The first VA state BAR race of the season would be a fun one. The weatherman was calling for it to be sunny with a high around 68…. awesome. I checked the start list when I woke up that morning; at least 25 people would be starting the Cat 3 race. Andrew would be racing in the Cat 5 race earlier in the morning so I went out with him to take pictures and mingle while he did circles. We thought his race was at 8:30, so we woke up ate breakfast stopped by 7-Eleven, and got coffee, and made it out to the course about 7:40. To our surprise Dan Netzer was already there, and much more to our surprise Andrew’s race was actually at a 8, not 8:30. We rushed him into his kit, prepped his bike and pushed him off.
Andrew is not pleased about being a cat 5. Having placed in the top 5 the last two weeks he was looking for a win, but he was also not pleased about having to wake up at the crack of dawn to drive 30 minutes one way to race for 30 minutes. In his words, “I was doing the price per lap in my head.” At the start he jumped, and went flying off the front where he stayed about 10 seconds out for close to half of his race.He eventually was swallowed up by the peloton, and sprinted out for 3rd. Anthony Bream was out there also doing work in the peloton, and finishing the race, getting faster with each pedal stroke.
The cat 3 race would be enjoyable. Putting my HED Stinger 6s on I became more and more excited. I love these wheels, and I haven’t rode them since the end of last season, besides an occasional ride around town. Celerity Cycling also had new kits, and we couldn’t wait to show them off, bc they look badass. We had about thirty people on the start line when the official gave the go, including all the regulars to watch for, Josh Goyet (VBW), John Grey (VBW), Tim Pope (Fat Frog’s), Mickey Turner (HPC racing), and a new guy named Steve that seemed to be the Bell of the Ball (3sports). This was his first Cat 3 race, and everybody was talking about the tall guy on 3 sports with the yellow bike. we soon found out why.
In the brief by the officials they told us that our laptime needed to be faster than the Womens 1/2/3 race, so Dan immediatly jumped on the front and made sure of this, pulling the peloton around at 27-28ish mph for the first lap. I just happened to miss my clip in, and went from in front of the group on the start line to almost off the back on the start line before attempt #2 was successful. Early in, the third or fourth lap, the yellow bike, took off with a kid from William & Mary in tow. Not being in the proper position nobody could respond. Dan eventually attempted to bridge the gap to Steve working with John grey. The rest of 3 sports, VBW, and myself sat on the front of the field watching their attempt in admiration, and hoped they could make it. Then next thing we know here comes John back to the group, and that’s when everything went downhill. VBW decided to get on the front, and do some work since they didn’t hav eanyone up the road anymore. Dan, despite his effort would not stay away. When Dan came back I went for my turn off the front…… nobody would help me, and I spent three laps in no man’s land pedaling away, but not making any distance. I would get a prime though, so I got that going for me. Steve lapped the field dragging W&M with him. Hopefully that guy doesn’t stay in the 3s very long. The sprint would be for second, and a lot of people wanted it. I did not place myself well, with the help of another team via putting me in the grass as we came around for one to go causing me to slide back. Dan however did get a decent position and would finish 5th, I would finish 12th.
The 1/2/3 race was short lived. I spent the first half of the race working to stay mid-pack, and quickly realized that I wouldn’t be able to do anything and that I had a TT the next day went ahead and pulled out of the race. Dan stayed a little longer, before trying to pull out of the race, and we convinced him to finish it, albeit a lap down. Fun times were had, and the weather was great.
Thank you to the Virginia Beach Wheelman for hosting a great event.
Pics are here
For Dan’s thoughts go here
good post