JP's Morgan Hill Crit race report

John Pauley Race Report:
I will try to keep this short, because it is late on Monday night and I need some sleep.

I am planning on racing the Topsport Stage Race next weekend, and after having a bad case of bronchitis in March/April I have been concerned I would not be able to get in shape for a stage race that has a 63 mile road race, a 75 minute circuit race on rolling terrain and a 10 mile TT over two days. Last weekend I was feeling pretty good, so I rode 72 miles on Saturday including the Pen Velo and the Sectrum rides (although I got dropped about 15 miles in the Spectrum ride) and 35 miles on Sunday. Not bad, but I was still a bit concerned.

This weekend was my wife's "girl’s weekend" in Palm Springs, so I had all the time I wanted to ride my bike.

I wanted to do what I could to train this weekend in a way that would be similar to next week’s race. Saturday I did the Pen Velo ride and then turned around at Page Mill and joined the Spectrum ride at Arastradero and Alpine. For the first time in a couple of years, I was able to complete the entire Spectrum ride after doing the Pen Velo ride. With my confidence high, I decided to continue riding and ended up at just over 81 miles for the day, with over 50 of it at group speed. I followed up with a 35 mile ride including Pen Velo on Sunday. Still feeling great, and recovering well, I decided to do the Memorial Day Crit in Morgan Hill on Monday. All told, I rode over 170 miles this 3 day weekend which is one of my biggest 3 days in years (I was feeling pretty good about myself until I realized that Laura could do that in her sleep. Can't wait to read her ride report for this past weekend). Here is that multi-race report:

What: Memorial Day Crit
Where: Morgan Hill
Course: three right turns and one long sweeping right turn. Turns one and four were 90 degrees and turn two was slightly sharper than 90 degrees.

Race 1: Masters 45+ 3/4 (combined with 35+ 3/4) 100 riders
Finish: 30th overall, 2nd place in the 45+ 4's
I don’t have much to say about these races as I did them for leg speed training and to be certain I could do two races in a day. I sat in the back ¼ of the pack for most of the race and did an “accordion” workout. (That’s where you sit near the back of a pack and deal with the massive changes of speed to gauge recovery times, leg speed, cornering with the guys that aren’t too confident, etc.)
This was a 40 minute race on a flat, wide, safe course. We averaged 25 mph with a considerable number surges (a low of 17 through turn two and a high of 31 on the back straight). The only place on the course where we slowed every lap was turn 2, it was sharper and narrower than the rest of the course and many of the riders didn't seem to know how to hold a line and pedal at the same time through a turn. I enjoyed the race and felt like I could move up, but the front of the race did not seem too safe. Christian was also in this race and he rode very well, especially considering he rode the Mt. Hamilton race the day before, he was the one that told me the front of the race was pretty sketchy, but I’ll let him give his side of the story. I was happy with my top 30 placing considering I didn’t do much work the entire race and I didn’t sprint until I saw Christian go flying past me with 200 yards to go. I grabbed his wheel and finished about a bike length behind him.

Race 2: Masters 45+ 1/2/3/4 77 riders
Finish: 56th overall, 4th place in the 4's
I almost didn’t do this race, but when I found out it was only $10, I had to at least give it a shot. It was the same race as above but, 45 minutes in length. Turn two was considerably faster than the previous race, there were more attacks, and we averaged almost 27 mph! Oddly enough, even though crits scare me, I was much more comfortable in this race. I sat in the back half of the pack (but closer to the middle, than last race) for most of the ride, but I was able to move around in the pack with much more ease and I was actually less tired racing this category than the previous due to the consistency of speed through the turns and the constant attacks which kept the speed high throughout the race. At one point, with about 7 or 8 laps to go, I moved up to about 15th and considered following the next break. I didn’t do it, because I was concerned I might get dropped after we got caught. In hindsight, I wish I would have tried. It would be good to know if I can recover from and effort like that. Oh well, live and learn.

I had fun racing again now I am much more confident that I will be able to do three races in two days next weekend. This week will be a recovery week with only two days of easy spins as I taper for next Saturday. If I don’t see you up in Copperopolis, I will plan to be out riding the group rides next week.

