June 27, 2011
BISSELL's Weekly Race Recap
The BISSELL Team had a busy and successful week of racing with 2 NRC races and 2 national championships.
Chase Pinkham, Andy Baker, Shane Kline, and Eric Young represented BISSELL in Augusta GA for the U23 Nationals. The time trial took place on Thursday on a 30k course where Chase and Andy turned in top twenty results. Friday night’s crit was in downtown Augusta on a 1.25k circuit. Eric Young confirmed his great sprinting form for 4th place and Shane Kline had an excellent race for 7th place. The final event of the championships was the road race which took place on a 23.7k circuit and included 2 climbs each lap. BISSELL’s climber, Chase Pinkham, had a solid race where he finished 7th.
Meanwhile in Canada, BISSELL’s Rob Britton was contesting the Canadian National Championships. Thursday’s time trial consisted of 2 laps on a 21.7 circuit with 7 turns. Rob finished with the seventh fastest time of the day. Saturday’s road race was a very tough battle for Rob where he was in the day’s breakaway as the only non- Spidertech rider in the group of 4. The lead group of 4 maintained a gap around 2 minutes for the majority of the race. In the final lap, the Spidertech riders repeatedly attacked Britton in protection of their leader, Sven Tuft, who went into win the title. Rob raced an outstanding race to finish 4th.
Back in the US, Eric Young made a quick escape from the U23 nationals up to Illinois to represent BISSELL in Saturday’s NRC race, the Glencoe Grand Prix. He was well supported by teammate, David Williams. The race was a classic crit that came down to a field sprint. In a perfect lead out, David delivered Eric to the line for his first NRC victory! “With one lap to go, Dave did awesome, I couldn’t ask for anything better of a lead out than that,” Eric said. “He led out the whole last lap and then with about two corners to go I just came off his wheel. It’s not too far from the last corner to the line so I just knew that I could probably hold everyone else.”
The race week capped off in California with Sunday’s Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. The five BISSELL riders at the NRC race were Paddy Bevin, Andrew Dahlheim, Jay Thomson, Jeremy Vennell, and Andy Jacques-Maynes. Jacques-Maynes was in a two man break for much of the day which was caught with two laps to go. Bevin, Dahlheim, and Thomson came in with top fifteen results for 6th, 9th, and 14th place finishes.
The team’s next race will be in Pennsylvania for the Tour de Toona which starts July 5th.
June 20, 2011
BISSELL is Best Team at NVGP
The Stillwater Crit lived up to its reputation on Sunday as the toughest crit in the NRC. Great crowds lined the course and were treated to quite a show. The 20 lap race ascended the severe Chilkoot Hill and faced its grade which exceeded 20%. Early in the race, BISSELL’s Andrew Dahlheim and Timothy Rugg (NVGP Pro Ride) jumped away to establish a gap, and with 12 laps to go they were joined by another BISSELL, Jeremy Vennell. For the next 10 laps, Jeremy led the break and drilled it over Chilkoot. The pace would eventually be too much for Dahlheim who dropped off. With 3 laps to go, a chase group of 9 was well organized and able to overtake Vennell and Rugg. Pipp represented BISSELL in the new elite group. The new lead group forged on and never looked back. On the final climb up Chilkoot, the group delivered one last massive effort. Frank Pipp came through with another outstanding performance to finish 3rd.
BISSELL was rewarded for its perseverance and determination. BISSELL won the team classification as the best team overall and Kyle Wamsley won the King of the Hills. The team had 4 riders in the top 20 GC: Frank Pipp in 5th place, Andy Jacques-Maynes in 7th place, Chris Baldwin in 14th place, and Jay Thomson in 20thplace.
For the latest photos of the BISSELL Pro Cycling at NVGP click here
June 19, 2011
Jay Thomson 3rd in Menomonie Road Race
Domestic team’s mixed things up in Saturday’s Menomonie Road Race and BISSELL came away with a podium victory, King of the Hills, and the team classification. The long 100 mile course on twisting roads was a day of attrition that only saw twenty one riders allowed onto the finishing circuits.
