Drops and Jumps -- Local Dirt Riding

From Ryan Deroche, Cycle Loft's Service Manager's, 2010 riding diary:

So I started my riding season with lots of riding and baby steps to big drops and jumps. At a local place that we have been riding this drop appeared out of nowhere. Some of my riding buddies had hit it already and the pressure was on. So one beautiful day we went up early. We started with some trail maintenance and then some riding to get me into my flow. I had shuttled the trail that goes to Serene 13 a couple of times to get the rhythm down. Each time riding up to the bridge and hitting the E-brake. Then I got focused and kept my hands off the brakes rolled to the bridge and kept going. Luckily one of the guys had a camera was able to take some footage.

Of course, after doing it once it was easy as pie. So we decided to roll out a train (multiple riders doing the same stunt right behind each other) to step up our game and difficulty.

After that the trails there got a bit boring and we stopped working on them. We wanted to do more riding than digging. So we decided to move on to bigger and better stuff. That's when we went to Highland Mountain Bike Park. I've been to Highland a lot since it they started building trails there. But this year is when I started going big. Even though Serene 13 wasn't my first big drop, it was certainly a milestone for me, I used it to progress and push myself. The Old Growth drop is one of my favorites.


I also did Reef drop but unfortunately no photos of that baby...yet. Now almost all the other drops there seem to flow like water. Gonna have to get a bit more used to the wall ride situation.

I am planning on getting back up there to ride the new Helion additions and progress some more.

--Ryan

Pictures from Night 6 Apeldoorn

Check the Apeldoorn site for pictures from "Dag 6":

#1 -- Jackie and Eric in a Madison exchange, image "6LIVE1012"

Thank you to the track side photographer, all rights reserved by the Apeldoorn Promotor.

Team Cycle Loft, Apeldoorn 6 -- Night Six -- The Finale

The Six Day is over.

The final of the night finished strongly and it came down to the last sprint between the two big Dutch teams of Van Bon and Stam. Van Bon took the final and solidified his win in the very first Six Day of Apeldoorn. Fantastic for him as he grew up here as a youngster racing the old outdoor track. He was with German Robert bartko and Pim Ligtarht, who gets his first Six Day win of his career.

As for our boys, we rode well on the whole tonight, but started out slow. The Points race was not ours tonight, and an early break went, that stole most of the points, and come the finale, there really wasn't any point in contesting it.

Eric Barlevav out did himself to go under 14 seconds in the Flying Lap. Another improvement here. He is feeling better (Bronchial wise) and has minimal track burn left.

The first Madison was good, and we didn't lose a lap at all. Jackie is still riding well, and Eric's exchanges are 100% better than they were. Jos Pronk, a seasoned Six Day rider, spent some time with him this evening during warm-up refining his technique. Daniele is doing well after the big crash. Healing up well and riding like he has not been phased. Great sportsmanship from him, and a pleasure to work with.

The Elimination was good and Eric rode at the back puting on a show and playing the Devil. He has done this twice before, and came close to being in the top 6. Tonight, the long race took it's toll and he was out 1 place before the final six.

The last 200 lap Madison was brutal, with Kiesse's team riding hard and the two Dutch teams driving the pace. The best crowd by far tonight was all cheers for Van Bon. The average RPM's were near 130 for the entire race. Great stuff. We managed to only lose 1 lap in 200, for our best ride yet, and afterwards a few guys came up to say good improvements.

While others ate and drove home, we sat in the middle of the velo packing bikes and tidying up. It is late and we haven't eaten. But we will be leaving for the airport in 4 hrs. Then the 7 hr flight back home. I am shot, and the riders are fried. It has been an interesting trip.

So we finish in last place where we started. But to be honest...it's expected. Just to finish your first Winter Six, when we didn't even know we were coming until 7 days before hand...it's a good thing. Not many Americans ride Sixes.

Thanks for following.

