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Mike Horgan Memorial Hill Climb

Boulder, CO, July 12, 2003

By Chris Hawkins

"I could have used more than a 27 on Magnolia," lamented 22 year-old Ryan Lynch of the University of Colorado cycling team. "I'm a little tired but it was a perfect day for racing."

More than a 27 in a road race - it must have been the Mike Horgan Memorial Hill Climb in Boulder, Colorado on July 12th. This epic 18 miler attracted more than 250 cyclists to its downtown Boulder start. The course started at 5,300 feet and ascended up to 9,000 where it finished at the base of Eldora Ski Resort.

The first four miles of the course "eased" along the narrow Canyon road out of Boulder. Somewhat hidden by the jagged rock canyon walls, the benignly named Magnolia Drive was the start, in earnest, of the most Darwinian section of the race.

The first mile of Magnolia was the cruellest, and the first few switchbacks greeted the cyclists like a paved wall. This section demanded a constant turning of the pedals. Most riders chose to stay in the saddle at this point to conserve energy, grinding away at their 39x27’s. Others had shifting problems and had to dismount briefly, adjusting their gears by hand.

Winner of the Pro I/II category and veteran pro cross/mountain biker, Mark "Gully" Gullickson, (Excel Sports) had shifting problems from the base of Magnolia. "I was fortunately stuck in my 27. It just wouldn't go into anything else. I had to get off the bike several times and adjust the barrel."

Mile two’s grades softened a little and provided a slight respite for the riders. Magnolia Drive resident Dan Lewis, 28, drives the road daily and said "you couldn't pick a worse road to have a race on. It’s a Hell of a road. I've gone through brake pads on my car every five months since living here."

At mile four, the trek appeared to get civil as the road leveled. But that changed quickly as the pavement disappeared giving way to dirt road for the next seven miles. Some sections of this rolling path got ugly with jarring washboard. Gullickson was alone at this point. "An official told me I had 2:30 on the chasers when I got to Peak to Peak. I felt good and just rode my own race until the finish."

A scenic descent on Peak to Peak Highway into the town of Nederland provided a sorting out of legs and lungs with pavement replacing dirt. Turning right on to Eldora Avenue and on towards the last climb, the riders could see the grassy ski runs of Eldora Mountain ahead at well over 9,000 feet.

On to the Shelf Road, the final leg, a steady exposed grind of almost two miles awaited. As Gullickson cranked away with a comfortable cushion, there was a heated battle unfolding further back. Sixteen-year old Chris Stockburger (Team Rio Grande) found himself alongside the likes of Jon Tarkington (Vitamin Cottage), Jeffrey Hartmann (Trek/VW), Andrew Mannart (Subaru/5280), and Matt Unger (No.Hair.Com).

All five were together as they turned left onto the final ascent. Stockburger and Tarkington quickly opened a gap on the others and held on long enough for a fierce two-up sprint at the top. As they came within site of the line along shimmering Peterson Lake, it was Stockburger who had the most snap in his legs to finish off Tarkington for a well-deserved second place. . "I had good legs. I just got back from Junior Nationals in Texas," the tall teenager said at the finish. Hartmann, Mannart, and Unger all trickled in within 20 seconds.

Results, Senior Men 1/2

1 Marc Gullickson (Excel Sports)                              1.23.10
2 Christopher Stockburger (Team Rio Grande)                      2.08
3 Jon Tarkington (Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team)                  2.09
4 Jeffrey Hartmann (Jimmy D. Racing)                             2.24
5 Andrew Manart (Unattached)                                     2.28
6 Matthew Unger (Lasik/No Hair)
7 Patrick Sullivan (GS CIAO)                                     2.54
8 Robert King (GS CIAO)                                          3.07
9 Cameron Widoff                                                 3.25
10 Mark Schwab (Excel Sports)                                    4.01
11 Charlie Hayes (Excel Sports)
12 Jim Copeland (Jimmy D. Racing)                                5.01
13 Christopher Brennan (Jimmy D. Racing)
14 Jonathan Baker (Pro Peloton Velo)                             5.38
15 Nate Busch (Jimmy D. Racing)                                  5.42
16 Patrick Brown                                                 6.05
17 Joseph Siciliano (Team Rio Grande)                            6.07
18 Travis Baugh (GS CIAO)
19 Dirk Friel (Unattached)                                       6.59
20 Nathan Schultz                                                8.03
21 Michael Larsen (Pro Peloton Velo)                             6.06
22 Ryan Lynch (CU Cycling)                                      11.05
23 Jonathan Heidemann (Rocky Mtn Cycling Education Foundation)  12.01
24 Billy Masterson  (Excel Sports)                              13.04
25 Andrew Ames (Excel Sports)
26 Lew Perna (Schwab Cycles/Torelli Velo Project LLC)
27 Sheldon Deeny (Rocky Mtn Cycling Education Foundation)       18.47
28 Philip Horwitz                                               26.38
29 Robert Hicken (Intermountain Color)                          34.36
30 Dejan Smaic (AST Cycling Team)                               42.40
31 Sam Horn (Unattached)                                        48.47 

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