March 1, 2020

VeloClub Lagrange

La Voix - March 2020

March 1, 2020

VeloClub Lagrange

Click on a blue link to go to that section of La Voix

2020 Castelli Kit Order Update

2020 La Grange Cup Dates

February LG50 Ride

Team Camp Report By Cara Applegate

Race Reports

New Members

Castelli Kit Order Update

The original shipping date for the 2020 kit was the end of February, which has come and gone. Castelli has been providing the Board with updates on the delay. The bottom line is that some items will be ready to ship within a few days and some items will not be ready to ship by the middle of April. Castelli wanted to know if we thought members would prefer to wait to receive all of their items at the same time or y’all would prefer to receive an item as soon as it is ready to ship, which means most members will multiple shipments, at Castelli’s expense. The Board communicated to Castelli that we thought members would want to receive items as soon as they are ready so everyone will be receiving multiple shipments from Castelli.

2020 La Grange Cup Dates

The dates have been tentatively set for the 2020 La Grange Cup Series. The dates are:

20k TT: Saturday, May 30th
500 Meter Sprint: Sunday, August 2nd
Piuma Hill Climb: Saturday, Sept 26th, with the annual club picnic following at noon.

In case you think it is too early to start training, you might want to know that you are probably racing for 2nd place in the TT since one member, in particular, has been putting in some serious training with his self-tracking drone.

February LG 50 Ride

LG 50 is the name of the monthly La Grange social rides that started as the “50 for 50 rides. Marco Fantone created the route, which was ridden in reverse, through the city, up to the Griffith Park Observatory, west on Mulholland to Skirball and down Sepulveda to Santa Monica Brew Works. Thank you to Jaycee Cary for the ride leadership, to Marc Lewinstein for providing SAG, and to Geoff Lui and Emily Conant for providing the photos.

Team Camp Report by Cara Applegate

The new year is well behind us and many cyclists are deep into their carefully planned 2020 bicycle training journeys. Team Velo Club La Grange, fully aware that rubbing's racing, intervals for flat tire changes can be just as important as VOmax efforts, and nothing beats the wiley perils of the choice of not one but two post-ride apple pie shoppes, hosted a team camp in the mountain mining town of Julian, California the second weekend of January. Guys and gals of varying racing categories and backgrounds gathered together to celebrate all things bicycle, build and strengthen relationships, and learn learn learn about bike driving, road racing and each other. A successful weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the teeming city we call home would give each and every La Granger present more insight into the vastly complicated, always nuanced, and deeply woven web that is the world of cycling. Apart from being fun as all get out, a successful team camp lays the baseline for victorious team coordination in races, securing more accolades for VCLG in the future, and having way more fun doing it because you know your teammates inside and out.

Our paths for the weekend were expertly designed by Captains Tina Grant, Zach Labry, Danie Monahan, Sam Selfridge, and Steven Walter. Comfortable housing secured, delicious and healthy food coordinated, eager helpers enlisted... conversation flowed as liberally as the sparkling water, tasty meals were shared, victories both large and small celebrated, epic defeats commiserated. The custom designed team van was tested to its limits as follow car, snack hub, and heating room. Mock races, pacelining, sprints, wheel rubbing, and rider contact were amongst the many on-bike activities that occupied the intrepid riders' time. When not on the road, either on Saturday's 60 mile adventure or Sunday's skills and drills extravaganza, the team spent the vast majority of its time talking about - you guessed it - bikes. We were even treated to a powerpoint presentation on innermost time trialing secrets - an incredible opportunity rarely shared with the general population! (hint: aero is not a myth)

El Camino Real - the Royal Way - was a road, the King's Highway, stretching from Baja Mexico to San Francisco, connecting the 21 Spanish missions, sub-missions, presidios and pueblos in California. El Camino is a coupe utility muscle car, as well as a community college in Gardena, California, and the name of a Breaking Bad movie. But for members of Velo Club La Grange, El Camino is Le Chemin, because we have french roots, bien sûr! and The Way of the Velo Club La Grange cycling team comprises myriad things like fitness, education, fraternity and camaraderie. With a solid weekend of teambuilding setting the pace for the 2020 season, the VC La Grange racing team is well-positioned to show pelotons all over the world just how incredible this "way" is!

