Colavita Juniors at Nationals

Congratulations to the Colavita juniors who raced at this year's Nationals Championships in Bend, OR. There was some really tough racing going on with huge fields of riders from all over the country. The racers from Florida were said to have traveled the farthest to get to Nationals, from the most southeastern state all the way across the country to Oregon. Anselm Teather, Christian Teather, Casey Braga, Jos Chalmers and Michelle Blake each lined up for their races confident in their training and hoping to do their very best. Crashes, heat, and lack of humidity held back some riders during Tuesday's Road Races but after a couple days rest (and a little bit of team fun including a trip to Crater Lake) they were back and ready to race the Time Trial. Anselm and Christian both suffered from mishaps during their races but still pulled through and finished. Casey came across the line in 2nd place but as more riders came he settled for 13th out of the 57 racers in his field, a great feat. Michelle broke the top ten in her category and Jos came across with a strong finish for his 24k time trial. The following morning Michelle made podium during the criterium, only a few bike lengths behind first in the sprint finish. Casey and Jos had difficulty staying with their extremely fast fields but stayed in the race long enough to place. Great Job to everyone, you made Colavita and Florida proud just by being there.

Results

Road Race July 28th

Men 10-12

Anslem Teather 19th

Women 13-14
Michelle Blake 17th

Men 13-14

Casey Braga 31st (crashed and chased)

Christian Teather 35th

Men 15-16
Jos Chalmers DNF (caught behind crash and chased)

Time Trial July 31st

Men 10-12

Anselm Teather 17th 21:38

Women 13-14
Michelle Blake 9th 21:37

Men 13-14

Casey Braga 13th 18:19

Christian Teather 57th 24:58

Men 15-16

Jos Chalmers 41st 40:04

Criterium August 1st

Women 13-14
Michelle Blake 4th

Men 13-14
Casey Braga 27th

Men 15-16
Jos Chalmers 46th

Good job to the Florida racers among those on the top step at this year's nationals. Jackie Crowell (U23 Women, Team Type 1), Jackie Kurth (Women 17-18, Team Kenda), and Ciera Hopkins (Women 10-12, Team ORC) are our new National Champions in the Sunshine State.

Lost Vest

If anyone has seen a Colavita wind vest, please return it to Diane Blake. It was lost during out Dahlonega Team Trip and she would like it back.

More Photos From Dahlonega

Everyone got up early for a great breakfast made by the Hostel owner, Leigh

Waiting in the hostel parking lot to get out on the road

John-Paul Russo leads the pack of junior riders. Look at all those Colavita Jerseys

Jay Major is unsure about the coming mountain as Tracy Mullins rides alongside the pack keeping riders in line.

After the ride everyone enjoyed sitting on the back porch just talking.

Tracy Mullins had the right idea: A watermelon in each hand

Ashlyn Gerber can't help but smile as she eats her slice of juicy watermelon

Jos and Brandon, fighting over which one of them would catch the goldfish in their mouth

John-Paul Russo and Jos Chalmers engaged in a difficult chess match. We are still unsure of the winner because apparently Jos isn't as good at chess as he is cycling, and cheats; according to JP.

Jay Major offers enthusiasm and support to this teammate, Christian Teather, while he climbs Brasstown Bald

Dean and Taylor Warren smiling for a photo after both completing the climb to the top of Brasstown Bald

Our Colavita juniors looking over the balcony of the observatory, from the highest point in Georgia

What a view!

Riders line up behind the car to fill up their bottles at the top of Unicoi

Michelle Blake hands her bottle off to Diane Blake while up Hogpen Gap, to have it filled with gatorade for the last mile of the climb

Saturday night, everyone relaxed in the living room after a hard days ride, watching the Tour de France before heading to bed

Photo Credits: Jeff Major, Dean Warren, Michelle Blake

Dahlonega Team Weekend

Dahlonega, what a great team weekend! I was going to write my version of the ride but I think I'll just give you the short bites.

• The drive up and back was special, what with when's-dinner-I'm-hungry-Brad, not-on-my-legs-Brandon and I'm-totally-innocent-Michelle. Yeah, a real three ring circus.
• How much food keeps 21 people happy? About $200 worth at Wally World.
• Jeff Major is REALLY brave to sit quietly while I tear around the mountain curves and chase the riders.
• I don't know what Eddie says, but he has a golden ability to motivate kids to excel on the climbs.
• Ian is the Colavita version of a mountain goat. He was flying up the mountains.
• Christian, Taylor, Dean, and Ian deserve special note for climbing Brasstown Bald after doing the three gaps. Anselm gamely tried, but was defeated by the steep grade. Don't feel bed, Anselm, your mom's van didn't see humor in the climb either...
• I NEVER heard a complaint about the climbs or anything all weekend.
• On Saturday morning when we first left the Hostel and all the juniors were in team kits, riding toward Turner's Corner in a two-abreast formation, all I could think of was "WOW, IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!"

Thank you very much to the parents for driving up and all the help.
And, thank you very much to the juniors for doing such a grand job on the mountains
Diane Blake

Taylor Warren
The trip to Georgia for me was amazing. Being the new guys, I was a little skeptical but I decided to go on the trip not really knowing what to expect. Riding in the mountains was crazy intense, I had to give a lot to push it to the top. Once at the summit of a gap though, there's no better feeling of accomplishment. Descending is wicked fun too!
Not only did I get stronger riding the mountains but I think I bonded with the team in ways I couldn't have done without the trip. At the hostel there was lots fun, from playing manhunt to trying to start a fire. I also loved the way the team encourages each other to fight to the top. The Georgia weekend is something I will remember for a long time.

