2012 Subaru of Georgetown Mellow Johnny's Classic

2012 Mellow Johnny's Classic Race Announcement

2012-01-09T11:21:00.007-06:00

RACE REG OPENS JAN 30, 2012 HERE

The Mellow Johnny’s Classic is back for 2012 and we’re thrilled to announce Subaru of Georgetown as our title sponsor. Like 2011, the event is part of USA Cycling’s PRO XCT and a UCI Category 1 event awarding top points to participants in their run towards the 2012 Olympics in London. New for 2012 is Flat Creek Crossing Ranch as the race venue. Located near Juan Pelota Ranch on the Pedernales River, Flat Creek Crossing was a long-time favorite of Texas Mountain Bike Series, and features 8+ miles of prime singletrack and facilities for the race. We would like to thank the owners Child INC, for re-opening the venue to us.

Held over the weekend of March 3-4, 2012, the event will kick-off once again with a kick-off party at Mellow Johnny’s on Friday March 2, at 7pm with a suggested donation to benefit the 2012 Launch of the NICA Texas High School Mountain Bike League. The event will offer attendees a chance to meet participating pro men’s and women’s teams and interact during Q & A session at 7:30pm.

Participants can chose 2 registration options, standard registration which opens January 30, or LIVESTRONG Option which is currently open and allows riders to raise $250 or more for the charity while allowing registrant’s access to VIP/LIVESTRONG Area during the event as well as extra pre-ride hours and special events.

Post Race Update and Thanks

2011-05-02T09:27:00.005-05:00

We're still recovering a cleaning up, but wanted to send out a huge thanks to all of you that came out racing, cheering and otherwise. Max Plaxton and Georgia Gould repeated as mens and womens winners. Some good coverage here and lots of video coverage here.

We were able to raise over 25k for LIVESTRONG and 2k for the Texas High School Mountain Bike League.

Race Weekend is Here

2011-04-19T10:05:00.011-05:00

Lots going on at ace HQ so we thought we'd give you an update. Standard Registration/Pre-Reg CLOSED AT NOON WEDNESDAY here. There will be on-site late registration, late reg fee applies INFO HERE (scroll down).

Also, last minute race info/changes via twitter @mellowjohnnys

You can also select to raise funds and race via LIVESTRONG here

Don't forget our huge race kick-off party Friday Night April 29, at Mellow Johnny's starting at 7pm. Come meet the pro's and race sponsors, get race tips, enjoy a tasty beverage, win some cool prizes and most of all have a blast. More Details here.

For the most up-to-date schedule and faq take a look here. Most of all, don't forget to come to the ranch Saturday April 30, for a family friendly chance to watch best pro men and women battle it out on a spectator friendly 3.7 mile course. More information here.

Mellow Johnny's 6-Hour Race Report

2010-11-14T16:58:00.000-06:00

11-14-2010

Ben Bostrom and Shontell Gauthier cruised to victory at the inaugural Mellow Johnny’s 6-Hour mountain bike race. Held on Lance Armstrong’s Juan Pelota Ranch outside of Dripping Springs, Texas, the event was the largest 6-hour turnout in Texas history. Cool morning temperatures greeted riders, but gave way to nearly perfect riding conditions under clear skies.

Men’s Open

Utilizing a LeMans style start (on foot) the men got underway with ranch owner and 7-Time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong taking an early lead. He was joined by professional motorcycle racer Ben Bostrom (Sho Air-Specialized) and Yuki Saito (Topeak-Ergon) during the first lap. The trio managed to separate themselves from chasers and came through the start/finish on lap 1 separated by about 5 seconds each.

During lap two Bostrom was able to extend his lead to 30 seconds over the chasing Armstrong, who by then had separated himself from Saito. By the beginning of lap 4 Bostrom’s lead was 2 minutes over Armstrong. When Bostrom rolled through start finish area for the start of lap 5 it was Saito that was in second place, and word came that Armstrong had pulled out with knee issues related to a recent increase in his running mileage.

