With a week to go, before the big race at Fitchburg, I wanted to get out and stretch my legs a little one last time. The weather was perfect at the Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI with the usual wind blowing and we lined up with a healthy field of about 45 riders. The race had spunk from the get go and several attacks went off right away. Then, after only a few laps one break of two or three guys got away and it look juicy enough for me to join, so I jumped off the front of the field and went to work trying to bridge across alone. Somewhere along the line the break fell apart and I decided to keep going it alone, until I made it all the way to the lead guy. He and I joined forces, after a prime that he stayed away from me for, and then the two of us worked very hard to stay off the front for nearly half the race.
A nine-man chase group was working to catch up to us, but we continued to work to stay away with a lot of racing left and hoped that one or two riders would come across to reinforce our efforts. Unfortunately my partner cracked and headed back to the 9 with about 12 to go, and so I stayed out alone for about 3 laps hoping someone might finally come across. But, after looking back several times, it was clear no one would, so I also went back to the now 10-man group to finish the race. Once I was recaptured, the attacks began and lasted until about a lap an half to go, but no one got away. So, in the last laps we setup for the sprint and I worked to position myself against the riders that had teammates with then (3-4 teams actually), but left myself a little too far back in the last sections, before the final turn and was only able to grab 5th. But, I felt good all race and was able to work very hard, so I was happy with the result.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Casters Crit — Cat 3
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Housatonic Hills RR - Cat 3
After scoring a 2nd place finish here last year (cat 4), I really wanted to fins my way on to the podium again this year. I was feeling absolutely great and knew that I would have no trouble with the course, but the weather was just perfect (I was hoping for blazing hot) and thus the race was not hard enough to tear people apart. After the KOM on the second climb, the attacks began to get away and I (a bit over eager) started to get involved in many of the moves, before I had burned the matches I had for that sort of stuff, thinking that the rest of the race would keep up a strong pace. But, alas I didn't find the right move.
5 got away and the field really was not in a mood for chasing. Only a few were working (there were several big teams that could have), and not to long into the chase on the of the "big engines" flatted and the hunt all but ended. So, we're racing for 6th now and in no rush either. Then, with about 5 miles to go to the finish we were all sent single file through the grass to avoid a car accident that occurred on course, and of course it took another 2-3 miles before the field had come back together, because some folks thought that to be a good time to attack.... sprinters!
The finishing climb left far too many people still together (something like 20 made it to the top all together), and then the bad juju struck me. In taking a look back to see what was where, my wheel was crossed with the guy in front of me, and despite a long exchange of bumping and grinding I managed to keep the bike upright and the wheel in one piece; however, that was at 700m and I had had my rush of adrenaline about 500m too early. As the sprint picked up with 200m to go, I had nothing left and had to sit up finishing a disappointing 29th.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Cyclonauts RR — Cat 3/4
For the most part the 56 mile race was just easy rolling hills, and then had a step-climb that hurt and provided a place for us to finish on the second go around. The hope was to find myself in a break, after the first time over the climbs (at about 30 miles) and then finish the race from there. The guys (Brian V., Chris A., Eric S., and Chris R.) were all going to keep an eye out at the front and do what they could.
About half way through the first lap, Chris A. got away in a little break of 3 guys, and i couldn't help but get excited and went to work blocking for him (probably shouldn't be out burning those matches). Then, just as we caught him, after a good 10-15 away, Chris went down on a oil slick not 6 inches in front of my wheel… somehow I didn't join him. But, after that close call I needed to regroup before the first pass on the climb. And, it was hard climbing… attack after attack all the way to the top, but then we didn't do anything with it. The field came back together and rode fast through the second lap.
