Author: Geraint Parry

Over the Sunday and Monday of Memorial day weekend a band of Tortugans made the trek up to Elkart IN to participate in ‘The Great race’ This weekend long festival of competition includes a downtown crit on Saturday afternoon and then a rolling road race on Sunday morning. The crit course is wide, safe and whereas the racing was competitive a doubling of competitors would have really made the event ‘Great’. The RR in Bonneyville Mill Park is an up and down challenge on a overly sinuous 14mile route that one might think would be amenable to breakaways. However every race on Sunday ended in a bunch sprint but the abiding thought is one of thankfulness that no-one was injured as the route and the especially the finishing straight could be greatly improved upon!

            The prime Tortugan performer was Sarah Rieke who finished second on both days. In the crit Sarah was part of a four girl chase that battled all race long with eventually winner Kendi Thomas of Morris Trucking. In the finale Kendi maintained her advantage but Sarah dispatched her break mates in the kick to the line. The RR also finished in a bunch sprint and once again Kendi took the victory but in fairness to Sarah her opponent is better suited to a downhill big gear sprint!

It was I think a frustrating weekend for the Masters 40+ team of Gary Palmer and Tims Heffner and Davis. The crit didn’t fit to their skills and the due to some confusion over the length of the RR, Gary was priming myself for a last lap assault just as the rest of the field sprinted for the finish line!! Tim Heffner’s final sprint was not helped by the 40+ group sprinting into the Cat 3 squad as they began their final lap! Catastrophe was fortunately avoided but it didn’t help Heffner’s sprint any!!

The Cat 3 crit team of Purvis and Parry rode sensibly in an attacking race and were certainly pleased with a top ten finish by Purvis. The RR squad was significantly bolstered by the presence of Myron Lewis and he rode a great race at the front of the bunch pretty much at all times. Purvis retired after burning his matches early in the race helping the team cause and Parry probably could have finished the event but the recent development of a strangely sore leg meant it was not worth risking the coming weeks. The bunch sprint certainly favored those riders with the large quads yet Myron sprinted to a position around the top ten.

All in all a decent team weekend as we now move onto the hilly St Crispian and Pikes Peak events that finish up the ABR ‘Spring’ Series!

The warm weather, the 446 circuit and the recent end of the school year meant the Wednesday Worlds likely had a season high of riders as approximately 45 riders met at the samples gates ready to do battle over 8 laps of our high speed circuit. The few Tortugans who joined us out at the circuit must have had quite the shock as the herd of riders appeared over the horizon!! Added to about 20 Turtles were a flying group of students about to head off the Collegiate Nationals and also other local luminaries.
Credit must go to all participants as the ride was very safe with no obvious close-calls either with each other or with any passing vehicles! The size of the group really dominated the day as even though the pace stayed high no significant breakaways could form. This was exemplified by the fact the pace at the top of the ‘446 rise’ was sedate on most laps and lacked the usual furious chase from those at the back of the bunch. Into the last two laps, and aside from a brief solo attack from Mike Kehrberg, the group was focused on the finish. Through the final corner and into the last half mile a group of at least 30 riders were still in contention as only Tim Heffner was willing to lead out the sprint. Fortunately the finale was safe and it was the ‘peaking’ Mike Sherer who pipped ‘just starting out’ Karim Abelkader to the line.
It was also great to see so many ladies out on the rider and props to Sarah Rieke who rode near the front for the majority of the ride and seems unfazed by the excess of testosterone all about her! Next week- the Paragon loop.

With winter only just gone and summer on the way, the IRS spring series finally got underway at Morgan-Monroe with the MMSF RR on the classic Mount Bean circuit. For most Tortugans it was a first road race of the year and the team had much success with podium places for Gary Palmer (40+), Ren-Jay (Cat 4) and Taylor Gaines (Citizens) as well as top ten positions for Mike Brauner (40+) and Pat Garner (Citizens).
The plan of the Cat 2/3 squad to race in that event was altered prior to race day due to the horrid Wednesday worlds of certain squad members (me) and lack of anyone racing who was under 30. Therefore the decision was made that turtles Purvis, Millar, Lewis and Parry who contest the new Master3/4 category. The wisdom of that choice seems clear when Guy East, Brett Stewart (both ‘fresh’ from the Tour of Virginia), Mike Kehrberg and other ‘Cat 2s’ rolled up to begin the 2/3 event (The ABR isn’t quite as rigorous as the USCF in its categorization!).
The MAS3/4 event had a good field of about 40 riders but the pace was somewhat sedate for the first lap as everyone wondered how their climbing legs were feeling. About half the field were found the legs weren’t quite there yet as on the second roll down forest road the main group was down to about 25 riders! It was here that the race began in earnest with a few small groups rolling off the front, resulting in two riders developing a gap on the rest of the field. At this time with one independent and one affiliated rider (Heroes) up the road you’d think about 20 of the remaining riders would have an incentive to chase? Sadly not! Tortuga and a few other individuals took up the chase and for a while it appeared the break would come back. However without the dedication (or with the laziness) of a few extra riders the little group stayed away. Myron was clearly frustrated by this and was most often found on the front forcing the pace. Hopefully there were a few riders chuckling in the bunch that ‘this guy is just wearing himself out’. Well those riders were left to think again as final time up Mt Bean Myron stayed with a the small lead group and then crushed them in the sprint for 3rd. Although pleased with the result this of course added to the ‘if onlys’ and the thoughts that if we’d just chased a little harder…..