Race Report - Santa Barbara

I began to win, why the hell not. 461. Over the “hill” we went two times - the hill we’d chalked still said LG LG LG LG and SHARK ATTACK and b! That last one was for me, I raced invisibly detached into the second lap. Then on really fast shit Bang! SSSSSSS! a pinch-flat blowout shouting around me FLATT!!! racing the aluminum rim to a narrow asphalt edge. My fault for too-low tire pressure and riding a bit blindly on the badly broken road.
David Newcombe

First race of the season and not long after team camp, the Santa Barbara Road Race was an exciting start to the new year. There were other firsts; team tent with the LG van, David racing with the team, driving out early to preview the course, chalking the road for our teammates like pro race fans, new teammates, learning techniques for bottle hand ups at the feed zone, my first crash in a race...
Renee Fox

The first attack presented a textbook case of the shock-and-awe subtype in which two Big Girl Cat 1s explode effortlessly from the pack in the steep middle of the climb. These two were going to stay away. The pack was all set to ignore them gracefully. I knew this, I did. The correct answer is for me to (a) stay put and, optionally, nod in grim respect such superior power and preparation. The incorrect answer is to (b) tow the pack up, over, and all the way down all while giving an excellent impression of a Labrador chasing a stick. At least we dropped all the sprinters.
Danie Monahan

CBR #2 Men’s Cat 4

I'm still recovering from a back injury, but I've been on a few NOW rides with reasonable success. I expected to hang in the front 1/3 of the pack, and was physiologically capable of doing so yesterday. After about six or seven laps, I was right behind a crash and had to pull off. This caused me to lose the group, and I couldn't sustain the necessary 27 ish MPH needed to catch them. Regarding the crash, a young racer started wide, and then cut into the corner. Meanwhile, a rider in the middle of the pack was swinging out wide in preparation for the turn (instead of starting wide, or just staying in his lane.) They collided, which caused the crash. I was fine, but it demonstrates the importance of picking a line and holding it. People were also not really staying on the line of the wheel directly in front of them, making cornering unpredictable. Also, races are safer when the pace is faster; this one had periods of slowing to ~24 mph in which the field would widen to six to eight riders, making a very unsafe cornering situation. When that happens, I think the only decent place to be is right at the front, even if it costs energy.

I think at the next criterium I race, I will work to be in the front 5 to 10 riders until I can no longer sustain that pace. I would rather be at the front, taking a good line through the corner, than behind folks who are going to crash and effectively take me out of the race. There were two other crashes in this race.

A buddy of mine stayed up front at this race, and was well positioned. But on CBR west going clockwise, the real sprint starts at the second to last corner. He hadn't worked his way to the front yet, expecting to use the bump to do so, and ended up taking 11th.

Cheers to being upright!

PS I'm told with new upgrade rules, riders can now opt into cat4 without doing their 6-10 races or BRP. So we should all be on the lookout for potentially unsafe riders, and should probably try to go to races with fewer than 60 people. I would still encourage new racers to take their time in Cat 5 - it's a great opportunity to make mistakes, learn, and eventually get some hardware!
Mike daSilva

CBR #2 Women’s 4-5

Result: 3rd of 21 🔥

Report: My goal was to do as little as possible work until the final lap, and I managed it until the last half a lap and took it home in the sprint, having positioned myself reasonably well on that final corner. Definitely some wobbly riders who would pinch right in at corners, so opted to ride further out knowing I would need to pedal further (but you know, staying upright is job number 1). The neutralising with the W P123 field was actually totally fine. Told my legs to drop the hammer on the final sprint and it seemed to work and no one could pass me, woo hooo. Jasmyn from Sisterhood was better positioned than me on final stretch though so couldn’t catch her...next time I plan to!
Sarah Jones

Sarah made it to third step on the podium!

Rock Cobbler

“What on earth have I signed myself up for?!” – Lee

Valley of the Sun

Tina brought a knife to a gun fight for the Valley of the Sun time trial.

Garnett pinning on some numbers before the road race.

“This is what an hour and a half off the front looks like.” – Trevor

New Members

Welcome to the following 8 new members who joined in February 2020.

