CCCX Sept 16th 45 1/2/3 & 35+ Open-Andrew's report

CCCX Circuit Race Sept 16th.


Sometimes, the clouds part and a ray of sunshine can peak through. Sunday at the final CCCX crit/circuit race, that ray touched the CoreTechs team.

We had a great crew come out. Steve Stewart returned from an almost year long sabbatical with his Bundyesc van full of libations. John Pauley, Tom Rice, Mark Foster, Mark Dames, Scott Fairman (Bear Valley Scott), Dave Puglia, Daryoush and myself also saddled up to race. I will leave both Mark's to impart their race stories (they were both good!). My story was one with no drama and no miscues. This made for a fantastic day but is sure crappy for story telling. In trying to think about how to tell this story in a semi-entertaining way I have struggled. Adversity certainly makes for better entertainment. So, to end my struggle, get something out and bore the hell out of you, I will wrap this up quickly.

The 45+ Cat 1/2/3 race had a few good riders but none better than Kevin Klein. I have noticed this year that there is a group of seven or so riders in Northern California that are just mutants. They are at a racing level that I am not able to attain. They can solo off the front, early in the race and stay away. You can't go with them, you can't do anything but watch them go. I attempted to go with one of these mutants at Dunnigan, and if you have read that race story (scroll through our blog or FB page for that if you have not read), it turned out ugly for me. I am slow to learn lessons, but not a total nitwit. So, when Kevin attacked with six laps remaining (about 5:30 6 min per lap) in this race, I let instinct take over and I jumped with him. After he yelled at me a few times to pull through, which I did, it occurred to me that I was in over my head. Like I said, slow to learn, but eventually, I get the fact that someone is beating me over the head with a 2x4 and I adjust. We still had 5 laps to go, and I pulled the plug. I knew if I kept letting Kevin hit me in the head, I would be dead before the race ended. So, I drifted off the back and let Kevin ride away solo.

Back in the pack, we were now all racing for second. Kevin soloed off the front for his five laps and put time on the bunch each lap. Yep, a mutant that way. Coming into the sprint, which was a 300 meter slight uphill into a head wind, a rider (Dean Knudsen from Don Chapin Team) broke early (about 800 meters from the line). He had Robert Pasco (Safeway) on his wheel and I jumped to catch them. He road so hard that we got a gap on the field. Coming into that final 300 meters he started to sputter and Robert jumped. I was on his wheel. I came out of Robert's draft with 50 meters to go and made it to his front wheel when we crossed the finish line. He got second and I took third. Still, I was pretty happy being on the podium with Klein and Pasco.

An hour later and I am at the start line of the 35+ open (all categories) race. Kevin did not enter this race, but he was replaced by a younger more mutant version named Matt Carino. In case you are not familiar with him, he is 39 and won the National Championships for the 35-39 age group at Bend, Oregon last week. A month before he won the California State championships. He is a top Master's mutant.

Race starts with an attack from Dean (Don Chapin) and the pace is very high from the gun. Sheesh, not sure I am ready for this. I hang on but about half the field is off the back already. Carino bridges up to Dean. I turn to Duane Coughlin (Irondata) and comment, "well, there goes the race." Sure enough, Carino drops Dean and solos the entire race. Final lap is similar to the first race with a rider taking off early. This time though there is no gap and the eight or so of us left all are in a line. We come into the final hill and with 200 meters to go I sprint up the right. I have enough speed to hold it to the line and take first of the mere mortals and second in the race.

Honorable mentions: Mark Foster was in my group at the 35+ race and did a great job of leading the pack for a few laps at the end to keep attacks at bay. He helped me set up my sprint and CoreTechs was the only team with more than one rider in the final group. Very fun! Also have to give Rick Morgan from SJBC some credit. He was in the Kevin Klein break with me and also had the good sense to drift back to the pack. He then led the 45+ race a few laps and kept the pace high and safe. Good riding by both

We finished off the day at the Bundy van with Steve providing some stiff cocktails, which led to massive over estimations of all our cycling abilities and some good laughs. A great way to finish off the CCCX series and for some, the road season.

Andrew