ORR’s McCullough and McGill joined Quebec’s Equipe Cycliste Gaspesien in North American’s oldest and longest classic road race , Montreal – Quebec.  We were reasonably well prepared for this euro style point-to-point race which attracts the best elite riders from Ontario, Quebec and New England, having logged several 6-7 hour rides in the previous weeks.  Our job was to contribute to the Gaspesien team effort by riding near the front and chasing breakaways and making sure that our designated team leaders where in contention for the finale as the race unfolded in the last 40 kilometers.

Andrew rode cooly and confidently despite it being his first major Elite race.  After 120 km a large hill after the Gabelle Dam split the field and Andrew drove hard this lead group (he is about sixth in line with a yellow and orange jersey, black shorts and white shoes in the photo of riders making a left turn across a bridge). The break lasted for 15 km but was gobbled up when the road straightened and flattened out and the chasing groups could see how close the break was.   The pace went up above 50 kmh on several of the narrow, bumpy and winding stretches before the Gabelle dam and also after it.

During a lull at about the 140-150 km mark, a major  break rolled away and was not chased in earnest until their lead went up to 3 minutes with 60-70 km to go.  At this point, the Garneau team decided it wanted to bring Aurelien Passeron, their French star, back into contention and strung the field out single file in a crosswind for several long intervals.

Only about 80-90 of the 150 starters were able to survive the brutal distance,  the single file racing in some sections  and the final push over the Donnaconna hills. Andrew and I were beginning to suffer from dehydration despite being able to go back to the cars and get some water. I had trouble getting back into the pack from the caravan and soon become thirsty again and began to panic – when  i thought we had passed the second feedzone and I started dialing Laury on my cellphone, she told me she was waiting in the second feedzone and that the peloton was still 30 km away. This reassured me. The Gaspesien team started driving the pace hard in order to reel in the break and soon we were in the final feedzone. I got one bottle of powerade from Laury and Andrew got a musette from Laury with one water and orange juice bottle and a can of “Slimfast” destined for me – Laury had expected that there would be somebody from Gaspesien in the feedzones, with bottles for feeding, because she had not prepared anything.  Soon after the feedzone we hit the Donnaconna hil and the Slimfast was making its’ way back up from my stomach to my mouth, I made it over the hill because all the attacks over the top were reeled in and began to feel more confident that I could finish. Unfortunately, I think we were both getting dehydrated again, and I began to wish for some coke or another caffeinated sugary liquid to revive me.  Teams were being fed from the road by supporters  in random places along the route because the pace was to high to go back to the caravan and get liquid.  I don’t know what the other riders were getting in their bottles? Maybe something stronger…

The race finishes on a criterium circuit around the Louis Garnaeau factory after climbing a short steep wall from the St. Lawrence River to the escarpment above it. Both Andrew and I were in mid-pack positions coming into the hill and were not well positioned to responded to the accelerations at the very front which launched a winning move of 20-30 riders who blasted the peloton apart up the final wall. Initially we were both chasing only 30-40 meters in arears until the group hit the false flat and pulled out of our reach. Andrew lead the second chase group through much of the criterium lap and initiated the final sprint in the last 200 meters, when several guys started to come around him in the final 50 meters,  I sped up a little and was able to throw my bike to win the group sprint for 30th while Andrew was 34th. Although disapointed to have so narrowly missed the winning move, we were consoled at being the third and fourth US finishers in a field which of 150 riders. Our team had two riders in the top 10 and 6 in the top 50 so the race was a success for them. The race winner was Aurelien Passeron riding for Garneau CLub Chassures, a former French Espoir Road Champion and Tour de France professional from the Saunier Duval squad who is rumoured to have been mixed up in the Ricco affair which saw that team ejected from the Tour. For results see:  http://www.tourdebeauce.com/images/stories/Classique2010-08-15.pdf

B- Race- Women:
1- Amy Miner (Onion River Racing)
2- MaryAnn Marinez (Onion River Racing)
3- Marilyn Ruseckas (Seven/Mad River Riders)
4- Heather Voisin (Onion River Racing)

