Great Neck Criterium
Great Neck, NY
May 15, 2005
By JP Partland
The great neck course was harder than I expected. The rise
past the finish line was a bit longer, and with narrow corners and a
short loop (I think it was shorter than 1k), it was both hard to keep
a steady effort and hard to recovery. I'd call it a punchy course.
Not only did you have to punch over the rise shortly after
accelerating out of turn 4, but also out of turns 2 and 3. It was
hard to take turns 2,3, 4 any more than two wide.
I saw Todd and Ed in their respective races. Didn't see how
Todd finished. Ed started well, but was hammered by a tough field.
Didn't see anyone else racing. Eric and Don were officiating and
Cynthia was roaming the course as a tv reporter.
In the I-II-III the big issue was that Alejandro Acton lined
up. This guy has been on fire. He was third at the huge Athens, GA
crit a few weeks ago. He rode away from the field at Branchbrook
Park last week. That Branchbrook field had the guy who won Georgia,
pro Vasili Davidenko, and even though Acton had a breakaway
companion, the word was he took two pulls or so for the entire length
of their 2/3 distance break.
I was hoping that no one noticed Acton. Maybe I'd be the
only one to pay attention to him when he attacked. While few seemed
to notice him right away, word quickly spread through the field. My
guess is everyone immediately figured he'd go on the attack. He
started next to me and in the first lap was towards the back of the
pack. I shadowed him for two laps, but sat up for a second as he
continued his trek forward. I realized my error the moment I saw the
guys in front of me struggling on the rise. A few laps later, he
attacked with Schneider of Mengoni and Pulla of Toga. The chase was
only half-hearted. I was there, Next's Melendez, and occasional help
from a Cuevas kid and a few others, but it was as if people had
already conceded the race. The other two Next riders weren't going
nto chase, but were happy to follow wheels or muck things up.
I went for two prime sprints. I thought it was worthwhile
practice and could develop into a field split. Both were close. One
I led out from turn 4, one I followed someone through turn four. I
thought I got both, but after the race, the promoter didn't have me
down winning, so I guess not. I even had a bike throw for one of
them.
When I heard the lead car honking from behind, I tried to get
another move away. Some riders sit up to let the car pass. I was
hoping to get far enough ahead of the field so the car would slot in
between my group and the field. Out of sight is often out of mind.
No luck. And the breakaway three came to the front to chase
down any moves so they could trade off on the primes. With several
laps left, Acton attacked, and his fellow breakaway guys just
watched. They probably let him pull them for most of the lap they
gained. One rider was furious at schneider and pulla for not chasing
Acton down, but I'm pretty sure they knew he'd beat them either way.
If I had been in a better position, I would have tried sitting on his
wheel, just like the guy who got blown off it.
Since I hate repeating errors, I watched two guys roll off
with a few to go. Too often, when I try that, I get caught. Only
they didn't get caught. Should have figured it would have worked on
this course. Sat tight. Moved up a few placese between laps 2 and
1, lost a few places before turn three, and sprinted in for 12th,
making back most of the entry fee.
JP
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