Plainville Race #4:Race Report 4/7/07

We're over halfway through the Plainville Spring Series training crits and the chances to get individual and team points are running out.  Team Epic Velo needed to take advantage of the fact that the field would be a little smaller than usual due to a local mountain bike race and make a strong team effort.  The plan was to go for the prime, get in the inevitable break that would follow the prime, and then - if a team member was in the break - block the peloton and mark every attack.

We executed the plan perfectly and it was a perfect race.

Well, almost.

We had a GREAT turnout of guys on the team - me, Dillon, ChrisB, Jeremy, Dave, Skip, and Bruce.  Things took off as usual from the start - except THIS week we had a photo finish camera(!)  They weren't using it to determine results - apparently, it needs to be calibrated for the season (gotta remember it is still VERY early in the season!).  'Round and 'round we went.

We were doing well and staying near the front.  When the PRIME bell sounded, Dillon, Jeremy and I were in good position to stay at the front as the speed ramped up.  Dillon got out in front with Jeremy off to his left and another rider on his wheel.  I was on THAT guy's wheel so when he went around Dillon, I let him lead me out for a few meters then came around him.  ALMOST got him at the line (that "almost" has been happening too often) but felt good in the sprint and got 2nd - with points for the team.

But I was pretty spent from the effort.  A couple of guys went off the front of the pack and past me as I sat up.  I thought about grabbing one of their wheels, but needed to recover.  THEN I saw ChrisB start to bridge and figured "SUH-WEET" - teammate in the break, now we can block and mark.

Which is precisely what we did.  MUCH to the dismay and downright frustration of some of the guys in the pack.  Every time someone would attack, an Epic Velo rider would be on his wheel.  Of course, we wouldn't work and they were unwilling to tow us up to the break and apparently unable to ride us off their wheel.

Many of the guys understood this was SOP for team tactics in a race.  Funny story illustrating the point - one guy took off pretty hot and I got on his wheel.  He was pretty strong and pulled for almost a full lap before flicking his elbow for me to come through.  I actually felt a little bad, but said - "sorry man, got a teammate in the break" - so he knew I wouldn't work.  "Ok, that's cool" he says, all sportsmanlike.  He continues to pull for a little bit and then starts to drift back to the pack.  As he drifts back past me I recognize him - "Paul is that you?" "CHRIS!  Guess I trained you too well!"

Paul's one of the many good guys in racing - first met him at the East Hartford training crits last summer.  He took me under his wing a bit as a new racer (like he does with a lot of others I've since discovered) and I learned a lot from him.  Of course, this made me feel even worse for not having pulled.  But at least he understood why.

Which is more than I can say for some racers - the bad apples that give their team a bad name.  There was this one guy that got SO frustrated he couldn't quit whining and yelling at us about our tactics.  Since he couldn't out race us, he decided to try to get us off his wheel by weaving back and forth all over the road.  Won't name names, but anybody that was at this race knows who I'm talking about.

Well, the more angry "Mr. Weaver" got the more dangerous he got.  Along with another rider, he managed to pull free of the pack a little, but he had an Epic Velo guy on his wheel and I was on the other guy's wheel.  Maybe I was feeling a little bad still about not pulling through for Paul and when I recognized the other guy as he pulled over, I decided to go ahead and pull through. 

BIG MISTAKE.  Mr. Weaver - apparently not expecting me to come through and obviously not paying attention, turns right into me.  I'm a pretty good bike handler, but I wasn't ready for such a hard - though I'm sure unintentional - shove.  Down we BOTH went.  Hard.  (I think this pic was taken right before the crash).

Fortunately, only the two of us crashed - we were far enough ahead of the pack so they had time to react.  My bike was toast, with a bent derailleur hanger and front wheel.  After Mr. Weaver made a total spectacle of himself (even threatening to fight Jeremy, who'd stopped to see if I was ok (thanks J!)), swearing a blue streak and generally looking ridiculous, he got back in the race.  I haven't any idea how he was able to place as high as he did in the end, but he didn't get any points.

I didn't finish, but at least I got prime points for the team.

Meanwhile, ChrisB had been working with his break and, due in part to our team tactics, but due largely to his strength, the break  LAPPED THE FIELD by the end and he came in 2nd!  And got more than twice as many points for the team as I did.  A truly OUTSTANDING effort!

So a Hearty Congratulations to ChrisB and the rest of the EpicVelo team that was able to stay upright! :^)  You executed your plan perfectly and got the results you were looking for.  Hopefully next race we won't have to worry about Mr. Weaver . . .

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STATS: 15.82 miles (not the usual 20); 23.4 avg speed; 36.5 max speed (prime sprint)

You can view the (truncated) Garmin data of the race in the right hand column under "Races."

You can also see a (very poor) video of the finish below (I don't do video as well as Mrs. Suitcase - especially when I'm shivering from the cold. . .)

Comments

[Sarah]

Great write up! So glad you are ok =)