River City Bicycle Classic 2013 1/2/3’s Race Report

For the second year in a row I travelled over to the in-laws for the weekend and raced the River City Bicycle Classic.  Last year was the event’s inaugural running and with first year events, you’re never quite sure how they will turn out.  Well, it was a proper criterium with a great atmosphere.  The whole family had a good time, and though it was a hot day, I won the field sprint for last money spot – not too shabby.

This year the promoter jacked up the purse to $7k for the day so with the good start they had last year, I knew it was an event I had to attend this year.  All the things they did well last year were carried forward but this year they added more money, a beer garden, live music, and more spectators.  The kids did the children’s “race” and my boy made the local news.  Plus, the weather was 15-20 deg cooler so it was much more pleasant for spectating.  The grandparents walked the kids around the lake (looking for bears according to my son!) and had fun chasing ducks and bugs.

The 1/2/3 race had a larger and deeper field this year, most notably including hometown fast man Jonathan Jacob (ABG-Bissell-Giant).  The Louisville teams showed up Wayne/Clarksville Schwinn/others and of course TX Roadhouse brought a very fast contingent of masters.  Fortunately the pro development guys were at Tulsa.  Whew.

JJ attacked at the gun and we were off and running.  I admit I took a small pull at the front in pursuit of my friend but only to maintain position looking to bridge as I thought it was the move of the day.  Maurice (Korte/Bike Surgeon) told me to calm down and not crap myself because I was quite eager to join JJ.  (Thanks Mo!)  After 15-20 minutes the field reeled in JJ and little attacks and counters ensued.  I was involved in a fair number but once a little gap would open nobody wanted to do the work of pulling through to establish a real break.  This went on for the next 35 minutes.

JJ went to the front for the last 4 laps to keep the pace up.  It seemed the teams with 4-6 guys were unwilling to do the work of keeping the race organized at the front.  Perhaps it was inexperience, perhaps lack of fitness.  Anyway, TXRH and Clarksville set up leadout trains.  I inserted myself into the Clarksville train, which was a mistake.  It didn’t really go anywhere.  They didn’t put the effort in to get up the road, so I surfed for a bit and sprinted from too far back to take 7^th.  TXRH took the top 3 spots.  It’s kind of a slap in the face.

Oh, and there were at least 4 crashes in the 1 corner that required driving your bike.  Turns out some of the guys in our field were unable to manage this one turn at speed without grabbing brake, striking pedals, or otherwise looking like cat 5’s in their first race.  It was pretty lame to have to chase back up to a lead group a few times but shame on me for being behind the Team Squirrel p/b Sketchers riders.

This season hasn’t gone too well for me and I wasn’t sure how Saturday would turn out.  I’ve eschewed the “rest week” concept this year since my volume has been so low.  Well, last week was a forced rest week with my business trip to Dallas for 4 days.  Turns out it’s what I needed as I had pretty good legs.  Unfortunately, I didn’t play my cards properly, since I would expect a podium with those legs.  C’est la vie.

Well, I’ve got one or maybe two more weekends of racing before calling it a year.  I think the last time I shut it down this early was my first cat 4 season (yes, I had 2) when I only raced like 6 times!  But the baby is coming soon and traveling all over on the weekends for bikes doesn’t really make sense.  This fall looks pretty busy on the work front (like crazy crazy busy), so between a new baby and work I doubt I will race CX much but we’ll see.  Next up: O’Fallon RR + Crit (State Championship RR)!

Finally posting a race report…and a political confession…and calling people out for the IL State RR.

O'Fallon Cup Crit

This spring has moved quickly.  As opposed to this time last year when I was fighting to find form while traveling 50% for work, this year I’ve been fighting to find time to ride and race.  A promotion at work (yay more responsibility!) and more fun stuff with my kids (as they get older and can do more) means bike time gets squeezed.  C’est la vie.

Regardless, I have been able to race a pretty great schedule: Forest Park Crit, Hillsboro RR, VelotekGP Stage Race, Tour de CU, and 2/3 of MOPRO.  It’s been kind of a bummer year so far as I haven’t been a factor in any races.  I got to be part of a leadout train at the Velotek SR crit, but other than that, I’ve just been pack fill - at best.  It’s kind of a drag.

