San Dimas Stage Race
16-18 March 2007
Elite Team Riders: Bruce Wilford and Rob MacNeill in Cat 2, Jono Coulter in P/1
Summary:
Stage 1 TT: 48th/97 for Rob w-16:02, 56th for Bruce w-16:16 (Winning time at 14:29), Jono was 92nd in P/1.
Stage 2 RR: 24th for Rob, 27th for Bruce, both in lead pack of 47, Jono was 75th in P/1 and missed the time cut.
Stage 3 Crit: 8th for Rob, 37th for Bruce
GC: 36th for Rob at 1:46, 42nd for Bruce at 2:00 after a quick 3:28:25 of racing
TT Report:
The first stage is an uphill time trial of a bit under 4 miles. The start is fast and mostly level for a minute or two, then one turns left and starts the climb, which continues past the finish line. The grade is comparable to Route 9, fairly steady and sort of shallow and faster than OLH or Kings.
We all headed down the night beforehand so had all morning to get reg'd and have a little spin before our cushy mid-afternoon start times. It was warm and sunny in SoCal, which made for a nice change from the previous two years when it was pouring rain and cold for this TT. Still it was probably the hottest racing day yet so we had to be diligent about staying hydrated before and after the TT.
After some good warmups on the rollers in the shade, we headed out for our starts. Rob went 10-15 minutes ahead of Bruce. From the post-race debrief, it seems that both Rob and Bruce had the same race: we both started too hard, we both suffered from our early mistakes, we still both put in solid efforts, we both passed one guy, and we both got passed by one guy. The times and W/kg were similar too. Bruce and Rob aren't noted climbers, which is unfortunate when the uphill TT pretty much decides GC. We ended up smack dab in the middle of the placings after the first stage: 49th for Rob and 56th for Bruce and about a minute and a half off the leader. This at least took all responsibility off our small team from controlling the next stages and it made our approach for the rest of the race clear: go for stage wins.
In the P/1 event, Jono was suffering from a bit of fever and overall sickness and had trouble maintaining the intensity required for a TT. He soldiered through it hoping to recover in time for the next day's road race.
RR Report:
The course is a 7-mile circuit on which the Cat 2's did 8 laps for a total of 56 miles. Each loop had a few rollers and one 1.5-2 minute, steep KOM climb toward the end of the lap. After the hill, there was a short fast descent to the relatively flat, straight final 1-2 km. There was a stiff tailwind into the finish and head/crosswinds on other sections of the course. The wind didn't really factor into our race that much though.
Another easy afternoon start time meant a good nights sleep. In the Cat 2 event, we expected the rather short RR to be rather fast and hard. It didn't disappoint. The first several laps were fast, especially through the one main climb. There were KOM points on offer on laps 2, 4 & 6, which made the pace high. Laps, 3, 5, 7 and 8 had sprint points (and the win) up for grabs through the start/finish. Lots of jockeying going on for the green and polka dot jersey points. Bruce and Rob stayed out of it mostly, trying to save it for breaks or the sprint finish. We stayed near the front most of the race and sagged the climb to save our energy. Bruce had the misfortune of hitting a bump about 3 laps in, which tilted his saddle up an uncomfortable 30 degrees. He did an awesome job of dealing with a bad situation and only complained once or twice. He even got in one of the few breaks of the day. Unfortunately, the mix didn't work so it was brought back shortly.
Things were looking good with 1 or 2 to go. Bruce and Rob were comfortable near the front as others seemed to be getting tired. Unfortunately, the P/1 pack, which was mysteriously started 10 minutes behind the 2's, took about half of the last lap of neutralized riding to pass us. Just as the neutralization ended, a well timed solo attack went off. He held it to the line for the win. A little while later, a DBC rider went off in chase, and he stayed off too. The lethargic pack did nothing, Bruce and I weren't in position to counter, and the GC guys apparently couldn't get their teams motivated to do some teamwork. So, with a well rested peleton approaching the final climb, we knew it was going to be hard and hard it was. Bruce and Rob did their best to make it over with no intentional sagging this time. We both made it with the front group. Rob bombed the descent and passed the pack, thinking there was more of the field splintered off the front. The guys "off the front" were a mix of P/1's and 3's finishing up. So, Rob sat up, not wanting to tow the field to the line. A few efforts were made trying to stay on top of the surges. With about 3 or 400 m to go, the front guys jumped, Rob tried to follow and had to sit down after 200 m and rolled it in for 24th. Bruce was gaining fast in the last meters but finished just behind Rob in 27th. So, beside the 2 guys off the front, we finished with the lead pack of 47 riders. If things were a little less chaotic into the finish, it could've gone better. That's bike racing though.
The P/1 Race went 10 laps and 70 miles. Jono was still under the weather but took the start anyway and did the best he could, given the circumstances. BMC were drilling it with Moninger in yellow and Navigators and Jittery Joes were taking turns at trying to annihilate his tiny, frail, alien like body J Jono was spent with 4 laps to go and rode in with a Colavita, a BMC and a really nice guy Andy from Karl Strauss SDBC, thinking the officials would be lenient with the 5% time cut. It was not to be.
Crit Report:
One last afternoon start for the final stage, a downtown San Dimas criterium on an L-Shaped course with a slight uphill leg on the far side and a downhill leg coming into the last corner before the ~200 m flat, straight drag to the line. The 2's race was 55 minutes of fury with 2 hot spot sprints for bonus seconds and green jersey points on offer. Lots of primes were up for grabs throughout as well, which kept things rolling. Again, teamwork seemed minimal from the big teams so the race leaders were left to fend for themselves. This made for some sketchy racing at times, with the biggest crash happening on the corner leading into one of the hot spot sprints. The last couple laps were fast with Rob and Bruce doing their best to hang in there. Rob was near the front trying to figure out what team might be forming a leadout. It didn't materialize though, so Rob surfed many swarms in the closing minutes to stay at the front. There was a bit of a swarm on the last downhill leg and we went into the last corner about 4 wide. The guy in front of Rob blew his tire through the corner but managed to stay upright. Rob had to hesitate to get around before sprinting and finished a respectable 8th. Bruce finished in the pack in 37th.
All in all, we rode well, stayed upright, and had fun. With consistent finishes, the Cat 2's both moved up from our initial placings to 36th for Rob and 42nd for Bruce in GC. Jono lived to race another weekend. He'll focus on getting over his sickness and hit 'em again soon.
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