2013 "Calm Winds" (Crosswinds) Classic

     This will be a very short race report as there just isn't much to talk about. As indicated by the title of this post, the wind was relatively calm on the morning of February 23rd, which allowed most every category to stay together for a mass sprint finish. A great day for the sprinters, but a very frustrating day for someone like Evan who needs to separate himself from the masses to avoid the mass sprint scenario. Evan raced the Cat 3 race and attacked no less than 25 times, trying in vain to establish a small breakaway. His last attack was with about two miles to the finish and he was caught with only 1 kilometer to go, thus nailing his coffin shut for a decent placing. I have told Evan that saving himself for the sprint so he can get a top ten placing is not how he should think! I have encouraged him to risk it all with late attacks where he will either win, or get last place. Go "all in" and take all the chips or lose it all! He has embraced that philosophy enthusiastically and is learning how to exploit his strengths better in every race.

 A beautiful but chilly Arkansas morning!

     In the Pro 1,2 race, there was the typical flurry of attacks very early, all of which were marked and brought back. Finally, Zack Lavernge put in a very well timed attack that saw everyone just sit, waiting on someone else to cover the move. Zack got a nice gap and put his head down and it was apparent he was totally committed to his escape. I have to admit that I was marking the guy I thought was one of the strongest in the race and that was Trevor Johnson. Trevor seemed to be just following wheels and never really tried to bridge to the developing move. Finally a Marx and Bensdorf rider (the eventual winner) accelerated away and eventually bridged across to Zack. There were several attempts by multiple riders during the next lap to separate from the field but everything was marked and brought back, which was ensuring the success of the lead break. Without any organization in the field, Zack and the Memphis rider built a lead of three minutes as the field was racing very negatively, which can be expected in such a small group (only 15 in our race).
     Finally, in the cross/headwind on the south end of the course, I was able to get some separation from the field and built a 30 second lead very quickly. I knew I would have no chance of bridging across the gap solo so I just tried to maintain the 30 second gap waiting on another rider to break the elastic and get up to me. Eventually, three other riders made it up to me and we began working together to further distance ourselves from the now desperate and panicked field. Unfortunately, one of the four riders in our group was Zack's teammate and the other was the teammate of the Memphis rider. Those two guys did their share of the work to keep us away from the chase, but they were not interested in putting in the kind of chase that would have been necessary to bring back the leaders, thus insuring the success of the early morning move! Zack made a great move early in the race, then had the legs to back it up by staying away for 65 miles with only one other guy for a much deserved 2nd place finish. I ended up sprinting against my three other breakaway companions for 3rd place which was a one place improvement over my 4th place in last year's edition. At this rate, maybe I'll win it when I'm 52! Ha! Thanks for reading.

2013 Iris Stagner Stage Race, Mineral Wells , Texas

     Friday, February 15th started out similar to most race weekends with a mad scramble to get everything packed in the RV, and then get in some "leg openers" before departure so that the legs are not "blocked" the next day when the race starts. Inevitably there are also work related issues that need to be addressed, along with other "must do" chores that have to be completed before we get out of town. With everything on the "to do" list, it is a wonder we ever make it to the race with everything we intended to bring... oh yeah, we NEVER  make it to a race with everything we intended to bring! On this particular trip, I may have set the bar for "most critical gear forgotten" in my rather long history of bike racing. I think the only way it could have been worse would have been if I forgot my bike! I pack two bags when I head out for a race weekend, one for my regular cloths and a large back pack with all of my cycling gear, cloths, helmet, shoes, etc... Two hours out of town as we were rolling through Texarkana on our way to Mineral Wells, it dawned on me.... I had left my back pack in my closet with freakin everything I needed to race a bicycle. After I stopped cursing, we began to frantically call everyone we knew from Little Rock that was coming down for the race. We got lucky and the Lavergnes had not yet left town. They graciously agreed to go by my house and grab my stuff. Disaster averted!

Major crosswinds in the road race Sunday!

