UCLA Race Weekend by Jeff Dahlen & Kat Ellis
The UCLA Road Race marked the beginning of the 2016 WCCC race season. Held in the scenic hills of Pearblossom, the 12 mile loop touting 1300 feet of climbing, combined with mild winds and comfortable temperatures made for challenging, fast, and exciting races all around.
The day started with the Men C’s three lap race. The group stayed together through the first two laps until a break of 10 riders before the final descent. A pack sprint left Sam Quinby (UC Davis), Ross Kelly (UC Davis) and Adam Evard (Stanford) taking first, second and third respectively.
Shortly after the Men C’s led off, the Men D’s followed for a two lap race. A controlled start held the group together through the first lap, until a group of 5 broke towards the end of the large climb. The small group managed to stay away through the descent. Leo Fissel made a break from the lead group at the start of the final climb, only to be caught be the trailing group shortly before the final sprint. The final sprint provided an exciting finish with Alexander DeRoche of UCLA taking first, followed by Colin Patterson and Michael Beard of Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo taking second and third respectively.
In the combined Women C/D’s Lillian McCormick (UCSD), Alex Reich (UCSD) and Maddie Ward (UCLA) broke from the group shortly after the start of the two lap race. After putting +5minutes into the main pack through the first lap, Ward suffered a flat on the final descent leaving McCormick and Reich to take first and second place overall; followed by a pack sprint with Kaitlin Kimberling taking third.
After a break for elite categories, the Men A’s took the course for the 5 lap race. Breaking into two main packs on the first lap, smaller groups attacked off the lead pack (and were subsequently caught) throughout the remaining 4 laps until the final climb. At the final climb Matt Ojeda managed a substantial break for the win, followed by Sean Burkitt and Samuel Boardman sprinting for second and third respectively.
The small Men B’s four lap race was an exciting finish for the men’s collegiate categories. Ben Demaree broke from the small group in the final climb to take a commanding lead and win, followed by Dustin Denton and Andrew Weitz taking second and third.
The Women A’s took the course as the final collegiate race of the day. Combined with the Pro/1/2/3 categories, the Women A’s was arguably the most challenging race of the day. Four laps on the hilly course made the collegiate race a challenge of who could hold on the longest to the field of Pro/1/2/3 women. On the final climb in the last lap, only Grace Chuchla of Stanford stayed with the lead pack. Amy Benner from Channel Islands held on for second, and Kat from UCSD managed to pass Danielle from Davis in the final minutes for third.
The day started with the Men C’s three lap race. The group stayed together through the first two laps until a break of 10 riders before the final descent. A pack sprint left Sam Quinby (UC Davis), Ross Kelly (UC Davis) and Adam Evard (Stanford) taking first, second and third respectively.
Shortly after the Men C’s led off, the Men D’s followed for a two lap race. A controlled start held the group together through the first lap, until a group of 5 broke towards the end of the large climb. The small group managed to stay away through the descent. Leo Fissel made a break from the lead group at the start of the final climb, only to be caught be the trailing group shortly before the final sprint. The final sprint provided an exciting finish with Alexander DeRoche of UCLA taking first, followed by Colin Patterson and Michael Beard of Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo taking second and third respectively.
In the combined Women C/D’s Lillian McCormick (UCSD), Alex Reich (UCSD) and Maddie Ward (UCLA) broke from the group shortly after the start of the two lap race. After putting +5minutes into the main pack through the first lap, Ward suffered a flat on the final descent leaving McCormick and Reich to take first and second place overall; followed by a pack sprint with Kaitlin Kimberling taking third.
After a break for elite categories, the Men A’s took the course for the 5 lap race. Breaking into two main packs on the first lap, smaller groups attacked off the lead pack (and were subsequently caught) throughout the remaining 4 laps until the final climb. At the final climb Matt Ojeda managed a substantial break for the win, followed by Sean Burkitt and Samuel Boardman sprinting for second and third respectively.
The small Men B’s four lap race was an exciting finish for the men’s collegiate categories. Ben Demaree broke from the small group in the final climb to take a commanding lead and win, followed by Dustin Denton and Andrew Weitz taking second and third.
The Women A’s took the course as the final collegiate race of the day. Combined with the Pro/1/2/3 categories, the Women A’s was arguably the most challenging race of the day. Four laps on the hilly course made the collegiate race a challenge of who could hold on the longest to the field of Pro/1/2/3 women. On the final climb in the last lap, only Grace Chuchla of Stanford stayed with the lead pack. Amy Benner from Channel Islands held on for second, and Kat from UCSD managed to pass Danielle from Davis in the final minutes for third.
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