But he has somehow managed to score enough 55+ BAR points to feel he should continue doing BAR events, and so he felt obliged to do the MABRA Championship crit.
55+ Race (raced together with 65+, scored separately)
The course was opened after the previous race finished and the Wheelsucker pushed it a little going around for a few laps to see how it was. It was a wide and open four corner crit; wide enough that one could pedal through the corners most of the time.
There were 14 pre-registered for 55+ and five pre-registered for 65+, and a small number of "day of" registrants.
Dennis Crockett was there with two other AVC riders, and DC Velo was very well represented with Paul Mittelstadt, Ad Bax, Mark Sommers, Stuart Ross, and at least one more rider in 65+. ABRT had three with Ted Harris, Stephen Szibler and the Wheelsucker.
The race was fast from the beginning. The Wheelsucker was expecting DC Velo to control the race and for there to be attrition off the back, so the Wheelsucker’s initial plan was to not be dropped and be in the lead group. There were lots of surges and short term break efforts with DC Velo rotating attacks. Whenever DC Velo was not attacking, Dennis Crockett was riding the front and cranking up the pace to chase anyone that went by him. There were numerous splits and numerous times the field recombined, but there was attrition off the back, and eventually the lead group was down to six, and three of them were DC Velo.
Mark Sommers was causing most of the problems. A typical move was Sommers attacking, the Wheelsucker would jump to get on, but before he could get to Sommer’s wheel, Dennis would have cranked up the speed on the front and moved over to Sommers wheel, so the Wheelsucker would grab Dennis’ wheel instead. Sometimes the three got away and gapped Paul and/or Ad, but Sommers would ease up if they were not in the lead group, and they would get back on. Dennis would drive from the front, and then another DC Velo rider would go. Repeat. Clifton Gray of Artemis was part of the lead group early on, but flatted out.
The Wheelsucker could not see how his being on the front and doing any work could possibly be a good idea in these circumstances. Any hard effort by the Wheelsucker would have been countered by DC Velo, so putting the Wheelsucker at risk of being dropped. In the unlikely event that he, or he and Dennis, somehow managed to get away from all three of the DC Velo riders, they would have done a TTT to bring Dennis and the Wheelsucker back, and THEN countered.
He did get on the front briefly and put in a short hard dig to reduce the gap to Paul, on one of Paul's ventures off the front. The rest of the time the Wheelsucker was riding to be there, because he could not think of anything more productive to do.
So after lots of surging and chasing it came down to the last laps with a six rider lead group with the DC Velo riders, Dennis, David Wolfel and the Wheelsucker. The Wheelsucker was about to jump on the start/finish climb with one to go, when Wolfel went. The Wheelsucker was already accelerating and grabbed his wheel.
But this move was immediately marked by the other four. David kept going but the Wheelsucker tried to get tricky by letting a gap open between him and Wolfel, hoping to get someone behind the Wheelsucker to go early so the Wheelsucker could follow.
But it didn't work.
It was gruppo compacto on the penultimate leg when the sprint started shortly before the last turn. Wolfel was blown from his attack and the Wheelsucker rolled past him and up the finishing climb, but the other four were much faster sprinters.
It was Sommers, Mittelstadt, Crockett, Bax, Meller, and Wolfel, and Meller was not close to Bax.
Ted Harris was 9th, and Stephen Szibler 15th. There were 16 finishers in 55+ and two DNFs. All seven of the 65+ field finished.
35+ cat 3/4
The Wheelsucker had allowed himself to be talked into registering for the cat 3/4 35+ race as well. Several days before racing, this seemed like a good idea. It was a fairly long drive, why not do a second race and help team mates.
But in the heat and after the effort of the 55+ race the Wheelsucker had doubts. He reluctantly had someone pin his new number on and lined up for the start. He was thinking he would see how it went, try to help his team mates, and if it went badly he would just drop out.
There was a brief pre-race team discussion. The gist of it was ABRT would try to control the race by riding at or near the front, chasing any move with two or more riders. Patrick Hogan, the ABRT sprinter, would occasionally try for a good break, but was also happy to sprint it out at the end. Also racing for ABRT were Ted, Stephen, Saba and Patrick.
Saba and the Wheelsucker started side by side. Both were a little show to clip in, but Saba then surged to the front and drove the pace. The Wheelsucker was going as hard as he could and only made it to about 15th wheel, but immediately began moving up from there.
ABRT continued to work to control the race. Stephen was eventually dropped, but the other ABRTers rode at or near the front, chased attacks and generally made it known that no one was going anywhere. Saba attacked a couple of times; Patrick jumped with attackers a couple of times, so the ABRTers would let a gap open and block, but these were brought back.
Without the pressure of racing for himself, or even needing to finish, the Wheelsucker was not conserving as much and was frequently near the front, frequently jumping to catch the wheels of attackers, and was actually on the front driving the pace to keep it steady and fast, a couple of times. But mostly he wheelsucked, albeit near the front of the race.
But the Wheelsucker was feeling the effort and was checking the lap board and counting down the laps to when he could stop hurting himself. With about five to go he was on the front for a lap keeping the pace up and discouraging attacks, and he was at or near the front for laps 4,3 and 2. Since it is quite notable that the Wheelsucker was actually on the front, photographic evidence from photographer Igda Warner is worth showing.
The Wheelsucker watching the front, ready to move if he has to.
Yes, that IS the Wheelsucker on the front
A moment laterThere was a crash at the right turn at the top of the climb with two to go, the Wheelsucker cut inside but was slowed to avoid it, and was not planning to contest the sprint, so eased up. He half heartedly chased the back of the peloton, but more riders were sitting up. With one to go he was a little off the back and looking up to see where his team mates were.
Unfortunately Pat was taken down with one lap to go, while in excellent position, so all the work was in vain. It was a very hard race. But it was fun to race with team mates.
The Wheelsucker rolled across 23rd, but he did not care. He had not done the race for his finish. It was unfortunate that Pat Hogan had crashed out with one to go, but the team had done everything very well until that point.
Wheelsucker Data
| 55+/65+ Race | 35+ 3/4 Race | |
|---|---|---|
| time | 43:43 | 44:27 |
| distance | 18.43 miles | 18.45 miles |
| speed | 25.30 mph | 24.91 mph |
| average power | 235 watts | 233 watts |
| peak power | 833 watts | 799 watts |
| temperature | 96 F | 98 F |
The Wheelsucker does not know who reads these reports. Few of his team mates refer to them. But he is amazed to find himself frequently chatting on the start line with a rider from another team who reads the Wheelsucker Blog. Amazing! Thank you for reading; the Wheelsucker hopes you continue to enjoy it.
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