Team Dayton criterium

So long, road season. Wrapped it up today with the Team Dayton criterium at the Renaissance Festival grounds in Harveysburg. Sad to say, I hadn't touched my bike since my cool-down lap in Miamisburg last Sunday. And last Sunday I had told at least 17 people that I was done for the road season, I was skipping next weekend and getting ready for CX training. So my expectations were low, and I lived up to them. Sort of.

We rolled out with a small field (17, I think) swollen with about 7 Dayton riders. I took the front at the whistle, ramped it up to a whopping 21, and looked back to see a 100-yard gap. Huh. I pedaled steady for a lap and a half, had stupid thoughts about taking a real dig and seeing how far out I could get, finished warming up, and then welcomed the field back as it slowly made its way to me.

After that, I was one of several other singletons on the defensive as Dayton made attack after attack, most of which we had to take somewhat seriously. I patrolled the front, took digs when I needed to (and sometimes when I didn't -- I was a little tired of my previous strategy of "sitting in until I found a good wheel on the last lap," so I tried to be more active).

With a few to go, a Dayton rider and a NE/COBC rider got off the front, and it started to look serious. I got on the front, and so did Shayne (Abundance). But third wheel was always a Dayton rider, so our turns were short, and the suffering was long. We brought the break most of the way back, but when a surge went to shut it down the rest of the way, I popped, and watched them ride away. And then they slowed down. Oh, man, I can get back on. And I did (with some real help -- thanks Chris), only to get dropped again when the riders began winding it up for the finish. I rolled in off the back, and only learned a bit later that Shayne attacked in turn 3, avoided a crash, and rolled away for the victory, while Bo Sherman took second for the home team. I'm alright with that -- two very good guys I've lined up with a lot this year.

Good times today -- not a great result, but I didn't expect one. Most important, I had fun racing. After Steve G's news this week, I'm very grateful for that opportunity.

Brett represented DH in the 3s, and brought home a very nice tenth place, especially after the hill- and sprint-fest of the MAXtour the day before.

I'm hittin' the beach. Gotta do something about this biker tan.