Team Fralock Bicycle Racing Team

After years of having it the other way around, our CEO finally took matters into his own hands and became the prime sponsor of his bicycle racing team. The three primary members of this illustrious team – Rob Anderson, Mick Hellman and Scott Tucker (CEO Fralock) – have among them a wealth of cycling accolades in both the mountain and road disciplines. And most recently, Mick Hellman has endeavoured to race with the big boys at the 2006 Tour de Gila; one of the primer road events on the UCI Calendar, featuring some of the biggest names in domestic professional bicycle racing.

Rob Anderson on the top step of the podium at the 2006 Masters MTB World Championships at the Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia.

"Rob won the Canadian Mountain Biking Championship at Sun Peaks, BC (M 50+) on the nightmare of a course that he crashed on 10 times the last time he raced it. “It wasn't the relaxing course we raced at the World's last summer. I bested Nels Guloien and Tony Routley, my two biggest rivals from Canada for the last 7 years. It was a great race and I avoided hitting the dirt on all the technical stuff and hammered the climbs to make the difference.”

Just another day at the office, really. That’s Scott on the right.

Here’s the race report:

From NORBA NMBS #1
Tapatio Springs , Texas
March 4-6, 2005

The psychotic geriatrics of Team Fralock left an indelible impression in the Texas limestone this weekend, with nine trips to the podium and five to the top step.  Not a bad haul for three Californians.  Texans may remember the Alamo; Texas mountain bike racers will remember Fralock, at least until their next head injury.

Conditions at the Texas Supergrind were deplorable.  Rain, mud and slick-as-ice Texas limestone made this a bike handler’s dream, but a nightmare for mechanics and power riders.

Rob Anderson
Rob dominated the Expert 50-54 category for the Supergrind Stage Race (and indeed the entire Expert category), winning all three of the stages (time trial, short track xc, and cross country) by absurd margins, 9½ minutes in the cross country alone.  His teammates are petitioning him to upgrade to semi-pro, where he would consistently have ranked in the top third this weekend.

Scott Tucker
Scott blasted out of his sick bed (flu) to dominate the Expert 45-49 cross country, winning by over four minutes.

Mick Hellman
In spite of being “punctuality-challenged,” Mick managed to win the Expert 40-44 time trial, take second in the short track xc and fourth in the cross country.  He picked up second on general classification for the Supergrind Stage Race.  With an alarm clock, who knows what he might accomplish?

Team Fralock’s equipment was superb.  The Scott Scale hardtails provided smooth and sure handling under the most adverse conditions found on the cross country circuit.  The components provided by Ray’s Cyclery functioned flawlessly.  Special mention should go to team mechanic Rob Spear, who worked tirelessly to make the bikes fly under conditions that saw around 50% of the field drop out due to mechanical problems.

Thanks to all of our families, sponsors and supporters.

Here’s the report from “The Gila”:

2006 Tour of the Gila

Stage 1: Tyrone Time Trial (15.7mi; 1070’ climbing)
I am at Gila now.  5th in Sr. 2 in the time trial.  A mediocre performance: a minor mechanical cost me 2 places and 30 seconds, and the altitude crushed me.

Stage 2:  Silver City to Mogollon Road Race(RR) – 92miles; 5650’ climbing
It was a killer.  The guys who won escaped very early, and built up an 8 minute lead going into the final climb.  I dropped 4 minutes on the climb to the fastest guy in our group.  Despite the field being unwilling to organize to chase down the break, the surges in the field were brutal, unlike anything I have experienced.  I can't believe how many times I was redlined.

Stage 3:  Inner Loop RR – 73 miles; 5350’ climbing
Today's stage was also quite hard.  The pace ramped up to over 400 watts for the first climb (1000 ft? 1500?), which started 6 miles into the race.  I couldn't quite stay on, so I fell back to the second group.  We completed the climb, then hit the notorious Sapillo Creek descent: fast straight-aways on full throttle, going into super-tight switchbacks, some with dirt and pebbles.

Our group of 20 or so hit the bottom, and 10 or so of us organized a paceline.  This worked so well that we pulled back 4 1/2 minutes on the leaders over 20 miles, although we never fully closed the gap.  I don't know my result yet, but it's probably around 40th.  I will likely fall further down the GC.

Stage 4:  Downtown Silver City Criterium – 1.8 mile course; 30 laps
Place: 53
GC: 30 @ -13:24

Stage 5:  The Gila Monster RR – 100 miles; 8940’ climbing
Had to withdraw due to injury sustained in crash during the final miles of the stage.

Wente RR: Masters 45+: Mick (1st); Rob (2nd) This is one of the best races of the season, and one of the earliest. Everyone comes out to it, rain or shine, to see how the off season treated them.

Dunlap TT:  Mick: 1st overall (1st Pro 1,2); Rob 7th overall (1st 45+)

NorCal/Nev District TT Championships:  Mick: 2nd overall; Rob: 1st (45+)

Here are a couple more photos of Team Fralock in action around the globe…