Walkersville (1/2/3 70mile RR)-
(photo by Amy Jones)Lap 1 of 7 the top riders from the 5 biggest teams got off the front and when the big teams are content, the group slows. I chatted with a ton of people, discussing playoff hockey, mutual friends, other races, and introduced myself to other i hadn't previously met.
Every couple of laps there would be long surges where a few riders would try and go and the pace would pick up. But it wasn't until the last lap that a "chase group" formed to round out the top 10, making sprinting a silly effort.
i finished in the pack. 38th.
Tysons (3 and 1/2/3 20 miles and 30 miles Crit)-
The CAT 3 event went pretty smooth, except the breakaway attempts nearly every other lap. Just as one came back, another went, which is actually pretty smart tactics if you want to win in a breakaway. With 4 to go, a pair of strong riders were off the front, with a chase group in between, and i got a tad worried, so i caught the chase group and started to chase the leading pair, but noticed it was going to come back, as the pack was a bit motivated so i sat up. With 3 to go a preme got the pack moving. My teammates were 1-2 into the last corner and i was about 15-20 back on the outside. It was a long slight uphill finish and i started rolling up at about 80%, waiting till about 300m to go and i gunned it full throttle, gaining about 4 bike lengths on everyone.
(photo by Joe Mallis)
The 1/2/3 was rough, but mostly because i was tired from a long weekend. I tried to help in the begining, but i blew up quick, and went backwards like i was standing still. I stayed in and tried to work my way back up, but it was hard. Eventually the field had a HUGE split with some key players in the back half, but all of our finishers were in the front split. So i sat at the front of my group and regulated as much as possible, until i finally blew up trying to hold a Richmond Pro guy and Flexman from going up with a few others. They sat in the middle of the two groups and shortly after the whole thing came back together. The last corner i followed "super Dave" figuring he, like many other veteran riders, would be in a good position for the end. but he got caught off and my acceleration to his wheel , which was slowing dramatically, left me skidding sideways like a drifter in fast and furious. i caught it and ended up 23rd.
(photo by Jim Wilson)Chantilly Crit (CAT 3 and 1/2/3 20mile and 30mile Crit)-
CAT 3 race was a bunch of laps on an open circle with 2 corners. nothing dramatic happened the whole race. The finishing line was about 300m from the final corner and i got pinched out on the corner and was a little too far back to come storming by everyone and i finished 2nd. i need less than 100m more. maybe 30m more...disappointing. But 2nd is still solid. I took over as the Gamjams CAT 3 Mountain Khakis Cup overall leader.
the 1/2/3 race was a very very hard race, that nearly left me crying. i was very tired. the wind was constantly blowing between 20-30mph. The finishing straight was brutal, as it was completely open and into the wind. the backside was filled with trees and therefore negating the tail wind. Anyway, the field kept spliting and then slowing coming back together. at one point the field was split into 3 large groups all single file. people were slowing letting gaps open up on the back, and to just survive you'd have to jump hard around them. the back sucked as always. finished around 40th.
Carl Dolan Memorial Race (CAT 3 and 1/2/3 25mile and 38mile Circuit)-
CAT 3 race was a big circle with not a whole lot happening. The finishing stretch is very decisive being its 600m and slight uphill. 10-15 back was the optimal spot on the last lap, which exactly where i was, but my speed from the slight downhill leading to the finishing straight, carried me faster through the top 10 and at 400m i had to go as hard as i could to keep anyone from catching my wheel, which i did, but someone or someones started to creep up in full sprint and i held them all off to win by 2 or 3 bike lengths.
1/2/3 was a bummer. did a bit of work for the team in the beginning but quickly blew up. Tried to help when i could. I lost count of laps and with 7 to go i told Flanagan that if it was more than 10 to go i was dropping (i was the last rider and he was just in front of me). He said he thought it was exactly 10 to go and that i should try and hold on. It was 7 to go, which was a relief and i did hold on, and actually was at the front moments later. But a group of 12-16 had gotten off the front without any Haymarket representation. unfortunate.
finished around 40th or 50th.
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