Thought I'd type a synopsis of this race....
The field was small, around 30 guys, with the Green Jersey in our midst, so we knew who we had to cover. The race started off easily enough, attacks as they were weren't dangerous.
After 15 mins or so of our 50 min race, Hernandez took off mid lap to get a prime, and I went after him. He got the prime, and then we had a big gap too. Brian, Eric, and the Green Jersey bridged up and we started to work. The gap got big, real big.
Eric attacked, I flatted. I got back in just in time to see Eric get caught, then soon after Brian put in a big attack, the GJ and Hernandez let him go, and Eric and I just sat on. Hernandez started to work pretty hard to pull him back, but the GJ was holding back on efforts. That led to Brian to start to pull away from us and eventually lap the field. Once there, Tim G and teammates picked up the pace of the pack.
Meanwhile Eric and I are watching the other two work. With two laps to go, I attack, Hernandez chases and catches. Then he counters and the GJ chases him down. Finally Eric attacks nicely with a half lap to go with me in front of the group. I let him go, and once he's clear for second place I power up before that last left hand turn, gradually picking up speed, then sprinting, barely holding off the GJ for third.
Tim G got second in pack sprint for 7th, Curtis got 10th.
Another nice lesson for me in teamwork, which is somewhat new to me. Thanks for a great race guys!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Since you guys seem to keep lapping fields and Easterling specifically had a problem with lapped rider conduct I got curious and checked out the lapped rider rules:
3D4: Riders on different laps may work with each other except that no rider may drop back to assist a rider who has broken away from the field [disqualification for accepting such assistance]
and
3D7. Field finish option. If two or more riders have lapped, or are about to lap, a substantial group of riders, the Chief Referee may direct all lapped riders to sprint early, usually two to four laps before the end of the race, then retire. The decision to do this shall be communicated to the riders several laps in advance of the sprint. No continuing rider may take pace from a rider who has finished [disqualification or relegation for both riders].
I don't see 3D7 used around here much (if ever?) so probably not something to worry about.
3D4 directly contradicts what a referee told me at Masters Crit Champs last year (I was told I couldn't pull for a lapper when I marked him as he attacked again). So that one may be worth remembering for explanation.
Seems like Easterling's experience with a Colavita rider violated 3D4, but as a team you guys used it well here at Tower, and you could use it again by having the lapped portion of your team lead out an attack by any lappers you have so as to potentially spring them from their lap-mates? May be a solution to the "lapping the pack usually sucks" problem?
Joel, thanks for the recap of a fun Sunday at Tower. I could only make it to watch the +45 race and the Master 1/2/3. +45 was quit an eye opener! Pat and Dan both know how to make the bike move and they looked like they were fighting with there life to hang on.... dang that group was moving fast. I'm now strongly rethinking the whole idea of getting a number pined on at a master 5 crit this year. Nice job Dan and Pat you made the colors look good.
The Master 35 was easy to watch -at least at the start. If you look under "teamwork" in the book now there will be a picture of you guys... very pretty racing. At the end after Brian lapped and then got of the front with 4-5 groups out there sprinting a different times i got confused....
I will be riding in Sonoma tomorrow and waering my spok kit with pride. thanks for making it so fun to watch.
Tiny Lars
PS thanks for the explanation of the rules (even that I'm still not sure what it means after reading it a few times - not that it is important since I will never have the joy of lapping or provide help to anyone that have laped!).
The reference to Eric having had trouble with lapped rider? What's that about? I don't see that mentioned anywhere.
My mistake - I think that's Toyota not Colavita, regardless, the way Eric depicts it, a teammate dropped back off a pack to work with a group of people "ahead" of him (working on a lap). That's not kosher according to 3D4
http://norcalracing.blogspot.com/2008/03/tower-crit-pro-1-sufferfest.html
"We almost caught back on to the group, but then I see Blackgroves teammate drifting back from the pack and jumps into the group. He drilled it for about 2 laps and the gap doubled, he then pulled off and quit. I think Holloway was off the front so he was trying to bring him back. I thought this was against the rules but nobody did anything."
But as I mentioned from my experience at the Masters Crit Champs - the officials don't really know the rule well, so... that's racing?
Nice work fellas, the team as a whole rode that thing perfectly. I heard someone in the crowd say "uh-oh, this race is over" as soon as the break away happened. They were right.
Post a Comment