Upgrades

I officially got my Cat 3 upgrade today, and as someone with a tendency to over-analyze, I couldn't help but prepare this excessive post.

Here is a chart of my finishing position (yellow), points available (orange), points earned (green) and field size (in grey). [Only considering 4 or 4/5 races, no Masters results.]



After coming close to the points in 2009, I figured that in 2010, I'd be able to upgrade to Cat 3. My confidence was high.

But then 2010 came, and I finished far out of the upgrade points at every race, until my last RR at Tek Park gave me a glimmer of hope, maybe it would be possible in 2011.



Collegiate season was great, managed some top 10s in the Bs, the PSU Black Mo' RR course was climb-tastic, and I carried my Battenkill motivation through into the road season. I hit the Tek Park race overconfident, but then a surprise 3rd on the flat Smoketown Crit. Next weekend was a second at Oxford, and I knew it was close.



Yes, I did say it was excessive.

New Bethlehem Criterium 2011 race report

(photos and videos coming...)

Because this race is so close to home, we usually get a good turnout from Lamprey. Frank did the morning Cat 5 race, netting a solid 3rd place, barely missing second by inches in the field sprint. The winner was gone solo.

In the Cat 4 race, we had Jeff, Roland, George, David, and myself. Jeff was interested in trying to make a break happen, and I would do what I could to help him out for as long as possible.

While warming up, Roland's BB came loose, and so he had to do an emergency bike switch with his wife's. Surprisingly, her bike actually fit him somewhat decently.

Good thing we had Roland back! For the first half of the race he did a bunch of work at the front, chasing down early moves. The field was pretty active, and there were constantly small groups trying to get away, but even more interest in chasing them all down. I waited until we were about half way through the race, hoping that the early activity would wear down the eagerness to chase somewhat, and people would start thinking about saving themselves for the finish. With 12 to go, there was a group of 2 that had been off the front for a few laps, but were now steadily drifting back to the field. Coming off the short hill from turn 3, I accelerated up the left side of the field where Jeff would be able to see me. Brandon came with us, and one other rider. I went hard for a short pull, hoping that I wasn't just dragging the field along, but not wanting to look back. With lots of attacks early in the race, and going right after a fast lap, seemed like good timing.

We caught and passed the group of 2 on the front straight, I looked back quickly to make sure we had a gap, and fortunately we were moving along pretty well. The fourth guy popped off pretty quickly, and then the three of us started a good rotation. I was glad to have Brandon up there as well, as he really helped out for a few laps. We kept the pace up, and had a pretty good rotation going, with Jeff doing the bulk of the work.

I finally popped off with about 6 laps left, leaving Jeff on his own. I drifted back into the field, and started recovering when POP, my real tire punctured before turn 4, with 4 laps left. Because the pit closed at 5 to go, I was officially out and DNF.

Jeff held on solo and took the win.

Back in the field, Roland was doing a great job controlling the field. David got a bee in his helmet, taking him out prematurely.

We finished over 5 minutes faster this year compared to last year for the same number of laps. That's more then 10% faster. Lots of attacks, and good racing.

New Bethlehem Criterium Cat 4 from Bikelink on Vimeo.

13:05 - "I like how Lamprey's kit has asset recovery..."

21:50 - Jeff has a drogue 'chute

25:35 - strong attack, group goes, and Jeff chases

26:50 - I go, not a clean break, but 4 of us get away

28:55 - Roland moves up to the front to patrol the field

30:10 - we have 12 seconds

33:20 - Roland on the front and Brandon comes back, we're just out of sight

38:00 - I drift back, fried

38:40 - Immediately flat, before I can reintegrate

44:10 - someone takes a solo flyer with 1.5 to go, gets a big gap quickly

46:06 - caught one lap later

46:40 - Breakaway bikes rider takes field sprint for 2nd with an awesome acceleration

Thanks to BikeLink for the video.

Always a fun race.

Mt. Nebo race report 2011

I had some high expectations for this race, which means based on my record so far this season, I'd probably not do so well. It didn't help that at 5 am I wake up to thunderstorms, and this on the radar:



Despite leaving extra early for the race, and giving myself more then an hour and half, I missed my turn and almost ended up in Maryland before realizing my mistake. Just getting to the race became the challenge.

Fortunately made it just in time, plus the skies were clearing up a little, and the roads were dry.

The first time up the finishing climb, I went to the front to push the pace a little. I wanted to try and keep the tempo up, and hopefully get to the final climb in a smaller group.



The hills took their toll, and by the time we came around on lap 2, the front of the field was down to 10-12 riders.



