For the week of July 4 - July 10, 2001

Two for the road

Valley hosts two cycling races

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By JODY ZARKOS
Express Staff Writer

It was a big weekend for the shaved leg set.

Sun Summit Ski and Cycle put on the first annual Ketchum Criterium and Durance Cycleworks sponsored the Idaho State Time Trial Championships.

Both attracted elite fields and outstanding efforts. And the best thing is both will be back next year, organizers said.

 

Ketchum Criterium

Anyone putting together a first-year event basically has to hold his breath until it’s over. You never know what to expect or how it’s going to turn out.

Ketchum Criterium organizer Greg Stock of Sun Summit said Sunday’s inaugural race went better than expected.

He said, "For a first-year event, everything went very smoothly. It was great. We had about 75 people in the race. Next year we’d like to see 200-plus. The course was challenging and safe. Nobody wrecked."

Spectators lined the 0.4-mile course in West Ketchum throughout the day as riders in seven divisions went head to head and round and round.

The course started at Desperado’s, traveled north to KB’s, west to the "Idaho Mountain Express," around the new Post Office, up past Perry’s to the start/finish by Java.

"It was a good, safe course. Greg did an unbelievable job," rider Don Sewell said.

Competitors rode for a pre-determined amount of time and after that rode two or three "bell laps".

Billy Olson of Durance Cycleworks edged teammate Richard Feldman by half of a bike-length to win the men’s pro class and pocket $200.

"It was really awesome." Olson said.

"It’s so great to finally race in town again. That was the best part. Usually we have to travel quite a bit to compete."

Other class champions were Mindy Knoles, Sean McEntree, Don Sewell, Sima Trapp, Ryan Schmidt, and Eric Carlson.

The race was part of the Micro-Blues 2001 festival hosted by the Sun Valley Adaptive Sports Program.

The event generated $600 for the organization.

"It should be a much bigger event next year," Stock said.

Winners shared prize money totaling $1,000 and received gift certificates and prizes from the following businesses: Sun Summit, Smith, Scott, Ketchum Grill, Johnny G’s Subshack, Bob Dog’s, KB’s, Taco Michoacan, Williams Market, Coffee Grinder, Wirth Landscaping, Durance Cycleworks and The Elephant’s Perch.

 

Idaho State Time Trials

Richard Feldman of Ketchum captured his tenth Idaho State Time Trial championship Saturday.

The race began and finished at the blinking light on Highway 20 with racers turning around near Picabo.

Feldman, owner of Durance Cycleworks, averaged 29.4 miles per hours over a 24.8 mile course (40k) on a sunny and nearly windless Saturday.

He finished in 50 minutes and 31 seconds to best runner-up Calvin Allan by one minute and 49 seconds.

Boise’s Alex Gardner was third in 52:09. Billy Olson was fourth. All had the satisfaction of beating reigning national road race champ Remi McManus of Redding, Cal.

"It shows that Idaho boys can compete with the best of them," Feldman remarked.

Also claiming state titles were Joanna Bieni, Kris Carte, Patty Puz, Lois Lindsay, Eric Ransom, Calvin Allan, Remi McManus, Don Sewell, Kris Thoreson, Scott Hoover, Steve Kerr, Hans Muehlegger, Will Lindsay, Brian Funsten and Jon Engen.

"We had an awesome turnout," Feldman said. "We had 31 riders which is the biggest field in four years. It was great to see that many people."

Race sponsors included Durance Cycleworks, Lehman Brothers, Selle Italia, Trinity Springs Water, Wood River Technologies, Elite, Enervit and Jytte Designs.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.