San Francisco, CA
Team Roaring Mouse whooped some ass at the Madera Stage Race, with two stage wins, a GC win, and a bunch of podiums in E3, E4, & W3 categories! Selfless team racing and tactics played a major role in the weekend's successes.
The team blog has been on something of a hiatus in the post-cyclocross and pre-road season overlap, but the road season has started in earnest in the past couple weeks, first with the Snelling Road Race/OG Merced weekend and now with the Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic weekend.
Merco is a weekend near and dear to the collective Mouse heart. Team Roaring Mouse racers Matt Peterson and Ben Stern swept the E4 races in 2008 bringing home two river rocks. This just one week before Matt was killed along with Kristy Gough (fellow Merco rock winner in and up-and-coming Olympic potential) in a collision with a car during a training ride.
This weekend the team went back to Merced in even greater numbers galvanized and ready to do Matt’s memory justice.
Saturday featured the Merco Credit Union Downtown Grand Prix which Matt won in 2008. The Mouse women threw down, and while a W4 managed to narrowly beat Bev and Marissa to the line for the rock the Cat 3 Mouse women had a win and double podium under their belts before the guys had even started racing.
The guys fell a little short of their goals in the E4 race due to some unfortunate crashes and interruptions, however their teamwork was nothing short of awesome. Isaias and James drove the pace early on while Jeff took Ryan to the front in the final few laps to get set up for the sprint. Despite having to work around a crash Ryan still managed to pull out a top ten.
The E3 guys weren’t able to produce a podium either but Ben, Nole and Seth put in some excellent work. Ben spent most of the race attack off the front either solo or in a break.
Merced was already infested with Mice on Saturday, but their numbers doubled for Sunday’s Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic Foothills Road Race. Sunday’s story was similar to Saturday’s.
The Mice were 10-strong in the E4 race and while playing coy the first lap drove the pace during the second lap to get Josh set up for the final sprint. Jeff, Isaias, and Hank set a fast tempo through Keyes before turning onto Cox Ferry where Hank attacked on the rollers to help shed any stragglers. Isaias took and massive pull with 1km to go to get Sam, Ryan, and Josh set up for the sprint. Unfortunately Sam got boxed in and Ryan couldn’t get around. Josh still managed to get through for a top ten.
The E3 Mice had 72 miles of racing and a big portion of that was some very hard work done by Ben, DP, Nole, and Ammon to bring back a break up the road that had nearly a minute on the peloton. They made the catch with a few km to and DP and Ben set Seth up for the sprint, but all the work realing back in the break left them with little to give for the finale.
Once again the Mice women made us look good and Bergen pulled off an amazing win in the W3/4 race and brought home a river rock. Here’s a video of the W3/4 sprint by NCNCA Racing guru Steven Woo.
Huge thanks go to Tom Lollini for providing accommodations and fast healing vibes go out to all the racers that went down this weekend.
Early this week Team Roaring Mouse racer, Sam Parker, had all of his racing bikes taken from his garage in the Inner Richmond near Fulton and 8th. Please keep your eyes out for the following bikes. If seen contact Sam immediately – sam.parker[at]yahoo.com.
Leopard M1SL
(actual bike – more photos here)
This is a one of kind Leopard bike with Team Roaring Mouse paint including custom decals.
Felt TK2 Track Bike
(Stock image)
Beyond Fabrications Blink Time Trial Bike
(Stock image)
Beer, goldsprints, and trophies. Celebrating the ups and downs of 2008 with Team Roaring Mouse at Sports Basement. Beer provided by team sponsor Lagunitas and entertainment/games by Murphy.
Ryan and Marissa named best road riders of 2008. Hank is best all-around ‘crosser for his relentless enthusiasm for the sport. Russ takes the MTB trophy. And Ashley is the best track racer of 2008. Katy and Brooke earn soigneur of the year titles for the never-ending support of the team and the sport.
Mark Pendleton, father and racer for C4/Wells Fargo, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike Monday, November 24th. A memorial service was held for Mark the following Friday and a reward continues to be offered for information about the driver. Thoughts and prayers can be left for Mark and his family in this online guest book.
