March 13, 2006 – No upgrade points, just suffering. That’s the name of the game when the Spring Series comes to the Armstrong circuit in Fort Langley, B.C.

Excellent weather and dry roads greeted the riders Sunday morning, but Armstrong is all about the hill.

In the C race, Jonathan Page prevailed over Jeremy Stothers, with Frank Schimunek rounding out the podium.

The B group survived with a large pack through the last lap, but Escape’s own Jason Thompson made it look easy, riding away from the group on the final climb, and finishing well ahead of the rest of the group. John Markez and Paul McClosky took second and third in the uphill sprint to the finish, and Ron Klopfer (Coastal) and Eric Smith (Bow Cycles) rounded out the top five.

A small bunch stayed away for much of the race in A’s , but a pursuing peloton reabsorbed most of the riders on the last lap. Cory Lange of Symmetrics and Damian Waugh of Masi-Adobe remained clear to the end, though, followed by Waugh’s teammates, Scott Slater and Sean Dawson. Coastal’s Larry Zimich finished fifth.

A Group 117 km

1. Cory Lange. Symmetrics Cycling
2. Damian Waugh. Masi-Adobe
3. Scott Slater. Masi-Adobe
4. Sean Dawson. Masi-Adobe
5. Larry Zimich. Coastal

B Group 83 km

1. Jason Thompson Escape Velocity
2. John Markez
3. Matt Savage
4. Ron Klopher Coastal
5. Eric Smith Bow Cycles

C Group 53 km

1. Jonathan Page
2. Jeremy Stothers
3. Frank Schimunek
4. Pink # held on by 1 pin
5. Tyrone McGuire

Race #2: Aldergrove Zero Avenue Road Race – March 11, 2006
Today’s races happened under clear skies but with persistent wind on the course. The deceptively selective course drove the riders to their limits.

The A group saw a group of three escape from the bunch, and they stayed away until the end, when Rocky’s Kevin Calhoun got away from the break to take the win. John Tolkamp of Escape and Jeff Sherstobitoff of Symmetrics cruised to second and third, respectively, and Murray Solem of Blak Dog won the bunch sprint over Nick Rowe, Espoir Laval.

The B pack was a spirited gang, and although the wind and a fast pack minimized the number of breaks, Jeff Ain (Escape Velocity) got away with a lap and a half to go, and never looked back. The heavily contested sprint was taken by Eric Smith of Bow Cycles, with Coastal teammates Anselmo Rossiello and Ron Klopfer picking up third and fourth.

The same wind that kept the B group together shattered the C’s , and a lead group of less than ten sprinted for the win. Frank Schimunek won it, with Paul Falcon of Coastal in second. Dave Richardson, Peter Curtain, and Brook Glanville rounded out the top five.

Race #2 – March 11th, 2006

A Group
1st – Kevin Calhoun – Rocky Mountain Bicycles
2nd – John Tolkamp – Escape Velocity
3rd – Jeff Sherstobitoff – Symmetrics
4th – Murray Solem – Blak Dog Cycles
5th – Nick Rowe – Espoir Laval

B Group
1st – Jeff Ain – Escape Velocity/Devo
2nd – Eric Smith – Bow Cycles
3rd – Anselmo Rossiello – Team Coastal
4th – Ron Klopfer – Team Coastal
5th – #4571

C Group
1st – Frank Schimunek
2nd – Paul Falcon – Team Coastal
3rd – Dave Richardson
4th – Peter Curtain
5th – Brook Glanville