the 07/17/2008

Trickery earns Aparicia 102 Valley Bicycle Race title

HOPKINS, Mo. 猬 Javier Aparicio of St. Joseph did a little bit ofacting to outwit a stranger. It also worked on his friend, landinghim the overall championship Saturday in the 102 Valley BicycleRace.

Aparicio, who brought along Rusty Parkhurst and Steve Hall to helphim with drafting, shed his initial nerves about riding in the rainthat began falling just before the start of the race. He and histeammates 猬 including 2007 champion David Neidinger 猬 were in asmall group that had dropped the rest of the pack by the time theyhad abandoned the rolling hills for a section of flats.

猬SI was kind of nervous, because one guy who races in USACycling-sanctioned races from the Boulevard Team was there,猬Aparicio said. 猬SHe didn猬"t know me, so I started playing like Iwas tired. It worked.猬

In truth, Aparicio had plenty left.

猬SI actually psyched out my other teammate (Neidinger),猬 Apariciosaid. 猬SHe thought I was going to bonk. I took advantage of that.(Neidinger) was going to try to drop me to win the race. He startedtaking off, and then I put the gear to it.猬

Neidinger and Aparicio, who recently signed with the Epic Cyclingteam of Kansas City, knew that down the stretch the draftingassistance and teamwork was over.

猬SIt was every man for himself,猬 Aparicio said. 猬SWe talkedabout it before the race, and we both were aware that whateverhappened, happened, and we were all right with it.猬

Aparicio finished the 18-mile course in 45 minutes, 16 seconds,just 3 seconds ahead of Neidinger and 4 seconds ahead of MarkSchoonbeck of Kansas City. Rodney Bade of Maryville was fourth, and2005 champion Tony Jagodzinski of St. Joseph took fifth.

It was just the fifth road race Aparicio has entered and his firstwin, including a mountain bike career in the early 1990s.

Unlike Aparicio, Ruth Regehr didn猬"t resort to any trickery infinishing as the top female in the race at 51:23. That time wasgood enough for 18th overall.

猬SI have no strategy,猬 said Regehr, who has won the women猬"sdivision for three straight years. 猬SI just do this for fun andenjoy it and do my best. I just ride.猬

Aparicio will be among top amateur cyclists in the region competingin St. Joseph on Sept. 6-7, when USA Cycling holds both a teamtime-trial and a road race as a prelude to the Tour of Missouri, aseven-day, world-class professional event that starts from near St.Joseph猬"s City Hall on Sept. 8.