A five-man Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks squad put in a great effort to catapult Mike Dietrich into the front group and on to an excellent finish. The 110 mile course in Seven Springs, PA had 12,000 feet of climbing, making this one of the hilliest National Championship races in decades. The field was definitely scared of the course and put in a cautious first two laps out of a total of four. Josh Anthony tried a couple of mid-race attacks, but the field was not ready to let a group go until the third lap when Dietrich jumped away with two Snow Valley riders and one from Broadmark Capital.

This group was caught toward the end of the third lap and then Dietrich suffered a flat rear tire. A quick bike swap with Chris Peck, got Dietrich back in the race, with Peck catching the small 35-man front group a few minutes later. Another bike swap with Peck got Dietrich back onto his familiar steed, and after a brief chase the duo was ready to challenge the final lap. Dietrich climbed well in the closing miles to finish in 8th, with Peck a few minutes back in 27th. Josh Gewirtz also put in a great ride in his first trip to Elite Nationals to finish 44th out of the 170 starters.

Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks was one of few lucky amateur teams to be invited to this three day event, and the team rode well against tough competition. Before the event began, Josh Anthony, Josh Gewirtz, and Mike Dietrich visited 200 students at the Huckleberry Hill School in Brookfield. The team handed out athletic awards, told stories, tossed out team swag and put on a brief riding demo. Friday's criterium in New Haven saw the debut of the team's new Spinergy Tilium wheels, and the deep dish carbon rims were a hit with spectators and other competitors.

Saturday's race in Waterbury was on one of the most hilly courses in the country with over 500 feet of climbing in each 4.1 mile circuit. The field was immediately blown apart with Mike Dietrich having a fantastic ride to finish 22nd on the day as the second amateur. Chris Peck and guest rider Peter Hult were in the next group back. Sunday's 120 mile stage saw the field stay together for most of the race as Prime Alliance chased a 3-man breakaway. The main selection was made at the 80 mile mark when Dietrich and Hult made the elite 30 man front group and went on to finish well in downtown Danbury.

Dietrich 3rd at Sterling Classic Road Race, May 10

This tough Massachusetts circuit race saw a very competitive field battle it out over 80 miles of racing. An early break of 10 riders gained two and half minutes over the field, with Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks represented by Chris Peck until a broken chain took him out of the break. Thanks to attacking and chase efforts by Curt Davis, Johs Huseby, and Josh Anthony, the gap came down and Dietrich was able to make it across to the break with Kevin Monahan (7Up) and John Peters (Prime Alliance). The win was taken by Monahan with Mike Jones (West Virginia Pro Cycling) narrowly outsprinting Dietrich for 2nd.

Up and coming team rider Mike Dietrich is featured on the popular race website racelistings.com. Dietrich is off to a fast start in 2003 as the winner of the Tufts Criterium and Marblehead Circuit Race. These wins were enough to boost his racing license to a Category 1 classification and he looks forward to racing Elite Nationals in Seven Springs, PA in May. You can read the interview by clicking on the riders to watch link at:

http://www.racelistings.com/home.htm

Stiler Cote Finishes Spring Campaign in Europe

Oliver has just returned to the US from a spring trip with the national team where he had a top result in Belgium at the Zellik-Gaalmardin race. He looks forward to a brief rest before racing with Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks at the Tour of CT and Elite Nationals. Below is his race description:

Zellik-Gaalmardin, Sunday April 20th, 170k

Unbelievable, 11 cobbled climbs: 5 times the bossburg, 5 times the congoburg, 1 time the muur de gerradsburgen- all lined with screaming fans. This was a "top competition" race; I guess it’s a series of under 25 UCI 1.5 races. Zesbergenprijs harelbeke earlier this month was one and today is the second race in the Belgian series. The amateur ronde van vlanderen is the 3rd part in two weeks time.

From the start we were racing the WHOLE time. The gas pedal was to the floor from the gun. At one point in the first 15 minutes of the race we blitzed down a long narrow road, I was told later by a teammate we never went below 65k/h for 10mins there...ya..single file, 200 riders, I just wondered who was doing this damage....it was Quick Step again.. after just 30k we hit the bossburg for the first time. A selection was made over the muur and soon after I found myself in a leading group of about 40 riders. I think half of Belgium was crammed along the side of the muur.

A little later I jumped with a group of 15 riders that were going clear and what formed the winning break of the day. We rode well for about 60k and then after a few more times up the bossburg it split again but this time I couldn’t hang on to the front Quick Step lead group- I was destined for the second group. The leading 8 or 9 stayed away for the win and our group (6) got caught by 10-15 others with just 15k to go.

I was just driving the group of six for 60k before, just suffering, so when our group swelled with some new fresh legs I thought it would be over for me, too many maximal efforts. I stayed with them over the congoburg one more time and came in to the finish sprinting in decent position but totally fried from a hard fast race. Still it was the final and it was no time to wimp out on the sprint completely even though I wouldn’t win.

I crossed the line 14th on the day and 7th in our group sprint. I was fairy satisfied because I had given it my all but damn, I wanted top 10 today and I let it slip by when the initial break split over the bossburg. If I could have returned to one time that day, it would have been to give everything to that moment, just channel all my potential into making that group.

You can only do this a couple times a race and at that moment I just thought it would stay together over the top. The fitness of ex-junior world champion jurgen vandenbroucke is amazing, from what I saw he was a well deserving winner, the strongest of our breakaway by far. When the gap opened on the cobbles I hesitated, working hard, but not hard enough. That was it and we could never get back again, although we were close several times. Well, another top 15 and I’m proud of the way I rode, I think it has been my best race this year- most important I saw it all go down today, I feel I am learning a lot each day.

Oliver

A small Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks squad took on this 80 mile race, as steady rains soaked the course. Curt Davis rode long enough to spring Mike Dietrich into a 10-man breakaway in the first 5 miles of race. This group went on to hold a constant two minute gap on the field over the remainder of the race. Dietrich felt good enough to try a solo move with 20 miles to go, but could not hold on and ended up a strong sixth.

Dietrich Second at Monson Road Race, April 27

The team was determined to put on a stronger showing the next day in Monson, MA. In the 50 mile circuit race, Davis jumped solo to a early lead, but the team could not capitalize on that move since both Don Mills and Chris Peck had problems with flat tires on the potholed roads. In the last 15 miles of the race, another strong attack by Davis was enough to set up Dietrich into a small group. The group was able to stay away to the finish, despite a strong chase by Frank McCormack (Sago Tea Café). Dietrich sprinted to second place, just behind Peter Hult (ProCycles-Giant).

The team’s upcoming race schedule looks like this:

May 3rd – Jiminy Peak Road Race, MA
May 10th- Sterling Road Race, MA
May 11th – Bear Mountain RR, NY
May 16-18th – Tour of Connecticut
May 23rd – Elite National Championship RR, PA