Sponsors, Friends, and Family,

Welcome to the first edition of our 2004 newsletters! We have had a great start to the season with Louis Garneau Racing hitting the podium 39 times this spring! We are looking forward to seeing even greater success as we hit the main events of the summer racing calendar: The Tour of Ohio, Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, Tour de Toona, and The Green Mountain Stage Race.

Here are a few highlights from the spring campaign:

• Kevin Bouchard-Hall hit the podium with Lance Armstrong as the best young rider at the Tour de Georgia. A week later he out foxed a stacked field of pro's, including Canadian National Champ Dominique Perez to win the Jiminy Peak Road Race.



• Keith Jennings and Dan Vaillancourt dominated the New England Cat3 fields scoring over 50 USCF points between them in a span of 6 weeks. Keith and Dan have both upgraded to Cat2 and have earned spots on the elite team for the rest of the season.



• The team went head to head with the best professionals in the country at The Tour of Connecticut. We were putting as many guys on the finishing circuits as the pro teams with Robbie King finishing 12th at the Housatonic Valley Classic!



• Robbie and Ted King dominated the west coast Cat2 racing circuit, scoring numerous podium finishes at Valley of The Sun, The Tucson Bicycle Classic, and Pomona Valley. They are both now Cat 1's!



• Al Donahue added another New England classic to the LG “Podium Counter” by winning the 29th annual Lake Sunapee Road Race.

• The Knight's and Dillon's for feeding and housing us during the Tour of Connecticut.
• Crystal, Lori, and Schuylar for braving the feed-zones and getting us the bottles we need!

It is certainly an exciting time for LG Racing. Follow our progress all summer on www.dkcycling.com with news, results, and photos.

Andrew Knight
Team Director, Louis Garneau Racing

Race Reports:

While he is not racing and training, Jason Baer is busy cranking out some great race reports! Visit his diary on www.dkcycling.com for the latest race reports as the team travels around the country. Here are two reports from the month of May:

May 02, 2004 --- Jiminy Peak
To me this race feels like the opening of the summer racing series. It's finally almost warm out in Vermont. College is nearly over, and the collegiate season is over so all those riders are back at the USCF races, and the race is long. 90 miles, a true road race distance. None of these 45 mile circus races that somebody calls a road race.

So the day was perfect- 70 degrees, windy, and a field of 130 Pro/1/2 racers. Louis Garneau had almost a full squad with 9 of us in attendance. At the start the game plan was devised and we were off.

First lap and a break of 10 or so was up the road, we weren't represented, but weren't to worried about it, 90 miles of racing with a field of 120, no way could it stick. Oh yeah it was windy as well! The backside of the course has a 5 mile false flat/uphill was a killer crosswind on the flat part then a headwind after that. Laps 1 and 2 the field was clear across the road. It wasn't just a yellow line rule violation it was a white line rule on the other side of the road violation! Luckily after the first 2 laps the wind did switch a little to more of a headwind and the echelon across the road wasn't a necessity as much (making the officials much happier, and saved our chances of having this race in the future). Back to the race report.

Next lap and the break was caught, we had a few guys up in front looking for the next moves. Kevin (fresh off of Georgia) (but finishing school this week, recovering from being sick, promoting a race, and running a bike team, and making plans for a European adventure) decided to give it a go. He opened it up a little and started things off, I tried to follow next, but nothing was slipping away. Finally on the backside a group got up the road, more from a split then anything else, Kevin was in there.

Eventually another group bridged up to it and we missed the move. Louis Garneau tried as hard as we could to get a guy or two across to it, but to no avail, we were killing ourselves. And why were we? Or more importantly why the hell were the people sucking our wheels not trying to get across. That's what made me madder, we got 85% of the way, but couldn't close it. Why were the riders (not mentioning any names here) not going across. They didn't have good representation up the road. Why the hell sit in and let the race get away from you. Anyway that's what happened. The front group finally merged and the pack looked like it was giving up.

Until another group slipped off the front after soft pedaling for awhile. We had a guy in this, but still most of us were sitting back not doing much. Finally I realized the race is up the road and I'm going to be in the laughing pack soon, but what the hell am I going to do about that? Luckily Chris Peck from Wheelworks realized the same thing and attacked hard brining Dan Cassidy and myself across to the next group. I barely held on, but made it to the next group and rested for a few minutes before we hit the climb and they went again, 1/2 the guys bridging up to the break and the other 1/2 getting caught in no mans land. This is where I ended up with my teammate Josh.

The next lap we worked it hard, bringing us with in 6 seconds or so to the break when they went again. Some guys got dropped, we picked them up but never made it to the front group. Eventually our chase group swelled and we stopped working together and the race was definitely gone, up the road. (side note here: One of my pet peeves, if you get dropped from the break and fall back to the chase group, don't try and breakaway again from the chase group, you already got dropped, how the hell are you going to be able to chase back to something you couldn't hang with in the first place!)

