Ohio Valley Spring Series - Reily

Despite it's reputation, this course is not flat. It starts with a punchy little hill and then continues to climb gradually for another 1.5 miles. The backside is rolling and the final leg is mostly downhill with a few ups just to make life interesting. Today there was a nasty 15mph wind blowing up the final leg. The sprint was downhill straight into the wind.

Rob was convinced that the winning move could go early in the race. Both Jon and I told him he was crazy. No break could hold out for 50 miles in this wind. But Rob turned out to be right...read on.

Less than a mile into the race a break had formed and was dangling off the front. Todd had covered the break so I was just sitting near the front watching things for the team. Rob leans over and says "This is the kind of move that will win the race. All the teams are represented." As we talked, a steady stream of guys (mostly Campus Cyclery) were jumping up and getting into the break. I didn't like how the odds were stacking up against Todd, so I jumped on a Campus Cyclery train and got a free tow up to the break. Once there I just sat on and covered gaps (people were already fading!) Eventually I took a few token pulls to keep people from bitching, but I had no intention of putting any effort into a break of this size. As I sat in the line trying to lay low, gaps continued to form and before I knew it, Todd was gone along with about 6 others. We were down to a 6 man break.

At this point I knew I had to start taking real pulls. There is nowhere to hide in a six man break (unless you're Airborne - but more on that later). I still wasn't sure if I should burn myself in such an early move. But, hey, I was here and everyone else was working. So I stepped up. We drove it hard for the first two laps. I was pretty sure I couldn't hold the pace for 50 miles, but I just kept telling myself I could go for at least another few minutes and that's how I rode, one pull at a time. I did my share of work, only missing pulls to adjust my spot in the rotation (some guys were not coming through the line smoothly at all).

In the break there were two Cyclesports, one International Pro, one Miami University, and one sandbagger, er I mean Airborne. The Airborne guy was just sitting on the back. He had a team radio and instructions from the field to not work - what a crock. We all had teams back in the field. But Airborne had G.C. aspirations for Ferguson and they were going all out for the extra large box of socks, free bar tape, or whatever the G.C. winner gets. We reluctantly let Airborne sit because, for now, we didn't want any extra chasers activated in the field.

As our gap grew beyond 2 minutes, we began to back off slightly on the pace. I was pretty sure we would stay away at this point, but I was taking nothing for granted. I kept working the line. In fact everyone (except our Airborne barnacle) continued to work really well.

On the last lap I surged up the first part of the hill trying to shake off any deadweight (Airborne in particular). The guy had been complaining the whole race about how he was afraid of getting dropped and he was afraid of his team and wah wah wah. The guys in my break told me Airborne pulled the same crap in last week's break. True to form, Airborne was not hurting as much as he let on. Everyone covered my surge like it was no problem including Airborne who followed up with a "I figured you guys would be attacking me by now". In retrospect I should have used the remainder of the hill to put in a few more surges, but I was hurting too and there was a lot of headwind riding coming up. We finished the remainder of the lap without incident. Everyone just kept pulling through.

In the sprint I just wanted to follow wheels and hope for a top 3. Downhill, into a stiff headwind I am almost useless. Cyclesport led us into the final 500k. With 300k to go, Airborne jumped hard, right gutter in what he later claimed was a lead-out. (I've never seen a lead-out where you jump hard out of the saddle and put everyone in the gutter.) I jumped and managed to pull back up to Airborne's wheel. Glen from Cyclesport came blasting around with 100k to go and took the win. Airborne was fading by now. I tried to go around the right side, but he began to drift right. I chickened out and backed off, holding on for 3rd.

My mom was at the line to see my finish (I grew up only a few miles away in Oxford, OH). So it was a great day all around for me.