This past weekend was different.  At CU I held on for dear life, and at MOPRO (100+ fields) my legs started to come around (two top 20’s ain’t bad, but they ain’t good, either), so at the O’Fallon Cup Crit I got to race my bike.  Teammate BJ was very active early, attacking the field and going with moves.  Cat 3 supa-star Nick was covering JMac (Korte) on early moves, and I was following stuff towards the front since I got there late and didn’t get a good warm-up.  Plus, it was hot, and Frenchy’s body doesn’t like the hot.  I countered one of BJ’s moves and it formed that lap into the break of the day.  It also just so happened to be a Chipotle 10 burrito prime lap, so when the break was doing the “no you pull” thing, I jumped and scored $80 of burrito-ey goodness.  Considering the total purse for the 1/2/3s was $250, I say it wasn’t that bad of a choice.  

Well, that break cohesiveness (or lack thereof) continued.  I needed some rest but the attacks, counters, and gap closing (I was only really involved in the gap closing) tuckered me out pretty good.  Eventually the elastic snapped and the strongest guys rolled on.  Zack (Qdoba), Ben (Momentum), and I were left to ourselves.  Mike Bruzina (Gateway CC) was ahead of us chasing solo for the last 8 laps (+/-), while Justin (Korte), Edward + Josh (Gateway Harley-Davidson), and Jim (Dogfish) stayed away and hugged it out, I’m sure.  Zach pulled the plug and I dropped Ben, so I did 5 laps solo on the course before getting caught at the bell by JBock (Qdoba) towing BJ + Murphy (Quantum Mesa), Griffin (GHD), and ole Ben (Momentum) who had latched on.  They dropped me as they attacked into the final lap, racing for 6^th place.  Sadly, Andy Lister (Wheelfast) also got some punches in by catching me in the last turn and I was powerless to answer.  At that point I was regretting jumping to get the burrito prime.  Actually I was regretting lots of things.

12^th place.  I had to go about it in the hardest possible way.  Seriously.  I have the TT of a cat 5; solo for 5 laps was an eternity.  I’m really surprised the field didn’t catch me.  The upshot was two-fold: the burrito prime fed the team, and I was a factor in a race again.  Granted, it was a small local race, and I got dropped from the break like a stone, but it was racing nonetheless!!  The team worked well together, we just should have had a second man in the break, or maybe one who could pedal his bike a bit faster.  Hopefully this means my legs are coming around a little more and I’ll be able to see the pointy end of races again before I shut it down for the new baby.  That’s right, not too long and I’m calling it a season, but I get a new baby boy.  I’ll take that trade!

Next up: Rolla Crit 06/01, then a business trip, then the River City Bicycle Classic in Evansville, IN 06/08.

Politics:

Surprising myself, I’m moving right in the political spectrum.  This is not so much due to any great productivity by the right side of the American political establishment – in fact, they seem to play the part of witless obstructionists with aplomb.  Neither is this a shift in response to mis-steps by the left (though they are legion).  But I find myself struggling with what some commentators have called a “Christian Secularism.”  You may be shaking your head at the moment, that sounds like identifying an “un-thing.”  Indeed, it is an un-thing that doesn’t really exist.  Notice this hot coldness, or this dark light spot?  It’s a binary state friends: girl or boy, 1 or 0, Christian or Secularist.  They be mutually exclusive yo.

This change comes about as I’ve continually found the Christian gospel to be real and the secularist gospel to be fake, and borrowing continually from Christian charity in order to sustain itself.  Its epistemology has long since failed (wasup postmodernism?!), and its social good shown to be a power play.  “Live and let live” is a farce and a lie.  I’ll soon be getting my court summons for saying boys and girls are not the same in the preceding paragraph.  Pretty sure that’s hate speech now-a-days!