A- Race- Men (no Women entered the A race):
1- Jared Katz (Onion River Racing)
2- Jim Komarmi
3- Mike Burris (Burris logistics/Fit Werx)
4- Nick Petterssen (Onion River Racing)
5- Bobby Bailey (Onion River Sports)
6- Pavel Tcherkassov (Onion River Racing)
7- John McGill (Onion River Racing)
8- Allan Rego (Rim of Fire)
9- Dave McCahill
10- Philip Belliveau (Burris Logistics/Fit Werx)
11- Steve Colangeli (Burris Logistics/ Fit Werx)
12- David Ricklefs (Onion River Sports)

I wasn’t planning on racing last weekend, May 2^nd, but Jean was able to persuade me to go and race in the Saratoga Springs Crit. in New York. Having only observed a crit, I was nervous and willing to take all and any advice Jean and the team offered. As Jean parallel parked his “ big rig”, I got changed and ready for my race that was taking off in a half an hour. I took a few sprints and turns before riding the course, which consisted of five right hand turns, one left turn and two long straight-aways. Jean providing me with some last minute advice stood at the start line for support. Thanks Jean!

Soon after, I found myself shuffling for a spot surrounded by the Holstein Cow jerseys (the NY Farm Team). At the sound of the whistle there was the clicking of shoes snapping into their pedals and the field took off.

I had no idea how tight or fast I could take the corners, and on the first right hand turn I found myself being passed by almost all the riders. The second turn provided me with my first experience of pedals, arms, and various bike parts scraping together as each racer leaned their bike over all aiming for the same path. I managed to get through the first lap without any incidents.

However, on the third right hand turn of the second lap there was a manhole cover that wiped out one of the Farm Team racers, who was right in front of me. As his bike slid out from under his body, his rear tire hit mine. By the time I recovered (luckily not going down), the main field was already around the next turn.

Knowing I had to bridge the gap, I downshifted and started the five-lap chase. Remembering that someone told me one can save time and energy by making tight fast turns. I would feel the hay bales swiping my legs as I whipped around the corners, and I would sprint out of then desperately trying to catch the main group. After two laps the field was out of sight, but with the constant cheering from Jean, Andrew, Mark, Jared, and a random guy who would run next to me on one of the straight-aways, I was able to catch the field with 10 laps to go.

Knowing how fast I could make the turns, I moved up to the middle of the field. With only three laps left the pace picked up. After making a sharp turn I hit a sunken manhole, my hands came off the handlebars and my front tire started to wobble from side to side. Grabbing back on I was able once again avoid a crash, but had slipped back from the front of the field. So with another hard sprint I caught up again. The bells sounded beginning the final lap.

After quieting a few attacks we approached the second to last turn. I took the lead and increased the pace rounded the last turn and saw the finish. Sprinting a little too early I got 3^rd in the field sprint being beaten by a wheel’s length. Not knowing two riders had broken off before the last turn, I found out that I got 5^th still a podium finish.

I took another lap around the course to cool down and headed to the roll out station. Having blocked two gears, and performing an endless amount of rollouts at home I was not expecting to be disqualified. After doing five rollouts the official had three people come to help. They did another two rollouts and DQ’ed me for being over by 1/8 of an inch even though there was an extension cord running across the rollout zone. Making my way over to the team I told them the news. “O well I” said to my self “too bad”.

I leaned against my bike and watched Andrew and Jared dominate the ¾ race and Jean get 5^th and 4^th, and Mark getting in around 10^th and 12^th in both of there races. Altogether Onion River had a very successful day and I had a great time in my first crit! Now I am off to get a 52-chain ring so I don’t get DQ’ed any more.

Coaches include:

• Stephanie Chase – Stage 5 Elite team member, personal trainer and coach.
• MaryAnn Martinez- former National Champion and current Onion River racer
• Laury Saligman – former elite racer with NCVC and Team Kenda.

