Whole Athlete/Specialized's Youngest Rider Wins Florida Road Race Title

Mace takes the win.

After earning back-to-back Junior U-15 wins at the Bonelli and Fontana ProXCTs, Mike Mace took his speed to the asphalt, winning the Junior 13/14 Florida State Road Race Title.

The FL state title marks Mace's 5th win of the season already!

Meanwhile on the left coast, Jacob Albrecht continued his rise through the ranks with a top-10 overall in his first Cat 2 stage race in San Dimas. 

Albrecht warms up for stage 3 of the San Dimas Stage race.

Next stop: The Sea Otter Classic on April 10-13.

Whole Athlete/Specialized Team Flying in Fontana

National Champ Haley Batten on her way to victory in the Junior Women's Race. (photo: Mark Avery)

Following the success of last weekend's Bonelli Park ProXCT, the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team rode a wave of momentum into the Fontana ProXCT earning multiple victories and podium finishes. Resplendent in stars and stripes, National Champion Haley Batten won the Junior Women's XC, while Neilson Powless and Sean Bennett rode to an impressive 1-2 finish in the highly competitive Junior 17/18 event. 

 

Powless goes two for two with another win in Fontana. (photo: Mark Avery)

And making it three for three, Mike Mace took a convincing win in the Under-15 XC race, followed by 3rd in the Junior combined Super-D and 6th in the Cat 1 open Short Track.

 

Mike Mace with yet another win.

 

Bennett with another strong podium performance. (photo: Mark Avery)

Another hard fought battle in the Pro UCI XC race for Casey Williams amid a world-class field of 115 starters saw him finish top-30 and the 3rd U23. Williams recovered quickly for the late afternoon Super-D event, landing squarely on the podium in 3rd. 

Casey Williams on his way to a 3rd place in the Pro Super-D.

Powless and Bennett go 1-2 in the Junior 17/18 XC.

Haley Batten tops the Junior Women's podium.

Williams and Mace podium finishers in their respective Super-D races.

 

Lest we forget the unsung heros of the race...Head Mechanic Josh Snead keeping the bikes dialed!

Next stop: The Sea Otter Classic on April 10-13.
Stay tuned for more exciting news!

Bountiful Bonelli for Whole Athlete/Specialized

Powless and Bennett lead the Junior 17/18 field up the first climb.

The second stop on the ProXCT and US Cup series, and the first-ever UCI HC event held in the US, Bonelli Park served up some great racing and summer-like weather for Whole Athlete/Specialized. Neilson Powless and Sean Bennett kicked off the team's weekend success with 1st and 3rd in the highly competitive Junior 17/18 field. 

Williams was the 2nd place U23 in a stacked Pro field.

Cole Avery also hit the podium with 3rd place in his first Junior 15/16 race, while Casey Williams took on a 114 rider world-class Pro field, finishing as the 2nd U23 in 25th. Only 31 of the 114 riders completed the UCI "Hors Categorie" race.

 

Avery on his way to a podium finish.

Mike Mace continued his winning streak by taking top honors in the Under-15 race, while Haley Batten bounced back after an unlucky flat in the XC to win the Super-D that same afternoon.

Mace awaits his call up to the podium.

Batten wins the women's combined Super-D.

Powless and Bennett on the Junior 17/18 podium.

Next stop: UCI Cat 1 ProXCT / US Cup round 3 at Fontana, CA on March 22.

Whole Athlete/Specialized on Podiums Across the State

Albrecht on his way to winning the Madera Stage Race.

In only two months of road racing since making the transition from the mountain bike, Jacob Albrecht capped off his rise from Category 4 to 2 with the overall win at the Madera Stage Race in Central California. 

Powless took the lead and never looked back. 

Meanwhile just a few hours north of Madera, Neilson Powless opened his 2014 XC account with a win at the NorCal High School Varsity race at Granite Bay. Powless will be joined by teammate Sean Bennett later this month to represent the US at the Pan American Continental Championships in Brazil.

 

Williams airmails it in.

And while Albrecht and Powless were topping podiums in NorCal, Casey Williams landed a Pro podium in SoCal with 2nd place at the Southridge Winter Series XC race in Fontana. 

Next stop, ProXCT rounds 2 and 3 at Bonelli Park on March 15 and Fontana, CA on March 22.

Podiums, Pain, and Pleasure in Texas for Whole Athlete/Specialized Team

Casey Williams adds style to a top-20 ride in his season opener. (photo: Cyclingdirt.org)

The season opening ProXCT in Dripping Springs, Texas proved eventful as always with impressive race performances, unpredictable weather, and an all around memorable experience for the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team. Michael Mace opened up the team's account with back to back wins in the Junior 14 & Under and Cat 2 races, while Casey Williams earned a hard fought top-20 finish in a very deep Pro field, the 2nd U23 finisher in 18th. 

Mike Mace goes two for two in Texas. 

Williams navigates the technical trails. (photo: Mark Avery)

On Sunday the weather quickly deteriorated from 70 degree clear skies the day prior, to cold rain, heavy mud, and temperatures in the 30s. Sean Bennett fought his way through the brutal conditions for 3rd place in the Junior Cat 1 race where most of the field dropped out, mud-covered and hypothermic.

Sean Bennett with a gutsy ride in the frigid rain and mud. (photo: Mark Avery)

Only a handful of junior riders survived the extreme conditions. (photo: Mark Avery)

Both riders and equipment felt the sting of Spring. (photo: Mark Avery)

Intrepid head mechanic Josh Snead does not stop until the bikes are perfect. (photo: Mark Avery)

And oh what perfect bikes they are... (photo: Mark Avery)

(photo: Mark Avery)

 

Next stop, ProXCT rounds 2 and 3 at Bonelli Park on March 15 and Fontana, CA on March 22.