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….