Menlo Park GP-written by Keith S. (P/1/2 Race Report)

Menlo Park GP p/1/2
Sat. 4/23/11

I retired from M35+ racing last week after Santa Cruz crit was way too short and easy.
I decided to do p/1/2 field today at Menlo Park crit - flat 60 min. short and very easy reintroduction to p/1/2 racing.
Beforehand, I watched Brianne coast in the women's small pack and try 6 different moves/attacks in the race unsuccessfully and she sat up on the final lap without sprinting to avoid some of the local squirrely riders that are still left over in the mix at the end of non-selective races. It wasn't a race made for her.
I do flat lunchtime crits all of the time though, so I'm okay with that stuff mostly.

We had a good field of about 60 riders or more. There were some good guys out there, current pros, former pros, guys that have won lots of races, current US elite national crit champion, yada yada yada. Without teammates, I just go into mercinary mode. Follow strong guys if I see them and try to follow a train at the end. Get lucky if possible.
The race was fast, but easy. Pack was easy to move around. I tried a few breakaway attempts by sitting on the wheels of the national champ and a norcal pro rider that has won lots of races this year. Since there were about 4 teams there with multiple riders, there was the chance of something sticking. There was also the chance of getting in a longer break and collecting a prime sprint or two. I just missed out on a $100 prime and it was taken away by Logan Loader that got 2nd today (I'm surprised that he didn't win). There was a nice crash caused by a Metromint rider trying to pass the pack along some cones and really bad pavement that we passed every lap. It was a dumb move that took down several guys at speed on the flat. I think that rider should get downgraded for that one. I'd sign that petition.
As the laps wound down, I gradually moved up near the front and tried to maneuver through the ebb and flow of the pack without getting swarmed too much. Surprisingly on the last lap, I was easily sitting in the top 20, but didn't make that final dagger move on the backside to top 10. With 4 right angle turns (left, left, left, right) after the long straight, not many positions changed once we hit the turns. The guy in front of me had a little mechanical in the last turn and instead of exploding for top 10, we floated to 12 and 14th place.

So, I have finished 14th in M35+ circuit race, 14th in M35+ crit, and now 14th in p/1/2 crit. Seems that I need to find a race that will pay 14 places (or more) deep soon. They only paid 10 deep today.