The aggressive racing erupted from the start and a 5 man break including BISSELL’s Kyle Wamsley took off. Kyle was focused on the 4 King of the Hills and was able to get top points in the first three to secure his hold on the KOH jersey. The race exploded across the third climb and a chase group of 17 closed in on the lead. The chasers quickly made contact and the new group of 20 included 4 BISSELL riders. With the gap over 5 minutes, attacks ensued, and the lead group splintered into 3. BISSELL’s Jay Thomson made the cut into the top group of 7. Jay rode an outstanding race to finish 3rd. Frank Pipp, Andy Jacques-Maynes, and Chris Baldwin also had top twenty results for the day.
The final stage results transformed the leader board. BISSELL now has 4 riders in the top 15. Kyle Wamsley retained the KOH jersey, and BISSELL won the team classification for the day and stands as the best team overall. The final stage is the Stillwater Crit and has a history of being a race-changer!
June 18, 2011
NVGP Uptown Minneapolis Crit
Friday night’s Uptown Minneapolis Crit was heated up from the start when 5 riders including BISSELL’s Andy Jacques-Maynes jumped off the front early in the 40 lap race. The group was later joined by two others, but as the group’s numbers increased the cooperation among them lessoned. Eventually, the field came back together. Seeing a new opportunity, BISSELL’s Kyle Wamsley and 3 other riders quickly escaped off the front. This fresh foursome worked well together but were eventually victim to the heightened pace of the chasing field. With 10 laps to go, the group was back together and the counter attacks were launched. Several teams including BISSELL vied for pole position. In the end, the stage results were nearly the same as Thursday’s. BISSELL’s Frank Pipp had another great finish for 6th. Andy Jacques-Maynes and Jeremy Vennell also finished in the lead group of 30 riders.
BISSELL sits in good position as it faces Saturday’s 101 mile brutal road race where they hold 2nd in the team classification as the best domestic team. Frank Pipp, Jeremy Vennell, and Chris Baldwin are well placed in the general classification in 6th, 10th, and 11th places, respectively. Kyle Wamsley wears the King of the Hills jersey.
June 17, 2011
NVGP Cannon Falls Road Race
Attacking was the name-of-the-game in Thursday's 65 mile Cannon Falls Road Race. The weather was uncharacteristically calm leading to some very aggressive racing. BISSELL’s Kyle Wamsley was one of the movers for the day. His powerful racing got him top points over the climbs, and he now leads the King of the Hills competition. Even with the multitude of moves throughout the day, the group was all back together as the race entered the finishing circuits. In a tough uphill finish, Frank Pipp crossed for a tremendous 5th place which moves him up to 6th in the GC. Jeremy Vennell sits in 9th place and Chris Baldwin in 11th, overall. BISSELL solidly holds onto 2nd in the team classification and Eric Young maintains 2nd in the best young rider.
June 16, 2011
NVGP Opening Day in St. Paul
The opening day of the Nature Valley Grand Prix kicked off in St. Paul on Wednesday with a morning time trial followed by an evening crit. Wet roads strewn with puddles greeted the riders as they set out for the 6 mile out-and-back tt course. Eight BISSELL riders including Frank Pipp, Chris Baldwin, Jeremy Vennell, Andy Jacques-Maynes, Kyle Wamsley, Andrew Dahlheim, and Eric Young turned in a solid performance with 5 riders in the top 12.
Fortunately, the rain stopped and the sun came out to dry the roads in time for the nighttime St. Paul Downtown Crit. The 40 lap, five-corner course was flat and fast and made even more contentious with 22 seconds up-for-grabs in time bonuses. An early break of 4 got away and held a gap at 20 seconds for most of the race. With 10 laps to go, BISSELL came to the front and single-handedly brought back the break. They held their position at the front for the next several laps but several teams fought hard for position. In the end, United Healthcare got to the front to defend their race leader. BISSELL had another strong finish with Frank Pipp crossing for 8th, Eric Young for 9th, and Eric Dahlheim for 15th.
Going into Thursday’s Canon Falls Road Race, BISSELL has 3 riders in the top 10 who are within :30 of the race lead. Frank Pipp, Jeremy Vennell, and Chris Baldwin are well positioned to take control in the 65 mile stage which has been prone to high winds and extreme weather.
