PLATINUM CAT 3 RACE REPORTS

POOR COLLEGE KIDS ROAD RACE

A beautiful back country Road Race put on my UCSB in Santa Ynez wine country. The course was two laps on a 33 mile out and back course that featured one little riser in the midst of false flats. Chester Gillmore, Steve Smith, Ron Takeda, Jason Hannon, and Steve Boelter were the three Santa Barbara Local Platinum Performance Cycling Team representatives in the Cat 3 race. The race started at a leisurely piano cruise the first 15 miles. So slow, in fact, they were neutralized as the Cat 5 field came barreling through and overtook them. The temperature was rising and winds were beginning to pick up: today was going to be a long hot day. There were several short lived attacks coming into the turn around, but the long decent made it difficult for any move to stick. Climbing back towards the hill the pace slowed to a crawl, as riders hid from the cross wind and prepared themselves for the short climb that was eminent. Platinum Rider Steve Smith seized the opportunity to come to from and begin to slowly ramp up the pace with team mate Chester Gillmore right on his wheel. The field was content to let him to the work and slowly as the pack began to string out Chester attacked.By the time he had crested the climb there were an handful in tow including Team mate Ron Takeda and two local Chicken Ranchers. They got organized quickly, began working together and before long had gained a minute on the field. There were several attacks in the break and at one point a group of 4 riders(Jonathan Baskin, Joespech Ainsworth, Chester Gillmore and UCLA Rider) had established 40 seconds on the rest of the break. Chester and Jonathon shed Joeseph and the UCLA rider before long, but the the long decent on the back side proved to be their demise. They waited for the two in the hopes that the 4 could make it together, but it was to no avail. The break overtook them about 2k from the turn around, with the main field only 20 seconds behind. Feeling the heat of the field nipping at their ankles the break responded and kicked it up a notch at the same time as the field gave up the chase. The run up to the last climb was anything but easy. Riders were getting shelled from the break left and right and it seemed as though no one was willing to work. Everyone switch into survival mode and crawled deeper into the pain locker. One rider (Jonathan Baskin) took a pull at the front and just kept on going. With the Break on the brink and only 3 or 4 riders willing to work his gap quickly grew. The last climb saw the break drop at least 5 riders and they were now 10 riders with 1 off the front. At this point it became everyman for himself: the Break seemed content sprinting for 2nd. Several attempted attacks on the long downhill run into the finish from Chester Gillmore and others never made it more then 5 bike lengths. The Sprint was almost in slow motion as most of the riders were gassed. Ron Takeda got nudged out into the dirt and finished 9th. Chester, tired from the days effort finished 11th. A tremendous display of sporting prowess from from the Platinum Performance Cycling Team who were instrumental in the establishment and success of the winning break. They rode well as a team, clearly were the dominant presence and further illustrated the fact that Santa Barbara has some of the best cylcing talent in all of California.

MOTHBALLS RACE REPORT

Platinum Performance had a strong presence in the first Criterium of the year promoted by Echelon Santa Barbara and appropriately titled "Mothballs". Chester Gillmore, Steve Smith, Ron Tekada, John Orach, Peter, and Brandon Droese. The Platinum boys rode well with representation in every move that jumped off the front. At 6 laps to go they took complete controll of the race with Steve Smith and John Orach going pull for pull on the front, stringing out the pack keepin the race safe and discouraging and surges or attacks. With half a lap to go Chester Gillmore Jumped with the furry of a thousand flaming spears hurtling through the still starry Serengeti night sky. Although this wasn't the Serengeti and it wasn't night: It was 11:00 in Goleta Ca. Rounding the final corner Chester held a 20 ft gap with LaGrange 200lb beast of a crit monger "Bubba" desperately closing the gap for their Sprinter Statton Easter. Chester was Caught and swarmed inside 25M but mustered the strength to hang on for 9th. Ron Takeda Sprinted for 4th. Another excellent display of team work by Platinum Performance Cycling Team's Cat 3 squad. They showed up with a plan, executed it with razor like precision showing once again why they are quickly being dubbed the worlds strongest, most handsome Cat 3 team to ever to roll the tarmac. Here is what an anonymous local spectator had to say "Those platinum boys looked so good out there I almost forgot that I was watching an amature bicycle race. It was like watching the world championships of cycling and the worlds most handsome man competition at the same time. Truly a spectacular, life changing event to witness."







All Photos Courtesy of Goodman Graphic