With Armstrong out, Bostrom kept the cruise control on and turned out 11 steady laps to win during the 6 hours, while behind local rider Tristan Uhl (Austin-Tricyclist) completed 10 laps and finished second. It was an impressive charge in the final laps by who Uhl moved from the fourth and fifth place positions he held much of the day. Yuki Saito finished third. “I got in late last night due to some flight delays so today was the first time I saw the course, but I loved it, the singletrack was a lot like I train on at home (Malibu, Ca) but with less climbing,” commented Bostrom.

Women’s Open

In the Women’s Open it was a two-person race between Shontell Gauthier (Colavita/Baci) and Alex Robinette (RGM Advisors) who both fought through physical and mechanical issues throughout the race. Robinette, who started the race suffering from badly bruised ribs from a training crash earlier in the week, took the lead on lap 1 over Gauthier, only suffer a twisted chain on lap 2 that lost her the lead.

Gauthier took over and never relinquished the lead to complete 8 laps, while Robinette was able to repair her chain and ride back into second place finishing 8:16 behind Gauthier. Third place went to Sara Krause (Bicycle Sport Shop). Gauthier told the crowd from the podium the course was rough enough to warrant full suspension bike which she didn’t have, and ibuprofen which she did.

Wrap-up

Juan Pelota Ranch will next host the fourth stop of USA Cycling’s 2011 Pro XCT Cross-Country racing series. The event will be held on April 30 and is the second year straight year for the event. The 2010 event hosted over 1100 racers. No date has been set for the 2011 Mellow Johnny’s 6-Hour, but the event will return.

Full results can be found here.

Race Week News

2010-11-10T14:20:00.000-06:00

ALL LAST MINUTE UPDATES VIA TWITTER follow @mellowjohnnys or on web WWW.TWITTER.COM/MELLOWJOHNNYS

Race week is here and online race registration closes Wednesday at 5pm. If by chance you missed registration online you can late register on site Friday from 1-5, or Saturday 7:30-9:30.

Here is Schedule of Events.

Friday, Nov. 12th 1-5PM:

Pre-ride, Early Packet Pick-up, late registration at ranch.

NOTE: if you are registered for the 2010 Mellow Johnny's 6-Hour race, you do not need to also sign up for this Fun Ride below. Just show up and sign your athletes release form and have fun pre-riding the course.

Non-race participants can sign-up for the fun ride here:

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?EventID=11973

Saturday Nov. 13th Schedule: RACE DAY

$5 Per car entry fee (Waived if there are more than 3 people in car, Carpool!)

7:00AM – Ranch Gates Open
7:30AM-9:30AM – Registration
10:00AM – Race Start
3:59:59 PM - Last chance to leave for another lap
5:30PM – Awards Ceremony
7:00PM – Ranch Gates Locked

Pre-riding the course:

Media Wrap-Up

2010-06-02T09:56:00.000-05:00

Let us start by giving a huge thanks to the team effort this weekend from our staff and volunteers. Next, thanks to all of the fans and racers that helped create such a great atmosphere. We loved all of the positive energy that everyone on the ranch brought. It is infectious and certainly helps us keep pushing to make the even bigger and better for next year. Yes, we'll be back. Until then check out some media coverage.

http://bicycling.com/blogs/mbword/2010/05/31/gould-and-plaxton-scorch-lances-ranch/
http://gallery.me.com/ildille1#100009

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/race-tech-mellow-johnnys-classic

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/us-pro-xct-3-mellow-johnnys-classic-1/amateur-cross-country/results

http://singletrack.competitor.com/2010/06/race-results/video-wrap-up-mellow-johnnys-classic_8477

http://singletrack.competitor.com/tag/mellow-johnnys-classic

The Final Push

2010-05-25T13:41:00.000-05:00

Hard at work at race hq as we make the final push for the Mellow Classic 2010. We'll be hosting a big kick-off party Thursday from 7-10 PM at the shop. Our friends from Cielo, Rapha, and Beloved Cycles with be hosting. The ladies of the Luna Chix Pro Cycling team will be coming as well. Please come by and tell all of your friends.

The weather report looks good and though it will be warm (upper 80's)our friends from Nuun will be stepping up to help keep you hydrated. We'll have our Juan Pelota coffee truck for your caffeine needs. On the food front we'll have Hat Creek Burgers and Wahoo's Taco Truck out. We'll have beer and plenty of stuff to do to keep you occupied in your spare time.

