valygrl

Cafe Velo Tri-Lakes TT SW4 6th/23

15.1 mile TT. This is the best I've ever done in a TT. I'm usually 50th percentile - it's like a joke, I know my placing before I race, b/c it's half way down the list. So, I'm really really pleased. I had some really useful coaching from my coach, about how to ride a TT, and it helped tremendously.

Great TT course, by the way, and a really well run event.

Hermes

Congrats V'grl. Improving in a TT by moving up the peloton totem pole is huge. Well, done!

AzTallRider

Great job @valygrl. Way to go!

revchuck 

Way to go, valygrl!

shovelhd

Very well done.

Racer Ex 

Terrific!

I explain to people that you can ride a 40k and have 1-2 minutes difference in time depending on the course with the identical average watts. Its not always about speed.

LAJ

Nice, valygrl! Excellent job on that course. Strong work.

shovelhd

Blue Hills M50+, low 60's, 20-30mph winds and showers, 3rd place. This is a big race for the Boston Masters and all the big guns come out as it pays well. It's usually a circuit race for M40+ but the course had to be closed so they moved it to a state park where I have won in my younger days, and they added an M50+ field. That was all I needed. I came into this race with good form. At the line I chatted up with an old teammate as we remembered when we raced here long ago. I sat in at the *** and watched for a bit until things got lively. I went with every attack that looked like it had potential but the field would chase us down. One break had four of us but one wheelsucker screwed up everything and we got caught. He would end up winning the race. At the halfway point after a non-threatening break was caught I attacked on the little hill and got a gap. I looked back and committed, opening it up to 20 seconds. After about 2 1/2 laps away solo a guy I had hoped would join me bridged up and we opened it up to 35 seconds. This would last until 5 to go when they rang the bell for a $50 prime. Also at this point one of the strongest guys in the field, bostongarden's teammate, who I will call The Ringer, had been told by my old teammate, who I will call The Saboteur, that "the winner is up the road". He took off not for the prime but to chase me down but unfortunately brought the field with him. If he had gotten away cleanly and joined us the race would have been over. I had no desire to go for the prime but we were caught 100m before the line. Right after that, the guy who soloed away last weekend for the win attacked, but I was stuck and could not get out. He opened up a 20s gap but it was way too close to the end of the race and he was caught on the last lap. At this point bostongarden took to the front and strung it out nicely. I came into the final turn 3rd wheel and jumped inside right when I wanted to in the right gear but these 50 year olds are just faster. It ended up Wheelsucker first, Ringer second, shovelhd third, Saboteur 4th, and my break mate 5th.

There was one scary moment during the first prime sprint where a guy who crossed the line third (one place, a bag of coffee) put his arms up, the wind caught his front wheel, and he went down hard. Momentum caused him to slide right across the front of the field. I swerved right as cleanly as I could but I was headed right for the official. I leaned my way back left to avoid her but there were more crashes behind me somewhere.

I won $100 and a very cool medal to add to the collection.

valygrl

Wow shovel, kick ass!

Thanks for the nice words everyone.

globecanvas

Nice racing shovelhd! Did you have words with Saboteur after the race?


Why?

Hermes

ShovelHD.

shovelhd

Nah. He's teammates with my nemesis so I expect anything. He needed the break to come back so he could beat me in the sprint, but today, he didn't.

I have absolutely no idea why that numbnut put his arms up. The official had no idea either after speaking with him. This was a Cat1-4 race so who knows.

Hermes

Yeah, those Cat 1s are capable of anything. Go figure.

shovelhd

Haha

revchuck 

Awesome race, shovel! We'll be right over, make sure that beer's cold.

LAJ

Very well done, shovelhd. Awesome read, and a better job.

nacler22

18th Annual Barking Spider MTB race. Cat 1 50+

The past natz. champ raced open/pro.
The current natz. champ. didn't race.
Two of the FAF guys had issues with gear, or such.

Bill takes the win.............yea.


credit: Fairlee Frey

A couple of Pros from Tetonrider's neck of the woods showed up. There must be sumpin in the water around them parts of the country.

Racer Ex 

Nice weekend folks!

AzTallRider

+1

and... raising your arms for a prime?!?

sarals 

Nacler, Barking Spider? Cool! You looked like you were having WAY too much fun!

I was out of touch all day yesterday. No racing, just watching racing at a triathlon.

Valygrl, you had a fabulous TT - congratulations!!! That was great job, and some really great improvement.

Shovel, way to go, buddy!! Nice photo, too. I think the medal is cooler than the money.

Great weekend, folks!! I'm glad no one had a crash report. Just great results!

sarals 

Maybe he thought it was the last lap? I've never done that...

LAJ

Nice, nacler22!

Agree, sarals. No crash reports is the cherry on top.

shovelhd

Nice job nacler.

shovelhd

OK, but the lap cards were right in front of him. It was a prime, and he didn't even win it. Mind boggling brain fart that caused several guys to go down besides him. I heard that unmistakable sound of exploding carbon behind me as I avoided injuring an official.

AzTallRider

TallWife would make her (frequent) comment that thinking and cycling are mutually exclusive.