IL State RR Predictions:

So we’re a month out from the other O’Fallon race, the O’Fallon Grand Prix.  It has the new designation of being an omnium!  I will of course skip the TT.  But enough about me, let’s talk about me.  Er, I mean, all the guys that are going to beat me in the O’Fallon RR, which is the IL State Championship contest.

Last year, to my utter shock, only one registered Illinoisan beat me at this race, and so my 8^th place was good for a silver medal!  No doubt many have taken note of this aberration and will therefore target this race for state championship glory.  Now the list of riders stronger than I would be too long to post here, but these are the strong and crafty ones that represent my predictions for IL state RR champ:

1. Jeff Schroetlin (Qdoba p/b Bushwhacker) – few are craftier than old Jeff, and the dude can roll.  He drove the break both days at Tour de CU while TXRH + Bissell-ABG-Giant basically had an attack contest which left us lowly 2’s gasping for air and dodging bullets for 70min/day.  If Jeff’s team shows up in force (and it has a lot of force if they all show up!) to support him, Jeff will be state champ. 
2.  Axel Voitik (Sammy’s Elite Cycling Team) – Axel has come in from the wilderness of injury over the last few seasons to some seriously good form.  He also has a team that can play multiple cards in a break or sprint and works uncommonly well together.  If it comes to a sprint or a break Hogan, Dustin, Erik, Kyle, could help. 
3.  Andrew Bates (Scarlet Fire) – SF’s lead man in the 1/2 fields this year has been racing aggressively at and off the front.  Packs a sprint too… 
4.  Anthony Dust (Dogfish) –The current state RR champ.  Dust is a very strong sprinter, but lacks the cat 1 armada of a team he enjoyed last season.  If it comes down to a bunch sprint, he’s the best on this list though.

Dark Horses

1.  Andy and Trevor Lister (Wheelfast) – They are both riding strong, and often forgotten.  I could see one sneaking away after a selection, or relay attacking some unfortunate who is with them.  
2. Chris Curran (Bloomington) – He’s lurking.  You don’t know he’s there until it’s too late.
3. The Old Guard (assorted) – will Enzo (Enzo’s) or Druber (ScarletFire) or Randy (xXx) teach the 20 and 30 somethings a lesson?  Let’s hope not.  We’d never hear the end of it.
4. The Young Guns (assorted) – will Jake (xXx) get a signature win? Will the next big thing out of ISCorp stick a move?  Brian Ellison (Mitsubishi/Laser)?  Perhaps the future is now.

Excluded: Nick Ramirez (Texas Road House Cycling), David Reyes (Stan’s NoTubes), Brandon Feehery (Astellas Oncology), and Josh Carter (Predator Cycling) since I assume they’ll all be off at Nature Valley Grand Prix or some such.  Perhaps I’m wrong.  In which case – them too.

MO State Crit Championships + My Secret Training Schedule

30+ Crit

I haven't competed frequently in masters categories yet, being only 30, masters hasn't been an option.  My cycling is (I hope) in its spring or summer, not Autumn, though that time will come.  This weekend was a departure though as the main target was the MO State criterium championship's 30+ Cat 1-4 race.  As a first year cat 2, my teammate BJ thought the 1/2 a more realistic goal for next year, so he set his sights on the 30+ prize.  Checking the startlist, we did not have a large field, so we brought our own in the form of 8 Quantum Mesa Cycles racers.  The boys worked together wonderfully.  We are at about 85% on tactics.  With 3 near podium sweeps this season, we are getting close.  Considering how young in the sport we are, it's reason for pride.  Well, we had the largest team by a factor of 4 I think, so we set about tiring rivals and keeping protected riders fresh.

Controlling the field.
Photo credit: Kelly Croy Patty.

Two of our riders who spent a lot of time off the front were Eric (5+ laps solo) and Chris ("fresh" off his state TT winning ride the day prior).  But everyone worked, and worked well.  I tried a move with Dr. Mark 20 min in but it didn't work.  Unfortunately we were primed right after being caught. Ouch.

