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.