From C4:
There will be a candlelight vigil for Mark Pendleton this Saturday, Dec 6 at 5PM. The location is Hwy 4 & McEwen Road. The idea is to celebrate and remember Mark, but also to keep awareness in the media since the responsible party has not stepped forward yet. We want the entire community to keep a look out and help Mark's family find closure.
Team Roaring Mouse Men's road manager, Ben Stern, had his fixed gear bike stolen from Rockridge Bart yesterday. Since returning from Superweek this large white IRO has been his primary training tool and commuter. Please keep and eye out and contact Ben if you see it: ben [at] teamroaringmouse.com
Ben would like the chance to buy it back, no questions asked.
Specs:
Sunday was yet another excellent day to be a Mouse. Hank continues to defend his series lead with a huge win by the biggest margin ever in the Cs. Dane took second and is in contention for the Masters Bs leader's jersey. Multiple top tens and podium from the girls in the Cs and Bs leaving Bergen and Mo in the top 3 for the WCs series. Paule, Tom, and Tim all doubled up finishing up the day riding strong with the open Bs.
Here's an excellent video of some of the racing put together by Lloyd Ranola.
Golden Gate Park Cyclocross 2008 from Lloyd ranola on Vimeo.
Julie's bike was stolen this morning at Glen Park BART. Sorry no picture but here are the spec's:
Watchout for unique red bar tape and world champion's stripes tires (red, yellow, green).
If sighted please contact Julie Bates (julie_bates[at]earthlink.net) immediately.
Stolen bikes often turn up near Market and 6th, Ashby Flea Market, and underneath the downtown SF freeway on/off ramps.
With a full bar and seven large flat-screen TVs, it's the quintessential sports bar with a free-throw shooting game in the back and darts in the front. But the kitchen is what separates this place from the other Inner Sunset sports bars, with a full menu featuring tacos – "Nick's Way" with one crispy and one soft tortilla – quesadillas and burritos. Most nights, Fasanella himself is there providing conversation and a friendly smile, adding to the neighborhood vibe.
The vibe: It's super-relaxed unless there's an important game on, then expect to hear some yelling and cheering coming from the guys next to you. The upside: The excitement is infectious.
The crowd: Students and Sunset residents young and old dressed in their favorite team's gear and looking for a good time with friends and fellow sports fans.
Best seat: Wooden picnic tables in the back are best for groups ordering food, but any seat in front of a TV is a good one.
Killer app: Order the Elote con Queso, an ear of corn brushed with lime salsa dipped in cotija cheese and sprinkled with cayenne pepper. It's absolutely decadent ($3.50). Also, the guacamole (served with chips and pico de gallo, $5) is excellent with any of the quesadillas ($6.50).
Signature drink: The margaritas ($5) are nicely balanced, made with fresh lime juice and agave syrup. Sangria ($5) is ladled out of a big white bowl and topped with a splash of soda.
Also on tap: Beer choices are varied with nine beers on tap and $2 canned Tecates with a lime wedge.
Bonus: Show up on weekends before 1 p.m. and order the breakfast burrito made with homemade chorizo. It may be the best $6.50 you'll ever spend on breakfast.
Vitals: 1824 Irving St., San Francisco. (415) 566-8700. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat.-Sun. www.underdogssf.com.
It’s always been easier to find a good pot sticker in the Mission than a good taco in the Sunset, but Nick Fasanella aims to change that with the Taco Shop at Underdog’s Sports Bar & Grill. Fasanella, who previously ran Nick’s Crispy Tacos and Nicky’s Pizzeria Rustica, has been "serving slow food fast" for some six years, using Niman Ranch meat, Fulton Valley chicken and line caught fish in his restaurants.
When buzz about his new venture heated up to boil, I hit up the joint on a game day—don’t ask me what it was because I was focused on food—to see what the fuss is about.
People were really into whatever game was on and making that usual sports bar noise, which I don’t find particularly musical or appealing, but I really was able to tune them out once I started eating. In fact, my friend (who had a beautiful taco salad) and I (battered Baja fish taco) also curtailed our conversation and got lost in our lunch.
As you can see, Nick’s generous with the salsa and guac, and both taste super fresh. His tacos are now in my neighborhood rotation alongside dim sum, Thai curry, Vietnamese sandwiches and boba tea. —Tamara Palmer