Watsonville Man Wins 41st Cat’s Hill Classic Bicycle Race

The 41st Cat’s Hill Bicycle Race, sponsored by Mikes Bikes and the Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club, was held Saturday May 3 in the Almond Grove area of Los Gatos.  

The mile-long course started at Tait and Nicholson Avenues, rounded to Bean, Massol, then featured the 23% grade up Nicholson Avenue, around Bachman Park, followed by a fast downhill (~50 mph!) and right turn, back to the start/finish on Tait Avenue.  

[Previous: Cat's Hill Classic Bicycle Race Is Saturday In Los Gatos.]

Races for various levels and ages started at 9:20 am and finished after 6:00 pm.  

Some racers endured the climb on Nicholson as many as 30 times during their race.  

The Cat’s Hill Classic was started in 1974 by 1960 US Olympic competitor and Los Gatos teacher Bob Tetzlaff with his wife Lorine who dubbed Nicholson Avenue “Cat’s Hill”, a designation that remains till this day.  

For more information, go to www.catshill.org. 

Men’s 1-2 Race Results

First Place - Benjamin Jacques-Maynes. Born in 1978 is a cyclist from Watsonville.  He currently rides for the Jamis-Hagens Berman team.  As listed on the Tetzlaff Cat’s Hill Winners Trophy (catshill.org/trophy.html) Ben also won Cat’s Hill in 2004 and 2006.  Ben was slated to be in the Amgen Tour of California. (www.amgentourofcalifornia.com) 

Second Place - James LaBerge claimed second in the sprint, racing for Team Mike's Bikes.  In 2013 he won Cat’s Hill as a 19-year-old.  His father, Dean LaBerge, was a member of Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club, in the early 1990s.

For full race results, click here.