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 5th wheel, ½ lap to go sitting 3rd 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 8th and that’s where I stayed. Didn’t pass anyone, and I wasn’t passed. 12th 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
About two weeks ago I went out for a normal ride to get about four hours in. I had to go out kind of early because I had to work at three o’clock that afternoon, which isn’t too big of a deal except that it had sleeted the night before. I went out on some back roads that I ride and as I got through Knoblick (yes that is a town by me) It wasn’t too bad. Then after an hour of riding I came up to a blind “T” intersection that had ice on the road and the second I got on the ice I knew I was going to crash. Of course as I hit the brakes the bike shot out from under me and I hit the ice and slid. When I got up my hip hurt really bad so I didn’t think much of my wrist until a mile later I hit ice again and went down hard on my other side. I was so mad I was dropping F-bombs like crazy and couldn’t believe I had crashed twice in one mile. I realized on the next downhill when I could barely squeeze the brakes that something was wrong with my left wrist. After that I was cold and decided to go home and I finished up on the trainer then went to work.
It was great at work because at work one of the 17 year girls was making fun of me due to the fact that I couldn’t put a box of food in the bags because my wrist couldn’t support the weight. I went to the doctor the next day and left with my pretty green cast on my left hand, which wouldn’t be a problem for 87% of the world but I am in the 13% of people that would have been hung in Salem for being a witch; i.e. I am left-handed. That really makes EVERYTHING difficult, I mean brushing my teeth, eating, cooking and anything else you can think of. The only good thing is I get sympathy from my fiance Lori and she’ll help wash the dishes now, sometimes.
Otherwise I have been training normally and I just get a little upper back pain in my t-spine area between my scapulas. Hopefully the cast will be off soon.
Brian
The race started off fast with no moves getting more than 5 seconds off the front for the first 20 minutes. I was able to attack at the first lull and get away with 3 other guys for 3 laps and picked up the first prime of the day. We were reeled in shortly after and I just decided to bide my time. That was until they rang the bell for a $100 prime. My old team mate Jesse Anthony heard the bell as well, and we step back into our old routine of him leading me out. He did the perfect hit-out and I was able to scoop up the $100 with no problems.
With about 15 laps left a move of 8 or so guys got off with a 10 second gap. I saw that most of the teams were up there in the move, so I hit out on the opposite side of the field and bridged up to the break. We all rolled through in the break and things looked good until 3 to go. The field was cruising in on us and I attacked with 2 to go to try and split the break and keep us away. Well, that didn’t work and we got caught with 600 meters to go. I was able to grab a good wheel into the last corner in the midst of some craziness and followed Cody O’Reileiy in the sprint. Cody took it strong to the line for the win and I ended up a close third place.
I was pretty happy for the first race of the season and know that if I hadn’t attacked with 2 to go I might have pulled off a better sprint. The first race on the Orbea was great, the bike was stiff and fast with the Rol wheels feeling smooth. As always, the SRAM work perfect and I never missed a shift. I look forward to Valley of the Sun with some stiffer competition doing some racing with my new team mates.
Last time we saw native son Dan Schmatz, his arm was in a sling and his smile was forced. He had returned to the area to compete in the inaugural Tour of Missouri with Team BMC but came out on the wrong end of a collision with an armadillo in the second stage.
With that, Schmatz’s race and pro career were over. A 1992 graduate of Parkway West, Schmatz hoped for a happy sendoff, perhaps a victory in the final stage in St. Louis. Instead, he endured endless retellings of the ignoble accident, to the stifled giggles of the crowd.
Since then, Schmatz has returned to his second home in Colorado but has a renewed sense of purpose, thanks to his local connections. Schmatz has started a new career in real estate management and is passing on his racing expertise as director of the THF Realty Cycling Team.
Schmatz’s original plan was to retire from cycling and devote himself solely to THF as a property manager in the Denver area. THF and founder Michael Staenberg have served as sponsors in Schmatz’s career, with the 7UP, Health Net and Kodak Gallery teams.
