Eastsiders rule velodrome

"A portion of downtown Winslow turned into a velodrome Saturday evening, as more than 200 professional and amateur bicycle racers took on the mile-long course in the second Twilight Bicycle Races.The hills don't look like much, organizer Steve Rhoades said of the course, which ran east on Wyatt Way, north on Ericksen Avenue, east on Wallace Way and south on Madison Avenue to Wyatt. But if you don't have a good warmup, they're killers. You'll pop off the back of the race.Rhoades estimated that only about one-third of the 60 starters completed the 35-lap main event for professional racers."

“A portion of downtown Winslow turned into a velodrome Saturday evening, as more than 200 professional and amateur bicycle racers took on the mile-long course in the second Twilight Bicycle Races.The hills don’t look like much, organizer Steve Rhoades said of the course, which ran east on Wyatt Way, north on Ericksen Avenue, east on Wallace Way and south on Madison Avenue to Wyatt. But if you don’t have a good warmup, they’re killers. You’ll pop off the back of the race.Rhoades estimated that only about one-third of the 60 starters completed the 35-lap main event for professional racers.They put the hammer down right off the bat, he said. It was a fast race.The Saturn of Bellevue team dominated, taking the first three places in the pro category.Riders from east of Puget Sound also dominated the 25-lap event for advanced riders.But island riders shone in the commuter-race event, limited to those who ride their bikes to work or school, and in the three childrens races.Rhoades credited the Bainbridge Island police department for providing security, and thanked the sponsoring Bainbridge Human Performance Center, and supporting sponsors Arena Sporting Goods, Chili Cosmos and Bainbridge Bakers, and the volunteers who showed up.The results were as follows:Kids 5-7 – 1, Quinn McMahon, 2, Nick King, 3, Chase McMahon (all Bainbridge Island).Kids 7-8 – 1, Wiley Wenzlau, 2, Jordan Wagner, 3, Mauri Vickers (all Bainbridge Island).Kids 9-11 – 1, Kyle Thackery, 2, Ben Skotheim, 3, Peterson Browne (all Bainbridge Island).Commuter race – 1, August Svenson, B.I., 2, Richard Kauffman, B.I., 3, Greg Thompson, Kingston.Category 3-5 (men) – 1, Trevor Kosa, 2, Chris Pickett, 3, Matt Braun (home towns not available).Category 1-2 (pros) – 1, Russell Stevenson, Seattle, 2, Tyler Farrar, Wenatchee, 3, Ryan Perlman, Seattle.”