 
--Kona-yourkey.com riders go 2nd & 3rd at Star Crossed and RAD GP cyclocross Races--
 
Two different races, one at night under the lights and the other under the late afternoon sun produced the same results for the Kona-yourkey.com Factory Cyclocross team. Ryan Trebon and Barry wicks took 2nd and 3rd respectively and Wendy Simms took 3rd at both events.
Star Crossed-Marymoor Velodrome Redmond, WA.
The anticipation was heavy as the first major race of the year was ready to kick off at Star Crossed. The weather was typical early northwest fall weather with some rain the day before but cold crisp clear weather on race day making for a dry fast course.
The ladies were up first and Kona-yourkey.com rider Wendy Simms was ready to roll out on her new Kona Queen Ann race machine. The race for Simms started with a slipped pedal and an uncomfortable ride on top tube. Once Simms was clipped she took off like a shot and patiently worked her way through the field to get in the lead. Shortly thereafter she lifted the pace enough to shatter most of the field but five other women were able to stay with her. It was pretty apparent she was a marked woman on this evening and with each attack by Simms the group would take turns chasing back on and Simms could never quite get the gap she needed to get away. It was a game of cat and mouse till the end and Simms just got nipped at a three way sprint for the line and finished in 3rd place.
For the men the anticipation was high as the Twin Timbers-Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks were set to do battle with Christian Heule of Switzerland. Heule is the top non-Belgian UIC ranked rider and finished 5th in last seasons World Cup Standings. Once the gun went off it was not long before Trebon, Wicks and Heule left the field in the dust.
It was an amazing race with the smaller, faster cornering Huela sandwiched between the powerful Wicks and Trebon. Blow after blow and attack after attack was launched over the course of the race. A spectacular infield attack by Wicks had the crowd roaring but ended quickly with the loss of traction and a tangle with the course tape. And so it went for the next hour and it came down to the final sprint. Heule was just able to sneak past Trebon on the inside line on the last corner and Trebon was forced to scrub all his speed. The wind up for the sprint was amazing and Trebon came around Heule and was closing the gap fast but was shut down by the finish line and missed the top spot by 10 inches. “Another 10 meters and I would have closed it down but I just couldn’t quite get there,” remarked Trebon.
The next day brought the RAD RACING GP at Fort Steilicoom, a great race that is also a fund raiser for the Kona sponsored RAD Racing Program. The weather was sunny and warm and the course was in excellent shape albeit a bit bumpy.
 For the women it was a different type of race with the same result but a different way of getting there. Wendy Simms was able to get off the front with Rachael Lloyd and get a pretty big gap on the main field but her hopes of riding to a sprint with Lloyd were dashed when she rolled a tire and crashed hard. Never one to quit Simms got back on the bike and powered her way to the pit and back up to a fine finish in 3rd place. “I’m pretty bummed to have a mechanical like that, I felt like I was racing well. Last night I did some things wrong and was reminded about all those little the things about cross that are important. Today I was comfortably out front with Rachael. But the tire rolled and stopped me dead and I did a face plant. I’m going to be sore,” said Simms
The men’s race was also different with a lead group of three that bolted out the front of the race which uncharacteristically did not contain Trebon. “I don’t know what happened…I had a terrible start and it took me a couple of laps of hard chasing to get back in the mix,” said Trebon. Once he made contact The Twin Timbers, Heule and Geoff Kabush raced away from the field. Kabush took a flyer and the Kona riders Trebon and Wicks sat on as Heule chased back on. The group stayed together until the final two laps of the race when Trebon and Heule got a gap.
On the final Kona Knapp Time run up-a run up at the length limit of the UCI regulations, Heule attacked. “I kind cracked on the 2nd half of the run up and Christian got a gap. I had dig deep to make contact with him in time for the final sprint. I was in good position but didn’t have the snap to get by and lost I by ½ a bike length,” said Trebon. Erik Tonkin also came to the event in classic fashion and managed a 9th place finish. He was not able to make Star Crossed and was a late DNS for that event-He left a message on teammate Barry Wicks’ phone saying he had sold eleven bikes at his shop that day and just couldn’t break away.
Dale Knapp competed in the Masters A class in both days and finished in 5th in both events.
All in all a good start to the cyclocross season. A few bugs and gremlins got worked out and it is apparent that the top riders for the Kona-yourkey.com team are in fine form. With a bit of luck and a few more races look for them to get back to that top spot on the podium
Up next the highly anticipated Cross Vegas that occurs during the evening at the Interbike Tradeshow in Las Vegas Wednesday September 26th, 2007.
All photos courtesy of Joe Sales
Our Sponsors:
Kona, Jake & Dan, Your Key Mortgage, Stvenstad Dental, Big Agnes
Our Equipment:
Kona Custom butted Scandium frame with forged yoke
FSA K Force Light Handlebars, Stem, Seat post, Cranks, Orbit Xtreme Pro Headset-K Force Light 480 Carbon Tubular Wheels
Alpha Q CX20 Carbon Cross Fork
Shimano Dura Ace Shifters, Derailleurs and chain.
KORE KROSS Cantilever brakes
Swiss Stop Pads
WTB Saddles
VERGE Clothing keeps us looking good
Honey Stinger provides fuel
Kona Bicycle Company is pleased to announce Your Key Mortgage as the new co-title sponsor for the Kona Factory Cyclocross team. “Your Key Mortgage is proud to endorse and sponsor the Kona Cyclo Cross team.Kona’s Cyclo Cross team shares the same values as Your Key Mortgage, dedication, a winning tradition and above all unwavering professionalism. Your Key Mortgage wishes the team the best of luck on what is sure to be another great year,” said founder Scott Cugno.
