Salem, NY

When cobblestones and long sections of dirt loom on a race course, cyclists try to negate any notion of chance in their minds. It is said that you don’t need good luck; you just need to avoid bad luck.

We didn’t heed that nugget of wisdom. So it goes.

The team lined up with Eric Tremble and Colin Murphy in the Cat 2 race and Jason Baer, Jason Beerman, Sean O’Rourke, Adam Sullivan, and Toby Walch in the Pro/1 race. The key, with a relatively small squad in each race, was to to conserve and have as many guys available when the final selection was decided. With temperatures in the 80s, the naturally selective course, and the presence of a handful of teams with double-digit numbers in the race, it promised to be a long day.

Unfortunately, when the dust had settled, the team’s equipment had taken a battering and any tactical plans took a backseat. It was a frustrating day for everyone, but we look forward to next year’s edition, where we hope to avoid any mention of luck, good or bad.

Loudon, NH

The Turtle Pond Circuit Race is like New England’s version of the Omloop Het Volk: a subdued first test of the classics season. Comprised of 6 laps of an 11.4-mile loop with a 1.5km climb done on every lap, the distance and the topography seem stratospheric to a peloton whose collective memory still contains fresh images of 3-hour trainer rides done in dank basements.

Kenda/Raleigh brought a squad of seven to Loudon, NH to contest the race put on by the MetLife Cycling Team. Although the weather report had initially signalled a raw and wet day, it was actually relatively nice, albeit a bit chilly. After liberal applications of Greyhound Juice warming salve and a quick team powwow, the team lined up and clipped in for the long day ahead.

After a leisurely climb up the finishing hill, the race seemed to begin almost immediately on the rollers on the back section into a biting headwind. After a few attempts by the team, Eric Tremble managed to plant himself in a move that quickly gained time and headed up the road. Seeing an opportunity, Jason Beerman bridged up and the large move of nine was out of sight, with two Kenda/Raleigh riders ensconced within.

The thought that then circulated through each of the minds of the riders in the break was this: 65 miles to go. With that in mind, everyone did an even share of the work, and the efficiency of the paceline quickly led to a three, then a four minute time gap back to the field. As the laps ticked away, riders slowly fell off the pace, especially when NERAC’s Aidan Charles pushed the pace up the finishing hill at the end of lap four. Lap five saw a further whittling of the break, as the front group went over the top of the climb on the bell lap with only five guys. After even pulls for half a lap, Fiordifrutta’s Josh Dillon put in an acceleration and a 5 second gap opened up. This dropped the other two riders in the group, and Charles and Beerman waited a moment too long to respond. For the final four miles before the finishing climb, Charles and Beerman chased Dillon, who was maintaining his five second advantage. At the base of the hill, Dillon had a ten second advantage and that proved to be enough as he held off Charles and Beerman at the finish.

Kenda/Raleigh finished the weekend with two podium places and looks forward to next weekend’s Tour of the Battenkill, the largest single day race in the US.

Full results are here.

Charlestown, RI

The Chris Hinds Memorial Criterium is a fitting tribute to a monument of the Rhode Island cycling community. Chris Hinds passed away in 2002, and the eponymous race held to benefit his family has become a New England institution in the years since.

Kenda/Raleigh brought a team of six to Ninigret Park, the fabled stomping grounds of the team’s sole Rhode Island resident, Adam Sullivan, on a day when peeks of sun commingled with fog, a cool ocean breeze, and hints of thunder. When the gun went off, Mukunda Feldman rolled off with two others in tow and dangled in front of the peloton for a few laps. This set up a strong counter by Sean O’Rourke and a counter to the counter by Adam Sullivan at minute 25 of the 90 minute race.

Sullivan’s move drew out a viable group and the move looked like a good one to be in so Jason Beerman bridged up. With two Kenda/Raleigh guys up the road, the rest of the team patrolled the field and plotted a counter in case things came back together. The break rolled along but slowly, ones and twos bridged up and the move got too big for fluidity. Beerman attacked and drew a group of three others and the four rolled a steady pace for a few laps. This break was eventually caught by a hard chase from behind, as the front of the field split latched on. Sensing a lull, Beerman immediately countered and once again drew out three others with six laps to go. The four gained ten seconds and rolled through steadily. With one to go, Beerman attacked into the headwind section to try and forgo a sprint, but he was caught at the penultimate corner and was forced to lead out the tailwind sprint, holding on for third place and a podium spot.

The team, at the behest of Adam Sullivan, had agreed before the race to donate any race winnings back to the race promoter to augment the monies raised for the family of Chris Hinds. Thanks to Jonathan Lowenstein, Arc en Ciel Racing Team, and Providence Velo for a great race for a great cause.

Full results are here.

Teammates congregate:
Ride lots, eat lots, ride some more.
Team camp, on the cheap.

The Kenda/Raleigh Cycling Team is proud to announce its roster for the 2008 season. The team is happy to continue its relationship with title sponsors Kenda USA, a leading manufacturer of tires and tubes for mountain, BMX, juvenile, road and comfort bicycles, and Raleigh USA, a leading manufacturer of road and mountain bikes, tandem bicycles, sport, performance, comfort, beach cruiser, touring and kid’s bikes.

Founded in 2003, the Kenda/Raleigh Cycling Team has graduated seven team members into the professional cycling ranks, and the team continues to nurture talent by providing a fertile environment for development. The formula is simple: Kenda/Raleigh populates its roster with racers who demonstrate a commitment to cycling at an elite level while maintaining a sense of balance in their professional and personal lives. The team races a full schedule that begins in March and ends in October, from the Green Mountains to the Alleghenies, from Maine to the Empire State. The team’s 2008 schedule features regional races, National Racing Calendar (NRC) events, USA Cycling National Championship events, and UCI events.

The 2008 Kenda/Raleigh Cycling Team is:

• Jason Baer (Cat 1)
• Jason Beerman (Cat 1)
• Mukunda Feldman (Cat 1)
• Chris Hrenko (Cat 2)
• Colin Murphy (Cat 2)
• Sean O’Rourke (Cat 1)
• Adam Sullivan (Cat 1)
• Eric Tremble (Cat 2)
• Toby Walch (Cat 1)

Returning veterans Jason Baer and Mukunda Feldman anchor the team, as both have been on the squad since its inception and are leaders on the road. Jason Beerman, Chris Hrenko, Colin Murphy, Sean O’Rourke, and Eric Tremble return from last season, and all are excited to continue the team’s proud tradition in 2008. The new additions for 2008 are Adam Sullivan, who previously rode for Boston Scientific Cycling, and Toby Walch, who previously rode for Mechanical Services/Cycle Mania.

In addition to the legs and lungs of the individuals on the squad, the success of the team is reliant on all of its sponsors; thank you for your support.

• Kenda USA (Tires and tubes)
• Raleigh USA (Team frames)
• Easton (Handlebars, stems, forks, and wheels)
• The Bikeway Source (Official team shop)
• Blackburn (Pumps and bottle cages)
• Champion System (Clothing)
• Clif Bar (Nutrition)
• fi’zi:k (Saddles)
• Green Mountain Stage Race
• Greyhound Juice (Warming salves and skin care products)
• Rudy Project (Sunglasses and helmets)
• Speedplay (Pedals)
• Spiuk USA (Shoes)
• SRAM (Component groups)
• Zipcar (Car sharing services)

Please visit the team site throughout the 2008 season for frequent updates and photos.