CCCX Mnt Bike Race Report-Dave T.

Boggs Mountain Bash, Cobb CA
May 21st, 2011
Sport Class 45-54
Place: 2nd
Distance 21.4miles
2300 ft of climbing

CCCX Series, Monterey
May 28th, 2011
Sport Class 45-54
Place: 3nd - I think because they had me as a DNF but I did finish the race and sent them my garmin record and times. Donno what they are going to do..
Distance 23.4miles
2300 ft of climbing
Pics by Tim Westmore (he really makes you look good!!)


Two more MTB races in the last last 2 weeks - sorry for the catch up - both being very different. Boggs is in a demonstration forest with thick "BIG" pines, steep hills, and rocky single track. CCCX is in Monterey at Fort Ord with rolling rutted and dusty single track, some fire roads, and some thick sand that can stop you dead in your tracks. For both of these races I moved up a category to Sport which like cat 3/4 and is typically very competitive because the guys normally race on a regular basis. Boggs was much more of a techical course and is one of my favorite venues from days gone by. Boggs started out as a group start with ALL categories going at once - this was mass chaos for the beginning however they ran us up a 2-3 mile section of up hill fire road before heading us back down a very cool "big" tree lined single track which was super fun. From there you went on a short fire road climb and then headed into more sweetie sweet single track with slippery pine needles - yike. Then uphill again to to more up hill single track then to the fast single track to home. I was leading in my cat for the first lap which I didn't know because of the mass start but ended up running out of gas on the last single track up hill being beat by 35 seconds - bummer. During the race I did slightly tag a tree with my handlebar but thankfully didn't go down. The first year I did this race someone ran into a tree with his face and had to be helicopter out of there and I didn't want that to happen to me. Overall very happy with 2nd place and glad I move up a cat.

The CCCX series is much different. The course is about 4.7 miles long and you had to do 5 laps. This for me was tough because you were eating and breathing dust for almost 2 hours.This race however had some great riders with more engine than I think I have ever had - just in unbelievable shape! The course itself was pretty fun in the beginning with some very burmed single track in the middle that you could really lean over into, small very cool little jumps " see pics", and some very fast hard packed double track. But by the end I was ready for a lung bath and a good shower.

I think I finished the race in 3rd but they had me as a DNF. I just send them my garmin report with times and laps I did and I hope that can correct it. Also Tim Westmore said hello once I finished the race as well - perhaps he can vouch for me!

I also attached the pics from Tim who can really take some GOOD photo's. Thanks Tim!!

Dave

Race Report (kind of) from Devon on Golden State Crit

Devon Joos
Golden State Crit in Sacramento (5/21/11)
Pic by our new sponsor: Tim Westmore ; Argentum Imago

So I raced the golden state crit. 4 broke away I pulled the last couple laps w/out much help. Very effective blocking by Davis team and some other weenies. 26.2 average and a good workout

Scotts Valley GP report: 45+ 3/4 and 1/2/3

Scotts Valley Grand Prix
May 15th 2011
Race report by Andrew A.
45+ 3/4
35+/45+ 1/2/3

I got my head back on straight and came to race. All signs and hangover from Santa Cruz are gone (for those new to our group, refer to that race report).

I was not sure I would head down to Scotts Valley for this race until five minutes before I left the house. It was raining and hailing most the morning and I thought I would stay in the garage and ride the rollers. But the family was out for the day, I was alone and figured I would go and check out this race. If it was pouring when I got there, I would stay in the car, watch a bit and leave. Well, it was cold, but it was dry.