Our media response has been good and most of the major cycling publications and websites will be coming in to cover.

Course Video

2010-05-10T17:26:00.000-05:00

We had a great pre-ride Saturday, If you didn't make it out take a look at the video here.

Courtesy Brandon Ewers

If you're interested in our next pre-ride details are here.

UCI Technical Guide

2010-04-21T14:10:00.000-05:00

The Technical Guide for the UCI Elite Mens & Womens race can be downloaded HERE

2010-04-15T10:33:00.000-05:00

Livestrong fund raising registration is now open. This option is for those of your that choose to use the Mellow Classic as a fund raising effort for the Mellow Classic. We've set aside 200 spots and the commitment is to raise a minimum of $250 for Livestrong. We're very excited to offer this and take our fund raising effort from last years event to an even higher level.

Livestrong registration link here

Regular registration opens May 1 and linked here

Registration and April News

2010-04-01T07:52:00.000-05:00

We’re a little over 60 days out and the Mellow Classic planning is in full-swing. Registration is the big question on everyone’s mind, so the official dates are April 15, and May 1, 2010. The first date is a new program for those of you that want to support Livestrong. Starting April 15, 2010 we’ll open up 200 spots for people that want this event to be their Livestrong supported event. We’ll have a press release from our friends at Livestrong soon, but participants that select this option will promise to raise a minimum of $250 and will be recognized as a Livestrong supporting participant during the weekend.

On May 1, 2010 our standard registration will open at bikereg.com last year it took about 6 days to fill the event but with a bigger presence and Pro XC Tour status things could move faster. The Next order of business is Pre-rides dates.

We’ll be offering 3 pre-rides dates that are open to racers and anyone else that just wants to come out and ride. These pre-rides MUST be signed up for in advance through Bike Reg links below and please beware that if weather is inclement can be canceled so we don’t destroy the trail before the race. Registration for these pre-rides opens on the Wednesday prior to the weekend day they fall on so we can account for weather more accurately.

Sunday April 18 CANCELLED due to inclement weather

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=10497

Saturday May 8th, (all mothers ride free!)

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=10500

Sunday May 23rd

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=10619

Since the race is Saturday and Sunday event this year we have also chosen to have a pre-ride day on Friday May 28, 2010. We’ll also be hosting a special event for the junior riders of Texas. On Friday morning May 28, we’ll have a special meet-n-greet with pro men and women racers in-town for the event. We feel this is a great chance for our future stars to get a chance to meet our current crop of pro racers. More details, and info on registering for this event in the weeks to come.

February Update

2010-02-16T06:46:00.000-06:00

We wanted to check-in and give all of you some updates on the Mellow Johnny's Classic. Our first rounds of meetings have been completed and all we're hard at work. The biggest questions of course are based on registration being opened and how many spots.

No exact hard numbers on total riders yet, but the racing this Spring will take place on 2 days. Category 3 (beginner) riders and the Pro riders will race on Saturday May 29, while the remaining classes will race on Sunday May 30. Having the event on 2 days will afford more racers the chance to participate. We'll update again soon on exact registration information and dates.

Just like last fall we've chosen to bring back the parts of the event that everyone loved, like the expo and kick-off party. With a stronger interest in the race the all of the events surrounding the race will be even bigger and better, plus we'll also be adding more events to keep the fun level pinned all weekend.

For those of you making a weekend of the event and doing some planning take a look at the logistics page from last years event. It will help with hotel room selection and such, also for those coming as a group there are lots of vacation home rentals and B&B's in the hill country, particularly in Wimberly which is a bit closer to the ranch than Austin.

We'll check back in soon.

Pro XC Tour

2010-01-05T12:34:00.000-06:00

Happy to say that we are going to be part of the 2010 Pro XC Tour. It is something we've been working on since December when we saw the opportunity to host a bigger and better event.

Over the next weeks and months we'll be hard at work planning and putting together the details for you all. We promise to have a full weekend of fun planned. We'll be bringing back our kick-off party, special events, and vendor expo with our key partners, plus many new ones.

