The Race Report Thread 2009-2012
06-08-11, 08:58 PM
#7876
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 15,669
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Montague Training Crits, mid 90's, mild crosswind left to right.
Finally.
B race first (3/4/5). I have been mentoring a few of the younger riders (3's and 4's). None of them had ever been in a winning break in a criterium, so I had A Plan. They all thought I was nuts and it would never work. I told them to just bury themselves and we'll see. 25 lap race, I was going to set up with 17 to go and attack with 16 to go. I rolled off the front in a seated sprint and carried it for almost a kilo. That opened a big gap. There were six of us, all from the same club (!) off. Two faded after three laps but by then we were out of sight. One more cooked off before a solo rider from a rival team bridged. He is a strong sprinter and I knew he would be trouble. He took the halfway prime (beer prime, too) handily. We settled into a good rhythm after that, although we never saw the back of the field, who was trying hard to catch. I held rival's wheel for the last two laps. With 300m to go he jumped, we dropped the other two, and the sprint was on. I had the inside, sheltered line and was able to beat him by a length for the win.
A race 15m later (1/2/3/4). A bunch of 1's and 2's. I sat in for a bit. Followed a couple of attacks a few times only to be caught. A few of our elite guys cranked it up and I got on. I was able to stay for six laps but after the previous effort and no rest I could not handle the 31-34mph any more so I faded back. They would wind up lapping the field. There was a field prime for a nice set of sunglasses which I took by rolling off the front. Never even stood up. In the field sprint I was probably 8th.
M45+ and Cat3 criteriums this weekend and I am ready.
Finally.
B race first (3/4/5). I have been mentoring a few of the younger riders (3's and 4's). None of them had ever been in a winning break in a criterium, so I had A Plan. They all thought I was nuts and it would never work. I told them to just bury themselves and we'll see. 25 lap race, I was going to set up with 17 to go and attack with 16 to go. I rolled off the front in a seated sprint and carried it for almost a kilo. That opened a big gap. There were six of us, all from the same club (!) off. Two faded after three laps but by then we were out of sight. One more cooked off before a solo rider from a rival team bridged. He is a strong sprinter and I knew he would be trouble. He took the halfway prime (beer prime, too) handily. We settled into a good rhythm after that, although we never saw the back of the field, who was trying hard to catch. I held rival's wheel for the last two laps. With 300m to go he jumped, we dropped the other two, and the sprint was on. I had the inside, sheltered line and was able to beat him by a length for the win.
A race 15m later (1/2/3/4). A bunch of 1's and 2's. I sat in for a bit. Followed a couple of attacks a few times only to be caught. A few of our elite guys cranked it up and I got on. I was able to stay for six laps but after the previous effort and no rest I could not handle the 31-34mph any more so I faded back. They would wind up lapping the field. There was a field prime for a nice set of sunglasses which I took by rolling off the front. Never even stood up. In the field sprint I was probably 8th.
M45+ and Cat3 criteriums this weekend and I am ready.
06-08-11, 10:56 PM
#7877
Wheelsuck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,158
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Nice work, Shovel!
06-08-11, 11:55 PM
#7878
Con forza e velocità
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Newcastle, WA
Posts: 690
Bikes: Spesh S-Works - Tarmac SL4, Spesh S-Works Venge, BMC Team Machine SLR01, Spesh Allez - FrankenForza
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
06-09-11, 12:28 AM
#7879
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 910
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Montague Training Crits, mid 90's, mild crosswind left to right.
Finally.
B race first (3/4/5). I have been mentoring a few of the younger riders (3's and 4's). None of them had ever been in a winning break in a criterium, so I had A Plan. They all thought I was nuts and it would never work. I told them to just bury themselves and we'll see. 25 lap race, I was going to set up with 17 to go and attack with 16 to go. I rolled off the front in a seated sprint and carried it for almost a kilo. That opened a big gap. There were six of us, all from the same club (!) off. Two faded after three laps but by then we were out of sight. One more cooked off before a solo rider from a rival team bridged. He is a strong sprinter and I knew he would be trouble. He took the halfway prime (beer prime, too) handily. We settled into a good rhythm after that, although we never saw the back of the field, who was trying hard to catch. I held rival's wheel for the last two laps. With 300m to go he jumped, we dropped the other two, and the sprint was on. I had the inside, sheltered line and was able to beat him by a length for the win.
A race 15m later (1/2/3/4). A bunch of 1's and 2's. I sat in for a bit. Followed a couple of attacks a few times only to be caught. A few of our elite guys cranked it up and I got on. I was able to stay for six laps but after the previous effort and no rest I could not handle the 31-34mph any more so I faded back. They would wind up lapping the field. There was a field prime for a nice set of sunglasses which I took by rolling off the front. Never even stood up. In the field sprint I was probably 8th.
