Road Archives - Scott Kingsley Photography

2016 Philadelphia Naval Yard Crit

June 13, 2016 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road

The former Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard and bike racing come together to make the Philadelphia Naval Yard Crit.

The 2015 Connecticut Cycling Festival

October 2, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road

With the UCI Road World Championships left, the domestic road season came to a close with the Connecticut Cycling Festival in Hartford, CT. Besides our last race with Colavita|Bianchi for 2015, it was also Mary Zider’s final race of her career before she transfers to the Director Sportif position full time.

Coming off the win in Boston the day before, the ladies were out to double up on the weekend. Colavita again drove the race and controlled it for the most part. Instead of attacking as they had the day before, they marked moves and made only a few attacks. As the laps ticked down, they moved to the front to get Gretchen Stumhofer. Each of the Colavita|Bianchi riders took a turn at the front in the lead out train, and then pulled off when their job was done. As they approached the line for the final time, Stumhofer was caught out, and ended up crashing out to the right side into the barriers. National Criterium Calendar leader, Sam Schneider (ISCorp) took the win and cemented her overall victory in the series.

Click here for the full gallery.

2015 Mayor’s Cup

October 1, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road

Going into the last weekend of the season with the Colavita|Bianchi Pro Women’s team, we headed to Boston and Hartford for Mayor’s Cup and the Connecticut Cycling Festival. It was bittersweet being our last trip with the team, but the ladies wanted to go out with a bang.

The event race was well organized by the promoters, especially since it is held in downtown Boston. The following day, a charity cycling event was held bringing thousands of cyclists to the city. Against a strong field, the Colavita|Bianchi women rode a beautifully orchestrated race, constantly attacking the field. When one rider came would be brought back, the next rider would attack. It was Emma Grant who made the winning move in the final laps of the race. She soloed off the front, and was able to hold her lead to the line with the field charging behind her.

A separate recap of the Connecticut Cycling Festival to follow.

Check out the full gallery here.

2015 Reading 120 – The Classic of the Americas

September 30, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Events, Gallery, Road

When I heard professional cycling was coming back to Reading, PA, the area I consider my hometown, I was beyond excited. I would never have guessed that the race would turn out to be as great as it did.

Under cloudy skies, riders set off over the Lindbergh Viaduct and out to the rolling countryside of Berks County. The route looped up to the northern part of the county before heading southwest to come back to the city through West Reading and the Penn Street Bridge. Once back into the city, the course looped up to City Park, and up the famed Duryea Drive. Riders passed the iconic Pagoda and finished the climb to the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower. The course went to the back side of the mountain, and came back into City Park, looping back to the finish at 5th and Penn.

Almost as soon as the riders left the city, the rain started. This added an additional challenge to an already difficult race course. Riders hit the surface multiple times, but it was the slight right hand bend coming back into City Park that caught some of the leaders out. This bend also turned out to be a key point in the course on the final lap. With Danny Summerhill (UnitedHealthcare) and Toms Skujinš (Hincapie Racing Team) descending Mount Penn for the last time, Summerhill used his cyclocross background to keep his bike upright in the slick turn. Skujinš seemed to have some issues navigating the turn as well, and decided at that point to let the UHC rider take the lead and open a gap. Summer hill never looked back, and rode to victory on the flooded streets.

Enjoy the pics below, and check out the full gallery here.

2015 Iron Hill Twilight Crit

September 1, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road

The Iron Hill Twilight Crit is where I got into photography. It all started with a point and shoot. The pictures were okay, but I wanted more. The next year, I was back with a Canon Rebel T2i, and it continued on from there. It was also the race that got me connected with Colavita.

It also happens to be one of the closest pro races to home, so it is always great to see all my friends, teammates, and local pros come out for some great racing in downtown West Chester, PA.

In the women’s race, it was local favorite Laura Van Gilder taking the win at the line for Mellow Mushroom and Amy Cutler of the Fearless Femmes just behind her by a tire. Tiffany Pezzulo (DNA Cycling pb K4) led the race as the laps ticked down, but as she came to the line for the final time, she celebrated prematurely and Van Gilder and Cutler took advantage of the opportunity fully by stealing the top two steps of the podium from her.

The men’s race was a different story though. Event with local pros like Jake Sitler (Astellas), Ryan DeWald and David Dawson (Skyline), and Mike Chauner (Atomic), they were no match for National Crit Champion, Dan Holloway (Altovelo-SeaSucker). A group of six riders, including Holloway, went up the road and lapped the field. Coming into the final straight, his teammate Aldo Illesic brought Holloway to the line to take the win.

Click Here for the full gallery of photos from the event.

Thursday Night Handicapped Road Race

June 6, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road

Every Thursday Night, Mark Branle of Intercourse Bicycle Works in Intercourse, PA, puts on a handicapped road race. The premise behind it is, if he can get the splits just right, the slowest riders and the fastest riders come to the finish line at the same time. The three lap course is a little over 20 miles long, and has about 1500′ of climbing. Mid-way through each of the laps, riders hit the climb 1.1 mile climb three times before eventually hitting the Buena Vista Rd climb at the finish.

Riders collect points based on how they finish that go towards winning the series trophy. Prizes are also given out for the top finishers each week, and if you are lucky, you might even win a frosty mystery prize.

Join the Welsh Mountain Wheelmen on Facebook, and keep an eye out for each week’s event.

Click here for the full gallery.