Suited up, and jumped in the 45+3/4 race. Think we had about 15 guys racing. This is a really fun course. Very fast with some sweeping turns and a nice finishing stretch. Back of the course had a nice head wind. A few attacks went and I went with them. At one point SJBC rider (Rick-You may recall him from my Turlock report) hammered out for a break. I jumped on him and it was the two of us with about a 50 meter gap. I rolled up and asked, "want to go for it"? He responded with a "what do you think?" By that point the rest of the pack was back on our tail. Good lesson learned…stop all the gabbing and just go. Group stayed together till last lap. I stayed in the wind in the first spot. I felt good so figured it was not a risk. I kept my ears open for any attack. Last quarter of the lap I saw a Davis rider ramp up on my left. By the time he went by me I was up to speed and jumped on his wheel. We hammered the final two corners. With about 50 meters to the line I came out of his draft and started to try and pass. I made it to the middle of his bike when the line passed beneath our wheels. Got a second place. Netted me $25 check/carton of strawberries and an iPhone case (I don’t own an iPhone, but ok).

Next race was the 35+/45+ 1/2/3's. Wow, now this was a race. About 60 riders line up. Honestly at the start I was a bit intimidated. Yahoo! rider Pat Briggs lined up next to me along with last years winner from Safeway on the other side of me. My thoughts are "what the f… am I doing here". They had a bit of a "call up" before the race and they asked everyone who has won a 1/2/3 race this year to roll to the front. Seven other guys roll up. They ask for all National champs. Three more roll up. This race was stacked!

Whistle blows and we are off. Within half a lap the field is strung out single file. They are hauling ass. I actually feel pretty good and start getting a bit giddy that I am riding with these guys and feeling ok. Every lap there are at least two or three break attempts. One lap I am on Briggs wheel when a break goes. I figure I will stay with him and if he tries to bridge he can pull me with him. Well, he goes for the bridge and leaves me in the pack thinking, "where did he go?". He took off so fast I just sat and watched. It all came back. Next lap another group of four are off and I decide to see if I can do what Briggs did. I jump to close the gap. Honestly it looked just like what Briggs did… in super slow mo. Anyway, I got the break and we lasted about a quarter lap before we are all together again.

Final lap and pace gets frantic. Everyone is jostling for position and trying to get near the front. If you so much as blinked you would find yourself 25 places further back. I made a surge up the inside and got myself into the top 15. We hit the second to last turn on the backside four abreast at 32 mph. When we hit the finishing straight everyone just exploded for the line. I rolled across in the top 25 of the race which put me in 8th place in the 45+ group (they placed the 35+ and 45+ separately). Yahoo! dude, Briggs, won the race.

Quick reflections. It was great finishing second place in the first race but the second race was way more fun. These were dudes out for blood and they were good racers. Made it a lot of fun just hanging in with them and doing what I could. Next up…Top Sport Stage Race. Come on team, sign up for this. Even if you don’t want to race, come up for the night, drink beer and heckle those racing. See you soon.

Andrew
www.coretechscycling.com

Christian's 3 Race Reports in one (Cat's/Scotts Valley)

Cat's Hill Crit. Saturday 5/14/11
Category 4 ..........Master Category 4/5
12 laps/ 12 laps short 25% steep hill

Scotts Valley Crit, Saturday 5/15/11
Category 4
35 minutes

I did two races this Saturday and finished one. The course had many tricks including large slabs of concrete with wheel-sucking cracks and a sharp 90 degree corner entering the Cat's Hill/Wall.

Race 1. In the first race I joined up with 3 Stanford Cycling friends and jumped into the pack for some fun. On lap 10 as I crested the top of the climb I spotted a fading Stanford cyclist drifting backwards at the end of the pack. Well, with a hand on his back I gave him a really good slingshot that pushed him back into the group and me.. into a hedge. In my defense, the hedge jutted out into the course and was really 10 years of trimmed branches covered in leaves that no pruning sheers could have clipped. After it ejected me back into the course on my back, I flung the bike back into the bushes with my feet clipped in and saved a pileup. Solo crash and DNF

Race 2. With a bleeding elbow and bruised calf, I helped Mark Foster scale a 6 foot fence as he was late to the party. The two of us were off with CoreTechs supporters on course cheering us on. I learned that day that having CoreTechs friends yell at you on course makes you want to stay in the front to say hi. So Mark and I stayed in the top 15 most of the race with a final top ten sprint finish.

