Greetings La Grange Community,
Here is your September La Voix. Assembled on this warm, late SoCal summer day, the newsletter reminds me of the reliable seasons of La Grange events, our upcoming Piuma Hill challenge and Club Picnic which forecast the coming of other events we look forward to each year. Make sure to click through to rsvp for these upcoming events and enjoy updates from our superstar track racer Morgan James, event recaps and summary of minutes from our August board meeting. See you at the Piuma Hill Climb and Velo Club La Grange Picnic!
Renée Fox, La Voix Editor
P.S. Have something else cycling-related you think would be interesting or beneficial to our members? Submit here to be considered for an upcoming newsletter.
Letter from the President
Hello LG’ers
This month I have a story to share.
On August 19th I joined the La Grange Tuesday Marina ride. All was well, Ginny introduced me to a new rider and shortly after, riders at the front called out an obstacle but word didn’t make it back to me in time and I rolled over a detached crank arm and flat pedal from some old beach cruiser. The loud sound of carbon being eaten for breakfast was a clue to me and all nearby that something was not right. That crank arm had gotten caught between my wheel and seat stay causing irreparable damage to my frame.
This unfortunate moment is where my story of luck and gratitude began.
After I came to a controlled stop, I evaluated the situation. I was perfectly OK having never hit the deck or bumped into other riders. Reason to be grateful #1.
Moments after I dropped out of the ride, another La Granger who heard the horrific sound and noticed my absence called me to see if I was OK. What a wonderful community and club. Reason to be grateful #2.
Once collected and the uber was called, I began to think about the process of replacing my destroyed frame. Lucky timing… just the day before I had taken out bike insurance from BikeInsure via the USA Cycling website because they offer a discount to members of clubs like La Grange who are affiliated with USA Cycling. I filed a claim less than 14 hours after signing up for a policy that went into effect immediately. Reason to be grateful #3.
My first stop was to our sponsor Helen’s cycles to examine the damaged frame and discuss a new bike. As it turned out, the Pinnarello rep was in the store that day and helped me to find bikes in my my size and colors I liked. Adam, Monte and Eric were terrific helping me navigate the insurance claim process with replacement estimates and forms. Helen’s and their staff are an integral part of our community, and a testament to the value of local bike shops. Reason to be grateful #4.
Riding with a club like LaGrange offers so much to all members, in fact, my gratitude this past week can be attributed to the community that is La Grange. Discussions on the bike and on our What’s app channels give us places to share things like how and where to get bike insurance, conditions of the roads we ride, learn from other riders, meet new riders and learn about our sponsors. Join me in this reason to be grateful and get involved in our wonderful community by coming out for rides, socials, volunteering, and support our sponsors.
Thanks for reading,
Larry Goodman President, La Grange
Racing News
USA CYCLING ELITE TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS in Colorado Springs, CO. Race recap
By Morgan James
What an incredible week with some seriously tough top-tier competition. Nothing this week was easy. So proud of my performance this nationals. I am showing a lot of consistency through some unpredictable racing conditions. Here are my results:
Omnium - 6th
4K Individual Pursuit - 6th at 5:00.9
Scratch race - 7th
Team Pursuit - 🥈 Silver
Elimination Race - 🥉 Bronze
1K Time Trial - 11th at 1:11.84
I am most proud of my bronze medal in the elimination race. It was fast and furious from the start, and I had to burn every match my legs had to make it to the steps. It’s my first medal in an individual national championship event, marking a huge milestone in my athletic career. Im so grateful, as I have worked so hard for that moment. Thank you La Grange for your continued support and help to make this dream happen! Another step towards 2028!
Club News
Our monthly Womens Ride will take place on Saturday September 20! Route TBA
The September LG50 will be held on Saturday September 27. Volunteers!! If you’ve considered leading a ride, now is the time to step up and propose a route!
Save the Date! The 2025 La Grange Annual Picnic will be held on October 4 this year. The catered picnic, for members and their families, will be located at the beautiful Rustic Canyon Park, same location as last year. We are also excited to announce a new delicious caterer this year: Border Grill, owned by Chefs, cookbook authors, media personalities, entrepreneurs and pioneers of world cuisine Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken! More details coming soon!
