The Valley Preferred Cycling Center

Matt Baranoski and Stephanie McKenzie continued their stellar starts to the 2013 season Friday night, winning the men’s and women’s Keirin Cup respectively.

On a night that man’s best friend came to the track to take in the action, Baranoski and McKenzie put on a great show for dogs and their owners. The night began with men’s and women’s Keirin heats, and we quickly learned that Matt Baranoski was out to win again with his win in the first heat of the night.

The UCI Festival of Speed presented by EnduroPacks takes place this Friday, June 21^st at Valley Preferred Cycling Center. The night also marks the opening of a very special entertainment series at the track. The Utility Man will be making his first appearance of the season, and will bring a new kind of entertainment to Valley Preferred Cycling Center. The Utility Man is a do-it-all entertainer who travels around the country to perform in ballparks and stadiums. He will be performing in 9 different states this summer.

The Utility Man was featured on the MLB Network’s coverage of the 2012 baseball winter meetings. With a variety of characters in his arsenal, from the Phantom of the Ballpark, to his wacky vendor skit, The Utility Man is a unique performer who will have families laughing all night.

Beat the Clock Happy Hour starts at 6:00 PM every Friday night, so get here early and cash in on unbeatable beer specials.

Gates open Friday at 6:00 PM, and UCI Festival of Speed presented by EnduroPacks begins at 7:30 PM.

BRL Finals Scheduled for Thursday, June 13th, have been postponed. The weather radar indicates that another batch of severe weather will be moving through our area just in time for the races to begin.

The NEW schedule of events is as follows:

Wednesday June 19th: Training for all teams instead of All Star practice

6.00-7.00pm – Fun, Yum and Honor

7.00-8.00pm – Knowledge and Integrity

Thursday 20th June: BRL Finals 4.50pm – 8.00pm (note the earlier warm up time).  All Stars will be announced.

Monday June 24th:  All Stars practice – 6.00pm- 8.00pm

Friday June 28th:  BRL All Stars Finals

All five teams, YUM, Fun, Knowledge, Integrity, and Honor will battle it out under the lights as they make their own run at gold. The event will include point races, scratch races, and an Italian Style Pursuit from each category, 9-11 boys and girls, and 12-16 boys and girls, to end the night.

There will be a 3^rd/4^th place race, and a 1^st/ 2^nd place race.  Kids age 9-16 have been training hard all season for this moment, and we want you to come out and cheer them on. The lights will be on, and these up and comers will get a chance to compete on the same track that Olympic Gold Medalists have trained on. Medals will be handed out for the teams that finish in the top three, bronze, silver, and gold respectively.

The top 12 riders (based on points) will advance to the BRL All Star Finals, which will take place on June 28^th alongside the World Series of Bicycling. A lot is on the line Thursday Night, pride, bragging rights, accomplishment, and the chance to ride alongside some of the best riders in the world.

Valley Preferred Cycling Center would like to thank our veterans, police officers, fire fighters, EMT’s and all those who serve. 

Every Friday night, prior to our World Series of Bicycling races, one local hero will be honored on the track in front of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center fans and athletes.

Each Hometown Hero will receive:

• Tickets for family and friends to enjoy world class cycling
• Recognition on the track prior to the National Anthem at Friday night World Series of Bicycling races

SmileKrafters, and their expert staff would like to pay tribute to our local heroes, and in partnership with SmileKrafters, Valley Preferred Cycling Center will be honoring local heroes prior to each Friday night race, to say thank you in our own special way. These heroes, who have sacrificed so much, deserve to be recognized.

SmileKrafters’ very own Dr  Dyllon who is currently an Army Reservist knows firsthand how important our veterans are to us.  SmileKrafters is proud to recognize our hometown hero’s and extend to them and their families a 15% off discount at our multi-specialty office located at 1247 S. Cedar Crest Blvd. in Allentown. Click here to get your coupon.

If you know someone who you would like to nominate to be part of the SmileKrafters Hometown Heroes series , please contact marketingassistant@thevelodrome.com, or call 610-709-5827.

SmileKrafters, located at 1247 S. Cedar Crest Blvd, Allentown, combines a state of the art facility with the highest level of training and the diligence and dedication of their staff to provide the highest in dental care.

Bring your dog to Valley Preferred Cycling Center this Friday, June 14^th for the first of three dates in our Dog Days of Summer Series. Dog admission is $1.00 at the gates, which open at 6:00PM. All proceeds from dog admission will go to The Sanctuary at Haafsville.

The Sanctuary at Haafsville offers a nurturing environment for stray, feral, homeless, needy, and abandoned animals. The Sanctuary is home to animals in many different life circumstances.

• Animals whose owners are seeking safety for their animals
• Animals whose owners are being sent overseas for military duty
• Companion animals of senior citizens who are temporarily hospitalized or enter a senior care facility
• Geriatric animals whose owners can no longer keep them.

The next dates in our Dog Days of Summer Series will be July 12^th and August 16^th, where there will be different animal charities as beneficiaries.

There will be dog themed activities throughout the night, so bring your canine companions out to the track, and help out a great cause at the same time.

Opening night had it all at Valley Preferred Cycling Center. The electricity of a new season was tangible, and the racing lived up to the billing.  The night started with a bang. The pro men’s sprint quarterfinals were the opening rides, followed by the pro women’s sprint semifinals. American Matt Baranoski won the opening event to move on to the semifinals, along with John Paul of Great Britain, Leandro Bottasso of Argentina, and American David Espinoza. On the women’s side, Novo Nordisk teammates Mandy Marquardt and Steph MecKenzie both advanced to the sprint final, an interesting matchup between friends. Marquardt qualified first with a time of 11.93, and her teammate McKenzie was one of the fastest women on the track all night.

The Pro Women Miss-And-Out went to Kim Geist, earning her 7 points, and an early Omnium lead.

Next up on the docket, the pro men’s sprint semifinal rides. Matt Baranoski easily handled David Espinoza in the first heat, and John Paul was able to hold off Leandro Bottasso in the second heat. The matchup everyone in attendance wanted was set, two world class sprinters going head to head in the finals, John Paul and Matt Baranoski.

With the conclusion of the semifinals came the first intermission. For those who have been to Valley Preferred Cycling Center in the past, intermission is a time to stretch your legs, grab a beer or dinner, and then get back to your seat for the racing to resume.

When you come to Valley Preferred Cycling Center in 2013, and leave your seat at intermission, you will miss some of the most entertaining action of the night. Opening night featured a showcase of new T-Town merchandise,  modeled our race day interns, Olympic themed trivia in which one lucky contestant won a Valley Preferred Cycling Center water bottle, and musical chairs presented by Lehigh Valley Laser Tag.

The next two events after intermission were the men’s 3km Scratch and women’s 20 Lap Points Race, won by Jenning Huizenga, and Kim Geist respectively, bringing us to the men’s sprint finals first ride.

David Espinoza defeated Leandro Bottasso in the first heat of the 3rd/4th place ride, and Matt Baranoski defeated John Paul in a thrilling down to the wire race, with Baranoski beating Paul by the front of his wheel.

With the crowd electrified, the women’s Sprint final took center stage. Teammates Steph McKenzie and Mandy Marquardt, both of Team Novo Nordisk, were now pitted against one another. The two went back and forth on the first lap, jockeying for the best position to start their sprint. In the end, McKenzie defeated Marquardt to win the Sprint final.

The second intermission featured the first Service Electric T-Shirt launch of the season. Who doesn’t love a free t-shirt? If you left your seat for intermission you missed your chance to real one in.

They say the best is saved for last. Well on this night, the best came two events too early. Matt Baranoski and John Paul dueled again in the Sprint Final ride number two. Baranoski, the hometown favorite, took the title on opening night, and is poised to have a great 2013 season.

Opening night was unlike any other at Valley Preferred Cycling Center. The night featured fun for the whole family, and as always, a level of competition fit for the Olympics.

As we look ahead to next Friday and the Keirin Cup and 10 Mile Championship, we also welcome our canine friends to Valley Preferred Cycling Center for the first night of our Dog Days of Summer Series.

Valley Preferred Cycling Center is home to the Lehigh Valley’s most entertaining happy hour. Every Friday night race will feature a Beat the Clock Happy Hour.  From 6:00 PM- 6:15 PM beers will be $1.00.  From 6:15 PM-6:30 PM beers will be $2 each, and from 6:30 PM-7:00 PM beers will be $3 each (maximum two drinks per person). Where else int he valley can combine happy hour prices like this, with the world class competition offered here at Valley Preferred Cycling Center? We offer some of the finest craft beers you will find, at prices you won’t find anywhere else in the Lehigh Valley.  Be sure to get here early and enjoy the best happy hour around!

In addition to happy hour, opening night also kicks off a very special entertainment series featuring The Utility Man, a live performer best known for his in game antics that keep the whole family laughing. A lifelong performer, The Utility Man specializes in live, in stadium entertainment at sporting events of all kind.  The Utility Man appeared on MLB Network this year as part of their winter meetings lineup, and he will be visiting and performing in a total of 9 states this summer.   This Parkland High School graduate will appear at the track June 7^th, June 21^st, and August 23^rd.

The 2013 World Series of Bicycling gets underway Friday June 7^th, and Wednesday at Valley Preferred Cycling Center, the media were invited to meet some of the riders that will be taking part in the World Series.  Over 10 riders from all over the world sat down with local media to answer questions, and talk about the upcoming season.

Valley Preferred Cycling Center’s Executive Director Marty Nothstein kicked off the festivities by introducing the riders and touching upon some of their career highlights. The World Series of Bicycling will play host to some of the premier riders in the world in 2013, and the excitement of opening day was in the air during the question and answer session.

Among the riders present was John Paul, one of the world’s best Sprint racers. The 20-year-old from Great Britain won the 2011 Junior World Sprint Championship, and is a double Junior European Champion in the Sprint and Keirin. John has officially been in America for one day, and he is already enjoying the weather. “First time in T-Town and first time in America, I’ve been here one day and so far I’m loving it,” said Paul. “The track looks awesome; I can’t wait to get on it.”

Also answering questions on the day were Dutch riders Yondi Schmidt and Jenning Huizenga. Schmidt placed 4th in the Pearl of Veluwe and 5th in the Tour of Hank last year, and Huizenga placed 2nd in the Scratch Race at the 2012 Dutch National Championships and 1st in the Individual Pursuit in that same event. “It’s the whole package, I really love the hospitality, and I love to ride here because the level of competition is really good,” said Schmidt when asked what makes T-Town so great.

Team Novo Nordisk riders Steph McKenzie and Mandy Marquardt were also on hand. Representing the United States, Marquardt, a student at Penn State Lehigh Valley, is entering her third season of the World Series of Bicycling, and is spreading the word about diabetes awareness while riding.  “We race all over the US, and we’re really looking forward to racing here and spreading awareness, and showing what you can do with diabetes,” said Marquardt. “Now that I’ve switched to endurance and sprinting, there’s a lot to learn, so just taking on something different, so I want to gain a lot of experience and have fun.”