Just before the turn onto the final climb I found Vickers, who then kept me out of trouble and got me around the corner in the top three… a good thing, because the first pile-up happened right there. Not much later someone rode into my rear wheel, and then a fight broke out behind me, which caused the second crash of the finishing CLIMB. With the last 500 m of climbing to go I was in a good spot, but then with about 200m to go someone fell on to my rear wheel (yet a 3rd crash), and slowed me down enough to bring me back to 9th place over all.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Rock & Road Race Weekend — Cat 3
Saturday (CRIT): The course is a very short loop in "downtown Raymond, NH the curves and winds all over the place. We had 35 laps to accomplish and once again it was very hot. I had hoped to get involved in a break and had received some tips on who to watch, but there were 3-4 teams each with 3-4 riders that were all working pretty well and kept everything together (at least there was an actual field of nearly 30 to start.) Several of the laps included obstacles (some lady stopped her car a a stop sign, two fat women couldn't decide whether to cross or not, and some guy nearly lost his three pizzas as the field came bearing down on him. And, the pavement was actually melting at the bottom of the little hill, so it felt like you were riding on flats as you tried to make the turn. In the end the Sunapee team drove the field into a single file column, and I hadn't thought enough about my placement into the last laps, so I ended up with 9th place despite having the legs for more.
Sunday (RR): The course is a fun 10.(something)-mile loop with two solid, but not serious, climbs that then twists and rolls its way through Raymond, NH. There were some stretches where the pavement was just awful, but for the most part things were in pretty good shape. Again, hot (high 80s), humid (??%), and very hazy. But, only 12 riders showed up at the start line (I think several from the prior day went to race with the Master field). So, we rolled out and the college kids (I think the average age in the field was like 20) battled it out and did a nice job of tiring each other in the heat. On the 2nd lap (of 4) a small break formed with 4 riders, and I hesitated hoping the more of the remaining 8 would be able to work, but we lost some of the senior guys and the remaining "kids" all decided that it was too hot to work and they wanted their mommies. So, at the beginning of the third lap I attacked and got away with ease, and went to work chasing on my own for the last 20 miles of the race however, I had waited too long and figure I had nearly 1:00 to 1:30 to make up on the break. Despite my best efforts I never caught them, but I also don't think they were able to take any more time on me (marshals were all cooked or something, because no one would give me a decent split). I rode hard all the way to the finish and easily took 5th taking nearly 3 minutes from what was left of the field.
Sunday, June 5, 2005
Great Falls Crit — Cat 3
So, with the NE Crit Championships going on in RI somewhere, and a race for the hill-nuts the day before, it was indeed a field made up of about 20 climber-types. The course was a 1-km rectangle with a slight uphill finish and one steep, yet short, hill, and we had something like 19 miles to accomplish in the blazing sun (just below 90 degrees I figure). For a bunch of skinny guys we kept the pace going pretty good and there were a lot of attacks going and the field was continually reeling everything back in. But, after about half the race the field was getting a little cooked and more and more folks were suffering their way up the short climb. On the last prime (5 to go) another rider and I got a little gap on the field at the top of the hill and decided to go for it. However, the next time around he cracked, and I was left alone with 4 to go. Figuring "what the hell" I put my head down and pushed my HR to the "red line." But, with 4 guys in the field (the only team with more than 2) UNH was hot on the pursuit and was not letting me go. With 2 to go I was all but caught, so I sat up to go back and try to salvage something for the sprint however, then I took another look and the field had done the same, after seeing me sit up, so as I came around the next corner I went back to work and opened the gap again. At this point I was going all out for the last 1.5 laps, and thus I didn't noticed that UNH had launched someone off the front of the field in the last lap that came screaming by me with 1/2 lap left. He took 1st, but I did manage to hold off the field and take 2nd with a little gap, after being out for 4 laps alone.
Saturday, June 4, 2005
Lake Auburn RR — Cat 3
It was very hot (85+) and we were rolling out at high noon, but I was still very much looking forward to the 5 laps on the hilly 11-mile course. The race itself was slow. Many attacks were allowed to go and were then left to cook a while, before being brought back, but in general the race didn't get going until the final lap, after several people had packed it in from tire legs and heat. On the final time up the steep climb right after the start, CCB attacked (I was thinking the same thing, but only another 500m up the road), and I was caught trying to chase. However, I was pulling the remains of the field in a long line with me, and since I had no teammates, I was not going to do this work for the field. (CCB managed to stay off and take first, because the field did not chase at all.) Then, on the last climb Louis Garneau put on a great attack and ripped the remainder of the field apart. About 7 of us gave chase for the last few miles, and just barely caught him at the line (he still managed 2nd). In the field sprint I took 5th (6th overall), but was not aware we had the whole road and thus had been needlessly hemmed in.
