BASP Candlestick #2: Jacques-Maynes and Drumm Float to Victories, Tour de France Vet Lauritzen Debuts – Helicopter Video

by Tim Westmore and Cyclocross Magazine

In the second installment of the Bay Area Super Prestige (BASP) cyclocross races presented by Clif Bar, the top Elite Men’s and Women’s racers took to alternatives to the traditional cyclocross bikes to grab commanding victories. Hidden deep in the Master B 35+ race was a racer on a traditional cyclocross bike with a more storied past and path to the finish line, as former Tour de France stage winner, Norweigian road pro Dag Otto Lauritzen brought a television crew to document his first-ever cyclocross race (stay tuned for more on that story).

Ben Jacques-Maynes (Ritte/Bear Development Team) rode his disc brake singlespeed and made it two-for-two for his weekend’s cyclocross racing, by overtaking a fast-starting Walton Brush (MashSF) to win the Elite Men’s race. The windy and dusty racing at Candlestick Point also saw a new Bay Area Super Prestige cyclocross women’s race winner, as Helene Drumm, taking advantage of the loose terrain and sand with her mountain bike, won the Elite Women’s race ahead of Masters World Champ Karen Brems. The small but NorCal strong women’s field resulted in competitive, world-class racing.

Candlestick Point Repêchage ran in reverse to the course used earlier this month but was the same twisting, bumpy course. The loose sections were more torn up, creating Holland-like sand pits, but also rocky sections that created technical challenges. An awful lot of flats and double flats were reported from the day’s racing — misery had plenty of company. As the wind picked up, dust made visibility and breathing more challenging.

Drumm Floats Through Sand to Elite Women’s Win

For the Elite Women’s race, Drumm grabbed the holeshot and took off from there. At the first set of TRP Brake Zone plank barriers, Drumm’s lead over Masters World Champion Karen Brems (Team Rambuski Law) was a whopping 22 seconds. The next lap the gap grew to 38 seconds and kept growing.

The wider tires on Drumm’s mountain bike provided an advantage for the many soft, sandy sections. Although this was a significant edge for her, Drumm still had her work cut out for her to stay ahead of the capable and threatening former world time trial champion Brems.

“I think I had a good advantage with [the bike],” said Drumm, “It smoothed it out nicely and I was able to stay nice and smooth. I never had any issues [and] just cruised right through everything.” Drumm explained she has difficulty in finding a cyclocross bike comfortable enough for her to race.

Brems took second in the race, finishing one place away from matching Jacques-Maynes’ two-win weekend, both contesting the previous day’s Lion of Fairfax race. In third place was Kristin Drumm (Cycles Fanatic Racing), sister of Helene. Sarah Jordan (Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster) was fourth whilst Jen Jordan (Mellow Motors) secured her first BASP-podium in three years by coming home in fifth place.

Jacques-Maynes Singlespeeds to Elite Men’s Victory

Brush grabbed the holeshot for the Elite Men’s race and set a cracking pace for the first lap. He didn’t falter  much, as he remained well ahead of the rest of the field, but midway through the second lap Jacques-Maynes passed the MashSF racer.

Brush said that going out fast is “my strategy going into most any race. I just think the more time you can put out in the beginning the harder it is for everybody else to catch up.” On being passed by Jacques-Maynes and trying to close the gap later in the race, Brush said, “I don’t think I am the most motivated rider on my own so seeing somebody or being on somebody’s wheel is my ticket to stay up there or keep the pace high.”

From here to the finish, Jacques-Maynes continued to apply pressure and build his lead, and the professional road racer and former collegiate cyclocross National Champion made it look easy on the tough course. The only remaining threat in Jacques-Maynes’ race was a dollar grab on the small hill just before the finish. Spectators had been encouraging racers on the tricky section to go for the money and, on the final lap, Jacques-Maynes obliged. The attempt ended up with him putting his bike down. He had enough of a gap by then to recover and claim his win as well as the dollar bill.

Racing on a singlespeed bike, Jacques-Maynes reported “I had to pick and choose how I go fast, where I go fast. Racing guys when they [have] gears and good legs, I’ll wait for a lap to really start hitting the gas. Guys were starting to bobble, I was picking guys off, and it was just Walton [Brush] and me. I just had to apply some power [and] ride him down a little bit. [Brush] put up a good fight.”

About his dollar grab, Jacques-Maynes reported, “It was fully sketchy. It’s a big pile of gravel. Taking one hand off the bars didn’t go so well. Only had to put a foot down and remount. I had the race in the bag so I thought I’d have some fun.”

Brush took second place with Cameron Walters finishing in third. Keith Hillier (Team Rambuski Law) worked his way late up to fourth place whilst Juan Gomez-Villafane (Ibis/Buy-cell.com) crossed the finish line in fifth. These top five represented a new look for the Elite Men’s podium that has been typically dominated by Bay101/Rock Lobster and Cal Giant/Specialized racers in years past. Just outside the top five was Justin Robinson (California Giant/Specialized), who had put in a charge to get up to third but faltered late after winning the Masters 35+ race earlier in the day.

BASP heads a little south for their next race on 10 November. It is the popular and exciting Sierra Point Night Race – the self-described “high school football game” for the series. With the recent rains, there is a good possibility of less dust out on course but, either way, the racing is certain to thrill the spectators. Results below the photo and video.