Race3. Limped 15 minutes before my race with cash in hand to the registration table. Warmed up and started the crit with my friend John and 18 other racers. Super fast course with a windy back section that promoted attacks. After trying 3 breaks, I sat in. John attacked for a prime and I yelled to the group that I'd chase him down. They waited, he won and received the Ipad... (case) it turned out. Finished top ten, went to the beer tent several times, wobbled to the podium for some podium girl pictures, and cheered for Andrew's two races. He rocked a 2nd and then raced with a huge peloton of retired and non retired pros to a finish in the front of the group. Very nice.
-Christian

Pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/johnwilde/ScottsValley2011#

Pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/johnwilde/CatsHill2011#

Video first race w/ hedge: http://vimeo.com/23756660

PG&E/Livermore Crit-May 7th 2011-45+ 1/2/3

45+ 1/2/3 PG&E Crit
May 7th 2011
Written by Andrew Adelman

This is the safest crit courses I have ever done. Wide roads with new pavement. If anyone is interested in trying a crit next year, this is the one to do for pure ease of course.

This was my first race since my debacle at the SC Crit a few weeks back. As of right now, that SC crit cost me close to 3k (two cracked Carbonsport Lightweights, two tubular tires and race entry) to participate in. I am still bitter. I needed something to get that taste out of my mouth. This Livermore race helped, but I still need to gargle with another crit or two. I came into this race with a chip on my shoulder and a bad attitude. I think it helped.

Round and round we went at mostly a sedate pace. No one tried to push the pace till the prime laps. Pace would pick up till the prime was won and back everyone would come together. Most laps someone would try to break off the front and due to my poor attitude, I chased down every attempt. I should have known from Copperopolis (see that report) not to do this, but as I said, I was mad. There were a few teams with multiple guys. About three times a guy who was not in a team kit broke off the front and each time I would wait for someone else to chase him and then I would jump on that person. Each time he got caught. I thought he kept going at strange times. For instance he would attack just after the prime lap but with still eight or nine laps left. The wind was strong and no way was one guy going to stay away. Well, with two laps to go he did it again. Two guys joined him from the Christian cycling team and a guy with no team. I was sure this race was going to be a field sprint and those guys would be caught. I wanted to save my matches for that. So this one and only time I did not chase the break. I was in second position in the field. No one chased. We kept them in sight for the rest of that lap. One lap to go. No one chased. I tried my best to be patient, still no one chased. The gap got bigger. I saw the race slipping away. No one chased. Finally I went to the front and hammered for a half a lap. Then a strong SJ rider came by and went hard. We got close but the break stayed away.

The main field sprinted, I was behind the big SJ rider in second spot. Thought I was set up well. Big guy died with 150 meters left. We were against the curb and got swarmed. Boxed in with nowhere to go, I rolled across in 9th place.

Bad tactics on my part. Lessons learned: 1) once again, as in Copper, don’t chase every break, especially the early ones. 2) If more than one guy breaks with two or less laps to go, go with them!

Andrew

Ken's PG&E (Livermore) Crit Report-5/7/11

Ken Spencer's PG&E crit (Livermore) Race Report
May 7th 2011
Place: 4th (from the end)


Against my better judgment I entered a crit. I met two-thirds of my goals: 1) don't crash (succeeded), 2) entertain my 4 yr old and 2 yr old (succeeded, sort of), 3) be part of a successful break. I met #1 by riding far off the last wheel until 5 laps to go. This also allowed me to safely waive at my kids every time around. I think they liked that. I jumped to the front with 5 laps to go, pulled 2 laps (but left a lot in the tank for that break that was sure to come). Wife and 2 year old missed my moment on the front bc she was changing a 'poopy diaper'. Critical error for me was not initiating a break. I kept waiting and with 2 laps left got cut off by one guy and before I knew it I went from front to back again. Group finish and I had no where to go. What a waste. Recurring key learning for me is - don't be scared, just go for it. Next up: Mt Hamilton.

P/1/2 Pitt Crit Race Report by Keith Szolusha

Pitt Crit Race Report by Keith Szolusha
P/1/2

The Twilight race called the Pitt Crit p/1/2 field was at 8pm last night (5/7/11). It was cold and windy (50F and 20-30mph with gusts). We watched the very small womens field blow apart early, so it was a little intimidating.

