Michael Schott Memorial Circuit Race P/1/2/3 - April 5th, 2009
Marblehead, MA – The official season opener in New England was heavily attended by the local elites. In the P/1/2/3 race we had Roy Van Cleef, Landen Wark-Acebo, Peter Shapiro, Brian Campbell, John Broussard, Jim Thomas, and Jay Robbins who finished 19th, 26th, 28th, 53rd, 59th, DNF, and DNF respectively. In a race that quickly split in to the Break of guys who spent all winter in warmer climates, a chase group that wished they had, and the group on a leisurely Sunday ride I think the team did pretty well, with Roy, Landen, and Peter making it in to the chase group.
The plan on the day was for the guys to try to cover the early moves and try to lead out Landen in the event that it’s a bunch kick in the end. Peter says, “With a few pro-level riders in attendence and windy conditions a break was likely to stick.”
The pace at the beginning was pretty relaxed as Jim recalls, “NEBC for the first 5 laps was the lantern rouge. But after we warmed up, the collective NEBC brain decided to start moving up. After weaving my way through the pack I met Landen and Roy at the front and they were looking strong and comfortable, so I thought we would have a good day, but forgot about the several top level pros that were in the race.”
Around Lap 10 the big guns in the field decide it’s go time. Roy recalls, “I saw some of the big boys attack and I was hoping to hitch a ride on someones wheel to join them but no one would oblige. That was until CCb (with about 15 riders and the host team) realised they didn’t have anyone in the break. Then next 5 laps was an impressive display of force by the CCb guys (mostly Dan Cassidy) to reel the break back in. It caused the field to get so strung out that several breaks occured but very quickly the peleton was split into 2 chase groups and the 2nd chase group was losing ground very quickly. Landen, Peter and I made the 1st chase group and just sat in to enjoy the ride.”
Unfortunately Jim wasn’t so lucky, he “was stuck towards the middle of the back group. I didn’t see the split until the gap was about 100 meters. I figured we would pull that in easily, so I decided that I didn’t need to do anything about it, plus I saw 3 of my teammates in the first group. After another lap the gap grew to 300 meters. Myself and a few others went to the front to do some work to share the work, but as soon as we would pull hard the 5 of us would pull off the front and see a huge gap to the pack. So we would slow up. Not sure why guys let the gap grow when we were trying to chase. That went on for 2 laps until I realized I had a slow leak in my rear tire. After breaking my collarbone last year I decided to play it safe and pull off.”
Brian had showed up to the race just in the nick of time and wasn’t ready for the pace yet and was also stuck in the last group on the road and notes, “The remaining laps felt more like a CAT 3 race with 3 or 4 riders attempting an attack after the right turn onto Ocean drive just to be hauled in by the downhill section. The wind was tough, I found the left side of the pack was the best for the 1st half of Ocean Ave and the right side was better just before the Harbor Ave. turn.”
Back at the front of the race, Roy says, “Turns out we were chasing 8 of some of the strongest guys in the country. The gap got down to 15 seconds with 3 laps to go but then the steam went out of the chase. Peter, Landen and I moved to the front behind the bikereg boys and got ready for the sprint. Unfortunately I got to the front before the final hairpin and experienced the headwind I had been hiding from all day with Landen on my wheel. It was then that the riders swarmed past us and Landen and Peter came past to find more reliable wheels. Up the final rise I think that Landen went right and I went left. I put in a big effort and was quite suprised to come over the rise at the front of the group. Whoops, 200m too early. There wasn’t anything left to do but lead out the rest of the group.”
Roy held his speed and rolled in for 19th… probably 11th from his group. Not the perfect race, but still very solid none the less.