With 8 laps to go the field was together save a trio just off the front.  I attacked the pack and went overtop of them into turn 5 (if you count the big sweeper around the capitol as turn 4).  Through the chicane I had a gap but no protected teammates on my wheel!  (It turns out that BJ got pinched in turn 5.). So decision time, sprinter, write that match off and go back to the field or cruise and wait for fellow passengers to join the pain train.  I chose the latter.  And it made all the difference.

After 2 laps solo (not a big deal to most, but it's me we're talking about here) and BJ is coming across with clean wheels.  It's a happy and painful sight since its time to go to work.  We drilled it for the next four laps, checking our 6 every corner and getting splits at the top of the course from other teammates.  As the laps counted down I knew we had it.  I was able to keep the speed up during my pulls and the gap was going out.  We took the last lap a little easier and posted up the last 100 metres.  A win is a special thing - even for the best they don't happen every day - but a state championship win is even sweeter.  To celebrate over the line with a teammate, the gameplan executed to the letter? Magnifique.  That is one of my happiest moments in cycling.

B.J. and I crossing the line.
Photo Credit: Kelly Croy Patty.

And yes, in case you're wondering, I was scolded by the officials for removing my hands from the bars while we posted up.  But what they didn't know until now is what my weekly training schedule looks like.  This is super secret, so don't tell anyone!

Mon: Rest/Spin
Tues: Post up Practice (3 sets x 5 reps x 100m, don't forget to zip up jersey)
Wed: Bib short tan line alignment (2 legs x 20reps)
Thur: bike throws (indoors on the trainer)
Fri: spin
Sat: race
Sun: race

Jeff City P/1/2s

The lure of the state title along with the central location (StL v KC) brought a healthy field for the big boy race.  I had a chat with Brad Huff (Jelly Belly pb Kenda) and picked his boy Austin (Mercy) for the win.

BJ and I lined up for round two with no expectations - we accomplished what we came for, now we'll get some motorpacing in.  And motorpacing it was!  I suffered like a dog.  Attacks went off the front quite frequently as GatewayHD, Dogfish, and Mercy threw down.  I'm very glad I was in the race as it woke me up to the speeds I'll be seeing the next three weeks.

Anyway, a field split happened.  I tried and failed to go across, then the field came back together (no thanks to pack fodder like me!). With five to go I moved up but only enough to see the field sprint get polished off by Devin while I picked guys off to the line, finishing 13th (payout 10 deep).  


It was fun to race with the Western MO/KS set, catch a PRO tip from Huff, and get put in the box.

After the race we all ate at this greasy pizza joint on the course.  It's not often I eat a double bacon double sausage pizza, but I think I earned it.  Now for another grueling week of training.

State Line RR + The GEO + Cinema

State Line RR

My family vacation kicked off with a trip to KS to visit my folks and give the kids some grandparent time.  It doesn’t hurt that my parents have a few acres with a tractor, horses, cats, dogs, bees, and chickens.  It’s heaven on earth for my toddlers.  I just so happened to schedule the trip alongside one State Line RR, a 6.5 mi 9 lap affair that seemed like a circuit race more than a proper RR.  It was a well run event put on to benefit the local KCOI U20 Jrs team.

Lining up I had my eye on Andrew Coe (Mercy/Kuat), Andy Chocha (US Mil Cycling), and Brian West (Bikes to You).  There were 20 of us lined up in a 1/2/3 field.  I was an unknown to the others, which is always good.  Attacks started right away as Athletes Forward’s Josh Estes rolled off the front, discontent with an 18mph pace.  West was super active and Chocha seemed to enjoy chasing everything down.  Perhaps everybody was marking him as the big dog and therefore we just followed wheels?  About 3 laps in there was a promising break up the road so I bridged solo, kinda showing my cards to the field but I thought it was the break du jour.  It wasn’t.  We were caught by the top of the climb (there was a multitiered climb coming into the finish which didn’t tickle).  I was pretty pissed as I had burned a big match bridging.

