So it was a great weekend. We left Friday at about noon got there about 530. Rode the TT course, ate and then bed. Saturday Am was the TT, it was borderline cold but warmed up as things got going. They were about 20 min late starting. Long course, 16 miles, windy windy windy. I broke a spoke in my aero wheels 5 min before the start, bummer. Got 42 in the TT, then back off to the motel for a nap. It actually got sunny for the crit, easy 1.5 km course, in the center of town, no corners. Now thats my kind of crit, only one acceleration at the beginning and then just pedal like mad for 30 min and 12 sec. We did 28 km in that time, you figure out the speed (I’ll give you a physics quiz on this the next time I see you…) 33rd in the crit. 3-4 nice crashes, really bizzare, and a lot of surly riders, there is something about New York racing… Right after the masters crit the rain started, I’ll let Jonah tell you all about that lovely race, and then a quick meal and off to bed.
Next morning we went to the RR. Nice sunny day. Oops forgot the sun screen, oh well. Race gets started about 20 min late, we ride about 2 miles and as is the norm in masters racing one guy goes off the front and all hell breaks loose. We were strung out single and double file for about 6 miles. He gets caught, and then another break goes, this ones not a threat to GC gone up the road, until they miss a turn. The leaders slow the field down for the break to get back on, and take a nature break. Then as soon as thats done the break goes mad again, same guys, up the road, and then we are all going 30 on the flats. First KOM was trival. About 10 miles on get to the second, I do ok on that, but about a mile up the road on another roller two guys in front of me let a gap open and then another attack from GC contender goes, no way to close the gap. Me and 2 guys, different than the ones that let the gap opened chased the field all the way to the town at the bottom of the lake, about 30-45 sec behind but couldn’t close it.
Then third KOM comes up, and pack blows sky high. I got dropped and started looking for another masters rider to work with, none in sight, so I rode about 10 miles on my own (hey I obviously needed the practice after Saturday why not start right now I think) until a little group of 5 masters and 3 cat 4s shows up, we ride to the finish together, more or less, with one lunatic from the cat 4’s attacking the group every 5 minutes. Then he goes to pick a fight with one of the masters riders. They are pushing and shoving and one older guy is looking at me and saying “you wouldn’t believe it, it’s been like this for 30 miles—that kid is nuts” etc etc. Well he was nuts, by appearances. The funniest part was him trying to hook a masters rider and failing miserably and then having the masters guy who he was arguing with and who was his intended hooking victim show him how to do it right…Ah the joys of racing in NY, I love it. Anyway we got to the finsh , got about 42 in the RR. All in all a really fun weekend of racing. I’ll be back next year, for sure, hopefully will be able to last until the third KOM in the field and stay out of the twilight zone groupetto…