Look for a big wrap up later on the blog.
Kurt

Team Cycle Loft, Apeldoorn 6 -- Night Five

Night 5 is over and done with.

Again we started well and both Daniele and Jackie won sprints in the first points race of the night. With one sprint left, 3 teams were on 11 points, one of them being us. I was getting the wash cloths, caps and bottles ready for the podium presentation...and again...we were tag-teamed by the Czech's and the Polish teams...and....we finished 3rd AGAIN. Aaaaarggghhhhh!!!!!
Good for the crowds, and the Polish mechanic and I were in the pits, and mocked that we were going to throw spanners at each other. The other teams mechanics and managers were laughing.

The second to last night can be tense with attacks going to sort out the finale before tomorrow, but it was relaxed until the last Madison when the heat was dished out in ample doses. More later...

Barlevav went under 14 seconds for the first time this week in the flying lap. But still not good enough to finish in the points.

All other races were so so, and in the last Madison the guys were off the back by 3/4s of a lap, and they chased for 26 laps before getting back on. 26 laps in the wind at 32 mph is some serious work. They fought hard.

Daniele is doing well with the wounds from the splinter. He is a hard buggar that's for sure. Tomorrow is the final night.

We have led the points race going into the 6th and final sprint, for the last two nights. Maybe tomorrow, we will get flowers!?!?!?

Till then.

Chop

Results from Dag 5 posted here.

Pictures from Night 3 Apeldoorn

(Sorry one day out of order)

Check the Apeldoorn site for pictures from "Dag 3":

#1 -- Jackie inline, upper left, image "3live1009"
#1 -- Eric on the cote d'azur during a Madison relief, image "3live2011"
#2 -- Kurt and Jack track side, image "3live2014"
#3 -- Jackie and Daniele in a Madison exchange, image "3live2016"

Thank you to the track side photographer, all rights reserved by the Apeldoorn Promotor.

Pictures from Day 4 Apeldoorn

Check the Apeldoorn site for pictures from "Dag 4":

#0 -- Jackie on the front, featured in "news flash"
#1 -- Daniele at the line, image "4live0141"
#2 -- Scoreboard: tied for 1st, image "4live017"
#3 -- Jackie driving it on the front, image "4live018"
#4 -- The Team being presented, image "4live1004"
#5 -- Jackie, Daniele, Eric, and Jack looking on, image "4live5005"

Thank you to the track side photographer, all rights reserved by the Apeldoorn Promotor.

Team Cycle Loft, Apeldoorn 6 -- Night Four

Sunday is a day program, so there was no update between 12pm and 10am this morning. Sorry.

Points race started out even better than before, and we were tied first going into the last sprint. Daniele actually won two sprints. One from 3 laps out!!! The crowd was behind us, and as mentioned previously...going into the final sprint we were tied. But it wasn't to be, and we were swarmed by two teammates on the final to get squeezed for the win. But that really set the tone for a good day. More points!!!

The flying lap again was nothing to write home about.

Then came the crunch...!!!

In the first Madison...Eric slammed into the back of a rider who was checking up on an exchange. This sent him crashing into the track, and his bike spun out in front of Daniele, who also went down. Eric was totally shaken and his left Dura-Ace pedal is completely broken. Front Reynolds wheel is in serious need of re-truing. Not much track burn, but he had the stuffing knocked out of him falling from mid way up the track...down side to the bottom.

Daniele was sitting calmly on the apron when I got to him...but had a 3 inch by 1/8 inch splinter burried deep into his forearm. It looked nasty. But in true Canadian style...he got up and walked to medical control where they took it out. He has a fair amount of track burn, and his shorts, are no longer.

With Eric disoriented and Daniele walking around with part of the track in his body, we were neutralized for the balance of the day. Jackie rode the rest of the races, and Daniele actually came back from Medical to ride the final elimination with him. He has ridden above expectation, and will represent Canada at the next World Cup. Good for him.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.
I'm tired. Three bikes...three riders....

Chop

Results from Dag 4 posted here.