Jeff, Steve and I raced at Attleboro Saturday. No great success to report, but we didn’t crash seriously. Steve had a minor incident involving a rider damaging his front wheel, but he took his free lap and continued the race.
Jeff was strong in the Pro12 field and finished in the chase group after what looked like a fast and furious chase for a dozen or so laps. After a 1+ hr rain delay due to lightning the Cat 3 and Cat 4 races were combined. We started a decent rain, but it soon stopped and the roads were even drying as we finished. Several riders discounted the affect of water on braking surfaces and caused single rider incidents, one of which forced Steve to stop completely.
Future reference if you are ever stopped like that behind a crash, the answer is YES you went down or you won’t get your free lap.
3 guys got off the front around halfway and managed to build a quick lead and stayed away to the end. On the last lap I was in a good position going into corner two but some riders braked too much and I lost some momentum, then on the downhill one idiot sprinted down the inside (so he could be 10th at best into the corner) and couldn’t make the turn at the bottom. Amazingly he slid out with hitting anyone else. I finished mid pack but officially 11th in the Cat 3’s.
Sunday Cody and I raced at Walnut Hill Park in New Britain CT. If you’ve never raced here it’s a great course typically, fast, safe and great for spectating.
Cody and I lined up for the Masters 30+ as a warm up before our primary races of the day. The pace was quick from the gun, but again a break went away around midway through the 20 lap race. I ended up 12th (3rd apparently in the field sprint) Cody pulled out around midway to conserve for her primary race which immediately followed the 30+.
After 15 laps and no successful breaks in the race it came down to a sprint, and Cody pulled away for her second win of the year at Walnut Hill Park and earned the New England Regional Championship jersey for Cat 3/4.
Men’s Cat 3 I survived for a pack finish. Mildly disappointed, but the heat and two consecutive days of racing finally got to me.