Perhaps the most sought after rider of the day was American Matt Baranoski. The 19-year-old is a graduate of Valley Preferred Cycling Center’s Air Products Developmental Program, which means he is no stranger to T-Town. Baranoski, a Perkasie, native is the youngest Elite National Champion ever, winning one of his three titles at the age of 17. He also owns two Bronze Medals, and a Junior World Title. “It all started here in T-Town, I’ve been racing here since I’m six years old, it’s kind of crazy how far it’s taken me,” said Baranoski, who is entering his fifth World Series. “I’m really excited for the month of racing in June, we have all the Sprint stuff early on so it’s really going to be a lot of fun and a lot of great racing,” added Baranoski

The excitement is reaching its greatest heights as we enter the homestretch in preparation for the 2013 World Series of Bicycling at Valley Preferred Cycling Center.

Opening week is here, and there is a lot going on at Valley Preferred Cycling Center. Tuesday marks the opening of a brand new farmer’s market that will be held in the plaza area every Tuesday prior to the Fuji Bikes Super Tuesday Series, and Bear Creek Future Stars Series. The market will feature fresh, organic food and produce from area farmers. Admission is free for Tuesday Nights, and our beer stand will be open all night, as well as our concession stands.

Wednesday is a big day at Valley Preferred Cycling Center. As international riders of the World Series of Bicycling begin arriving in T-Town, they will begin training at the facility as well. A press conference will be held at 11:00 AM Wednesday June 5th for media to meet the riders, and interview the riders both collectively, and one on one. Riders from the Netherlands, Scotland, Australia, Great Britain, and the United States will be on hand. The press conference is for media only, and is not open to the general public.

Friday is  opening night of the World Series of Bicycling, the greatest Cycling competition in the world, and home to past, present, and future Olympians. The opening race of the 2013 season is the US Sprint Gran Prix. The night will feature great deals for all fans as well. Our Beat the Clock Happy Hour is the best you will find in the Lehigh Valley. Beer will cost $1.00 from 6:00 PM- 6:15 PM, $2.00 from 6:15 PM- 6:30 PM, $3.00 from 6:30 PM- 7:00 PM. From 7:00 PM on, all beer will be full price.

As if that drink special wasn’t enough, the first beer of the night is on the house! That’s right, just stop by the table located next to the beer stand in the plaza, fill out the information form, and your first beer is on us! Fans must be 21 or older and possess valid I.D. to redeem voucher.

A special entertainment series also kicks off Friday. The Utility Man will be in T-Town for the first of four visits this season. Prepare to be entertained by this one man act as he performs his famous antics both on the infield and in the stands. Be ready because we will be scouring the crowd looking for contest participants, and your name could be called at any time.

Opening night also features a buy one get one free ticket offer. For the price of one general admission ticket, you can get two tickets. This kind of offer can’t be passed up. Bring your friends to Valley Preferred Cycling Center and enjoy world class racing at half the price!

This season will be one of the most exciting ever at Valley Preferred Cycling Center. From games and contests, to special offers and promotions, and as always Olympic level racing, Friday nights in T-Town are going to feature excitement from start to finish. So come to Valley Preferred Cycling Center this, and every Friday night for an experience unlike any other.

The 2013 season is right around the corning, getting underway June 7^th with fun and entertainment abound.  The recent heat wave gave us an idea to quench the thirst of our fans. On opening night your first drink is on us.  Stop by our table in the plaza located next to the beer stand, show your I.D, and pick up your voucher, and enjoy an ice cold beverage, on the house! Fans must be 21 or older to receive the voucher.   Red and white wine and margaritas are also available at our beer stand located in the plaza area.

Valley Preferred Cycling Center is proud to announce the addition of a farmer’s market every Tuesday Night, starting June 4^th and continuing throughout the 2013 season.  The idea, originally created by Hilda Patton, Chairperson of Valley Preferred Cycling Center’s Board of Directors, is to invite local farmers to set up in the plaza area each Tuesday night before the Fuji Super Tuesday Pro-Am Series and Bear Creek Future Stars Series.  What started as an idea to bring more people to Valley Preferred Cycling Center, has evolved into a way to bring the entire Lehigh Valley together, not only to enjoy great racing action, but to work toward a healthier, more sustainable community for years to come. With a multitude of Lehigh Valley farmers looking to market their products, what better way to involve the community, Valley Preferred Cycling Center fans, and support local farmers?

The market will be a one stop shopping experience, offering a wide array of fresh, organic goods.

Vendors Include:

• Ironstone Creamery, offering goat cheeses, yogurt, and smoothies
• Charlotte Baker, offering fresh artisan breads and baked goods
• Brooke-Lee Farms, offering fresh produce, herbs, and jams
• Markel Mountain Farm, offering farm fresh eggs and chicken
• And many more

The market will be held every Tuesday, June through August, from 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM. Locals are invited to come support local farmers, load up on fresh, healthy food, and watch some exciting racing action. Opening day, Tuesday June 4^th, will also feature a raffle with great prizes, and the first 10 guests of the market will receive an insulated, reusable shopping bag.

For questions about the market, or if you want to become a vendor, please contact Market Manager Valerie Garcia, at valgarcia2@live.com  or call at 610-537-4139.

The Valley Preferred Cycling Center is proud to release the 2013 promotional schedule.  There are new and exciting things happening every day at Valley Preferred Cycling Center, and our promotional schedule is one of many reasons to come to the track Friday nights this summer.

New this season, every Friday night race will feature the Beat the Clock Happy Hour.  From 6:00 PM- 6:15 PM beers will be $1.00. From 6:15-6:30 beers will be $2.00 each, and from 6:30-7:00 beers will be $3.00 each including craft beers (maximum two drinks per person per visit).

The season gets underway  June 7^th with fun and entertainment abound.  The first drink of the night is on us.  Just stop by our table in the plaza located next to the beer stand, show your I.D, and pick up your voucher, and enjoy one of our many ice cold beverages, on the house! Fans must be 21 or older to receive the voucher.

Opening night also kicks off a very special entertainment series featuring The Utility Man, a live performer best known for his in game antics that keep the whole family laughing. A lifelong performer, The Utility Man specializes in live, in stadium entertainment at sporting events of all kind.  The Utility Man appeared on MLB Network this year as part of their winter meetings lineup, and he will be visiting and performing in a total of 9 states this summer.   This Parkland High School graduate will appear at the track June 7^th, June 21^st, and August 23^rd.

June 14^th opens the “Dog Days of Summer” series.  Admission for Dogs is $1 at the gate, and all proceeds benefit local animal charities. Dog Day #2 is July 12^th, and Dog Day #3 takes place August 16^th.  Bring your canine companions to the track so they can show off their skills in front of past, present, and future Olympians.

The Rider Theme Night Series opens up June 28^th during our Red Robin Bicycle Racing League Finals.  The 28^th will be Germany Themed night at VPCC, featuring German fare, and some of the finest German beers we can find.  Get your food on the barbie August 9^th on Australian Rider night. Both nights will feature German and Australian themed contests, music, food, drink, and more!

August 2^nd is Ladies Night at VPCC. With $2 Bud Light Lime-A-Ritas and Straw-Ber-Ritas all night, and fun games, prizes, and contests throughout the night, what better way to get together with your friends than Ladies Night at VPCC?

August 23^rd is a special night at Valley Preferred Cycling Center.  Kaylah Karpel and Joseph Kolasinski are long time patrons of Valley Preferred Cycling Center.  After a long bike ride, ending in the parking lot of VPCC, Joseph proposed to Kaylah, and she said yes.  The couple will be holding their rehearsal dinner in the Velo Decks on turn 4.  On race night,  and take a lucky lap around the track. The couple’s bridal party will square off against one another in a series of contests.  It should be a magical night at the track.

The 2013 season wraps up August 30^th with Fan Appreciation Night.  To show the fans how much they mean to us, we will be offering food and drink specials all night, along with autograph sessions with professional riders, and Olympic Gold Medalist, Marty Nothstein.  Prizes will be given away throughout the night as Valley Preferred show the greatest cycling fans in the world the love they show us year round! There is tons of fun to be had at Valley Preferred Cycling Center this summer, so bring your family and friends, because we can’t wait to see you!

Click Here to View Our Full Promotional Calendar!

Full 2013 Promotional Schedule (subject to change)

June 7: First Drink on us; Entertainment from The Utility Man

June 14: “Dog Days of Summer” Dog Day #1

Join us every Tuesday of the 2013 season at Valley Preferred Cycling Center for the Fuji Racing Super Tuesday Pro-Am Series, Featuring category 1-3 riders-some of the best up-and coming racers in cycling.  They match their skills against many of our Friday night pros. Every win brings these amateur riders closer to the big show Friday Nights at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. Races are scored on a points system giving riders 7-5-3-2-1 points according to the order they finish, 1^st-5^th.  In omnium racing, points are totaled at the end of the night to determine the overall winner.

The Bear Creek Future Stars series also takes the stage Tuesdays in T Town. The best young riders we have to offer join the Pro-Am series, giving them the chance to watch and compete with some of the best riders on the planet. Come see the stars of tomorrow, and brag to your friends that you “knew that kid would make it to the big time.”

Some of the races you will see include scratch races in which all racers start at once and points are given out based on placing, points races, tempo races in which the first two riders to cross the finish line receive points, and match sprint races which pit 2-3 riders against each other for three laps.

ATTENTION PLEASE

5:30 Registration Opens

6:00 Track is Open for warm up

6:45 Registration Closes

7:15 Clear Track….first race to ready area.

NOTE FROM EnduroPacks:

Hey VPCC cyclists and fans! We at EnduroPacks are excited to announce that we will be partnering with the Valley Preferred Cycling Center for the 2013 season.

Nutrition is a key part of any training regime and EnduroPacks is here to help guide you through the process. We’ll supply you with all of your monthly essentials. And don’t worry, we are NOT like GNC. Sit back, relax, enjoy your ride and don’t worry about fighting the lines at the mall since your monthly EnduroPacks box will be delivered directly to your doorstep.

We want to help you reach your goals and take something off that already busy schedule. So go to www.enduropacks.com and use the discount code VPCC25 and receive a 25% discount off of any order.

See you guys at the track!

Trexlertown, Pa. –The excitement of professional cycling is set to kick of its 38^th  year in Trexlertown. The World Series of Bicycling returns to Trexlertown bringing Olympic caliber competition every Friday night this summer. The world’s top elite athletes will compete at the concrete crater built by the late publisher Bob Rodale nearly 40 years ago. 

The World Series of Bicycling, starting June 7th, is a mix of sprint and endurance events that will bring the world’s best track cycling talent to T-Town.

In 2012, racers from 13 countries frequented the Valley Preferred Cycling Center including 12 Olympians. Valley Preferred Cycling Center expects to see approximately 2,500 spectators in the crowd on any given Friday, to watch international superstars compete with local hometown heroes. The most popular race nights included on the calendar are the Keirin Cup, the Sprint Gran Prix, and the Madison Cup.

For the second consecutive year the Valley Preferred Cycling Center will host the USA Cycling Junior National Track Championships. This year’s event will take place on Friday, July 26th. The most promising junior track racers from across the USA will descend upon T-Town to compete for national titles on the country’s most celebrated velodrome.

