Last Dance for MABRA and Verge MAC Riders
Conshohocken, Pa., Nov. 30 - This weekend’s Verge MAC and MABRA will represent the end and the beginning for East Coast cyclo-cross racers when both series converge on the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area for two days of racing.Bordered by Pennsylvania to the north and less than one-half mile west of Delaware, Fair Hill is home to the annual Cecil County Fair and is known for its pristine fields, woodlands and natural beauty. Fair Hill's attractions include the equestrian turf course, where steeplechase, timber course and flat races are held with pari-mutuel wagering.
The weekend kicks off on Saturday, December 3, with the MABRA (Mid Atlantic Bicycle Racing Association) Championships, which serves as both the one-day Championship Race and the double-points finale to the eight-race MABRA championship trail. The following day, December 4, the $30,000 Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Series will wrap up it’s highly successful 2005 campaign. According to Wayne Scott, promoter of both races, “The courses will run in the same direction both days but we will add/subtract sections and modify other sections so that the courses will be largely different. Expect more of a tight twisty technical course on Saturday and a more open power course on Sunday. Both days will feature moderate elevation changes, and a good mix of grass, dirt/sand, and paved surfaces.” Riders planning to enter either race (or both) should log onto www.BikeReg.com for details, directions and pre-registration.
2005 will be remembered as the year in which the MABRA cyclo-cross series stepped-up its professionalism and prestige. “MABRA just exploded this year,” says series director Chip Sovek. Yet, many observers think the growth in this year’s series is just a small venting ahead of the major eruption in popularity they will see in MABRA’s next two seasons. With Saturday’s race open to all-riders, a whole new era may be dawning on the Mid-Atlantic Region’s “Southern Tier”.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s Verge MAC race will also keep the circle unbroken. Champions will be crowned at the final race of the year. But for many of those champions, the race will mark the beginning of National’s Week. With the National Championships starting just five days later and a few hours away, Fair Hill’s Verge MAC race will be the final tune-up for many racers. Also, since this is a non-USAC event, no license will be required - so the last race of the season could be the first race of some budding careers. Recreational riders who are fit from riding all summer, who have been supporting the racing of “significant others” all autumn, or who were inspired by the finals of “The Biggest Loser” TV show can experience the fun of actually racing. Junior entry fees are only $10 and Beginner adults can race for just $20, which is less than the registration fee for most century rides. Licensed racers benefit too, with no unattached rider fees for any class.
The most compelling races on Sunday may be for the Masters and the Elite Women. In the Masters 35+ division, Mike Yozell (FORT/GPOA) trails Eric Schlauch (Somerset Wheelmen) by the slimmest of margins, 602 to 600. Schlauch, the 2003 champion, has led the points chase all year. Yozell, on the other hand, has scored five straight victories after missing the second race and entering the Elite race in the season opener. On the women's side, two-time winner Georgia Gould (KONA) leads two-time defending champion Betsy Schauer (FORT/GPOA) by 31 points. With a 35 point differential between first and second place, if either rider wins the race she will be the 2005 champion. The potential spoiler is Melanie Swartz of Squadra Coppi, who is still mathematically in the hunt for the championship, but she needs to win while the leaders finish no higher than 16th.
As always, the 2005 Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Series races at Fair Hill, Maryland on Sunday, December 4, are supported by BikeReg.com, Honey Stinger Energy Gel and Cadence Cycling’s Philadelphia Performance Center.
For more information on the MABRA Championships or the Verge MAC Final, see www.BikeReg.com or contact Wayne Scott at (443) 207-6445.
The weekend kicks off on Saturday, December 3, with the MABRA (Mid Atlantic Bicycle Racing Association) Championships, which serves as both the one-day Championship Race and the double-points finale to the eight-race MABRA championship trail. The following day, December 4, the $30,000 Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Series will wrap up it’s highly successful 2005 campaign. According to Wayne Scott, promoter of both races, “The courses will run in the same direction both days but we will add/subtract sections and modify other sections so that the courses will be largely different. Expect more of a tight twisty technical course on Saturday and a more open power course on Sunday. Both days will feature moderate elevation changes, and a good mix of grass, dirt/sand, and paved surfaces.” Riders planning to enter either race (or both) should log onto www.BikeReg.com for details, directions and pre-registration.
2005 will be remembered as the year in which the MABRA cyclo-cross series stepped-up its professionalism and prestige. “MABRA just exploded this year,” says series director Chip Sovek. Yet, many observers think the growth in this year’s series is just a small venting ahead of the major eruption in popularity they will see in MABRA’s next two seasons. With Saturday’s race open to all-riders, a whole new era may be dawning on the Mid-Atlantic Region’s “Southern Tier”.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s Verge MAC race will also keep the circle unbroken. Champions will be crowned at the final race of the year. But for many of those champions, the race will mark the beginning of National’s Week. With the National Championships starting just five days later and a few hours away, Fair Hill’s Verge MAC race will be the final tune-up for many racers. Also, since this is a non-USAC event, no license will be required - so the last race of the season could be the first race of some budding careers. Recreational riders who are fit from riding all summer, who have been supporting the racing of “significant others” all autumn, or who were inspired by the finals of “The Biggest Loser” TV show can experience the fun of actually racing. Junior entry fees are only $10 and Beginner adults can race for just $20, which is less than the registration fee for most century rides. Licensed racers benefit too, with no unattached rider fees for any class.
The most compelling races on Sunday may be for the Masters and the Elite Women. In the Masters 35+ division, Mike Yozell (FORT/GPOA) trails Eric Schlauch (Somerset Wheelmen) by the slimmest of margins, 602 to 600. Schlauch, the 2003 champion, has led the points chase all year. Yozell, on the other hand, has scored five straight victories after missing the second race and entering the Elite race in the season opener. On the women's side, two-time winner Georgia Gould (KONA) leads two-time defending champion Betsy Schauer (FORT/GPOA) by 31 points. With a 35 point differential between first and second place, if either rider wins the race she will be the 2005 champion. The potential spoiler is Melanie Swartz of Squadra Coppi, who is still mathematically in the hunt for the championship, but she needs to win while the leaders finish no higher than 16th.
As always, the 2005 Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Series races at Fair Hill, Maryland on Sunday, December 4, are supported by BikeReg.com, Honey Stinger Energy Gel and Cadence Cycling’s Philadelphia Performance Center.
For more information on the MABRA Championships or the Verge MAC Final, see www.BikeReg.com or contact Wayne Scott at (443) 207-6445.
posted by Ryan Amirault at Friday, December 02, 2005
