...by that much!

Newmark crit, 4/5 race this past Sunday: we had the early (9am) slot, which was good because it was only gonna get hot 'n' muggy later. Almost 40 starters, light headwind on the backside, pancake flat. The course is a D, with the start/finish on the straight line. To recap: flat, two right turns, no wind to speak of.

I smelled a bunch sprint.

And we got it -- even with five or six early primes, no one really tried to stay away. I sat in, bided my time, noted the obvious sketchy riders, and before I knew it the lap cards for 6, 5, 4, and 3 to go had come and gone. My strategy, limited as it was, was this: Team Abundance had three guys in the race: two were working, and one (built like a sprinter), was laying low. From 6 to go I kept an eye on him, and from 3 to go I sat on or very near his wheel. Hang on 'til showtime, and hope I'm faster.

We came around the last corner, and I was right where I wanted to be: toward the left of the field, on the correct wheel, and with a good mental marker of when to jump. 'Breathe, don't go too soon, and you may have a shot,' I said to myself.

Only my guy didn't really jump.

So finally I did, kicking myself as I wound it up, moving past a few folks on my right, thinking 'you dummy, you're gonna get like eighth because you waited too long on one guy's wheel.'

Or maybe I'll get sixth.

Or fourth.

Or... hey! Look at that!

Second by half a wheel. To a guy fading fast, who'd jumped strong but early. (A Cyclesport rider who assured me after Germantown that he was upgrading before his next race. And didn't. I teased him after this race that he'd have no choice now: the win would force his upgrade.)

The kick was there Sunday, and it felt good -- let's hope it's still there tomorrow, and for the rest of the Ault Park series.

[Jeffrey's got pictures here. And be sure to check out Bret getting his prerace instructions from Chip here.]