The Racers
Nick Glasser definitely gets top honors for most improved rider. I rode with Nick the first year and he really got fast all around. In 2009 Nick bumped up to Cat 1, 20-29, and settled right in toward the front. Numerous technicals and crashes hampered his results. Highlights: 11th at Mt. Snow Nationals, 8th at Windham Nationals, 3rd at Something Wicked six hour race. In 2010 Nick moved to Boulder, CO, where he completed the Breckenridge 100 in 13 hours. This year he’ll be back in NY and CCI will not take no for an answer. Update 9/28/12: Nick had a strong year. He crushed it and placed 1st Overall in the NY State Championship Series, decimating the competition, and took 4th in the ultra competitive Campmor H2H Northeastern Regional Championship Series. (Please try harder next year.) Update Nov 2014:Nick raced Pro this year and finished an amazing 3rd Overall in the H2H Regional Championship Series and came close to getting on the podium in the NY State Championship series. Nick is most well known though for wondering if we should drink water, the answer being obvious- no, we drink beer.
Seth Glasser is a high end contractor in Nyack, NY. He has been in business for over 25 years. Seth started racing a few years ago as a true beginner. The first six months I rode with Seth he hit the ground at least ten times per ride, every ride. A late bloomer, Seth has shown tenacity and persistence in mountain biking. Its a wonder he can still walk. In 2011 Seth won the Overall in the Campmor H2H Northeastern Regional Championship Series even though it was demanding business season with minimal riding. He finished some tough races. Update 9/28/12: Seth had a strong year. He finished every race in the Campmor H2H Regional Championship Series getting 2nd Overall, and took 2nd Overall in the NY State Championship Series. Update Nov 2014: Seth bumped up to the highly competitive 60+ Open class finishing an impressive 3rd Overall in the H2H Regional Championship Series. Seth lost weight for this season but we’re confident he’ll find it. Seth is best known for his voice over impressions of Tony the Tiger from the 1970s frosted flakes commercials- “They’re GRRRREAT!”.
Mike Jaworski met Ben at the first race of the H2H Series at Waywayanda in the spring of 2010, where Mikey got 1st place in the Cat 1 19-29. He has been racing for CCI ever since. In 2011 Mikey won the Campmor H2H Northeastern Regional Championship Series for the second year in a row. He also won the NY State Championship Series Overall. Having wrapped up the H2H Series win in 7 races, Mikey raced the 8th race in the Pro class- his 1st Pro race. He got 4th out of 11 racers. Amazing. Mikey was once again our #1 Pay Dirt contributor registering 56 volunteer hours. It is a pleasure having him on the team. He has true spirit and racing etiquette. Update 9/28/12: Mikey really ramped it up for 2012, bumping up to Pro and getting rid of his enormous beer gut. Mikey and Ben battled it out in the NY State Series till the bitter end, with Mikey dethroning Ben as Pro NY State Champ by 1 position. Unfortunately Ben mopped the deck with Mikey in the Campmor H2H Northeastern Regional Championship Series, relegating him to 2nd place. Mikey took 6th in the DH 40 in the Pro Open. And once again topped the list with Pay Dirt hours; 75. It is more than nice having Mikey’s family and girlfriend, Amanda, at the races- we can’t say enough good things about them. Mikey also brought a huge crew from The Oneonta Mtn Bike Club to Riedlbauer’s to cheer on the racers making it feel like a world cup event. Update Nov 2014: Mikey came back strong in 2014 to win the Hurley Burly Backyard World Championship, beating his teammate and 2013 champion, Ben. Mikey rode very strong in both series but missed key races due to injury and travel that kept him out of the Overall. Try to be more committed next year Mikey. And stop falling off your bike.
Frank O’Reilly tends to train at strange hours owing to the fact that he has 12 kids, coaches 27 teams and is a teacher at 4 schools, has moved 3 times this year and his wife is now pregnant with octuplets. Congratulations. Frank used to race BMX professionally. He also races cross and road. He joined the team in 2011 in Cat 1 and got 2nd Overall in the Campmor H2H Northeastern Regional Championship Series. He also got 2nd place in B class in the cyclocross series and with all his accomplishments in road racing has bumped up to Cat 3. It is awesome to have him on the team. He always has a positive attitude and is very supportive and encouraging to the rest of the team. Update 9/28/12: Frank got 2nd Overall in the Campmor H2H Northeastern Regional Championship Series this year, 3rd Overall in the Rockleigh Criterium Series 1 in Pro 123, and 2nd Overall in the Rockleigh Criterium Series 2 Pro 123. Update Nov 2014: Frank had by far his most impressive year yet decimating the field in almost every race he entered. He easily won the NY State Championship Series and the H2H Regional Championship Series in Cat 1 beating most of the Pro’s times. Frank is now tired of sandbagging and has upgraded his license to Pro for the rest of this year and next. Most of Frank’s 14 children raced mt bikes last year with the oldest trying her hand at cyclocross at the end of the season. Always nice seeing Frank’s family at the races, though we do need a second team tent to fit them.