Day One – Saturday May 15th (Location to be determined): 10AM to 4PM
Morning skills clinic and relaxed afternoon road ride with coaches.

Day Two – Sunday May 16th (National Life Headquarters, Montpelier): 10 AM to 3 PM Skills practice and the option to participate in the 2010 Montpelier Bicycle Training Races (“C” skills clinic or the B race for entry level racers). For more information about the 2010 Montpelier Bicycle Training (Race) Series see: www.onionriverracing.com or www.bikereg.com

Registration: Cost $10, Please contact: MaryAnn Martinez (802) 363- 7563 or Runbikegrrl@netzero.com

Register at Bike Reg: http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=10702

Jean and I raced at the Paradise Cross Frenzy this past Sunday.  This new event  put on by Paradise Sports and held at the Harpoon Brewery in Windsor, VT.  is a winner.  Apparently, Paradise Sports will be relocating from downtown Windsor and building at a location next door to Harpoon in 2010.

The course was what I call a ‘tape course’, meaning it was nearly completely defined by ‘event’ tape.  It had a great balance of speed sections and technical turns as well as a rideable ‘run-up’ and double barriers.

My field had just 16 racers which was actually a breath of fresh air compared to the massive (ridiculous?) 100+ fields in the Verge New England Championship Series races I raced earlier this season.  Perhaps the best part of the day after cleaning up and putting the bikes away in Jean’s truck:  walking over to Harpoon’s brewpub deck and relaxing in the surprisingly warm, late October sunshine with brewery fresh IPA’s and sandwiches while watching the remaining races of the day fly by.

Put this one on your race calender for next year!!

VELOCITY CHALLENGED
Adapting to the higher wattage euro racing again after some time off was tough.  My only peloton miles beforehand were a couple hours in the Montreal-Quebec Classic before I crashed. Despite adequate base, the lack of speedwork and race legs showed:  Although  the day after I arrived, I survived a 90 km criterium for Category II-IIIs and finished an Elite level 100 km race in the remnants of the peloton on the third day, I generally lacked the speed to survive at the front in the normal cycle of attacks and single file echelons encountered here.  Because the VCPL team was preoccupied with stage races elsewhere, I usually rode considerable distances to each race by myself. This was great training and nice sightseeing but tough for getting results.  At the races, I  soon gained a reputation as some strange “touriste” who showed up at races on bike with a big backpack, camera and roadmaps.

There were some fantastic touring moments in the rustic Morbihan and Finistere  regions , but my racing never really hit its stride.   There is no excuse except old age for getting dropped in three elite road races  and only finishing one.  I did  finish three out of four 90 km Cat II-III criteriums that I entered, I was more or less just hanging on for dear life, except for an easier one in Southern France, where I got off the front for most of the last lap until I was swallowed by chasers, 200 meters from the line.   In Brittany, if you don’t attack out the peloton and into the breaks or chase groups, usually the peloton will eventually be a receptacle for the weaker riders and it will give up, and you will thus become  part of the laughing pack.  If I dared to race again in Brittany I would prepare the same way I would for Belgium with strong doses of one, three and five minute intervals and motorpacing. Climbing App Gap just doesn’t help for this stuff.

French races are often  held on unbelievably narrow and  hilly but well paved circuits which were almost always completely closed to the car traffic, well marshaled and much safer than in the US – also because the skill level of French riders is higher than chez nous.  French road circuits are fairly turny and often only 4 or 10 kilometers long so they almost feel like the criteriums. On the other hand, the criteriums I encountered had longer 2Km + circuits with little hills,  and were at minimum 80 kilometers long- making them less much more like road races.

