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Rocky Hill Roundup - NE
Smithville, Texas, USA, November 9, 2008
Armstrong shines in Texas
By Mike Gladu
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Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) has claimed another victory in his second public appearance since formally announcing his return to competition, this time on the mountain bike at the Rocky Hill Roundup, Texas Cup Series Finals in Smithville. The Texas Cup Finals were an opportunity for the former Tour de France winner to get in an intense workout close to home in the Central Texas Hill Country.
After a dusty start Armstrong managed to avoid a crash on the opposite side of the formation and settled into 10th position as the group funneled into the single-track. A mix of twisty single-track in the woods, speedy fire roads and a few moderate climbs populated the nine mile cycling ranch trail. The pace immediately went ballistic as the lead group of Brian Fawley (Park Place Lexus), Armstrong and Scott Henry (Trek/VW) developed quickly, with Mitch Comardo (Bike Barn / Gary Fisher) staying close behind.
The top three were nose to tail on the short climbs and single-track by lap two, while Comardo was losing a bit of ground on his unsuspended 29er single speed. Trading pulls evenly, Armstrong noted that whatever advantage Fawley and Henry had in tighter sections he made up for in the open fields toward the finish of the loop.
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Seeing a few second gap opening up to Henry, and Fawley losing contact behind that, Armstrong took advantage of the fast section at the start of the third loop to open up a 30 second lead heading out onto the ranch trail.
Fawley dropped back into third while Henry kept the gap to Armstrong under a minute, and Comardo dropped back almost six minutes, still solidly in fourth. Henry marveled at the Tour champion's performance. "It's hard to compete with such a big motor," he said.
Armstrong completed the 27 miles fastest while Henry claimed second 48 seconds back and Fawley claimed the series title with third at nearly three minutes. Comardo was second overall in the series, thanks to his fourth place more than six minutes behind.
Armstrong is still looking to race close to home, but he gets down to business soon with the Astana team vamp in the Canary Islands, November 30 - December 8.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mike Gladu/PhotoSport International
- Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) on the start line in Texas.
- Former Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) got some training in on his mountain bike.
- Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) takes the lead, and doesn't look back.
- Riders lined up at the Rocky Hill Roundup.
- Mitch Comardo (Bike Barn / Gary Fisher) relaxed at the start.
- Scott Henry (Trek/VW) enjoys the sun before the start of the Rocky Hill Roundup.
- Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) edges his way to the start grid.
- Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) lines up for the Rocky Hill Roundup
- Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) gets ready for the Rocky Hill Roundup with some stretching.
- moments before the start of the Rocky Hill Roundup.
- The start was not without incident.
- Brian Fawley (Park Place Lexus) gets the hole shot while Payson McElveen and a Bicycle Sport Shop Teammate pile up his wheel, and Armstrong bides his time safely to the right.
- Scott Henry (Trek/VW) leads the race.
- Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) rides in the three-man front group.
- Bryan Fawley (Park Place Lexus) is followed by Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's).
- Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) rides off the back of the lead group.
- Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) has the killer look.
- Focused: Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) racing the Rocky Hill Roundup.