A good race for Savage. The first break of the day was again the most important. Will was the leader for the race and we helped shut the field down for him and put him in the break. (Hope his Mom is happy now). The field pretty much sat up after the Campus Cycling team couldn't get their chase together and work as a team. The Peloton just sat up and we cruised for like 2 laps. The with two laps to go Jon begin a solo attack and stayed away for most of the 5th lap. Savage put Airborne under pressure and they took on the responsability of chasing Jon.(with a little help from Woody) Jon was caught right before the finish of the 5th lap. The beginning of the 6th lap Jon attacked again and soloed again. Again Airborne had to chase. We were about to catch Jon and a crash happened. Just after the crashe Larry bridged up too Jon with a Unizan and a independant. The crash shocked the Peloton and the complete race exploded into small groups. With two Savage guys in the front chase group I blocked and see if Dale, Ferguson or Mario would still have legs to chase. Just after the turn I attacked and saw they gave me a gap and I bridged up to Jon pretty quick. Seeing that the group behind us was splitting up, Jon drove the pace for me and helped to put me in a incredible position to take the field. He drove the chase group and I cleaned up the sprint for 7th. A huge thanks to Jon he did a excellent job in the leadout. You demolished more then me.. I just finished it off for you. Larry: nice work good blocking and you helped Jon in the final.(just stay out of the wind!!) Woody nice job in driving the peloton. Jim Z and Joe glad you could help in blocking efforts. Will: your biggest pay day to date and in front of your MOMS...!!

I did this course two years ago and I like the change they made since then. Essentially the course was the same, but they tacked on the section that descended into and climbed out of Reily. That added a nice mix of terrain to the course. I think I had more fun with this race than any other so far this season.

After sitting in for the a good part of the first lap while the breakaway dangled then slowly gained, I caught Rob giving an evil eye to those of us sitting in the middle of the pack. He chided us and we felt much shame. Along with Woody, Joe and Jim we worked our way to the front and made a decisive showing at the front of the field by the end of the first lap. For the next three laps Joe, Jim and I kept great control of the front. I was rarely out of the number two position and rarely in the front either. I just stayed on the wheel of whoever wanted to move up front. There were other players but mostly it was Campus Cyclery for two laps trying to get something going. Mostly they just dangled their strongest rider in the front for an outrageously long time riding tempo.

On the fourth lap Airborne came around in mass and picked up the pace a little. On the climb they stepped things up but I had no trouble staying glued to the lead wheel. At one point a Bio wheels guy made a strong charge and I jumped on his wheel. A CC guy who was also reacting to this also wanted that wheel moved in on me with his bars and body all the while telling me to work or get out of the way. I was not happy about that and lost my temper with the guy. Joe calmed me down and I felt shame again and did my best to smooth things over.

By the start of lap 5 the charges began and I was back to hanging on with the pack for the next lap or so. Back in the front for the final lap we were mostly back to blocking and covering halfhearted attacks while Jon dangled out there solo. It was apparent that Jon was not going to stay away so I found an opportunity with the pace slowed up and took a flyer either hoping to bridge solo to Jon or to setup a SHC counter when we caught Jon. I had no idea what was going on behind me but I was a bit surprised that only one guy was following me and we had a sizeable gap on the pack. When I caught Jon I was only able to help him a little bit before the other guy caught on. After getting guttered and toasted I did catch on and helped a little bit with the paceline until Rob came around with maybe one other guy and turned the knob to 11. That was it for me and I dropped back hoping to recover before the field got to me. A scattered few came around and I managed to stay with them. An Airborne guy tried to jump solo and looked like he was going to have a chance but it was way too early and the three of us; Sobe, CycleSport, and I, overtook and left him. Sobe and I got into a Mexican standoff at the top of the final descent and that prompted CyleSport to take a flyer. No good for him cause I grabbed his wheel and rode it to till maybe 20 meters from the finish where I took the sprint. It was all for 11'th place but it felt like a win.

Sorry to hear that there was a crash in the field and apparantly there were injuries. I had no idea about this until I got the news at the finish.