"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Conn. Coast Race Report

This was my 3rd Cat 4 race and I'm still learning a lot about postioning. This was a great course in Bethel. Not sure if any other races use it, but it's an industrial park similar to Wells, but with a nice, steep hill right before the start/ finish line.

I went out easy and hung with the rest of the pack for the first part of the race and found that I could usually pick a line that would allow me to drift into the hill and spin all the way up while still passing others. About halfway though, I tried jumping off the front at the hill, but couldn't get away even after a couple attempts. I still held on the front to try to win the prime, but just ran out of gas 3/4 of the way up the hill.

Towards the end, I felt pretty good, but waited too long to move my position. I was about halfway back in the pack on the last lap and moved to the inside so that I'd be in the top 5 for the hill, but had the door shut on me pretty quickly by one of the Bethel cycling guys who were working together to line up their sprinter. I hopped a gap over to the outside to try to counter that move, but it was already too late then and I was still in the middle of the pack at the bottom of the hill. I took some places on the hill, but knew I was way too late to wind it up for the finish and came in around 15th to 20th.

Anyway, the course was great and I had a good time, but damn did I have to fight for position with 2 teams there having 5+ guys.
What could I have done better in the race with positioning? I keep thinking that I need to just bust it out on the 2nd to last lap and see what I have left afterwards. I finished up with a lot left because I didn't really feel like I had the position to sprint.

-Oppie

Anyway, the course was great and I had a good time, but damn did I have to fight for position with 2 teams there having 5+ guys.
What could I have done better in the race with positioning? I keep thinking that I need to just bust it out on the 2nd to last lap and see what I have left afterwards. I finished up with a lot left because I didn't really feel like I had the position to sprint.

Next time yell, ``Car back!'' and when they all move over, you fly right on by.

Or jump off the front and hope some folks come with you, if the pack tries to swallow you up, just burn your legs up to get some side draft of the line when they try to go by. Then it's all about staying up front. After all, fifth place is better than 20th if you can't beat the sprinters.

I was going to come up and watch but I never got around to it. How was the turnout?

They usually have quite a big field during the Spring series, and that's usually when there is snow on the ground. Much much colder.

"... Not sure if any other races use it ..."

There's a spring series, as mentioned, that has USCF races, and a Tuesday night summer series that's got "A" and "B" non-USCF races. There are also kids races in which they can earn money by completing laps.

Turnout was light because there was another race in CT just an hour away.

I'm a decent sprinter, but I just cannot get the gearing and timing right on that course... D'oh !!
I was in the top 5 halfway up the hill in 2 races, but got passed by several guys each time, putting me out of the top 10

I was going to come up and watch but I never got around to it. How was the turnout?

They usually have quite a big field during the Spring series, and that's usually when there is snow on the ground. Much much colder.

The turnout was pretty light. I guess there were about 30-35 in the Cat 4's. Fun to ride in such small packs, but it really makes for a disadvantage as a loner when there are teams present.