USAC Permit 2013-3230 (Part 1) - An Event to Remember!

The 15th of September 2013, Sunday was indeed a great day for Philippine Track Cycling! As most knows by now, Fil-Am Tri CEO and Ironman Elite Arland Macasieb has successfully set the bar for the most distance covered in one hour on this world class velodrome now called Velo Sports Center. Arland officially reached 162 laps or 40 kilometers and 405 meters after 60 minutes of pursuit. This one-of-a-kind velodrome (formerly ADT Event Center) is located in Carson, California, spec’ed at 45-degrees maximum banking, 250-meters, wooden indoor track per Fixed Gear Fever website. This is the same velodrome our ’84 Olympian Deogracias Asuncion made his comeback and the first Pinoy to represent our flag at UCI’s Track World Cup in 2007; followed by Steve Pelaez and Victor Espiritu during the 2008 World Cup; a few USAC Juniors and Elite Track State and National Championships by Coryn Rivera, Mary ‘Lala’ Glenn Enrique and Steve Pelaez; and Tony Zaldua Jr. and Christina Ricafort during SCNCA State Masters Track Championships in 2010. This is also Coryn’s home track and won a whole lot of racing during her junior years.

We are fortunate enough to get a response from Asian Cycling Confederation confirming that a 1-hour time trial record Asian Record does NOT exist at the time of our inquiry. Unfortunately they cannot recognize this particular discipline even if under guidance of UCI. Unofficially, we can say that Arland Macasieb is the pioneer and now holds the very first Asian 1-hour record from the same attempt!

I believe this is the first time a Philippine Cycling Record was set in mainland USA! This feat won’t be possible without the enthusiasm and helpfulness of so many people, not only from the track cycling community and in the Philippines and Los Angeles but also from Filipino cycling communities around the world. There are so many people from all walks of life that were involved and we would like to thank each and everyone of you.

First, we would like to thank our USA Cycling Officials Heather and John Allen, UCI Commissaire Carla Geyer, and Timing System Specialist / USA Cycling Official Robert Pelegrin, Velo Sports Center (VSC) Manager and Olympian Adam Duvendeck, and Los Angeles Velodrome Racing Association (LAVRA) Race Director Christopher Reed for the great job they do. I have been acquainted with these great people for quite some time now but I never dealt with them on a project like this before! Thank you for working with me on making this memorable and one-of-a-kind event happen. Please check us out at Velo Sport Center’s VSC Weekly Fixed Newsletter dated September 16-22, 2013.

Arland's event poster was posted as far as we could reach out to and the skinsuit he wore on this historic ride were both designed and coordinated by Brian Masayon, John Landino, Richwood Borja, and David Sempier.

Our financial sponsors who has helped tremendously on our expenses: Claremont Designs, Optimum Care Therapy, Adobo Velo Fil-Am Cycling Club, Activentures, and A'Runners Circle. Teaming up for the technical aspect of Arland’s successful ride are Kevin Phillips of Ironfly, Tony Zaldua Jr. of Inertia Racing Technology, Louie Rivera, and naturally, Pinoy Fixie.

For those who witnessed his attempt, did you notice how quiet Arland’s bike was? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I can attest that it was! That quietness equates to less friction, which relates to a “fast bike”! Give that credit to master mechanic, IRT wheel builder, and State Champion himself, Mr. Tony Zaldua Jr.! Here's the magician at work!

Our Coaches and Mentors: Ironfly lead and 2 National Records holder Kevin Phillips; Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic and World Cup Track Sprint Coach Peter Maharaj; Keirin Master, Coach and World Champion and my former Coach Gibby Hatton; and USA Cycling Official Robert Pelegrin. Fil-Am Cycling Community / PhilCycling consultants: Olympian Deogracias Asuncion; Philippine Team Track Cyclists Wilson Blas and Steve Pelaez; and Louie Rivera. Special mention to newly Certified UCI Coach Virgilio Espiritu and Officers of Philippine Cycling / Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines: President Abraham Tolentino and Executive Director Jojo Villa Jr. who helped us from the beginning phases of the project. Special thanks to Atty. Billy Sumagui for the immediate posts of the event and results at PhilCycling. Who would think that both USAC and PhilCycling logos will end up together in an event like this?! This is the first for cycling history!

The very important warm-up paceline crew: Red Hook and Wolf Pack participant Langdon Taguiped, Ironman Jim Torii, Donnie Marquez of Big Orange, and Louie Rivera of South Bay Wheelmen. Without them, we will be weary about getting settled in on the track surface. Great photo of the all-Pinoy paceline that caught the Philippine flag above. Another first!