For those that are looking for course information and such scroll down and look at the race loop video, or a great slide show from the race here or race coverage here

Stay tuned here for updates and details as the come available. We'll be working on registration and logistical aspects like travel planning and host hotel packages. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter at @mellowclassic for race details.

Read some great press about yesterday's news and the other great XCT events here and here

Big News

2009-12-11T12:25:00.000-06:00

Since the Mellow Classic we have been hard at work to make good on Lance's promise for another event. We wanted to get you all some news on our progress. We have made an application to host a National Calender event at the Ranch on the weekend of May 29-30 2010. We will move forward with a formal announcement and details on registration once we have the final confirmation from USA Cycling. Suffice it to say we are looking forward to a putting on an even bigger and better event. Thank you to all of you for your support and enthusiasm. We'll continue to use the blog and our twitter to keep the flow of information

Results

2009-11-23T09:23:00.000-06:00

Results are here and all we can say is wow. So many people put in so much hard work. Hopefully it showed and we can make version 2.0 eeven better. Hard to believe 8 weeks ago it was just an idea on Twitter.

In addition to great volunteers and vendors that were great partners with us. So many vendors and riders were so gracious and complimetary. We'll check back with more links and good stuff.

Friday/Saturday Post

2009-11-20T22:34:00.000-06:00

We did our best rain dance and it still hit us. We arrived at 7:30am Friday morning to find the trails wet but passable. The problem was that the rain got harder and then kept coming until 1:30pm, stopped and then re-started later in the afternoon.

As it is now the course is very wet but the forecast is favorable. Come out later Saturday and check-in on www.twitter.com/mellowclassic for the latest deatils. Most of all be thankful that there is dedicated staff of workers and volunteers that can't control the weather but have worked incredibly hard to put this race on. Make sure to thank them all for their work.

Can't wait for Sunday.

Thursday Race Update

2009-11-19T06:23:00.000-06:00

Progress at the ranch is great. Our friends from Sram and Trek are scheduled to arrive today with their race rigs. The weather looks good for Saturday and Sunday, though it does look like there will be rain Friday. Based on our experience on drainage things will be fine for the race. It will likely be wet Saturday morning and progressively improve throughout the day so please try to ride later Saturday if possible. Sunday we'd expect the course to be just about perfect.

If you have questions over riding conditions Saturday check www.twitter.com/mellowclassic as we'll be on site giving you the lastest.

We confirmed Chris Lieto will be making the trip to race, give Chris a warm welcome and a big yell if you see him.

We want to remind everyone to please carpool, we're expecting a big crowd. The guys at Singletrack.com gave us some love here and we have some video of the course.

Last, but not least, as race day approaches we'll likely be updating more via a twitter than here, we'll be busy at the ranch.

www.twitter.com/mellowclassic

Wednesday Update

2009-11-18T07:23:00.000-06:00

Another day closer and yesterdays big news was that Mellow Johnny's GM Craig Staley kicked in a big chunk of cash into the prize purse. Tobin, our race director, will be re-working the numbers for the distribution, if we can distract him long enough we'll try to post them here.

We also confirmed MJ's fav, DJ Prince Klassen will be taking care of the music for the Kick-Off Party in the Tap Room at Six Lounge. His work at our Rapha events was a huge hit. Friday 7-9, be there.

Other cool sponsor news is that Trek is kicking down some very cool pint glasses, Nuun will be handling the hydration and Honey Stinger is kicking into the prize list with some tasty nutrition. Chris King will also be bringing down some prizes for the Schwag raffle. FRS will be handing out goodies too. All of these companies will be be in our demo/expo area.

Speaking of demo, you'll be able to try out the latest bikes from Trek/Fisher as they are making the long haul down, give them a big thanks as the rep for our territory was scheduled elsewhere. Instead of saying sorry, we can't do it, they brought down another crew that will be getting back to their family right before Thanksgiving. Please give all of our volunteers and expo exhibitors a big thanks.

Tuesday Race Blast

2009-11-17T06:58:00.000-06:00

Over and over we have been amazed by the responses of participants and sponsors alike. Yesterday we got some great feedback and more amazing news. First, that Trek Travel is giving away a Trip for 2 to Moab, but Trek Bicycles didn't want to be left out so they are giving away a Trek District belt drive urban bike.

