2013 Ft. Ritchie Criterium: Evo me the money!

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

Race	Ft. Ritchie Criterium
Date	April 21, 2013
Field	15
Field Demographics	Women’s Open
Course Data	45 minutes
Weather	Sunny and COLD with some wind

Title for this novella:  “Evo me the Money”

Irony “(1) : incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result (2) : an event or result marked by such incongruity.”  Recent examples of irony with respect to racing:  The author of this novella refused to ride outside in winter when temperatures fell below 40 degrees F, despite the requests and probably eye-rolling of teammates.  For 2013, 60% of races completed have started in temps below 40.  Enough is enough!

The Ft. Ritchie course is a flat crit with a chicane, chance to use some CX skills over rough pavement and a sharp right-hand turn into the finish which necessitates 1^st or 2^nd place into the turn to have a chance to win the race.  Our field was small – 11 pre-registered, with Kenda and NCVC in the group as well as us. 

As we line up for the start, the official gave us his “cowboy” rules which eliminating biting, crying, cursing and some other things which made us scrap our race strategy, although he did not mention anything about wardrobe malfunctions….right Kelley?  We started a few minutes early since everyone was at the line.

Road results predicted Colleen, Alexis and Dori to be the top three, so we knew that we needed to keep our eyes on them.  There were a couple of early attacks without success.  Early in the race, Jen Chang from NCVC jumped as we crossed the start/finish and I bridged up to catch her as we passed the part with rough pavement.  Either stupidity or CX skills made this portion seem not so bad, so I took the turn tight and ended up off the front on lap 3.  I know my power figures and that was a wee bit too early to think of a TT but I wanted to provide a photo opp for CA so I put my head down and was caught about 3/4 lap later, photo opp provided.

Wendy was riding well, toward but not on the front, with Kelley and me mid-pack.  The preme bell rang (hot chocolate premes would have been more enticing than the beer, but…) and the typical race thing happened…someone sprinted for the preme, the group sat up and someone counter-attacked.  Alexis was off the front and no one jumped on her wheel.  I am not sure of the time gap, but about a lap later, Colleen jumped at the turn past the apron and had a gap.  I was, finally, in the right place at the right time.  Wendy yelled at me to get on her wheel and I was able to bridge up.  I caught her wheel and assumed that the whole group was behind me. 

As we made the turn before the start/finish, I realized there were only two people behind me.  We had a break of four – and we continued the chase.  We were slowly pulling time back (very very slowly) from Alexis.  CA would shout out the splits as we went by.  I thought with some effort we could catch her.  Since Kenda and NCVC were also in the break with me, I was pretty sure the main group would give up time to us, which they did until Alexis caught them and started pulling them.

Evo in the Money!!

 As we made the final turn, I knew I needed to be the first through the turn and I started to execute.  I went out too wide to start the turn and ended up going through last rather than first, one of a couple of tactical errors I made during the race.  I ended up in 5^th place.  For the main group, Kelley, Wendy, and Christine were 2^nd, 3^rd, and 5^th in the group sprint, 7^th , 8^th and 10^th overall. 

Beer preme!!

Lessons learned:

• I was so surprised to be in the break, I stopped thinking strategically. I have a strong 20 minute effort.  Once in the break, I should have treated this group as the “main group” from which I should try to break and tried a solo TT effort.
• If I did not think I could get away from the group, I should have let the break die.
•   Be better prepared for the counter-attack.

Kudos and shout-outs:

• Joe Jefferson and all associated with the race – as always, excellent job!  Joe – great music selection, although others may not appreciate my dancing.
• Wendy and Kelley – it is going to be a fun season (I tried to work the word balls into the sentence….but couldn’t)
• CA - wow.  Your plan works.
• CA – wow.  You practice what you preach.   What a race you had!!

2013 Jefferson Cup: “One Meatball Place: The Perfect Location for an Evo Women’s Dinner Date”

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

Race	Jefferson Cup Road Race
Date	March 30, 2013
Field	25 preregistered in 1/2 field
Field Demographics	Cat 1/2 racing with Cat 3.
Course Data	5 laps of 10 mile loop
Weather	Sunny and temperate

Earlier in the week, the weather forecast suggested warm and sunny weather would actually be found in the mid-Atlantic region.  After believing a rodent named Phil, I did not hold my breath based on NOAA…who knows how sequestration affects the accuracy of their weather modeling.  This skepticism was increased due to the race scheduled for Sunday, Jefferson Cup.  The beautiful countryside of Thomas Jefferson, with its redbuds, wineries and horses have been the scene of snow, cold rain, sleet, and broken bottles on the roads from cycling-hating locals (or an entrepreneurial cabal of LBS).  Despite my best glass is half empty attitude, the weekend’s weather was perfect for the race.

