Late April’s chill winds, periodic rain, and overcast skies greeted hundreds of amateur and pro bicycle racers who participated in the fifth annual Tour of the Battenkill 2009. The route covered a 62-mile circuit with over 4,000 feet of climbing and some rough dirt and gravel roads. It was an exciting weekend with a fabulous turnout, and Outside Up North was pleased to have had a photographer on site to cover the race. Tony Jancek and his crew shot a couple hundred photos, a good many of which were cropped to fit our website’s formatting.

We received letters from many racers asking where they could get prints of themselves and of the race, and now, finally, we have galleries of Saturday’s and Sunday’s race photos. Just point your mouse to Outside Up North Photos and browse the galleries. If you need help finding yourself in the photos, just drop us a line with a description of your team kit and bike. We also have video files from which it might be possible to pull still shots, so don’t give up if you don’t find yourself or your teammates in the galleries.

 

 
While you’re at Outside Up North Photos, you might enjoy looking through our other galleries, as well. In the coming months we’ll be adding more photos, so drop by often. Subscribe to RSS or Atom feeds from the Outside Up North Photos site, or stop by here and click on the link in the sidebar.

 

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Almost a week ago, the rural community of Cambridge overflowed with bike racers and spectators bracing to ride and watch the Pro Invitational of the fifth annual Tour of the Battenkill 2009. The route covered a 62-mile circuit with over 4,000 feet of climbing and some rough dirt and gravel roads. Outside Up North is pleased to have had a photographer on site to cover the race. Tony Jancek and his crew have done us proud, and we’re delighted to feature a sample of his pictures here.

Sunday couldn’t have been more different than the previous day. Temperatures were still chilly, but clouds had parted and the sun promised to warm the air to comfortable levels for working up a sweat on a bike. With dry conditions came dust, lots of it. But these racers are pros and took it all in their stride. But before the race there are plenty of preparations. Let’s see what it looks like before the race begins…

 
Getting Ready  Racers unlimbered their bikes, pulled on their team kit, and rode in colorful splendor to the starting line. They’re used to the routine, but however many times they’ve done this, there’s always something to set this race apart. Something memorable. Something to look back on and say, “Yes, that’s the race where…” Every racer will have his own memories, but here are some of ours:

 

The Rice Mansion Inn

 

Aligning the ‘bars

 

Hot Argon 18 carbon bikes

 

Locking in the rear wheel

 

Adjusting his helmet

 

Eager to participate

 

He’s a winner!

 

Team BikeReg.com

 

It starts over there

 

Bobby Lea of Team OUCH Presented by Maxxis

 

Tim Johnson and John Murphy of Team OUCH Presented by Maxxis

 

Heading for the starting line

 

Team Champion System

 

Empire Cycling Team

 

Which way to the start?

 

He’s ready to race

 
Let’s Race!  Racers take their places on Broad Street, and then they’re off, turning onto Main before rolling out of town:

 

 

 

 
Seems like only seconds and they’re out of the village, but there are many miles to go, and many hills to climb:

 

 

 

 

 
Dry conditions make for dry throats—and a dust cloud that riders must endure:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Hard riding requires rehydration and refueling:

 

 

 
Racing is serious business, but not for everyone all of the time:

 

 
The face of the race:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Five hours and a bit more than 16 minutes later, the first cyclist crosses the finish line. It’s Scott Nydam of Team BMC. He’s followed by Karl Menzies of Team OUCH in 2nd place at 5:18:49, and then Francois Parisien of Team Planet Energy in 3rd place at 5.18.53.

 

 
But let’s not forget that there are others who worked hard, too. Here are but a few of them:

 

 

 

 

 
We’ve received many requests from racers who participated in Saturday’s or Sunday’s race asking if we got shots of them. If you see yourself or friends in any of the photos here, please let us know. Official results aren’t available at press time, unfortunately, but one thing can be said for certain: The competitors, organizers, volunteers, and spectators all gave a wonderful showing. You don’t need to be a bicycle racer to enjoy seeing such a display of dedication, endurance, and will-power. Thanks to all. And an especial thanks to Tony and his able assistants, Venus and Nic, for giving Outside Up North the opportunity to cover the Tour of the Battenkill. If you like these photos as much as we do, send Tony an email and tell him so.