This race was literally night and day compared to the Menlo Park crit that I recently did. Not just because it was actually at night, but because it was fast, technical, longer - 75min. windy, and cold. There were notable fast guys there and people were there for the 20 deep $5k prizelist. Fast Freddy Rodriguez (3 time US pro champion and past Giro d'Italia road stage winner) looks like he's doing some local money races on the Specialized team - he won. Logan Loader, Roman Kilun, Bernard Van Ulden, Steve Reaney (current US elite crit champion), Sterling Magnell and many others including an under 23 national crit champion and many past champions.

Seems like we had 80-100 guys. There were callups, music, announcers, podium models, prizes, lights, etc. Downtown Pittsburg is best described at 'the pit', so I am changing the name of this one to Pit Crit.
Race was fast and hard. It was a challenge to finish. Many guys just blew up with the constant single file pace. At one point during the race, there were 15 straight (1k with 5 turns) laps that must have been 35mph single file with no change of positions or chance for changes. It was crazy how fast it got. Guys would blow up in the middle of the pack and then others would have to make up the lost ground. I was on alert the entire race and never let anything significant open up. I didn't get to the front, but when we hit 8 laps to go (the first time that they called laps and put out cards) it seemed to ease up. There was a 5 person break just off the front and I think that everybody decided that it was not going to be hard to catch it or that we wouldn't catch it and they decided to save it for the sprint. As a matter of fact, the end got so easy that the pack didn't single file until 2 to go and it was a chance for the crazies to dive corners and get into the front of the pack. I slowly moved around in the pack and took what opened up in front of me without forcing anything. I debated about diving corners and making a play for the front, but the rest of the race had been so hard that it was nice to have an easy pace and rest for a bit. At the end, on the last lap, gaps were opening, and I had to jump a few. I ended up speeding in at about 38th position. A lot of guys didn't finish, so just finishing this one with the pack was a victory. It was really super fun and I didn't notice the cold air when racing because it was such a hard race.

I came home late from the race and had trouble sleeping because I was so revved up from racing so hard so late. It was strange.

Later,
k
__._,_.___

Menlo Park GP-Race/Crash Report-Good Reading!

Race: Menlo Park Crit
Race date: 4-23-11
Class: Elite Cat 4
Riders: approx 50
Report Written By Mark Foster

So my midnight drunken two sentence race update, that I tapped out on my cell phone, seemed a bit weak. So I decided to suck it up and give you guys the goods. I made the decision to ride in the E4’s because I actually enjoy riding with a bunch of much younger, testosterone filled, future hero’s. Not really, but I did want to see what it was like. There are young men in all of these “Elite” classes that are hanging on to the belief that they can “make it” as a bicycle racer. It’s kind of fun to race with that kind of intensity….so I thought. The race was short(40 minutes) and started late in the afternoon(4:40pm) so the typical morning routine went out the window. That worked out well for Liz as I fed and watched the kids in the morning while she hammered out her ride. I arrived at the race in plenty of time to warm up and watch some of my buddies compete in earlier classes. As I was warming up, I looked at the faces of the men wearing the same nine hundred series number as I and noticed that at 49, I could be father to most of the riders in this class. There are around fifty or so in the class, and I push my way into the front row; knowing I needed to be upfront to have any chance of doing well here. The whistle blows, and I get a good start. The first thing I notice is that there is more yelling and cussing going on than I’ve ever experienced in a race. Now I’ve only been racing for a little over a year so I’m a short on bicycle racing experience, but can immediately figure out that the “vibe” here is different. These guys are a bunch of cannibalistic axe murderers who wouldn’t think twice about taking you out and then spitting on you as they blow by on the following lap. One of our Cat 1 racers, Keith S. said an E4 crit is one of the most dangerous in Bicycle racing. I could feel it. The “f-bombs” were flying. The were yelling at each other,”F-you”, “I’ll kick your a$$”. I kept saying, “Guys Calm down, we all have to survive this thing and get home.” I must have said that four or five times.