Alipasha, Andy, Garnett, John, Kevin, Kory, Monika, Renee.

February 1, 2020

VeloClub Lagrange

La Voix - February 2020

February 1, 2020

VeloClub Lagrange

Click on a blue link to go to that section of La Voix

A New Member…from Wyoming

Team Camp Report

January LG50 Ride

Helen’s Night

Race Report

New Members

Chuck Collins…A new member from…Wyoming.🤔 Why? Read.

Hello La Grange Cycling Crew. Rich asked me if I would like to share a bit of my story. Rich was also a bit curious as to how I showed up out of the blue while living in Wyoming to find La Grange!

First let me say that while technically I live in Wilson, Wyoming, the locals know these parts of the border of Wyoming and Idaho as Wydaho, found just west of Jackson Wyoming. Wilson ,WY is a tiny town right at the bottom of Teton Pass.For most of my adult career I have worked in the bicycle and Outdoor industry, thirty plus years in Utah. I still collaborate and counsel Cycling West/ Cycling Utah magazine, one of the largest regional cycling magazines in the country. I was a vice president of USA cycling from 1999 to 2001, and USCF Trustee form 1997-2003. I have a an undergraduate degree in aerospace science and an MBA. Aviation was once to be a career, but if that had happened, I probably would not have been a bike racer and advocate of the cycling community.Once upon a time Cycling-wise, I ran four clubs, promoted 40% of the races in Utah (1996-1997), organized an annual tour for several years and was very active in the Salt Lake City Mayors' Bicycle Advisory Committee. I'm an old category II racer. I have four Gilas in me, several Cascades, MT Hood, Casper Classic, and a couple of Nationals. I'm a former Utah State Masters TT and criterium champion. I can hardly remember. I still pick my battles. Last season, I raced Redlands in the 55+ and 45+, and then later in the summer, the Boise Twilight Criterium. I aspire. For this year, as with all things racing, you have to do the work. We'll see. In the mean time, the indoor trainer is my friend. Ha! Call it structure. With the terrain in these parts there's also some cx, plenty of mountain biking and endless gravel. My stable serves all three. Soon, I look forward to catching a La Grange group ride when I make to the Los Angeles area.
How I found La Grange? I've been around the bike community for a long time. I would often spend some of my winters in the Santa Barbara area. I regularly participated in the East Beach rides or up in Santa Ynez for the Saturday Dr J's ride. Occasionally a La Grange group would be in the area. I noticed your kits. Other times, I found myself on the Simi Valley ride or sometimes while hanging in Palm Desert, again I noticed the La Grange colors. This year, I was looking to switch it up. A Google and USA Cycling search led me to Socal clubs as apposed to clubs from Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. As I had remembered La Grange from the road, I was clued to check you out. To my recollection, I remembered the La Grange crew to have its act together. After checking out your website and your stories, indeed you do.To me it looks like La Grange is doing it right. You have a diverse membership. You have longevity. From all appearances, La Grange sets a professional example of what a cycling club ought to represent with your stewardship, mentorship, community involvement, and participation. You have strong relationships with your sponsors. Since my earliest days of cycling, I've considered myself a patron of the community. As far as I'm concerned, if you ride a bike, you're a patron of the bicycle community. For my part, I'm looking forward to representing La Grange in the Inter-mountain West.

I haven't been a member of a club in ten plus years. These days, most of the clubs that I'm familiar with seem as if they are only into racing and/or have a very tight circle. A few clubs step up and do more which I appreciate. However, many bicycle communities lack, well community. It's a problem. Many riders that I've come across have never seen a functional bicycling community where there is always respect and inclusiveness. The racer's have got to know that it takes 10000 people that ride a bike, any bike, once per week to get one guy road racer. It's 10000 to get a woman bike racer. Obviously, La Grange gets it. You provide a welcoming and supportive place for all interests and abilities in cycling. Chapeau!You also may have gathered that I might have an opinion or two about cycling - that I share in small circles. In the cycling world, I claim notoriety from my action at my first USA Cycling Board of Directors meeting when I voted no to the proposed amendments to USA Cycling Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws (1999). Most Directors received notification of the Amendments thirty minutes before the proposed vote that would have unilaterally removed the membership right to vote from the bylaws. The vote was 13 to 1. As you may recall, probably don't, the membership sued and won the reversal in the Colorado Court of Appeals. To some degree, my experience with USA Cycling took some of my cycling energy. Gratefully, I'm recovered from that time and on the easy side now: I just want to ride, be safe and have fun with friends, and maybe an occasion five/six/seven hours in the saddle with a bunch of climbing and/or in the wind.

