Jake's take on Hood

The S Team returned to its roots last week for the 5th annual Mt Hood Cycling Classic. In 2005, Svein Tuft captured the team’s first ever American National Racing Calendar (NRC) victory by winning the prologue, the time trial and the overall. Andrew Pinfold also won the criterium. So in 2008, the team was motivated to return to Oregon.


The typical weather pattern for Mt Hood was absent this year. Usually the riders race between a temperature range of cold to downright awful. But this year, the heat wave arrived just in time with temps in the 30’s. Will Routley led the charge for the S Team in the 2km prologue, however everyone remained in contention for the overall, only a handful of seconds behind Bissell’s Ben Jacques Maynes. The 1st stage was a circuit race on Mt. Tabor near Jacob Erker’s house in Portland. Pinfold came close to a podium finishing in 4th with the rest of the gang close behind. The first road race of the week was the traditional up and down circuit at Cooper Spur resort. A late escape by Darren Lill of team BMC worked out for him. But the young man, Christian Meier, followed Health Net’s Rory Sutherland all the way to the line to finish 3rd and step onto the podium as well as grab the lead in the Best Young Rider competition. Sutherland showed everyone why he was last year’s NRC overall champion as he handily took the time trial on day 4. The S Team limited their losses and looked to make a difference over the weekend. Stage 4’s usual course was drastically changed in ‘08 due to heavy snow pack still covering all of the forestry roads that are typically used. The race instead remained on the highways around Mt. Hood. However the day still had nearly 9000 ft. of climbing. Health Net rode tempo for most of the stage to limit the gains of a dangerous breakaway. Eventually, Symmetrics joined in to help the chase to give their GC threat, Routley a shot for the win. Will stuck with Sutherland for most of the final climb finally succumbing in the last 2km.

Sutherland had seemingly locked up his overall victory, but the S Team still had one more opportunity to make its mark on this year’s race. The team was aggressive from the start knowing that Health Net would want a breakaway to go up the road. This way they could ride tempo and just control the race. Eventually, a break did escape with Andrew Pinfold. And Pinner did not disappoint, handily taking the sprint in the end, and captured his 2nd Mt. Hood criterium.

Another victory on the board for the S Team and great training leading into the next two big objectives. The team will leave at the end of the month for the Commerce Bank Triple Crown also know as Philly Week. This three race series finishes with the most prestigious and longest one day event in the U.S., the Philadelphia International Championship. From there, Svein Tuft will look to take the top step on the podium at Canada’s biggest international race, the Tour de Beauce. Finishing 2nd in 2005 and 2007, Tuft is a heavy favorite for overall victory.

more - including photos - at the Onefatman blog you should also visit the Symmetrics Cycling Team site.