Bay Area Super Prestige #2 – Candlestick Photo Gallery:

Helicopter View of the BASP Racing and Candlestick

[youtube lA3X8waJHf4 590 400]

Elite Men - 2012 Bay Area Super Prestige Candlestick #2

Place	Number	First Name	Last Name	Team
1	38	Ben	Jacques-Maynes	RITTE/Beard envelopment
2	35	Walton	Brush	MASH SF
3	21	Cameron	Walters
4	10	Keith	Hillier	Team Rambuski Law
5	20	Julian	Villafane	Buy-cell
6	18	Justin	Robinson	California Giant/Specialized
7	14	Philip	Mooney	Jamis-Sutter Home
8	40	Mitch	Trux	Sterling CX
9	39	Kyle	Murphy	MASH SF
10	30	Kirt	Fitzpatrick	Delore Grotta
11	13	Timothy	Knudsen
12	1	Justin T	Abbott	Devil Mountain Cyclery
13	8	Krishna	Dole	Superpro Racing
14	15	Johnny	Mullane	Bike Station Aptos
15	19	Adam	Switters	Team Mike's Bikes
16	24	Matt	Young	Team Roaring Mouse
17	9	Anastasio	Flores Jr	Cal Giant Strawberries
18	31	Cameron	Falconer	Fresh Air/Hunter
19	37	Andy	Goessling	Team Mike's Bikes
20	22	James	Williams	Adventures Edge
21	5	Eric	Colton	Cynergy Cycles / Specialized
22	23	Derek	Yarra	MASH/Cinelli
23	12	Christopher	Kelly	Evergreen Cycling
24	17	Aaron	Odell	Bicycle Blue Book/HRS/ Rocklobster
25	32	Joshua	Wright	Geekhouse
26	36	Joe	Brennan	Hagens Berman Cycling
27	2	Jason	Benford	Fresh Air-Hunter Cycles
28	33	Nicholas	Slone	Delore Grotta
29	42	Roman	Kilum	Mike's Bikes
30	25	Ryan	Johnson	Team Mike's Bikes
31	26	Dustin	White	Superpro Racing
32	34	Alfred	Cauthen	Chica Sexy
33	3	Gabriel	Byrne	Squadra SF
34	11	Isaias	Job	Team Roaring Mouse
35	27	Steve	Ouzounian	Delore Grotta
36	43	Grant	Cutler	Metromint Cycling
37	44	Aeron	Nathan	Superpro Racing
38	28	Daryl	Rogers	Fresh Air/Hunter
39	6	Stephen	Dey	Team Mike's Bikes
40	29	Stephen	Czapiga	Hunter Freewheel

Elite Women - 2012 Bay Area Super Prestige Candlestick #2

Place	Number	First Name	Last Name	Team
1	815	Helene	Drumm
2	801	Karen	Brems	Team Rambuski Law
3	811	Kristin	Drumm	Cycles Fanatic Racing
4	806	Sarah	Jordan	Bicycle Blue Book/HRS/Rock Lobster
5	802	Jennifer	Jordan	Mellow Motors
6	812	Kathleen	Hannon	Fresh Air/Hunter
7	803	Leah	Plack	Fresh Air/Hunter
8	809	Caroline	Dezendorf	West Coast Women's Cycling
9	813	kelly	Chang	SyCip
10	814	Lindsey	Collins	Caletti Bikes/Box Dog
11	807	Heather	Pugh	Chica Sexy
12	808	Monica	Harris	Cycles Fanatic Racing
13	805	Ruste	Sasser	Team Sasser
14	804	Colleen	Wanty	Delore Grotta

Masters Men 35+ - 2012 Bay Area Super Prestige Candlestick #2

Place	Number	First Name	Last Name	Team
1	624	Justin	Robinson	California Giant/Specialized
2	629	Murray	Swanson	Peninsula Velo
3	621	John	Mundelius	Cal Giant/Specialized
4	623	Gannon	Myall	california berry farms/specialized
5	606	Brock	Dickie	Buy-Cell.com/IBIS
6	613	jeremiah	kille	Caletti cycles
7	631	Don	Myrah	Buy-Cell.com/Ibis
8	637	Aron	Bonar	SyCip
9	616	Rich	Maile	Team Mikes Bikes
10	628	Brian	Staby	Bicycle Blue Book/HRS/Rock Lobster
11	642	Dan	McNally	Freewheel Hunter
12	603	James	Badia	Webcor / Alto Velo
13	612	Philip	Hynes	IronData - Thirsty Bear
14	607	Christopher	Elbo	Missing Link Cycling
15	639	William	Kemper	Quadzilla
16	627	Eric	Russell	Clif Bar
17	617	Jesse	Mayberry	Ritchey Scott Cyclocross
18	605	Justin	Bucktrout	Dolore Grotta / Big Swingin Cycles
19	602	David	Allen	Specialized / SCCCC
20	626	Chad	Rosser	SJBC
21	615	Travis	Ma	Peninsula Velo Racing
22	633	Chris	Matthews	Super Pro
23	630	Fritz	Wisor	Breakaway Bikes
24	620	reto	mueller	MERCEDES BENZ OF SAN FRANCISCO
25	638	John	Caletti	Caletti cycles
26	330	forrest	johnson	sycip
26	622	Dan	Murray	Team Roaring Mouse
27	625	matt	rolandson
28	641	Jason	Rahlwes	Bicycle Blue Book/HRS/Rock Lobster
29	614	Matt	Leonard	Dolore Grotta/Big Swingin Cycles
30	610	Jesse	Freese	Missing Link
31	640	Rob	Saybolt	Freewheel Hunter
32	611	Mark	Fitzsimmons	Family Cycling Fox
33	619	Basil	Moutsopoulos	Hup United
34	601	Mark	Acker	Hunter Cycles
35	636	Matt	Jordan	Bicycle Blue Book/HRS/Rock Lobster
36	604	Ode	Bernstein	Missing Link/3rd Rail
37	608	Thomas	Farley	Freewheel Hunter