Results
Pro/Cat 1 Men - Three laps, 27 miles 1 Lance Armstrong (Mellow Johnny's) 1.52.02 2 Scott Henry (Trek/VW) 1.48 3 Bryan Fawley (Park Place Lexus) 2.55 4 Mitch Comardo (Gary Fisher 29er) 6.39 5 JT Cody (Solar Eclipse) 7.25 6 Rick Wetherald (Solar Eclipse) 7.41 7 Dan Teaters (Beans & Barley) 9.11 8 Noel Reuter (Bicycle Sport Shop) 11.20 9 Jimmy Clarke (Bike Barn/Gary Fisher/Subaru) 11.32 10 Craig Kunz (Bicycle Sport Shop) 13.32 11 Eric Hess (Austinbikes) 14.33 12 Mason Quintana (Austin Bikes) 14.52 13 Alex Morgan (Cycle Progression) 17.25 14 Sean Ahmadi (CoachAhmadi.com) 18.15 15 Kevin Koen (Team Bike Lane) 18.25 16 Greg Parham (NRC/Pedalmashers) 23.33 17 Marc Mayo (Austinbikes) 23.38 18 Paul Sacket (Hill Country Bicycle Works) 25.41 19 Paul Burpo (Sun & Ski Sports) 26.10 DNF William Rader (RBM/Matrix) DNF Kevin Fish (coachahmadi.com) DNF Ronnie Strange (Bay Area Schwinn) DNF Chad Harris (Racer's Cycle Service) DNF Payson McElveen (Bicycle Sport Shop) Cat 1 Men 15-18 1 Eric Fleming (Dallas Bike Works/Orbea) 2.09.01 2 Matthew Stottlemyre 2.32 Cat 1 Men 19-29 1 Eric Comeau (Bike Barn/Gary Fisher) 2.11.52 2 Joseph R. Garcia (NRC/PedalMasher) 0.31 3 Kyle Johnson (Matrix/RBM) 1.43 4 Eric Sutton (Houston Bicycle Company) 2.30 5 Simon Gonzalez (Kordestani Cycling) 6.50 6 Andrew Neilson (Sugar Cycles) 16.05 7 Bennett Brown (UT) 24.29 DNF Geoff Mann Houston (Bicycle Co) Cat 1 Men 30-39 1 Troy Fraske (Bikelane Race Team) 2.09.56 2 Jimmy Montreuil (Austin Bikes) 0.46 3 Robert Sisk (Bikesport) 4.28 4 Keevin Sharp (Kordestani Cycling) 4.29 5 Brandon McDowell (Cycle Progression) 5.22 6 Steve Etherton 6.41 7 James Ellis (NRC/Pedalmashers) 13.12 8 Gregory Bauer 17.31 9 Jason Krempin (ozone) 19.05 DNF Paul Littlefield (Central Texas Powersports) DNF Josh Henderson Cat 1 Men 40-49 1 Will Ross (Cycle Progression) 1.23.01 2 Joe Gold (Southern Elite/Sun & Ski Sports) 0.08 3 Mark Landeck (Team Tilson Homes) 0.20 4 Kevin Fontenot (Team Bike Lane/WCCRT) 0.43 5 Brian Zettner (Zettner Mows) 0.51 6 Nick Sheen 1.07 7 Alex Arumi (Cycle Progression) 2.16 8 Mike Healey (Hammerhead) 2.22 9 John Rader (RBM/Matrix) 5.36 10 Forist David Jr. (Sage Cycles) 6.12 11 Bob Cowley (Team Sage Cycles) 7.21 12 Paul E. Allan (Bicycle World & Fitness) 7.50 13 David Mackey (Team Bike Lane) 9.10 14 Allen Zolondek (Team AT&T-Brain and Spine Cycling) 10.17 15 Brian Freeze (Team Tilson Homes/RPM Sports) 11.00 16 Don Losawyer (PACC) 12.59 17 Richard Lamb (S.E./Sun & Ski) 15.51 18 Jeff Hoskins (NRC/Pedalmashers) 19.46 19 Greg Rueb 31.29 20 John R. Jr. (McCauley Bicycles Inc) 34.25 DNF David Svahn (Bay Area Bicycle Shop) Cat 1 Men 50+ 1 Mike Lokken (Bicycle Sport Shop) 1.26.57 2 Robert Dickerson (Solar Eclipse) 1.27 3 Andy Kathan (Mad Duck) 2.49 4 Alan Johnson (Matrix/RBM) 3.42 5 Randy James (Sage Cycles) 4.42 6 Spencer Jewell (Sage Cycles) 5.29 7 Rick Morris (Team Sage Cycles) 5.48 8 Robert Grant Karbo Bros. (Pools/Mad Duck) 7.56 9 Tony Sturdivant (Concho Bike) 8.33 10 Michael Floores (NRC / Pedalmasher) 9.03 11 Arlon Walker (Bicycle Shack) 15.03 12 Mike Kolat 15.24 13 John Howell (Velocity) 16.51 14 Frederic Schmid (Bicycles Outback) 18.52 15 David Rilling (NWCC) 21.16 16 Desmond Rolf Bikesport 29.09 17 Peter Bielinski 33.02 Cat 1 Women 30-39 1 Melanie Etherton 1.31.13 2 Nicole Call (NRC/Pedalmasher) 5.06 3 Tracey Martinez (Team Confederates) 9.25 4 Lisa Hartman (Sugar Cycles-180) 10.20 5 Kathy Karpinski (Austin Bikes/Revenant) 24.41 Cat 1 Women 40+ 1 Mary Hodge (Southern Elite) 1.31.58 2 Patti Plagmann (Bike Lane Houston) 6.31 3 Tanya Woody 16.16 4 Cynthia Stewart (Bike Barn/Gary Fisher/Subaru) 20.08 5 Kathy Johnson (Matrix/RBM) 28.22 6 Karie Mueller (Chase/Velocity) 40.15 Singlespeed Men 1 Peter Stewart (Bikesport) 1.27.45 2 Chris Jenkins (Bikesport) 1.17 3 Joe Graff (Bicycle Sport Shop) 2.02 4 Cody Baron (Team Hammerhead) 4.42 5 Don Smith (NRC/PedalMasher) 5.01 6 Alessandro deSouza 6.03 7 Colton Jarisch (Velossimo) 8.01 8 David Wittoesch 8.09 9 James Balentine 9.00 10 Draye Redfern 9.35 11 Sean Ansley (Team Bike Lane/Woodland Cycling) 11.02 12 Patrick Blanton (Slow Gin Fizz) 12.32 13 Philip Pessoa 13.31 14 Aaron Baltins (Slippery Pigs Bikes) 14.56 15 Robert Ethridge (Sun & Ski) 17.31 16 Ali Wilkerson (BVMBA) 25.24 DNF John Maccurdy (Team Coady & Lewis) DNF David Boulton (Motor Tabs) Cat 2 Men 15-18 1 Nick Thorpe (NRC/Pedalmasher) 1.33.43 2 Zack Hendry (Team Bike Lane/Woodlands Cycling) 0.45 3 Ryan Smith (NRC/PedalMasher) 3.54 4 Cody Ard (Rock Crawler) 8.30 5 Collin Vandivere (Woodlands Cycling Club) 10.26 6 Tanner Novaez (NRC/Pedalmasher) 22.42 7 Steven Lacombe (Bicycles Inc.) 50.02 Cat 2 Men 19-29 1 Chad Hardt 1.23.20 2 Casey Gordon 4.30 3 Ed Merritt 4.51 4 Luke Bonecutter (HCBW) 6.27 5 Chris Martinez (Ron Carter Scion Racing) 8.36 6 Dominic Adl 8.37 7 Christopher Mayes 11.03 8 Clark Ferley (Houston Bicycle Co.) 11.42 9 Ryan Odom (UTHSCSA Cycling) 15.26 10 Justin Berndt (NRC / Pedalmasher) 17.02 11 Chris Lovin (NRC/Pedalmasher) 18.29 12 Gary Simpson 18.42 13 Austin Magruder (West End) 24.26 14 Christopher (Rice Bikesport) 27.11 15 Hayden Gore 41.50 DNF Ronnie Strange (Bay Area Schwinn) Cat 2 Men 30-39 1 Anthony Netkow (Hammerhead Bicycles) 