Friday, February 27, 2009

Cherry Pie Crit - Napa, CA

Cherry Pie Crit, E3 - team mate Richard
finish - OTB
Hello all
Get to Napa early, I had volled to help Krush with the team set-up. He was struggling with the 10x10 when i arrived, it could have got messy. Lucky turned up when I did, he was close to tears. Tables up, chairs in place, food out. Then O and Tim with his groupy Prasan (sp) moosy into town. Richard is not far behind and teh Brian and Audry with team photographer Ed arrive from the wrong direction!
Anyway, last time at Cherry Pie was eons ago, and I did not race, I was nursing a broken collarbone. The year before that, it was probably 1998 or 97 I was pack fill.
So here we are in 2009, and the new and improved Garry is ready to race, but whats this, the pack as already freeking left the start line, and Richard and I have to chase like crazy. I am with a Roaring Mouse dude and we can't make contact, and RB is behind a little more. I am 30 meters off the back of the field, but it could have been to the moon. But sweet relief, the chief judge realizes his mistake in starting the field too soon and we are pulled and given a free lap. While we are waiting, several other guys roll up, also disturbed by this new NCNCA "start em early" trend.
We integrate (I am gonna use that word a lot this year) into the rear of the peloton and whoosh down the hill. Crikey its a fast race and I am glad i had a few minutes to rest before crankin back up to race speed.
Anyway, a few more laps and several break aways are attempted. I am slowly making my way towards the front but never get there, eventually finding a sweet spot around the 20-30 rider back locale. Every time up the hill I am gaining places, and the concentration around the 180 is nervy but safe enough.
Eventually a break sticks, 3-4 riders are off and although not too far away, the fields speed is up and down like a yo-yo and the break maintains it gap. With 5 to go, the field is antsy, 4 to go there are yells of "hold your line" and "come on, lets go" as the speed is varying. 3 to go and its my opinion there is going to be a crash (there had already been one at the bottom of the hill) and lo, it happens. At two to go just after the chicane, on the hill, someone with a machine gun seems to mow the field down. I can't believe i am going to crash the new ride, dammit. Nowhere to avoid, the brakes are on and I uncleat and plant my foot on a wheel and wait for the inevitable collision from behind. I feel a few bumps, but amazingly I'm OK. All around are riders and bikes lying on the floor.
So i get going again, but the field as long since ridden away, so i do my last two laps at tempo and finish the event. I see the solo survivor of the breakaway ride in, good ride by that dude and get back to the team tent to quickly change and charge over to SFO to pick up Jamiis sister. (Oscar, you missed out, she's a good looking woman)
Back to Napa, deliver Jamii's sister, check out some more racing, say hello to Ann and April and then at the end of it all, take down the tent with our super manager Krush and drive home. dude, i am tired....
Nap time
Thanks for reading
Garry

Snelling Road Race

Think i had better write this down before the next event...

E3 race, 63 miles, with Bill and Richard
47 o/o 93 starters

I was excited to do this race, feeling confident in my training to date. Thus i did not sleep well the night before.
Richard picked me up at 5:15 and away we sped. Got down in plenty of time to make the most of the 3 lines we had to queue up in (reg, time chip and porta potty). The chip line was huge, VP had better sort that out before the next event that they decide to use it in (me thinks that will be Madera stage race). Then back to the car and change and decide on clothing choices. I went with short sleeve undervest, race jersey, arm warmers and BKW's. Finally I packed my picnic in the pockets.
A small warm up on the rollers, maybe 10 minutes and then over to the staging area where we wait.
Finally the whistle and we roll out at a dismal 15 mph behind the moto ref.

Our team plan was to do nothing on laps 1, 2 and 3. On lap 4 we were to start covering moves, with hopefully Bill getting into the good one. If that plan went south, the plan B was a lead out for Richard who seems to be able to dredge up a good turn of speed from little training. We also intended to ride top 20 the whole race. This is just good practice for any event, but on a circuit were it can be windy, this is doubly so.

Lap one
No wind, so no worries. We ride swiftly along Keyes and make the usual high powered show thru the feed zone. The zig-zag turns are negotiated safely and then over the small rollers to the back side of the course. All the corners have sand on them, less each lap, but it does not stop the pack slowing. I only saw one rider skid out, but it was no drama. A couple of half hearted attempts are made by several teams but nothing sticks. Dave of Metromint is busy, he will not want a field sprint. Onto bumpy Olsen road and at the end of that road my seat tube un-used drinking bottle flies out. Dang.

Lap two
As lap one minus the water bottle loss. the overall speed is not as fast as it can be. No one has railed it and thus the field is very dynamic, more like a crit race. It was incredibly difficult to maintain good field position (top 20). As soon as we got there another surge would occur and your 20 spaces back again.

Lap three
As above.

Lap four
Getting closer to the front, but still no moves to worry about, but then an attack and some riders peel off the front. All Team Integrate riders are out of position to respond.

Lap five
Still no speed. The last time down Olsen it still stays tempo, and the remaining field of 70 dudes all think they can win. After the last turn, the field sprint is 3 deep and gutter to gutter, there is no way thru so i roll in. Apparently, but this is not confirmed, there was a small break that stayed the course and made it in 20 meters ahead of the field.

Epilogue

Good legs, but bad head. I was not very happy with my performance and will endeavor to improve next Sunday. Hopefully the conditions will inspire a better race.

Thanks y'all

http://ronaldmariano.smugmug.com/gallery/7420578_xQim7#478240371_TgVt4

Garry