Palmer Grand Prix

Race reports
Post Reply
djming
Chasseur
Posts: 965
Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 6:44 am

Palmer Grand Prix

Post by djming »

Up and checking radar and weather at 5:45. Had marked the location of the race track and watching the radar. All kinds of stuff around it, including some big rumbles of thunder and downpours here at the house but the track continued to appear in the clear. Drive out and the roads get more and more dry as I get closer.
Track is dry. Get on the track with Ron H for a preview lap. Yup, still just as hilly as last year :D

Line up with 32 guys at 10:35 for the masters 50+, with MRC representing with me, Ron H, Christo T and John E (couldn't convince John R that is was dry out in Palmer).
Start is immediately into the steepest part of the 3-step climb. I decide what the hell and go to the front and set a good hard tempo. A couple guys put in some short lived surges and I quickly and easily respond all thru lap 1. Hmm, maybe this might go well. 2nd time up the climb I set the same level as lap 1 when Pat Cunningham attacks. Peter Pereira goes and I follow him with Jim Nash with me. 4 of us get clear for a bit but Peter drops his chain and Jim struggles so Pat and I sojourn on for a bit. We get caught coming into finish of lap 3 when Bill Thompson goes. Two guys appear to be ready to chase so I follow them when they give up and Bill's got a decent gap. I bridge HARD and lead Bill up the climb and we stay away for 2 laps.

As we hit 5 to go a glance back and the field is closing, but I notice Bill's teammate Thomas Biederer sitting right near the front, and he's a good climber. I guess that he's planning to counter so I back off slightly. And, I guessed correctly as halfway up the climb Tom attacks hard on the inside with the field strung out. Takes me just a bit, but I quickly surge and we're clear. A look back and only 1 guy (Art Podgorski, Cyclonauts) bridging so I tell Thomas to ease up just a bit. Art catches on but still a good gap to the field so the 3 of us get to work.
4 to go I lead us up the climb. 3 to go I lead us up the climb and they are struggling to come back on. 2 to go and I say screw it and ride away on the climb. Over the top, into the S-turn descent and I've got a growing gap. Just put the head down and drill it, only one more time of 3 minutes of pain then bring it in!
BUT, hit the finish area and no bell. Lap cards still say 2 and it doesn't go to 1. Did I miscount? Was I delirious last lap and THOUGHT a 2 was actually 3?? I pass Christo, he says "pretty sure this should be it for you", but pretty sure ain't good enough. Do I back off and conserve or keep drilling and hope I was right? Decide to ease off just a bit. Now Thomas has dropped Art and is closing. Bring the pace back up when I pass John E who INSISTS I'm on the last lap and is yelling for me to JUST GO.
Look back and the moto is still with Thomas and Art who has clawed back. Then the moto rides up to me and says "you're finishing on this lap" to which I double check (and make sure they realize I'm in the lead), he confirms, so I drill the final part of the climb, rail the descent and look back to see that Thomas has once again dropped Art but isn't going to catch me. Enough of a gap to ease up and savor the finish! DAMN!!

After, I find out that John, despite being lapped, may have saved the race for me as when the moto passed, John got his attention, telling the moto I never got a bell lap. That's what prompted the moto riding up to me. And sure enough in talking with the chief Ref after he confirmed the bell came "much too late" and there was confusion with the cards.
Last edited by djming on Sun Jun 30, 2019 5:36 am, edited 2 times in total.
Dave Mingori
User avatar
Jacob
Peloton
Posts: 476
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:14 pm
Location: Arlington, MA

Re: Palmer Grand Prix

Post by Jacob »

So you won then? Congrats!
User avatar
mfwestbe
Chasseur
Posts: 567
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2012 12:19 pm
Location: Northborough, MA

Re: Palmer Grand Prix

Post by mfwestbe »

NICE
Definite kudos to John too, then, for having a clear head
User avatar
KTeves
Tête de la course
Posts: 1641
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 12:29 pm
Location: Boylston, MA

Re: Palmer Grand Prix

Post by KTeves »

Congrats! Sounds like you had your mojo going.
Last edited by KTeves on Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
KT
User avatar
JeremyC
Maillot Jaune
Posts: 2090
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:04 pm
Location: Stow, MA

Re: Palmer Grand Prix

Post by JeremyC »

Dave just imagine if you trained more? Seriously congrats!
User avatar
jraguin
Tête de la course
Posts: 1450
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2009 5:27 pm
Location: Acton, MA

Re: Palmer Grand Prix

Post by jraguin »

Awesome job Dave.

As Dave said, I wimped out based on not wanting to drive 1:20 each way and find out it was too sketchy for racing. I am sure glad you didn't do that! Don't be a wimp is the lesson here!
djming
Chasseur
Posts: 965
Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 6:44 am

Re: Palmer Grand Prix

Post by djming »

jraguin wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 9:46 am As Dave said, I wimped out based on not wanting to drive 1:20 each way and find out it was too sketchy for racing. I am sure glad you didn't do that! Don't be a wimp is the lesson here!
Well, 1) I've done that this year 2) Palmer is only a 38 min drive for me, so less risk there.

Seriously though, thanks guys. Saturday was one of those days everything clicked.
BTW, I'm not the only one with a win from Saturday! And another 3rd. And I heard something about a lost etap battery...
Dave Mingori
User avatar
peterkuhn
Domestique
Posts: 181
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2017 11:23 am

Re: Palmer Grand Prix

Post by peterkuhn »

yeah dang some people really need to post up some race reports around here
Post Reply