Author: Chris Kroll

Eagle Creek Traditional Crit

Cat 3 report:

Parrish back on Podium –

Congratulations to Scott Parrish for a well deserved 2nd place in the Cat 3 event. The venue bodes well for the folically gifted one as he won the Cat 4 event in 2005. After a mid season crash at the District Crit last season, Scott has been working to find his form and it certainly showed up Saturday. Well done!

Cat 1/2/3 report:

A good sized field of 40 or so (I’m not good with numbers) to start, with Tortuga, Dogfish, a small contingent of Roadhouse, and a sea of red with Bacardi-Nuvo mixed with a multitude of collegiate/independent riders. Daly starts the event and we’re off with Nuvo quickly moving up to the front and Al Senft attacking solo. Al’s dangling out front it seems for the longest time when the group finally reels him in. A few faux moves and finally Jason Sonneborn rolls off the front near the start-finish. I jump from the same side and catch him at the turn, along in tow come a Dogfish guy and 3 other independents. A lap or so later Bennet V. from Nuvo joins and I’m thinking “ah oh….” So it’s two B-Nuvos and the rest of us. We’re working pretty well and with injured Patrick Delisle and Bob Brooks on the sidelines, I’m getting word that John Kelly is coming up. Good news thinks I…I then try slowing the break, and it does come down oh so close, but then bam – back up again. With not long to go and enough time on the field that we won’t be caught, I’m thinking what needs to be done to finish well. With 3 to go and pulling through the group I mention to the strongest independent, a collegiate rider from Colorado, that Bennet will attack with 1.5 to go (thinking Ceraland all over…). He nods in understanding. All set for the finish as I look for support, but guess what? It doesn’t happen. On the last lap our pace comes to a crawl just before the turn leading to the base of the “climb”. At 17 mph Sonneborn launches with Bennet in tow and the Colorado collegian behind him. My sorry butt sits in 6th from this as I’m on the wrong side from where Sonney goes…Up the hill and on it as hard as I can…The Col Collegian takes Bennet at the line and I roll up in 4th. Yes, Horus, I’m a work in progress on the sprint…But I did pick the right stranger as the strong one…

Fireworks afterward –

For those witness to our parking lot “celebration” of a top 5 finish in this event, everything is in fine order with our squad. The in-love turtles post event e-mail solidified that we’re clicking along just fine. No worries regarding our gelling as a team. I know some competitors may have been concerned as to our well being. Thanks for your support.

Manning up and getting in the way –

– Chris

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Categorized as Races

Ceraland – no Disneyland

Ugly – the best one word description of the 2006 Ceraland Cat 1/2/3 race. I’m not sure if it would have been better to wear body armor or ear plugs. This certainly was no family event, although there were many times I heard about someone’s mother…

Bob’s race description was accurate, just missing the fine details of the verbage (or garbage) being strewn about the course. Understandably in the heat of battle, and man it was hot (86 degree temps fueled by a huge, fast field of flying testosterone), tempers can flare, but that should be it. Rumors of riders deliberately being bumped off the course and a post-race fist fight are way beyond the passion that should be seen by those competing on two wheels. We’re racing at an amateur level and it should be for fun.

Nonetheless, I had fun. The team rode well, and I heard post race satisfaction mixed with dissatisfaction from the squad, which is a good thing. I also know come race time that Tortuga will speak with our legs, not our mouths, and as the season unfolds it will get louder…

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Categorized as Races

Wednesday Worlds #2 – “Lost In Translation”

Our 2nd edition of the 2006 Worlds was as squirrelly as the prevailing winds this evening, as I title this post for numerous reasons…Calls this afternoon indicate some confusion as to the route selection by our GRC (group ride coordinator) and I end up finding out that the route is 2 laps around Morgan Monroe State Forest, not the Lower Paragon Loop that I had mentioned to a least a half dozen riders during the week. Even at the start of the ride the question came up again; forest loop? or lower Paragon?

Doesn’t matter, really. Both have some good climbs and fast sections; should be a good workout no matter what, right? That is the purpose to the Worlds – if you’re riding back into town from one of these and you’re not spent, that’s your problem, no one elses. I’ll stop there, for I could rant further…

We roll out tonight without any encounter from the local gendarms (a problem last week on a ride for some) and keep it civil as per instructions at Sample Gates. 25- 30 in the group (I’m not good with numbers). I heard “neutral until the Forest” – a bit long I think before revving it up, but I go along with it. Not until North on Old 37 before Anderson Rd do I have yet another translation issue – apparently it was to be neutral up the first hill nearing the “Orchard” – I won’t go into geographical detail. Somehow I find myself chasing after chatting too much in the first 2 miles of the ride – the pace is upped to 25+ and we’re not close to the “revving” point of the ride. Not sure what was up with that, but it did settle down a bit.

Things get stretched out a bit on the first climb as a group of 15 or so push up and along Old 37 entering into the Forest. A select few reach the turn in first, but soon after it regroups and we’re hammering along…We reach Beanblossom hill and head flying down. The Artesian Hammer has warned of utility cuts at the base of the hill and sure enough it’s pretty rough. The group stays together onto Anderson as we head back to Old 37 to end lap one. As we near the end of this section, a sprint unfolds to the imaginary spot that I’ve never been clear for a finish. My next search for translation – where is it? Is it a sign? A pole? A mailbox? That road that intersects Anderson? Anyhow, the pace speeds and a rider sprints lone to this spot…

We continue to roll past and a counter attack occurs, Patrick Delisle (surprise Indy mate of the evening) reacts and I go as well. At the turn onto Old 37 Patrick continues up ahead and I short bridge to him. Heading into the climb Patrick puts down a wicked pace with me in tow along with 2 Little 5’ers and the lone Nuvo of the night, Jason Sonneborn. The 5 of us continue to pull away from the group and we’re gone – into the forest and back down Beanblossom. As we’re nearing Anderson, we spot some of the original group – my next losing of translation – did we lap them? Where did they come from? Odd.

Yes, I am going to conclude this post – We did pull through the group and continue at a solid pace to the imaginary sprint area (spot, place) with Patrick leading out, Sonneborn in tow and myself lying third. Sonney and I did come around Patrick and he claims the mailbox while I claimed the pole beyond. Where is that d&#n sprint line? This is my translation and I’m sticking to it.

Thanks to Patrick for coming down tonight and putting in an awesome effort. I was hanging on for dear life up that climb! Training ride or race, there’s no better feeling than being up in a break with one of your mates.

Next up is Cereland, our first big event of the 2006 season. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to be a battle royale.