Defending US National and US Gran Gran Prix Champion Ryan Trebon will headline the team which has dominated the North American Cross Scene for the past three years. Returning teammates looking to put the screws to the rest of the field are former US Gran Prix Winner Barry Wicks, former US Canadian National Champion Wendy Simms, Former US Masters National Champion Dale Knapp and fan favorite Erik Tonkin.
 USA Elite Men’s National Cyclocross Champion Ryan Trebon will be spending his cross season on both sides of the Atlantic. Due to a favorable domestic schedule, Trebon decided to stay stateside and defend his US Gran Prix title along with teammate Barry Wicks. “I though it would be pretty cool to go for four US Gran Prix Titles in a row for the Kona team. Since the schedule looks like it will work I’m ready to make a good run at it,” said Trebon. The rest of the season Trebon will be Belgian based racing with the best crossers in the world. Trebon notched a 10th place finish in a Super Prestige Race last year and he has set a tough goal ofcracking the top five at either a World Cup or Super Prestige.
 Fellow Twin Timber and 2005 US Gran Prix Overall Champion Barry Wicks is set to do battle on the North American Cross scene. Wicks had one of the most amazing rides of his cross career at the US Gran Prix in Boulder, Colorado in 2006 and showed he still has the cross legs to pull out the big win. “I’m really stoked for this season and my legs feel great, except for the hole in my right one from mountain bike World Champs in Fort Bill. But since I’m going to back off on the European cross scene this year I’m as fired up about racing cross this season as I have been in a long time,” remarked Wicks.
 Wendy Simms is ready to unleash new power this year. Freed up from the full time job that limited her cross training last year to about 4 hours per week, she is feeling good about her chances at some great finishes Frustration boiled over during this years mountain bike season as she got sick early in the season and could never quite recover. So she took some time off, had some fun doing some grassroots events then went on to dominate the mixed open class in the Trans Rockies with her husband Normon Thibault. “I’m fired up for cross big time. Seeing photos of my new team rig all built up and weighing in at 16.3 lbs gets me even more jazzed,” Simms wrote in an email from the final mountain bike World Cup in Slovenia. “I felt last year like I could hang with the top girls for ¾ of the race but would just fade in the end. This year it’s going to be different.”
 Erik Tonkin will continue as the fan favorite of the workingman (and woman). Now that his wife and former cross supers star, Rhonda Mazza, is pregnant with their first child he has the work of two to keep up the family name. “My new motto is finishing ahead of full time pro’s to make them feel bad about themselves,” said Tonkin in somewhatjest. He’s a favorite among fellow riders as well fans. The inside joke amongst full time pros is that if Tonkin, who often works 60 hours a week at his bike shop Sellwood Cycle Repair--then races, finishes ahead of you it’s time to retire or get a new career. Look for a few full time pros to be mulling over retirement this year as result of him. Tonkin is also always willing to share his secrets and teach skills. He will continue to run his Portland area Wednesday night cross clinics. One recent clinic had a record turnout of 150 crossers.
 Last and certainly not least is the original powerhouse of the Kona Cyclocross teams, Dale Knapp (and Ann Knapp). He too has the family name to uphold as his wife “the Queen of Cross” Ann Knapp is also pregnant with their firstchild. “It’s tough for Ann to see me out there racing with her on the sidelines because she loves racing and the sport so much. So if I’m going to be out there I better go fast or I’m going to hear it from her,” said Knapp. Knapp will attending as many US Gran Prix and regional races as his schedule can allow. He will also continue as the main coach and trainer for the Kona Sponsored RAD Racing Program. Ann will be cheering fro the team as an honorary member from the other side of the race tape, or has so often been the case as a helper in the pits.
2008 Kona-Your Key Mortgage Factory Cyclocross Team Bike
Wendy Simms’ Queen Ann
The Kona-Your Key Mortgage team rides on Kona Major Jake Frames. The lucky ladies of Kona and our affiliate teams ride the same frame but with the Queen Ann moniker as a tribute to Ann and her enduring contributions to the team and the sport of cyclocross.
Our Sponsors:
Your Key Mortgage, Stvenstad Dental, Big Agnes
Our Equipment:
Kona Custom butted Scandium frame with forged yoke
FSA K Force Light Handlebars, Stem, Seat post, Cranks, Orbit Xtreme Pro Headset-K Force Light 480 Carbon Tubular Wheels
Alpha Q CX20 Carbon Cross Fork
Shimano Dura Ace Shifters, Derailleurs, Cassette, pedals and chain.
KORE KROSS Cantilever brakes
Swiss Stop Brake Pads
WTB Silverado Saddle
VERGE Clothing keeps us looking good
Honey Stinger provides fuel
About Your Key Mortgage. Your Key Mortgage, Inc. is a privately held residential mortgage lending company with headquarters in Clearwater, FL. It specializes in retail lending, originating a variety of first and second mortgageloan products. Your Key Mortgage loan products include A-Paper, FHA, Sub-Prime and Home Equity Lines of Credit. Your Key Mortgage is also proud to offer financial and credit analysis, title, and relocation assistance. www.yourkey.com
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