Tuesday March 12th Training RideThe Wheelsucker Report

With the transition to Daylight Saving Time and the slowly lengthening days, there was enough daylight for a shortened training ride (leaving out the inner loop by continuing straight on Bayard).

The first Tuesday evening World Championship of the season!

Feeling very apprehensive about his form, and acutely aware that some of his team mates seem to have amazing form based on weekend racing results, the Wheelsucker arrived early and warmed up with a loop behind the Park & Ride with Alex Pline and "Stevie Wonder" Wahl.

Fortunately for the Wheelsucker none of: Ace, Mike Faber, Iain Banks, Steve Owens, or the other riders who have been pushing the pace and winning races were there… except that Pat Hogan, winner of the 3-4 crit in New Jersey this past weekend, was.

The Wheelsucker took an early pull on the downhill on the way to Governor Bridge Road, and then sat in nervously, hoping to keep enough in reserve for Harwood Hill.

But the group was not in a particularly frisky mood, and while the pace quickened at the top it was not an attack intended to drop anyone, and the Wheelsucker stayed on. Feeling good about having survived Harwood Hill, the Wheelsucker was on the front again approaching route 2, and for the short distance on the route 2 shoulder. He nearly wiped out when his front tire slid at the right turn onto Polling House.

The group eased up to see if one missing rider could catch on, so was going slowly to the South Polling House stairstep climb. But Hogan announced that it was “OK to climb as you normally would” and the Wheelsucker stood up and gave it everything he had, straining to work his way up alongside the group, drawing level with Matt Albanese who was leading, and then trying to get clear.

And it didn’t work!

Despite having been on the front and pulling for a while, Matt easily accelerated to grab the Wheelsucker’s wheel. The Wheelsucker drove it as hard as he could all the way to the top and the right turn on Bayard. But no one else was worried enough about this "attack" to make an effort to close the gap, except Matt, who got to the top apparently relaxed, while the Wheelsucker was hyperventilating and seeing stars. The others caught back on while the Wheelsucker was till soft pedaling, and he was rewarded for his effort by Pat driving the pace, forcing the Wheelsucker to dig deep again just to get on at the back.

The group sat up again at the left turn onto Harwood/Patuxent River to wait for a dropped rider.

The Wheelsucker was going to "have a go" at the sprint (sure, up against 1400 watt sprint winner Hogan …), but managed to get himself pinned against the right road edge, was gapped by all the sprinters AND Matt who was leading him out, and rolled across well behind the other sprinters. The Wheelsucker thinks Pat won with a long sprint, but the Wheelsucker was so far back he couldn't see that far up the road.

Officer Hogan provided the video of the finish. You can see Matt go, the Wheelsucker losing his nerve to follow Matt when he gets squeezed, Officer Hogan getting to Matt's wheel and then sprinting past him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-upload_owner&v=gnKHtJHs8kU&app=desktop.

Looks like Officer Hogan took the sprint!

But it was a beautiful warm evening, wonderful to be going a little hard on the bike, great to be riding with friends, and a terrific first training ride of the season.