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UO club cyclists race Tour
■Two Ducks are getting the
privilege of competing
against some of the nation’s
best at the Tour of Willamette
By Inge Scheve
for the Emerald
Oregon club cycling team mem
bers Zach Winter and Dave Johnson
are taking on one of the most gruel
ing stage races on the North Ameri
can race calendar: the Tour of
Willamette.
Along with extended climbing and
twisting descents, the harsh nature of
the Northwest climate contributes to
the race’s reputation. Wet conditions
frequently add trouble to the obvious
fatigue from climbing. Last year, 40
riders piled up in the bottom of a wet
descent that ended on a bridge where
the river ran as much on top of the
bridge as under it.
“Today was sort of hard,” John
son said after Wednesday’s road
stage. “I got tired and just rode it in.”
On Thursday the race moved
from smooth roads to hilly, cruddy
BLM roads. Johnson said those
roads scare him.
“But I try not to think about it,” he
said.
Johnson, who also races for team
Netzero, is sporting a Duck uniform
in the pro 1/2 category — his fourth
time on the Tour. This category fea
tures the finest American road racers.
Winter, in his first attempt on the
Tour, is defending Oregon in the
category 3/4/5 and masters.
“I should finish in the top 10,”
said Winter, who started mountain
biking in 1999. He is competing in
the Tour despite a broken arm sus
tained in a race earlier this season.
“I have trained with the Tour in
mind. I would be crushed if I could
n’t race it now,” he said.
The six-day stage race started
Tuesday with a one-kilometer pro
logue that had riders sprint up Skin
ner Butte as fast as their legs, lungs
and equipment would allow. Then
came the 82-mile, 3,000-foot-climb
road race Wednesday. Thursday’s
stage had riders tackle a road race
with 8,000 feet of climbing that cov
ered 94 miles of poorly maintained
BLM roads with mossy, slick de
scents in wet conditions.
Today’s action will take riders
along for 109 miles and 5,000 feet of
climbing, leading up to Saturday’s
time trial at Dorena Lake, and later
that day a criterium in Cottage
Grove. The final stage of the race al
lows riders to compare their
strength and stamina over 106 miles
and another 8,000 feet of climbing.
In return, the overall winner gets
next to nothing: a symbolic $500 for
a week of pain and agony. But the
fame, glory and respect for conquer
ing the nation’s hardest stage race
remains a motivator to bring out the
best of the professionals for a week
in the rain.
Additionally, the race is a National
Race Calendar event, which means
that points earned on the Tour count
toward the season series.
For both Ducks, the fitness and
experience components of the Tour
are the most important at this point
in the season.
“I’m not coming in to place but to
gain speed work,” Johnson said.
“The best way to get fast is to race
with the pros. Just a certain amount
of the guys are here to win.”
Johnson’s goal is to peak in Au
gust in time for the Under-23 na
tional championships.
“After graduation, I want to race
for awhile,” he said. “I want to go to
Belgium to race. It’s hard racing
there.”
Custer
continued from page 7
Oregon’s new home-run queen.
“We’re very proud of her accom
plishments; it’s not an easy thing to
do,” Gamez said. “I also think it
says a lot about our program and
where it’s come in the last five
years. Three years in a row now,
someone has broken that record.
That’s pretty amazing.”
Custer, a sociology major who
will graduate in June and plans to
teach high school math, said she
never imagined she’d accomplish
such feats and be part of a program
that has built a strong foundation.
“On one level, I am surprised,”
said Custer, whose 137 career runs
batted in are just eight shy of the
school record. “But on another level,
we come here day-in and day-out
and work really hard, and coach
knows a lot about the game and pass
es it on. So after awhile you come to
expect some better things. But I am
surprised by what I’ve done.”
Catcher Kelly Planche, the only
other senior on the squad, said
Custer’s desire and commitment
have been proved by her numbers.
“I’m really happy for her,”
Planche said. “Unfortunately, her ac
complishments have been overshad
owed by what has happened this
season. If nothing else, it’s a great
thing for her to take away from here.”
This season has not gone as
scheduled for Custer and the
Ducks. After reaching the NCAA
Tournament the last three seasons,
Oregon had visions of the College
World Series this season. And
while the goal is not completely out
of reach, a six-game slide and the
rigors of Pacific-10 Conference play
make the load that much harder.
“It’s nice to get [the record] out of
the way ... but I’d definitely trade it
for more wins,” Custer said.
The Ducks (23-24 overall, 1-5
Pac-10) will look to turn things
around this weekend when they
host San Jose State and Oregon
State, both for doubleheaders.
The slumping Ducks are looking
for revenge against San Jose State, a
team Oregon knows it should have
beaten earlier this season.
The Ducks led 1-0 in the sixth
against the Spartans (21-24 overall)
in the March 3 meeting, but al
lowed two runs late to fall 2-1.
“I think it’s more mental than any
thing at this point,” Planche said.
“We know we should beat them.”
“We definitely need these two
wins,” Custer said. “There’s no oth
er way around it. The Pac-10 is way
too tough to expect to win a lot of
those games. So getting out of the
Pac-10 for a couple games is a key
for this team.”
No. 16 Oregon State (30-15-1, 0
4) comes to town Saturday. The
Beavers, who are looking for their
first conference win, have won five
straight over the Ducks.
“Oregon State is a good ball club,”
Gamez said. “They are going to be
very aggressive, but we just need to
stay focused for seven innings.”
With focus, solid defense and
perhaps a few shots over the wall
from Custer, that losing streak of
Oregon’s could be history.
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