Ok, here was the situation, 20 guys up the road and the pack was basically back together. This is how it was going to end. Coming around for the last lap we picked up a bunch of dead legs coming off the back. (side note: can't give you the real race report of what was happening up ahead with the leaders since I wasn't even close to being there, so back to my race report) The race split some more on the final wind section and I was in the first group with a teammate. I wanted to work for him, but was fried. Dan Cassidy and a NERAC guy slipped off the front and I should have chased it down, but didn't. They stayed away for 10th place or so and the rest were going for 12th. Josh Dillon slipped in there for 16th, and I followed around 25th with the rest of my teammates right around there.

The good news of the day though was, KBH stuck it out in the break and pulled of the WIN! (side note: lots of other action happened up there, but have no idea since I wasn't even close to there) Congrats again to Kevin. Luke (another Louis Garneau rider) won the Cat. 3 race. And we had 2 other Louis Garneau riders up in NH take 2nd and 3rd in the cat. 3 race.

The next day, the team headed to Florida Ma, for a crazy hilly road race. I wasn't in attendance, but heard it was a crazy hard race, tons of climbing and a true dual between Louis Garneau and Wheelworks. Don't know much of the details, but I know that Wheelworks got the win with Peter Hult, but Louis Garneau got 2nd and 3rd with KBH and Andrew Knight, and an outstanding performance from Al Donahue (Louis Garneau) for making Wheelworks suffer the whole day by being up the road!

May 20th -- Tour of Connecticut Days 2-5
So after the 1st Stage of the Tour of Connecticut it was a few days back at work (the real world that actually funds my bike racing) and then back down to the Tour of Connecticut for days 2 through 5.

Stage 2 was on the Lime Rock Speedway - Skip Barber Racing School and all. The day was perfect for our mid-afternoon bike race. Unlike last weekend nearly all pro teams in the US were represented with full squads. It was game, and Louis Garneau Racing was ready to go! The plan for today was be aggressive, show representation at the front and maybe, just maybe something will happen and we'll get a guy in the move, but most likely it will be a mass sprint on the racetrack, going head to head with Olympic gold medallist Marty Northstein.

The race was off, we were aggressive covering moves, making moves, and racing full on with the pros, at 35mph! As expected nothing really got up the road and a full on sprint was on. Can't give you much race report about the sprint except that I rolled in around 50th or so and had to have been going 40+mph on the flats! If you want to really know what happened in the race please go to www.ariatv.com and check out the 30 minute video clip of the race, there quite a bit of coverage of LG at the front. It is awesome! John Eustice (race promoter) does an amazing job promoting this event.

Stage 3 was downtown New Haven Crit. Fast flat 4 corner less than 1km course. Another day for the sprinters, but hopefully we could show our stuff again and be up front covering moves and be well represented. This is what we did for the 60 minutes that race lasted for and then before we realized it, it was over. Fast fast fast!

Stage 4, Waterbury Climbers Cup. 5 mile loop 2 miles up, 2 miles down, and maybe 1 mile of flat somewhere throughout the course. Last year only 14 riders finished on the lead lap. I finished around 50th and was pulled 6 laps into it, and only made it 3 laps in the front group. I was definitely putting the fear in my teammates about this event. Don't start with a full water bottle, you won't need it, the downhill is crazy bumpy 50+mph, last year there was a crash less than a mile in and 1/2 the pack was done. So the race as on, but this year was a little different, the course had some new pavement and the uphill part was full road so it made it a little easier for a large group. For me however the race was about the same, dropped 3 laps in, pulled lap 6. Fortunately though my teammates are riding amazingly well and we had 3 guys stay up there for the entirety of the race! Only 30 guys finishing with 3 LG riders up there, what a day! The one bummer was the excitement that my teammates had for being able to race 1 on 1 with Chris Horner (the best US rider) and taking him in the sprint. Unfortunately though Chris pulled out with 1/2 a lap to go, not wanting to get any points giving him a better chance to not get chased down the next day. Before I go on to the next day I must mention the spectators, the spectators on this course are awesome, some of the best and loudest cheering crowds I've heard. And those yeshiva students, wow can they cheer.

