TBRA Point Series

Each season the Tennessee Bicycle racing Association (TBRA) offers BAR (best area rider) point-series competitions for individuals in the road and mountain bike disciplines.  These point-series are called the TBAR competition (Tennessee Best Area Rider) and the TORBAR compeition (Tennessee Off Road Best Area Rider), respectively.

At the season's end award ceremonies held Saturday, October 6, Gran Fondo Bianchi team members brought home the gold. Please read below to see what strong placings our team had. We have also displayed results for our shop employees Luke Servidio and Travis Werts who took home 2nd and 3rd in the Category 2 Standings while racing for Team Krystal.

In addition, Team Gran Fondo/Bianchi brought home 3rd Place in Club of the year standings!

TBRA Points Series Competition Standings
	Masters Men (30-39) BAR Competition Standings
	Racer	State	Team	Points
1	Tiesler, Cayce	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	526
3	Long, Trent	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	248
	Masters Men (40-49) BAR Competition Standings
	Racer	State	Team	Points
1	Hirt, Shawn	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	537
2	Williams, Tod	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	358
3	Rodgers, Victor	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	242
	Masters Men (50-59) BAR Competition Standings
	Racer	State	Team	Points
4	Gates, Thomas	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	325
7	Rodgers, Victor	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	225
11	Gregory, Robert	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	160
	Senior Women Category 1-3 BAR Competition Standings
	Racer	State	Team	Points
1	Sass, Kirsten	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	505
2	Bleecher, Stephanie	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	253
	Senior Women Category 4 BAR Competition Standings
	Racer	State	Team	Points
4	White, Marsha	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	244
10	Chawan, Mary Beth	TN	Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi	89
	Senior Men Category 2 BAR Competition Standings
	Racer	State	Team	Points
1	Spears, Bradley	TN	Krystal	433
2	Servedio, Luke	TN	Krystal	377
3	Werts, Travis	TN	Krystal	311
4	Skinner, Gray	TN	Krystal	309

Byron Brown 
age: 41
Goodlettsville, TN 
USCF Cat II 
Career Highlights: 
- Racing since 1985 (wow thats a long time) 
- 2 TBRA Championships 
- 2000 State Crit Champion 
- Multiple State medals in RR, TT, & Crit  

Favorite race: Avery Trace RR or any race with lots of hills (uphills that is) 

I love racing my bike with the Gran Fondo-Bianchi team. I've been lucky enough to be a part of the team since the beginning.  It's a strong well balanced team where others will work tirelessly for the benefit of a teammate.  We have lots of fun at the races, and when we get together for team events.  We've got great support from our sponsors, especially Gran Fondo.  I really enjoy riding my new team bike (Bianchi San Lorenzo), it's one of the best race bikes I've ever ridden!  When you get a bike from Lynn, its always set up exactly like it should be, and he'll always remember your fit.  I am looking forward to the team having another successful racing season and racking up a lot of victories.  I know our masters squad is one of the best in the southeast and in the country!  See ya at the races.

Robert Gregory
Brentwood, TN
age:51
USCF Cat II
Career Highlights: 
- Racing since 1984
- Multiple Tennessee State Chamionship Gold 
  Medals in Road Race, Crit, & Time Trial.
- Runner-up for the TBRA champion's jersey 
  too many times to count!  

Being one of the original members of the Gran Fondo racing team as it evolved into a regional cycling powerhouse has been very rewarding. The Gran Fondo team members are very passionate about their racing but are also very helpful and supportive to new folks getting into cycling. Just a great group of guys and I'm very proud to be part of this team.

Riding and racing a bicycle has always been a very enjoyable way for me to stay very fit and healthy. The physical benefits of this sport are of course the most obvious, but the hidden benefits of stress relief, and the outlet for my competitive energies have been invaluable. I view cycling as life long endeavor, and although the day will come when I no longer register for USCF races I'll still be riding my bike and looking to beat somebody over the next hill.

Kevin Hinson
Nashville, TN
age: 37
USCF Cat III
Career Highlights:
- Racing since 1993
- 2006 TN Championship RR 2nd
- 2000 TORBAR Champion
 
I started racing mountain bikes 1993, began mixing in some road racing in 1998 and by 2001 was road racing almost exclusively.  I really enjoy the team aspect of road racing and the fact that it takes more than strength on the bike to be successful. In 2005 I joined the Gran Fondo Masters Team which has been a tremendous learning experience and I feel honored to be part of it such a great group.
 
I also feel lucky to have the support of such a great bike shop as well as Bianchi USA. I am riding a Bianchi Freccia Celeste this year and I love it. I was riding a custom Tommasini Ultra Fire and thought it couldn't be topped but the Bianchi is amazing it is quick in crits and comfortable in long RR's not to mention with Lynn's help it fits like a glove.
 

