How do you take a really tough race and make it ruthless? Add rain, and lots of it! Chris Peariso got the hole shot and led us into the initial singletrack with me right on his wheel and Christian Tanguy just behind me. Happy to be rolling the slippery conditions ahead of the masses, I [...]
The smart way to start road racing—after 20 years of riding and racing mountain bikes—would have been with a small local race, but the opportunity to do Battenkill—considered by many as the hardest one-day race in the US—was too appealing. Leading up to the race, I didn’t know what to expect. I have learned plenty [...]
For the 2013 Tour of the Battenkill, Gripped Racing followed up our 2012 Win with 3 More Top 10′s and 5 in Top 25! Rob Russell: 2nd in his first ever road race Ryan Bannon: 7th after a last minute breakaway Stephanie Wolf: 8th in her 3rd bike race ever Jason Harris: 20th in his [...]
Kenda Cup West #1 | March 3rd, 2013 | Vail Lake Resort – Temecula, CA | Race Report from Jason Chiodo It’s the start of a new season, and nothing is more exciting than that. Wake up! It’s time to race. The klaxon sounded at precisely 4:30am signaling that the start of Gripped Racing West’s 2013 [...]
Early season races are always so much fun. Every one is so fresh, so untested, so raw. You can’t help but question how fit you are, since it has been so many cold winter months since you compared yourself to your peers. Team Gripped loaded up a few carloads full of eager pedalers and headed [...]
Cyclocross occurs in that strange middle region after the end of a grueling XC and endurance season and before the brief respite of the off-season. For those more skilled in the ways of the barriers and dismounts, it’s a destination with regard to training and peaking. For me, it’s more of a stopover on the [...]
I put my big boy pants on this year, and have committed to racing cyclocross at the “A” level. With this change, comes a change in goals. Getting on the podium? Maybe last year racing the weekend warrior “Killer Bs”. This year, it’s don’t be DFL and don’t get lapped. Even those are tall orders [...]
Welcome home to Colorado, Jessica! Nothing like moving from sea level to a new state, starting a new job, and signing up for a long endurance race within two months. Even more brilliant was picking a race that takes place predominantly above 10,000 ft: the Leadville Silver Rush 50 mile mountain bike race. Probably less [...]
A few words from the crew: Kevin, Jason, Jared, Rob, Pam & Buki who all raced through rainy, slippery conditions for great results at this years W101….. Kevin: 4th place 6:45 I went into the 101 with high but realistic expectations. My finish order in the last 4 NUE races (the ones without mechanical [...]
The idea had been hatched many months before. Chatting on a group ride can sometimes change your life yet not it’s not surprising to us who crave adventure. This photo was taken in September, 2011 as Rob talks to Buki about wanting to do an “Epic” race in 2012… The chance presented itself and Rob [...]