35+1/2/3
Get off at El Dorado and turn left,
then left again,
look for Lincoln...
What the hell does that say?
Well the weather outside is frightful,but my car is so delightful,
I really don't want the pain,
Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain.
But it's Roger and Pat and me,
And we already paid the fee,
The money it ain't so bad,
And plenty of it to be had.
Enough singing
...the sky started to clear,
we got suited up,
went to the line,
it started raining,
we raced,
course was OK...not too slippery,
EMC had lots of guys,
they worked the field well..always a guy off,
I worked hard chasing,
A group got off with the DM and Pat,
finally I can relax,
But wait, it is me and 2 EMC and 1 other
They are doing nothing...I mean nothing...we're gonna get lapped at this pace,
Gap is getting big...ATTACK
Joe on my wheel,
Won't pull through "come on, what will it hurt if we both make it?"
He can't do it...he is going to die just sitting my wheel,
ATTACK him, he hangs on,
Fine then, let's get joined,
Round and round,
Shit, Roger went down,
He looks OK,
Free lap...back in,
Patrick still looking good,
We lapped the field,
more shenanigans by EMC....I'll give'em even odds in a break,
but not a 2 vs 1 and that is what they wanted,
Then, somehow I get a gap on the back side, no chase,
5 to go...solo
4 to go...solo
3 to go...solo
2 to go...solo
1 to go...solo
finishing sprint...or roll in my case,
Fonseca jumping out of line, Delivery Man goes, Pat goes,
Can he hold it...
The Delivery Man takes the win,
Lothar holds on for the second step,
Fonseca holds off PT for third.
So close to a MIB sweep!
...the sky started to clear,
we got suited up,
went to the line,
it started raining,
we raced,
course was OK...not too slippery,
EMC had lots of guys,
they worked the field well..always a guy off,
I worked hard chasing,
A group got off with the DM and Pat,
finally I can relax,
But wait, it is me and 2 EMC and 1 other
They are doing nothing...I mean nothing...we're gonna get lapped at this pace,
Gap is getting big...ATTACK
Joe on my wheel,
Won't pull through "come on, what will it hurt if we both make it?"
He can't do it...he is going to die just sitting my wheel,
ATTACK him, he hangs on,
Fine then, let's get joined,
Round and round,
Shit, Roger went down,
He looks OK,
Free lap...back in,
Patrick still looking good,
We lapped the field,
more shenanigans by EMC....I'll give'em even odds in a break,
but not a 2 vs 1 and that is what they wanted,
Then, somehow I get a gap on the back side, no chase,
5 to go...solo
4 to go...solo
3 to go...solo
2 to go...solo
1 to go...solo
finishing sprint...or roll in my case,
Fonseca jumping out of line, Delivery Man goes, Pat goes,
Can he hold it...
The Delivery Man takes the win,
Lothar holds on for the second step,
Fonseca holds off PT for third.
So close to a MIB sweep!
Elite 3:Why does this keep happening to me?
Just gonna sit in and try to wind it up at the end.
20 minutes in...30 minutes to go,
I am off the front with a Stanford guy who is strong.
Did fine for the first 15 minutes but got tired. Davis junior bridged but not much help at first. Stanford still strong. Davis not doing much. Stanford rolled off the front. Davis still sitting my wheel. Then, attacked me. I gave him the "you have got to be kidding me" and he actually slowed to let me get on his wheel. Thanks! I feel bad now though...I should have yelled, "go get him...good luck!" We never caught Stanford. He won. Davis and I got caught on the last lap! Spine did a fine job chasing.
Not a bad course. Roads weren't bad. Those willing to push it just a little were able to separate from the group while the others played it too cautiously.
Great Pix by Chris
Posts
13 comments:
1-2-4! Way to go you guys!
Nice work out there and congrats on the placings. But come on
"did nothing"? I did a ton of pulling to make sure the break was successful even when not required cause you and EMC did your job on blocking.
If you were in the break, you were not part of the "they" I was refering to...
"it is me and 2 EMC and 1 other
They are doing nothing...I mean nothing...we're gonna get lapped at this pace"
After the break got off I thought I was blocking, so I let them go. Then I wiped my glasses off and turned around and realized there were only 4 of us...2 EMC. Everyone else had already been dropped in the initial split. EMC was doing a good job blocking but really they were only blocking me and the other guy.
That is when I decided I would rather try to catch the break by bridging up than sit on the back for the next 30 minutes.
The break was going fast enough to lap the field. I thought it was working pretty well. Most everyone did the work required to keep the pace above that which a chase group could maintain in the wet.
I thought it was a pretty good race, considering the conditions. Everyone rode smart IMHO.
that was me in the break with you :)
no worries man I thought you meant the later 5 man break - man that was fun racing.
When the original break formed with maybe 8 guys (?) i was gapped and pulled for 3 frickin' laps trying to catch before the Trummer came up and helped close it. You did slow so I guess that's what you were referring to. When we were only 5 I felt like a frickin' pinata or maybe an outlaw with all limbs ties to four horses. It was apparent that i was in big trouble so went on the attack with the solo hoping to gain time in corners once i figured out the lines to pedal em all. Was hoping one of you would go with and once that did not work tried to stay 2nd wheel and not get blocked. When you went solo, I heard Soctt say let em go and i was a little irked that EMC did not chase and waited so long and by that time there was no sprinty left in the legs. Good to see you guys pull it out and just happy to have been part of it all.
"let him go"
brilliant tactician.
The weather was very conducive to breaks sticking. We started with about 25-27 riders.
20 minutes into it there were 2 groups, the lead was 3 or 4 EMC, 3 Safeway, and maybe one or two others and everyone else in the chase.
Then there were 10, I think the beer boys (Sierra and Trummer) bridged up.
Then 5 riders, 2 EMC, 2 Safeway, SN got away in a five man break from the break. I was stuck with 2 EMC and Trummer I think. That is when I bridged with EMC Joe.
Then the lead had 7...3 EMC, 3 Safeway and SN (you). I liked your spirit trying to go solo but had any one of us gone with you the other team would have had to chase, so it would have been shut down. I was surprised I was given such a long leash. Almost got me a win but still worked out for the team.
The guys said you did some good work reeling me in...damn you ;). You knew you were pulling Fonseca and Bennett to the finishing sprint if you caught me and if you didn't try then you were racing them for second! It sucks to be in that position, especially with no teammates, but you gotta give it a try.
I'm just glad we almost all stayed up and that NOBODY got hurt!
I knew Fonseca was behind behind me and was their guy and went through all the scenarios I could think of and knew you were capable of closing it out. I've outsprinted Scott/Chris in training rides so I'll get em next time!!! The whole lapping the field thing messed me up even worse even though I picked my team mate John F back up. That lil solo "spirit" affair hurt too much and burned up my sprint matches. Anyway I'm very happy with the placing in my 2nd 123 crit and chalk it up as a good learning experience. Still trying to figure it all out, but learning fast!
uhh...now my head hurts
Sorry...it was fun and challenging and confusing.
sorry, i skimmed all the race details too
like vb, my brain can't handle it yet
but overall sounds like you guys did great
any upgrade points from the weekend?
Lothar, your a stud.
I'm glad to read the DM took the win over the iron fist.
Nice report, it's always good to see the otherside of the story, it paints a more complete picture.
I would gladly have ridden the 50 minutes in the rain with you than the 3 hours.
Panoche = great course, but crappy conditions.
Thanks for the street sign photo that apparently says Washington St in Chinese - I drove 10 minutes across town looking for said street. See, never drive to a race alone...
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