FRANCE VS. BELGIUM: WHICH HAS A BETTER RACING?
I’d recommend Brittany over Belgium to any aspiring racer with an entire summer or spring to invest in racing. The cost are about the same: once you get over their its’ really much cheaper than racing in the US because the teams in France will host you and take you to races which cost about $8 to race in. Breton races have more hills, less wind, and the speeds are steadier than Belgium, and the riders are possibly less juiced up- although local races do not seem to have dope controls at all.  On the other hand, Belgium would still be my pick for anybody who wants a race quick fix in 21 days or less because, you can race any day of the week there and usually locate yourself where it is easy to ride your bike to races and thus avoid needing a car.  Below are some photos and links to race vids (posted on YouTube)

VIDEO LINKS:

Cornering  in Concarneau

Cherves – Race Scene

Hilly race near Poitiers

Friday mornings Cat. 3 TT, held under sunny, near perfect conditions, save for the pesky, speed-zapping NW headwind provided me a clue as to what I had already suspected going into this years GMSR:  I wouldn’t be a threat to anyone’s GC dreams.  I won’t post my finishing time here -you’ll have to look it up online if you’re truly interested- but I will say the time spent groveling in the ‘pain cave’ did serve well to open up the pipes and legs for the next days effort.

Of the four races that comprise this stage race, Saturdays 72 mi. circuit race was the one I feared the most.  The obstacle responsible for the fear was the Duxbury ‘gap’ climb which had a KOM sprint at the top.  The climb itself  isn’t overly hard or long in the scheme of things, more so, it’s the pace at which it’s climbed (whipped up by those contending for the KOM points).  72 mi. equals 4 times (1 neutral) up Duxbury and, heck, 72 mi. is a distance I’ve only trained at a handful of times this season.  The goal was to not get dropped on that climb; not be riding in alone 28 min. after the pack had finished.  Well, I’m glad to report that goal/victory was achieved.  Having survived the climbing, it was time to think about the finish at the Ward Access on Rt. 100B.  Coming into the last 2K or so, the field was all bunched up tight with no one team or rider willing to throw-down and open up the sprint.  I could smell the upcoming crash brewing; sure enough, on the newly resurfaced 100 B bridge, wheels were crossed and carbon and bodies started hitting the deck.  The unlucky (myself included) who were behind the crash were forced to slow while the front 30 or so accelerated and opened up the sprint.  As I threaded through the mess and dodged the guy who saved the most insane death wobble I’ve seen in a while, I tried to bridge the split to the front group.  This max HR effort involved avoiding 2 more more guys laying in the road who had come together in the fight for position in the now lead group.  At the 1K to go point, I ended up working with 4 others to the line finishing about 15 sec. behind the splintered lead group.  And, oh, yeah, there were 5 more guys laying in the road 50m short of the line as I rolled by.  Sheezh……

You’d think Sunday’s RR might be a fearsome proposition for a non-climber type such as myself with its ascent up Brandon and App. Gaps.  It actually was not, as my goal here was only to hang with the field until the start of the ‘Baby’ gap climb.  Again, I’m happy to report that goal was achieved also, although it did involve getting gapped off the back of the bunch in the final 2K of the Brandon climb.  Having a teammate there at that critical time provided the priceless motivation to keep pushing up and over the top and during the chasing descent (51 mph!).  After yo-yoing the Bristol Notch KOM climb and rejoining the field on the dirt road section, it was just a matter of sitting in until Baby Gap and hopping in the autobus with a couple of dropped Cat. 2’s and shattered 3’s.

Mondays Burlington downtown Crit is one of my favorites and a race I’ve won as a Cat. 4, but with 3 days of hard racing already in the legs, I couldn’t be sure how it would go.  With a GC time bonus sprint on lap 30 of this 34 lap crit, the race started very fast and proceeded to stay that way for awhile shelling about half the field in the process.  I hung on and moved up when it slowed a bit mid-way through.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to move up enough to factor in the finale (17th, leaving me with severe post-race case of the shoulda, woulda, coulda’s), but I did see Phil B. make a nice move up with 3 to go which ultimately netted him 7th in the field sprint.

So, even without any real results to brag on, it was still a very cool and worthwhile experience  made all the better by my great  teammates (hopefully they’ll blog about it too, soon) and sponsor.  The GMSR is a super way to cap off the road season.  Heck, I might even do some practice TT’s and hill repeats before the 2010 edition.