Submitted by Tim Kelley
Including:
Laramie Enduro Mt. Bike Race
Garden Creek Gap Road Race
Demolition Derby-Team Car
Big Hole Challenge- Mt. Bike Race
Riders of the Week

Laramie Enduro- The premier long distance mountain bike race in Wyoming- report from Luke Lynch:

“In response to Scott’s request here’s an update from Laramie: Lots of Fitzy folks at the Enduro. Super fun, highly recommended race – the most fun race I’ve ever done. 70+ miles of good ridin’. Rocks, soft gravel, smilin’ support people. Fitzy folks I saw there who raced and finished (I sure could have missed someone):
Jay Petervary 8th Overall Pro/Expert, Tracy Petervary 6th w’s Pro/Expert, Mike Piker 17th Overall, 3rd sport/intermediate, Dave Byers 11th sport/intermediate, (and Luke Lynch 15th overall)
There were some fast pros there. Super hot out, lots of cramping for me, despite the 20 or so endurolite tablets. Not sure about other finishers, but there were lots of J-Hole folks and several comments on the Fitzy presence. Sorry I don’t have more details. It’s all kind of fuzzy, in a good sort of way.” Luke Lynch

Report from team rider Dave Byers on the Enduro:

“This event embodies everything that is positive about competitive cycling; inspiring riders everywhere you look, incredible volunteer support, and a festive atmosphere at the finish line. All proceeds from the race benefit local non-profit organizations and yet the event is run as well as any “for profit” race I have attended. Seeing my fellow Fitzgerald’s team riders while warming up for the 7:00am start was motivating me. Having been pummeled by these guys over the course of many Tuesday night rides this year I know how strong they are and that they would represent the orange train well. Once the dust settled, three team Fitzy riders would be in the top 25 overall! Dave Byers

Snake River Brewery / Fitzgerald’s Bicycles Team Car -Involved in an accident over the weekend.
Rumors are true, the new team car is out of commission following one round in the demo derby and a critical blow dealt to it by Stinky’s leg. Even the ace mechanic Scott Fitzgerald could do nothing to slow its early demise. It’ll be parked outside the shop, awaiting team photos in-front of it in August.

Garden Creek Gap Road Race- Arimo/Pocatello Idaho
Cat V 25 miles, Cat IV and W’s I-III 50 miles, Shill-Dog 75 miles (cat III).
In what we all concurred is one of the coolest race routes we’d ever done, the Garden Creek Gap lived up to expectations. The decisive “gap” was a 8% climb clinging to the cliff sides of a dramatic gash through the rattlesnake hills. This tour like scenery added the drama and the deciding moves. Conner Tuttle* won the Cat V race in his first road race ever and first on Team Fitzgerald’s securing his team kit and sponsorship only two days prior to the race. *Nice mid season acquisition Fitzy! Little, big, brother Ian Tuttle rode the Cat IV peleton off his wheel on lap two of the gap, getting caught by a group of 6 chasers at only eight miles to go…with pocket dynamo Chris spud Murphy hidden amongst them. Murph took 2nd in the sprint finish with Tuttle holding on for 4th. Their faithful Domestic, (as in bud drinker) Tim Kelley finished 11th. Chellie Terry took 5th in the Pro I-III w’s race and Brian Shilling finished 5th after 3 tough laps…proclaiming it- “a great two lap race.” Ian, Chellie and Conner went on to battle it out in the Old Town Pocatello Criterium the next day….All finishing strong in the top 5 of their respective categories!
Clearly, Team Orange is well known and respected when racing in Pocatello, which has become a regional road cycling hot spot.

Big Hole Challenge- Overshadowed by the Enduro, this great race on buff single track in Horseshoe Canyon in the Big Hole Mountains near Driggs is one to put on your calendar next year. News from team rider Greg Buchko- I raced at the Big Hole Challenge in Driggs on Saturday. The expert course was brutal. My time was around 3:25 and my legs still really hurt from the cramps. I finally caught and passed the leader about three hours into the race, only to get a flat with about 2 miles to go. Without a Quick-fill I was pumping away when he passed me back. I was so pissed for forgeting to get more CO2 cartridges.
There are many race lengths and categories and prizes at this local race and the terrain is so great and a short trip away.

Riders of the Week-

Prizes are shared this week three ways-
Conner Tuttle takes the tarmac award for his win at Garden Creek Gap! Like Valverde, “The unbeaten one” is on a roll…welcome to Cat IV, it’s safer…but faster
Mike Piker and Luke Lynch share the dirt award this week. Mike and Luke have stacked up more, bumpy, race miles in the past two weeks than I’ll ride off rode all year. Racing Wed. at the Village, Sat. at Taming of the Tetons, Sunday twice up the pass, and 70 miles of Laramie Enduro…these two guys both deserve a cold beer and a jar of chamois cream for their efforts! Well done.

A huge, Huge, HUGE thank you to our sponsors. We love your beer, your pizza, your websites, your ortho help, your ob-gyn……Ok, we love you guys, really! Thank you. We’re doing all we can to make you proud, from winning races to stopping at stop signs and helping local cyclists in need. Murph even zipped up his jersey before winning a sprint this weekend…proudly displaying the sponsor logo! Thank You, we’re happy there is a team to be a part of.

Snake River Brewing
Ortho Associates of JH
JH OBGYN
Pica’s
Great Northern Coffee
Mountain High Pizza
WomenSpecific.com
M Ploy
Pridigicom
Down On Glenn