“The Valley Preferred Cycling Center family is very excited for the racing season to be right around the corner. With a strong schedule and hosting Junior Nationals in July, we are expecting another fantastic year in T-Town” noted Marty Nothstein, Executive Director of Valley Preferred Cycling Center and Olympic Gold Medalist.

Many nights on the calendar feature an event from our reputable community programs, including the Red Robin Marty Nothstein Bicycle Racing League, the Air Products Developmental Cycling Program and the PeeWee Pedalers. “Including our community program participants in Friday night racing gives the next generation of track talent the opportunity to share the spotlight with the pros and experience the thrill of racing under the Friday night lights” noted Nothstein, who participated in these very programs as a kid.

Tickets can be purchased at the tickets office on the night of the race or in advance by contacting the Valley Preferred Cycling Center at 610-395-7000 or info@thevelodrome.com. General Admission tickets remain at $5 and Finish Line tickets at $8. Gates will open at 6:00PM for a 7:30PM start time each Friday night this summer.

JUNE
FRI 7		US Sprint Gran Prix
FRI 14		Keirin Cup/10 Mile Championship
FRI 21		UCI Festival of Speed presented by EnduroPacks
FRI 28		Red Robin BRL Finals/Mike Walter Madison presenting by Kratzer Orthodontics
JULY
FRI 5		NO RACING
FRI 12		Keirin Revenge
FRI 19		The Golden Wheel Race presented by Bear Creek Mountain Resort
FRI 26		USA Cycling Jr. Naionals
AUGUST
FRI 2		Tandemonium/Women’s Open
FRI 9		Rodale Corporate Challenge
FRI 16		Deer Park Natural Spring Water UCI Fastest Man on Wheels presented by Univest
FRI 23		Air Products Program Championships
FRI 30		UCI Madison Cup presented by Salamander

That’s right, we’re letting you MAKE YOUR MARK on the track at Valley Preferred Cycling Center!

Now Valley Preferred Cycling Center is putting its own spin on the popular buy-a-brick campaign. But instead of a brick, it’s a meter. Your personalized name will go on one of the meters at VPCC! The meter sponsorship package is a perfect way to make your mark on the track, to honor that special someone, or to give that special gift to that person who “has it all”!

We have 333 total meters on our track. You pick the exact meter and we will do the rest.

The Meter Sponsorship Package Includes:

• One (1) Personalized Meter
• One (1) Finish Line Season Ticket
• One (1) Preferred Parking Pass
• Admission Ticket to both Spring and Fall VeloFest
• Admission Ticket to Junior National Championship on  July 26, 2013
• Admission Ticket to VIP Reception

Investment Cost: Meters can be purchased for an initial cost of $333. The renewal fee for each year thereafter  to remain in that specific meter is $100. Each meter allows up to 25 characters including spaces.

Beneficiary Information: Valley Preferred Cycling Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with all funds raised through our meter package being distributed directly to our brand new Junior Performance Academy as well as our other community programs for kids. The brand new Junior Performance Academy will serve as a bridge between our beginner Air Products Developmental Cycling Program and intermediate level Red Robin Bicycle Racing League to support riders on their mission towards competitive USA Cycling sanctioned racing on a regional and national level.

To Purchase a Meter Package: Contact Alicia today at 610.395.7000 ext. 5 or Alicia@thevelodrome.com and make a lasting impression at the VPCC!

Don’t miss your opportunity to have the best seats in the house with our VeloClub! Membership starts as low as $35 for our basic level of membership. At this level, called the Peloton Package,you will recieve general admission to all of our events and a coupon for 10% off of our merchandise.

For an extra $20, you can purchase membership to the Breakaway level.  This group is entitled to a finish line season ticket, one VIP reception, a preferred parking pass, admission to spring and fall VeloFest, and a 10% discount coupon for 2013 merchandise.

If you would like to become a member, please use this form.* If you have any questions, please email elspeth@thevelodrome.com

*please disregard the rates on the order form, the Peloton package is $35 and the Breakaway package is $55.

As the calendars changed to 2013 this week, all of our thoughts turned towards the promise that the new year holds. We are excited to announce the return of our Friday night World Series of Bicycling! The season opener will take place June 7, 2013. Also, our Spring VeloFest is scheduled for May 4th, with our Fall edition taking place October 5th. The Valley Preferred Cycling Center is looking forward to bring another great year of professional racing, grass roots racing, and community programs!

There’s less than one week left until Christmas! That means all of your shopping is done, right? On the off chance that you still need to pick up a gift or two before the big day, the VPCC Holiday shop is still open to help with great holiday sale prices!

Images of the merchandise can be found here.

The holiday shop will be open every day for the remainder of the week from 9AM-3PM, with extended hours on Thursday, December 20 from 5-7PM. Can’t make it to shop? Don’t worry! You can fax, email, or mail this order form to us and we can arrange pick up or shipping.

Questions? Email elspeth@thevelodrome.com

Most Christmas presents are exciting for a couple days until they get thrown aside and forgotten. Give that special cycling fan on your list a gift that will keep the excitiment going all year long. Membership to VeloClub allows members to be in attendance for every event in 2013.

Our basic level of membership, Peloton has been discounted to only $35. For this low price, the member will receive admission to all of our events- including both VeloFests, as well as a coupon for 10% off of our merchandise in 2013.

For an extra $20, you can purchase membership to the Breakaway level.  This group is entitled to a finish line season ticket, one VIP reception, a preferred parking pass, admission to spring and fall VeloFest, and a 10% discount coupon for 2013 merchandise.

This deal is now even sweeter! For every purchase of a VeloClub membership  between now and December 21, you will receive a 22 oz water bottle and a HeadSweats running hat!

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity, use this form  for the special holiday pricing!

Speed, strength, smarts- all of these skills are what make our World Series of Bicycling riders so exciting to watch, but they are also necessary to succeed on Black Friday. To get great deals from the Valley Preferred Cycling Center this holiday season, you don’t need to be an elite athlete.

Images of the merchandise can be found on our website.

We will be offering extended hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting November 27. You will be able to stop in our office and shop from 10 AM-7 PM.

Can’t make it to shop? Don’t worry! You can fax, email, or mail this order form to us and we can arrange pick up or shipping.

As an added bonus every purchase over $75 will receive a FREE VPCC branded Head Sweats performance running cap!

Questions? Email elspeth@thevelodrome.com

The weather is starting to cool down on the east coast, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to cool down on training!  The Valley Preferred Cycling Center is offering junior riders the opportunity to continue to build their skills throughout the winter with the inaugural Junior Performance Academy.

The program, engineered by Olympic and World Champion Marty Nothstein in conjunction with US Certified Strength and Cycling Coach Bob Blaisdell, aims to prepare juniors ages 10-18 for local, regional and national level cycling competition. The focus is to provide local juniors with the most advantageous training leading up to USA Cycling’s Junior National Track Championships, which will be returning to T-Town July 25-28.

The bike room that typically houses the fleet of track bicycles used for community programs has been converted into a training facility for the program. The 22-week program is divided into three six-week training blocks to allow for adaption, progressive building and recovery. The group will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 pm, along with a three-hour session at 10 am on Saturdays. Participants will receive on the bike instruction, as well as off the bike strength training.

The program is priced at $600 for the entire 22-week session, $200 per six week block, or $133 a month. This equates to an average cost of only $4.86 per hour of training! Scholarships are also available to eligible participants.

Due to the advanced nature of the program, riders must hold a USA Cycling racing license and have at least one year of Bicycle Racing League experience or other race experience.

For more information and to register, please contact Bob Blaisdell at 610.395.7000×226 or bob@thevelodrome.com.

With the conclusion of Fall Bicycle Racing League, the 2012 season has officially come to an end at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center and we are looking to hear your thoughts on how we did! To help us to continue to provide a world-class cycling venue your input is highly valued. If you have attended a World Series of Bicycling event, VeloFest, or participated in a community program we would greatly appreciate it if you would take the time to complete our survey covering the 2012 season.  For your time, we are offering two free tickets to a 2013 World Series of Bicycling event! You will be prompted to enter contact info upon completion of the survey so we can get you your tickets. The survey can be found here. Thank you in advance for your participation!

Does the impending hurricane have you down? Relive the brighter and warmer days of summer by taking a peek at our season review. You can catch up on all the racing action, community programs, and super stars that graced T-Town this summer. You can download the 2012 Season Review here.

Race fans will have one last opportunity to catch some great racing action at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. Thursday October 18, the velodrome will host the Marty Nothstein Bicycle Racing League presented by Red Robin championships. Over 100 riders ages 9-16 will go head to head to try to win their individual age group, as well as bring home the overall title for their team.

“This is some of the best racing to watch at T-Town. These kids are so excited to race and the finishes are so close, it makes for a great show.” Executive Director and Bicycle Racing League graduate Marty Nothstein said.

It will be just like the Friday night lights of the World Series of Bicycling with Rodale Catering opening up the Breakaway Café for the evening along with $2 beer and Clover Hill Wine specials all night long.

Don’t miss out on being the first one to spot the United States’ next Olympic Champion! Racing starts at 5 PM and entry is free.

The Valley Preferred Cycling Center will be adding a new community program to their line up for the winter of 2012. Today, Bob Blaisdell, director of Community Programs, announced the Junior Performance Academy- Winter Training Program is slated to begin on Nov., 12.

“Our hope is that the program will serve as a bridge between our beginner Air Products Developmental Cycling Program and intermediate level Red Robin Bicycle Racing League to push riders towards competitive USA Cycling sanctioned racing on a regional and national level.” Blaisdell said.

The program will differ from the already established community programs due to its focus on building riders towards the 2013 racing season. Athletes will be introduced to off-bike resistance training and flexibility training coupled with trainer or roller workouts, as well as outdoor road and track sessions.

The Junior Performance Academy will be structured into three blocks of six week sessions with one to two weeks break between each session to allow for adaption, progressive building, and recovery.  The program will be overseen by World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist and a graduate of the VPCC’s community programs, Marty Nothstein, in coordination with Blaisdell, who is an experienced exercise physiologist and USA Cycling Certified Coach.

Participants will meet three times a week at a new sport performance facility only two miles from the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. The name and location of this facility will be announced in the coming weeks.

The program will be more advanced than previous offerings, requiring a personal road bike and prior experience.

Registration is available on BikeReg. For more information please contact Bob Blaisdell at (610) 395-7000×226 or bob@thevelodrome.com. 

All the excitement from the World Series of Bicycling has wound down, but the Valley Preferred Cycling Center hasn’t ended its action for the year yet. This Saturday, Oct. 6, the velodrome will come to life with the action of the nation’s largest bicycle flea market, VeloFest. Every year over 200 vendors and close to 4000 shoppers make the pilgrimage to Trexlertown, Pa. in search of the best deals on everything cycling.

“Of course our professional racing is the focus of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center,’ executive director Marty Nothstein said, “but VeloFest is one of the best events we put on. It’s a great opportunity for commercial and private vendors to showcase their merchandise to a huge audience of customers and it’s a great way for shoppers to find the best deals on everything they are looking for.”

Commercial vendors come with racks of never-before-used bicycles, new clothing, helmets, and accessories in an attempt to liquidate their inventory.

