Brooks 13th at Australian National TT Champs, Under 23, January 9th

Hayden Brooks is home racing for the Australian summer, and he put in a great ride to take 13th place at the National Time Trial Championships for Under 23’s. You can see the results on cyclingnews.com and there is also a photo from the road race with the Fiordifrutta colors.

Matt White had a tough time at Nationals this year, but he had the fortitude to put in an entire cross season including 2 wins in the weeks leading up to nationals. He wrote the following report:

National Championship Elite Race – December 16

After endless debate with myself over the validity of lining up with the nation’s best, of which I have not considered myself one this season, I got my act together and off to KC Kansas for the season final. I had decided that I had come this far, and finishing out this last race of the year no matter what the final result, would be better for my suffering moral than sitting at home wondering what could have been.

Low and behold I showed up to race that day, hitting the first turn around 7th wheel and flying out of it in 2nd. The technical course suited me, I didn't lose many positions through the first lap as I focused on my lines, and kept it smooth. Late in the 2nd lap I crashed trying to hold a long rut, and hit the ground on my stomach separating my left shoulder, and covering my hands with mud, I got up dejected and in pain and relocated the shoulder.

Later in that lap I had to make the call to remover my slimy gloves, which proved a huge mistake. My hands froze, I could hardly control my brakes and shifters, and I wanted to drop out and run them under warm water more than I wanted to finish. "Last race, can't pull out, you'll make it", became my mantra.

Next on my list of bad luck, a front flat. Thankfully I was approaching my last lap, with Tim Johnson creeping up the pavement behind me, I crossed the line for one to go, no air in my tires, and knew I had as much time as I needed to finish the race. I wish it had all gone better, maybe my luck that struck at the start could have lasted the whole race, but I still felt good that I got out there and gave it my best effort. I'll have plenty more races to win in my life, that day I was just another part of the big show!

It is that time again for a review of Fiordifrutta’s finest moments during the road season. 2007 saw us finish as the number one amateur team in the National Racing Calendar points total, ahead of many professional teams. The national championships were where Fiordifrutta riders really shined, with 3 riders in the top 10 of the elite time trial (Burns, White, Dillon), and two riders in the top 10 of the elite road race (White, Dillon). Our under 23 riders where also extremely successful with Todd Nordblom taking 3rd in the road race, and Toby Marzot winning the collegiate road race title with Nordblom in second!

On the local level, Fiordifrutta dominated the New England racing scene with 15 wins, and without a pure sprinter these wins were spread fairly evenly among the whole squad. Cory Burns and Will Rifflemacher each took a pair of wins in NY state, and Josh Dillon added four wins to the tally.

One of the highlights of the season was Matt White’s win of the point’s jersey and best young rider’s jersey at the Mt Holly Grand Prix in NJ, an invitational race where White raced in the break all day with many top professionals. The squad travelled to many NRC stage races outside of New England including the Tour of Virginia, Tri Peaks Challenge in Arkansas, Joe Martin Stage Race in Arkansas, Mt Hood in Oregon, and Tour de Toona in Pennsylvania.

The entire squad wishes to thank all of sponsors for all the support this year. Thanks especially to Claudio from Fiordifrutta whose support allows us to travel and race throughout the US, and also to all our fantastic equipment sponsors which make our bikes the envy of the peloton.

Please check out the highlights of our road results below:

2007 Road Results

1st, 2nd National Collegiate Road Race Championships
1st Mt Holly Grand Prix, Best Young Rider
1st Mt Holly Grand Prix, Points Jersey
1st, 2nd, 3rd Turtle Pond Circuit Race, NH
1st Williams Criterium, MA
1st Balloon Festival Road Race, NY
1st Hollenbeck Road Race, NY
1st Cyclonauts Road Race, MA
1st Housatonic Classic Road Race, CT
1st Whitney Point Road Race, NY
1st RFK Hub Racing Speedway Criterium, VA
1st Owasco Stage Race, Stage 1 TT, NY
1st Owasco Stage Race, Overall GC, NY
1st Faulkner Honda Criterium, PA
1st York Beach Criterium, ME
1st Whiteface Mountain Hillclimb, NY

2nd Fitchburg/Longsjo Stage Race, Stage 4, Cat 2, MA
2nd Concord Criterium, NH

3rd National Road Race Championships, Under 23, PA
3rd Battenkill-Roubaix, NY
3rd Owasco Stage Race, Stage 3 RR, NY
3rd, 4th Fitchburg/Longsjo Stage Race, Overall GC, Cat 2
3rd, 4th Fitchburg/Longsjo Stage Race, Stage 2, Cat 2, MA

4th Green Mountain Stage Race, Stage 4, VT
4th Sturbridge Road Race, MA
4th Lake Sunapee Road Race, NH

5th Portsmouth Criterium, NH
5th, 7th National Road Race Championships, Elite Men, PA
5th, 6th, 8th National Time Trial Championships, Elite Men, PA
5th Tour of Virginia, Stage 4, NRC
5th Fitchburg/Longsjo Stage Race, Stage 3, Cat 2, MA
5th, 6th Fitchburg/Longsjo Stage Race, Stage 1, Cat 2, MA

6th Green Mountain Stage Race, Overall GC, VT
6th Tour of Virginia, Stage 1, NRC
6th Mt Hood Stage Race, Stage 3, NRC
6th Green Mountain Stage Race, Stage 2, VT

7th Green Mountain Stage Race, Stage 1, VT
7th Tour of High Bridge, NJ
8th Fitchburg/Longsjo Stage Race, Stage 1, MA
8th Green Mountain Stage Race, Stage 3, VT
8th Tri-Peaks Challenge, Stage 1, NRC, Arkansas
8th Tri-Peaks Challenge, Overall GC, NRC, Arkansas
8th Kelly Bike Jam Criterium, NRC, MD
9th Fitchburg/Longsjo Stage Race, Overall GC, MA

17th Mt Hood Stage Race, Overall GC, NRC