Valley of the Sun Stage Race

Credits: VoS Photo.

My birthday being mid-February, I decided to treat myself to the Valley of the Sun Stage Race weekend, February 14 - 16th in sunny Phoenix, AZ. After all, I’d had a rough winter: 6 weeks in the hospital recovering from a surgery, followed by the long slow process of trying to get in shape again after such an ordeal. An early season race would give me a much-needed opportunity to ride on the road on my new JetBike Gamma. Though I’d been riding it on the trainer since my hospital discharge, one never really gets a proper feel for a bike til it’s been tested on pavement. My last race (on my 2020 Carbonbike) was the final World Cup of 2024, in Italy, about 10 months ago. Ready or not, it was time to dive back into race mode!

The Valley of the Sun Stage Race is a 3-day Omnium with a Time Trial, Road Race, and final downtown Criterium. Points are awarded for each finishing place, with the final overall points winner taking the leader’s jersey and the lion’s share of the prize earnings. A well-attended able-bodied cycling race, the paracycling category has sadly dwindled over the years to just a handful of riders, though handcyclists, trike riders, and 2-wheelers were all represented this year.

Time Trial Course Recon – Flat, with bumpy pavement, it was an out-and-back 10-mile course with a 180-degree turnaround. My first road ride on the new bike felt pretty good, despite still feeling weak and out of shape from my prolonged hospital stay. It was an important shake-down ride - I realized I needed to lower my cranks a notch for better visibility, and the 180 turnaround - with just the right amount of deceleration and proper timing - was no problem. A 180 with my Carbonbike was always a struggle; my JetBike Gamma frame is 4 inches shorter, and the fork is 1.25” shorter; with over 5” in reduced overall wheelbase, I could turn with ease!

TT Race Day – Despite getting up in the dark, cold desert pre-dawn, I was excited. It’s always fun to run into old friends and teammates at races, and this was no exception - within the masses of able-bodied cyclists dominating the venue, we congregated in a small group near the ADA port-a-potty and designated paracycling parking and got to work preparing ourselves and our bikes for competition. I was particularly excited to see Barry Wilcox, an H1 rider on the national team and fellow Jetbike Gamma owner. I wanted to compare notes and talk shop with him about the Jetbike - what was working well, what changes we’d each made to better accommodate our unique needs and body morphologies, etc: the usual adaptive sports conversations that reflect our ever-present need to problem-solve, be creative, resourceful and innovative. Barry was very positive about his switch to the Jet: holding up his scarred elbows, he explained how its higher frame (compared to the Carbonbike) allowed them clearance from hitting the pavement, a huge plus.  Its lighter weight (some 2 lbs lighter than the Carbonbike) was also a big plus for him. He said he felt like he was in a better body position too, and was noticeably putting out more watts than on his Carbonbike. I was so happy to hear this positive feedback from him - as an H1, Barry works harder than most of us to not only race but to train, to get to races, etc. And he does it with patience, persistence, and style. To have a bike really feel good and work for him is what he deserves…is what we all deserve. But it’s not always easy to achieve.

Road Race – An even earlier, cold dark morning with a long drive south to the Gila Indian Reservation. Barren and remote, desert scrub and tall cactuses as far as the eye could see. The course was 30 miles for the paracyclists, which included twice up a long climb at a 4-6% gradient. Some attrition from the day before was apparent, and only myself, Jared Fenstermacher (H4), and the two stand-out leaders - Owen Daniels (H3) and Ryan Pinney (H3) - both national team members - represented the handcyclists. Todd Key, an above-the-knee amputee with only one functional arm, was the lone 2-wheeler. I was still tired from the Time Trial the day before and was grateful to be able to take turns drafting with Jared for about half the course. At the finish, I collapsed in my car with the door open to the east and basked in the warm Arizona sun while downing recovery snacks. The hard work, fresh air, and sunshine were exactly what I had come all this way for, and I felt exhausted but satisfied. But the 2 days of racing were having their cumulative effect on my not-yet-fit body, and I had serious reservations about doing the criterium the next day. Crits are an intensity workout, and technically challenging as well. With so few of us racing, I felt skeptical I’d have anyone to actually race with, and the prospect of riding around and around a few city blocks by myself was not inspiring me. I went to bed that night feeling like the better option would be to just take a nice, easy ride somewhere by myself, with no pressure, no crowds, and no hustle and bustle. 

I slept long and deeply. Halfway through my morning coffee at a leisurely 11 am, I still hadn’t decided on my plan for the day. I checked the start time of the crit - 2:30 pm - and started to fidget. An hour later, my bike was loaded, I’d pulled my race numbers out of the trash and pinned them on, and I was on my way downtown. 

Barry Wilcox (@barryforgold) and I competing in the Criterium.

Criterium – The energy of a crit is infectious. It’s a party - the last day of racing, large crowds (thanks to the able-bodied racers, including pros), and a “full gas” experience. The 5 of us handcyclists and Todd lined up at the Start and took off for our 30-minute adrenaline-fueled finale. It was FUN and I remembered that I enjoy the challenge of lining up for tight fast turns, coming out of them wide, lining up for the next one, the whole time trying to hold onto the wheel in front of me. The combination of riding skill and speed is a unique race experience and allows one to raise the roof on 1-second, 5-second, and 20-second power PRs. It’s also kind of cool to show the able-bodied racers and crowds who we are and plenty of cheering let us know that they appreciated us. 

I didn’t think I’d make any sort of podium for the final Omnium but a system of factoring our results to compensate for our various classifications and their related time standards was cleverly used by the race organizers, and though somewhat convoluted, happily allowed each of us to “walk” away with some prize money at the end of the 3 days! Overall, it was a great trip and allowed me to get to know my new bike better, reconnect with my peers, and get in some early-season racing. I recommend it!