1.24.36 2 Garth Norman (Lonestar) 1.05 3 Eric Warden (Bicycles Inc./Trek) 2.00 4 Ryan Scott 2.12 5 Richard Spiegel (Ozone) 3.05 6 Martin Kovacs (Team Hotel San Jose) 3.30 7 John Cantu (Team Aguila) 3.57 8 Brandon Canada (NRC/Pedalmasher) 4.15 9 Nathan Barnett 6.46 10 David Call (NRC/Pedalmasher) 7.40 11 James Webb (NRC/Pedalmashers) 7.57 12 Javier Elenes 8.16 13 Derek Delpero (Cycle Progression) 8.19 14 Dustin Payne (NRC/Pedalmasher) 8.22 15 Jeff Knupp (Bikesport) 9.16 16 Alex Bernard 9.29 17 Gary Hanna (NRC Pedalmasher) 9.49 18 Emmanuel Gambert 11.11 19 Matt Tyrrell (Mountain High) 12.00 20 Chad Starrett 12.40 21 Drew Richman (Peak Fitness Racing) 14.30 22 Eric Novaez (NRC/Pedalmasher) 16.19 23 Domingo Gonzalez (Ozone) 16.47 24 Glennon Simmons 18.42 25 RC Villarreal 19.07 26 Christopher (Chepil Ozone) 19.33 27 James Koehn 20.08 28 Quentin Dyson (M7 Racing) 21.26 29 Erik Streight (West End) 21.33 30 Wells Wakefield 23.26 31 Scott Marlow 24.12 32 Bryan Rodriguez 24.14 33 Joe Love (Gold's Gym) 27.26 34 Daniel Gonzalez 31.15 Cat2 Men 40-49 1 Fred Gray (Woodlands Cycling) 1.24.02 2 Dary Garrido (NWCC) 6.48 3 Derek Russey (Livestrong/Mellow Johnnies) 6.49 4 Mike Norman 7.16 5 Chris Koob (NRC/Pedalmashers) 7.20 6 Jim Thomas (Team Sage Cycles) 7.58 7 Michael Lieb (Houston Bicycle Company) 9.26 8 Ben Fridge (SWCC) 9.30 9 Samuel Martinez (Confederate) 9.55 10 Ken Hilger (Team Bike Lane) 10.13 11 Brian Workman (Gold's Gym) 10.26 12 Blake Roberts 12.25 13 Chlue Hukill (Mad Duck) 13.41 14 Dwayne Marchant 13.43 15 Robert Sparacino (cinotrio Racing) 14.17 16 William Earthman (Peak fitness Racing) 14.27 17 Mark Pruitt 14.35 18 Fred Willemsen (NRC\Pedalmashers) 15.01 19 Timothy Lawerence 15.47 20 Scott Schneider (NRC/Pedalmashers) 16.11 21 Shawn Harris (Team Bike Lane) 17.10 22 Matt Long (Woodland Cycle Race Team) 17.14 23 John Dempsey 17.43 24 Brian Gandy 17.45 25 John Conwell (Northwest Cycles) 17.46 26 Terry Pitts 17.55 27 Lars Frazer (Cycle Progression) 20.44 28 Alex Hernandez () 20.59 29 Ken Michalek 21.47 30 Roel Chapa (Bicycles Inc. / Trek) 22.19 31 Jimm Schroeder (Bike Lane Houston) 22.59 32 Rusty Hough (Golds Gym) 23.58 33 Gordon Richardson (Bikesport) 26.19 34 Rudy Rymal 26.36 35 Dennis Livingston 28.12 36 Ted Garza (Southern Elite) 32.14 37 Pat Flores 42.20 38 Gerry Nicodemus 44.30 39 Brett Davis (Cycle Progression) 50.54 DNF William Hoenig (Team Mad Duck) Cat 2 Men 50-99 1 Danny Sanchez (Bicycles Inc.) 1.38.09 2 Mark Gerow 2.21 3 David Webb (Hairy Leg) 4.11 4 Stephen McGee 9.13 5 Mark Robinson (NRC/Pedalmashers) 12.16 6 Jesse Valdez (Cycle Progression) 