Race: Empire State Games Qualifier
Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY
Distance: 72 Miles.
Racer: J.P. Partland
We had myself, Eloy, Bert, Ed Nolan, and Chris Sawyer on the line.
22 laps at Prospect Park. The first 10 automatically get into the Empire State Games, which means that if you make the top 20 and want to go, you usually do. Visit Britain and Metro had some impressive numbers, and Conrad's is always focused on doing well here. The temps were cool and rain was promising to come down.
The opening laps were pretty fast. Pretty much anyone who attacked got chased down by some of the giants on VB. These guys were happy just to string out the peloton and bring back any escapees. I followed a few attacks just to see how things felt up front.
I think it was after 15 to go, several guys put in a hard attack once we were over the top of the hill. Basil and Bob from Sakonnet, a metro, a conrad's, Zoltan from Axis, and Rob from Next were turning the screws. I thought for a second or two, and went for it. The rationale was that the Sakonnet riders would be committed to making the break work as they had no teammates, Zoltan was committed as he didn't have any teammates, Rob was committed because he only had one teammate. As long as the Metro and Conrad's riders took their turns and didn't get dropped, the main threat would be Visit Britain, and they'd have to do all of the work on their own. If we got caught, hopefully, it would be by a decimated field, or by a few guys counter attacking in the final laps, who would help finish the race.
The first two laps in the break were furious. The group was on the verge of breaking apart several times. Metro would pull too hard, Conrad's couldn't come through, and few seemed to have an understanding of the smooth rotation you'd expect.
At about 10 to go, Rob and Metro rolled off and I followed. Rob wanted the three of us to ride away, but I wasn't interested and told him 33+ miles in a threesome is pretty impossible on a course like Prospect.
Eventually, Rob and Metro got worn out by their own surges surges and became smoother. The slower pace was easier for Conrad's, so he could pull through most of the time. Bob from Sakonnet got dropped.
With four to go, our lead was still over a minute. I was fantasizing about a downpour. Three to go, and it was 45 seconds. We might pull it off. But the other guys were starting to wilt. Zoltan and Basil couldn't pull through anymore, and both metro and Rob were much slower. I seemed to be the strongest up the hill with both three and two to go, but we could see the field splintering as it charged up the hill, so we had to dig.
We got the bell with the field still behind. My plan was to attack over the top of the hill, and probably no more than two would follow, and that would set up the finish. Right before the hill, Metro attacked. It wasn't much of a move, and I let him go so I had someone to bridge to at the top of the hill. Just as I was about to make my counter, Tony Settel of Conrad's jumped by with a few riders in tow. I got up to chase, and my left leg seized. Cramps. I hadn't even finished a bottle of water for that distance.
I took my left leg out of the pedal, and let it hang loose, as I pedaled with my right. The victory was history, but I might be able to pull out a top ten. I made it over the top alone, and rode on. Three guys caught me just as the descent started. Ah, I can rest and then sprint at the end.
Even that wasn't to be, as the remainder of the field, I think, caught us with about 400 to go. I just rode it in.
Kudos to Ed Nolan who finished his longest race ever.
JP
ps--adding to the insult of not drinking enough Saturday, I missed the crit at Far Rockaway Sunday because the race started a little early. 20 people showed up for all categories, so they started one race for everyone at about 3:10, as opposed to the 3:30 for the pro/am on the flyer. And in the crazy department, I cracked my saddle Saturday. This is the third saddle I've broken in three years and none of them were crashed. The only other saddle I broke was destroyed by a high speed mountainbike crash. |
