Team Event, Top Stories

2019-2020 Season Registration is Open

COLORADO SPRINGS on 20 OCT – Today marks the official start of COS Racing’s 2019/2020 racing season. Last year was one of the most successful years for the team in its five-year history – with more than 125 top-three podium finishes across all disciplines at the international, national, regional, and local levels across all disciplines, except BMX.

Online registration opens today at COS Racing online and in-person tonight at the annual team registration event and meeting.

Most notable, we had international podium finishes by Chris Murphy at UCI Para-cycling Track World Championship and Para-cycling Track National Championships. Our mountain-bike team also podiumed at several MTB National Championship events in 2019, as well as won consistently throughout multiple MTB world-class multi-day and endurance events such as the Breck Epic. Liz Woods took 2nd at Masters National Track Championships. At the individual level, at least a dozen riders upgraded this year as a result of their successes in the local racing scene.

New riders who are interested in joining/applying for COS Racing’s race- or club teams are invited to attend our team meeting today at 6PM for information. See inset for details. New and returning members are also welcome to register above under the “MEMBERSHIP” tab above.

Top Stories

COS Racing Annual Membership Meeting Scheduled

COLORADO SPRINGS – On October 20th, COS Racing will hold its annual membership meeting at sponsor Pink Realty‘s new location in Colorado Springs.

This will be an informational meeting for prospective riders and returning members, as well as an opportunity to meet team members and learn about programs being offered to support racers and bike racing in our region. COS Racing has spots available for interested male and female riders on its Road, Mountain Bike, Gravel, Cyclocross, and Track squads.

  • WHO: All current and interested riders/racers
  • WHAT: COS Racing Membership/Information Meeting
  • WHERE: Pink Realty – 4783 Farmingdale Dr Colorado Springs, CO 80918
  • WHEN: October 20, 2019, 6PM -8PM
  • WHY: Renew team members; recruit new members; learn about new programs; try on new Primal kits for sizing; party; socialize; eat and drink. 

Among these topics, the team will unveil its new tiered race team system and kit and discuss its new sponsors, team benefits/discounts, race-reimbursement program, and travel reimbursement programs.

COS Racing is Colorado Springs’ largest racing team with more than 80 members. COS Racing racers had more than 125 top-3 podium-finishes this year in national, regional, and local races.

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Race, Race Report, Top Stories

Multiple Podiums for COS Racing at High Plains Grinder

ELBERT, CO – COS Racing made a significant impact on the podium during today’s High Plains Grinder – taking podiums three podium positions in the short-course race.

Ian Matteson, Matt Bell, and Vladislav Dragomirov took 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place, respectively, in the short-course race Men’s Open Category. J Erik Hartel took 3rd and Kevin Healy achieved 4th in the short-course Masters 50+. According to initial reports, team member and former US National Champion mountain biker Daniel Matheny finished in 4th place in the long course event, while Peter Tonn finished in mathematically-impossible “billionth place.”

Podium - Mens Short Course Open
Podium – Mens Short Course Open

This year’s event was significantly larger and more competitive than last year’s edition. Approximately 190 riders competed – split almost evenly between the 40-mile short-course and the 70-mile long-course. Both routes consisted of rolling hills through the windy and exposed prairies in and around Elbert. Conditions were also challenging with no shortage of quality washboard, headwinds, and sand.

The quality of racers at this year’s event also added to the challenge. The fields for both races contained numerous national, regional, and local race teams, including Lucky Pie, Tierra Plan, Modern Market, Subaru Groove, Trek, and Clinch. Former UCI professional rider Tom Danielson (Clinch) headlined the long-course field.

At least nine COS Racing riders lined up at the start including Matt Bell, Vlad Dragomirov, J. Erik Hartel, Kevin Healy, and Ian Matteson in the short-course event and Nicholas Brummer, Chris Ferguson, coach and sponsor Daniel Matheny, and Peter Tonn in the long-course.

Race, Thunderbird RR, Top Stories

Thunderbird Road Race p/b Darkblade Systems Results POSTED

COLORADO SPRINGS — Final results for this weekend’s State Road Race Championships have been posted to RaceResult.com and are available for download here.

2019 Thunderbird-RR-2019-ResultsDownload

Thanks to all 263 racers who competed, as well as to the many volunteers who donated their time to this event. Thanks also to the US Air Force Academy for allowing us to host this challenging event on their installation.

Finally, thank you to Darkblade Systems for sponsoring this event for the second year. Darkblade Systems is based in Northern Virginia with personnel supporting Intelligence Community and Department of Defense customers in Colorado, various other domestic locations, as well as overseas.  Events such as this one would not be possible without outstanding corporate sponsors.

See you all at next year’s event.

COS Racing

Race, Thunderbird RR, Top Stories

Breaking News: New Course Announced for the Darkblade Systems Thunderbird Road Race

Important

Due to unforecast road repairs on Stadium Blvd on the United States Air Force Academy, we have been forced to change the road race course for Seniors and Masters, again.

The new route is an 11.1 miles clockwise circuit that climbs Pine Drive to Interior Drive, then descends Academy Drive.

The juniors road race course remains unchanged.

Please see the attached flyer for updated information.

Darkblade Systems Thunderbird Flier 2019 Published Final 11Download
Thunderbird RR

New Race Course for 2019 Darkblade Systems Road Race

The Darkblade Systems Thunderbird Road Race will feature a new race course for the senior and masters divisions this year. The new course will feature an out-and-back leg up Parade Loop. This new addition will add approximately 2.5 miles to each lap and feature a gradual climb towards the USAFA cadet area. Please see flyer for details.

Updated Race Information:

Darkblade-Systems-Thunderbird-Flier-2019-Published-Final-8-1Download
Race, Race Report, Top Stories

Four Podium Finishes at Pikes Peak Hill Climb

PIKES PEAK SUMMIT, CO – At yesterday’s 2019 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, COS Racing raced to four podium finishes. Racers Matt Bell, Lacey Rivette, JJ Lopez, and Daryl Spano finished atop the podium in first, second, third, and third places in their categories, respectively.

We got not 1, not 2, but 4 podiums!

-Ron Buhdi on Facebook, 10 August 2019

In Mens Senior Cat 4, first-year COS Racing racer, Matt Bell took the top-spot on the podium. Lacey Rivette took cond place in Womens Senior Cat 5s. JJ Lopez and Daryl Spano each took third overall in Masters Men 50+ Cat 4 and Masters Men 50+ Cat 1/2/3. respectively.

These results featured some tenacious riding. Riding in the 50+ Cat 1/2/3 race, Daryl described his race as “got dropped by the whole group but ended up clawing my way to third. Everyone on the team rode with inspiration! I call that a good day.”

…got dropped by the whole group but ended up clawing my way to third. Everyone on the team rode with inspiration! I call that a good day!

– Daryl Spano

Often described as brutal, iconic, and legendary, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb is 20-kilometer race up one of America’s tallest peaks. The event requires racers to ascend over 4,700 feet of elevation in slightly more than 12-miles.

Additionally, COS Racing riders Christo Clements, Ron Buhdi, George York, and Tony Nelson competed at the event, however, final results have not yet been published.