Lastly, I'm not sure how much racing I'll be doing this next year, hopefully enough riding to keep my sanity. That's a bit of my story. I'm not sure when I'll make it to Socal proper. I do have some family and friends in Hollywood Hills, Burbank, and areas south. With a little luck, maybe I will make it for a couple of weeks in late winter and or early spring.

Chuck Collins

Team Camp Report

Team camp recap! This year the race team went south to Julian for team camp. Powerful headwinds truly forced the team to work together building skills, camaraderie and a real appreciation for the power of a good draft. Julian’s epic views, gorgeous roads and an endless supply of delicious pie solidifies our need for a quick return. Great adventure to kick off the 2020 season!

Renee and David discussing race strategy

Couldn't have done this weekend without our dedicated van driver Ellie keeping us safe, Thanks Ellie!!!

Rotating pace lines, learning the importance of a good draft.

Renee, Lucy and Danie taking a breather and talking about TTT.

"Apple pie, the best recovery meal for dead legs" Sam. And it appears Steven agrees. 🤗#RudyProjectNA

January LG 50 Ride

LG 50 is the name of the monthly La Grange social rides that started as the “50 for 50 rides. Jaycee Cary created a route up Sepulveda, through the neighborhoods of Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, and Woodland Hills, Calabasas, and Topanga.

I don’t know if there are any other photos since I did not quite finish the ride. #crash

Helen’s Night is February 10th

Monday night, February 10th at 7 pm is the date for the annual Helen’s Night.

Race Report - Santa Barabra

The racing participated in the Santa Barbara County Road Race. The course is a ~14 mile loop with a sub 6 minute climb in the middle on pavement that runs from smooth and new to rutted and terrifying.

This is a challenging course where our racers were put through all types of challenges and did well. From podium finishes to struggling through mechanical, having the mental grit to finish the race when the pack is long gone and one of the hardest things for me personally: knowing when to pull out of a race.

New Members

Welcome to the following 11 new members who joined in January 2020. Due to new California privacy laws, we will no longer use new member’s last names without their permission and it is simply easier to list only their first name due to the logistics to see who does and who doesn’t approve the use of their full name.

Chuck , Claire, Forrest, Lawrence, Martina, Michael, Mike, Morgan, Théophile, Tim, Tyler.

December 31, 2019

VeloClub Lagrange

La Voix - January 2020

December 31, 2019

VeloClub Lagrange

Click on a blue link to go to that section of La Voix

End of an Era

Van 2.0 Has Landed

December 50 for 50 Ride

January Happy Hour at The Dudes' Brewing Co.

2020 Club Kit Order

Helen’s Night

Race Report

New Members

Pierre Parriaux, a founding member of VCLG, has passed. 😢

Pierre Parriaux was one of the four founding members of Velo Club La Grange. It all began when Raymond Fouquet and the three waiters at his La Grange Restaurant decided they were getting paunchy and needed to get out on their bicycles to get in shape.

Raymond and Robert Van Hove had raced bikes as young men in France. Pierre hadn’t, but soon found cycling was a new love in his life. They entered some races, although their training was minimal due to their work schedules, but their love for the culture grew. And so did the club. Customers and neighbors began to join them at 8:30 on am (the original start time) Sundays for the Nichols Ride.

Pierre had immigrated to the U.S. in 1963 after having grown up as a small boy in World War II occupied Champagne, France. He had worked as a waiter in Paris, as a very young man, and was highly skilled at his profession. I believe he met Raymond while working at Au Petit Jean Restaurant. When Raymond was ready to open La Grange Restaurant, he asked Pierre to join him.

