Giro di Copi - DCMTB makes the race….
by Darren Biggs
It’s a great feeling to plan something and execute that plan and to see it work.
I only did three road races last year(poolesville, RFK, Giro di Coppi) and this year it will be just the Giro di Coppi. As part of the DCMTB team we are a Mountain bike team that races cross and road races as well. For our Priority Calendar we only had two races RFK crit(citybikes sponsors it) and the Giro di Coppi. The Giro di Coppi is the only hilly race in the MABRA series that I know of. I did it last year and so you see how that turned out.
This year I thought about it, and I knew what I wanted to do. The issue was I had to make sure we had some DCMTB racers there to execute a plan. I raced the CAT 5 race again since I don’t race enough to really move up. I knew Matt was going to be there, and there was some openings cause of some team members who couldn’t do the race with the date change(was to be in July). I got Rudi who leads the Tuesday Dupont ride, to be a guest “DCMTB” member. I hope I can rope him into racing with our team, since I do allot of training with him already.
The race starts out and we are doing a pretty mellow pace and Matty went to the front for a bit, doing nothing crazy just letting legs get going. Rudi was on the front a little bit, I was trying to get him not to be at the front and to save his energy. Some how Rudi and I were at the front for the Old Baltimore Rd. Climb and we rode that pretty strong, I dug a little more then I wanted to. So we kept on riding and I made sure after that not to go to the front, and Matty and Rudi stayed in the top 1/3 of the field as well. The original Idea I had was that our whole team would attack in unison on the climb. The Idea being if it is one person they will let him die out there, but if it is 3 people from the same team you know the move is serious and that they are going ot work together. I had attacked last year and no one came with me so this year I wanted for our team to make the race, and not just sit around reacting to moves. This summer I had gotten a good tip from Chris on my team, he said that you have to attack on the hill(the finishing hill) before the climb. I then started to see how this would work out Rudi would go first and launch us on the finishing hill, cause these are his bread and butter climbs that I knew he would do well. I was then then to take over on the down hill. So we get to lap 2 of 3, and I saw that Matty was staying near my wheel, and I told Rudi to get to the outside and to launch after the 2000meter to go sign. So Rudi did a good job he was at the head of the group which wasn’t ideal but it was 2-3 across so that was helpful. Rudi Jumped and I was right on him, I thought Matty was with me but I didn’t have time to look behind. As we were about 2/3 ways up that, rudi started to get separation from me, so I said,”Let me come to you”, giving him encouragement in saying keep it steady. So we get to the top and I take over and take the turn hard and start gunning it down the downhill. Previously when we did this people did not do the downhill at full speed. So I was flying down that around 50mph, and Matty came out of my wheel we were both just flying. I then was in front on the climb and then it got steeper so we were spread across the road. I looked to see if Rudi was able to hang on which he was. So we kept going and I think Matty saw two guys coming, so once the two other riders showed up there were 5 of use doing really fast pulls. We all encouraged one another. We took the turn on Comus and when I looked back I could see people trying to chase. Once we got through the next turn we got a time gap from the Motor official that we had 35 seconds. That lead went down to 20 seconds then back up again. I was starting to loose it, and not being able to pull through and take my pulls(no acting here). Rudi has really good reserves but he needed to get his heart rate down so he was in a spot of bother at the beginning but got better once were pace lining while I started to loose contact on Old Baltimore Rd. ,but was only a couple of bike lengths behind. On the next road before the final turn I was losing ground , but still had the lead group in site. Once on the finally road I was more concerned about the peleton coming behind me and going right pass me. I went into mountain bike survival mode, where I put in effort where I could. I also had a severe calf cramp that I was trying to not think about. I looked behind me a couple of times, and I still didn’t see anyone coming. So I kept motoring to the finish and got myself a respectable 5th place I think like 35 seconds infront of the group. What I didn’t know was that the lead group that was up the road from me had built a lead of a minute on the peleton. Rudi finished in 4th but could of maybe done better if his cassette cog didn’t crack and fall off leaving him only his 4 top cogs so he had to spin allot those last couple of miles. Matty got 3rd and said that with him training for the SM100 he had no top end speed at the end so when the last hill came the All American guy just kicked up an knotch and got some distance. With the guy from Maryland? getting second. So not a bad day to have a everyone finish in the top 5
5th Darren Biggs
4th Rudi Riet(guest team rider)
3rd Matt Donahue
Giro de Coppi
By Darren Biggs
Cat 5 Race
My third road race of the season, the Giro de Coppi, I felt this was a race that was a good fit for me. The DCMTB team was trying to set up a plan to do something in this race. I felt great, and was riding in the front a lot with Wolfgang from NCVC who I know through PPTC. On the second lap I did a dig up the climb and really put a lot of distance between me and the peleton, I thought some others would bridge, but they didn’t so I didn’t go full bore and re-integrated to the group. The third lap I didn’t attack but brought the tempo up on the climb and still no one came with me. So I was like ok I will set something up for Matty on the final rise to the finish. Well it comes towards the end and I am itching to go, and I see an opening and I go, I thought it was the 500m sign but it was the 1500m sign(Doh!) So I get a good gap, I’m going 36 mph and Matt has gotten my wheel and shooting Go Go! Well I think I did about 1000m but then I was spent. So the group flew by me and I soft peddled coming in last of the first group which gave me 15th. Because of my bad setup Matt was only able to get 9th or 10th, I saw Tom V. in front of me so I believe he got 12 or so. I am going to do this race again someday, and I am either going to be part of a breakaway that works or just save myself and gun it at the line.