So we're seeing lots of course previews from riders that came out Sunday, here is a good one from @joeytwowheels on his blog, thanks.

Local MTB fast guy (and nice guy)Craig Kunz took his Garmin on the race loop Sunday, sorry this took a while but the race loop kept changing so we wanted to put out accurate info.

If we haven't told you enough times already make sure you hit up the kick-off party, lots of networking chances and fun to be had, our race sponsors and guest athletes will be coming by. It is 7-9 in the Tap Room at Six Lounge.

Last, but not least, Tobin, our intrepid race director, needs more race volunteers to help with parking. Please come help if you can, it will be a great day, get a limited edition shirt, lunch and some fun.

Monday Race Update

2009-11-16T07:11:00.001-06:00

We're now less than a week away. The Pre-ride was a success, some great stories of Lance, Taylor Phinney, Bjorn Selander and local Payson Mcelveen hitting the trails yesterday. Bjorn is set to fly home the 21st but maybe we can twist his arm to stay.

We still need some volunteers, so help out if you can! Sign-up below.

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9477

Our friends at Sram are still working on bringing in VIP riders, we'll announce as they confirm. Sram will be at the ranch with their big rig and will be giving presentations on their new XX group. Presentation times are as follows:

Saturday, Nov. 21,

10am
11am
2pm
3pm

Sunday, Nov. 22,

10am
11am
2pm
3pm

They will also be at Mellow Johnny's 5-7 on Friday for packet pick-up so make sure you set aside some time. After packet pick-up don't forget the race kick-off party at Six Lounge from 7-9.

Trek will also be at the ranch on Saturday and Sunday with their demo rigs and demo bikes so come out to check the latest Trek/Fisher models like the Top Fuel 9.9, Superfly 100, and more.

We also wanted to mention that Sunday we'll have Hat Creek Burgers out selling some tasty lunch. Great stuff and a favorite of the Mellow Johnny's Shop Staff

More updates to come. Thanks for reading.

More News

2009-11-11T17:51:00.000-06:00

Things are clicking along at the Rancho and the shop. We wanted to pass the latest news on things so here we go.

Parking is going to be very tight so leave the Canyonero. We want everyone to be close to the event and have planned the lot around the number of racers, but it is a first time venue and lot of people want to come to out so please help us out. Directions to the ranch are posted on bike reg link below.

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9455

PRE-RIDE DAYS

Racers, Pre-Ride Participants and Volunteers will be issued a number plate when you come for any one of the Packet Pickup Dates (see bikereg.com registration page for those dates/times). Everyone will need to have their number plate on their bikes when they ride during pre-ride days.

NUMBER PLATES

Do not lose your number plate. There will be a $50 re-issue fee if you lose it and require a new number issued.

THE RANCH HOUSE & GARAGE

Please respect the privacy of the residence that is out at the ranch. We ask that you not go near the house/garage area. Respecting this request will be one way to ensure that we are invited back in the future.

COURSE MAPS

A posters of the race maps be on display at the race. If you would like to download and print a copy in advance (the course runs clockwise).

Cat 1/2/3 course:

http://tmbra.org/promoters/2009MJCRaceMap.pdf

Junior 12/10 and Under course:

http://tmbra.org/promoters/2009MJCRaceMap12Under.pdf

Updated Race Info

2009-11-04T07:42:00.000-06:00

Lots of great things happening over the past few weeks. Tobin Behling, our race director, and his trail cutting crew have been in overdrive getting the trails ready. Last Monday they had a chance to sit down with Dave Wiens who spent a few days at the ranch and gave some feedback. As we've mentioned before the trail has lots of open, lots of passing, with great views, 1000 feet of climbing, and several fast recovery sections.

We decided to add a kick-off party at Six Lounge . After packet pick-up well head over Friday November 20, from 7-9. Six Lounge is near the shop and packet pick-up is from 5-7 at Mellow Johnny's.

On the tech front we've got some great news in the fact that our friends at Sram will be coming out, along with Mellow Johnny's and Trek/Fisher to offer the racers top tier neutral support. We'll also have a vendor expo where you can expect to see companies like, Rapha, Chris King/Cielo Bikes, Oakley, Bell/Giro, Nuun and Honey Stinger.