Shawn Hirt
age:  39
Lenoir City, TN
USCF Cat III 
Career Highlights:  
- 4-time TBRA Champion (2002 -2005)

Riding with Gran Fondo has truly been the highlight of my twenty year racing career.  Having such wonderful support from a bike shop like this really makes racing fun.  And riding with so many superb riders as teamates makes a very hard sport very enjoyable.  Cycling is such a great sport and one that you can do individually or with others, and it has sure made it nice to be associated with such great people at Fondo the last few years.  I was thrilled to hear about Bianchi's sponsorship this year!  My first true racing bike was a Bianchi Giro that I rode into the ground...don't even know how many miles I had on that frame.  It was then that I developed a love for the cleste!  My new Bianchi Freccia Celeste race bike is an incredible machine for road racing and especially crits.  The compact geometry is so stiff and responsive it's amazing. It's truly a joy to ride and race on. 

David Hixson 
age: 56
Knoxville, TN
USCF Cat II 
Career Highlights:  
- 100+ Wins in Pro,1,2,and Masters Categories
- Masters National Criterium Champion - 2000 
- Masters National Road Champion - 2004 & 2005       
- 1996 Missouri State Crit Champion - Seniors       
- Multiple Missouri State Road and Crit Championships  
- Tennessee State Road Champion 2004 & 2005 

The Gran Fondo Masters Team has proven to be the most competitive masters team in the southeast. Riding and racing with a great team and getting fantastic support from the Gran Fondo organization has been an experience of a lifetime!! 

David Hoffman
age: 45
Maryville, TN
USCF Cat III
Racing since 1996 

Marty Pierce
Clarksville, TN
age: 45
USCF Cat. I
Racing since 1992

Favorite Type of Racing:   Big Criteriums!!!  Fast, technical, dicey fields--the crazier, the better!

Favorite race:   Athens Twilight Pro-1Race.  Love the speed, the atmosphere, the way the whole town is there. The whole weekend is a great time!

Goal for 2006:   High placing in Master's National Criterium in July.

Racing Highlights:   
- Numerous top 3 finishes in Cat.1-2 State Criterium Championships to include in 2000 a gold medal 
- 12th in 2001 Master's Nationals Criterium
- 18th in 2001 Master's Nationals Road Race 
- Competed in over 20 NRC and other Pro-1 races from 2000-2002.

Could not be happier to be on a team like Gran Fondo. It's a well balanced team with great support from our sponsors.  I love my team bike the Bianchi San Lorenzo, it's the best race bike I've ever ridden! I am looking forward to racing on a solid team after a 2 1/2 year break from the scene. I know our masters squad can compete with the best in the country!

Vic Rodgers
age: 57
Loudon, TN
USCF Cat II
Racing since 1990 

Cayce Tiesler
Age: 35
Pegram, TN
USCF Cat II - NORBA Expert
Racing Highlights:
- 2006 Sonic Sumner RR Masters 30+ 1st Place, Edgar Soto Memorial Stage Race Masters Sprint Points Champion 
- 2004 TBRA Cat 3 - 2nd Place 
- 2002- 2005 3-time Single Speed TORBAR Champion

Racing with the Gran Fondo Masters Team has elevated my focus and  commitment towards racing ten fold this season;  what a great group of  athletes to work with. Everyone has a place on the team which has wealth of race exerience and unlimited engery and I could not ask for a better group of teammates.

Lynn and the rest of the crew at Gran Fondo - THANKS! You guys are awesome. From day one you have given me all the time and support  that only a racer with a job, family, and an U8 soccer team can  appreciate. Spending time at Fondo, I have found that anyone who walks into the store can expect to get the same treatment.

Tod Williams
age:43
City:Cookeville, TN
USCF Cat II
Career Highlights: 
- Racing 10 years 
- 4 TBRA Championship jerseys 
- Several State Championship Gold 
   medals.

Racing with Team Gran Fondo has been the most satisfying of my racing years. The attitude of team wins over individual placings has been the cornerstone of our success. With the leadership of Robert and Shawn the team has dominated Tennessee Masters racing for several years. We may not win them all but everyone knows we were there!! Truly the best bunch of guys a person could race with. Just look at the list of veritable legends from across the state.The other thing that makes it so njoyable is working with the shop. Lynn and the whole bunch at Gran Fondo go over and above any reasonable expectation to support the team like we were pro's. I never have to worry about my bike when the guys in the shop have been over it. 

Thanks for letting me be a part of the fun!!  Eat more chocolate chip cookies and you'll race faster.