Frank O’Reilly Jr. started racing in the CCI kit in 2014. He is a tenacious young fellow with lots of talent. Last year he bumped up from the kids’ class, doing full race loops with the Cat 3 Juniors. He is an awesome kid, we’re really psyched to have him on the team. Frank Jr rides a bike that probably weighs more than he does, has more air in his tires than we used to race back in the early ’90s, and I’ve never heard him complain about it. If Frank can enjoy the sport as much as he does on a 60lb mtn bike, I can’t wait to see how psyched he is when his parents actually get him a race bike. Frank Jr has been known to say, “Dad, why are all your bikes so light?”.
Tom Quirk, our Cat 3 racer, finishes every race he starts. It’s great to hear his enthusiasm at the end of the races. He is an inspiration to anyone who says “I haven’t been riding enough to do a race” because Tom has literally raced more than he has ridden a bicycle. Always a great attitude. Tom has been known to ask before races, “Where’s town?” Update 2012: Tom finally rode more than he raced this year. Unfortunately he did this by racing only 4 races. Tom has been training and is looking forward to next year. He also signed up for the Something Wicked Six Hour race which should set him up good for off season training. Update Nov 2014: TQ had a stellar year with a perfect record of not entering one mountain bike race, but he graduated and got his nursing degree while working a full time job. If Tom doesn’t race next year, he’s kicked off the team.
Diana Rooney joined the team in November 2014. Diana has only recently taken up mtn biking and has rocketed to competitive Cat 1 racing. Diana has been excellent on the team for many reasons. She has a great attitude and is a true fighter (just ask Cliff). Her ability to talk a lot has helped with sponsor support. Diana has been known to say.. a whole lot of stuff about what she’s into.
Jonah Vasquez joined the team in 2015 and has raced outstanding, beating kids much bigger and older than him, holding his own and finishing 1st overall in the H2H Regional and 2nd Overall in the NY State Championship Series Overall in Cat 2. He will bumping up next season to Cat 1. Jonah is an awesome young person and we’re proud to have him on the team. He obviously takes after his mother. Jonah’s regular training partner, Nino Shurter, has been personally training Jonah and has now filed papers to adopt him. Thomas Frischknecht has signed on as Jonah’s personal assistant and health advisor. Jonah has been known to say, “Dad, when are the bikes coming?” and, “Dad, my bike is too small again.”
Wilson Vasquez joined the team in 2015. He is an old school mtn biker masquerading as an elite roadie snob. Wilson is one of the area’s premier crit racers that has gotten back to his roots of mtn biking. Wilson improved hugely this year, getting on the Cat 1 podium in the NY State Championships Series Overall. Wilson’s funniest gag is regularly trying to fit into a large race kit when he probably should be in a double XL club cut. Wilson has been known to say, “I need more kits” and “When are the bikes coming?”
Ben Williams raced some BMX as a teen, then started racing mountain bikes in 1992. By 1993 he was in the top five of the highly competitive Cat 1 class until a bad crash in a race and a shift in interest postponed his XC mountain bike racing for 13 years. He raced downhill as an expert for a season. He raced BMX with his son, Jasper- together they have piles of trophies. Ben started XC racing again in 2006 and won the Overall in the Campmor H2H Northeastern Regional Championship Series in Cat 2. The following year he bumped up to Cat 1 and won the Series Overall in 2007 and 2008. In 2009 he was on the podium in 3rd place. 2010 was the first year Ben concentrated on the NY State Championship Series as well as the H2H NE Regional Championship Series, winning them both despite overlapping races. In 2011 Ben bumped up to the Pro Open and won the NY State Championship Series Overall. He also took 2nd in the NJ State Championships, 2nd in the Dark Horse 40, won the Bearscat 50 in the 45+ Open Men, and placed 3rd Overall in the Campmor H2H Northeastern Regional Championship Series in spite of many setbacks and conflicting races. Ben’s wife is pretty sure that he’d have won the Tour de France had he given his life to racing rather than family. Ben says he feels faster than he’s ever been and attributes some of that speed to our excellent industry sponsors. Update 9/28/12: Ben won the Overall in the Campmor NE Regional Championship Series in Pro and took 2nd Overall in the NY State Championship Series (missed 1st by 1 second, but at least it was to a teammate). He got 2nd in the Dark Horse 40 in the Pro Open. Ben has been known to experiment with different race strategies such as hiding in the port o john until after his race starts (Kitatinny Time Trial). He has been known at races and on rides to say, “where is your jersey?”, “get off my bike”, and “have you done your Pay Dirt?”. Ben now has his Pro license- look out! Update Nov 2014: Ben had a strong season of 2nd places starting off the season fat and out of shape and ending on the same note. Ben won the NY State Championship Series for the 3rd year out of 4 (losing to his teammate Mike in 2012 by a handful of seconds). 2nd at the Hurley Burly Backyard World Championship, 2nd in the H2H Regional Championships. Ben downgraded his license to Category 1 at the Nationals, finishing a heartbreaking but impressive 2nd place by 32 seconds in an incredibly competitive class. Ben has been known to say “I’m a loser”, “I never made it” and “what’s for dinner?”.