Here is a schedule of events.

Pre-Rides
NOTE, Pre-ride registration is NOW CLOSED and there is NO ON-SITE registration. If you are registered you must pick up your packet in order to Pre-ride. packet pick--up info below.

Pre-ride dates are:

Sunday, Nov. 15th 2009 from 10AM-4PM. Packet pick up info below
Saturday, Nov. 21st 2009 from 9AM-4PM.

NOTE the course is closed to pre-riding on race day.

Packet Pick up Info

Saturday, Nov. 14th 1-5PM @ Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop
Friday, Nov. 20th 5PM – 7PM @ Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop
Saturday Nov. 21st 9AM – 4PM @ Juan Pelota’s Ranch
Sunday, Nov. 22nd 7AM – 30 minutes prior to your race start @ Juan Pelota’s Ranch

Thanks for reading. Looking forward to a great event.

Logistics

2009-10-13T07:18:00.000-05:00

With the race full we decided to turn some attention to lodging and such for thsoe of you that are traveling in to race.

The ranch is closest to Dripping Springs and then Johnson City, Texas. Since both of these towns are pretty small they're won't be an abundance of large hotels but there are a few. Some lodging options for Johnson City can be found here

For those that like to camp, there is no camping on the property, and the closest state campground filled up, but there are other camping options are available here, here, and here.

For those that want some extra comfort the Texas Hill Country has abundant B&B and cottage rentals. There are some suggestions here.

From Austin, the ranch is roughly a 45 minute drive, so you'll have plenty of Austin options as well. Hopefully this will help the planning for you all. We'll keep working on things to do and places to visit while you're here.

Juan Pelota Ranch Preview

2009-10-07T19:40:00.000-05:00

As promised we made it out to Juan Pelota Ranch to get you a race course preview. While Lance slogged away training we had the trails all to ourselves. Small Flick'r photostream here.

Hopefully we'll give all of you making your way to the race some good planning info. Things you can use for bike and tire selection, maybe even it will help your training.

Keep in mind that the exact race loop isn't marked or complete by any means so we're doing our best to get you some advanced info. As things become more concrete we'll keep you updated and get you a Garmin file.

The ranch, outside of Dripping Springs, Texas, is in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. The rolling terrain will keep the event from being a pure drag race, but the course is fast. Lot's of open space and plenty of room to pass. While the course is mostly singletrack, there is never much cover, save for a few sections mixed of scrub oak.

The race course will start in a pasture near the infamous Dead Man's Hole and you'll be heading uphill right away. The climb away from the pasture is interlaced with some short recovery sections with a mix of hardpack, loose rocky, and ledges.

After several minutes of work you'll near the ranch house and some recovery. The course again is open and very fast, lots of big ring with some technical aspects, like dropping through small ravines and washes with some small ledges thrown in for good measure. Lots of pinch flat potential in these sections as you're moving fast.

Tire selection has been a big question, as race days get nearer we'll re-visit thsi one based on course conditions. There is no one tire to cover the range of conditions so plan on one for tacky and one for dry. On the tacky trail today just about anything with a little tread and side know a would have worked. In dusty dry conditions you need good tread and larger side knobs to keep the bike on the course as the course can get especially loose in some of the faster corners.

Over the next few miles the course mixes in some small climbs mixed with fast uphill and slower false flat open sections. These sections are again predominantly open singletrack and some jeep trail. During these middle miles you'll work away from the ranch house and then back towards it and the start. You'll have another steady slog in the form of a jeep trail back up then down to the start finish.

It will be a great race course, especially for those that love fast, big ring sections mixed with enough climbing to keep it selective. For those familiar with the Texas racing scene it is less technical than the old Flat Creek Ranch course nearby, maybe more similar in speed amount of climbing to the Belton BLORA course, with more open sections.

As for bike choice it seems tailor-made for a 29'er hardtail and for the brave souls with rigid SS you'll manage nicely. With the fast, open singeltrack we were still pretty fresh after 2 hard laps.

The right dual suspension rig would fair well also, you can likely run a bit on the firm side if you do. Our past test rides on dualies we felt more inclined to leave the bike in the pro pedal setting and blast away..