Team Spark Roster: (great showing)
Duane A Young-Kershaw
Peter Pereira
Chris Lake
Kevin Sullivan
Dave Beauchesne
Doug Veilleux
Frank Petrulli
Weather: Brrrrrr, more like cross weather: Sunny with 8-10mph winds (usually not a factor as charge is in Myles Satadish and surrounded by trees) 34 degrees.
The Course:
1.3 Mile circuit, The course runs counter clockwise with the start/finish at the top of a 250m 2% hill. There are some rolling hills (nothing major in the back).
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| Charge Pond Course |
The Race: (From my perspective)
Kevin, Chris, and I arrived around 0900 for a 1000 start, we we're all pre reg'd so we got our numbers and pinned them on, staying in the car as it was a bit nippy out. We finally ventured out to warm up on the course (Chris and I have done this race before). There was a little wind on the backside of the course but not too bad as the trees blocked most of it. After a few laps we went back to the car and met up with Pete, Dave, Doug and Frank, took Bio break then headed to e start line. The race started on time with about 45 riders lining up, I noticed more than a few guys that I had raced and ridden with in the past, two of which are super strong cat 3's ( this is a B race typically with 3's, 4's, & 5's.), but with the need for miles at a premium some guys choose to do both races. The race started on time and was to be an hr long, the first lap as usual is typically a "get comfortable" lap with things heating up after that. My objective in a training race is to work my ass off and get some fast intensity in, my other objective in the race is to stay in the top 10 ALL THE TIME! This allows you to see whats going on and typically stay out of trouble as crashes tend to happen from the middle to back. At about the 4th or 5th lap things heated up with Dave Warner from Green Line Velo attacked, while it was early in the race I knew Dave could get and stay away. I was near the front so when another guy from Bolocco jumped to chase I went with him, with both of us working we caught Dave in about a half lap, I was smoked! This early in the season the training lacks intensity and I felt it. Our little foray didn't las long as the pack caught us, no doubt by the work of Bart Lipinski, a monster from Blue Hills, he's strong and does more than his share of work.
Being caught I went back to Pete and Chris to recover, I was surprised to see that the field was cut in more than half by the attacks and chasing. I'm sure the other guys from the team we're disappointed to find themselves there but with it being a 3,4,5, field this is not unusual. The thing to remember is that this race is not typical of cat 5 races during the season. The race continued for the next few laps with some minor attacks that were not successful........until.......Warner attacked again with about 10 laps to go. I was a little far back to respond to the chase again by the Bollocco guy.....opportunity missed. The break was about 10-15 sec off the front with little happening to chase. Bart Lipinski and I made several attempts to organize a chase but there are guys who show up to race and those who show up to suck wheel.....seems there were many of those. Pete, Chris, and I took our turns in an attempt to catch the break but it wasn't happening. With two laps to go the pack knew we we're racing for 3rd so things settled down. Of course this is when all the guys who sat on their asses like to come up so holding position is key. I went from 3rd position to about 8th then to 10th. (need to work on holding position). Coming down the hill into the turn I was on the inside, not ideal as there is a good spot of sand on the corner. Well......murphy's law prevailed and I hit the sand spot and fishtailed, I managed to stay up and start the uphill spring about 10th back in the field. The sprint went well i managed to pass about 6 guys and finish about 4th in the sprint so 5th or 6th overall (results pending).
Lessons:
Position Position Position! We should have worked together earlier (as a team) to chase the break.
Overall a great morning on the bike, good to get back in the groove so early in the season.
Coming up: Trooper Brinkhoff Mem road race (Coxsackie NY) Sat & Bethel crit on Sunday
Feel free to add individual race reports or comments.
Duane
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