Rubbin's racin'

Arc-En-Ceil Criterium Newhouse at Ninigret was the next race for me on April 22. It looked like a grim rainy event a couple of days out but conditions looked up as the race got closer. As it happened there was dry track and even a little sun during my race. The rain would come later for the afternoon races.
We took off at 8 AM with a brisk but manageable pace. After a few laps around we started having some spirited sprints and a couple of break attempts but nothing that stuck. I had decided to stay in the front 1/3 of the field for the entire race if I could and hopefully have something left for a decent sprint for the line at the end.
With 6 laps to go a couple of guys shot out together followed shortly by an unattached guy in Capo kit and Emil from NEBC (a junior racer that raced very smart the whole race) and a couple of Mystic Velo guys. A lap later another guy bridged and during the next few laps the break consolidated their lead with some solid pace line work to keep the lead with the 6 of them. One of the Mystic guys, Steve Smallwood, managed to blow out his rear tire right near the end but didn't crash. By the end of the race they had the main field by 50 seconds.
The main field sprint started when Matt Modelane took off right before the final corner and Peter Ward gave chase after the corner. I jumped Peter's wheel and drafted down the front stretch into an increasing head wind. I thought I could get him at the line but pulling out into the wind held me in place behind for a 8th overall and a 3rd in the field sprint. One of my better finishes and one of the smarter races I've ridden.
In hindsight I could have jumped on Emil's wheel when he came by me to bridge the gap to the break, and watching the video from behind me after shows I was going to do it, but I felt either they would hold a pace I couldn't match or we would reel them back in. I think I did the best thing but who knows, maybe next time I'll make the jump with them. Overall happy with the result.
Dan McCabe raced with 3/4 and was involved in a nasty pileup near the end of his race when someone came down into him in a corner and 12 riders piled in from behind. No serious damage to him or his bike but he's taking the high road and on the advice of Aaron McCormack he's writing a song about it and blaming the English. I believe the rider that caused the incident has been referred to as a 'douche-canoe'. A term I had never heard before but oddly appropriate.
We take this week off and race next in Blue Hills followed by Sterling.

Racing the Bikes in Springtime

Well, the year of racing began as it ended, with a panting whimper.
Showed up to do a practice crit at Wells Ave. Cancelled due to unexpected heavy traffic.
Did the second Charge Pond race March 24 in the 'B' race and did about as expected, lost the fast guys after 7 or 8 laps. Formed a chase group and finished up.
Rode the Michael Schott Memorial Road Race in Marblehead April 1. It was a 4/5 race that started fast and got faster when a couple of guys tried to break and the group chased them down. Doing this they lost me and about half the main field. We circulated another lap in a chase group of 6-8 but couldn't rejoin so USAC pulled us due to local traffic. I was disappointed to not get a result from this as I think I did fairly well.
On April 7 was the Chris Hinds Criterium at Ninigret R.I.. A nice smooth extremely fast open 5 field. The guys were great and held the group tight, fast and safe. This race was a great stress test. I held 182+ bpm for 11 laps after running a couple at 170.  i was trying to hold on as I knew the field couldn't hold pace much longer. Unfortunately they held pace about half a lap longer than I could so I fell out the back. Again. A Green Line Velo guy fell out with me so we tried to catch the main field again. Didn't make it but had a great run in the attempt. Finished 17/26. Not terrible but I think I can up that performance as the year progresses.
April 15 brings us to Plymouth MA for the Myles Standish Road Race. This is where I reignited my road race career last year and I hoped to better my finish of 30/31. We started out great with smooth speed and a fast pace. We strung out pretty quick and ran clean on a surface that was a little bumpy but still fast and ridable. I sat in the front third to quarter for the entire first lap as that was my plan for the race, sit in and stay safe. My plan became unraveled when I hit a hole in the road I didn't see. My bars broke loose on the hit and rolled forward in the stem. The noise and pop convinced me either the bars or the stem clamp had broken. I grabbed the bars at the stem, held my line to let the field motor past and coasted to a halt. The officials slowed to ensure I wasn't hurt or having an M.I. but I told them I just broke. I rode back to lot at about 5 mph with my bars askew and withdrew.
My first DNF.
To remind you all, my goal is to finish every race I start. Mechanicals are bound to happen but this one may have been a mixed blessing. In the final lap of the race one of the guys sustained a front tire blowout. He went down taking half the field with him. Lots of carnage and medical help. He earned a trip to the hospital when he couldn't come up with a successful explanation of who all the brightly dressed gentlemen were and what they all happened to be doing that particular day in a location he couldn't identify. We pray he is not seriously hurt and as of yesterday afternoon leaving the venue it seems although there were many injuries none were life or career threatening. I hope to race with him and all the gentlemen I raced with on the 15th as they were one of the better skilled 5 fields I've raced with.
Next week it's on to Ninigret again for the Arc-En-Ceil Criterium. I'll keep the lights on for ya.