Timpani Crit- Chris Scheetz - 45+

Race - Timpani Crit
Course - 0.9 miles per lap, course is four corners and flat, on good, clean pavement.
Temperature - Mid 70's
Wind - light
Category - Masters 45/55 (staggered start)
Primes - None

Race started at a very reasonable 12:50pm. As noted, this was to be a combined race for both masters 45 and 55 racers with a staggered start. I was in the first wave of 51 riders for the 45's, there were 16 at the line for the 55's. The course was just short of 1 mile in length, so we had four good straights to move around, and the peloton really did.

We were only into the second lap and heading into turn one in a tight formation when a couple riders in front of me crossed wheels and hit the deck, hard, the sound is kinda sickening. There was the typical mayhem that follows a crash, riders taking evasive actions, I had to lock em' up and swing hard left to avoided a few riders. (Just before the race began, I clearly heard the race director say, "do not become complacent on an otherwise easy course"). Anyway, the race moved on for another couple laps and I made an early 5 man brake. As we rounded turn 4 heading for the start/finish I looked up and saw the race directors in the middle of the road, waving flags. They brought the entire peloton to a stop. Emergency vehicles had entered the course to assist one of the riders who crashed on lap two. (My wife and kids were on the corner when it happened and told me the word was they guy damaged his hip).

With emergency vehicles on course, were proceeded at a neutral pace for two laps. When the course was clear, the directors stopped us again, gave us some instructions and the race was on again. This time, the peloton had grown due to the inclusion of the Masters 55 group. With a larger group now and more teams, team tactics were clear. There was rarely time to recover in the group as one team after another launched attacks. The group would ultimately respond and chase them down, then another team would launch.

With two laps to go, the pressure was increased and the peloton really got strung out. I started working the inside line (not always the safest place to be on a corner) but knew I could improve my position after each corner. The strategy did work and as we came into turn three, I actually had a better than average line (meaning I did not have to go in the gutter), shot out and passed several riders. At that point, there was not much change in positioning as we made turn four. From there, it was a drag race to the line, some 250 meters. At that point I got tunnel vision and made it my race to beat the one guy in front of me, which I did my a slight margin.

All said, I finished 6th in my category, time on course was 50 minutes (included two neutral laps) averaging 24 mph.