Cliff Williams joined the team officially at the Something Wicked race November 2014. I’ve been racing bikes and rock and ice climbing with Cliff for 25 years. Cliff’s love for old bikes and craft beer are why he’s on the team. Cliff finally retired his 1980’s racing helmet last year and dropped about 5 lbs off his race weight. Since then he’s had some stellar results. If only he’d get on a proper mtn bike he might actually make something of himself. Cliff has been known to say “I like cats”, and “beer tastes good”.
Jasper Williams’ rookie season was 2013. Starting out Cat 3 he got on the podium his first race, easily won his 2nd, bumped up to Cat 2 and was winning races at the end of the season. He won the NY State Championship Series in Cat 2. Jasper’s focus in 2014 has gone toward a biodynamic farming internship and working. Jasper tried his hand in a Cat 1 race early in the season but did not have the fitness to finish. He won two Cat 2 races this year. Jasper has been known to use organic lanolin on his chain, and to say “Beards are good places to store race food” and “soap is evil”. Jasper is working on a patent to attach SPD cleets directly to the soles of his feet.
Paula Williams’ idea of training is to not eat for a week before a race so she can look good in her kit. Paula’s pre race warm up consists of strange hand gestures toward the sky and primping her hair. She is rarely seen on the podium in team kit. Paula got four 1st places out of 5 races in the H2H in 2011, winning the Overall championship in her class. She also raced the Windham World Cup course citizen’s race where she says she learned the fundamental downhill skills. In the NY State Championship final at Reildbauer she won the day, beating some tough competition. Paula will bump up to Cat 2 next year. She attributes her success to her excellent Trek 9.8 bike women’s specific, her two Schwalbe Racing Ralphs, her super light Stan’s wheelset (Paula has never flatted on a ride or in a race), and her excellent personal trainer, Ben. Paula is Clockwork Construction’s and Team CCI’s office manager and bookkeeper. She is also Ben’s personal organizer, masseuse, training partner, and personal chef. Update 9/28/12: Paula bumped up to Cat 2 and really stepped up her game technically and fitness wise completing all of the 14 races she entered, winning the H2H Championship Series and he NY State Championship Series. Paula continues her years long run at having never flatted on a ride or in a race which she attributes to her Stan’s and Schwalbe combination. Paula would also like to thank Trek for the best bike on the planet. Update Nov 2014: This was a trying year for Paula, or should I say crying, getting into two fistfights with men, a knife fight and a pistol duel. Luckily Paula came out on top and will be finishing strong with the team at the Something Wicked 6 hour race. Looking forward to hard training and target practice over the off season. Paula has been known to say, “I need a 2nd seat pack to hold a bigger can of pepper spray”. Paula will be patenting her Kevlar pepper spray canisters for next year if anyone is interested.
A picture paints a thousand words. Obviously Rich Wolter is a very serious racer. I used to race against Rich in the early ’90s. Rich and his buddy Derek had a real cool punk rocker look that was fun to see at the races. Rich’s look now is more like drunk rocker. But seriously, it’s great have Rich back racing mtn bikes again. He dominated the scene back then, he came back to mtbn biking about 4 or 5 years ago and we had fun kicking his ass for a couple of years. Now Rich is finally not an embarrassment to the team, kicking butt on mtn bike, cross bike, and road bike as well as a flatland phenom. Rich has been known to say, “I don’t understand it, the guy is supposed to be on MY TEAM”.
Ruth Vandeventer did her first mt bike at the end of 2012. Her rookie season was 2013 and she won the Overall in both the NY State Championship Series and the Campmor H2H Regional Championship Series. Ruth bumped up to Cat 2 in 2014 and had a strong season, on the podium almost every race, winning at Tymor (climbmor). She took 2nd Overall in the NY State Championship Series and 3rd Overall in the H2H. Ruth will be teaming up with Paula at Something Wicked 6 hour and is wondering if they will handing off pepper spray or if there will be two each in seat bags. Ruth has fallen under the tutelage of boyfriend, Nick, and learned the art of not drinking water. Ruth has been known to say, “Nick, are you going to drink water?”.