Superweek-Race report #6

Superweek Update

Dearest Team,

Our cycling adventure continues with another great day of racing. After a scheduled rest day everyone was feeling strong; and the crowds were out in force. On a 1.3 mile course with four corners and a small chicane the Shorewood Criterium couldn't have presented a more exciting race.

It seemed like every lap was a points prime or cash sprint. I did my best to win a cash prime, but came up short (although I learned where to gauge my sprint for the finish; so with high hopes for the finish I sat in and caught my breath). Jen did some much needed work at the front and Lauren did her best in a couple of the ensuing sprints.

With four to go I decided to go on the offensive and went up the road with one other rider. We had a small gap, but when I pulled through and looked back she was gone. Not letting that dash my spirit I put my head forward and decided I was going to ride as hard as I could until I got caught. Then, a $250 cash prime was called!!! So I increased my effort, won the prime and came through the start finish to a roaring crowd. I realized I had one lap to go and was well off the front! The last lap was brutal, but all I could think was I was getting closer and closer to the finish and was still all alone.

I rounded the final corner and only had the LONGEST sprint of my life ahead of me; the only problem was I'd been off the front for two laps and so all I could do was turn my pedals and hope for the best, I got more and more excited; then. . .I heard something behind me and the next thing I know I'm getting eaten alive by a very angry peleton that decided I'd spent enough time off the front. Bummer, 17th is definitely not what I had in mind.

Our U-25 women's squad is getting stronger and looking forward to adding PC to the lineup for our next race on Saturday.

More race reports to come.

Julia

Nick: We rolled up to the race right as the girls entered their last lap. The absolute fervor of the crowd and announcers for Julia's move was incredible. It did not work out, but it was a bold move that really put NOW-MS on everybody's lips.

The guys report:

Today it was close to home so we decided to ride our bikes to the race, 48 laps on a 1.3 mile course. After our rest day we were all pumped to make the best of it, and we certainly ended up doing a pretty good job. We were so excited about racing that the first attack of the day came from an VRC-rider, Bennett tried to go for a 100k-solo effort, but unfortunatly the rest of the pack didn't want to cooperate so he got caught again. Besides that the first part of the race was pretty uneventfull (apart from the usual endless streams of attacks which are so common here in Superweek), until the race got stopped. There were firetrucks and ambulances all over the finish line so racing was impossible. We still don't exactly know what happened, rumours were either someone getting a heart attack or a building on fire.

After a delay of half an hour and a shortened race because of it we took off again. Since all of the sprints for the red jersey points and the primes had to be put in the smaller amount of laps the pace was really high for the remainder of the race. Despite this 2 times a large group rode away, without any VRC-riders so it was a good thing everything ended up together after all (partly because of chase work our team did). This meant a bunch sprint...in which we all placed pretty good: Michael got 10th, Nick 17th and Bennett 28th...so the whole team was in the top 30..owww yeaahh! Also in the overall standings VRC is pretty well represented since Iam 15th overall and Nick 23rd. So halfway through Superweek we can be pretty pleased with the results so far, and we are sure there will be more to come. Especially since the U25-team is now complete since Losak has joined us.

Flem.