Shirks Racing 2010 new look!
The 2010 racing season is right around the corner. With that Shirks Racing is gearing up for another great year of racing! We have a few new faces and a great new look for 2010 thanks to Hincapie Sportswear and designer Scottie Weiss. With the team fresh off the 2010 Florida training camp all systems are go. We will also have Shirks Racing T-shirts available for purchase details soon.
We are also very exited to announce the addition of a new sponsor. Nelson Building Services Group -For more than 30 years, Nelson Company has been actively meeting our customers’ needs. Our tradition of quality workmanship comes from experience, professional attitudes, and a proactive management. At Nelson Company, we have developed a team that produces quality results on a consistent basis. We are proud of the fact that a high percentage of our business comes from referrals and repeat business. This is a strong testimonial of our commitment to quality and service.
Nelson Company is fully insured and licensed with all townships. When you call our office, you will speak with an individual who is an employee and willing to assist you. We have built our business by being a leader in the industry, and would appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate that we should be your contractor of choice. Our top priority is to meet the needs of our customers.
Shirks Racing looks forward to promoting fitness and cycling throughout the Mid- Atlantic region with there support for the 2010 season.
Resident Stud/Rider Noah Mabry is taking part in his first IronMan. This weekend in Kentucky. You can follow his progress live on raceday at http://www.ironmanlouisville.com/. And look for Athlete 127.
The guys back home wish you the best! Grip it and Rip it!
Stage 1- Individual Time Trial
So the day started very early! 4:45 to be exact. With a 8 o’clock start and almost two hrs of driving it was necessary. Sadly John and I were the only one’s able to make it out to the race. So knowing we would be short on guys we went into the race with a open mind. You know just ride and see what happens.
The TT course consisted of a flat 9 mile’s out and back. So pretty much what you do at the start is open the pain locker, get in and slam the door shut for 9 miles! Simple right? But man does it hurt! The course was very fast as you followed the river. I had a interesting start. I was about a half a mile into my TT and came upon a semi blocking my side of the rode and a barrier on the other! So I had to pull out the crit skills on the TT bike. And squeeze through the gap no biggie =) everything was ok. We were both able to pull off respectable times with John taking 26th and I 18th. Now food and off to the crit.
Stage 2- Crit 3/4 Crit video
Going into the crit we know things could get interesting. One pre-ride lap of the course and we knew right away there would be major carnage. Due to the fact that there was a very nice hill on the back stretch. And after a few times up that it would take its toll on a lot of riders! So as we started, as usual the early moves try to go. John tried on the hill but riders were very motivated to chase. And I mean chase everything! I don’t know if it was the hill or what but the race consisted of someone tries to break and a dude chases it down then sits up??!! Even if they have a nice gap on the field? But anyways I tried like three or four times to get a move going! The only guy who would work was John Spittal from Spinners Cycling Team. By the time there were 5 laps to go the field was down to fifteen riders! Are early prediction was right. Except John was a casualty also.
With two to go Spittal put in a great attack up the hill which no one had an answer to. But on the last lap was caught right at the top of the climb. We flew down the home stretch into the final two turns. And pretty much sprinted out of the corner the whole way to the line. I gave everything I had left and was able to snag fifth place. John place 31st.
Stage 3- Road race
The road race was pretty straight forward. Fast and flat, a day for the true sprinters! Bad for us. Going into the RR I was sitting 8th overall. My goal was to try and move up into the top 5. Which I knew was going to be tough with almost a guaranteed field sprint. The race starting out with a nice couple of miles of neutral riding to get you out of town and warmed up. And once racing got underway the attacks came from the gun. But they were all in vain. The course was just to easy for the peloton to reel a break back in. But try they did.
On the final lap with over 5k to go John made a great attempt to breakaway solo. And it looked for a second that the field didn’t want to chase, everyone was trying to conserve. But unfortunately John was reeled in with just over 1k to go. Sucked! The lead into town was so fast I was spun out of gears the whole way till the last corner! I was able to pull off a 10th place finish. It was enough to move up to 7th overall. John finished up 45th. It was a great race and a fun weekend.
Manny,
More Millersburg Pics Here!
Click for more pictures from the Tour of Lancaster County!!
Stage 1- Road Race
Well the day started out nice and easy with a few guys slipping off the front. And no one even took notice? So before you know it there are six guys up the road with a 2 min. gap!!?? But we thought its gonna be a long, ho, hilly day for those guys. And with a good effort we could bring them back. Wrong! So with a chase of Mostly Shirks and Hotfoot riders for almost three laps we brought it down to around a minute. Then a Hotfoot rider attacked on the climb with Kerry in tow. Which was a God send for both are teams cause that took the pressure to chase away, and all we had to do was cover attacks. Which came over and over! Kerry managed to catch all but 3 of the remaining breakaway to take 4th with John, Binkley, Doug, and I coming in with what was left of the field in 22nd, 39th, 31th, and 18th. All in all decent day.
Stage 2- Individual Time Trial
Sunday morning we wake up to the beauty of torrential down pours knowing we have to race! Not cool but the show must go on. Lucky for the Shirks squad Noah Mabry are resident coach/Triathlete/Cyclist/Sex Symbol/ =) lives about a tenth of a mile from the start/finish. So all the guys, bikes, trainer and all piled inside the garage and out of the storm! It was pretty cool to have this luxury. With a good warm up and some trash talking we were ready to grip it and rip it! J. Bink was first to go with myself, Doug, Kerry, and John to follow.
It was a really good course for a TT. With 11 miles of rolling hills and long straights. A power course for sure. The tricky part was the weather. The winds were always changing directions and the rain would come and go at different strengths. Just imagine going down the road riding as hard as you can, you cant see cause its raining and your dodging deep water puddles slash horse crap ( Lots of Amish in the area). You say crazy we say good times =). Well with all those challenges the squad pulled of some decent results. Kerry being are best GC hope didn’t disappoint coming in 3rd just 20sec or so off the winning time! With myself coming in at 14th, Binkley 25th, Doug 28th, and John 29th.
Stage 3- Crit
So at the start of the crit Kerry was sitting 2nd overall and only 1 point behind first place! We all felt confident he could take it if we just kept him out of trouble. The race started out fast with attacks from the gun! We tried to follow any that looked dangerous. But go figure the one we don’t stays away! With the break looking like they would stay clear we had to make and get Kerry as many points as possible. On the last lap Binkley started the lead out and with less than half a lap I took the front giving it 100 percent till the last corner. I start pulling off and glance over might right shoulder to see Kerry coming and coming fast! And that’s about the time I also see bodies start falling over each other! Effectively taken Kerry out of the sprint. Luckily he was not hurt.
So not what we would have liked for a outcome. But we had a great time racing and a top five on GC. It was cool to have the whole squad racing. And many more chances to come.
All for now, Manny
Final Overall GC- Kerry 5th
Manny- 18th
Noah- 35th
Doug- 39th
John- 40th
Jordan- 41th
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March 2, 2010 7:12 pm | 
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