     JD and Evan were both along for the trip and we all took our familiar places on the RV for the trip to Texas. Amazing how comfortable we have gotten with our respective responsibilities on these trips. Everyone knows their job and with very few words exchanged we can load and unload, fill water tanks and gas tanks, put away groceries, and perform the myriad of task necessary to roll a 40' RV down the road. The road trips themselves are as memorable as the races, and all of them have their "memorable" moments, although some we would just as soon forget!
     The Iris Stagner Stage Race in Mineral Wells is a race that was on the official race calendar for the Slipstream Craddock Junior Development Team for the Cat 2 members of that team. Since Evan is still a Cat 3, he would be racing with no other teammates in the Cat 3 event, but he would be receiving support from his Team Director, Christian Williams. JD and I both registered for the Masters 40+ race, as did 8 of our teammates! I ended up deciding to switch categories and race the Pro 1 event in order to reduce our already overwhelming numbers in the Masters race as well as to test my fitness against the best in this early part of the season.
     The race had a crit and Time Trial on Saturday and a road race on Sunday. When we woke up Saturday morning for the crits, it was 26 degrees! Evan's crit was first at 7:30 and mine would start at 8:30. While we were crit racing JD would be racing the Masters Time Trial about 4 miles away from where we were parked at the crit course in downtown Mineral Wells. The crit course was very rough with one particularly bad corner coming into the finish straight. There were a few crashes in Evan's race, and a lot more as the day progressed. I would speculate that there were more crashes per racing lap that day than in any other crit in the state the entire year previous, and that is saying a lot given that the course was dry. Evan ended up flatting, but he was able to get a free lap, and get back into the group and finish a respectable 12th place in a field of over 50 guys. He is becoming more aware of his need to attack before the last lap in crits in order to have a shot at the podium. He has a big motor, but at this young age, he still does not have the kind of sprint he will develop later. I on the other hand have the exact opposite physiology, a relatively small motor where I have to follow stronger riders, but a decent burst of power towards the end of a race that can sometimes produce a result if I make a string of good decisions in the race by following the right wheels. This particular crit ended up having a lead break of six guys that resulted more from attrition than from attacks. The course was just hard enough, and sketchy enough, to reduce the numbers throughout the race. I ended up winning a small field sprint for 2nd Place which was a very good result for me at this stage of my racing career. When one of the guys asked me how old I was at the end of the race, he was rather disgusted to have been beat by a 50 year old! I have to admit I took great pleasure in his reaction.
     After the crit, it was time to get ready for the TT. The course was about 7.5 miles long with some rolling hills with the last hill being about a one mile long climb. The course suited Evan very well and he was confident he would do well. I, on the other hand, with my smaller motor, was nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs, knowing I would lose my 2nd place spot in the overall or GC (General Classification). JD had ridden a very good TT earlier that morning for 8th place in the Masters 40+ . He has trained very hard this year and deserved the result. Evan's start time was about 30 minutes before mine so he hopped on his TT bike to ride the 4 miles to the start of the TT. He had not gone 500 yards before slamming into the back of a van while he was looking at the crit going on parellel to the road on which he was riding. He hit very hard and went down. Amazingly, he was relatively unhurt other than a scrape and a bruise, and his bike also escaped with no damage. He was lucky, but very emabarrassed!
     I later rode to my start and had no such mishap, however, about three minutes before my start my skinsuit zipper blew out like the hulk when he turns green. I was able to quickly borrow some safety pins to close the front of the skin suit just in time to roll up to the start. I felt decent during the effort but my time was only good for 12th place in the TT, a result in which I was not terribly disappointed considering the competition.
     When the Cat 3 times were posted Evan had gotten 1st Place and had beaten 2nd place by 30 seconds, a huge margin in a relatively short TT. His time would have placed him 3rd in the Pro 1 TT, which made it that much more impressive. While he was confident of his chances before the race, I don't think he knew he would crush it the way he did. The Time Trial is often referred to the race of truth, as more often than not, the winner is the strongest man in the race. I was so happy for Evan because he has worked so hard this winter training, and this result was his just reward. Needless to say, he got quite a bit of attention as his result was impressive, especially for a 16 year old racing against grown men. Dad was extremely proud, in spite of having been beat by son by an entire minute over the 7.5 mile course!
      That afternoon, JD would race his crit and be a victim of the carnage that defined the day. He crashed twice, yet still managed a decent result in the race by placing just outside the top 10. His wounds were relatively minor but the impact took its toll on him the next day in the road race. He made the lead break but ran out of steam coming off the lead break, but still managing a 7th place. Evan flatted in the road race and never got back in the field, so his GC result was not great. He was happy with his TT, however, so all was not lost. I also made the lead break in my road race and held on for a 4th place result which propelled me back up into 4th place GC. A result that frankly far exceeded my expectations for the weekend.
     The trip home was uneventful with all of us reflecting upon what could have been. Probably the exact same conversation being had by virtually every participant in the race, other than all the winners. It's probably what keeps us all coming back, the hopes and dreams of improving one's lot. If I can just get a little faster! Ha, I love it. Thanks for reading!

