2024 Lembi Park A Race Recap
The 2024 Sacramento Cyclocross Series presented by Performance Bicycle returned to an annual favorite, Lembi Park in Folsom for Race 7 of the series. This is a compact course that always features technical off-camber, punchy climbs and an almost all grass course. But this year, the story would be the weather and with 3.6 inches of rain the day before and showers on race day, it would be the wettest ever race at Lembi. The morning races wore in some lines and everything was getting more rideable, but the skies opened up about an hour before the A race and made everything slick again.
In the Men’s race, Noah Shelton (Bear CX) took to the front and felt at home in the slick, muddy, true cross conditions from his time racing in Europe. After only a half lap, he was off the front by a significant gap with no other rider in sight. Shelton would continue to put on a clinic all race long, riding most things everyone else would have to run and lapping the rest of the men’s field up to 6th. It was a truly impressive ride!
It was a race where the entire field would spread out and most would ride alone. And that was the case for Michael Machado (Coureur Monterey Bay) who held 2nd for the whole race, but would finish over four minutes back from Shelton. Machado never had any close chasers, but managed consistent lap times with a mix of riding and running to navigate Lembi’s slick conditions and off-camber course.
The breakout performance of the day was from Wil Gregor, the 15 year old Reno Devo rider who showed his technical skill in the conditions. Gregor rode a clean race in third from the first lap, and never allowing seasoned chasers Ryan Rinn (Radhaus Racing) and Michael Dietrich to get close enough for a challenge.
In the Women’s race, Julie Young (Julie Young Training) took to the front early and by the end of lap one had over a minute lead on her next competitor. Young would ride a mistake free race and the joy for racing in these conditions were expressed on her face all around the course. Megan Brinkmeyer (Quodapp) rode a very strong race in second outpacing the rest of the field every lap and rode alone to the finish with over a three minute gap back to 3rd.
The race for third place in the Women’s field was the most exciting, with Madeline Ortenblad (Rock Lobster) sitting third by 20 seconds after lap one, but 2023 Series runner-up Corina Bennett finding her grove in the slick conditions and giving chase. Bennett would catch and pass Ortenblad on lap three, with the two staying close until some slide-outs by Ortenblad let the gap increase. Bennett would be the last women’s rider to stay on the same lap as Julie Young, with the top three completing a tough five lap race.
Men’s Results:
1st – Noah Shelton (Bear CX)
2nd – Michael Machado (Coureur Monterey Bay)
3rd – Will Gregor (Reno Devo)
4th – Ryan Rinn (Radhaus Racing)
5th – Michael Dietrich
6th – Evan Geankoplis
7th – Brendan Lehman (Rock Lobster)
8th – Timmy Bauer (Above & Beyond Cancer)
9th – AJ Snovel (Enjoy Cycling)
Women’s Results:
1st – Julie Young (Julie Young Training)
2nd – Megan Brinkmeyer (Quodapp)
3rd – Corina Bennett
4th – Madeline Ortenblad (Rock Lobster)
5th – Emily Funk
6th – Jean Sousa (Red Brus Brewing)
7th – Tenley Ong
Click here for full race results. The final race of the 2024 series takes place on December 14th at Johnson-Springview Park in Rocklin. Visit www.saccyclocross.com for more details.