 

 
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The fifth annual Tour of the Battenkill 2009 has concluded, and Outside Up North is delighted we had a photographer on site to document much of the action. Tony Jancek has done us proud, and we’re pleased to feature a sample of his pictures here. We’ve received many requests from racers who participated in the race asking if we got shots of them. If you see yourself or friends in any of the photos here, please let us know.

Saturday dawned chilly and wet, and the weather didn’t improve very much as the hours passed, but that didn’t hinder the background crew from their duties to supervise, organize, and mange the event. And the weather sure didn’t stop intrepid racers from turning out in great numbers to compete in what race organizers call one of the largest road racing events in the country. It’s certainly one of the hardest road races, with 62 miles and over 4,000 feet of climbing on dirt and gravel roads. Spectators, too, did their part and turned out in large numbers to cheer on the cyclists. A good showing! Now, let’s see who’s…

 
Getting Ready  The small village of Cambridge swelled on race day, and racers prepared for the event under overcast skies.

 

At the school parking lot

 

Fine tuning

 

OA Performance-Cyclomania team member

 
While racers fine-tuned their bikes and made all those last minute adjustments necessary before a race, organizers, marshals, police, and spectators made their own last-minute preparations.

 

Sponsors line-up in front of the Rice Mansion

 

The Rice Mansion, a grand old building

 

A lot to think about

 

Spectators waiting for the start near the Hotel Cambridge

 

Racers heading for the starting line

 

Not long now…

 

A rear-view mirror is an asset for racers as well as transportational cyclists

 

Farm Team junior racers

 

They’re keen!

 

Bib Number 666

 
Let’s Race!  By all accounts, registration and assembly went smoothly, and the Pro-Am race began with a sea of color as racers turned off Broad Street and onto Main.

 

They’re off!

 

Bright kit on a dull day

 

Bracing! Into the cold breeze

 

Sixty-two miles to go

 

They keep on coming…

 

…and coming…

 

Transparent rain jacket shows team colors

 

Knee warmers optional

 

These fellows are warmly dressed

 

That’s the spirit!

 

Farm Team on home ground

 

And here are the ladies

 

Women rule!

 

Are we there yet?…

 

…Not yet!

 

Team Casella and—who else?

 

And here come the younger racers

 
Gathering on Meeting House Road  Round about mile 48, with 14 miles of hills and sections of dirt roads to come, the peloton passes the intersection of Country Route 68 in White Creek. They’re here and gone in a flash, or so it seems to photographers, but to the racers, the hills are never easy, even if this is not the steepest grade on the circuit. You might get faster with training, but the climbs are always hard.

 

The peloton approaches…

 

Is this Team Lanmark in the lead?…

 

Sure looks like it, with MetLife close behind

 

Team MetLife well represented here

 

Team Kenda in the lead of this group

 

Allez, allez!

 
Crossing the Line!  And then it rained, again. But Saturday’s race is almost over, and everyone looks forward to finding out how well they did. And they also look forward to peeling off sweaty, salty kit, having something to drink and eat, and taking a shower before a good night’s rest after a day’s job well done.

 

Made it! Three hours, 50 minutes, and 30 seconds!

 

At last!

 

Teammates

 

In the pink

 

A happy Team Marinoni racer

 

YESSSS!

 

That was a hellofa race, wasn’t it!

 

Stopping the clock

 

Going green

 

Team Westwood Cycles

 

That chocolate milk looks mighty good up there on the podium…

 

Can I have one, too?

 

 
The winners of the Pro Race, Chad Beyer with Tom Zirbel in second place, accepting their commemorative bottles of Battenkill Creamery’s chocolate milk. Way to go!

 
There’s More to Come…  That’s it for now. On Saturday we’ll bring more photos, this time of the race on Day Two. Official results aren’t yet complete, and when they’re published we’ll be able to give credit to the racers we show in our photos here. Again, if you recognize yourself or anyone else in the photos, please let us know so we can put names to faces. We’re also working to have a gallery up online within a couple weeks where full-sized versions of all Tony’s photos will be available, so stay tuned!

 

A proud bike, christened with Battenkill dirt

 

Time to go…

 
Thanks go to Tony and his able assistants Venus and Nic Jancek for giving Outside Up North the opportunity to cover the Tour of the Battenkill. If you like his photos as much as we do, send him an email and tell him so.

 
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