California’s Troupe Racing Co are counting down the days to their marathon debut for 2011 at the Mountain Bike Pow Wow on March 20, and have tuned up for the event with a mix of 24 hour and XC racing.
Despite the team’s attention to racing, they recently joined in with efforts in California to support Tyler Blick’s battle against cancer. The son of Oakley marketing manager Steve Blick is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia and has received widespread support from both the road cycling and mountain-bike community. Earlier this year Steve Blick reported that Tyler was responding well to his treatment.
Like many Californian mountain bike racers, the team’s first major event of the season was the 24 hours of Old Pueblo on February 19-20. Winter made sure it wouldn’t be ignored with cold temperatures, win and rain endured by the entire field. Jeff Reznik and Mykyta Yurtyn claimed 10th and 15th in the solo class, respectively. The team also picked up 13th in the men’s pairs event.
Troupe also took to the short course for the first round of the Kenda Cup – The Sagebrush Safari XC. Again winter played a roll in the racing, with the course covered in 5-6″ of snow the night before the event. Organisers made a last-minute decision to alter the route in the interests of rider safety, but Michelle VanGilder, Willie Zuckerman, Laura Knight and Tim VanGilder all taking to the snow-covered startline.
The team survived twelve, 2-3ft stream crossings and rivers of mud to secure three podium results. Zuckerman claimed first in her category, with Knight and Michelle VanGilder securing second and third in their respective race groups.
The team’s next major objective will be the Mountain Bike Pow Wow (vision quest / counting coup), with a number of riders on the team making the event their spring target race. Those targeting a strong result at the Pow Wow will take to the trails of the Solvang Century as part of a mini training camp.
You can stay posted on the team’s progress on their website or by following them on Twitter.