From the Archives to Up the Road: Manhattan Beach Grand Prix

 Twenty-seven years and a day later, the 59th Manhattan Beach Grand Prix rolls away from the start line tomorrow and, with the seeming demise of the Nevada City Bicycle Classic, makes it the true grand-daddy of American bike racing.

The 1995 edition of the race may very well have been the final time I attempted to compete in the race; without any vertical challenge, it was just never the type of race I was going to do well in. Less than ten years later, though, my son would win a bronze and silver medal in the little kids races in consecutive years. In '95 the bunch was doing a lot of slowing into the corners and then out-of-the saddle sprinting coming out of the corners, and that caused my back to start grumbling. Never-the-less... "I went for a $50.00 prime but came up short - 5th. Mitch came through for Xtreme by taking a second $50.00 prime a couple laps later." And that was it, another crit, another nondescript "FIP" - Finished In the Pack.

Anyway, the point is, if you find yourself in the area on Sunday you could do a whole lot worse than stop by the MBGP and watch a couple 'o races. They oughta be good ones.