Little groups kept forming off the front and nothing got too much time.  I followed wheels to the moves and took pulls but decisive moves didn’t come till lap 7 or 8.  I was in a break/field split rotating off the front. The field came back together and I sat up figuring it was “save it for the sprint” time.  Well, West and Andrew (Colavita) were not content with that arrangement and went again, gaining a solid 20 seconds on the field.  A group with 2 Athletes Forward, a United Healthcare (not PRO, a club), Spencer (Miami Velo?) got away and started working together.  Mercy chased a bit and I thought they would bring it back for a sprint for Coe.  I admit I was kind of sleeping at this point and I woke with a start when I saw Bowes (Mercy) next to me and the pace had slackened.  A quick glance up the road and Coe was in the 2^nd group!  I asked Bowes if they pulled it back enough for Coe to bridge.  He confirmed.  I thanked him and then immediately burned a match to bridge.  I made it across clean and shared a little work.

At this point West had dropped Colavita and was out there solo while 5 or 6 of us were holding off the field.  Taking the hard right onto the finishing straight we hit the climb for the last time and I was poorly positioned at the back of the group and got gapped a bit.  Nice job Rookie!  Coe and an Athletes Forward racer also got dropped.  So I kept my head down and the pedals turning.  Fortunately for me the group started playing cat and mouse and I was able to catch back on.  Big mistake boys, you can't let this fat boy in sight of the cake!!  The finish was slightly uphill and I timed the sprint right to take second on the day.  West had enough time to post up and celebrate a little, which he certainly earned.  I was pleased with 2^nd place as this was the first race in a month’s time.

State Line RR Part Deux

What’s cooler than hitting the podium of your race?  Seeing your little bro line up for his first RR!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lanternerouge/7573446816/

Homeboy hung tough and finished 7/20 in the Jr field running his 1x10 CX rig with road tires.  Not too shabby.  Considering he’s riding about once a week, and pumped about cycling, I’m excited as he begins to learn the sport.  We’ll see if this lasts, but in a few years time I wouldn’t mind racing with my bro!  I think the only thing better was what I witnessed in Mark and Hogan Sills racing as father and son a few years ago (till Hogan went off and got all swoll).  

The Great Egyptian Omnium

The GEO was a race I tried to get to last year and as one of my first cat 2 races the crit was going to be tough.  But a t-storm blew in and it was cancelled.  This year I added the RR but opted out on the TT.  With the family vacation coming to a close on the weekend, spending the entire day out in the heat with the toddlers was not going to happen.  Plus, I hate TTs.

RR

The plan for the RR was to get BJ in a break.  Vandeven (Dogfish) was the big fish in the small pond of our 1/2/3 field.  Nick Chevalley (Gateway HD) attacked from the gun though in order to dispute that ranking.  Homeboy stayed away for the WIN!  So crazy.

Anyway, I felt like crap (maybe due to camping the night before?) and tried to keep the pace up at the front of the field and ensure BJ made the move du jour.  And when I say I felt like crap, I mean crap.  I believe the PROs say "blocked".  The legs just didn’t wake up during the first 2 laps.  But BJ did go up the road with Jim and then I could rest in the field as superman Jeremy Bock (Dogfish) (Oh btw, we’re distant relatives, so I think I get some cool points for that.) shepherded Ryan Wachter and kept the other cat 2’s in check.

Fast forward a bit and I take a wrong turn being stupid (Dan and Jeremy told the field to wait for me), and then Dan (Korte) gets away with Matt Pence (Gateway HD) and another 2 and I’m asleep in the field feeling sorry for myself.  Totally should have gone with Dan.  Anyway, I thought I should help my cat 3 teammates but they were cramping and I figured I would test my legs so I attacked a few k out and nobody chased, but I didn’t know that so I hurt myself a good bit and finished 10^th.  Almost caught a guy who had been dropped from the 2nd or 3rd group on the road.  Oh well.  Happy that the legs felt better at the end of 80 hot miles than they did at the beginning!  BJ held tough and nabbed 6^th place.

CRIT

 It was hot, a little windy on the backside.  Nick Hand (my teammate!) got in a heroic early move which determined how the race would play out.  Gateway Harely-Davidson had to chase and I sat for the sprint.  I botched it and was bested by Dan Williams of Korte.  Just played my cards wrong.  Total bummer after BJ, Nick, and Mike did a bunch of work controlling the race and leading me out.  Not much is worse to the old sprinter ego than getting posted up on. 