12.17 7 Charles Meienberg (Bicycle World & Fitness) 12.55 Cat 2 Women 19-29 1 Julia Jenkins (Bike Sport) 1.50.06 2 Clare Schoene (Sugar Cycles) 9.2 Cat 2 Women 30-39 1 Tammie Canada (NRC/Pedalmasher) 1.49.36 2 Marie Collier 2.06 3 Jennifer Ragan-Marlowe 8.18 Cat 2 Women 40-99 1 Tami Given (Hill Country Bicycle Works) 1.55.53 2 Caryn Sedillo (Bikesport) 0.03 3 Monica Trevathan (Spider Riders) 2.54 Cat 3 Men 1-10 1 Parker Given (Hill Country Bicycle Works) 28.35 2 Colton Sacket (Hill Country Bicycle Works/WBC) 2.13 3 Keirnan Green (Austin PARD) 2.17 4 J.P. Reuter (Bicycle Sport Shop) 4.45 5 Sammy Pennington (Southern Elite) 5.23 6 William Roberson 9.14 7 Joseph Nederman 9.27 8 Bill Pennington (Southern Elite) 16.42 9 Noah Given (Hill Country Bicycle Works) 17.16 10 Will Irby 28.55 11 Cole Durdin (Ron Carter Scion) 32.48 12 Adulfo Amador 36.06 13 Joshua Canales 36.30 14 Bowen Novaez (NRC/Pedal Masher) 43.18 15 Dusty Hanna (NRC Pedealmasher) 45.58 Cat 3 Men 11-12 1 Alex Ward (Austin PARD) 26.10 2 Jacob Grant (Austin PARD) 0.59 3 Luke Fleming (Solar Eclipse) 1.21 4 Daniel Jaimes (Austin PARD) 2.08 5 Jack Molthen (Sun & Ski) 2.23 6 Kevin Corry (Austin PARD) 7.56 7 Hayden Price (APARD) 15.20 Cat 3 Men 13-14 1 Benjamin Pennington (Southern Elite/Sun&Ski) 47.49 2 Damian Castillo (Austin PARD) 0.31 3 Jacob Sacket (Hill Country Bicycle Works/WBC) 0.34 4 Mason Shea (Austin PARD) 4.06 5 David Cano (Rebel) 7.15 6 Max Molthen (Southern Elite) 7.27 7 Lemuel Ayun 10.39 8 Christopher Willemsen (NRC\Pedalmashers) 12.03 DNF Krendon Reynolds Cat 3 Men 15-18 1 Cody Foster (Southern Elite) 46.28 2 Arek Nowicki 0.29 3 Berenger Grecula 2.06 4 Christopher Garza (Southern Elite) 22.05 Cat 3 Men 19-29 1 Luke Yantis 42.25 2 Russel Schmidt 2.06 3 Joseph Villemarette (No Knuckle) 3.53 4 Ric Escamilla (NRC/PedalMasher) 4.34 5 Casey Stoddard 5.30 6 Tyler Woodall 7.43 7 Aaron Escamilla (Confederate) 8.04 8 Jeff Bonecutter 8.23 9 Ryan Wunderlich 10.28 10 Todd Ritz 11.21 11 Chris Quan (Bicycle World and Fitness) 13.45 12 Adam Hampton (Sugar Cycles - 180) 18.07 13 Cory Simpson 21.50 14 Wesley Aycock 26.26 15 Bryan Atwood 31.24 16 Michael Rahn 33.42 17 Manuel Carranza 34.02 18 Joshua Waller 1.10.54 DNF Justin Duncan DNF Michael Carpenter (Team To Beat Andy) Cat 3 Men 30-39 1 Felipe Alvarez (Team BDR) 43.50 2 Kelley Simmons 0.22 3 Mike Aguayo (Team Bike Lane/WCCRT) 0.26 4 Tim Kane (Team Sage Cycles) 0.27 5 Matthew Phipps 1.55 6 Khaled Noueilaty 2.15 7 Daniel Durdin (Ron Carter Scion) 2.23 8 Rey Vera (Bicycles Inc.) 2.24 9 Andrew Bianchi 2.35 10 Colin Hill (Team Coady and Lewis) 3.37 