We would like to thank Serge Desrosiers for these photos:

Stefano opens the weekend by taking the top step at the Metro State RoadRunner Time Trial on Saturday and Pete Lopinto closes Sunday on the top step at the DU City Park Criterium!

TT RECAP:

So after some big changes to the Time Trial bike I decided it would be a good idea to try the new position at a local race called the Roadrunner Time Trial since there is no better way to simulate racing than by racing! Once there I was glad to see that there were  quiet a few good riders and that I was going to have to work for it. The course was an out and back in one direction and then out and back again in a different direction, sort of like a dog bone shape starting in the middle with some pretty technical corners in the first part and two nicely sized rollers on the second half. Also, the description of the course on the flier read “between 8 and 9 miles”. That one mile can make a pretty big difference in a Time Trial like that but I talked to a couple people and knew that the best times for the other categories was right around 20 minutes, so that was good enough.

Anyways, on with the racing. Started out pretty hard till I set into the pace but managed to take some seconds on my 30 second man, who happened to be one of my former team mates last year and pretty much held it there for the rest of the time. At the end I finished with a time of 18:57 which was good enough to win over my former team mate and 30 second man Justin England who was 6 seconds behind me.

After picking up my “huge winnings” I made my way back home for some rest before Sunday’s criterium at City Park.

Thanks for reading

Stefano      

For our March raffle we have a one of a kind signed souvenir from the tour of Missouri. This Armadillo XING sign was signed by about 50 riders from the inaugural Tour of Missouri. This sign was giving to Dan Schmatz as a gift from his teammates and friends from other teams to help ease the pain of his run in with an Armadillo early in stage 2. Along with this sign the winner of the raffle will receive a THF Realty Cycling Team jersey. Our jerseys which are made by Hincapie Sports are about a week from delivery but this art proof will give you a sneak peak of what these top quality jerseys will look like.

Just like our auction last month 100% of the donations go to bikes for kids program. The bikes for kids charity is run by the Variety Charity in St. Louis with the goal of helping get therapeutic bikes for kids in need.

To date, more than 2,000 children from Variety partner agencies have received new bikes, thanks to the generous support of the St. Louis business community and caring individuals such as yourself. In addition to the new bike, each child will receive a helmet and fitting, bike lock, T-shirt and safety instruction.

Variety’s “I CAN!” spirit is at the very heart of the Bikes for Kids program. Bikes symbolize freedom and represent the absence of limits for all children, with or without disabilities. Every child should have the experience of owning his or her bike, and this unique program makes it possible!

Raffle tickets can be purchased via the link at the upper left and are only one dollar. Here is your chance to get a great jersey and a one of a kind piece of Tour of Missouri memorabilia that can’t be found anywhere else for just one dollar or you can increase your chances by donating more, each ticket is a dollar and you can donate as much as you like to increase you chances of winning!

Two day omnium.

Day 1 – The Criterium was 10, 90-degree corners in 1 mile with two blocks up hill. When I rolled to the line, everyone was line up, but I was still able to start front row. This was huge, as people began getting dropped 4 minutes into the race!! I followed the first two moves, but it became painfully obvious that I had to meter out my efforts; otherwise I would become the next to be dropped. I followed the important moves, and stayed near the front, and that’s where I was with 1 lap to go. I had a chance to move up with 6 corners to go, but decided to slot in as opposed to going into a downhill corner 6 wide. I was passed by one other rider between there and the line, and finished up 10th on day and stood 10th overall going into the road race.

Day 2 – Road Race. The flier said (4) 20-mile laps; the laps were actually 27 miles long for a grand total of 108 miles of racing in 40mph winds. As it was the day before, you needed to stay close to the front. The first break of the day started from the word go and lasted the first lap and a half of the race. When this break was being pulled back, I actually ended up in the 3rd group on the road. I thought the top 15-20 was far enough up front, but I was wrong. Two gaps opened in front of me; I was able to close one, but not the other. After a half lap of chasing, we regained contact with what was now the field due to the first group catching the break. Another two laps of hard racing went by with attacks and counter-attack and the next move that went was after the feed zone. The feed zone had a tail wind, so speeds were the highest through there. I held onto some good wheels, and made my way up front. At the end of the straight, I turned the corner and continued to roll. I didn’t attack, I just wanted to get back up to speed, but I ended up helping start the break. It was two of us to start, but we had three others join us within the next few miles. We continued to work for the next 30 miles and made it to the line a few minutes ahead of the field. The three late joiners to the break had a little more in their legs, so ended up fourth out of the break of 5. I was happy with the way it went, and didn’t feel that I could have done anything different to change the outcome of the race.

After the final point standings were figured, I ended up 9th overall. Great weekend of racing, which makes the next few weeks of training all the easier!!