While Pierre was never particularly fast going up Nichols Canyon, he was a dedicated club rider and faithful supporter. He continued the Nichols ride until he bought a tandem and convinced his lovely wife, Jacqueline, to ride with him. Then customarily we would see Pierre and Jacqueline ascending Sepulveda while the club descended it. Ultimately, they rode their tandem in the U.S., France, and Spain. One of my treasured memories was a ride I did with them from West L.A. to Santa Barbara and then back the next day. It was a shared event that we spoke of often.

Pierre and Jacqueline were a delightful couple. Both with movie star good looks and kind generous souls. Being invited to their home for dinner was an extraordinary event. They were both extremely talented in the kitchen. No one could produce a Grand Marnier or chocolate souffle like Jacqueline.

The character of men like Pierre and Raymond were infused into the DNA of Velo Club La Grange, and I believe that accounts for the club’s success.

Below are a few words I put together for Pierre’s funeral:

I enjoyed the blessings of Pierre’s friendship for 42 years. Working with him, riding bicycles with him, and enjoying great food and wine with him, especially great food and wine if he and Jacqueline prepared it! Whenever he traveled, I would receive a postcard written in his elegant script. If we hadn’t spoken for a couple of months, my phone would ring and he would be checking in to see how my family and I were doing.

He taught me a great deal when I first started to work with him at La Grange Restaurant. He also taught me a lot about cuisine and wine, but those lessons were just a small part of what he taught me.

Most of what he taught me were lessons he was unaware of. Pierre taught me about respect. Pierre was a most respectful person. Not respectful in a subservient way, but in an appreciative way. He respected the beauty of nature. He respected the beauty of the arts; in particular Jazz. He respected others for their achievements. He respected people just for their humanity. His appreciation was always given freely. To me, this made him a very respectable individual.

Another thing he taught me about was integrity. Pierre was endowed with an innate sense of justice and fair play. In a world that usually operates in a “What’s In It For Me” mode, Pierre always looked for fairness and equity, even if it was at his own expense. I witnessed this quality in him on many occasions and it had a profound effect on me. I remember him coming to me, as a young 27-year-old, with questions about raising his teenage daughters because he was concerned that the ideals he had brought from the old country might not be correct for them at the present time in America. I believe Pierre likely had more integrity in his little finger than our entire U.S. Congress put together. We would be lucky to have leaders like Pierre.

Then, of course, there were the stories. Pierre had lived quite an eventful life and he did love to speak. I learned a lot from listening to his stories of growing up in occupied France, his adventures in the French Foreign Legion and his immigration to the U.S. We had many political discussions over the years and he was well-read and clearly knowledgeable.

One evening, shortly after we began to work together, Pierre told me regarding our friend and boss Raymond Fouquet, “If you have Raymond as a friend, you can’t have a better friend.” I believe Pierre may have been wrong there, not about the value of Raymond’s friendship, but by not recognizing that, If you had Pierre Parriaux as a friend, you could not have a better friend. He was very modest about his own talents and accomplishments

Rest in peace, Mon Pote.

Dr. Bruce Shannahoff

Pierre donated his original La Grange jersey to the club shortly before his passing. Marco Fantone has it as part of his “banquet collection.”

Van 2.0 Has Arrived and Eli Has Departed

Van 2.0 made it maiden club voyage on Tuesday, December 17th to celebrate our good friend Elijah Szasz. A very merry La Grange holiday take over of Saddle Peak to celebrate our good friend Elijah moving to Utah. Enjoy this video created by Tina Grant.

December 50 for 50 Anniversary Ride

Jaycee Cary, the creator of the 50 for 50 Anniversary Rides, created a route through the neighborhoods of Palos Verdes. Many of us had not been through that area of the peninsula so it was a nice diversion from a usual ride. The Board has decided to continue the end of the month Saturday social rides into 2020 so keep your calendar open for these very popular rides!

Peet’s Coffee at the start. Photo by Caleb Yang.

La Grange Happy Hour Hosted by Mallorca Luxury Cycling

It's Happy Hour time! Join your La Grange friends at The Dudes’ Brewing Company for our first happy hour of the new decade, which is being hosted by Mallorca Luxury Cycling. Come join us on Tuesday, January 14, 2019, from 6 PM – 8 PM. The first bit of the tab is sponsored by Mallorca Luxury Cycling so come early! Mallorca Luxury Cycling was recently launched by club member Joel Bertet. Come hear all about the incredible biking and delicious Spanish cuisine to fuel your rides in beautiful Mallorca. The Dudes’ Brewing Company is located at 395 Santa Monica Place, #304, Santa Monica, CA 90401, which is on the top floor of the Santa Monica Place Mall.