Located on the infield, Spa Sport is always a great stop to stock up on some winter clothing. They offer a wide array of leg warmers, booties, and gloves for every size and weather condition at a great price!

Lion of Flanders, a T-Town favorite, will also be in attendance. World Series of Bicycling professional riders such as 2012 National Madison Champions Bobby Lea and Jackie Simes often are spotted sporting socks from the company emblazoned with the Flemish symbol.

The Valley Preferred Cycling Center will have a spot selling their merchandise for fans to pick up last minute T-Town gear.  2013 VeloClub Season tickets will be on sale at discounted preseason prices for fans to take advantage of.

Private vendors are known to have some of the most unique merchandise.  They offer used bicycles, artwork, clothing, vintage equipment and more at extremely low prices.

Private vendors are often some of our local professional riders. This year Jamis-Sutter Home professional Kyle Wamsley and Junior World Medalist Kim Giest will be on hand to unload some of the gear they have stock piled from years of professional racing.

Highlighting this year’s list of private vendors is Bobby Julich. The Olympic silver medalist, Tour De France third-place-finisher, and Team Sky coach has attended VeloFest in the past with a haul of gear and was more than happy to meet and great shoppers.

Along with the Breakaway Café serving all of the favorites from their all-organic menu, the beer stand will be open all day. In the spirit of Oktoberfest, Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat Ale, Victory Festbier, Troegs, and Goose Island will all be on tap along with Warm Spiced Apple Wine from Clover Hill.

The gates will open at 8:30 a.m. and the action will keeping going until 2 p.m. Entry is $8 and children 12 and under are free. Historically, there are long lines to buy wristbands the morning of the event. To beat the lines, shoppers are invited to stop in the office between 4-6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5 to pick up their wristbands ahead of time.

For more information email info@thevelodrome.com or call 610-395-7000.

 T-Town riders once again put the Lehigh Valley on the map with a commanding performance at USA Cycling’s Elite National Championships in Carson, Calif. this past weekend. Out of the 13 national titles awarded, local riders brought home eight of them.

Team Pure Energy/Pro-Air HFA dominated the competition. 20-year-old Matt Baranoski claimed elite titles in the kilometer time trial and sprints to add to his collegiate victories in the same events. He also took home a silver medal in the team sprint behind teammate Andy Lakatosh. Lakatosh also scored silver medals in the sprints and keirin.

On the endurance side, Bobby Lea continued the dominance he showed all summer at the World Series of Bicycling. He won the individual pursuit by seven seconds and lapped the field for the win in the points race. He teamed up with Jackie Simes to take another title in the Madison.

Air Products Developmental Cycling Program graduate Giddeon Massie won a national title in the team sprint, where he teamed up with Lakatosh and California’s TJ Mathieson. His second title came in the keirin. He added two bronze medals to his tally in the sprints and kilometer time trial.

Kutztown, Pa.’s Zack Noonan won his first elite national championship in the team pursuit with Dan Holt, Joe Eldridge, and T-Town fan-favorite Zak Kovalcik. Also mixing it up in the medals was Junior World Medalist, Kim Geist with silver in the individual pursuit an Dana Feiss with a silver in the Team Sprint with Missy Erickson.

More information and complete results can be found on USA Cycling’s website.

Photo courtesy of Erika Fulk.

Saturday night is an action packed evening for T-Town riders at USA Cycling Elite Track Nationals in Carson, Calif.

It’s a big night for the sprinters with the men’s keirin and women’s sprints. 2010 Elite Keirin Champion Matt Baranoski will be trying to add another jersey to his collection after his sprint win yesterday evening. He’ll face tough competition from Giddeon Massie and Andy Lakatosh who teamed up earlier in the week to win the Team Sprint. Winner of Deer Park’s Fastest Woman on Wheels, Dana Feiss, will be out to show why she deserves that title this evening in the women’s Sprints.

The men and women endurance riders have the points race on their schedule this evening. Zack Noonan and Bobby Lea already have won jerseys this week, but they are sure to be hungry for more. They will have a tough time of it with World Series of Bicycling racers Jackie Simes, Jason Meidhof, and T-Town favorite Zak Kovalcik also competing. Kim Geist and Julia Lonchar will take to the boards for the women’s event.

You can cheer on your favorite riders from the comfort of your home from the live stream which will commence at 9PM EST on Saturday Sept. 29. More information can be found at USA Cycling’s website.

VeloFest is only nine days away! The nation’s largest cycling and fitness flea market is returning to the Valley Preferred Cycling on October 6 from 8:30am-2pm. Almost 4000 shoppers are expected to attend to sift through the offerings of over 200 private and commercial vendors.  This long standing T-Town tradition has something to offer for everyone.

For the shopper, it is a dream come true. Commercial vendors are present, trying to liquidate outdated stock at extremely low prices.  It is common to see new and unused bicycles, clothing, and wheels being sold at unheard of prices just to move the products out of inventory. Private vendors are offering all types of gear from lightly used bicycles, vintage parts, art, and clothing. Often times, some of the local professionals will come out to sell off their team issue gear and uniforms.

Apart from the great deals, the day provides a lot of fun for all. The Breakaway Café will be serving Rodale Catering’s all organic menu and the beer stand will be open all day with Clover Hill Wine and Oktoberfest specials!  It’s a great day to catch up with old friends after a long cycling season.

Vendors have the ideal situation. Private vendors can purchase a spot starting at $55, which comes with two wristbands, and commercial vendors can buy spots as low as $100, that come with five wristbands. These low prices provide vendors with a steady flow of shoppers looking to buy anything and everything. From the opening at 8:30am until VeloFest closes at 2, there will be a constant flow of thousands of unique customers enjoying the experience of the largest cycling flea market in the nation.

Just because it’s at a velodrome doesn’t mean that track cycling is the only discipline represented! Every discipline and aspect of cycling is covered, as well as many other sporting areas. Register for a vendor spot by filling out this form and returning it to info@thevelodrome.com.

Six collegiate cyclists who call the Lehigh Valley home took some time away from their studies to head to USA Cycling’s Collegiate National Track Championships and teach their competition a lesson in track racing. College-age athletes from across the country traveled to the Superdrome, located in Frisco, Texas, to compete for their schools September 20-22. The Valley Preferred Cycling Center’s reputation of producing top level track cyclists was upheld with T-Town locals claiming five national titles and a total of 16 medals.

“It’s great to see the track being represented so well on the national level,” said Marty Nothstein, executive director of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. “The fact that our local riders dominated the competition, even though there were only six of them, just goes to show the depth of talent we have in T-Town.”

Penn State Lehigh Valley and Kutztown University may have been lacking numbers, with only two riders from each school, but they brought home some serious hardware. Kutztown was represented by seniors Mary Costelloe and Colleen Hayduk. The pair dominated the women’s racing with Hayduk picking up three national championships with gold medal rides in the scratch, points, and omnium. Costelloe was never far behind with only three points separating her silver and Hayduk’s gold in the points race. Costelloe’s consistency paid off with a top five finish in the omnium.

Matt Baranoski and Mandy Marquardt raced for Penn State Lehigh Valley. Baranoski’s participation in Collegiate Nationals seemed unclear until recently, due to a fractured clavicle he sustained during the season finale of the World Series of Bicycling at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. After surgery to repair the injury, he was back and good as new only 20 days after the incident. Baranoski rode to commanding victories in both the kilometer time trial and the sprints. Marquardt continued her successful collegiate track career with silver medals in the 500 meter time trial and sprints, as well as a fourth place finish in the omnium.

Kaitlyn Lawrence, a 2012 graduate of Emmas High School, helped Lees-McRae College to a bronze medal in the collegiate sprint. Tommy Schubert represented T-Town and Cumberland University well, bringing the newly named Division One program a bronze medal in the Team Pursuit. Full results can be found on USA Cycling’s website.

Next up for T-Town riders are the Elite National Track Championships in Carson, California September 27-30. If the dominance of the collegiate riders was any indication, the Valley Preferred Cycling Center should have some quite a few new national champions in town next season!

Photo courtesy of Dean Warren

Anticipation is growing for Fall VeloFest! With only three weeks to go, shopping plans and sales pitches are being crafted as intricately as battle plans. In preparation for the event, we are extending another opportunity to score a great deal on our 2013 VeloClub membership.

For the past month, presale for the event has been going strong with early purchasers getting a deep discount on the standard rate. VeloClub members receive entry to both of the Velofest’s in the year that their season tickets are purchased for, but now we will be including admission to Fall VeloFest 2012 if you purchase your membership before October 3, 2012.

Yes, you heard us right. Not only will you receive a discount on your season tickets that will gain you admission to all of the World Series of Bicycling events in 2013 and both editions of VeloFest, but you will also gain entry to this year’s Fall VeloFest for free!

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity! We have a variety of packages to fit every need and price range.

VeloClub Peloton $60 $40!

• General Admission Ticket to all 12 World Series of Bicycling Events ($60 value)
• Admission to both Spring and Fall VeloFest ($16 value)
• 10% Merchandise coupon
• FREE entry to Fall VeloFest 2012 ($8 value)

VeloClub Breakaway     $100 $60

• Finish Line Premium Seating Ticket to all 12 Friday Night World Series of Bicycling Events ($96)
• Admission to both Spring and Fall VeloFest ($16)
• One VIP Reception
• Preferred Parking Pass for the World Series of Bicycling
• 10% Merchandise coupon
• FREE entry to Fall VeloFest 2012 ($8 value)

VeloClub Podium        $333

• Sponsor one of the Velodrome’s 333 meters!
• Your name (or the name of your choice) will be painted onto the track’s apron at your selected meter marking
• Entitles you to all the benefits of the VeloClub Breakaway Season Ticket Package
• Your first year is a donation of $333 and $100 each additional year that you renew your sponsorship
• FREE entry to Fall VeloFest 2012 ($8 value)

To receive FREE  admission to Fall VeloFest simply fill out this form and return it to us with payment before October 3!

There’s only one month left until Fall VeloFest! This highly anticipated event is scheduled for October 6, the gates will open at 8:30AM and the great deals will be available until 2PM.  With over 3,000 attendees, 200 vendors, and all cycling disciplines represented there is something for everyone!  Products range from vintage frames and casual clothing, to top of the line race bikes and equipment.

Historically, there are long lines to get a wrist band for admission, but you can beat the crowds by stopping in the velodrome office between 4-6 PM on October 5. Wristbands are $8 and children 12 and under are free.  VeloClub members receive free admission, but they still are required to have a wrist band, so it is highly recommended you stop on the office and pick yours up the day before!

Need a break from all the shopping? The Breakaway Café will be open and serving their all organic menu and there will be Oktoberfest food and beer specials, Clover Hill wine, and raffles all day long!

If your garage is too full to even think about adding anymore cycling gear, we can help you with that too! We have vendors spot till available starting at just $40.

If one day packed of cycling isn’t enough, Bicycling Magazine will be holding their Second Annual Fall Classic on October 7.  Participants can choose routes varying from 10 to 90 miles around the beautiful Lehigh Valley. More information can be found here .

For more information call 610.395.7000 or email info@thevelodrome.com.

Interested in volunteering to help with VeloFest? Email megan@thevelodrome.com.

