In the Cat IV road race....it was better than I thought it would be. I like these type of races..... I ended up around 12th or so... The race was taken by an old NCCC'er, Jason Tatum. He won by going solo for 3 laps. The chase behind was disturbed by a some light interference from his Juris teammates (done very tastefully in my opinion). The two other big things that helped him was a general apathy from the field and two field neutralizations in the 3rd/4th lap. We passed the masters, then they passed us. That probably took all the air out of the chase. I helped a little on the chase, but honestly, I did not go full on because my main concern (being a team of one) was to finish with the field...not bury myself and get dropped. It was better to vie for 2nd then to give it all up. I wish I was more fit....
So I broke the steak of OTB's this year. We have a TT tonight (4miles) and a crit tomorrow.
As for the TT last night, I had an okay showing posting a 9:44 for the 4 miles. I really faded at the end....that was good for 22nd / 30. Jason Tatum took it with an impressive 8:26. He was motoring. Dur (sans TT bike) was outgunned by his competition who rolled out with jaw-dropping TT rig. As Dur said....it was only one point....
For the Cat4 crit, I had a teammate in Brian Russell. The crit featured some attacks from the gun and I bridged up to one (2 guys) in the first half of the race. We worked together 5-10 sec. off the front for 3-4 laps. A bit later (or before, who knows), Brian jumped with a guy up toward another break and got tangled up in him when his rear tire blew on one of the corners. He chased back on. We both generally stayed near the front for most of the race. At 30 minutes (or so?) a group of six (including Tatum) got up the road. The group was motoring along and some thing happenned and 3 of them crashed in turn one. The bodies and bikes impeded the pack. I don't know how I missed that there was still 3 up the road....I was one of the first through the carnage. Anyway, we were racing for 4th at that point and I didn't even know it. At the end, I was in good position the last few laps...including 7 or so in the last turn, but alas, I am not much of a sprinter and I receeded to 18th in the sprint to take a lacklusted 21st. Brian was a few places behind me. (Brian lined up for the 50 minute masters crit immediately after ours....sick, sick, sick.)
The crit course is the 3 year running. It is nice fast and generally safe course. There was at least 3 crashes that I saw out there. I am not sure what the deal was with that. The course featured a few false flats and is exposed to the wind (which was fairly calm for us). The worst part for me was the heat....and it wasn't very hot yet. The races at high noon and in the afternoon....I don't even them.
The Cat4 ominium went to Jason obviousely. I don't know if he won the crit for the sweep, but the other two wins locked it down. We need to get him back.... Wink Tri-Star is showing some good organization out there. They race pretty clean and never "negative". They have the numbers and the strength and one brick-house in Jason. Everyone else was pretty disorganized including the two local teams (Bikes+/MMW and Backyard) who brought the numbers for their local races.
Despite the lack of pointable results, this weekend showed me that I am on the right track. I *will* have a better year this year.