Dan (Korte/Bike Surgeon) bested me in the sprint.
Photo cred: Rob Raguet-Schofield (who won the masters 4/5 like a boss).

So I think of the SoIL sprinters I’m at the bottom of the heap right now.  Grrrr.  Thanks Dust and DWill!!  Although, as my friends have pointed out, if you’re upset about finishing second in a crit you’ve got a pretty charmed life.  Indeed.

The GEO was a great weekend for our team, especially the cat 3 squad as they started the weekend with decent results in the RR and then just snowballed into greater success culminating in Keith "No Sweat"'s solo crit win clinching the omnium.  Super fun to watch.

The Artist + The Dark Knight Rises (Batman)

I watched these films with my wife in the past fortnight.  I recommend them both.  One of the two I found morally reprehensible, destructive to society, and encouraging vice.  The other I found thought provoking, well written, and while bordering on melodrama, completely apropos.  

Of course, the subtle evil was The Artist, and the better film for the soul was Batman.  What a world we live in.  The laziness and weakness of the titular artist was overlooked and his wife was made out to be a sort of villain, opposing his career and affair with Peppy.  Is not George responsible for driving his wife away by failing to love and care for her?  Ha!  The film praises the “easy” love of shirking one’s responsibility and falling in with a loose woman.  I’m sure that will last George.  Have fun with that.  What we need now more than ever is honorable men, not weak ones.  It was frustrating to watch and likely under the radar of most of its audience. At least he was a decent dancer.

Much could be said about the Dark Knight finale but there is too much to be said and this blog post has already gone on too long.  Besides, I think I need to see it again!

Tour de CU Race Report

Tour de Champaign

Druber hosted a great weekend of crits with Scarletfire Racing and my old club Wild Card Cycling in Champaign-Urbana.  Saturday’s course was the rectangle in the research park.  The field was pretty deep with Panther, Nuvo, and Tx Roadhouse showing up.  Some strong Chicago area guys turned up, too.  The pace was quick but not insane.  Breaks were attempted throughout (I threw my hat in a few, too) but nothing stuck and it came down to a bunch sprint.  I helped my teammate BJ move up and he finished in the money during the sprint.  A good result for two young cat 2’s playing bikes with the big dogs.  We still have a lot to learn!

Nick was usually off the front more than this.
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Rangel

Speaking of learning, I got my first shove/punch in a bike race here.  Turns out if you want out of the pack, you don’t ask (though I would have gladly moved), or get your bars in front and steer the other guy out of the way, you just shove them once and then jump through the gap!  Not something I’m going to emulate from a "more experienced racer."

Urbana Grand Prix

After staying up WAAAYYY too late catching up with good friends Saturday night, I got an early spin in with BJ on the course.  Wow, what a course it was.  8 turns, short straights, with some wind whipping through the buildings in a few places.  There were a total of zero easy places to move up!

We predicted that the race would be full gas till people started blowing up.  And that’s kinda how it went.  Strung out single file for 70 minutes.  BJ got into the first or second lap break but the horses were let loose and he dropped back to the field to recover.  JJ and Uberti stuck the break and went 1-2, 40 seconds ahead of the field.  Those guys are super strong.  I certainly didn’t have the legs to do something like that! 

Coming into the closing laps BJ and I tried some teamwork and it kinda flopped.  Regardless, a little perspective highlights that we’re not getting spit out of the back of a fast p/1/2 crit, but trying to work out some tactics.  It’s encouraging but all we have to show for it is my 16^th place finish (first one out of the money – womp womp).

There were some impressive rides, particularly Nick Ramirez (Enzo’s/Psimet): attacking off the front in the closing laps and holding off the field for fourth.  It was a bummer however to see Dan Damotte (Big Shark/Michelob Ultra) eat it after turn 4 on the last lap. 