Staenberg also has supported cycling locally. He was one of the driving forces behind the refurbishing of the Penrose Park Velodrome, donates bicycles to the Variety Club’s Bikes for Kids program and is a sponsor for bike teams from Big Shark and Mesa Cycles.
Schmatz said he had lots of time to think on the one-armed drive from St. Louis to Colorado after the Tour of Missouri and realized there was a need for an amateur team.
“There are a few pro teams where guys get paid well but a lot of teams where guys don’t get paid much to ride,” Schmatz said. “We decided to put the money in an amateur team, sort of like an undergraduate program, to give riders a chance to develop, then move to the bigger pro teams.”
His biggest problem was timing. By late September, most teams had signed riders for the coming year. Schmatz’s first call was to Staenberg, who signed on immediately.
“I heard the idea and thought it was great,” Staenberg said. “I wish there was more to the story, but there isn’t. I was sold right away.”
Schmatz also mentioned the team in passing to Tim Kakouris of Ghisallo Sports in Chesterfield. The store sells all manner of bikes and has carved out a niche with triathletes but wanted to broaden its appeal.
“He didn’t come to me for help,” Kakouris said. “But I saw an opportunity. We didn’t want to be pigeon-holed and saw this as a way to remind people that we sell road bikes and mountain bikes. Here’s a guy who does things big, and so does THF. It was a good time to dip our toe in a bigger ocean and show people we do more than triathlon bikes.”
Thus, Ghisallo will supply Orbea bike frames and team clothing, an investment of about $22,000.
Money, equipment: What’s missing? Oh, yeah. Riders.
Schmatz quickly gathered seven amateurs and three former pros, including Brian Dziewa of Farmington. Dziewa, pronounced ja-va, like the coffee, rode for Team Jelly Belly in the Tour of Missouri.
“He’s from Missouri, so he’s got a place in my heart,” Schmatz said. “He kind of got left out at contract time this year, but he has the drive and desire to make the sacrifice. He has the skill set and the talent but not the experience. I want to give him everything he needs to compete.”
Dziewa and the rest of the THF team will ride together in 10 to 15 races on the National Racing Calendar, events that attract a mix of amateur and pro teams.
With the major pieces in place, Schmatz focused on the birth Dec. 19 of his son, Samuel. He also returned to the bike for a few multi-hour rides, just to shake off the rust. He felt pretty good but said he would compete on the team “only if I can be an asset. My main focus is management and taking care of the guys.”
St. Louis might have lost a professional bike rider, but it has gained influence on the sport’s future.
Check out the Ghisallo Sports powered Orbea Orca. This one is decked out with SRAM components and Rol wheels and will be piloted by Pete Lopinto.
Coming soon to a race near you.
BMC’s Schmatz ready to take on new challenges.
By Staci Reed
VeloNews.com
Filed: December 11, 2007
photo: Casey B. Gibson (file)
Facing retirement can be a frightening prospect for a professional cyclist - but not for BMC rider Dan Schmatz.
The 33-year-old St. Louis native turned Coloradan is approaching the end of his six-year road-racing career. But for Schmatz, it’s just a new beginning. The coming months will bring him and his wife, Myriam, their firstborn child, as well as a new role - managing an amateur team for 2008.
Schmatz’s goal for the new THF Realty amateur team, which will consist of eight to 10 riders, is to help better prepare them for the professional circuit. The goal is not to assemble another pro team - there are plenty already out there.
“The team will be made up of really talented guys that will race two or three years as amateurs and then become pro,” Schmatz said, explaining that for many amateurs it’s difficult to go from competing in a few regional NRC events to riding at big races like the Amgen Tour of California.
Schmatz experienced that transition when he became a pro in 2002, and again this year with BMC teammates who had raced a handful of regional NRC races as amateurs in 2006 and began the 2007 season riding alongside Ivan Basso and Levi Leipheimer at the Tour of California.
“It’s like starting grad school without doing undergrad first, and they suffer for a few years because of it,” he said. “My goal is to get these Read the rest of this entry »