolled out with a neutral start until the first corner, where there was a cattle guard, and then the racing started immediately. After multiple attacks, we started to settle down into a nice tempo. About five miles into the stage I counter attacked someone on a long roller and got a nice 10-15 second gap. After staying away for about a mile, I was finally brought back by Weston Giem of the Major Motion Junior team. On the flat, crosswind side of the course it stayed together after a few attacks by the Rokform kids. As we made the final turn onto the climb to the finish, the pace started to ramp up. I attacked with 3 km to go which started the fireworks. The two Rokform guys sat on the front and set a really high tempo, dropping everyone except for myself by around 2 km to go. With the pace so high, it was very hard to attack and even harder to get any real estate. There was no real sprint as no one could manage to lift the pace at all. I rolled across the line in third, behind Ian in first and Sean in second, lucky losing no time to the leaders except for time bonuses. I stuck around after the race to watch my brother who raced later in the afternoon. After the drive back to my hotel and after some rest I was ready for the final stage.

Stage 3:
The Criterium course was close enough to my hotel that I was able to ride to it the morning of my race. After I signed in and worked up I devised a plan to go on the offensive. I only needed a 15 second gap to take the overall. I needed less than 10 seconds to move into second. As soon as the race started I was on the gas. I tried to attack every lap or so, sometimes opening up a small gap. After my past attack with 2 laps to go, I realized it would end up in a field sprint. I positioned myself near the front and sat on wheels until the last 250 meters or so. The sprint opened up with about 200 to go and Weston from Major Motion came around immediately. I closed the gap down to him but couldn't come around in the last 50 meters. I ended up getting 2nd on the stage by a bike length.

Overall it was a very successful weekend with three podiums in as many days. I ended up 3rd in GC behind by 9 seconds to Ian Schwartz and 5 behind Sean Quinn. It was a very hard weekend of racing that told me where my fitness was at and I am excited for the rest of the season. Thank you to all of the club members and friends because without you and the support you give it would be hard to race in these big events. Ride fast, be safe, and have fun!
 
Kyle Kirby

 

Watch for more updates from the junior racing team coming soon.
 
Till then see you on the road,

Coach Jesse Eisner
juniordirector@sdbc.org
 

Tim PerkinsComment