The whole weekend underscored the need for discipline in racing.  Saturday's race I knew would be a bunch sprint, but I didn't stick to that plan.  Sunday's race my legs weren't there like Saturday, and I while I am very glad to have spent the time with friends, I know I should have gone to bed an hour (or two) earlier. C'est la vie.

Hermann RR + Belleville Crit

Tour of Hermann RR

A few weekends back was the 5^th and final Tour of Hermann Omnium.  I skipped Saturday’s festivities as I took the family over to KS to visit the grandparents.  Our trip was delayed a bit but we had a good time between gardening, horses, tractors, good food, etc.  Suddenly my children are old enough to really get into things.  Speaking of good food – my dad’s smoked ribs are second to none.  He was disappointed with how they turned out, but it was all I could do to cut myself off before I ate my way out of the Hermann RR the next day. 

Since the drive from the rents to the race Sunday was 3+ hours, we decided to stay in COMO for the night.  I guess everybody else had the same plan as our hotel was full.  Instead of a room w 2 beds, all 4 of us “slept” on 1 king.  Needless to say, I was pretty fresh for the RR.  

One of these things is not like the others!
Photo Credit: Dennis Fickinger

Weather was perfect Sunday morning, mid to high 50’s!  I hope all those skinny jerks suffered in the cold, cuz I’m the fat kid that will pay all summer long in 90F+.    Anyway, we rolled off to a “Hillsboro Neutral” and went up the 3 tiered climb out of dodge.  The first climb wasn’t that bad – Gerro and others were cracking wise while we huffed and puffed up the hill.  Things sped up quickly and breaks were tried.  I foolishly followed wheels up to one and it was soon brought back.  I say foolishly because I have zero business mixing it up at the front of a 90 mile hilly road race.  Zero.  It got pretty embarrassing when we hit the first KOM and I sagged it a bit to stay fresh.  But the throttle was really opened so I got onto the back of the group.  During this time the field was splitting and I panicked.  I tried to be a hero and close a gap between groups – wrong decision Frenchy!  I was out the back on the next climb.  10 miles in?  It was going to be a long and lonely day!!

Over the top of the next climb I could see Kevin (Bikes To You) in red, who also was shaken loose.  I eventually recovered and caught him.  The two of us worked together well and kept a good tempo.  Before long we could see a few other stragglers like ourselves.  Kevin and I were even more motivated as we saw the rabbits ahead.  They weren’t pushing themselves as it was clear the peloton was long gone.  We did manage to get a rotating paceline going for a bit after we caught them but on the next climb Kevin and I rode away from the group.

Fighting the headwind on 100 coming into Hermann Kevin and I kept our tempo up.  Both of us figured that we were getting some training in while way out of contention.  As we neared the old KOM hill (from previous editions of the race) we caught sight of a long line of cars.  We were shocked – could it be the peloton?!  Indeed it was!  Tactics in the group must have played out such that they were going super slow.  So we kept up our pace and made contact with the “race caravan” at the base of the old KOM climb.  I encouraged Kevin to stay with me and burned a match up the climb.  Coming into town I passed all but the last 3 cars.  Kevin had been popped or figured it was a fool’s errand.  As I hit the S/F the pack was on the first pitch of the Guttenburg Wall, but that’s as close as I got.  As soon as I pointed the bike skyward, it was game over.  

Guttenburg ended that hope!
Photo credit: Natalie Renkemeyer

I soldiered on after the feedzone but kept blowing up on every decent grade.  Had I made contact with the field I probably would have yo-yo’d off the back all lap anyway, but I have to think that if I had made it back I had a chance of at least completing the lap with the group.  Regardless, I kept a steady pace and avoided the shame of being passed by the cat 3 field.  Signaling the old “slit throat” to Mark Ewers, lap 2 was enough for the day.  But I wasn’t sure if my wife was still in the feedzone (atop Guttenburg) or not.  I asked around but nobody was sure if she was up there or not.  So…one more time up the hill!  Hup hup!  And she had already come down.  C'est la vie.

It was pretty humbling to be completely outriden in every way by the rest of the field but it shouldn’t be too surprising: I’m not pulling on the maillot a pois any time soon!!

