CrimsonKarter21

I did a criterium in Aliquippa, PA.
First off, remind me never to go to Aliquippa again. Honestly? The place really did look like the red-headed stepchild of Detroit and postwar France. Really; and I'm from Cleveland. From what the girl at Subway told me, it was a steel-town, which dried up and has been in disrepair ever since. Driving through toen after the race, 9 of 10 buildings were boarded up completely, old brick buildings had been turned to rubble, and the roads were in absolute disrepair. I wouldn't drive through there at anything more than 25 mph in fear of breaking my truck, or at the very least biting my tongue.

Onto the race (which was in a nearby industrial parkway, which was nice)
30 miles, 4 corner no-brakes crit course with a small speedbump hill on the backstretch.
There were some heavy hitters in the 123 field, and I've only had a hanful of races and rides to my name this year. I arrived feeling not-so-great; my warmup was hardly so.
For the first 15 laps (of 20) I was getting jostled around the midfield and jockeying for position and watching who the real swinging dicks were (instead of the ones I was told about by the locals).
With 7 laps to go, one of the collegiate guys I was talking to (from WVU on a brushed CAAD9 with pink bar tape and pink-decalled Zipp 606's) launches off the front on the finishing straight. I decide to go with him since he looked really strong and was downplaying his chances before the race. Another rider chased us, but wasn't able to catch us. After trading pulls for a lap, he started slowing down so I helped myself and went off solo.
The next 5 laps I was out in the front by myself dieseling along, yelling stuff at the crowd and getting them riled up with that insidious Pennsylvanian hatred of all things Cleveland.
The first three laps I kept on gaining and gaining more time against the field, and by the fourth I was starting to realize that I should back off a little. By the fifth lap, I realized that I was doomed when I noticed the small speed mound in the back course.
With one lap remaining a chase group passed me. I caught on with them briefly, but all of my will was gone and all my energy used up. I pulled to the side and let the whole field pass my mangled self and came to the finish a minute behind them.

So yeah, I got a prime, but came in DFL. Maybe next time. The good news (or bad, depending on how you like your news) is the most everyone I was racing with;
a.) now knows my name
b.) now knows my team's name
c.) complimented me on "the ballsiest break I've seen in a long time" (as stated by one rider, and agreed with by 6 others)


When you don't have the acceleration to win a sprint against 6-person teams, you better TT that sh.

geneman

In case it wasn't obvious ... you're a little full of yourself.

Grumpy McTrumpy

I thought it was a great race report

CrimsonKarter21

Better?

Everyone was great, the race was great, Aliquippa is great. Everything is just great. When I was riding I saw a Goose. What a magical creature. I decided to stop my bike and play with the geese. A bike race is just a game in the grand scheme of things, isn't it? I love everything and that which can't be described with a monosyllabic word doesn't deserve to be described at all.

MDcatV

good try

if you think aliquippa is bad, you should see ambridge.

they both look like everywhere in cleveland outside of shaker hts. to me.

on another note, are you doing this race? https://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=8689

that's my hometown, in-laws live about 5 minutes away. I'll probably make the trip for the 123.

CrimsonKarter21

Really? I can't imagine anytihng worse except maybe the post-war France that I mentioned.


:EDIT:: I think that is the same week of U23 nationals in Bend, OR. Although I'd love to go back to PA for another race; a bunch of strong riders and I'm sure there are some killer road races around there.

ridethecliche

NIce report CK. Good try with the 1 man break.

And you are????

( )

JaRow

Rainbows are pretty.

I've finished DFL twice this week already. Fun stuff.

geneman

"Join Date: Dec 2003"

CrimsonKarter21

Usually, I'd have quit, but it was only 3/4 of one lap to go, and I hate DNF's more than anything.
I'd hate to be that guy that had a really good solo break and quit on the last lap.



---------
Did I mention how fast the course was? With no wind, I never went any easier than a 53x13 and most of the time in my break I was in the 53x11. That course was warp speed.

Flatballer

I laughed. That was great.

The guy with the pink tape and pink zipps (and probably wearing his pink WVU kit) is Jimmy Schulte. He's a great guy, we stayed with him this year at their race.

CrimsonKarter21

Yep, that was Jimmy, but he was wearing his local kit. I figured that his WVU kit must have been pink. Nice guy though, we talked briefly before the race; he seemed to downplay how well he'd do today, stating that he's better at hills. Basically he was my shadow (or the other way around). Whenever I was shuffled to the back he was there, as well as in the break.

But yeah, around here there are tons of Cannondales, Treks and Specialized, but in PA all I saw were Colnagos and the odd brands like Viner, Alan and IF. There was only one other Giant and only 2 Cannondales in a 25+ field.

CrimsonKarter21

I don't use any of that fancy radial laced stuff,32 hole 3x front and rear, even in a 123 crit.