37 years of racing and T-Town has never seen a season finale like this! The World Series of Bicycling drew to a close this Friday with Madison Cup, presented by Salamander and Corporate Challenge. Spectators were treated to much more than just world-class Madison racing, they had a night of variety featuring Keirin Revenge, professional women’s racing, TEVA Respiratory’s PeeWee Pedalers, and Corporate Challenge.

Madison

Madison Cup is always a fan favorite. The close proximity of the riders combined with the hand slings for the teams to alternate which rider is on relief and which one is racing create some close calls that keep fans on the edge of their seats. The format for this year’s edition consisted of more than just Madison races. The teams also competed individually in a scratch and elimination to gain points towards the overall standings.

Lea got the racing off to a rolling start as he crushed his competition in the three kilometer scratch. He continued to dominate when he and his partner Eric Workowski teamed up for the first Madison of the evening. They snatched up the win by a narrow margin over the team of Zak Kovalcik and Barry Miller.

In the elimination it was Lea, Kline, and Kovalcik who made it through to the sprint. In the final lap, Lea easily took the win over Kovalcik and Shane Kline. In the final 100 lap Madison, Lea and Workowski continued to be unstoppable racking up an unprecedented 51 points over Kline and Kyle Wamsley’s 40.

Lea and Workowski will put their names on the Madison Cup as the 2012 Champions. Wamsley and Kline came in second followed Team Type 1’s Alexey Shmidt and Dan Holt in third

Women’s Racing

The women’s racing started with the Elimination. The field came down to three T-Town greats; Becky Quinn, Kim Geist, and 2011 Rider of the Year Mary Costello. Geist, an excellent pursuiter, found her inner sprinter and kicked into full speed to take the win over Costello and Quinn.

The women kept a fast pace in the Tempo with a majority of the field collecting points. Geist took her second win of the evening over Quinn and Colleen Hayduk.

Poland’s Paulina Cywinska took broke away early on, and it seemed like she was going to hang on for the win. With one to go, Cywinska began to fade and Marquardt saw her opportunity and put on a hard charge to take the win over Hayduk and Costello.

Keirin Revenge

The Rider of the Year contest came down to tonight’s racing. With only three points separating teammates Andy Lakatosh and Matt Baranoski, the racing was bound to be ferocious. Since the two were both sprinters, Keirin Revenge was going to decide who would come out on top. Lakatosh took the win in the first round by a large margin and seemed on track to win the overall.

The second keirin closely resembled the first with Andy Lakatosh choosing to ride from the front, while Baranoski placed himself one rider from last. As Baranoski was attempting to pass John Chambers, Lakatosh was also trying to pass. As Lakatosh moved down track Baranoski moved up and they bumped into each other, knocking Baranoski to the ground. When asked about the incident, Lakatosh insisted it was a mistake, “It’s racing and things happen. Everyone is a competitor when I’m out there. I was just so focused on winning Rider of the Year.”

Baranoski was forced to sit out the final ride, essentially guaranteeing Lakatosh the victory in the Rider of the Year competition. “I’ve been racing here for 15 years, and I’m so proud to finally add my name to the list of great riders who have been Rider of the Year in T-Town,” Lakatosh said. “It wouldn’t have been possible without Gil Hatton, my friends and family, the velodrome staff, and Pure Energy. They have all seen me through a turbulent year, and it feels great to come out on top.”

Corporate Challenge

Valley Preferred represented their company well by taking fifth, fourt, and first place positions on the podium. Red Robin’s team of Bicycle Racing League All-Stars gave it their all, but came up two seconds short and had to settle for silver.

Hall of Fame

A hallmark of the end of the season is the induction of the track legends into the Hall of Fame. This year’s class saw former track director and Olympic Silver medalist Pat McDonough inducted. “It’s a real honor to be inducted,” McDonough said. “Thousands of people have raced here and less than 30 of them have made it into the Hall of Fame. It really is a huge honor.”

Although McDonough no longer lives in the Lehigh Valley, T-Town still holds a place in his heart. “It’s a fun place to work, it’s exciting and different and it’s such a huge part of the community,” he said. “Where else are the cheapest tickets right next to the athletes? Tonight was great, and I hope it’s a spring board for things to come.”

Up Next:

Racing may be over, but don’t forget about us! On October 6, VeloFest is coming back. The track will be packed with vendors with all your wants and needs, so mark your calendars!

Article by: Elspeth Huyett

Photo by Rick Menapace

The last night of racing for the 2012 World Series of Bicycling at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center is traditionally capped off with the Madison Cup presented by Salamander, a fan favorite that always draws the season’s largest crowds. However, this year will be a little different. T-Town has been granted its best season finale yet with the combination of Rodale’s Corporate Challenge and Madison Cup.

Professional Racing

The title of Madison Cup Champion is one of the most coveted awards in T-Town. The Madison is comprised of teams of two riders each. One rider is racing at a time, while the other rides at the top of the track to recover. To trade places, the riders use a hand sling to propel the rider on relief into the race.

Riders have had all season to check out the competition and pick themselves a partner. Zak Kovalcik, a member of last year’s second place team, did his partner scouting earlier in the summer when he was in T-Town and chose six day rider Barry Miller. “I want to improve on my placing from last year,” Kovalcik said, “and the only way to do that is win.”

Former Mike Walter Memorial Madison winner Shane Kline will team up with Kyle Wamsley, the recent winner of the Chris Thater Memorial criterium, in attempt to throw off Kovalcik and Miller’s plans. Powerhouse Team Type 1 will be fielding a team consisting of two-time US National Points Race champion Dan Holt and Russian Olympian Alexey Shmidt. Also competing will be 2012 Olympian Bobby Lea riding with Eric Workowski and two teams comprised of Polish National Team riders.

The men’s sprinters will have their moment in the spotlight as well. Earlier in the season 2011 US National Keirin Champion Matt Baranoski took the win in the Keirin Cup over an undefeated Andy Lakatosh. All season Lakatosh seemed poised to put his name on the Cup, but a season’s worth of preparation unraveled in minutes as he came up short. Lakatosh will have his chance for redemption as Friday’s night schedule will feature Keirin Revenge. Lakatosh, a Junior World medalist in the keirin, will go head to head with Baranoski, two-time Olympian Giddeon Massie, and track legend Gill Hatton.

Apart from a chance to extract his revenge, Lakatosh will be looking to maintain his lead in the Rider of the Year competition. Baranoski has been slowly chipping away and now only three points separate the Pure Energy teammates in the standings. The winner could easily be decided in the final sprint of the eight lap motor paced race.

Corporate Challenge

Despite some team shuffling due to the rescheduling, 12 teams from local businesses will be taking to the track on Friday to be crowned Corporate Challenge Champions. Valley Preferred, PPL EnergyPlus, Buckeye, Bicycling, Rodale, Red Robin, The Valley Preferred Cycling Center, LCCC, and VSAS will field teams of six employees who will go head to head in the Italian Pursuit to decide the fastest company in the Valley.

Hall of Fame

While another season fades away, it is important to recognize those who have made it possible for the Valley Preferred Cycling Center to be the thriving cycling mecca that it is today. The class of 2012 will consist of Pat McDonough, 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist and former executive director of T-Town and Olympic and World Champion Marty Nothstein.

Action Packed Intermissions

The Air Products riders had their chance to shine last week, but TEVA Respiratory’s PeeWee Pedaler’s will have their last opportunity to show the skills they developed this summer when they take to the track during the first intermission.

Bob Swaim will be returning to the Valley Preferred Cycling Center to set the world record on the dicycle, a bicycle with seven foot wheels positioned to the left and right of the rider.

Also taking to the track will be Spokes of Hope to take a victory lap in honor of their triumph over cancer.

In The Plaza

It will be your last chance of the summer to snatch up some T-Town swag and enter the raffle to win a bicycle. For the end of the season, our grey Junior National T-Shirts will be on sale for only $10! Also, we will have an end of season happy hour, so be sure to come out early!

Gates open at 5:30 and racing starts at 7:30. Tickets are just $5 and children 12 and under are free!

As another season draws to a close at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center, it is important to remember not only the heroes of the current season, but also those who paved the way for the excellent facility that exists today. On Friday, August 31 two inductees who are both former Olympians and executive directors will be added into the Hall of Fame as members of the class of 2012.

Pat McDonough served as Executive Director from 1989-2003 and helped create the outstanding partnership the track currently enjoys with the community. He played a key role in bringing the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials, 1997 UCI World Cup, and the 2001 Junior World Track Championships to Trexlertown. During his cycling career, McDonough was a fan-favorite. His crowning achievements in the sport include seven US National Championships and a Silver Medal in the 1984 Olympic Games.

The second inductee is hometown hero and current executive director Marty Nothstein. Nothstein made his way into the sport through the Air Products and Bicycle Racing League community programs. He accumulated a total of 35 US National Championships, four Pan-Am Games Championships, an Olympic Silver in the 1996 games in Atlanta, and an Olympic Gold in the 2000 Games in Sydney. On top of those successes, he won the World Champion’s jersey an astounding three times throughout his career. In his management role at the Velodrome, he has done an exemplary job putting T-Town back on the map as a cycling super center.

In celebration of over 35 years of Air Products sponsoring the developmental programs at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center current participants and graduates put on a great show to illustrate the impact that the programs have had on the cycling community in T-Town.

Air Products

The Air Products Developmental Program has had over 15,000 participants earning more than 225 national titles, 770 medals, and created nine Olympians in the past 35 years. To commemorate Air Products’ continued dedication to the Valley Preferred Cycling Center, executive director Marty Nothstein presented Air Products Manager of Communication Technologies and Services Steve Cameron with a framed Air Products Champion jersey to show appreciation for the program that helped him win his two Olympic medals. Lehigh County Commissioner Michael Schware and Congressman Charlie Dente were also present to give Air Products a proclamation to acknowledge the success of the Air Products Developmental Program.

Air Products riders competed in eight different age-graded scratch races to decide who would be the champion. Riders young and old left it all on the track in the quest for the green and white champions jersey.  Winners included Kim Zubris in the Women’s 18 and over category, Monica Volk in the Girls 13-17 group, Vicky Werley in the Girls 11-12, Brittany Bardman in the Girls 9-10 class, Gerard Josulevicz in the Boys 9-10, Anthony Mallia in the Boys 11-12, Andrew Davis in the Men 18-44, and Philip McGraw in the Mens 45 plus category. For McGraw, the Air Products Program has given him a new outlook on cycling. “I’ve been an avid cyclist for years,” McGraw said, “I signed up for Air Products, and I really don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun in my life.”

Men’s Racing

In the Men’s racing, Bobby Lea showed the strength that has made him a two time Olympian. He got the night off to a rolling start in the men’s 10 lap scratch by initiating a breakaway with Poland’s Mateusz Mikulicz. New National Omnium Champion Zak Kovalcik wasn’t content to let them get away and bridged up with three to go. Mikulicz cracked, but Lea kept going to take the win over Kovalcik.

Next up for the men was a Super Sprint Elimination. Lea jumped at the chance to animate the race by taking a flyer during the elimination portion of the race to secure his position in the final 12 that would move on to the scratch race. Shane Kline was wise to Lea’s move and reeled him in to take the win.

