Cat (4/5) Race + Video + A couple photos.
Ill Post the 3/4 race tomorrow.
Video:
Strava Jawns:
cat 4/5: http://www.strava.com/activities/117361480
31:15min = 12.4miles
Avg Power: 266W
Max Power: 1,147W
Avg Speed 23.8mph
cat 3/4: http://www.strava.com/activities/117361476
46:23minutes = 18.5miles
Avg Power: 256W
Max Power: 1,065W
Avg Speed 23.9mph
Sunday was the first race of the road season down in South Jersey at Team Independence Cycling’s Spring Series Event. They are putting on 4 weekends of racing so if you havnt already jump in the mix to support a good team and solid dudes (https://www.bikereg.com/Net/sjss2014). Coming into the race I was feeling good and the 10am start time for the Men’s Cat 4/5 meant I didnt have to worry about going to be early. Luckily for me Jeff Appletans got me pretty drunk earlier that day at a legit beer tasting at Iron Hill (NJ) for some dialed wild ales and burbon barrel aged jawns so getting rest was easy.
Anyways I woke up around 8 and got things together. The venue was about 30minutes from Philly and easy to get to. I picked up my sweet Sommerville CLOTH number that was used for both the cat4/5 and 3/4 race. Sweet!
Mens Cat 4/5 Race
After a solid warm-up we lined up and the race started hard from the start. OK, game time. The course was pretty fun with a chicane and easy 90degree turns. After watching the field go though the chicane a couple times I realized being near the back was not an option if I wanted to stay upright.
There were some issues with lapped riders but thats the nature of a 4/5. There are people with such a range of abilities in that race that it can make it tough. After a pull at the front I tucked in to save the legs as I planned on doubling up for my 1st 3/4 race and had no idea what to expect.
Of course that lap through the chicane two riders touched shoulders, then wheels, and I thought I was going to take it… I saw the wobble and thought, Oh Shit!/ Luckily they kept it upright but one rider looked to have dropped a chain or broken something and pulled off.
About 2 seconds later a rider who had just taken a weirdo line took another odd line through the chicane and over steered out of the corner causing him to turn-bar into the pavement and eat it. The next thing I know is a bike is bouncing at my head and Im doing 20+mph… I grab the brakes and move to the right but the bike keeps bouncing farther than I was expecting so I swerve left to avoid running it over. Im now barely moving and need to put in an effort to tack back on.
It was uneventful for the next few until 5 laps to go. I quickly made my way up front to make sure I was in good position as the legs felt solid. On the back side with 3 laps to go I was sitting 2nd wheel and the pace slowed. I then see Mr. Nick Cal make a hard attack and I follow. I should have grabbed his wheel but I didnt think he’d had the gusto for 3 laps. What I didnt realized that there were slews of lapped traffic ahead of our group.
Nick was able to get past a slew of riders that were strewn across the course. I had to take a poor line through the chicane that round but kept him in sight. Then I realized there was a lapped group of maybe 15 guys that he was then able to jump through and get some more shelter. Shiiiiiiit! I knew he had a solid chance of staying away now but I didnt want to cook myself like I always end up doing at the end of a race pulling the field around… what to do?!
Coming into the chicane a rider came around and I glad fully sat in. Unfortunately on the backside I could tell he was coming un-raveled and had to get around. I tacked onto 2 other riders coming into the 2nd to last turn. I kept a tight line and was able to move past the breakaway rider and now was sitting 2nd wheel on the CS Velo guy going up the slight incline.
I tend to go too early so instead of going around I sat on with hopes to actually out sprint someone. Coming into the last corner I had to slow a but behind the CS Velo rider a bit and by the time I got out of the saddle the CS Velo guy already gapped me and he was wheel-to-wheel with Nick going into the line. Nick was able to keep the win by inches and I came in 3rd out of 49 starters. I felt good about the day and got ready for the Cat 3/4 race in an hour and a half. Ill post that race recap tomorrow.
Congrats Nick on the win!
Results:
Ride the Jawn 
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