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	California Triple Crown

Peg Miller climbs Lubken Canyon Road on the 2016 Southern Inyo Double in her hard earned Red California Triple Crown Stage Race Jersey 2019 CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN STAGE RACE ANNOUNCED The California Triple Crown Stage Race was started in 1996 to add a competition to the top end of the California Triple Crown Double Century series.  This is how the Stage Race works: Riders have to complete three of the most difficult Doubles in the California Triple Crown Double Century series.  The Total Elapsed Time from each of these grueling Doubles is then added together and the rider with the fastest overall time for all Three Doubles wins the Stage Race.  If you ride any Stage on a tandem, you must ride all three Stages on a tandem with the same partner.   You can see the results of the 2018 California Triple Crown Stage Race at   http://www.caltriplecrown.org/2018/2018FinishersbyName.asp?Action=StageRace&Action2=Time&ClubID=     and we tip our helmets to each of the 58 finishers who tackled the HUGE challenge of completing the Devil Mountain Double, the Terrible Two, and the Mt. Tam Double.   After completing all three stages of the 2018 California Triple Crown Stage Race, the following riders were on the podiums: 2018 Overall Division: 1 - Rich Thurman 2 - Caleb Carl 3 - Steve Smead 2018 Women's Division: 1 - Corinne Warren 2 - Tara Kurihara 3 - Sadie Joy 2018 Tandem Division: No Finishers 2018 Recumbent Division: No Finishers 2018 Fixed Gear Division: 1 - Jeffrey Sparks In the future: 3 Overall Division Winners 3 Women's Division Winners 3 Tandem Division Winners consisting of 2 people each 3 Recumbent Division Winners 3 Fixed Gear Division Winners The California Triple Crown Stage Race rotates through some of the most difficult of the California Triple Crown Double Centuries.  This rotation provides variety in the Stage Race from year to year.  Just as the Tour de France does not go over the same tough passes every year, neither does the California Triple Crown Stage Race go over the same tough passes each year.   The 2019 California Triple Crown Stage Race will consist of the following very challenging Stages:

Stage 1: Central Coast Double on 5/11/19 with 15,600 Feet of Climbing   The Central Coast Double will be celebrating it's 25th Anniversary in 2019 and ride organizer Brian Stark is designing a special 25th Anniversary Jersey which will certainly become a collector's item!! This difficult but very scenic ride starts and finishes in Paso Robles. It travels in a large 200 mile loop through Cambria, up Highway 1 on the Coast, and back inland through Fort Hunter Liggett. One of the many highlights is a beautiful climb up Nacimiento Ferguson Road from Highway 1 on the Coast into the Santa Lucia mountains where the panoramic view of the Coastline is out of this world!! Completion of the Highland Option of this Double Century is required to complete Stage 1 of the 2019 California Triple Crown Stage Race. Here are some photos from the Central Coast Double: Early on the 2012 Central Coast Double Photo Courtesy Of Steve Meichtry Climbing Santa Rosa Creek on the 2012 Central Coast Double Photo Courtesy Of Steve Meichtry Scott Halversen climbing Santa Rosa Creek on the 2016 Central Coast Double Photo Courtesy Of Steve Meichtry Pacific Coast Highway on the 2016 Central Coast Double Photo Courtesy Of Steve Meichtry The climb up Nacimiento Ferguson Road is out of this world!! Photo Courtesy Of Steve Meichtry Don't forget to look back near the top of Nacimiento Ferguson Road Photo Courtesy Of Steve Meichtry Brian Stark congratulating some early finishers on the Central Coast Double Photo Courtesy Of Brian Stark and Larry Sarver