In a night full of endurance races, the male sprinters had their shot for glory in an invitational Keirin. The field was stacked with two-time Olympian Giddeon Massie, former US National Keirin Champion and Junior World Medalist Matt Baranoski, former Japanese Keirin rider Gil Hatton, and Andy Lakatosh, the leader of the Rider of the Year competition. Baranoski displayed the skills he learned years ago in Air Products when he came over a hard charging Kline to take the win and further narrow the gap between himself and Lakatosh in the Rider of the Year competition.

The men capped off the night with a 10 mile final. Jackie Simes and Jason Miedhof tested their luck in a break away that lasted almost 20 laps. With six to go Lea had had enough and went off in hot pursuit of the break with Kline in tow. Kline wasn’t able to hang on to the Olympian’s pace and had to settle for second, while Barry Miller won the field sprint for third.

Women’s Racing

The women’s field may have been lacking numbers, but they made up for it with aggression. The night started off with an elimination race that saw Charline Joiner take her first Friday night win of the season over track legend Becky Quinn.

The women knew they were in for a battle when they saw the sprint tournament on the schedule and reigning US National Sprint Champion Dana Feiss on the line.  Feiss easily made it into the final where she met Joiner and Mandy Marquardt. After a drawn out came of cat and mouse, the bell rang and Feiss was off like a bullet easily taking the win.  

The women’s racing for the evening concluded with an 11 woman Keirin. Like clockwork Feiss went at the sound of the bell, but Joiner was prepared and outlasted Feiss on the run in to the line to score her second win of the evening.

Next Week: The final race of the season is next week with Madison Cup presented by Salamander in conjunction with Corporate Challenge. Gates will open at 5:30 and racing begins at 7:30. Tickets are as low as $5 and children 12 and under are free.

Article by Elspeth Huyett

Photos by Rick Menapace.

This Friday’s World Series of Bicycling is a defining night for T-town.  It is the finale of the 35^th Air Products Developmental Program, the Valley Preferred Cycling Center’s flagship community program. Participants of this program honed their track racing skills throughout the summer for a chance to be crowned Air Products Champion on August 24.

Other than the world class racing that takes place at T-town, it is the vast success of the community programs that sets it apart from other track cycling facilities in the country. The Air Products Developmental Program is responsible for creating nine Olympians and bringing home three medals. Two of these medals belong to Marty Nothstein and the third was collected only weeks ago by Lauren Tamayo in the Team Pursuit.

“For more than 35 years the Air Products Program has been producing National Champions, Olympians, and World Champions,” Nothstein says. “It is an invaluable asset to our track, as well as the sport of cycling.” The program affords children ages 5-18 the opportunity to be provided with a track bike, helmet, and a USA Cycling certified coach to introduce them the velodrome. Adult classes exist as well for the low price of $60.

Air Products Developmental Cycling Program graduates Andy Lakatosh and Colleen Gulick will be competing to hold on to their leads in the Rider of the Year competition for two more races. Gulick has a comfortable lead over her competition, but the men’s race is much tighter with only eight points separating Lakatosh from teammate Matt Baranoski.

Zak Kovalcik will be returning to the Lehigh Valley for the last two weeks of racing. The newly crowned National Omnium Champion was a fan favorite earlier in the season with his bleach blond hair and aggressive racing style and will surely make his mark this time around.

The rain out last week put a damper on the much talked about Retro Jersey Contest. Fans will have another opportunity this week to bring out their best old school cycling jersey for a chance to win season tickets.

Gates open at 5:30 and racing starts at 7:30. Tickets start at just $5 and children 12 and under are free. Air Products employees can receive free Finish Line seats for themselves and a guest when they show their Air Products identification card at the box office.

Looking for something to fill your fall after the racing at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center has come to an end? Runner’s World has just the thing with their Half and Festival October 19-21 in Bethlehem, Pa. Along with 5k, 10k, and half marathon races, Runner’s World is offering a myriad of festivities including classic running films, lectures, and opportunities to meet the editors of the magazine.

The half course has been labeled as “challenging”. It runs throughout historic Bethlehem providing competitors with all the quintessential sights such as Lehigh University, the Moravian Book Shop, and of course, the former Bethlehem Steel Complex. The road will tilt upward at approximately miles three and five, but runners are rewarded for their efforts with a downhill run into the finish. If the 13.1 mile half marathon isn’t enough, participants can sign up for the 5k and 10k for a discounted rate and attempt to complete the hat trick by finishing all three races in one weekend. Also available is a free kids race on Saturday.

Also setting Runner’s World Half and Festival apart from other half marathons is it’s commitment to being Green Certified. The race is committed to being environmentally friendly and is encouraging athletes to car pool, use the shuttle system, ride bikes, and bring their own refillable bottles in an effort to decrease their carbon footprint. The race has scaled back on physical materials and print materials as well as added on-site composting and recycling and put into effect a no-Styrofoam policy.

Registration and more information about this great event can be found at www.rwhalf.com.

Deep dish carbon wheels, clipless pedals, and electronic shifting have all brought radical changes to the sport of cycling in the past decade. However, nothing is as pure as the days of down tube shifters, toe clips, and, of course, those wool retro jerseys. During the World Series of Bicycling this Friday we will be giving everyone the opportunity to come out and show off a piece of cycling history with our Retro Jersey Contest. Come to racing wearing your coolest retro jersey and check-in at our merchandise stand to get registered for the contest. During the second intermission Marty Nothstein along with some of the professional riders, will select the three best retro jerseys and award them with T-Town swag bags. The grand prize winner will receive 2013 General Admission season tickets! So, start digging through your drawers for your chance to win this Friday!

Corporate Challenge

This World Series of Bicycling once again brings a unique event back to the Lehigh Valley with Corporate Challenge. This year’s edition will see Valley Preferred, PPL EnergyPlus, Bicycling, Rodale Inc., Buckeye, VSAS, LCCC, the Velodrome, and Red Robin go head to head to see who has the quickest employees in the Valley. Marty Nothstein, executive director, recognizes the popularity of the event to the businesses involved, “It’s a great opportunity for local corporations to get their names out in front of a large audience and have a great time racing under the Friday night lights, and it doesn’t get better than that.”

In this fan-favorite event local corporations assemble a team comprised of six employees and compete in an Italian Pursuit tournament. One team will start on the wall in each straight away and form a pace line to draft behind each other. Each lap the first rider swings off and lets the following rider lead the team for a lap until only one rider remains to bring home the gold. The teams are not only trying to take the win over the other team on the track, but also record a fast time so they can seed themselves well moving forward.

Corporate Challenge is always one of the loudest nights at the Valley preferred Cycling Center, “Fans are cheering for corporations that they know and the people that are racing are people just like them,” Nothstein explains.

Along with the opportunity to bring home the title of Corporate Challenge Champions, teams also get to work on team building and communication. Joy Clymer from PPL EnergyPlus has enjoyed her experience so far, “It’s fun to get out there and represent your company and come together with your coworkers outside of the office and build camaraderie, friendship, and work towards a common goal.” Clymer said.

Pro Racing

Aside from the intense competition of Corporate Challenge, the professional riders will also be hitting the track. The battle for the Rider of the Year competition is heating up with only three nights remaining on the calendar. On the men’s side team mates Andy Lakatosh and Matt Baranoski maintained first and second position after Fastest Man on Wheels and they will be hoping to increase their lead on the rest of the competition. On the women’s side Colleen Gulick has found herself with a sizeable lead with second placed Dana Walton out with a broken collarbone for the season and third placed Elizabeth Steele back in New Zealand. However, Mandy Marquardt is still within challenging distance at fourth place.

The Plaza

The plaza will be rocking this Friday. Swoop, the Philadelphia Eagles’ mascot, will be in attendance to meet fans and take a spin around the track. During the intermissions, there will be a Zumba demonstration and Bob Swaim will be taking his dicycle, a two wheeled bicycle with seven-foot wheels on either side of the rider, on a spin around the track to set the Age Quotient.

Fans will also have the opportunity to win 2013 season tickets in a retro jersey contest. The requirement is to be wearing a retro jersey and register at the merchandise stand prior to the start of racing. During intermission Marty Nothstein, along with some of the professional riders, will select the best retro jersey and award them with the grand prize of 2013 season tickets and the top three entrants will receive a T-town swag bag.

As always, racing starts at 7:30 and gates open at 5:30. Tickets are as low as $5 and children 12 and under free.

When fans arrive at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center they expect to be greeted by typical two-wheeled bicycles, however, this week they get a special surprise as Bob Swaim will be taking up shop in the plaza with his variety of cycling marvels.

Swaim started riding a few years ago mostly for exercise. He started on a traditional bicycle, but quickly realized the limited variety that a standard two-wheeled bicycle can offer. “The more variety that you introduce into your exercise routine the less chance you will stop,” Swaim explains. So, to keep himself going he began to collect bikes so he would never stop.

He has a vast collection including a high wheeler, mini tandem, sociable, and a Pedersen Bicycle. Not sure what those are? Swaim is more than happy to explain. “My proudest experience is introducing new ideas and Human Powered Vehicles [bicycles] during my presentations,” Swaim says.

Swaim is bringing his dicycle this Friday. It has two seven foot wheels that are positioned to the left and the right of the rider. He will be taking it for a lap around the track to set the World Record in Age Quotient. The Age Quotient is a measurement he developed for those over 40 and generates a score to compensate for the age.

Come out this Friday to Corporate Challenge and get an education on all kinds of Human Powered Vehicles and cheer Swaim on when he goes for the record!

Photo by Anthony Skorochod of Cycling Captured

The weather didn’t seem to be ready for the fast and furious racing that was slated to occur during Deer Park’s Fastest Man on Wheels competition. The Lehigh Valley was left questioning all day whether or not racing would happen. Once the decision was made that the World Series of Bicycling would go on, the riders put their best foot forward to erase the memories of the gloom of the morning and early afternoon and replace them with world class cycling action.

To decide the Fastest Man and Woman on Wheels riders had to gain points throughout the evening to qualify into the  final event of the night, which would be the deciding factor on who claimed the title. The riders would lay it all on the line in a motor paced scratch race. In this new event at T-Town, riders are paced by a motorcycle ‘keirin style’ for the first two kilometers of the race and are not allowed to pass the bike until it pulls off with one kilometer to go.

With limited spots available in the feature event, the racing was intense throughout the evening as riders attempted to gain entry into the race for the title.  The male sprinters had an extra opportunity to mix it up with an invitational sprint tournament taking place alongside the mass start racing.

Men’s Racing

The men started their evening off with a super sprint elimination. The 26 rider field was quickly whittled down to 12, where the race took on the form of a five-lap scratch. Jackie Simes kicked it over the top of the strung out field with one to go to take the win over Patrick Kos of the Netherlands and Poland’s Rafal Jeziorski.

Next up for the men was a five mile scratch race. Jamaican Marloe Rodman was a key animator of the race picking up two premes in commanding fashion. However, he was no match for seasoned track racer Ryan Oelkers who took his first win of the season over Rodman and Simes.