RFK Crit
by: Darren Biggs
We had a pretty good turnout at the RFK Crit on Sunday. Here is a rundown of the people that were there.
Womens Pro Race
11th Lorena Candrian (in her HPC/List Kit)
Mens Masters
(From Marc) It was a fun race, despite the heat! pace was pretty high in the masters
field (lots of time over 30mph, average almost 27mph- how fast were the
other races?), but the overall effort wasn’t a high average wattage for
us (both chris and I had our power meters and both of us were way below
average threshold power- and at least for me , well below threshold
Heart-rate) it’s just a very spikey series of efforts- off and on, off
and on…
I spent the first half of the race getting used to doing the U-turns-
not a lot of turning on the capital crescent trail…
I made one attempt to bridge to break with a few laps to go. Super Dave
Osbourne made a big pull to bring the field back to me then sat on my
wheel when he caught up. I wanted to at least finish with the pack, so I
didn’t want to risk over-cooking it on the bridge by fullly committing
to the move. but afterwards I sort of wished I had stuck it out rather
than let the pack get me so easily.
Chris played it pretty cool in the race and was in a good position on
the last lap. I was further back at that point as as the speed ramps up
to over 30mph it gets harder to move up. but I actually felt pretty good.
great race, and fun seeing everyone out there.
thanks to Bega for hooking us up with race entries and for all the help
he gives us. I’d also like to give thank Big Shawn at Chevy Chase for
helping me get hooked up with some road pedals late saturday night- I
decided I wanted the extra turning clearance of road pedals for one
thing! It’s real nice to have the CB guys behind us.
9 Chris Clarke (in his NCVC Kit)
30 Marc Gwadz
Cat 4
(from Eric) My race went off at 4pm… I did not handle the heat well. the race didn’t feel fast I was able to move up the field just over heated with about three laps to go. hung on for another pack finish…. I think steve broke the top 20…good times,
26 Steven Viers (in his Pedal Shop Kit)
Field Eric Welp
Cat 5
For the men’s Cat 5 Race it was Mike S. Matt D. and Me Darren B. The race was really short, and we started at 8:45am but could already feel the heat. It was cool having the three of us there, and since the field was small we were able to stick together if we wanted. The race had like 8-10 Capital Hill bike guys and I thought they would have controlled the race more, but they were not organized. I ended in second place in the peleton at one point so I then decided to go out on a solo attempt. I did it cause I thought well at least the capital hill bike guys will have to chase me down. I did a lap and some in change in front of the field, partly because Matt, and Mike were in front after I left and slowed up, making others chase me down. I did get my name announced twice on the speaker system since I was in the lead twice around the start/finish line! After I got caught it was in the last lap , the official tried to encourage me to get back to the field , but I was cooked. I did get to see Matty D get third since I was so far off the back I sat up and watched the sprint.
3 Matt Donahue
22 Mike Scardaville
(close to DFL) Darren Biggs
Poolesville Road Race
By Darren Biggs
We had 5 DCMTBers out at the Race with Lorena Candrian putting on the HPC\List kit.
Womens Cat 123
Lorena Candrian 2nd
Masters 40+
Steven Veirs 26th
Mens 4/5
Matthew Donahue 19th
Darren Biggs 28th
Eric Welp (got caught up in a crash but will live to race again)
Lorena was able to finish 2nd in the Womens 123 race, after going out on a breakaway on lap 3 I believe, with eventual winner Marian Huizig so kudos for holding the field for that long.
Steven was able to show the 40+and FAST group the DCMTB colors, but there was a 12 man break up the road so the whole peleton didn’t get to see the show. He was able to hang in there and finish with the main group.
For the Mens 4/5 Race we had three guys, Eric, wrecked but seemed OK after the race, his front wheel was not OK it was a nice expensive taco. Matt put out a flier on the first lap to see how the field would respond, and in the finish was able to come in at 19th after riding off my wheel, and being swarmed by the field. I(Darren) did my first road race in 12 years and it was interesting, I would have given the cameras a good show if there was cameras, I felt pretty good the last lap, so I gunned it in the gravel section, and was off the front for about 3/4 mile. At the end I knew I couldn’t out sprint these riders so I jumped before the last turn, and had a gap and gave it my all (with Matt in tow) I would have won if the finish line was 500meters sooner ;-), but once people started coming by I let up and coasted in with a 28 place. A good race, but I like Mountain bike racing allot better 
To have the full inside scoop on my ride stop by http://thebikeandmore.blogspot.com/