Category 3: 45 minutes
Our Team: Aaron, Carmi, Dino, Ken, Murat and myself
The plan was to race aggressively starting about 15 minutes into the 45 minute crit. I was to sit in and wait for the finish and go for either the win or the field sprint (if we had guys in a break). Plans sorta flew out of the window. We did race very aggressively though.
Murat was the first gun and was off to grab the 1st of 12 primes....and then the 2nd also! After a few more primes and attacks, I decided to try and get a small break going just after one of the prime laps. I attacked hard and ended up solo...no one joined (they all know I'm not the kind of guy that will stay out alone for long). Our boys took over the front and allowed me to get a pretty nice gap for a few laps. Just when I decided to start soft pedaling and get swallowed up they rang the prime bell, so I toughed it out for one more lap. As soon as I was back in the pack, Murat countered perfectly ... one guy bridged it. They stayed out there for bit. The rest of the race was pretty much just like that...Active Athlete/Squadra Ovest attack, back together, AA/SO attack, back...etc...with a few other teams attacking also.
We were all in pretty good position for the bell lap. Coming into the final turn I was sitting 3rd wheel...coming out of the turn the guys that were on my wheel were now on my left and right and I knew that if I didn't go now, I'd get swarmed, so that was the start of the sprint. I found myself slightly boxed in (2 guys in front of me, one to my right and the curb on the left)...just then the 2 guys in front of me moved just enough apart for me to shoot through and it was just me and the finish line...I went hard and didn't let up until after I crossed the line (there was no way I was going to let myself get nipped at the line).
Pretty killer. They had a most-aggressive rider prize and we're all pretty shocked that Murat didn't earn it, he should have.
Dino landed in the top 10 as well, with an 8th place finish.
Our results are starting to look impressive: Active Athlete / Squadra Ovest Results
Here's a shot of the course. The start/finish line was right by the 2nd Y in "Mercury Way." We raced clockwise.
Posts
4 comments:
Sweet job DUDE!!!
DUDE! That is so f-in suh-WEET! Congratulations a thousand times over; a Cat 3 win out there is like a Cat 1—make that a Cat 0—win out here! Score!
P.S. I swear I'm going to email you back soon. Been really busy getting done with that pesky college degree crap. Oh, and if you find a way to mount on the stem, let me know too because I have no clue, bar constructing or finding a special mount to do so!
Thanks guys! I'm looking forward to seeing you guys during Superweek and the Chi-Crit.
Congrats!
Don't come back here with that form, until you upgrade... kthxbai!
Post a Comment