I stayed in the top five to ten the entire crit; and made sure I was near the front after all of the premium laps in case there was a break. I didn’t try for any premiums, I wanted to save all of my matches for the finish. I felt strong, and had a lot of mojo going into the last lap. The pace picked up and I stayed in the top five down the long back straight into the wind. Two Penn Velo riders made a break down the left side of the road and I was ready for it and timed my acceleration perfectly to grab their wheel. These guys were hammering hard, but there was still over eight hundred yards to go and that funky chicane. I was not close to redlining, but no one was coming along side me going into the final chicane. I felt like I was in the perfect spot(third) going into the last corner. The adrenaline was really flowing hard now, but I told my self, “calm down, don’t pull the trigger until after the final turn”. The straight to the finish was long, so keeping your momentum coming into it was super important. The Penn Velo riders were losing a little steam coming into the corner and unfortunately twenty years of motorcycle racing has allowed me to carry a ton of corner speed. So I had two choices: Hit the brakes coming into the final corner or start the pass. I picked “B” and came around the outside to pass the Penn Velo guy in the final right hand turn. My wheel was probably a foot to the left of him when I crossed wheels. He immediately jumps a foot to the left and hits my wheel…almost as if he read my mind. I actually don’t think it was intentional, I suspect maybe he was passing the guy in front of him. At any rate, I went down so quickly on to my right side, there was no “save” to be had. Game over. Now I knew there were 47 blood thirsty racers behind me wanting to win this race. I also knew they were all screwed, and that I was going to be a pin cushion or punching bag for these guys as they tried in vain to avoid hitting me or my bike. My guess is that about twenty riders crashed. But miraculously, nobody ran into me or my bike. I stood up, turned around; and it was like standing in the middle of the freeway. Bikes brushed me, swerved around me, split me on both sides, but didn’t center punch me. I wasn’t feeling particularly lucky at that moment, but in hind sight, I was. No broken bones. That crash sucked the life out of a lot of us, cause I figured after all the yelling through out the race, some one was going to want to “throw down”(fight). It didn’t happen. Something about asphalt ripping away your skin, kind of takes the fight out of even the most hard core E4 axe murderers. Men were moaning and rolling around writhing in pain. Needless to say I was very bummed out and sore. I really felt as though I could have done well, if not win the thing. I’ll never know. But I did know I needed a shot of something. Morphine preferably, but alcohol would do. Luckily my buddy, Steve Stewart, from BayAreaRider.com had all of the mixings for a fresh Margarita….I indulged. The Penn Velo riders took a lonely first and second place. I am fairly confident they would not have won that race if the gentleman in second didn’t jump over a foot and take out the field. But as I finished my second margarita, the pain of not doing well was fading along with the sting of missing skin….. things were seemingly a little better. Thanks for reading, Mark

Christian's Wente RR 35+ 4 Report

Christian
Wente Road Race 4/30/11
Masters 4 35+
Apox 45 miles, 3700 ft climbing, 3 laps
Finish 19 out of 100

Hi all. Just finished the Wente Road Race in Livermore. I had an awesome race and a great time considering I've been sick for the past 3 weeks. Our pack stayed together most of the race with separation happening on a 4 minute climb with "groupo compactness" after the descent. The technical descent by the way allowed anyone to make up considerable time if one ignored the intimidating walls of hay on the hairpins (think descending Stage Road over by San Gregorio/Pescadero.) A medevac helicopter stopped all the fields on the last lap, landing in an open meadow on the other side of the hay bail wall. This helicopter put the race into perspective and fortunately our field was left relativley unscathed.
In the last 10 minutes of the race, I went off the front twice for a couple of minutes with no one bridging up, got reabsorbed both times, finished my 5th water bottle, and secured a 19th place victory after being passed by 14 skinnier riders. A perfect day that ended up with 2 trips to the bakery (oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies/ sticky bun.)
CoreTechs rider, Ken also road this race, finishing 6th in the cat E4's without even finishing his one water bottle. Congrats! I could of used him as muscle in my old man category as I was being harassed by Pen Velo over the Scott's defection to our glorious team. Cat's Hill in 2 weeks, see you there, Christian