Race Report: SF Twilight Criterium Men's Pro 1/2

The team did another big nighttime criterium on September 13th. This was part of a national criterium series which is hotly contested by some of the best crit riders in the country. This edition of the series was in our own backyard: San Francisco and the title sponsor was our very own Webcor Builders!

James tried to end his season early but we talked him into one more race before winter hybernation. It was a good thing we did because chaos and bad luck toward the finish left James as our closer. He sprinted in for a respectable 20th place. Below is his report.

Results can be found here

Some action shots from the race:
James leading through the bottom corner
Rand at speed
Ryan attacking
Rob on the front

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Race: 1st ever SF Twilight Criterium

Category: Men's Pro 1/2

Teammates: Rob (47th), Rand (60th), Jono, Ryan, Neil

Placing: 20th of 100+

This race was AWESOME in so many ways. The promoter, Project Sport, did a stellar job hyping up this race and making it a premier event. The promoter has plans to make a Triple crown series for 2009 with San Rafael, San Francisco, and Sacramento being the venues. The course was a rectangle with the S/F line at the highest point on the course in the middle of one of the long straightaways. This race started at 8pm so it was dark and chilly at the start line. There were generator spot lights on the corners and at the finish. Transitioning from dark to bright multiple times per lap made visibility somewhat of a challenge, especially when your lenses start to fog up.

Having started my season on Feb. 2nd this year I was burned out after the Giro. Then I tried the points race at Master's track Nationals, and the 100 degree heat took even more out of me. So, 6 days before the SF twilight race I phoned Director Bruce and let him know I was not planning to race due to fatigue and burnout. Bruce told me to wait a few days and see how I felt and we would revisit it then. Well, by Wednesday I was feeling better and told Bruce I was going to race. I am glad I decided to race because the SF race was huge fun.

Now, on to the race. Thanks to Webcor and Andy Ball being the title sponsor of the event, the entire team was able to line up near the front of the pack. This proved valuable as the race exploded from the gun. With the high speed and lots of guys trying to figure out the 40mph right hander at the bottom of the course, there were lots of small gaps opening up throughout the pack and it was difficult to maintain position. Lots of attacks started to go early, with the Webcor team trying their best to practice patience. After about 10 minutes a small group got a decent gap. Bruce radioed to Rob and I that we needed to close it. I immediately went to the front and tried my best to bring it back. After spending an entire lap at the front I was done and ready to drop out of the race. I drifted back toward the back of the pack and was hurting really bad. After a few laps I started feeling better and working my way back up through the pack when I got caught behind a crash out of turn 3. I ran into the guy in front of me and came to a stop. A big group rolled around to the S/F for the free lap where they threw us back in the race.

Ryan, Rob, and Rand were all near the front for a good portion of the race. Rob put in some monster efforts chasing down attacks. Throughout the race small attacks were going off but would all eventually come back. Rand did his best to bridge up to some of these attacks, but again most of them ended up coming back. Ryan proved his worthiness throughout the entire race, he maintained position well and did some great turns on the front.

I put in a 2nd effort dangling off the front later in the race when I was trying to bridge up to a small breakaway. I wasn't able to bridge due to lack of fitness and again went straight to the back feeling like I was ready to drop out of the race. I pedaled a few laps near the back of the group and started feeling better again so I started moving up. That is when I heard a huge tire blowout and soon realized it was my rear tire. This happened on the bottom of the course so I rolled around on the tubular tire to the SRAM neutral support where I got a new wheel. I was put back in the race with about 20 min. to go. The pace was still high.

Inside 20 min. to go I don't remember much other than I was ready to be finished with this race. I do recall Rob and Ryan both putting some big efforts on the front to bring back breakaways. Inside 5 to go I was behind Rand when he got tangled up with some riders briefly where no one went down. He then had a loud noise coming from his bike. Not knowing what it was exactly he radioed to the team that something was wrong with his bike and he wouldn't be contesting the finish. At that time Bruce came on the radio telling me it was my time to go for the finish. I wasn't feeling very good at that point but I started moving up as best I could.

At the bell lap I was somewhere around 30th place and Ryan was just in front of me. We both moved up on the back side of the course and came out of the last turn in about 15th place when we started our sprint. Ryan went up the outside and was accelerating quickly when another rider ran him wide and he hit the fence launching him and his bike into the air. I hit the brakes and moved right to avoid the flying objects. Then I continued to sprint passing a few people and rolled in for 20th place. I rolled around to where Ryan had crashed and found him lying on the ground. He looked pretty bad but he was talking. His face was very bloody. The medics checked him out and the team showed up soon after to give him support. In the end Ryan walked away with only scrapes and bruises.

It turned out Rand's front wheel was hitting his fork, in addition his rear wheel came half way out of the rear dropout.

I was happy with 20th considering my current fitness level. Now, if only this race were in June, I would be writing a different report.

Thanks to the team--both those who raced and those who didn't but showed up anyway to give us 6 guys the support.

It has been a breakthrough season for the P1/2 team. I can't wait for 2009.

Some photos of the race can be found at www.webcorelitecycling.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading,

James