2015 Turkey Hill Country Classic Road Race

May 14, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road, State Championships

After the 5K and 10K, it was time for cyclists to get out onto the road at the Turkey Hill Country Classic. Multiple fields were started in succession with their own lead escort police vehicle and trail vehicle. The Pro 1/2 race included three trips up the Gamber Wall, though the masters saw it twice and Cat 3 field only saw it once. While many thought this would be a decisive point late in the race, it wasn’t until Michael Chauner (Atomic Energy Squad) jumped from the field after the Gamber Wall on the final lap, that the race looked like it had a clear winner. Chauner was able to hold his lead and post up on the finishing stretch to take the win and the Pennsylvania State Pro 1/2 Road Race Championship.

Click here for the full gallery.

2015 Philadelphia Naval Yard Criterium

April 28, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road

The Philadelphia Naval Yard Criterium is one of my absolute favorite races to shoot. It’s just something about the old naval base that intrigues me. The mix of old warehouses, machine shops, offices, barracks, and other buildings creates an incredible backdrop for great early season racing. I love the challenge of using the setting to give the event the character that it deserves.

For 2015, Tri-State Velo had to alter the course due to construction along the old route. I was disappointed, because there were some great old buildings on the other side of the warehouse where I was able to shoot some of my favorite shots in 2014. Even with the change, there were plenty of old and new buildings to use as a backdrop, along with the Philadelphia skyline and Lincoln Financial Stadium.

Enjoy the pictures, and click here to view the full gallery.

Flashback – 2013 Rock Lititz Criterium

March 16, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road

With the 2015 road season starting soon, I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the races from the past few years. I wanted to start with the 2013 Rock Lititz Tour Criterium, since they recently announced they would be back for 2015. Instead of a two day event with a road race and time trial on Saturday, and a criterium on Sunday, the event will only be the criterium races on Sunday. Racing will start on April 26th at 11 AM with the Cat 5’s, and the last race of the day will be the Pro 1/2 men starting at 4:40 PM. Head over to Bikereg.com to check the event schedule and to register for the event.

The 2013 race closed with the 1/2/3 men’s field taking to the course. The rain that was expected had so far held off. The race saw multiple riders try to breakaway, like Joe Hydrick riding for Thru-It-All Cycling at the time. None of the breaks were successful, but a group of five riders did get off the front when a a crash in turn three split the field. The group built their lead and had plenty of time on the field when the bell rang for the last lap. During the final sprint, there was some controversy on whether the eventual winner, David Fuentes (SEAVS/Haymarket) had neglected to hold his line and clipped the front wheel of Ryan Shebelsky (Team Alliance Environmental). His teammate, Patrick Koos was able to hold off Barry Miller (Firefighters Cyclinc Association) at the line, with a second teammate, Eric Workowski, coming in next. Shebelsky was able to collect his bike and make it to the line to take fifth.

I do have to confess, I shot most of the race with my white balance incorrectly set. At the time, I didn’t think I was going to be able to process the pictures well enough to post. While I think they would have turned out better, I think I was able to salvage them pretty well, without having to resort to going black and white. You’ll be able to notice when I fixed the white balance very late in the day.

Enjoy the pictures below, and click here for the link to the full gallery.

#TBT – 2014 Philadelphia Naval Yard Crit

February 26, 2015 by Scott Kingsley in Cycling, Gallery, Road

The Philadelphia Naval Yard Crit was one of my favorite events last year. The race is nestled into the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, which at one time was one of the most important shipyards in the nation. With the evolution of naval warfare, the original shipyard was abandoned and a new facility was constructed on League Island in 1871. Over time, land was reclaimed around the island, connecting it to the shore and creating the Reserve Basin.

During World War II, the shipyard went on to become an important building and repair facility on the east coast, along with continuing aeronautical research at Mustin Field that had begun in the 1917. Research at the facility’s naval laboratory led to the development of the liquid thermal diffusion technique, which separated U-235 for the Manahattan Project.

After the war, many factors led to the base’s eventual decline. Mustin Field eventually closed due to air traffic at nearby Philadelphia International Airport, and ship building began to be consolidated and awarded to private firms. By the 1990’s, most naval activity had come to an end, with a large portion of the yard being leased out to a tanker and shipbuilding firm. By 1995, the once thriving facility of over 40,000 workers had been reduced to a repair and engineering center. In time, many of the buildings fell into disrepair, until the City of Philadelphia took ownership of much of the facility, and began to develop it into a business center. Some buildings were demolished while others are being transformed into modern facilities for a wide range of businesses.

All of that history is what I love about the race. Going into it’s 5th edition in 2015, the the course travels through a mix of urban decay and freshly renovated buildings. The riders pass by many of the historic buildings in the oldest part of the shipyard, including the Chapel, Firehouse, Receiving Station, Enlisted Men’s Quarters, and multiple warehouses, admin buildings, former production facilities. The back drop these buildings provide is incredible. The flat, “P” shaped course has five 90 degree corners, with the start/finish line located where Kitty Hawk Avenue crosses 11th street. Riders who can corner well and accelerate quickly will excel and those who are willing to put in an attack have been rewarded with success in the past. Even with a lack of climbing, it is still one of the hardest crits in the area.

Registration is now open for the 2015 edition, presented by Tri-State Velo.

Click here for the full gallery. Sorry for the watermarks. If you are interested in purchasing any pics without watermarks, please let me know and I’ll get the image posted.