How about our National Anthem acapella singers: VSC National Anthem Singer Cristina Ricafort serenading us with our Bayang Magiliw, heard in this arena for the first time!

And American Idol singer Clint Gamboa hitting the high notes of our US National Anthem!

 Wonderful work by Event Announcer and former ABS-CBN talent JR Calanoc!

Another first in cycling history! Cristina, Clint, and JR did a terrific job! Thank you!

Just to get to this point of the event is an accomplishment by itself. There were many things that happened that day that it I decided to put the story in 4 parts. Next will be my attempt to break the National Record for the Masters 45-49 Flying 250-meter time trial....

Danilo Dizon Jr. and special friends at Italy's Stelvio Bike Day

Typical fixie and trackies hates hills but why miss one of the greatest cycling events in Italy... Giro d'Italia dubbed Stelvio Pass as cycling's killer climb. A little more than 200 kilometers Northeast of Milan. This last day of August is Stelvio Bike Day. An open cycle tour, no charge, an unforgettable event, breathtaking mountain scenery, and the road to the top closed to traffic! 

Many cyclists consider Stelvio Pass scenically the nicest of all the Alpine Passes. It is possible to climb the Stelvio from two different sides or base of the Pass: from Lombardy, locals call it Lombardia, and Bormio at 1,200 meters elevation which Dan and his friends took, and also from Prato and South Tyrol, both in Italy. However, it is also possible to reach the Stelvio from Santa Maria in Switzerland in the west. The toughest and the most spectacular climbing is the one from Prato, with 48 hairpins. Starting from Prato, Stelvio Pass is 24.3 kilometers long. Over this distance, you climb 1,808 meters or just peaking at 6,000 feet. The average percentage is thus 7.5% straight to the top and a maximum of about 13%, topping Stelvio at 2,728 meters! This Pass is known for large SUVs to back up and maneuver to make it around some of the sharp hairpin turns. It's just not practical for modern trucks to use. The Pass is usually closed between October and May. What makes this Pass so famous is that about half of the climb is above tree level and can be seen from above, making for a very powerful and dramatic sight. Stelvio is just legendary. There are no flat places on the Stelvio, somewhere a person can keep riding and get a bit of rest! Check out Bike Race Info for an interesting read. How Stelvio came about also finds it very fascinating for me!

I remember Dan was still building his new road bike a few months ago and now was confident to ride it hard, up these intimidating switchbacks, and then back down wearing off those brake pads and heating up the rims. He mentioned that he uses a compact crankset 50/34 and with a 11-28 cassette. With this climb, you wanna make a bet which chainring/cog combination he used?! 

He and his close friends Sonny and Sean Santiago, his Italian friend Sante Bagnara, and mentor Renato 'Ka Reny' Cataran were ready to climb when he messaged.... that was just before midnight at my side of the world. By the way, except for mentor Ka Reny, this was their first time to climb this killer mountain! Brave men! Reny climb this behemoth last June during the Grand Fondo! It was snowy and windy that day... just a bad day as Ka Reny mentioned to him! So I had to ask, where else did you all climb? And hoping that this was in preparation for the event! He mentioned... Madonna del Ghisallo (from Erba and also from Bellagio kung saan mas mahirap), Colma di Sormano, Brunate, and Colle Brianza. HELLO!!! My inquiring stopped in it's tracks... the notorious Alps is just in their neighborhood, you know! Why should I even check Google maps, right?! He said it... and I'll just take it!

I checked my messages again early this morning and I saw his computer results. Not just the climb all done but the ride was finished and was probably driving home all tired.

Finally, here's his proof that he and his close friends reached the top of Stelvio Pass... with a BIG smile!

According to Stilfser Joch Cycling Day website, there were 7,500 cyclists went up to the Stelvio Pass from the South-Tyrolian side of Italy, Prato and another 1,800 went up from Lombardia to take the Bormio route (check the website for more pictures). The event was very festive and I won't be surprised if it added to at least ten thousand cyclists! Congratulations to you all! What an accomplishment! Here's more BIG smiles from everyone!

Yes we know that reaching the top also means going back down to get home, right! The rewards.... the fruit of labor... will be fast and furious... and done in a fraction of the time they spent climbing the switchbacks!

Here's a great shot of Dan carefully manhandling Stelvio on the return trip!

The Pinoys have conquered Stelvio Pass... and the second for Ka Reny! The next cycling day: Saturday 30th August 2014. But before that, they plan to participate at Sella Ronda in two weeks... September 15th! Same day as Arland's Philippine record setting event!

Ironman and Fil-Am Tri CEO Arland Macasieb to set the very first 1-hour track time trial Philippine Record!