I raced what is most-likely my final 2019 TNR (Tuesday Night Racing) at the San Diego Velodrome last week. Season ends in October. I'll show up to volunteer (lap cards) or hang out but I want to take it easy. I was reluctant to race last week, but I won the final 12 km scratch race!



On my left - Wolfgang (Alex) Lochmiller - Current Junior National Champ (forget which events). On my right - Taylor Warren - Former Pro roadie, current cat 1 elite USA Crits racer


Wolfgang attacked on lap 1 as he does some times just to shake it up. Collective groans from the field (15 strong) were heard. I chased and caught up a couple laps, and we're trading 1/2 lap pulls, wondering how long this will last. Taylor bridges up and then it started to settle in that this could work, and that it would hurt starting this early...

The field got close a couple times, but eventually weaker riders started popping OTB of the field and the coordination was disrupted, and we were gone. Taylor took a couple full lap pulls which was greatly appreciated.

With about 10 laps to go we were closing in and were going to lap the field, when Taylor attacks us and goes straight through the field. There was no way I had this in the tank so I recovered on the back. Wolfgang hesitated a minute and then bridged up, but the two of them were not able to stay clear a second time. They burned quite a bit of matches trying to do that again and were understandably toasted for the final sprint, which I won outright, even though the riders I beat were racing for 4th.

Good times! I will now resume my off-season mode of commuting, maybe riding once on the weekend (or not), and doing some swimming, hiking and jogging.