VOS
Race report by: Leo Masursky
TT: We got there in plenty of time (Kurt drove, Leo and Jim rode), and happened to park right next to Jeremy.
Good warmup, normal conditions. Kurt rode very well to 23rd, Jim blew it out Merks to 45th, and I did fine to 46th (my current age; ouch). I came close but did not hit my goal of avs 25mph.
RR, we decided to cover attacks and try to get into any real break, allowing Kurt to sit for the finish. As it played out there was a crash on the first lap, so we stopped for an hour, and they cut the race by two climbs.
This was a major factor as by the fifth climb the field would have been cut by 2/3’s, as we would have been there for sure to cause rr problems for the posers in the crowd..
I was feeling fine, and after the break/change, it took me awhile to get back into competing, but by the last corner on the last lap, I realized it was still a competition, and went to the front. Jim had been working all day, with Kurt riding smart and conservative (the pack was very tight and jittery). Jim took a pull, then I think Kurt did, and then I took one. I then followed I think Brian Marcucci who used to ride HLAP most of the way up the first steep part. He faded and I thought I would smooth it into the surge but he took me too far back, and I had to start really pumping to get on at the very back. We then hit the 3k spread to the whole road marker, and guys were yelling at each other and skittering around.
I did not like this and stayed to the middle and they promptly crashed on a dead straightaway. I was singed by it but not caught. A gap opened and I was off. I worked hard with few guys to limit the damage and rolled through -16 sec.
Jim got more caught by the disruption, and I think Jeremy had his work cut out for him on the hill.
For the crit I was feeling my normal day three surge. My wheels seemed good, and I got my spares in the pit with Arrellana’s (ph) help; thanks very much to our race support, awesome positive attitudes all weekend. Whether or not I ever win a beer, I owe you guys a cold one (and a bag of chips)!
I wanted to attack immediately on the crit, but so did 30 other people, so the start came down to who got through the pre-race barriers first and to the start line. For the start I was third row, middle with an immediate hard right from the start (and I had literally sprinted to the start line to get that dubious position).
We blew out of the start, and I realized I would not be attacking at the 3rd turn as planned. I rode with the main pack and it seemed like Kurt was always right there. I didn’t see Jim or Jeremy until I flatted about half way through, having worked myself into the top 1/3rd. I felt fluid in the group with plenty of confidence and energy. Oh well.
I ran over and got my wheel, only to be thrust directly into the dead back of the pack.
After some leg bruising work I was back at mid pack for the finish, with Kurt putting on a nice surge at the end.
Great crit, moved up some spots on the rr and crit to 36th or so.
Great race overall with a solid showing by Aggress. For my part, I am going to continue working on finding that top end zone on tt’s, believing in myself for the rr’s and crits.
TBC next!