Visit https://www.mallorcaluxurycycling.com/ to learn more.

2020 Club Kit Orders Close on January 5, 2020

The Castelli store will be open until midnight on Sunday, January 5, 2020. Once the store is closed, it is closed. So…order now! And remember, if you placed items in your cart but have not paid for them, then you will not be receiving them. A huge thanks to Jaycee Cary and Marco Fabrizio for designing the kit. The link for the store is http://teamorder.serviziocorse.com/index.aspx?pc=90C434EE-E8F8-4FCF-AF6E-22FB9B12F0CC

Helen’s Night is February 10, 2020

Monday night, February 10th at 7 pm is the date for the annual Helen’s Night. Mark the date on your calendar. Much more details to be announced closer to the date.

Race Report - Track Style

“Just to warn you, these neutral laps are never neutral.” And with that, the opening race of the Agnew Brusavich Holiday Carnival men’s endurance omnium, the elimination race was off, with a neutral lap that can only be described as, “about 30 mph.”

But let’s step back. What is the Holiday Carnival? Many tracks in the US host a multi-day marquee event every year. In Portland, they have the Alpenrose Challenge; in Minneapolis, they have the Fixed Gear Classic; and in Seattle, they have the Marymoor Grand Prix. Los Angeles has been without a marquee event for a while, and rolling into 2020, the board of the Los Angeles Velodrome Racing Association (LAVRA) decided that LA needed something, and why not the holidays (at the time, the weather in the rest of the country was decidedly nippier than “SoCal winter”). The result was the Agnew Brusavich Holiday Carnival (a nod to the Tasmanian Carnivals that happen around the same time), a two-day event on December 19-20, an event that came together quickly in late fall, and was made possible only through the quick and enthusiastic support of the events two sponsors: Gerry Agnew of Agnew Brusavich Personal Injury Lawyers and the Board of Directors of Velo Club La Grange.

The event was structured as a two-day elite event with omniums for sprinters, endurance riders, and Madison riders (What is the Madison? Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW3dOWItii0), with one day of amateur racing and one day of junior racing. The prize? The best ugly sweater jersey you’ve ever seen, with the words “Champion of Christmas” emblazoned on the back. In all, twelve Champions of Christmas were crowned at the Holiday Carnival this year. I raced in the elite men’s endurance omnium, and there were a couple other La Granger’s who dusted off their fitness to race as well. Phil Klinkon raced the amateur Madison, securing a podium spot in Saturday’s event, and new La Granger Lee O’Reilly claimed second overall in the amateur women’s omnium, having launched attack after attack in every race she entered. A small contingent of La Grangers (and a host of inflatable sharks) even came to cheer on the final evening session.

Moreover, for a first-year race, the Holiday Carnival managed to pull in a phenomenal field, with pro racers from Portland, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and our own backyard using the event as preparation for January racing at the Six Days in Europe and the Tasmanian Carnivals in Australia. As a racer, we had some of the best fields LA has seen in years outside of the National Championships. For 2020, look forward to a return of the Holiday Carnival on December 19-20 next year. For the racers, a four-race season will lead into this finale, and for the racing fans, mark the date, and bring a cooler to the track to watch some exciting and novel racing.

Phil Klinkon (second from right) on the podium for Saturday night's amateur Madison.

A little holiday cheer greeted racers looking for the mercy of the one-lap-to-go bell.

The new LG Sprinter Van made an appearance and stole the show out from of the Velo Sports Center.

The amateur men's scratch race, like many this weekend, was lined out single file as racers kept the speeds high.

New Members

Welcome to the following 11 new members who joined in December 2019.

Annie Whalen, Craig Grossmueller, Dan Mitnick, Frederick Lacey, Jeni Bakula, Lee O’Reilly, Mark Peterson, Mitchell Levy, Phillip Campbell, Roger Hunt, Welner Trujillo.