Stage 2: Terrible Two on 6/15/19 with 18,500 Feet of Climbing   The EXTREMELY Difficult Terrible Two is certainly one of the toughest Double Centuries in the United States. The route will be the same as last year, which is to say the traditional Terrible Two route with its brief transit of Napa County. The later miles of the event remain the same, featuring the big climbs over the Geysers, Skaggs Springs, and Fort Ross Road.   Numerous smaller but pesky hills add to the overall challenge.  The Geysers and Fort Ross are multiple-summit climbs, while Skaggs Springs is a long series of climbs and descents, including a tough new climb introduced with a 1995 route change.   The steepest gradients on the course rarely exceed 15%, but many climbs stay in the 8-12% range for long distances. Ride Organizer Scot Castle of the Santa Rosa Cycling Club added: "Of course, the final route will depend on how we fair for the rest of the Winter Season." Chuck Bramwell's photos and videos from the 2015 Terrible Two Double are HERE including: The Start of the 2015 Terrible Two Flying on Bennett Valley Road The climbing begins in earnest on Geysers Road Skaggs Springs Road has some steep climbs in the brutal heat The Wall is brutally steep!! The Fort Ross climb goes up and up through an awesome grove of trees!! Turn up your speakers full blast because at this point there is only One Way Out!!

Stage 3: Alta Alpina 8 Pass Challenge on 6/29/19 with 20,700 Feet of Climbing   This extremely tough Northern California Double includes climbing 8 classic Sierra Mountain passes with stunning scenery, smooth pavement, and just a dozen stop signs!!  Nearly half of the course is above 7000 feet of elevation. Ride Organizer Michael Bayer added: "Notwithstanding road closures beyond our control we have no plans for any changes to the 8 Pass Challenge route or rules so that year-to-year records and comparisons remain valid."  Here are some photos from the Alta Alpina 8 Pass Challenge: Climbing Ebbetts Pass Mid Way Up Ebbetts Pass Climbing the Backside of Ebbetts Pass Flying by the river in Carson Canyon Alta Alpina 8 Pass Finisher Climbing Monitor Pass Climbing the Backside of Monitor Pass

The spacing between Central Coast Double and the Terrible Two will be 5 Weeks giving the riders plenty of time to recover and take their fitness to the next level. The spacing between the Terrible Two and the Alta Alpina 8 Pass Challenge will be 2 Weeks giving the riders just enough time to recover again. This will be a new combination of very difficult Double Centuries and should be a very popular Stage Race in 2019. This group of Doubles in the Stage Race focuses on the Northern California Double Centuries. The reality is that there are more riders who compete in the Stage Race from Northern California than Southern California each year. Southern California Double Century riders will be rewarded with 3 extremely beautiful Double Centuries in this 2019 Stage Race. There will be over 54,800 Feet of Climbing for the 3 Doubles in the 2019 California Triple Crown Stage Race!! You don't have to do anything special to sign up for the Stage Race: In 2019, all you have to do is to sign up for and ride your heart out on the 3 Doubles in the Stage Race!!  Of course, that's much easier said than done!!  Here are the Rules: To be in the Tandem Division, the rider has to ride each of the 3 Double Centuries on a tandem with the same person. To be in the Recumbent Division, the rider has to ride each of the 3 Double Centuries on a Recumbent bike. To be in the Fixed Gear Division, the rider has to ride each of the 3 Double Centuries on a Fixed Gear bike. The Overall Division Winners can include Women, Tandems, Recumbents, or Fixed Gear Bikes if they finish in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place overall in the 3 Double Centuries. No motors of any kind are allowed on these bikes ridden in the California Triple Crown Stage Race ... each of those Double Centuries must be strictly human powered events. Any form of human-powered vehicle is acceptable but the vehicle must be powered solely by the rider. The awards for the Winners in each Division will be determined by the Organizers of the Double Centuries in the Stage Race. The California Triple Crown issues this challenge: Be among the select few who are able to finish the Stage Race!!  Everyone who completes the 2019 Stage Race will be commended and will be able to wear the coveted California Triple Crown Stage Race Jersey shown above.  Just to complete these three Extremely Difficult Rides is a MAJOR accomplishment!!   California Triple Crown Stage Race Plaques will be presented to the Winners at the California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast. The California Triple Crown lays down this challenge: Be among the select few who are able to finish the Stage Race!! Wishing you a Happy New Year from the California Triple Crown Team.

Chuck Bramwell California Triple Crown Guy	Frank Neal California Triple Crown Data Guy In Spirit	Charlie Irwin California Triple Crown Software Guy
Roland Hoffman California Triple Crown History Guy	Lynn Katano California Triple Crown Social Director	Mike Sturgill California Triple Crown Assistant Data Guy
	Tony Musorafite California Triple Crown Assistant Data Guy

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