Piuma Hill Climb
The Piuma Hillclimb is La Grange's signature event and routinely attracts close to 100 participants. Located in the hills above Malibu off of Malibu Canyon Road, Piuma is a twisty, windy 5.4 miles of uphill nastiness. Max gradient approaches 8% in some areas. Elevation gain is just over 1700 feet. But wait, there’s more! The Hillclimb doesn’t end there. Once you’ve summited Piuma, you will descend the backside of Piuma towards Scheuren Road where you will negotiate a deceptively evil off-camber left turn onto Scheuren. From there, it’s another 1.8 miles and 550 feet of climbing to the finish line at Saddle Peak where participants can enjoy the La Grange Expo, with tents and offerings from LG sponsors. The hillclimb is a mass start similar to that of a marathon where riders will self-seed themselves based on their expected finishing time.
We are looking for a handful of volunteers to help with the event, especially at Scheuren corner. Interested? Contact Marco directly at marco.fantone@lagrange.org for details.
Keep an eye out for a registration link in your inboxes!
Club Events Recap
August LG50 to Del Cerro Park in Palos Verdes
Led by Geoff Loui & Dan Mitnick | SAG by David Newcombe and Frank Whitelock
Saturday’s LG50 to Del Cerro Park began on a warm, sunny day at Helen’s on Broadway in Santa Monica with around 80 riders and swelled to over 100 on the way to Palos Verdes. We were joined by Greg Seyranian, VP of Big Orange along with board members Todd Bernhardt and Michael Wright, Andy Rodriguez, ride leader for Big O, and the FDR group. Huge thanks to Geoff Loui for coordinating these local cycling club leaders to join our LG50! The ride started and finished at Helen’s with a post ride hang at Santa Monica Brew Works.
Click here to view photos from various contributors.
August Board Meeting Minutes
Amanda Beasley, La Grange Secretary, has done the work to provide a concise summary of our monthly board meeting minutes so you can stay engaged with club goings on. Click HERE to read and look for these each month in LaVoix!
Welcome New Velo Club La Grange Members!
Please say hello to our 9 new members who joined in August 2025 (you can find them in our Member Directory):
Sebastian L, Brennan L, Veronika S, Jose A, Cameron H, Joseph P, David K, Lawrence B, and Danny B.
Existing Members:
Please take a moment to ensure your contact information is up to date. Visit https://www.lagrange.org/member-dashboard#myaccount to confirm that your phone number is current, and double check that your emergency contact name and phone number are accurate. This helps La Grange improve vendor access to membership verification and ensures that, in case of an emergency during a ride, a board member can quickly notify your emergency contact. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at membership@lagrange.org.
Cycling News
2025 Tour de Suisse stage 3: Quinn Simmons wins (Image credit: Getty Images)
Morgan James competes for 2025 Track Cycling Nationals for VCLG wearing Rudy Project’s aero Nytron helmet
New Exclusive Velo Club La Grange Rudy Project page
Rudy Project has been a proud partner of Velo Club La Grange for over 18 years, supporting the team’s commitment to performance, safety, and style. As the club’s official helmet and eyewear partner, Rudy Project delivers best-in-class technology trusted by world-class athletes and everyday riders alike. From ultra-light, aerodynamic helmets to precision-crafted eyewear and prescription solutions, every product is engineered for maximum protection, comfort, and performance. This long-standing partnership ensures Velo Club La Grange members have access to the highest-quality cycling helmets, eyewear, and prescription solutions available. Members also enjoy preferred pricing on Rudy Project’s full range of helmets, sunglasses, and prescription eyewear. Whether you’re training, racing, or riding for fun, you’ll experience the difference that comes from decades of Italian design, innovation, and sustainability. Elevate your ride with gear crafted to perform at the highest level.
To unlock your member benefits, simply log in to the Velo Club La Grange Rudy Project page: https://www.rudyprojectna.com/pages/velo-club-la-grange-ambassadors
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THANK YOU to our sponsors!
ACTS Law, Personal Injury Lawyers
APEX Law, Real Estate and Business Litigation
Caffe Luxxe, Artisanal Coffee Roasters
Helen’s Cycles, Local Community Bike Shop
Lee Ziff, Real Estate
Pedal Mafia, Killer Cycling Apparel
Rudy Project, Italian-Made Helmets and Eyewear
The Feed, #1 Source for Performance Nutrition
TriFit LA, Fitness and Performance Center
4iiii Powermeters, Harness the Power
Santa Monica Brew Works, Santa Monica’s First and Only Brewery