After a short break, the field took the rail for a 25 lap points race that saw many T-Town locals come to the forefront. Randy Smargiassi, Zach Semian, and Nick Roeder all participated in creating a very animiated race. Mateusz Mikulicz collected Poland’s first win for the evening followed by Pure Energy’s Zach Semian and Jackie Simes.

The men had their last opportunity to qualify to ride for the title of Fastest Man on Wheels in a 12-lap point a lap. Michal Michcinski picked up Poland’s second win for the evening over compatriot Jeziorski and Kos.

The battle for the title of Fastest Man on Wheels was hard fought. Lanell Rockmore tried to ride it from the motor, but once the motor pulled off and he hit the wind the sprinters took over. Andy Lakatosh attempted to lead it out and it appeared that he would have another commanding victory until his team mate Matt Baranoski came flying over top with Rodman in tow to take the win and the title of Fastest Man on Wheels.

Men’s Sprint

Local sprinters Andy Lakatosh, Matt Baranoski, and Giddeon Massie duked it out early in the evening to put themselves into the gold medal ride for the sprint tournament. Lakatosh, leader of the Rider of the Year competition, had another impressive ride to hold off Massie and Baranoski.

Women’s Racing

Dana Feiss got the women’s racing off to a fast start by taking the first two points sprints in the points race. Her early start proved to be enough to secure her the victory over Poland’s Karolina Karasiewicz and Paulina Cywinskia respectively.

In the ten lap scratch, Nadia Latzgo made a move with four to go and brought England’s Hayley Edwards with her. Edwards was able to hold off a hard charging Latzgo to take the win, while Colleen Gulick won the field sprint.

The women’s unknown distance saw a couple of moves, but nothing seemed to stick. The bell rang with Feiss in third position, a prime spot to come around for the win, but Gulick had an impressive late kick to take the win by a bike throw.

In the motor paced scratch race Canada’s Catherine Couture took the lead and held it until three to go when the motor pulled off the track. Poland’s Karolina Karasiewicz tried to make it a long one, but she was reeled in by a hard charging Feiss with Scotland’s Charline Joiner hot on her tail. “Its one of those things where you see the rider in your peripheral vision and you’re ready to either celebrate the win or pee in your chamois,” Feiss said. Feiss was able to celebrate, as she claimed the title of Fastest Woman Wheels.

Next Event: The World Series of Bicycling returns Friday, August 17, with Corporate Challenge. Racing starts at 7:30. Tickets start at just $5.00 and kids 12 and under are free.

Article by: Elspeth Huyett

Photo by: Anthony Skorochod of Cycling Captured

After much indecision, the sun has decided to come out and stay out. Racing will go on as planned with gates opening at 5:30 and racing starting at 7:30. Tickets are available starting at $5 and children 12 and under are free. Also on tap for tonight is happy hour from 6-7 with $2 domestic bottles!

So far, the 2012 season has been one for the history books. The Valley Preferred Cycling Center saw Bobby Lea make his final preparations for the Olympic Games by smashing his competition week in and week out and keirin action that kept spectators glued to their seats. With a season as astounding as this, you’ll want to be sure not to miss a second of next year’s action. You can guarantee a front row spot to next year’s action by purchasing your 2013 VeloClub membership now at a discounted rate!

The VeloClub is available at three different price levels. The basic membership option is the VeloClub Peloton, normally priced at $60, but discounted to $40 for this special presale opportunity. Members will receive one general admission season ticket, admission to spring and fall VeloFest, and a 10% coupon for T-Town merchandise.

The next level up is the VeloClub breakaway. Typically, $100, this price has been knocked down to just $60. Breakaway members will get one VIP reception during the 2013 season, a Finish Line season ticket, admission to the spring and fall VeloFests, a preferred parking pass to get you closer to the action, and a 10% merchandise coupon.

The premier level of VeloClub is the Podium level. Priced at $333 (how many meters there are around the track), members will have their name painted on to the track apron in addition to all the other benefits enjoyed by VeloClub Breakaway members and are able to renew their membership for only $100 a year.

These prices are only available through September 7, so be sure to stop by our merchandise table on Friday Nights for more information. You can also contact us by email at info@thevelodrome.com or by speaking with Megan by phone at 610-395-7000.

The World Series of Bicycling has showcased the endurance riders in events such as the Mike Walter 100 Lap Madison and the US 10 Mile Championship, and the sprinters have had their chance to shine at the US Sprint Grand Prix and Keirin Cup. This Friday will be showcasing the best all around rider in the Fastest Man (and Woman) on Wheels presented by Deer Park.

“This event is going to show who is truly the fastest man and woman,” executive director Marty Nothstein explained. The evening’s racing will include a typical array of mass start races where the riders will accumulate points towards an overall omnium but the title will go to the rider who wins the evenings final motor paced scratch race. This event will be up for grabs, as the race may play out to be a long-winded sprint or a short spurt to the line.

On the men’s side, spectators will want to keep an eye on recent Keirin Cup winner Matt Baranoski, who has been known to outlast many sprinters in the endurance events as well as Dutch rider Patrick Kos who has shown great versatility so far this season.

The men will also be competing in an invitational sprint tournament. Andy Lakatosh and Giddeon Massie will both be in town to give Dutch sprinters Nils Hoenderdaal and Hylke Greakan a run for their money.

On the women’s side, Dana Feiss is a rider to watch. She’ll be out for redemption after a third place finish in the Keirin Cup and is ready to fight her way through to the finale that will be very similar keirin, her favorite event. Another rider to watch is New Zealand’s Elizabeth Steel. Steel came in a close second at Keirin Cup, showing her sprint ability, however, she is also a Junior World Medalist in the Team Pursuit. She may have just the combination of speed and endurance to be the Fastest Woman on Wheels.

Racing starts at 7:30, gates open at 5:30. Tickets as low as $5 and children 12 and under free. Come out early for Happy Hour taking place between 6-7 with $2 domestic bottles.

Article by Elspeth Huyett

Photo by Anthony Skorochod of Cycling Captured

Air Products Developmental Cycling Program graduate Lauren Tamayo (formerly Franges) along with teammates Dotsie Bausch, Sarah Hammer, and Jennie Reed earned an American record and an Olympic silver medal in the Women’s Team Pursuit. Fellow T-Town rider Bobby Lea placed 12th in the men’s International Omnium.

These two riders may be the only ones technically considered to be local, but a total of 18 riders competing in track cycling events in the 2012 Olympics have made the Valley Preferred Cycling Center their home at one time or another. We would like to take the opportunity to congratulate all of them on their success.

Men:
Jason Kenny (Great Britain): Gold Team Sprint, Gold Sprints
Shane Perkins (Australia): Bronze Sprints, 4th Team Sprint
Scott Sunderland (Australia): 4th Team Sprint
Edward Dawkins (New Zealand): 7th Team Sprint, 14th Sprints
Simon Van Velthooven (New Zealand): Bronze Keirin, 7th Team Sprint
Kamil Kucynski (Poland): 10th Team Sprint
Teun Mulder (Netherlands): Bronze Keirin
Michael Hepburn (Australia): Silver Team Pursuit
Tim Veldt (Netherlands): 7th Team Pursuit
Shane Archbold (New Zealand): 7th Omnium
Zach Bell (Canada): 8th Omnium
Njisane Phillip (Trinidad and Tobago): 4th Sprint, 7th Keirin

Women:
Anna Meares (Australia): 5th Keirin
Monique Sullivan (Canada): 6th Keirin, 11th Sprint
Willy Kanis (Netherlands) : 9th Sprints, 12th Keirin
Natasha Hansen (New Zealand): 11th Keirin, 12th Sprints
Tara Whitten (Canada): Bronze Team Pursuit, Bronze Omnium
Lauren Ellis, Alison Shanks, Jaime Nielson (New Zealand): 5th Team Pursuit
Joanne Kiesanowski (New Zealand): 11th Omnium

Article by: Elspeth Huyett

Photo by: Anthony Skorochod of Cycling Captured

The road to Junior Nationals gold wasn’t paved with gold for Calan Farley. The 17-year-old from Pittstown, New Jersey has had his fair share of struggles on and off the bike.

Like many successful cyclists to come out of T-Town, Farley got his start through the Air Products Developmental Cycling Program at the age of eight. “I fell in love with it right away,” Farley said.

From there he began competing in Junior Track Cycling Nationals, picking up his first stars and stripes jersey in 2007 in Colorado Springs. His second national title, and the one that Farley names as his favorite, came at the 2009 Junior National Track Championships in Los Angeles. Farley was competing in the 13-14 men’s category, “I was disqualified in the 500 meter because I false started twice,” Farley explained “I went on to win the rest of the races and eventually the overall title.”

Determination like that is what got him through an extremely difficult year in 2011. During a workout in January 2011, his father was injured and was paralyzed from the neck down. “At that point my training schedule was non-existent. I was missing training every other day.” Farley said. He was still able to attend Junior Track Nationals in Frisco, Texas and return home with a 5th place keirin.

This left him hungry for more. He started working with Matt Baranoski and his father, Mike. “I was able to readjust and redevelop my training program with them,” Farley said. “I really have them to thank for getting me back on track for 2012.”

He showed he was back on track by smashing Junior Track Nationals this year on his home track and in front of his father, “He made a lot of improvement throughout the year and he was able to come with a walker and watch, it was great to be able to race in front of him,” Farley said.

His nationals got off to a bit of a slow start with a fifth place 200 meter time, which meant he had to fight his way into the top two and eventually settled for bronze on top of a silver medal ride in the kilometer time trial. The next day Farley struck gold though, winning two jerseys, in the team sprint and keirin, in two days. “It felt like a year of hard work finally paid off.” Farley said.

By winning the Team Sprint and the Keirin, Farley qualified himself for the Junior World Track Championships in Invercargill, New Zealand where he will be joined by former Young Medalist Team mates Nadia Latzgo and Chloe Chepigin. USA Cycling has yet to finalize which events he will be riding, but his win in the keirin makes it likely that he will contest that event at Worlds. “The keirin is my focus, I really want to try and medal.”

Farley is looking to repeat his success at Nationals in 2013 and continue on to Junior Worlds where he plans to be in pursuit of a rainbow jersey. After that though, he’s undecided. “Rio in 2016 is a possibility,” Farley mused, “but I am going to have to take stock after Junior Worlds.”

Farley’s high cycling goals don’t mean that he’s disregarding his school work. As a high school senior, he is looking forward to college. “I think I have the grades to go to Lehigh University and major in mechanical engineering,” Farley said, “I’ve always liked working with things, and I think my grades are good enough to make Lehigh a definite option.”
Be sure to come out and watch Calan Farley compete in his final race before Junior World Championships this Friday at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center.

Article by: Elspeth Huyett

Photo by: Anthony Skorochod of Cycling Captured

Marty Nothstein appeared on Comcast Sports Net earlier this season in a short documentary shot by Brad Nau.  Entitled “Lead from the East,” Nothstein calls Valley Preferred Cycling Center the Yankee Stadium of track cycling, and compares its riders to the tradition of Oakland Raiders football for its smashmouth competitiveness.

Valley Preferred Cycling Center, affectionately coined T-Town by its fans, has been training cyclists in first-class community programs since 1976.  The venue’s community programs have over 23,000 graduates.  Eight graduates, including Nothstein, have gone on to participate in Olympic Games.