Another Year, Another Race... 2013 Tour of New Braunfels

Pre Race Meal in New Braunfels, Texas

     On Friday, February 1, 2013, Evan and I loaded up our bikes in our travel cases for the trip to San Antonio, Tx. Southwest airlines is the only way to fly when you have bikes in tow as they only charge $50 for the travel case verses $150 on every other airline. Traveling on commercial airlines works great when the flights are on time and there aren't any mechanical issues or other inconvenient delays. We got lucky and arrived in San Antonio on time. We threw our gear in the rental car and headed to dinner, then the hotel for a good night's sleep.

     The next morning was bright and sunny and would eventually warm up to nearly 80 degrees! Awesome weather for the first race of the season. This would be Evan's first race with his new team, Slipstream Craddock Junior Development. He would be racing in the Category 3 race against men twice his age and everything in between. As his race started at 11:30 I would have the luxury of getting to watch him compete in the hour long circuit race around a 2.5 circuit. The Cat 3 race was full as they had reached the 75 rider limit imposed by the race organizer. That means the racing would be hard and fast from the gun. It was so fun watching Evan and his teammates race super aggressively, always at the pointy end of affairs. Evan got in a couple of break aways but the field was not letting anything go on a course that really was not technical at all, and therefore not conducive to any small groups slipping off the front. When the bell lap arrived, Evan must have been cleaning his ears because he did not hear the bell and had no clue it was last lap! Imagine his confusion when the pace quickened and guys start throwing their hands in the air. Needless to say, he was not happy. I told him I had made the same mistake one year at Joe Martin.... and I never have made the same mistake again, and my guess is that neither will he!

The start of the Men's Cat 3 Circuit Race

     My race was at 1:30 that afternoon and I lined up with just over 50 (40+) guys. It was a little strange racing with so many guys and not knowing who any of them were, so I really did not know who to watch. I ended up going with almost every break, all of which got brought back. Can you say colossal waste of energy? I paid for the wasted efforts by getting passed 30 meters before the line by two guys for a 3rd place finish in a race I really thought I could win. Another lesson learned about the need to race somewhat conservatively, even when you feel really good in the race. Another slice of humble pie!

     The next day was the road race which was two laps around a 30 mile course. Evan's race started about 10 minutes before mine so I would not be able to watch his finish but watching road races as a spectator leaves a lot to be desired unless you have TV coverage and have Phil and Paul commenting on the dynamics of the race. Evan put in an all out attack with only 6 miles left in his race and if not for an all out organized chase by several of his competitors he would have stayed away. Unfortunately, he was caught only one mile from the finish. He made an incredibly brave move very close to the finish and was almost rewarded for his bold effort. He came away from the race with a good feel for where he is fitness wise, as well as how he stacks up against his competitors. I think he left the race with some added self confidence that he will be vey competitive this year. He also had the awesome experience of racing with teammates that are loyal to one another and prepared to sacrifice their own chances for the good of the team. All very valuable lessons learned.

     Ironically, I attacked late in my race also. There were close to 60 guys that started my race that day and there was a flurry of attacks on a windy section of the course about 15 miles from the finish. After every attack was almost immediately neutralized, I went with all I had at a time I thought everyone would be gassed. I was glad to see one other guy on my wheel as we accelerated away from the field. About 5 miles later our lead had been whittled back down to only a couple hundred meters. Toward the top of a small rise we sat up as if we were giving up, but once over the top and out of sight of the peloton I accelerated again down the back side and very quickly had another nice gap back to the chasing field. With about one mile left to race it was still debatable as to whether we would be caught. As we came around the last curve to the base of a half mile climb to the finish, I felt we would make it. As we began the climb, my breakaway companion slipped off my wheel. I put my head down intent to make it to the line without getting swarmed by the now charging peloton. I won by 300 meters and felt really good knowing I won the race in a manner in which I am not to familiar... solo and off the front. There is a certain satisfaction when a big risk, like attacking with 15 miles to go, is rewarded with a win. Unfortunately, my breakaway companion got swarmed just before the finish.

     After the race Evan and I had to quickly get our bikes packed up and go straight to the airport to catch the last flight back home. Fortunately we made the flight and got home as scheduled. It was a great way to start off the year made extra special by the shared experience with Evan and by seeing him gel with his new team. Thanks for reading!