Jeff Cup Pre-ride with Gwen, Kelley, Wendy and Tania

Wendy, Gwen, Kelley, Tania and I met at the school for the pre-ride, joined by Kent, Tom, Phil and CA (Captain America aka Chuck).  As a Cat 3, I have done this race twice and finished it with an intact bike once (rain caused a nice pile up a few years ago).  Both races did not have a break, rather a group sprint at the end.   With nice weather and the addition of the Nature Valley race slot, I assumed that something would happen, and that something would be in the form of ABRT-induced pain.  From others with far more experience than I racing, this course can be misleading.  With the climb on the back, one might assume this would be the place of an attack to do something more than shatter the field.  With the rollers and descents that follow, these wise racers’ wisdom was that the back side of the course was not the place for a successful attack.  Instead, the false flat after the last turn or the rollers after the start/finish would be the battlefield.   So my plan, stay protected but in the top five for the first three laps.  Only cover a break that had Katy Giles or Ainhoa Perez-Diaz in it.  With two laps to go, cover any break with the leaders that occurred on the front side of the course with the false flat. 

CA and I rode the false flat to the finish a couple of times, picking out visual cues of where to set up for the sprint (cease laughter that I can write “sprint”).  Guard rail with the  power lines  crossing the road = 1/3 mile remaining.  Next guard rail, set up for the sprint.  End of guard rail, sprint for the finish.  Check.

After an excellent dinner at a local meatball place and some rather juvenile conversation…I will let your imagination fill in the blanks….we parted ways with sore abs from laughing.  Our race was early in the morning and we needed our beauty sleep.  CA and I had the typical pre-race conversation – my goal was to remain about 5^th wheel the entire race, 1^st through the last turn, about 3^rd leading up to the sprint and then…BAMM.  My below average Level 6 Fatigue Profile power would be enough…..My goal for the race was top 10. 

The RACE:

Wendy, Kelley and me at the start.

Wendy is very good maneuvering through a pack of people to get to the front line.  Kelley and I lined up alongside her and off we went.  Somehow she was on the front and I was on her wheel until the first hill, which was not our plan, a little far forward, but still in good position.  The first two laps were rather mellow, with a couple of women, such as Janette Williams, getting a little something going, but nothing stuck.  Despite legs targeting Speed Week at the end of the month, Wendy not only chased some of those jumps but also sheltered me from the wind during the first two laps for some of the times that I was a bit silly and sitting on the front unprotected. You gotta like Body Ulmer protection! 

At the beginning of the third lap, Katy Giles from ABRT attacked after the start/finish and we gave chase. Wendy shouted at me to go hard and I did.  Dori from NCVC led the chase with her teammate Alexis on her wheel and I was on hers.  I learned something – Alexis swung to the right and I stayed on Dori’s wheel to have her slow and Alexis bridged the gap.  Oops.  But wow, great race tactics, I will add that one to my lessons learned.

In the wonderful kindness of the race officials, they decided to give us the opportunity to shed layers (it was nippy at the start), un-hydrate and feed.  Some people call it being neutralized but……

Winery Hill

After the Men’s race was past, we restarted, with Katy and Alexis 5 seconds ahead and the chase was again on. The hill splintered the group and I sprinted up the hill to have Ainhoa from ABRT (her Basque heritage lends itself to some climbing stereotypes) blow by me to bridge up to her teammate and Alexis.  CA shouted, “It’s Ainoha.  Go. Harder.  You have got to get her.”

After some pain, the field minus one (Katy) was back together.  We learned that the race was shortened 1 lap.  At this point, people were riding for the sprint and I made sure that I maintained position.  After the race Mr. Katy Giles (aka Scott) told me the pace the final two laps was 5 minutes faster than the first two.  Sadly, after the neutralization, my Garmin shut off, so the rest of the race did not occur since it cannot be posted on Strava…

As we went into the last turn, I was 5^th wheel, a bit off my plan of 1^st, but sitting behind the train of ABRT and Alexis.  There was a lot of jockeying for position – thank you CX skills for making me more confident when people ride into me – and I was in decent position coming into the final meters.  When I looked at the USAC results, two seconds separated second through 11^th place.  Kelley and I rounded out the top 10, in 10^th and 9^th, respectively.  Oh first place, yes that was Katy, about three minutes ahead of us all.   Team EvoFemme did fantastic!

Post Race Helmet Head!

Kudos and Shout-outs:

Wendy:  thanks for providing me protection for those laps.  Will you be my on-the-bike race director??  Please?

Kelley:  What a great first race together.

Wendy and Gwen:  We broke the Evo theme of mechanical/crash issues in races!!

