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Race reports:
Tamara Fraser (W-3, XXX) (September 27, 2008)
Raced the Fall Fling road race today. We started out with about 10 in the women's masters category -- mixed 40+, 50+, 60+ and 70+. I was feeling good and had no problem following the moves. By the second turn of our last lap, we were down to 5 -- and none of us were going to drop any of the others. It would come down to who could sprint the best after all the attacking on the hills after turn 3.
But before we got that far, the two women ahead of me touched wheels, one went down and took me out in the process. Which, c'mon! -there were only 5 of us! It shouldn't happen. But a moment of inattention, a bit of nerves . . . and there you are.
Team Tati:
Our little squad of novices provided more racers than any other team besides race host ABD, and more than half of our riders were racing newbies as of Friday. Everyone raced safely, and with style.
For those who care about such things, we enlisted team tactics in every event with more than one rider -- resulting in road race wins in M4 and M5 and criterium wins in W4 and M5. Several riders are contesting for omnium placing, and we've added $100 to the party fund, thanks to a total of seven podium places out of eight contested events!
Avi Neurohr (M-5, Cuttin Crew):
Road race: I hit a bump with one lap to go, my speedometer sensor starts clipping the front wheel, and since it's not mine, I don't take any chances. I pull over and fix it, but lose 40 seconds on the pack, at the wrong time. I waved off Brean because it would have damaged both of our chances to finish well. So I practice my time trialing, come in 34th, and my hope for GC glory is dashed.
Crit: I decided to race Beginners/Cat 5 as well. Ten laps, and three in, Team Tati executed a move after the hill in turns 3/4, and came through with two hot riders. The second one sat up, and I was a couple spots back, and thought "No Fucking Way" and came around him. Unfortunately the guys in first and second either couldn't or wouldn't chase the guy off the front (Turns out it was Brian Hague, who did the same in the Beginners RR the day before). His 5 meter gap grew and long story short, that kid can TT, nobody would pull through, and we were all left fighting for second. Seven of us separated from the bunch to contest the sprint, and though I thought I'd saved enough through the last climb into the wind, everyone else did too. 8th place. BFD. I thought this Cat wouldn't be so tough, but a sprint is a sprint, and I didn't have it today.
The plan for the 4s race was for me to "get near the front" with 5 to go, my teammates to find me, and me to lead somebody out. I was not in the best form during this race, and was really worried I'd let them down, but I stayed up front, slipped back here and there, chased a break once or twice, worked a bit, backed off a bit, and decided to go for a prime even though the one guy chasing it was already 20 meters ahead when I decided (missed it by a wheel or so).
1/4 of the way throught the final lap, I managed to find myself in 4th, so THAT part of my mission was accomplished. A couple of strong guys from Mack were ahead of me, and two guys got separation while one Mack guy blocked me. I was determined not to let that happen again so I closed it up. I had no idea if either of my teammates were on my wheel, but I suspected I wouldn't make it to the lead out. Sure enough, I caught the leaders, but was swallowed with half a lap to go. Had one or both of them been on my wheel, it might have still kept them in the mix, but it didn't quite work out like that. Mike never made it up to me, Brean was close, but he had chased something down pretty hard with two to go and wasn't his usual sprinter's self. He came into turn three pretty hot and had to ease up, and got swept in too. He finished 24th, Mike at 30th, me at 32nd, and Trey (in his first crit) at 37th. Not exactly noteworthy, but Brean might still be one spot out of the money overall.
Patrick Brock (M-4, Team Extreme):
Okay position at the start, but got stalled as a rider in front of me didn't get clipped in on the first try. Field swarmed and relegated to the near rear of the field. Found the spots to move up in turn 3 and 4, but then would get pinched in turn 1. Tried some different lines but the field was too big to get the best lines and move up at the same time. On the bell lap I was 15 wheels back and the rider in front of me sat up and exploded. I was instantly swarmed. I yelled at him to move up as a big gap was being formed and I was unable to move myself as I was now boxed in. Finally was able to get around him after turn 2, but lost too much ground. Rolled in for 41st.
Ed Ekstrom (M-4, Tower Racing):
A Tati riders pulls to the front on the inside launching a teammate. This is where it’s nice to have teammates along for the ride. (Anyone up for next week for either the 4s or 40+?) I was about 6 or 7 back when I saw this happen. No one jumped. I considered it, but hey, its only one guy on lap 2, we’ll see him again. Even his coaches on the sidelines are saying “Not Yet.” I stay near the front following the teachings of BRB. A couple more attempts to jump, only to get eaten up within a lap. On lap 8 I am getting excited, I see a Tati uniform up ahead; we are back into a race for 1st place. We swallow up the Tati rider. Throughout the race, I see some team tactics at work from a couple of Teams. I do my best to bypass the blockers and stay up front. The effort pays off; I am riding 3rd on the final lap. After turn 2, I am riding 2nd. Before the race, I had planned on hitting it on turn 4. However during the race, I think back to the Chicago crit. – go earlier. I hit it shortly after turn 3 into the wind. As soon as I gun it, I see a line of 4 blue jerseys to my right who were in the process of passing on the outside. The first blue pulls off, I am about even with the rear wheel of the new leader now and gaining. I am feeling fresh and there is no way I am losing to this guy. I round turn 4 and give it everything and sprint the final 250m to the finish line thinking I have to keep this up just a little while longer. I pull away for a 2 length win. I did it. I won my first race. I give Case an update after the race – Tower wins. Pasquale asks how I did, I coolly mention that I won.
Hammering Hank (M-4, Tower Racing):
On the last lap leading up the hill it was pretty much all together. Or at least there was no breakaway. I am sure there was some carnage off the back, but it was still a very large group intact. This made it a challenge to get into position for the sprint. The centerline rule was being enforced (Mark M. got thrown out) and several riders were pulled. We had a nice lead out set up with me as the designated sprinter. We attacked a bit too soon and when it was my turn to go, we were to far out for me to crank it up. I waited for some wheels and followed several attacks, but didn’t have enough to finish strong. I have never been in a better position to win a race. Thanks to my team mates for setting me up.
So I was trying to count how many rides (not even races–times just riding my bike) I have done since May this summer (the last time I was as gung-ho as I had been for years), and I think the number was 18. Needless to say, I didn’t expect much from kitting up for the Fall Fling Road Race today.
(...)
Actually, what was quite encouraging was when I was trying to bridge to the break of three with a couple other dudes, and I clocked 342W normalized for those five minutes. I was stoked to record that for the first time in a race back in March! Of course, even with some of the power there, what I learned was recovery time was not! I pretty much blew up, died, and rode the rest of the race at the back of the field–a sure sign I’m out of form–but at least I know something’s there.
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