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Rocky Mountain Omnium
Golden, CO, May 28-30, 2005
Moninger, Longo prevail in the rain as Albor and Bascio command handcycle races
By Ian L. Lawless
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Scott Moninger had to don a set of dry clothes on Memorial Day following the criterium finale at the Adaptive Adventures Rocky Mountain Omnium (RMO). The Health Net rider joined Jeannie Longo (Vitall/Andros) as an overall winner of the three-day event run in around Golden, CO, where 400 athletes with and without disabilities competed in sun, rain, wind, and hail.
Time Trial
The weekend - which also doubles as the National Handcycle Championships - started off promisingly, with mild temperatures and sun at the Evergreen Lake Time Trial on Saturday. TT specialist Jeff Hartman (Pro Peloton) attacked the 9.5 mile course along Bear Creek in the shadow of Mt Evans to post a blazing 18:46, 21 seconds in front of Moninger. In the handcycle race, Paralympic silver medallist Alejandro Albor (Athens, 2004) with Adaptive Adventures, turned a few heads with a 24:30. Albor's time bested about one third of the able-bodied participants in the event, educating many bike racers about the dedication of our Paralympians. Matt Updike (Team Invacare) and James Watson (WCsports.com) won the HCB and HCA handcycle races respectively. Updike managed to set a course record despite a nagging infection.
The women's competition at the 2004 RMO attracted big names - both past and present, with and without disabilities - to lend a little credibility to the second-year Colorado event. The legendary Longo - seemingly reviving her career - claimed the day's Omnium points for the women with a time of 21:01 to best former world champion Mari Holden of T-Mobile by 48 seconds. Holden's counterpart in the handcycle race, World Time Trial Champion Monica Bascio (Team Invacare), who lives in Evergreen, bested her field on home turf. Finally, yet another World Champion and [former] Evergreen local - Allison Dunlap (Luna Women's MTB Team) - snuck in to the Men's 35+ field to put in some cross training for her mountain bike season.....and a little pressure on some of the guys.
Circuit Race
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Sunday's circuit race on Table Mountain in Golden saw large fields, including tremendous racing in the Junior 10-14 and Junior 15-18 events, dominated by the prominent junior squads of RMCEF and North Metro Cycling. As the day wore on, the clouds opened up and the rain began to fall. By the time the women's race began late in the day, it was a full downpour. With Holden missing the start, Longo wasn't taking any chances and ran away with the women's race, finishing solo in a downpour and riding straight to her van. Local favorite Mark Southard (Excel Sports), took the sprint finish in the men's race with Moninger quietly sitting-in for third behind Max Clauson (GS Ciao/Al's Barber Shop).
The course dried slightly for the handcycle races, where Matt Updike managed to take his category despite completing the final three laps with a flat. Bascio and Watson each tallied another national title with relative ease. In the HCC main event however, Albor wasn't having such an easy time of it. Team Invacare's Krige Schabort was stuck to Albor's wheel like glue and appeared to have the advantage in the corners - frequently controlling his bike on two wheels without incident. The two dropped the entire field mid-way through the race and it was down to a drag race. Schabort made the right move in the final corner, but the gap wasn't enough and Albor came around to win his second national title in as many days.
Criterium
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The RMO finale, set in beautiful downtown Golden on Memorial Day was held in honor a group wounded U.S. Soldiers who were recently injured in Iraq. The soldiers were brought to the event by promoter Adaptive Adventures as special guests, there to learn about rehabilitation through cycling. The event was intended to be a day fun in the sun. Instead, the mercury fell to 40 degrees, and only the first race of the day was dry. Fortunately, the technical nature of the course kept the speeds low and the crashes minimal as the wind and rain toyed with the course.
The weekend for the handcyclists looked to be almost over. Updike, Bascio, and Watson appeared to have no competition whatsoever and it appeared Albor would repeat his sweep as in 2004. After a short lightning delay, the handcycle race was off and lap one saw a six-man selection including Albor, Updike, Arsenau, Schabort, and two more Invacare teammates: Chris Peterson and [Iron Man Champion] Carlos Moleda. How could Albor possibly win a race against five members of the opposing team ?
To increase his chances, Albor cranked-up the cadence on the straightaways and managed to drop all but Schabort and Arsenau with 5 laps to go. The trio kept the pace high, but it was Albor who was still out-gunned. The final 400 meters proved to be one of the most exciting handcycle finishes in years, with a three-up 35mph sprint. Spread across the entire finishing stretch, it looked to be anybody's race. Suddenly Arsenau looked like he was out of it with 20 meters to go when a lapped rider made things complicated. Schabort and Albor dodged right, squeezing Arsenau who appeared to be out of room. As the crowd tension rose in fear of a spectacular crash, Arsenau found the inch of room he needed and catapulted himself around the lapped rider. The timing was perfect as the slingshot effect gave the young Invacare rider the final oomph he needed as he won by an inch and gained his first-ever national title. Invacare's product manager Chris Peterson was ecstatic: "That's good for his head....he needs this and it's been a long time coming!"
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The weather continued to play a role in all of the day's races, but none more than the women's event. With the FIAC criterium championship on the line (and a cash bonus), T-Mobile's Kori Seehafer launched an impressive attack just two laps in to the race. Longo was forced to chase while Holden watched her closely. With every passing lap, the rain increased and the sky became somehow darker. Longo knew the situation and was seen carefully studying the overall points in the Tuff Shed/registration HQ before the race. But the real story was Seehafer, who had no intention of being caught - not even by Jeannie Longo. With three laps to go, the T-Mobile rider began gobbling up lapped riders and it seemed there was no slowing her down. Suddenly, local police roared-up to the stage and warned race officials that a "severe storm cell" was on the way and to "take cover." As spectators scrambled, Seehafer hit one lap to go. Although seemingly poised for an easy win, Seehafer faced a barrage of wind, rain, and hail in the final 400 meters to arrive at a deserted finish line, save announcer Nelson Vails who managed to call the win while fighting the wind to hold the judges canopy in place
The line at registration for the P/1/2 race grew smaller as the rain pelted the women, but the men's FIAC championship race still went off as the course dried out.....slightly. As the only member of Health Net in the race, Moninger didn't appear to be looking for the win, but kept himself safely near the front all day long. Instead, it was Pro Peloton, Sierra Nevada, and Excel Sports riders who controlled the race and the field stayed together most of the day. In the end it was Sierra Nevada's Peter Lopinto with a smartly played spring to win the day and the FIAC criterium title. Moninger managed second place and sealed his overall win at the RMO.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Ian Lawless
- Alejandro Albor rides to victory in the circuit race
- Seth Arsenau finally wins a national title
- World Champion Monica Bascio now has 16 US titles
- The handcycle competition at the RMO was first-class
- TT specialist Jeff Hartman on his way to victory
- Mari Holden was part of a star-studded women's field
- The legendary Jeannie Longo won ther overall at the 2005 RMO
- Peter Lopinto, the new FIAC Criterium Champion
- Health Net's Scott Moninger quietly won the men's overall race
- The winners at the '05 RMO: (l-r) Hartman, Moninger, Lopinto, circuit winner Mark Southard
- The rain pelted racers at the downtown Golden criterium all day long on Memorial Day
- Seehafer prevailed in miserable conditions
- Matt Updike won three national titles
