2016 - Race Results
 

Raced the training crit with @mattm and @aaronmcd today.

I went at the gun, was nearly dropped when Eamon (local pro/superman) pulled the pack past me about 5mph faster than I was capable of going. I rode the struggle bus for a few minutes but eventually the pack let Eamon go and I got a breather. Enough guys mustered to pull Eamon back by about the 13-minute mark.

From there it was the usual early-season crit scramble. Attack, get a break, break gets caught, go with the next attempt, etc... By the halfway mark it was me, Eamon, Matt, ColumbiaU-kit guy, and a Specialized tiny junior. Matt sat up out of the break and the 4 of us stayed away the rest of the time.

Final lap was as expected. Eamon is going to stomp us and we all know it. At 1k the junior goes. No one goes with him. About 600m Eamon jumps and CU-Kit guy somehow gets his wheel. They leave me in the dust, I pass the Jr and take 3rd. Eamon, Columbia, me, then the JR.

The pack was a ways back. Not sure what happened there.

race was 53 minutes, 325AP, 340NP. Final drag was 1min, 550w @ 28.5mph. Eamon said they hit 40mph and for once I believe it.

Nice! The Columbia kit and I both started racing on the same day. He's now a pretty solid cat 1 and I'm a foddering 3.

Same race. I only knew Ygduf, mattm, Eamon and a teammate of mine who just got his cat 3 upgrade. But assumed there would be a handful of strong dudes and a handful of fresh 3s, so I had to stay forward to avoid splits without working as though I'm one of the strong dudes We had the usual first 15 minutes of insane intensity, but like Fudgy said it was mainly due to us having to keep Eamon's leash short. If a super strong break threatened, I knew better than to try and get in it so I did my part to help kill it (meaning pick up the slack when the field tries to slow to 20 mph).

Pace evens out at around 15 minutes per usual, and I start watching for the break that can stick but won't destroy me. Fudgy, Eamon, matt, and 2 others go and immediately I go with 2 guys to bridge. Big enough that I won't die, strong enough to stay away. But we hover oh so close for oh so long, then Matt drops back, and soon enough we drift back to the pack.

The break is gone, the pack is waiting. I don't want a field sprint. One lap to go someone jumps and 5 of us latch on. Gap behind me, but I know it'll close. Half lap to go Matt takes off, I take off after him, field hesitates. I catch matt, sit on his wheel for a bit, watch the field getting closer and come around a ways out. Idk how far but pretty darn far. I pull Matt up to the line and he tries to come around but he was out of juice.

Pissed I missed the break, but happy to get best of the rest.

Was gonna try and lead my teammate out for 5th, but one to go I looked back and he's suffering waaay at the back.

Almost 2 minutes slower than the break.
55 minutes, 269 AP, 295 NP

Damn. Those are some east coast numbers. Good job!

Nice racing gentlemen.

Attrition?

Great racing and power numbers.

Here are pics from the early bird practice session courtesy of Craig Huffman.

what is his name?

not even 4w/kg. I can't get into the moderate Zwift rides with those.

in the sense that it was attack after attack after attack until people gave up chasing and the break was solidly away by the halfway point. it's a training race where they don't keep score so I just attacked whenever I was able and tried to stay near enough the front to be able to get into the break that Eamon was going to make stick. Either go with him, or be off the front and catch on when he decided to bridge.

Most impressive is that it wasn't a 4th place, you secured an east coast podium!

I told the junior I wouldn't chase him if he went to get him to go early so he'd blow up and I could beat him. I was honest, but teaching him a lesson at the same time.

If I'm thinking of the same guy, his name is Gavin (can't be too many fast Bay Area kids rocking Columbia kits).

Nice job on beating me! I thought I was gonna be able to get on your wheel then come around you, but the legs had nothing at the end..

And nice job to @Ygduf to surviving in The Break; I was too weak to stay in.

Yeah that's who I thought it was too - he raced on Red Peloton last year. Hasn't gotten any weaker in the off-season I see..

that is he. He joined the team a year after i "left" the team, so i never overlapped with him. Quite talented, and too bad that he seemed to have graduated already as we are in a constant need for more undergrads...

Yeah, cat 5 to 1 in 2 years seems talented to me.
too many people with year round fitness ... jerks

said every collegiate team ever

he lost to Eamon, but Gavin's sprint was impressive to me. Eamon complained after the race that Gavin made him hurt and he (eamon) had to jump twice to hold onto first.

Ours especially since officers have to be undergrads. Pure idiocy


they let us off the hook this year on an ad-hoc basis...

Early Bird crit, 1/2/3

Started off slow, I conserved and waited. About 10 minutes in Fudgy goes and I follow the group on his wheel. Break of 10 (around 20 behind us). We all work for a bit, then keep taking pulls but ease up, waiting. 4 long laps to go it heats up and the attacks begin. I had 3 teammates in the break, so I went with the first move just to sit on. Reeled in. At the bell, I'm near the front, a guy jumps and I follow. No one chases, I pull through, corner one, now the group is chasing. They catch up but I just keep going, hoping to make others chase and get some teammates to the line fresh. They let me go again, then mattm comes by with 2 on his wheel including a teammate of mine that I don't know. I jump on, but I'm cooked and I don't pull through - a bit too early to give the leadout. But a guy from the main break came flying by and mattm went early and I had nothing and neither did my teammate. Fudgy came powering past just before the line, and we got 5th and 6th.

43 minute break 287/307 AP/NP
Final 11 minutes 1.16 IF. No wonder I had nothing left for the sprint!

Won the Early Bird crit today!

Will post video soon.

Congrats Mattm. Great racing aaronmcd.

congrats on the good results matt, fudgy, and aaron

Thanks dudes.

Also, @Ygduf gets a shout out for not chasing me down at the end, and also getting a selfie during the race!!

Very well done guys. Look forward to the video!