Army of Two: DCMTB/City Bikes Tackles Poolesville Road Race

by Eric

911Chris laid out the details of the 12 Hours Lodi Farm. We doubled up on races, so no need to double up on reports. But I’ll lay out the Poolesville race with a little more detail for all interested.

Poolesville was almost over for me with in the first 15 minutes. We got to the hard right onto the gravel road and I took a horrible line, way left into deep gravel. I couldn’t pop out of it with out losing control of the bike, but staying in it was going to put me into a ditch.

909So with one foot unclipped I rode it out. I went into a huge pot hole and righted myself back onto the ridable section of the road. In trying to keep from causing a pile up, I had fallen to last place, on the first lap, in the only section of course that was going to cause splits.

Not a good place to be.

Coming out of the gravel we hit smooth road. A gap had opened from the main group. Looking around I knew that most of riders around me were going to get dropped their faces were flush and few of them were completely punched. Sitting in was not an option. I bridged up bringing a few riders with me. I was safely back in the pack.

I spent the next lap moving up, keeping safe and looking for Evan. The plan was to attack and counter-attack until Evan got away. Hopefully with a member of one of the larger teams so they would be forced to work the front and keep breaks from forming. Instead, Evan launches a massive counter off and early attack. It was meant to soften the pack, but he got away…

You gotta take what they give you.

Thinking the break may not stick I continued to move forward. I wanted to attack when Evan was reeled back in. But after a half lap Evan was still away. The situation was not ideal. It was a small break, no big teams and it was early in the race but we had to make it work.

Soon, the small break turned into just Evan and I had to go to work. I made a big move to front and stole third wheel. Never pulling, I kept the pack from forming an organized chase. “Easy enough” I though I could keep this up all day.

Then solo attacks starting going off the front. I was forced to cover making one of two things to happen:

The attacker would bridge pulling me along with him, putting Evan and I in the break together.

or

The pack would respond and pull attack back in.

Either way… Evan stays away.

Later Evan told me and extra rider or two in the break would have helped, but nothing goes to plan. We are not pros. No radios, no director and no team car, you do what you can and try to have fun in process.

After about a lap of covering attacks, I crack. If you only have so many matches to burn in a race, I had used the entire book and lost the cute girls phone number scribbled on the inside. I drift to back to try and recharge for the sprint.

Evan still keeps away for another half a lap. His effort is huge. Unlike anything I have seen in Cat 4 racing. Breaks almost never work and no one stays away for over twenty miles.

It just doesn’t happen.

During my hiatus from the front, two riders bridge to Evan. One attacks form the break and gets away. Evan is caught 2 kilometers from the line. I slowly work my way to a good spot for the sprint. But a crash from the master’s race causes a shuffle and I am pushed deep into the pack. I pinball my way to line hoping for a top ten but only manage 22nd. Evan holds on for 12th. Not the result we were looking for but representing DCMTB/City Bikes on the Road as a legal team.