-Brian

Please excuse our extremely amateur video:

Here is your chance to get some great wheels and donate to the bikes for kids program. The bikes for kids charity is run by the Variety Charity in St. Louis with the goal of helping get therapeutic bikes for kids in need.

To date, more than 2,000 children from Variety partner agencies have received new bikes, thanks to the generous support of the St. Louis business community and caring individuals such as yourself. In addition to the new bike, each child will receive a helmet and fitting, bike lock, T-shirt and safety instruction.

Variety’s “I CAN!” spirit is at the very heart of the Bikes for Kids program. Bikes symbolize freedom and represent the absence of limits for all children, with or without disabilities. Every child should have the experience of owning his or her bike, and this unique program makes it possible!

Raffle tickets can be purchased via the link at the upper left and are only one dollar. Thats right, you can win some of the hottest wheels out there for four quarters! Better yet donate more and increase your chances.

Under beautiful Arizona skies Brian Alfremann and Pete Lopinto captured the first win of the season for the THF Cycling Team.

In typical Arizona fashion the race got off to a fast start and nobody wanted to let any of the early moves gain any serious ground. Brian Spent the early part of the race covering the moves that looked good and patrolled the front so Pete could save his legs for the second half of the race. This also gave Pete a chance test out his legs and figure out the tricky downhill finish by grabbing some primes in the early going. At the halfway mark a serious move of 6 guys got away with all the major teams represented. The seasoned criterium racer Lopinto sensed this may have been the move of the day and before the group got too much of an advantage he leaped from the field to join them. Unfortunately the combination wasn’t right and their disorganization allowed the entire field to reel them back with about 20 minutes left in the race. Once the field was together with only a handful of laps remaining all the signs pointed to a field sprint. The Waste Management Team had lined up at the front and Pete got himself into position behind their lead out with just a few laps remaining. a half lap to go. With half a lap to go Brian found Pete at the front and the tandem went over the top of the lead out. As Brian started to run out of gas Pete made a quick jump for the corner and found a nice outside line then gobbled up the last 300 meters on his own to cross the line first.

Sometimes it’s hard to be a full time student, a full time bike racer, and have a social life.  There just are not enough hours in the day to always be able to do everything I want.  I’ve heard the pros say it, and I know that I have to make sacrifices sometimes to be successful in cycling.  There are times when my friends will want to do something, and I will have to skip so that I can get my training in.  It’s hard to miss out on the fun sometimes when the alternative is a set of thirty minute all out intervals, but I know that that’s what it takes.  Every day I am at school from seven in the morning until at least three in the afternoon, and that’s not to mention all the homework I have to do at some point before the next school day.  That does not leave a lot of time to get in all the training I need to do.  What it means is that I have to do a lot of riding on the trainer during the winter when it does not stay light enough for me to get outside after school.  I really don’t find that riding the trainer is very enjoyable, but if that’s what I have to do then that’s what I’ll do.  My friends don’t always understand why I can’t hang out with them, or why I have to leave school right away every day.  Under any circumstances, it takes a lot of self discipline to make it in cycling, but I can tell you that it is even harder as a full time high school student.  You’ve really got to love everything about the sport to go out there and hurt yourself everyday in training, and I assure I do love the sport.  That’s why I’m willing to make some sacrifices to achieve my goals in the sport of cycling.

First race of the season for the THF Racing team. The roster was Stefano Barberi, Brian Alferman and Pete Lopinto for the 3 day stage race in and around the Phoenix area.

Stage 1 time trial for 22k on an out-and-back flat course in Buckeye under some unusual cold and rainy weather. Stefano had only been on his Orbea Ordu TT bike once but still managed 8th place in what was his first race of the year. He finish only 33 seconds off the winner and was excited to get the season under way with a top ten result. Without TT bikes Pete and Brian used the TT to wake up their legs and finished in 77th and 88th.

Stage 2 road race in Casa Grande, 5.5 laps for a total of 90 miles After an hour of racing a break got off with 14 guys and quickly shot up to over 2 minutes. The THF boys weren’t on their toes and missed the moved. Fortunately the teams worried about the overall classification worked on the front and brought the break back with less then a lap to go. With about 10 miles a break of 2 rolled off and the Jittery Joe’s team began the chase. The gap didn’t come down quick enough so Brian and Pete threw their efforts in to help after Stefano gave the word he had good legs and wanted a shot at the finish. Brian and Pete worked hard and the break came back with about 2 miles to go. Stefano went for it with the last mile on the hill and got off the front with another rider and blew the field to bits. The attack came just a tad too early as he was passed in the last 200 meters and came in 6th place.