Zoe Mullins

Dahlonega was great. It was my first time climbing up a mountain and I was really nervous. Saturday I climbed up Neels and Woody gaps. Neels gap was pretty hard, plus it was my first ever climb, and Woody was pretty easy. I didn't descend Neels, but I did go down Woodys which was really fun and my favorite part of the weekend. Sunday I climbed up Jacks and Unicoi gap. Jacks gap to me was pretty hard and long and Unicoi was kind of hard and short. I descended Jacks gap, and it was fun to do, I didn't descend Unicoi though. I was very happy when I made it to the top of Neels gap on Saturday because it was a big accomplishment to me. It was also fun that weekend to spend time with the team and overall I think this was a great experience.

Michelle Blake
Team Colavita; will the fun times never end? I sure hope not.
Another weekend gone by with our fabulous team, this time in Dahlonega, GA to work on our mountain climbing skills. As a true Floridian, my world of cycling pretty much consists of flat and fast so heading into the hills was a big change in terrain. But I was looking forward to it anyways.
The car ride up proved to be another epic one. Both Brandon Forman and Bradley Gordon outright stated that they were going to be in our car, no matter what, making for a very entertaining ride. There are two things that are now common knowledge on our team that had the effect of making it so fun. One is that we have been campaigning for what seems almost forever to get Brandon to shave his legs like a normal cyclist. Illustrating the benefits and joys of cutting away that wild forest of hair that men like to cultivate on their legs. And two, it has become widely known the story of what I did to Casey Braga when he fell asleep in the car on the last trip to Dahlonega. Basically, every guy on the team is scared to death of me and my makeup kit. So put those two together plus my mom and you've got yourself a three ring circus on wheels...
To Read More of this Summary Click Here

Photos from the weekend:

Jeff Major: Picasa

Dean Warren: Facebook

Michelle Blake: Picasa

Orlando Time Trial #6

After a long weekend of riding in Dahlonega Georgia (Summary coming soon) many of our Colavita racers still showed up for this month's time trial out at the international airport. Good job everyone and thank you Dean Warren for taking photos of our riders.


Results
John-Paul Russo 7th 33:51
Bradley Gordon 9th 34:10
Jos Chalmers 11th 34:55
Taylor Warren 14th 35:56
Neville Brabrook 21st 38:58
Zoe Mullins 23rd 47:13

More Photos Here:
Dean Warren's Facebook
(You will have to be logged into facebook to see them)

Track Nationals

Congratulations to Anselm Teather, who participated in the Junior Track Nationals in Carson, CA. Anselm had to attend a camp at the velodrome to be qualified to race on the 45 degree wooden track and then was out there giving it his best with other juniors from around the country. In the 500 meter Time Trial he placed 9th, and finished 8th in the 2K scratch race as well. Great Job!

Lake Country Stage Race

Saturday

Criterium

Junior 10-12
Anselm Teather 1st
James Mertens 3rd
Zoe Mulins 4th

Junior 13-14
Jay Major 1st
Kyle Deschenes 4th
Briana Luthman 5th

Junior 15-16
Bradley Gordon 5th
Jos Chalmers 7th

Junior 17-18
Brandon Forman 5th
Ian McGauvran 8th

Category 4
Ian McGauvran 4th

Women 4
Michelle Blake 6th

Sugarloaf Time Trial

Junior 10-12
James Mertens 2nd 32:24
Zoe Mullins 3rd 37:09

Junior 13-14
Jay Major 1st 23:09
Kyle Deschenes 3rd 29:37
Briana Luthman 4th 33:27

Junior 15-16
Jos Chalmers 1st 20:52
Bradley Gordon 7th 23:18

Junior 17-18
Brandon Forman 6th 26:04

Category 4
Ian McGauvran 15th 25:02

Sunday

Road Race

Junior 10-12
Anselm Teather 1st
James Mertens 3rd
Zoe Mullins 4th

Junior 13-14
Casey Braga 1st
Jay Major 2nd
Kyle Deschenes 5th

Junior 15-16
Bradley Gordon 2nd
Jos Chalmers 3rd

Junior 17-18
Ian McGauvran 7th
Brandon Forman 8th

Category 4
Casey Braga 8th

General Classification

Junior 10-12
James Mertens 2nd
Zoe Mullins 3rd

Junior 13-14
Jay Major 1st
Kyle Deschenes 3rd

Junior 15-16
Jos Chalmers 1st
Bradley Gordon 6th

Junior 17-18
Brandon Forman 6th

Lake Louisa 6/16/09

Congratulations to our Team Colavita juniors who participated in tonight's Lake Louisa Training Crit. Racers Bradley Gordon and Casey Braga placed second and third in the category "B", surviving the driving rain that slickened the roads and made visibility hard. Here is a list of everyone else on the team who also braved the lightning and thunder to give Colavita a good showing.

Category A
John-Paul Russo

Category B
Bradley Gordon
Casey Braga
Ian McGauvran
Brandon Forman
Taylor Warren
Michelle Blake
Zoe Mullins

Also, we would like to welcome Taylor Warren to team Colavita. Great job in your second road race and we look forward to riding with you more.