M45+ and Cat3 criteriums this weekend and I am ready.
Finally.
B race first (3/4/5). I have been mentoring a few of the younger riders (3's and 4's). None of them had ever been in a winning break in a criterium, so I had A Plan. They all thought I was nuts and it would never work. I told them to just bury themselves and we'll see. 25 lap race, I was going to set up with 17 to go and attack with 16 to go. I rolled off the front in a seated sprint and carried it for almost a kilo. That opened a big gap. There were six of us, all from the same club (!) off. Two faded after three laps but by then we were out of sight. One more cooked off before a solo rider from a rival team bridged. He is a strong sprinter and I knew he would be trouble. He took the halfway prime (beer prime, too) handily. We settled into a good rhythm after that, although we never saw the back of the field, who was trying hard to catch. I held rival's wheel for the last two laps. With 300m to go he jumped, we dropped the other two, and the sprint was on. I had the inside, sheltered line and was able to beat him by a length for the win.
A race 15m later (1/2/3/4). A bunch of 1's and 2's. I sat in for a bit. Followed a couple of attacks a few times only to be caught. A few of our elite guys cranked it up and I got on. I was able to stay for six laps but after the previous effort and no rest I could not handle the 31-34mph any more so I faded back. They would wind up lapping the field. There was a field prime for a nice set of sunglasses which I took by rolling off the front. Never even stood up. In the field sprint I was probably 8th.
M45+ and Cat3 criteriums this weekend and I am ready.
06-09-11, 03:18 AM
#7880
Realist
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 3,083
Bikes: Roubaix, Tarmac, Fixed Gear
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
Shovel did well. Nice to see the team do well in these crits. It was good to finally meet him too.
06-09-11, 05:29 AM
#7881
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 15,669
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Nice to talk to you over a cold one afterwards, Greg180. You have a lot of passion for what you do.
06-09-11, 05:30 AM
#7882
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 15,669
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
06-09-11, 06:47 AM
#7883
Making a kilometer blurry
Shovel: 
very nice work
(oh and to make up for the prime)
Last year my main training partner and teammate and I decided to attack from the gun in a crit. We were off for about 1/4 of the race, but a couple of the 1s and 2s organized a quick 1-lap chase and mowed us over. It softened the field enough that I still got 2nd though.
Absurd attacks are cool
very nice work(oh and to make up for the prime
)Last year my main training partner and teammate and I decided to attack from the gun in a crit. We were off for about 1/4 of the race, but a couple of the 1s and 2s organized a quick 1-lap chase and mowed us over. It softened the field enough that I still got 2nd though.
Absurd attacks are cool
06-09-11, 07:42 AM
#7884
Bulldozer
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 2,846
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Nice racing Shovel!!
06-09-11, 07:52 AM
#7885
meow
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hint: check out my BF name
Posts: 5,831
Bikes: 2016 Parlee Altum, 2013 Cannondale Super Six Evo Hi Mod Di2 only, 2011 Cannondale Super Six, Dura Ace 7800, 2007 Cannondale System Six Dura Ace 7800, 1992 Bridgestone RB-1, MB-2, MB-3, MB-5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
Bravo shovel!!!!!
06-09-11, 09:13 AM
#7886
Fast for a sloth
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Fort Collins
Posts: 1,134
Bikes: Some
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Very cool report Shovelhd.
06-09-11, 10:20 AM
#7888
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 15,669
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thank you all. It was a great night for the club. The perfect ending to that B race would have been to lead the other two young riders out and sit up and watch the fireworks from the back, but there was no way I was going to let the rival rider win. Unacceptable.
06-09-11, 10:52 AM
#7890
Senior Member
I was doing some clip stuff last night and saw you a lot in the Crit de Bethel. Was good to see you out there and I appreciate your thoughts on the races and such. I'm amazed that those were your first races in 20 whatever years. You looked super fluid out there, good pack riding, etc.
06-09-11, 12:44 PM
#7893
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Franklin, TN
Posts: 3,385
Bikes: It has two wheels
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
06-09-11, 10:47 PM
#7894
Making a kilometer blurry
Driveway 3/4 - Championship Loop (0.9mi): 4th place (or 5th)
Today was pretty tough. It was 101F and sunny. I had two frozen bottles that still had a nice column of ice in the middle. I had a sock full of ice in my pockets. Sun sleeves up front. Felt ok.
The race started off pretty fast and stayed that way for about 80% of it. Not too many opportunities for it to bunch up. I was pushing it pretty hard and didn't feel like I could attack with much impact, so I decided to wait for a break to bridge to. Nobody ever got anything significant off the front, so I stayed in the pack. Always in the top 15, never on the front.