Stage 3 criterium in downtown Phoenix for 70 minutes. The race started off fast and pretty much stayed that way the whole day. Stefano, Pete and Brian kept their eye on the important moves with Stefano giving his all the second half to get a break going. Nothing would stick and a crazy field sprint was on tap. Pete battled away with the Rock Racing train and did his best to hold his ground among all the madness in the last 2 laps. He came into the last corner a few spots too far back but still  managed a 9th place finish on the stage.

Overall the team was happy with their first race of the season with top 10 finishes in each stage and Stefano at 9th place overall. Brian gained more experience during this weekend than he ever had before and looks forward to keeping the ball rolling. 

So far, I’ve been on the bike a good month and I really feel good the entire time. The winter is the best time for me in the Midwest. Once the heat sets-in above 90, asthma creeps up. I’ve never had an asthma attack per say, but after a race it feels like my lungs are scarred and keeps me from taking deep breaths.  Only last year did I take something for it - albuterol, which had too short of an effect. This year I’m going to try a longer lasting medicine. I forget the name of it, but I remember that my copay was upwards of 100.

We had a warm-spell a week back and I was able to get on the road bike for some longer rides. Otherwise, I’ve been primarily on the Mt Bike. You see, I really don’t like the trainer, so unless it’s unavoidable I’ll be out in 10 F. If I don’t have time to hit the trails outside the city, I’ll stay in a park near my house, Forest Park, where I ride a make-shift offroad circuit. So far, I’m the only one on this “secret course”, and I’d like to keep it that way since much of it is to be found on the golf-course. (but I stay off the greens)

When I was much younger, I would habitually spend two-hours on the rollers. You may not believe me, but it’s true, it was Pedro Delgado himself who told me that I was wasting my time. At that time, I trained with his brother-in-law, and taught his other brother-in-law English. His Mom would pay me by cooking me dinner and at one of these dinners, Pedro showed up with their sister. That was his only advice.

Sunday was my first race of the year. The Old Town Criterium was contested on a .8 mile, 10 corner crit and luckily there were no crashes and everyone was on their best behavior.  Even though there were 10 corners, the course was remarkably fluid and fast.  Like most people, I expected a break to happen, so I was on the lookout from the gun.  I was in the first 5 moves of the day, then became more selective with what I spent my energy.  I focused on the Successful Living team of Curtis Gunn and some other guy.  I knew nothing would get away without them, and knew Curtis was super-strong from the Shoot Out, so I tried to stick with him as opposed to the other guy I didn’t know.  I shadowed Curtis a couple times, and then I thought I got lucky by being good side of the road when his teammate went, so I went again.  As per the first 20 min of the race, nothing got to far, but you can tell what’s coming.  The next little move went with 4 guys including Gunn, and that was the day. 

It’s funny how you can tell when the winning break gets away, as soon as it’s gone.  I had worked hard to be in it, and I didn’t make it.  I had a second chance that I blew as well.  The Trek/Landis team worked for a few laps and brought the break within 10 seconds.  I was thinking this would be the time to jump, but I figured it would come back and I should just sit a few wheels deep and save some energy.  That window to jump was opened, and I didn’t take it.  Shortly thereafter, the elastic to the break finally broke, and the top 4 places were gone for good.

Some of us continued to work, try to get away, and make life interesting; but nothing stuck.  A prime was called with 6 laps to go, I sat in and rode the waves, and crossing the start/finish line I hit out on my own.  I threw down for about a lap before being brought into the fold.  I should have hit again a few laps later and taken my chances, but it seems everyone had their hearts set on a field sprint.

1 lap to go sitting 5^th wheel, ½ lap to go sitting 3^rd wheel, 4 corners to go sitting 15 wheel.  (see rant below).  Moved up on the back straight so coming out of the last corner I was 8^th and that’s where I stayed.  Didn’t pass anyone, and I wasn’t passed.  12^th overall on the day.  

Besides missing the obviously winning break, I was excited about the season’s first race.  Form felt good, I didn’t crash, and left excited about the next block of training and racing.  Valley of the Sun is next week with Pete and Stefano coming down.  I’m looking forward to meeting and racing with two new teammates.  Check out the list of registered riders  and keeps tabs on us at the Valley of the Sun right here at THFRACING.com

 RANT:  It always amazes me how people are perfectly content sitting in and rolling in circles, but then willing to stack up $5000 bikes for 5^th place and $20 bucks.  It’s the same scenario of “that guy” (every race has one) who goes for a $15 hair cut gift card and lays it all on the line.  $5000 bike, ER Co-pay, his health, every other racers bike/health, shop front windows from the corner he jumps to get a better apex out of the corner.  You get the point.  Nevertheless, that’s racing and I love it.