11 Corey Moser (Tender Gooch) 4.24 12 Tim Irby 4.40 13 Bill Maroon (Tender Gooch Racing) 5.23 14 Kyle Odom 5.31 15 Aaron Zander 5.32 16 Chris Dunkin 6.10 17 Robert Perez 6.22 18 Sean Stokke (theanthills.com) 7.09 19 Zachary Steinke (Team Sage Cycles) 7.10 20 Nick Lucero 7.43 21 Mike Meiers 8.38 22 Oscar Uribe 8.42 23 Thomas Klemcke 9.32 24 Heber Linares (Ron Carter Scion Racing) 10.15 25 Robert Trujillo 10.37 26 Adulfo Amador 11.40 27 Simon Crompton 12.28 28 Mike Noth (Team Nothinators) 12.34 29 Gabriel Vasquez 12.36 30 Nathan Henry (Swingin Stylez) 13.18 31 Anthony Faulkner (No Knuckle MTB Club) 14.28 32 Mark Hoffman 17.08 33 David Villegas 17.19 34 Sean Nieto (NRC/Pedalmashers) 20.38 35 Antonio Garza 23.29 36 John Bretschneider 25.12 37 Alun Wann 33.11 38 Asa Monsey 41.35 39 Henry Barton (Delta Structural Steel) 1.14.20 Cat 3 Men 40-49 1 Donald Nederman (Bike Barn) 46.46 2 James Isaacks (Bike Barn/Subaru/Gary Fisher) 0.11 3 Richard Beckman (ARI-Beck SP) 0.58 4 Curt Wehrman (Team Coady & Lewis) 1.07 5 Tracy Gore 1.15 6 Jim Pearce 2.43 7 Casey Vanderbrink (The Bicycle Shack) 4.03 8 Juan Mejia 4.13 9 James Cammack Jr. (Team Coady & Lewis) 5.38 10 Chris Canales (Ron Carter Toyota/Scion) 6.35 11 Michael McMurtray 7.31 12 Brian Pye 7.56 13 Martin Rojas 9.42 14 Sid Bolmey 12.21 15 Cliff Gibbons 14.40 16 Spencer Hayes 16.03 17 Pete Nava 18.25 DNF Arthur Fonseca DNF Daniel George Cat 3 Men 50-99 1 Rick Wetherald 48.59 2 David French (Sugar Cycles) 3.41 3 Hillman Bailey 5.41 4 Tim Phillips 7.53 5 Karl Stottlemyre (CALICO) 10.05 6 Bill Nelson 12.00 7 David Kobylarz (Southern Elite) 12.28 8 John Parten (Bicycles Inc.) 14.29 Cat 3 Women 1-10 1 Emma Dyson 57.58 2 Avery Dyson 0.01 3 Katie Roberson 0.02 4 Ixzel Amador (Los Amadores) 27.42 Cat 3 Women 11-12 1 Mikaela Canales (Ron Carter Toyota/Scion) 56.50 Cat 3 Women 13-14 1 Nadina Junuzovic (Austin PARD) 57.29 2 Ursula Jaimes (Austin PARD) 2.17 3 Lucy Brown (Solar Eclipse) 10.28 Cat 3 Women 15-18 1 April Cunningham (Solar Eclipse) 57.23 2 Andrea Hazelwood (Confederate) 8.22 3 Ashley Hogenmiller (Austin PARD) 9.11 4 Mary Martinez (Austin PARD) 15.30 Cat 3 Women 19-29 1 Meena Krishnan (NRC / Pedalmasher) 55.20 2 Erika Boren 1.23 3 Luan Roberts 5.45 4 Jillian Horn (Cougar Cycling) 20.59 Cat 3 Women 30-39 1 Donna DelBello (Austin Flyers) 55.19 2 Margaret Nolen (Austin Flyers) 2.04 3 Susan Pizzo (Austin Flyers) 2.16 4 Amy Jameson (NRC/Pedalmasher) 8.39 5 Rhonda Hutson 9.51 6 Colleen Quindlen (NRC/Pedalmashers) 15.35 7 Suzanne Menn (theAnthills.com) 23.07 Cat 3 Women 40-99 1 Carla Rowland (Northwest Cycle) 1.47.11
