The team traveled to the west side of the state to tackle one of the most grueling criterium courses of the season. The Rockford course is an exercise of repeated intervals. The course is laid out so that the racers are either climbing or descending. There is very little flat for recovery and the descending section happens so quickly that your speed and level of concentration allows for little rest or hydration. Coupled with the fact that many large teams and Midwestern pros use this race as a carry over into their Labor Day racing activities, makes this event a suffer fest!

Pro Cat 1 / 2 event:
From the start pro team Priority Health drove the pace through the clouds. Lap after lap riders were shelled off the back leaving only the fittest and strongest willed to survive. The squad duked it out with the best and had a top ten placing thanks to some strong team work and sound race strategy. The field was large and eager to work each other over. Way to go guys.

Bruce Rivera - 8th place
Blair Dudley - 26th place
David Mullins - 42nd place

Masters 40+ event:
Ed Reid (57) put the hurt on lots of younger men as he rode to an excellent 5th place finish. The eternal Reid still climbs like a mountain goat!

Ed Reid - 5th place

Women's Cat 1/2/3 event:
Dr. Lisa Meils rode an excellent race finishing in the points while mixing it up with some of the top women from the Midwest. Meils has been on a steady rise through the entire season, taking her fitness and race experience to new levels.

Lisa Meils - 15th place

Hines Park was the venue for racing action in Michigan this weekend. This event was a time trial of 20 kilometers in length (12.43 miles) along the undulating Hines Drive. The weather was spectacular. The audible whirl of disk wheels could be heard as the racers blazed along the course. By all indications there were going to be some fast times set. The race against the clock is never easy, but the team was able to impact a couple categories.

Masters 35+ event:
Paul Rivera - 5th place
Jeff Gray - 10th place

Masters 45+ event:
Chuck Powell - 21st place

Women's Cat 1/2/3 event:
Lisa Meils - 4th place

In other racing news:
Some team members opted out of the race of truth (time trial) and traveled to Elk Grove, Illinois for the International Cycling Classic - Tour of Elk Grove. This premier event showcased some of the finest racing talent from around the world. The course was a unique "L" shape featuring long drag strips, technical 180 degree corners and brand new pavement. Field sizes were huge, typically numbering around 100 racers per event. The team targeted two events for the weekend and was determined to make a show of force. The Essex Brass boys had a remarkable weekend and we could not be more proud of their efforts. Good job guys.

Saturday 8/12/06 - Category 2 event:
Bruce Rivera - 17th place
David Mullins - 28th place

Sunday 8/13/06 - Masters 30+
Bruce Rivera - 5th place
David Mullins - 17th place
Jamie Smith - 24th place

Ada was the host city for the state criterium championships. The racers were treated to great weather, stiff competition and a unique course layout shaped like a triangle. The first leg of the course was flat, the next leg of the course was a slight grade, the finishing leg was a fast descent into the city center. All the right elements to test the state's most elite cyclists. So let's see how the team fared..................

Pro Cat 1 / 2 event:
A large field lined up for this event. There were several teams that put themselves in break attempts during this event. Team Essex Brass received lots of camera time as they worked the front of the field. David Mullins and Jason Stephenson were killing it on the front to thin the field and cover the attacks. As the 90 minute event wore on, the breaks were coming back and the field was coming together for a wicked field sprint. All team members moved into position for the mad dash. As the field wound it up, Bruce Rivera was able to carve his way to the front for a team best 6th place finish. Jason Stephenson was just behind and David Mullins was taken down (uninjured) in the chaos.

Bruce Rivera - 6th place
Jason Stephenson - 12th place
David Mullins - field

Masters 30+ event:
This event was very animated with several attacks and high speed chases. A group of five slipped off the front as the field had just sprinted for a prime. It was a perfect strategy which lead to the winning selection being made. As five were up the road, the field was still trying to keep itself together amongst the attempts of racers trying to cross the gap. Paul Winocur was able to slip off the front with another racer for several laps in a huge attempt to join the group up the road or at the least stay ahead of the field. Winocur and company came back to the field in the closing laps. As the intensity grew on the last two laps, Winocur and Gray pushed to the front for the bunch sprint. At the conclusion, Winocur was 3rd in the field sprint and Gray was 12th.

Paul Winocur - 8th place
Jeff Gray -  17th place

Masters 45+ event:
Much like the Pro Cat 1 / 2 event all the early breaks were eventually swallowed up by the frisky field. With one lap to go Jamie Smith forged his way into a lead out and positioned himself for a sprint finish. Smith charged over the raging field just narrowly missing the top step of the podium and a state championship. With his strong effort, Jamie Smith captured 2nd place and a silver medal. Excellent!