I was working pretty hard just maintaining. With two to go, I moved up into the top 10 and found the sprint train I wanted to follow. On the last lap, up the corkscrew (400m), we overtook a lapped Jr. rider (3rd time we lapped him
). I was getting pushed into his line (me 25mph, him 12mph), so I started pushing back. I managed to just nick the Jr. rider's hip as I flew by, and he wasn't affected. Unfortunately, the guy who was pushing against me on the other side didn't fare so well. He drug me back a bit and started to fall. Somehow he just slid out, skidding his rear tubular enough to blow it. I thought he went down, but he stayed up and didn't take anyone else out.
So, I tried to get back on the train after that slowdown, and just as I made contact at 175m (in 8th wheel), the sprinter in the train catches a pedal in the last turn. Down he goes. I had to stand to get my front tire around him as he slid off the course.
Ok. Start sprint for the 3rd time now. Overtake a few, and can't get ahead of one guy. Ended in 4th, I think. I was happy with how I raced, as it was hard enough to count as training, and I did ok in the finish, considering the slow downs. I'm glad I didn't go down
I didn't see the final results, as I had to blaze immediately after the race (well, I went and checked on the crash victims) to get to a Cub Scout event (it was capture the flag night -- always a blast for the boys).
Today was pretty tough. It was 101F and sunny. I had two frozen bottles that still had a nice column of ice in the middle. I had a sock full of ice in my pockets. Sun sleeves up front. Felt ok.
The race started off pretty fast and stayed that way for about 80% of it. Not too many opportunities for it to bunch up. I was pushing it pretty hard and didn't feel like I could attack with much impact, so I decided to wait for a break to bridge to. Nobody ever got anything significant off the front, so I stayed in the pack. Always in the top 15, never on the front.
I was working pretty hard just maintaining. With two to go, I moved up into the top 10 and found the sprint train I wanted to follow. On the last lap, up the corkscrew (400m), we overtook a lapped Jr. rider (3rd time we lapped him
). I was getting pushed into his line (me 25mph, him 12mph), so I started pushing back. I managed to just nick the Jr. rider's hip as I flew by, and he wasn't affected. Unfortunately, the guy who was pushing against me on the other side didn't fare so well. He drug me back a bit and started to fall. Somehow he just slid out, skidding his rear tubular enough to blow it. I thought he went down, but he stayed up and didn't take anyone else out.So, I tried to get back on the train after that slowdown, and just as I made contact at 175m (in 8th wheel), the sprinter in the train catches a pedal in the last turn. Down he goes. I had to stand to get my front tire around him as he slid off the course.
Ok. Start sprint for the 3rd time now. Overtake a few, and can't get ahead of one guy. Ended in 4th, I think. I was happy with how I raced, as it was hard enough to count as training, and I did ok in the finish, considering the slow downs. I'm glad I didn't go down
I didn't see the final results, as I had to blaze immediately after the race (well, I went and checked on the crash victims) to get to a Cub Scout event (it was capture the flag night -- always a blast for the boys).
06-09-11, 11:04 PM
#7895
Fast for a sloth
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Fort Collins
Posts: 1,134
Bikes: Some
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Grats on the good finish and for keeping it upright.
Pardon my noobness but I'm starting to think that June is the preferred month for crashing. Eh? Is there something I should know?
Pardon my noobness but I'm starting to think that June is the preferred month for crashing. Eh? Is there something I should know?
06-09-11, 11:13 PM
#7896
Con forza e velocità
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Newcastle, WA
Posts: 690
Bikes: Spesh S-Works - Tarmac SL4, Spesh S-Works Venge, BMC Team Machine SLR01, Spesh Allez - FrankenForza
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Good Job WR...way to avoid the carnage.
I think there is something about June, or at least a good number of reports to start the month..mine included...hopefully the crashing calms down.
I think there is something about June, or at least a good number of reports to start the month..mine included...hopefully the crashing calms down.
06-09-11, 11:30 PM
#7897
meow
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hint: check out my BF name
Posts: 5,831
Bikes: 2016 Parlee Altum, 2013 Cannondale Super Six Evo Hi Mod Di2 only, 2011 Cannondale Super Six, Dura Ace 7800, 2007 Cannondale System Six Dura Ace 7800, 1992 Bridgestone RB-1, MB-2, MB-3, MB-5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
WR, way to go!!
06-10-11, 01:07 AM
#7898
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 910
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Sounds like an exciting race WR - and good job in avoiding carnage.
06-10-11, 06:30 AM
#7899
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 15,669
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
WR, avoiding a crash in the final meters of a field sprint and still finishing top five takes a combination of skill and luck. You had both. Nicely done.
06-10-11, 09:28 AM
#7900
Making a kilometer blurry
Thanks. Results are up: 5th. Grumble. That's a lot better than it could have been though.