As the crank turns… tales of life on the rims

Cobb Park

So - riding down in Florida was like it always is - Hot and flat.  I did get over 200 miles in that week but then followed it up with a week of near nothing.  Between the business and work and supplier shortages on both fronts ...anyway.

Needless to say I was looking at Cobb Park as an opportunity to push my body back into "oh...yeah this is what it's like" mode.  I decided to only race the 30+ 4/5 instead of the multiple races I could have done.  I got there in time to see the end of the 4's.  On their last lap someone washed out in the last real turn before coming down and around to the finish.  Our man Joe got taken out but a majority of the guys I was watching made it through.

Joe tore up his hand and was under the impression that he had broken his collarbone....so he decided he was good to race the next race.

The field was a little thinner (in count - not weight) than normal.  Can only guess it was because of ToAD action up in Cheeselandia.  The wreck in the 4's must have taken out the really sketchy guys because our race went fairly smoothly...mostly.  1 or 2 laps in I was chatting with Bryan Fuller when a Turin rider moved right in the tight left hand turn 2 and caused a chain reaction that ended with Bryan getting pinched on the curb there - going down in slow motion and at low speed.  Kind of a, "hey....hold it....wha?....nOOooooo...OOOOumph! <crack, crackThud>".....so I accelerated.  It's like instinct.

As I came around I saw Bryan's wife sitting there and was able to yell, "Bryan WENT DOWN!"  then realized I should add, "BUT HE's FINE!"

He re-joined after his free lap and we went back to the do-si-do that is midwestern crit racing - riding around and waiting for the sprint to happen.  I felt fairly good and chalked it up to an easy crit.  Turns out i don't think it ended up being slow it was just that it was fairly smooth.  Whomever was missing from that race that is normally there.....you might be the one that's been causing all the problems this season.  Just sayin...

It seemed to be my day to be caught behind wrecks.  I saw a few small ones here and there.  A guy clipped the curb in that little chicane thingy and went down hard in front of me.  Still not sure how I made it around him but I did.  Smelled my brakes for a while after that.  As we started to ratchet it up in the las 4-5 laps guys started going down with a little more frequency.  At one point someone overshot a turn and ended up riding over the grass/sidewalk.  typical cat 4/5 stuff.

These little stutters combined with the driving on the front made for some accordion in the last few laps that claimed quite a few victims.  I sat up a few times thinking..."this is it" but found I came back.  ended up finishing right off the back of the pack.  Same place....different week.

Joe nabbed 3rd after getting pinched at the line.

After that I stuck around to see Scott Knoepke race the Cat3 race.  He mentioned to me before that day that there would probably be a break.  I was all, "no....not on that course...."  shows what I know.  There wouldn't be a break in any category I race in but with the 3's Jason K. attacked from the start.  I knew Scott wanted to be in a break but he figured he was going to wait until about 30 minutes in before looking for one.  This one was Jason though and the field was all black riding on the front.  I knew he was going to have to go and catch it or be stuck racing around in the pack.

Sure enough he bridged up a few laps into it and the break was whittled down to 3.  I started tracking time splits and was yelling them out.  I could see Jason turning his head to hear so I was never really sure how much info was getting to the group or not.  A couple of times the field tried to organize a chase - a guy here or there - but nothing was going.  Lots of yelling in the pack from what I could hear.  Lots of unhappy chasers.  Simple numbers though - 2 guys in the break wearing black and the majority of the field....black jerseys.  Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's going on when they come through the "fast" section 4-6 wide and sitting up-right with all black jerseys on the front.

Whipple was still in the pack and if it was going to get shut down Whipple would be just the kind of guy to get it done.  It seemed like he went after it early but then sat up.  Turns out he's been sick all week and just didn't have it in him (get better John).   I watched the splits go from :30 down to :25 when they were trying to chase and then they just worked their way up to :40-:50.  With about 5-6 laps left when I yelled to the pack they were :50 or so back a couple of guys on the front just sat straight up.  They were done.  I yelled to the front group that was it and they were in with no chasing - ride smart and have fun and enjoy it.

I had a feeling Jason would launch.  I have never watched him race but I am sure there aren't many who want to sprint against Scott - just from sizing him up.  It's funny because he actually has a vicious TT motor....and can sprint when he needs to.  Sure enough Jason went with a few to go and came in 1st.  Scott had a great 3rd and a huge victory.  Essentially he is still a brand new cat 3 who is still recovering from his surgery he had early this season.

In late reporting Jeff Bernaeyge nabbed wors race #4 3rd place sport single speed:

Sponsored rider Debbie Dust also nailed a 5th at Grafton Pro 1/2/3 women's race - riding PSIMET 50mm carbon:

To wrap up the rest of the updates I have missed recently - Sherman park, etc:

Raviv Wolfe - Wonder Lake - 2nd 4/5 masters, 4th cat 4.  **upgraded to a 3**

Tim Speciale - 1st place Wonder Lake Cat 3 - Hells Yes.

Scott Knoepke - 3rd Sherman Park Cat 3, 8th Wonder Lake cat 3

John Low - 7th Wonder Lake Cat 5

Rubber side down.  Let's go racing!