The finish was to be decided in a drag race up the final climb. I realized very quickly that I wasn't going to be able to go with the leaders, and I needed to make sure that I didn't blow up before the top. Mostly, I really wanted the last two points I needed for a Cat 3 upgrade (which meant 6th or better), so I was counting spots and trying to hold my position. Not that it would have made much of a difference, I was at my limit.



Rolled across for 5th, I really like the Mt. Nebo course, it is challenging and fun.



Thanks to Julie Elliot for the photos.

Mount Joy Road Race 2011 3/4 #@*&$!

Wow. That was a mess. No, that was worse. If you found this post because you did the race, then you know exactly what I'm trying to say.

It should have been a good race, we started off with all the right ingredients. Nice rolling course, 50+ entries in the 3/4 field, perfect weather, and several teams with good representation.

And it did start off well enough. We rolled off relatively slowly, there were a few solo moves that dangled off the front for a while, but no hard racing. I rotated through for one pull to keep things rolling, and found myself dangling off the front as well, not what I intended.

At one point the moto ref came up to us and told us that another field was 40 seconds behind us and we'd better get a move on. Shortly after that, a group went to the front and really started hammering it, the field was really strung out and it felt like the race was going to start splitting up. But right then, we get pulled over and stopped by the moto ref, we were going to have to let the Elite (or Masters?) field go by. As far as I could tell, we were all together at that point, except maybe one solo guy, but the moto ref was trying to send off small groups and everyone seemed confused. Some guys got really pissed and started swearing at the moto ref. I figured, no big deal, we'll probably all end up back together anyway, and maybe this would shake things up and spark some harder racing. Besides, I think we had another 3.5 laps to go at this point, plenty of race left to sort things out. We weren't helping the situation by riding like it was a parade. However, I don't think starting the Masters 45+ only 2 minutes after the 3/4 was good scheduling.

But then, on the next lap, we get advised that we would see 1 to go on our next time through the S/F. So we're coming around towards the end of the final lap, and the pace is ramping up, when we suddenly find ourselves mingling with a group of Elite (or Masters?) racers. Their race had really broken up, and there seemed to be several groups on the course. There was a lot of confusion, as they thought we had at least another lap to go, and it wasn't clear who should get out of who's way. As soon as they realized that we were (trying) to finish, they let us on through.

Then, the finish. I was sitting somewhere in about the top 10, in good position, on the left side of the field just inside the double yellow line. It was a good spot to be, as I knew I'd have a clear shot with my sprint as soon as the road opened up, and I decided the timing was right. However, as we crest the overpass, some F&M rider (not sure who, it wasn't Drew) swung left, yelling at me that we had the whole road and I should get out of his way. He locked bars with me and almost took both of us down. This was completely idiotic, if he was boxed in at that point, then he waited too long to get a good position. My positioning was intentional, I was riding a straight line, and his move was dangerous. This guy was really hot-headed and I talked to another racer that had him picked out as a flaky rider.

Anyway, now the sprint is starting in earnest, but we're coming up to the finish along side a pace car, and it was getting really crowded, and even more dangerous, very quickly. The finish was a blur, I was trying to steer clear of the pace car, other riders, and there were a lot of speed discrepancies between the pace car, some guys sprinting, and some guys sitting up because of the situation. I was actually braking as I came across the finish line. It was incredibly dangerous.

Normally a 10th place in a 3/4 would be a good result for me, but not today. Kudos to all those smart and level headed enough to skip out on the sprint. That was wise.

Brandon fared slightly worse, he ended up with a rear derailleur in his front wheel, shredding up 4 spokes and really messing up his wheel. Fortunately he stayed upright. I can't believe that there weren't any severe wrecks.

I don't mind not getting a good result, as long as the racing was good, meaning: fast and safe. But to have the race shortened, and then choas at the finish line, was very unsatisfying. I think that it would have better to neutralize us a second time, then to have us finish a lap early, and trying to sprint in a zoo.

I'm sure that the organizers and officials got more then an ear full from a field of unhappy 3/4 racers. From what a very level-headed Pure Energy rider told me, the officials were very apologetic. They blamed it on a miss-communication due to poor radios.

Oh well, Mt Nebo is next weekend, and that's a race that will break up.

**UPDATE: Found some pictures and a post that show what happened with a little more clarity.

See this post for a clear explanation of the sequence of events that led up to this finish.

And his excellent photos document the convergence of the 3 fields on the finish line simultaneously.

And another photographer got the finish from the other side of the road.