This year’s Olympics was special for T-Town, as one of its own claimed a Silver Medal in the Women’s Team Pursuit.  This is where Lauren Tamayo got her start in cycling:

Lauren Franges Tamayo became the latest T-Town rider to medal in an Olympic Games, when she and her U.S. teammates claim Silver in the Women’s Team Pursuit in London on Saturday evening. Tamayo, a Central Catholic grad and product of Valley Preferred Cycling Center’s community programs, teamed with with former world champion Sarah Hammer, another name T-town fans may recognize, and Dotsie Bausch to finish second in the Gold Medal final to Great Britain. Meanwhile, Topton’s Bobby Lea Lea finished the two-day men’s omnium in 12th place overall. Read more about the 2012 Games from velodrome beat writer Gary Blockus in today’s Morning Call.

Photo by Casey B. Gibson

The cloudy skies hanging over Trexlertown didn’t stop the stars from coming out for the North American Tandem Championships held in conjunction with Tandemonium. Apart from the stellar teams assembled for the tandem racing there were full fields of professional men and women that lit up the night.

Tandems

The night got off to an early start with the one lap time trial qualifying ride for the North American Tandem Championships. A total of 12 teams competed to qualify into the sprint tournament and take a crack at breaking the track record set by Ben Barczewksi and Andy Lakatosh in 2007 of 17.33. The Dutch team of Nils Hoenderdaal and Hylke Greakan came within shouting distance of the record with a time 17.86; however, the time was enough to slot them into first position.

After an opportunity to regroup and recover, the tandem teams competed in round one of their sprint tournament which saw ­­­­­­­­­­­some interesting tactics as many of the teams competed in their first ever tandem match sprint. The Dutch team had no problem moving on to the semifinals as they breezed through their first ride against the team of Kurt Begemann and Jeff Palter. The second placed team of Matt Diefenbach and Tyler Nothstein rode against David Gulick and Chester Triplett. Coming into one lap to go, Gulick and Triplett had a sizeable lead, but swung up in turn three to allow Diefenbach and Nothstein to power through for the win. John Chambers and his partner Cameron Reider rode against Steven Schneider and Lanell Rockmore. Chambers took the long way over top and seemed like they would take the win, but Rockmore and Schneider managed to eke out the win. A very similar ride took place between the Lion of Flanders Team of Ryan Pomajevich and Andy Kuklis and the team of Bill Elliston and Ray Ignosh, with the Lion of Flanders team coming out on top.

The riders who missed the semi-finals got to fight it out for spots five through eight. It was an extremely close ride the entire way with Elliston and Ignosh coming across for fourth followed by Schneider and Rockmore.

After a long night, it was make or break time when first place seeded Dutch who met second seeded Diefenbach and Nothstein. With only one ride to win or lose the gold medal, they sure left it all on the track. In an impressive ride that saw the Dutch team take a long wind up around the track, they were able to squeeze their way past for the win.

In the Bronze medal ride Team Lion of Flanders fought a hard battle to take home the medal over Affinity’s Reider and Chambers.

The evening’s racing concluded with all 12 tandems taking to the track at once in a 12-lap scratch race for a chance at redemption. Team Pink Rhino consisting of Stephen Frattini and Mark Wagner had an early lead, but the team of Begemann and Palter were hot on their tail. The field came back together with three to go and the crowds went wild. In an astounding turn of speed the Dutch took their second win of the night followed by Ignosh and Elliston and the Lion of Flanders team rolling in for third.

The Dutch were delighted with their double wins for the evening. “It was very cool to win,” Hoanderdaal said. “Our first time on the tandem was Tuesday. You get so much more power than on a regular bike, but because it’s so much faster and heavier you need to lean into the corners more so you don’t slip. That was a little scary,” he confessed.

Many spectators may have looked at the team of Gulick and Triplett just as they did any of the other teams, but they came to the race under very different circumstances. Gulick and Triplett team up regularly to compete in Paracycling, cycling for those that are at a physical disadvantage. Triplett is blind and completely relies on Gulick’s judgment. “It’s not a disadvantage,” Triplett insists, “We can neutralize visual impairment on the tandem.”

Women’s Racing

The women’s field started their schedule for the evening with a 20-lap points race. Sprinter Dana Feiss showed she’s good for more than speed by winning the first sprint of the race but she was no match for a hard charging Mary Costelloe who took her first win of the night.

Costelloe continued her winning ways in the Women’s Elimination where she found herself in the final three with Mandy Marquardt and Polish rider Paulina Cywinska. Costelloe and Marquardt blew past Cywinska in the final lap with Costelloe taking the win

The women raced a fast and furious 12-lap tempo race with Scotland’s Charline Joiner scoring an impressive win over Costelloe and Junior National Champion Nadia Latzgo.

The women concluded their racing for the evening with a 500 meter chariot race. Elite 500 meter time trial champion Feiss went head to head with collegiate 500 meter champion Marquardt and managed to edge her out for the win.

T-Town favorite Colleen Gulick had her last race of the season. She will be heading off to school for preseason with her University of Maryland field hockey team. “The season was too short for me, but it was a great,” Gulick said “the crowds were great and we had one of the best women’s fields.” Gulick will be back for more next season with her eyes on the Rider of the Year title.

Men’s Racing

Some of the professional men may have been focused on the tandem racing, but that didn’t stop them from having an action packed night of racing.

The men started off with a 25-lap points race. Pure Energy Cycling-Pro Air HFA’s Mike Chauner wasted no time making up for the absence of teammate Bobby Lea. Chauner, Mike Miller, Jason Meidhoff, and Poland’s Mateusz Mikulicz spent the majority of the race of the front collecting points. Jamaica’s Marloe Rodman snuck in points early and was able to make a move at the end to score his first Friday night win. “I was excited to finally win here,” Rodman said “I’ve been recovering for the past three weeks with a punctured lung and three broken ribs, so this was a great way to comeback.” Close behind Rodman in the point standings was Chauner in second followed by Meidhoff in third.

Following the points race the men competed in an extremely aggressive elimination that came down to Poland’s Rafal Jeziorski, Matt Baranoski and Rodman. Rodman wasn’t able to pull off a second win and had to settle for third with Jeziorski taking a close win over Baranoski.

T-Town locals Baranoski and Giddeon Massie tried to score a win for the United States for the evening in the two kilometer scratch race, but Poland’s Mikulicz got the best of them again to take his second win of the evening.

Next Event: World Series of Bicycling presents Fastest Man on Wheels on August 10. Gates open at 5:30 racing starts at 7:30. Tickets starts at $5 and children 12 and under are free.

Article by Elspeth Huyett

Photo by Anthony Skorchochod of Cycling Captured

Standing at the rail this Friday at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center you might think you’re seeing double, but rest assured your vision is fine, it’s just Tandemonium taking over. Bicycles built for two will be featured August 3 as the World Series of Bicycling presents Tandemonium in conjunction with the North American Tandem Championships.

Tandemonium is unique to the Lehigh Valley. “You will not find that many tandems on the track at one time anywhere else,” Marty Nothstein, executive director of Valley Preferred Cycling Center, said about the scratch that will have eight tandems on the track at one time.

The race shakes out differently every year, and this edition is especially wide open. “This year it is really up for grabs. There’s no clear powerhouse squad and previous winners like Roberto Chiappa and Andy Lakatosh will not be competing,” Nothstein explained, “It’s always a mystery, the past couple years it’s been an upset. The team that will come out on top has skills, power, endurance, and a lot of luck.”

This year’s field will include Matt Diefenbach and Tyler “Bones” Nothstein or Team “Dief’n’Bones” and the Dutch team of Nils Hoanderdaal and Hylke Greakan. Previous United States National Tandem Sprint Medalists such as Ray Ignosh, Bill Elliston, Kurt Begemann, and Jim Alvord will also be in attendance.

The North American Tandem Championship is very similar to the sprint tournament that is contested by individual riders. The only difference is that instead of riding a 200 meter time trial to qualify, the tandems have a whole 333.3 meter lap to record the best time possible. The riders will be seeded according to these times and then sent out to make their way to the championship ride.

Event Details: The World Series of Bicycling event starts at 7:30. Gates open at 5:30. Tickets start at just $5 and kids 12 and under are free.

Story by Elspeth Huyett

Photo by Anthony Skorochod of Cycling Captured

While Air Products Developmental Cycling Program graduates Bobby Lea and Lauren Tamayo are getting ready to compete in the most important races of their journey as cyclists, Dana Feiss has returned home to work on her own post Air Products program journey after an extremely successful 2011 season that saw her collect Elite National Titles in the Keirin and Sprints, as well as a bronze medal in the Keirin at the Pan-American Games.

Recently, the 22-year-old Feiss returned to Telford, Pa., from her adopted home in Huntington Beach, Calif., where she trains with the National Sprint Program. However, she’s still hesitant to call California home. “It’s where I live, train, and am based out of, but T-Town still feels like home,” Feiss explained. After following the big track races on the West Coast earlier in the summer, she returned home to compete in the Keirin Cup and the sprint tournament that is slated for August 10. “I follow the action, and right now it’s here,” Feiss explained.

Feiss got her start through the Air Products Developmental Cycling Program at age 16. Her coach, May Britt Hartwell, saw her potential and encouraged her to attend the 2007 Junior National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.

While there she turned in two silver medal performances in the 17-18 Junior Womens category and a Junior Worlds Qualifying Time Standard, causing her to question where her future was in the sport. “When I started college the following fall, I really had to sit down and think about whether or not this is what I wanted to do,” Feiss said.

She decided that she wanted to commit to the sport, which meant she had to balance her coursework at Kutztown University with her very serious training schedule. “In hindsight, I look back and wonder how I did that,” Feiss says when asked about how she managed her workload. “At 18 you’re at a crossroads with school and work, and then you throw in elite level training… it was a lot. I would have to sit down and say ‘This is my goal for Elite Nationals’ and plan everything around that.”

She had a far from average college experience, “I was up at 5 or 5:30 in the morning to go and lift for two hours, then I would quick go home, eat, shower, and change and then head to class until 4:30. When that was all finished I would do another workout,” Feiss explains. “I had a goal, I wanted the degree and I wanted the medals. I did both.” She graduated from Kutztown University with a degree in Professional Writing in spring of 2011.

With more time to devote to cycling, her career took off. The most notable performance to date is her bronze medal at the Pan-American Games in the Keirin. Her medal-winning results justified her years of hard work, “I cried on the podium. I couldn’t believe I was standing there. It was the most immense honor to be wearing the red, white, and blue.”

The US National Womens Sprint Team did not qualify a team for London, but that doesn’t faze Feiss. “Rio is the ultimate goal, Jamie [Staff, US National Sprint Coach], made it clear from the beginning,” she says when discussing the future, “When trials for the Olympics come around again, I want to be the fastest.”

You can follow Feiss’ international travels on her blog, Chain Reaction, and be sure to come out and watch the big thing to come out of T-Town race the World Series of Bicycling for the remainder of the season.

Story by Elspeth Huyett

Photo by Anthony Skorochod of Cycling Captured