Killington Stage Race - Cat 4 Stage 1
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 2:01 pm
Turn away if you don't like the sight of blood.
This was a 54 mile race with 3x18mi circuits. There's a 5 mile gradual climb on the backside of the course and a very fast downhill sprint finish. I'm lined up with Scott Sweeney and my brother Glenn. For me this was a stage I wanted to go for and try for a podium in the sprint, knowing breakaways never work. I also wanted to conserve all energy until the end. Scott had a rocky training month so I told him to sit in all day and do nothing. Of course approaching the first hill he goes right to the front and drills it for 2 miles. When he pulled off someone attacked and the whole field responded and I saw Scott retreating like a lead balloon. It wasn't until a whole lap later that I saw he hung on, nice job (I guess). Skip to the third lap when the "unfortunate" incidents began. At the beginning of the last hill we got neutralized for a breakaway in the 50+ (yes embarrassing). We soft-pedal for about 2 minutes and then start climbing. Pedal to the metal all the way to the top as people get feisty. I'm tired approaching the KOM but dig deep to hold my position at the front before the 50mph descent and the 5 mile run in to the finish. Mission accomplished, at least 30% of the field got dropped and the hammer is on...until, neutralized again for the 50+ field. This is the WORST thing that could happen as everyone dropped catches on, and everyone recovers, get ready for a 75 person sprint. About 2k to go and I'm about 10th wheel and we are flying 40mph toward the finish with a HEAD WIND. Still well positioned with 1k to go sitting on a big guys wheel and chaos is starting to ensue. 500 meters to go and the yellow line rule is off and a few of us slide to the left and open up our sprints. Going 45mph into the wind and not moving up, at one point there was about 30 people spread across the road on either side to me and people are flying in every direction, including sideways. Some IDIOT from BOSTON ROAD CLUB (we have witnesses), with no chance to win, pulls a Roberto Ferrari and flys left and smashes into the guy in front of me, and I proceed to hit them going 45.9MPH (to be exact). Flying over the handlebars the right side of my face and helmet break my fall as I skid about 30 feet. To make it worse my brother Glenn was on my wheel and he also crashed. I hit so hard both lenses of my sunglasses came out, tubular on the front tire rolled off, both pinned numbers ripped of my jersey, road rash on every quadrant of my body, and possibly a cracked rib (minor if anything). It knocked the wind out of me so I layed on the ground for a few minutes as the medics (and my wife and kids) came to the scene quickly in a panic. All in all both myself and my Bro are scathed but not injurred so we'll proceed to the TT tomorrow on the same time (we were literally 50 meters from the finish line). My last sprint as a CAT4 and it was ruined by a BRC bafoon risking life and limb for 20th place. A guy from Drummond broke his collarbone, he should be even more pissed. Monday's hard road stage could be a parade lap unless I can find the will to throw down tomorrow in the TT. Sometimes bike racing sucks.
On a side note, Scott crossed the line intact, not sure what his placing was but he stayed out of the fray so probably 40th????
On a second side note, my brothers SRAM Red shifter was smashed, and the SRAM support guy gave him a free, brand new RED shifter. Cool.
See you tomorrow.
This was a 54 mile race with 3x18mi circuits. There's a 5 mile gradual climb on the backside of the course and a very fast downhill sprint finish. I'm lined up with Scott Sweeney and my brother Glenn. For me this was a stage I wanted to go for and try for a podium in the sprint, knowing breakaways never work. I also wanted to conserve all energy until the end. Scott had a rocky training month so I told him to sit in all day and do nothing. Of course approaching the first hill he goes right to the front and drills it for 2 miles. When he pulled off someone attacked and the whole field responded and I saw Scott retreating like a lead balloon. It wasn't until a whole lap later that I saw he hung on, nice job (I guess). Skip to the third lap when the "unfortunate" incidents began. At the beginning of the last hill we got neutralized for a breakaway in the 50+ (yes embarrassing). We soft-pedal for about 2 minutes and then start climbing. Pedal to the metal all the way to the top as people get feisty. I'm tired approaching the KOM but dig deep to hold my position at the front before the 50mph descent and the 5 mile run in to the finish. Mission accomplished, at least 30% of the field got dropped and the hammer is on...until, neutralized again for the 50+ field. This is the WORST thing that could happen as everyone dropped catches on, and everyone recovers, get ready for a 75 person sprint. About 2k to go and I'm about 10th wheel and we are flying 40mph toward the finish with a HEAD WIND. Still well positioned with 1k to go sitting on a big guys wheel and chaos is starting to ensue. 500 meters to go and the yellow line rule is off and a few of us slide to the left and open up our sprints. Going 45mph into the wind and not moving up, at one point there was about 30 people spread across the road on either side to me and people are flying in every direction, including sideways. Some IDIOT from BOSTON ROAD CLUB (we have witnesses), with no chance to win, pulls a Roberto Ferrari and flys left and smashes into the guy in front of me, and I proceed to hit them going 45.9MPH (to be exact). Flying over the handlebars the right side of my face and helmet break my fall as I skid about 30 feet. To make it worse my brother Glenn was on my wheel and he also crashed. I hit so hard both lenses of my sunglasses came out, tubular on the front tire rolled off, both pinned numbers ripped of my jersey, road rash on every quadrant of my body, and possibly a cracked rib (minor if anything). It knocked the wind out of me so I layed on the ground for a few minutes as the medics (and my wife and kids) came to the scene quickly in a panic. All in all both myself and my Bro are scathed but not injurred so we'll proceed to the TT tomorrow on the same time (we were literally 50 meters from the finish line). My last sprint as a CAT4 and it was ruined by a BRC bafoon risking life and limb for 20th place. A guy from Drummond broke his collarbone, he should be even more pissed. Monday's hard road stage could be a parade lap unless I can find the will to throw down tomorrow in the TT. Sometimes bike racing sucks.
On a side note, Scott crossed the line intact, not sure what his placing was but he stayed out of the fray so probably 40th????
On a second side note, my brothers SRAM Red shifter was smashed, and the SRAM support guy gave him a free, brand new RED shifter. Cool.
See you tomorrow.