Stage 5, Housatonic Classic. This race has quickly become the classic. It was worth significantly more point in the TOC overall. 80 miles road race and a 20 mile circuit race 2 mile loop back in town. Previous years the race has shattered (or at least most of the amateurs are dropped) before we hit the circuits. So my goal like all the other years was to make it to the circuits (which I haven't been able to do in previous years)and this is what most of my teammates goals were as well. Race was on and it was the typical Housatonic race as years past, fast fast fast, and then we hit the climbs. 1st major set of climbs and I was holding on mid pack over the top, single file field going max effort. What happened next was amazing. A few guys up (not mentioning any names, but an impressive pro rider) decides to sit up over the top. Before we could do anything the gap was open, that easy. 10 minutes later, and way to much effort we finally closed that little gap, that's how easy it was to get dropped! The damage over the first set of climbs, 60 riders left, 80 riders dropped, LG still had 6 of us of there! Mile 40 or so and we finally got to drift back to the caravan and get feeds. this was a first for the LG team. A Pro Team Caravan, no feed zone necessary. We got at least a dozen bottles for the team and nearly no wasted energy! (Thank you very much John, Crystal and Lori) Next 20 miles or so and some more large climbs, we were all hanging in there. Mile 70 or so, the break and 4 minutes and it was game on. The pro teams didn't want to enter the circuits a lap down so they picked up the pace and set a hard tempo into town. All my teammates made it to the circuits. Myself well over the last set up climbs I cracked, cracked hard. I put in everything, but just couldn't hold it, I drifted through the caravan paced the cars for awhile, but just couldn't hang. I was dropped, another year of not making it. The last miles into town were rough, lets just say I made some new friends on the course and they let me use their bathroom....multiple times.

Back to the race, the circuits were on, and the race was on. From what I heard the first few laps were brutal and dropped 1/2 the guys left. LG still had 3 guys on the circuits. 1/2 way to go and the skies opened up! An epic day in the saddle. Robbie King and Josh Dillon stuck it out and finished 12th and 20th to represent LG proudly (and impressively!!!) way to go. After the race it was back in the car, 5 hours back to Vt. Another weekend, 3rd in a row getting back minutes before Monday, a quick unpack clothing was and fast to sleep for 6:30am Monday morning was soon to arrive.

Thanks for reading. Sorry it wasn't very informative of what actually happened in the race, but it was a fast hard race and I really didn't see much of the front. But if you really want to get a true race report, go to www.ariatv.com and watch the TV coverage, it is awesome! Next weekend its down to NJ for the Tour of Somerville events.

Results

2004 Podium Counter: 39 podium finishes so far!

                __14__
               |          |
     __12__           __13__

Pro 1/2

1st Kevin Bouchard-Hall, Jiminy Peak Road Race
1st Alec Donahue, Lake Sunapee Road Race
1st Robbie King, Pomona Valley Circuit Race
1st Robbie King, Pomona Valley Hill Climb TT
1st Ted King, Tucson Bicycle Classic Overall
1st Ted King, Tucson Bicycle Classic Circuit Race
1st Alec Donahue, Johnny Cake Lane Spring Series
1st Josh Dillon, Tour of Somerville (John Chiselko Open)
2nd Kevin Bouchard-Hall, Whitcomb Hill Road Race
2nd Robbie King, Superior Race Crit
2nd Robbie King, Tucson Bicycle Classic Road Race
2nd Ted King, Pomona Valley Circuit Race
2nd Ted King Valley of the Sun Crit
2nd Robbie King, Bound Brook Crit
2nd Damon Parke, U.S. Bicycling Hall Of Fame Criterium
3rd Ted King, Pomona Valley Hill Climb TT
3rd Ted King, Tucson Bicycle Classic TT
3rd Robbie King, Pomona Valley Stage Race Overall
3rd Robbie King, Pomona Valley Crit
3rd Robbie King, Superior Race Road Race
3rd Andrew Knight, Whitcomb Hill Road Race
3rd Ted King Valley of the Sun Overall
3rd Mat Katz, U.S. Bicycling Hall Of Fame Criterium
4th Ian Stuart, Tucson Bicycle Classic Road Race
4th Ian Beilby, Johnny Cake Lane Spring Series
4th Ted King Valley of the Sun TT
4th Robbie King, Hills Of Somerset County Road Race
4th Ted King, Bound Brook Crit
5th Robbie King, Mount Humboldt Road Race
5th Alec Donahue, NHIS Crit
6th Ted King, Mount Humboldt Road Race
7th Josh Dillon, Palmer Library Road Race
7th Ted King, Colossal Cave Road Race
8th Robbie King, Colossal Cave Road Race
10th Josh Dillon, Hills Of Somerset County Road Race

Cat 3/4

1st Keith Jennings Sterling Road Race
1st Luke Krisch, Jiminy Peak Road Race
1st Luke Krisch, Downtown Claremont Crit
1st Dan Vaillancourt, Rock and Road Classic Road Race
1st Zach Kramer, Adelphia Gran Prix
1st Zach Kramer, Newport Storm Brewery Criterium
2nd Keith Jennings Bear Mountain Road Race
2nd Dan Vaillancourt Rock and Road Classic Criterium
2nd Zach Kramer, Turtle Pond Circuit Race
2nd Zach Kramer, Palmer Library Road Race
2nd Zach Kramer, Tufts Criterium
2nd Matt Moon, Syracuse Race Weekend (GC)
3rd Dan Vaillancourt Bear Mountain Road Race
3rd Keith Jennings, Rock and Road Classic Road Race
3rd Keith Jennings, Rock and Road Classic Criterium
3rd Zach Kramer Johnny Cake Lane Spring Series
6th Zach Kramer, Monson Road Race