Evo Boyz with whom we shared dinner at One Meatball Place:  Thanks for appreciating our sophomoric sense of humor.

CA:  for getting up 8 hours before your race to help us get ready and cheer for each of us on the hill and at the finish.  For “encouraging” me to do Sufferfest Revolver each week and getting the new version with the dinosaur….

Morgantown Road Race: The Secrets of the Masters Men’s Peloton

Race Report

Dana Stryk

Evolution Cycling p/b Long and Foster

Race	Morgantown RR
Date	March 30, 2013
Field	10+ women’s field, racing with the Masters Men
Field Demographics	Cat 1/2/3
Course Data	44 mile course with 2 significant climbs.
Weather	Sunny and temperate

Title for this novella:  “Morgantown Road Race:  The Secrets of the Masters Men’s Peloton” 

Saturday’s race, which would take racers through the hills of Pennsylvania and West ‘by God’ Virginia, was one that I was eagerly awaiting.  The climbs were long for an area race, which would make the billy goat inside of me happy.

For this race, I was joined by several teammates, both male and female. The race course was not multiple loops, allowing all categories to start within 30 minutes of each other.  The W 1/2/3 field rolled out with the Masters Men’s field.  Wendy, Gwen and I learned at the line that we would be racing alongside the men.  Wendy and I made sure that we were at the front for the neutral roll-out and found ourselves in good position behind Stephanie (Swan) at the front of the combined pack. (Just a note for the promoters:  I know that the fields are sometimes small, but a five minute gap between the men and women would be greatly appreciated.  By putting us all together we are no longer in a categorized race, we are simply in an Open race.  This really changes the dynamic of our race and not for the better.)

The beginning of the race
Photo Credit:  Fred Jordan

The final climb at the finish.
Photo Credit:  Fred Jordan

The road surface was ok until it was not and when it was not, it was really bad.  Around mile 7, I was riding on Stephanie’s wheel next to the double yellow when I hit a series of potholes. A few moments later, my rear wheel was flat and my race over.  Once the wheel van arrived and I had another wheel, I had to decide…return to the start or have a good TT workout.  I chose the latter.  End of race report….but….

There are many “cardiac knowledge truisms” (CKT) male cyclists state about women’s racing. (CKT = what you know deep in your heart is true, but have no evidence)  During my days working at the bike shop, one of my co-workers, a local racer, would complain, “You all (women) chit chat during your races.  Why don’t you just race?  Like us!  You won’t find us talking at all.”  I have heard this sentiment over and over.  Do we chat in races?  Yes.  Until Saturday, I could not evaluate the validity of the other part of the statement. 

Although I flatted 15 minutes into the race, my superior data and analytical skills from my day-job as an international economist allowed me to conduct an in-depth study of the behavior of the male peloton and I am now able to reveal its secrets!

The top three things I learned/thought about the male peloton after spending 15 minutes with them during a race:

(1)  Men talk during the race MORE than we do.  Granted, the field size is much larger so to catch up with all your peeps (notice timely Easter candy reference) takes more time.  But….everyone’s nickname should be Cathy…given how Chatty they were. 

(2)  Riding with Vic on the Evo 2/3 Saturday ride is something I should have done more often and when the attacks from Super Dave, Vic or another guy arrived, what would happen to our field? (with the flat, turns out I never had this question answered).

(3)  Some Men CHEAT*.  During the neutral roll-out, a gentleman (a word used with a great deal of poetic license) in red and black (if I remembered the team name, I would dime him out but, alas, I do not) demonstrated his poor spatial skills, for he could not tell the difference between right and left with respect to the double yellow line.  This inability to tell right from left and right from wrong continued for the time I was in the field.  I was very disappointed to see how often I saw this behavior.  The rule is there for a reason, not so that you can use it as your own personal passing lane.  Was your integrity worth those three spots at mile four in a 50 mile race?  (stepping down from soapbox now).

Kudos and shout-outs:

·         Wendy and Gwen:  one day, ladies, our race karma will improve and we will all be able to race the same race without cracked wheels, flats or demonstrated CX skills.

·         Super Dave and Vic:  the upside of my race was riding along both these gentlemen (proper use of the word for these two men who would battle for the top spot on the podium) for an all-too-brief moment.  A lot to be learned from riding with these two.

·         CA:  one word…sprinter? 

·         Paul E:  thank you for coming to cheer the end of my race.  Sorry you had to wait so long for me to finish.

·         The owner of the Mavic wheel I borrowed:  Thanks for not having a 23!

*Flame away but…..I have heard stories from many guys about such cheating during races.  Black Hills was filled with these stories, from a local MABRA team in a pace line riding left of the double yellow by the dog park, to other less-organized infractions…and that is a sad summary of our sport and racing at our amateur level.