Jamie Smith - 2nd place (Silver Medallist)

Women's Cat 1/2/3 event:
The women were determined as the racing was fast and furious in this championship event. Dr. Lisa Meils was not feeling her best prior to the event start, but as the wheels began to turn and the lactic acid began to pool, she was able to pull it together. As the field entered the final corner for the long down hill sprint to the finish line, Dr. Lisa hit the throttle, discovered that 'hey I do have some fast twitch muscle fibers' and darted to a fine 8th place finish and bronze medal in her age group. Oh yeah!

Lisa Meils - 8th place (Bronze Medallist)

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In other racing news:
Master 35+ squad member Paul Rivera competed in the Indiana state championship road race over the weekend. The temperature was 90 degrees F, the course was mostly flat but did have a few rollers in the mix. Rivera covered the early moves that went off the front, but eventually a group of four escaped the field. After moving to the front of the field, Paul began to give chase in earnest. About 36 miles into the 67 mile event the pain began to set in and then give way to full on leg cramps with each pedal stroke. Literally running on empty with just a few swallows of energy drink left, Rivera shifted to survival mode and sat in the field for the remainder of the event. At the one mile mark before the finish, the lead out trains began to form. Rivera latched on and gave it full gas from 50 meters to win the field sprint and place 5th overall. Great perseverance!

Paul Rivera - 5th place Indiana state championship road race

Some of the team members participated in the 19th annual Make-A-Wish bicycle tour. This event although fully supported was no easy endeavor as riders covered 317 miles in three days. Record heat and northern Michigan terrain were hard on the cyclists. Team Essex Brass was a shining star and came through in a big way with Blair Dudley leading the cause. He formed "Ruby's Red Rockets" (named after Blair's daughter). The group's goal was to raise $10,000. Their net total was $10,277. An excellent job by all to inspire, give hope and change the lives of special children who are battling life threatening medical conditions. What a special way for the team to participate and give back. In 2005 over $775,000 was raised. The goal in 2006 was set at $800,000.......it was reported that $990,000 was raised! Awesome. Thanks to all team members who participated as riders, fund raisers and givers.

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July 29th - Fenton, MI
Tour des Lacs was held in the small town of Fenton. A French theme permeated the air with French flags flying along the city streets, the French national anthem was played before the racers rolled out,  even the race announcer was bi-lingual announcing in French and English. This road course was laid out to punish all but the purest climbers. Not one event ended with the field together. The European feel of this event carried on into the podium presentations as the top five from each category were awarded medals and a sunflower bouquet. All other finishers received a loaf of French bread. On to the race highlights...................

Pro Cat 1 / 2 event:
Surprisingly this race stayed together for the most part with only three racers escaping the field about 16 miles before the conclusion. Those racers were able to hold their gap as the field rushed through town bearing down on the finish line.  Jason Stephenson finished up the grueling event by contesting the bunch sprint and finishing in 11th position in large and competitive field. How competitive? The first eight riders finished within one second contesting the bunch sprint.

Jason Stephenson - 11th place

Masters 35+ event:
About eight miles into the race, Jeff Gray joined a move that was materializing off the front of the field. The move was soon negated as a charging field stormed past hitting the climbs called the "Hump" and the "Bump" full throttle. The "Bump" was anything but a bump in the road as the field descended at 50mph! At 27 miles into the race Paul Winocur rode across a gap to form a three man break which stayed away for the next five miles before the being pulled back on the longest climb on the course. Winocur was able to recover and make the next selection which counter attacked the group. As the small group entered the town, Winocur was sitting in fifth. As the sprints began, Winocur dug deep and pulled back two positions to land on the third step of the podium!

Paul Winocur - 3rd place
Jeff Gray -  18th place

Masters 45+ event:
Ed Reid read this race perfectly as he placed himself in a eight man break that rode away from the field on the very first lap. Reid had his climbing legs on as he punished his break away companions, many several years his junior. As the group hit the finish stretch downtown, Reid jumped and sprinted to the line narrowly missing the win by 1/100th of a second! Great ride Ed.

Ed Reid - 2nd place

Women's Cat 1/2/3 event:
The field began to splinter as the women turned the heat up on the famous LiveStrong climb. Dr. Lisa Meils was clutching to the lead group and fighting for position. Eventually gaps began to form Dr. Lisa was forced to into no woman's land in between a small break away group and the field. No big deal....she shifted to time trial mode and held the field off the remainder of the race to capture a fine 8th place finish. Good job Lisa.

Lisa Meils - 8th place

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In other racing news:
Ed Reid competed in the USCF national championship road race hosted in Seven Springs, PA. The course was a grueling eight laps of 5.6 miles of climbs and technical descents. The field split on lap one and continued to splinter for the remaining laps. There were 12 up the road, then Reid driving a group of four, then the field. Eventually two racers were shed from the lead group and picked up by the Reid group. Now it was six chasing ten. Unfortunately, that is how it end. Good news is that Ed finished first in his group to take 11th place.