Belleville Criterium

A.k.a the Belleville Bicycle Race, a.k.a. The Ardie Miller Memorial Criterium, a.k.a. The Devin Clark Crit Clinic.

Belleville was my first 1/2/3 race (ever) last year.  It didn’t go so well as the rain had me totally sketched out.  Devin Clark (The Hub) won it out of a break in a 2 up sprint with up-and-coming junior Jonathan Schilling (Slipstream-Craddock Junior Dev).

Speaking of junior development, it was my pleasure to introduce crit racing to a friend’s 11 year old son that day.  He and his mom had stopped by a few weeks prior, so while my wife and Ang chatted, the junior helped me tinker with the bikes.  Of course, you have to test-ride the changes…Next thing you know there’s a race in Belleville (their town) and I had some platform pedals on my wife’s bike.  The kid was still figuring out the shifting as the 15-18 year olds took off.  Homeboy is only 11 (though he looks 15) and finished the race!  He showed real courage as he pushed himself to his limits – and that during his second road bike ride!  It was a real pleasure which I don’t think will be eclipsed until I see my little bro shredding the CX circuit this fall or my little ones clip in.

After the morning’s junior campaign I came back out with the fam to terrific weather during the 1/2/3’s.  The field was 40 strong with the largest team being Korte Hammer Down/Bike Surgeon.  I had BJ, Jason, Nick, and Keith lined up for Quantum Mesa.  The latter three all doubling up after putting in a big effort in the cat 3 race.  Early attacks were tried and I mostly hung back trying to discern which move was “the one”.  The course definitely lent itself to breakaways with it’s 6 turns and slight kicker on the backside.

Joshua Leibowitz (BigShark) took a solo flyer 20 minutes in and looked quite comfortable on his own.  Not one to ever turn down a chance at a TT, Justin (Dogfish) decided to join him.  The rest of us had to decide if two of the strongest TTers in the field should be left all alone.  Fortunately Devin and Dan Damotte (BigShark) started moving up and I knew it was go time.  The three of us bridged and started rotating through.  Andy Lister (Wheelfast) probably saw the move gaining time and came across solo.  I imagine that wasn’t an easy move!

The six of us stayed away for the next 30+ minutes and the pack was not in sight for the majority of that.  It was pretty humbling to be the weakest guy in the break.  I knew every one of my break-mates could out ride me.  So, how to win?  Certainly I couldn’t attack early and stay away, so I had to sprint.  Devin as the best sprinter in the group would be the best wheel to follow into the finale.  So when the punches started flying in the final laps I kept an eye on him.  On the last lap I was sitting fourth/fifth wheel and Justin was on the front having just caught Dan’s 2-to-go flyer.  I saw Dan tap Josh (his teammate) on the hip and Josh was off like a rocket!  Devin jumped to close the gap and I grabbed Devin’s wheel.  Josh had attacked on the long straight into turn three, but just before the rise.  Turn three was a downhill left hand 90* - the most technical on the day.  Flying into the turn at 35mph I felt we were going a touch fast and let a gap open to the lead pair.  Sure enough, Josh took too wide a line and high-sided into the outer curb.  Devin railed it and took a 15 bike gap out of turn four as his reward.  I began to lose the back end but recovered without soiling myself.  Dan jumped me on the hill so I grabbed his wheel hoping he would pull back Devin.  Devin was long gone though, knowing he had the race in hand.  I jumped Dan on the finishing straight and pipped him at the line for second place with Justin hot on our heels for fourth.

Dan and I deciding the podium, with Justin keeping us honest.
Photo Credit: J.M. Williams

It was a bummer for Josh who certainly had the legs to go for the win and animated the race quite a bit.  I feel extremely fortunate that not only did I not eat it and crash into him but that I landed on the podium – my best result in bike racing thus far.  As a special bonus, my wife, kids, and in-laws* got to see the race.

A big thank-you to my Quantum Mesa teammates for covering those early moves which allowed me to be fresh enough to barely hang on in the break!!   

*The last time my inlaws saw a race I finished 60-somethingith in a wet crit, off the back, after crashing!