Downtown Napa Gran Prix Race Report!

Downtown Napa Gran Prix
Elite 4
Teammates: Eric and J.R.
Place: 3rd

I really enjoyed the format of this race. The course is super short, so we end up doing about 30 something laps in a forty minute race. The crazy P turn that seemed to cause excessive crashes the last two years was replaced by a simple U turn – I didn’t really see too much of a difference. And finally, the reverse win and out format for placings was fun. It changed race strategy and was something different from every other crit we do throughout the year.

It was a small field, and we were the most represented team with 3 riders. Before the start we spun around the course and talked strategy. My plan was simple; I’m not an attacker, so no breakaways for me – just sit in until the closing laps. There was a head wind going up to the u-turn, and a tail wind coming out and along the finishing straight. So I figured that if you jumped at the right time, and got any gap going into the turnaround, no one would be able to come around you on the final straight, with that tailwind and the short length of the sprint.

Both Eric and JR were aggressive throughout the race; they were out in multiple breaks, allowing me to sit on wheels and let other guys tire themselves out. JR did some blocking for Eric, but nothing stayed away. The pace was fairly slow as no one really wanted to work when everything was together – that was fine with me.

5 to go, and the announcer was hyping up the start of the placings. I’m in the top 3 and sitting pretty. Someone attacks just before the start of the lap, gets a gap and we just let him go for 5th place alone. Almost the same thing happens on four to go, the big guy I was behind accelerates, and for a few seconds I start to chase him down, and then think better of it and let him go too. 4th place down. We start the 3 to go lap and now I’m in second wheel. The guy at the front has been working throughout the race, but still has enough left to keep the place high enough to discourage anyone from coming around us. I figure this is my time to go; I’m in the right position and Eric and JR are still there to go for 2nd and 1st.

We make the turn into the headwind and I just go for it, sprint past the lead rider, and am first into the u-turn. I have no idea whats happening behind me, don’t look back, take the turn fast but not pushing and then come out sprinting for my life. I kept thinking I would hear someone trying to come around me, but nothing happens. Near the line I hear a spectator shouting, “you got it!” and then as i’m taking the first couple turns I hear the announcer repeating my name as I ease up and let the bunch fly past me.

I spun around the course to the finish line just in time to see the final lap. JR is in the lead with Eric behind going into the turnaround, then a crash, and JR is on the ground as the riders sans Eric behind him fight it out for the win. Too bad, we almost took 1st and 3rd. A good day for the team and despite the crash JR still won most aggressive rider.

SRAM’s Amazing 2009

We wish our sponsor SRAM an even better 2010!

Tuesday Night Track Racing

Javier reports from the track in SoCal

Race: TNR
Field: 7 teams of 2 riders each
Events: 2 Madisons. First was 60 laps, second was 50 laps with sprints
every 10 in both races
Teammates: Brett (1st race) and in 2nd race we both had to change
partners. I rode with a former body builder with the nickname “The
Hulk”.
Placing: 5th in both events

First Madison was insane. The teams were a bit stacked and they
included the pairing of Sean Watkins and Mike McMan, who won Masters
Nat’s in the Madison last year. Shaun Wallace paired with Erick
Hollenbeck and the rest of the teams were somewhat even. I was having
a hard time getting my legs going and was suffering a bit in the
sprints. Brett right before the start took a spill, or more of a
tumble I should say. He got a nice gash on his forehead, but was okay
to race. About 20 laps into the race we missed a crucial split and
spent the next 25 laps chasing back on. With about 15 to go we decided
to get lapped and context some points that way as we were spending too
much energy and not closing more than 1/3 of a lap. We got some points
and managed to finish 5th.

Second madison was a bit less crazy but more aggresive when it came to
handling. My partner attacked on lap 3 and I quickly told him not to
do that again. He didn’t listen and attacked later on. We missed the
timing on our exchanges and I ended up having to sprint in them,
which was not a good idea as I didn’t have the snap. We did earn a few
points here and there, however the other teams were consistently
winning sprints.

Not sure why my form is so lacking after having some good recent
weeks. Could be a combination of having had a week off, stress of
being at work and recently getting diagnosed with acid reflux, which
seems to only come out during intense physical activity. I see lots
of Pepcid AC in my near future.

I believe Brett and his teammate won the 2nd Madison. He got to ride
with one of the National Champions.

Nevada City Classic – P/1/2

Teammates: Just me (Angelo)
Field: About 150
Place: Don’t ask

Lance beat me.

Actually, he and many others crushed me. It was insane how fast the Nevada City Classic was this year. I’ve done this race previously as a cat 3 and it was super-tough. Upgrade the category and add some of the best riders in the world and it gets a bit tougher…

I didn’t really plan on racing it this year, but when Lance, Levi and Horner announced that they were going to race it I changed my mind. Now I can say that I raced Lance. Even though it was short lived for me, I can still say it. Of ~150 starters, maybe 30-40 finished…most of which were lapped by Armstrong.

Even the neutral lap seemed to be a race to move up. Here’s a shot of me and Lance hammering it out on the climb: (Click on this to enlarge it and see that it really is me – ha!)
He utilized his call up to get great position for the start…the announcer couldn’t pronounce my last name and failed to call me up to the front.

I did get some fame (joke coming up courtesy of my teammate Jan):

“Look at the two guys in the background. The one guy is proud of his picture that he just took of Angelo, the other is texting his 10 friends about how Angelo is doing…”

This must be the part of the race where I was putting the hammer down on Armstrong because I’m in the big ring and climbing the steep pitch (the camera angle doesn’t give it justice.)

Anyway, it was awesome out there this year. The “Lance Factor” created a HUGE crowd that was totally into it. I felt very pro climbing and descending with that many people out watching. I was even asked for my autograph by a young kid before the race started…look for it on Ebay.

1st place: Lance Armstrong
2nd place: Ben Jaques-Maynes
3rd place: Levi Leipheimer

5th Place in The Pro/1/2 Modesto Road Race

Modesto Road Race
Pro/1/2 Field: 30
Teammates: Carmi on his lonesome
Place: 5th

Here’s the report from Carmi…

“The course reminded me a lot of Texas; flat and hot. We had to do 8 laps on the 9-mile course consisting of a bunch of corners, it was actually a lot of fun. About two laps in 3 UC Davis guys go off with a couple of other people and looked pretty promising, but eventually Clif Bar and Webcor brought it back after a couple laps. The next lap just consisted of people recovering and there were a couple attacks but
nothing serious. With 3 laps to go I saw a break go up the road that had a Davis, Clif Bar and a cal giant guy who all had teammates, there’s also a fellow loner Godspeed courier who eventually fell off. I decided to bridge up before they got to far up the road and managed to get up to them by myself. We instantly started rotating evenly and smoothly (I really like racing the p12s) and eventually a Reno
Wheelman and a Rocknasium guy bridged up and helped with the work. We managed to keep a 30-45 second gap over a 3 man chase group and worked our way up to over 2 min over the main field. With 1k to go the Reno Wheelman attacked the break and caught everyone off guard and held it to the line. I didn’t have anything left to sprint with and rolled in for 5th managing to win 5 bucks and a T-shirt, well worth it.”