Wow another 2 days on the Verge Series CX race. Great way to keep going after the holiday. I drove the long drive in the AM from CT (Family Thanksgiving). Made ti to Sterling (Chuckset Middle School) in time for the 2 hour prep to race Masters 45+. Race was large field with 80 or so registered. Did not get the greatest start on this blustery cold windy day. But worked my way up the field in the first lap. Ended up behind Bruce Shwab and near John Grenier (Eric Larson was also in the pack and I think had a good race). It was fun to be on Bruce’s wheel for a while. Bruce was doing a good race and we were taking advantage of a small group that formed. Today was a day to be out of the wind and groups were key. After a few laps this group really coalesced and stayed together. There was a hard hill and screamer downhill that ended up in a vault type barrier. It took a lot of concentration since you were gassed from the uphill. I kept moving up and made it to the front of our group and was trying to break across to John Mcgrath and Eiric Marrow. It was next to last lap and I was thinking things were going well and all I needed to do was not make any mistakes and keep up this pace. Then hitting the pavement I must have had the rear tire rolled a bit and hit a curb hard, well all of a sudden I was flat in the rear tire. This really was a bummer. Lost at least 10-15 spots and made it to the pit to get a new bike. Got on my pit bike and made it back in the race with less than a lap to go. I worked hard but only made up a few spots. A good effort but not perfect. Oh well.
Day 2 I felt better, having rested and woke up later than the 4:30AM start on Sat. It was a colder day (low 30’s degrees) with high winds once again. Had a good start and once again saw Bruce Shwab and then John Grenier, who had an excellent start. I drilled it through this group and got on the wheel of Peter Vollers, and bridged up to the next group. This was going really well, in top 20 and going forward. No major mistakes all the way through until 2 to go. In a really nasty rooty section of the woods I hit a small tree stump that was not marked (they usually spray paint the roots that are wheel breakers). I thought after hearing the rim noise, (that was bad I hope I do not flat). Well into the next turn out of the woods and my front wheel was flat. Barely made not crashing in a short radius turn. Then eased my way on half the course running a flat to the pits and got the pit bike (again) argh. Lost a whole mess of spots as riders passed my left and right. Finished the course with my second bike having a second flat front tire (must have been a slow leak). Unreal. So I will be putting the “Stans no Tube liquid sealant” in all my tires for now on. This is ridiculous. Though I did not show any good results, I know Sunday would have been one of my better days in cross for the season. It will have to wait for next weekend in Rhode Island at the Verge finally.
Ps: Nate Smith did awesome races with the cat 4 I think he made the top 5th sport. Missed Teammate Jeff Fisher who decided to do running races over Thanksgiving and pull a hamstring. JEFF YOU NEED TO ONLY RACE BIKES. RUNNING IS WAY TO DANGEROUS! 3 Maine Women made the top 3 spots in the womens 3-4 race! PVC’s Niocle Pisani kicked some arse, making second place! Jessica and her had an amazing sprint for 2nd and third. It was right on the line photo finish, spill your beer sight to see. I think it was all due to both graduating cyclocross camp this fall :^)
Portland Velo Club 