Masters men battle in Bend

Despite freezing temperatures, snow and ice, large crowds and about 500 racers from around the country gathered in Bend, Oregon for the B and Master races on Thursday, the first of four days of racing at the US National Cyclo-cross Championships.

Racers praised the highly technical course which features a mixture of textures (snow, frozen grass and road) along with a stair run-up, and fast and slick-straight-aways.

The Master's category awarded six red-white-and-blue jerseys on Thursday. Former elite national champion Paul Curley (Gearworks) took home his twenty-third stars-and-stripes jersey in the Master men's 55-59 race. Riding with a wheel cover to keep debris out, Curley easily gapped chasers and afterwards enthusiastically stated that the course must have been "designed for me."

Another long-time racer, Dan Norton (Redline), stepped into another national championship jersey in the Master men's 60-64 race. Phil Bannister, the 2008 champion, and John Elgart were left to battle for second place with Bannister edging Elgart for the bronze by two seconds.

Joe Saling also collected another national championship jersey (his nineteenth championship across several disciplines) in the Master's 70-74 age group despite crashing during his warm-up and badly cutting his hand. While medics recommended stitches, Saling asked for it just to be taped up so he could race. The injury proved no hindrance and Saling, in his final cyclo-cross race, retires as a national champion.

Walt Axelhelm, the oldest racer at 77 years old, was awarded the stars-and-stripes jersey for the Master's 75-79 age group.

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Master men 55-59
1Paul Curley (Gearworks/spinarts)0:48:45
2Gary Thacker (Chipotle/titus)0:00:17
3Terrell Knight0:01:18
4Michael Longmire (Northern Rockies)0:01:19
5Randall Silva (Nob Hill Velo)0:01:21
6John Brown (Family Cycling Center)0:01:59
7Jon Miller (Rock N Road)0:02:16
8Charles Townsend (Bianchi/grand Performance)0:02:39
9Wayne Gorry (Four Unity)0:03:04
10Steve Muller (Flathead Cycling)0:03:37
11Glen Jones (Brazen Dropouts/cronometro)0:04:08
12Torre Smitherman (Gtc)0:04:22
13Steven Lacey (Showers Pass)0:04:30
14David Beals (Cbrc / Nycross.com / Vo Max)0:04:36
15Andrew Ammon (Carolina Master Cycling)0:04:42
16Gregory Pautsch (Planet Bike)0:04:47
17Robert Walker (Bountiful Mazda)0:05:35
18Pete Watson0:05:45
19steven miller0:06:18
20Brian BirchRow 19 - Cell 2
21David Goodwin (Northampton Cycling Club)0:06:21
22Kerry Shields (Carolina Masters)0:06:27
23Gordon Paulson (Planet Bike)0:06:29
24Thomas Sullivan (Rock Lobster)0:06:58
25Kevin Ryan (Socalcross)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Erik Brooks (Blue Rooster/sports Medicine C)0:07:09
27Paul Sadoff (Hrs/rock Lobster)0:07:14
28Richard Sachs (Richard Sachs - Rgm Watches -)0:07:48
29Harold Parker (36racing)-1lap
30James Rantala (Webcyclery.com)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Michael Spak (Schwab Cycles Racing)Row 30 - Cell 2
32Hank Koerner (2/2 Fuel)Row 31 - Cell 2
33David Parks (Mirage)-2laps
34Brian VolkertRow 33 - Cell 2
35Eric Perryman (Colorado Velo)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Steve RappRow 35 - Cell 2
37Robert LuomaRow 36 - Cell 2
38Brad Carvey-3laps
39Roland Goeckel (Double Check)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Scott Sampson (Da Hui Race)Row 39 - Cell 2
41David Morrow (Slo Nexus)-4laps
42Derek GallichotteRow 41 - Cell 2
43Chris Canfield (Blue Sky Velo)-5laps
DNSRandall Root (Evolution Cycling Team)Row 43 - Cell 2
DNSDavid Zimbelman (Zteam Racing)Row 44 - Cell 2
DNSBruce HagenRow 45 - Cell 2
DNSChristopher RycewiczRow 46 - Cell 2
DNSBernard Boglioli (Byrne Invent)Row 47 - Cell 2
DNSBarry Doubleday (Mbrc)Row 48 - Cell 2
DNSGreg Sage (Team Oakland)Row 49 - Cell 2
DNSBob GuglielmelliRow 50 - Cell 2
DNSTom HolmesRow 51 - Cell 2
DNFDirk Cowley (Ffkr Architects/sportsbaseonli)Row 52 - Cell 2
DNFEdward Hamel (Joe's Garage)Row 53 - Cell 2
DNFRick Swanson (Acme Racing Team)Row 54 - Cell 2
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Master men 60-64
1Glen Norton0:42:58
2Phillip Bannister0:01:19
3John Elgart (Webcor/alto Velo)0:01:21
4David Rath (Corner Cycle Cycling Club)0:01:58
5Douglas Cottle (Porcupine/specialized)0:02:05
6John Rubcic (Uc Cyclery/jw Flooring)0:02:14
7Dan Meyer (Bikery)0:02:17
8Lee Waldman (Green Mountain Sports Velo)0:02:19
9Frank Cuaresma (Cal Giant Farms)0:02:40
10Ron Strasser (Team S&m)0:02:52
11Don Leet (Sunnyside Sports)0:03:41
12Robert Ogren (Kenwood Racing)0:03:59
13Russell Speirn (Portland Velo)0:06:14
14Richard Bagienski (3d Racing)0:07:37
15Hal Woodruff0:08:05
DNSLewis Rollins (Contender Bicycle)Row 15 - Cell 2
DNSRick Abbott (Excelsports.com)Row 16 - Cell 2
DNSAllan MarvinRow 17 - Cell 2
DNSRic Kellen (Mako/mellow Motors)Row 18 - Cell 2
DNSEdward LantonRow 19 - Cell 2
DNSHank Mini (Mad Cat)Row 20 - Cell 2
DNSJoseph Myers (Two Wheeler/specialized)Row 21 - Cell 2
DNSRichard Wall (Kauai Bicycle Club)Row 22 - Cell 2
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Master men 65-69
1James Wagner (Cycle Therapy 4 Corners)0:47:15
2Robert Llamas (Montrose Bike Shop)0:01:07
3Robert Lea (T.e.a.m. Fuji)0:01:23
4Richard Marantz0:02:43
5Loren Hettinger0:03:18
6Gary DeVoss (San Diego Cyclo-vets)0:03:36
7Mike Macdonald (Jaeger Wheelmen)0:06:20
8David Gustafson0:06:57
9Philip Thompson (Mvbc/dick Sonne's Racing)Row 8 - Cell 2
10R Lee Willmore (Celo Pacific)Row 9 - Cell 2
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Master men 70-74
1Joe Saling (Team Somerset Van Dessel)0:43:27
2Erik Nordenson0:00:25
3Herbert Bates (Nault's Cyclery/naults.com)0:06:23
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Master men 75+
1Walter Axthelm (Dccx)0:44:35
2Ronald Riley (Team Santa Cruz (scccc))0:02:26

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